Apparatus and method for preparing a battery cell

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide an apparatus and method for preparing a battery cell. The apparatus comprises: a roller moving mechanism for controlling a first roller to move towards a center axis of the battery cell, the battery cell comprising a shell and a cover plate, the shell and the cover plate being sealingly connected and formed with a rolled edge structure turned outward; and the first roller for extruding the rolled edge structure through a first processing surface when the roller moving mechanism controls the first roller to move towards the center axis of the battery cell, so that the rolled edge structure is inclined towards the center axis of the battery cell. The apparatus and method for preparing a battery cell according to embodiments of the present application can improve the processing efficiency of the battery cell and improve the safety of the battery cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to an apparatus and method for preparing battery cells. Background Technology

[0002] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry. In this context, electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of the automotive industry's sustainable development. And for electric vehicles, battery technology is a crucial factor in their development.

[0003] In the development of battery technology, besides improving battery performance, safety is also a crucial issue that cannot be ignored. If battery safety cannot be guaranteed, then the battery is unusable. Therefore, how to enhance battery safety while ensuring battery processing efficiency is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved in battery technology. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an apparatus and method for preparing battery cells, which can improve the processing efficiency and safety of battery cells.

[0005] In a first aspect, an apparatus for manufacturing a battery cell is provided, the apparatus comprising: a roller moving mechanism for controlling a first roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, the battery cell comprising a housing and a cover plate, the housing and the cover plate being sealed together and forming an outwardly folded edge structure; and a first roller having a first processing surface, the first roller being used to press the folded edge structure through the first processing surface when the roller moving mechanism controls the first roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, such that the folded edge structure tilts toward the direction closer to the central axis of the battery cell.

[0006] Therefore, in the device provided in this application embodiment, when the roller moving mechanism controls the first roller to move towards the central axis of the battery cell, the first processing surface of the first roller squeezes the rolled edge structure so that the rolled edge structure tilts towards the central axis of the battery cell. This not only compacts the rolled edge structure but also makes the rolled edge structure tilt towards the central axis of the battery cell, thereby improving the pressure resistance of the rolled edge structure and improving the sealing effect of the rolled edge structure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first roller is located on the side of the crimped structure away from the central axis of the battery cell. A reinforcing member is disposed on the side of the crimped structure closer to the central axis of the battery cell, and the first roller is disposed on the other side of the crimped structure, so that the first processing surface of the first roller can press the crimped structure to bring it into contact with the reinforcing member.

[0008] In some embodiments, the device further includes a roller rotation mechanism for controlling the first roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell. Considering that the rolled edge structure between the housing and the cover plate generally surrounds the battery cell, controlling the first roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell via the roller rotation mechanism ensures that the first processing surface of the first roller makes contact with different areas of the rolled edge structure, thereby allowing each area of ​​the rolled edge structure to be evenly stressed, resulting in uniform deformation and improving the processing efficiency of the rolled edge structure.

[0009] In some embodiments, the roller rotation mechanism is used to: control the first roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell when the roller moving mechanism controls the first roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, so as to improve the processing speed.

[0010] In some embodiments, the battery cell further includes a reinforcement disposed on the side of the cover plate away from the interior of the battery cell; the first roller is configured to press the rolled edge structure such that the rolled edge structure is inclined toward the central axis of the battery cell, and such that at least a portion of the reinforcement is located between the interior of the rolled edge structure and the cover plate.

[0011] The rolled edge structure is pressed against the reinforcing member, so that at least part of the reinforcing member is accommodated between the rolled edge structure and the cover plate. In this way, when the internal expansion of the battery cell causes an increase in pressure on the cover plate, the reinforcing member can resist at least part of the pressure, thereby reducing the pressure directly acting on the rolled edge structure and increasing the pressure resistance of the rolled edge structure. This improves the processing efficiency of the battery cell while also enhancing its safety performance.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first processed surface includes an inclined surface that is aligned with the inclined direction of the first surface of the reinforcing member, the first surface being the surface of the reinforcing member that contacts the rolled edge structure, so that the rolled edge structure can be uniformly stressed between the inclined surface and the first surface, and the deformation of the rolled edge structure is more uniform, thereby improving the strength of the rolled edge structure.

[0013] In some embodiments, a first pressure head is used to restrict the movement of the reinforcing member of the battery cell within a first plane, the first plane being perpendicular to the central axis of the battery cell. The first pressure head can restrict the movement of the reinforcing member on the first plane, preventing misalignment of the reinforcing member from causing inconsistent deformation in different areas of the rolled edge structure, thus avoiding uneven structural strength of the rolled edge structure.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first processing surface is the inner surface of the groove surrounding the first roller, so that the first processing surface is always present for pressing the crimped structure as the first roller rotates about the central axis of the battery cell.

[0015] In some embodiments, the reinforcing member is annular, and the first pressure head is disposed on the inner side of the reinforcing member so that the first pressure head contacts a second surface of the reinforcing member near the central axis of the battery cell, thereby fixing and restricting the movement of the reinforcing member along a first plane perpendicular to the central axis of the battery cell.

[0016] In some embodiments, the angle between the surface of the first pressure head that contacts the reinforcing member and the central axis of the battery cell is in the range of [0°, 10°], so as to improve the stability of the first pressure head and also improve the stability of the reinforcing member.

[0017] In some embodiments, the device further includes a second roller having a second processing surface, and the roller moving mechanism is further configured to: control the second roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell; the second roller is configured to:, when the roller moving mechanism controls the second roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, press and wrap around the first edge of the cover plate and the second edge of the housing through the second processing surface to form the rolled edge structure. The rolled edge structure can be formed by pressing with the second roller; this process is simple and easy to implement.

[0018] In some embodiments, the device further includes: a second pressure head that contacts a first surface of a reinforcing member of the battery cell, the reinforcing member being disposed on a side of the cover plate away from the interior of the battery cell, the first surface being the surface of the reinforcing member facing the crimped structure, the second pressure head being used to: restrict relative movement between the reinforcing member and the cover plate to form a crimped structure between a second processing surface and the second pressure head.

[0019] In some embodiments, the device further includes: a pressure head moving mechanism for controlling the second pressure head to press the reinforcing member toward the interior of the battery cell along the central axis direction of the battery cell before the housing and the cover plate form the rolled edge structure, so that at least a portion of the cover plate is accommodated within the opening of the housing, and the first edge portion contacts the second edge portion.

[0020] The first and second pressure heads can not only be used to restrict the movement of the reinforcing member, but also to press the cover plate so that the first edge of the cover plate and the second edge of the housing can quickly merge, which helps to accelerate the formation of the rolled edge structure.

[0021] In some embodiments, the pressure head moving mechanism is further configured to: control the first pressure head not to leave the battery cell when controlling the second pressure head to leave the battery cell, so as to provide space for the deformation of the rolled edge structure.

[0022] In some embodiments, the second roller is located outside the battery cell, so that the second processing surface of the second roller causes the battery cell to form a counterclockwise rolled edge structure. Furthermore, the location of the second roller outside the battery cell does not affect the position of the reinforcing member, eliminating the need to continuously move the reinforcing member during different processing stages and improving processing efficiency.

[0023] In some embodiments, the roller rotation mechanism is further configured to: control the second roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell so that the first edge portion and the second edge portion are subjected to uniform force and deformation, thereby producing a uniform rolled edge structure.

[0024] In some embodiments, the roller rotation mechanism is used to: control the second roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell when the roller moving mechanism controls the second roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, so as to accelerate the formation of a circumferential annular rolled edge structure around the battery cell.

[0025] In some embodiments, the roller moving mechanism is further configured to: control the second roller to move to a position where the first processing surface contacts the battery cell when the first roller is moved to that position where the second processing surface does not contact the battery cell when the first processing surface contacts the battery cell; and control the first roller to move to a position where the second processing surface contacts the battery cell when the second roller is moved to that position where the first processing surface does not contact the battery cell when the second processing surface contacts the battery cell. This avoids the rolled edge structure being affected by the second processing surface when the first processing surface presses against it, and also avoids the rolled edge structure being affected by the second processing surface when the second processing surface wraps around the housing and cover to form the rolled edge structure.

[0026] In some embodiments, the second processing surface is the inner surface of the groove surrounding the second roller. This annular second processing surface facilitates the presence of the second processing surface for pressing and bending the first and second edge portions during the rotation of the second roller around the central axis of the battery cell, thereby forming a rolled edge structure.

[0027] In some embodiments, the battery cell is a cylinder, and the first roller is a cylinder.

[0028] In some embodiments, the device includes a plurality of first rollers, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the battery cell to make the rolled edge structure in different regions more uniformly stressed.

[0029] In a second aspect, a method for preparing a battery cell is provided, the battery cell including a housing and a cover plate, the housing and the cover plate being sealed together and forming an outwardly folded edge structure, the method comprising: controlling a first roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, and pressing the folded edge structure by a first processing surface of the first roller, such that the folded edge structure is inclined toward the central axis of the battery cell.

[0030] In some embodiments, the method further includes controlling the first roller to rotate about the central axis of the battery cell.

[0031] In some embodiments, controlling the first roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell includes: controlling the first roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell while controlling the first roller to move in the direction of the central axis of the battery cell.

[0032] In some embodiments, the battery cell further includes a reinforcing member disposed on the side of the cover plate away from the interior of the battery cell; the step of pressing the rolled edge structure by the first processing surface of the first roller, such that the rolled edge structure is inclined toward the central axis of the battery cell, includes: pressing the rolled edge structure by the first processing surface of the first roller, such that the rolled edge structure is inclined toward the central axis of the battery cell, and such that at least a portion of the reinforcing member is located between the inner side of the rolled edge structure and the cover plate.

[0033] In some embodiments, the method further includes: restricting the movement of a reinforcing member of the battery cell within a first plane by means of a first pressure head, the first plane being perpendicular to the central axis of the battery cell.

[0034] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the second roller to move toward the central axis of the battery cell, and pressing and wrapping the first edge of the cover plate and the second edge of the housing by the second processing surface of the second roller to form the rolled edge structure.

[0035] In some embodiments, the method further includes: contacting a second pressure head with a first surface of a reinforcing member of the battery cell and restricting relative movement between the reinforcing member and the cover plate, the reinforcing member being disposed on a side of the cover plate away from the interior of the battery cell, the first surface being the surface of the reinforcing member facing the rolled edge structure.

[0036] In some embodiments, the method further includes: before the housing and the cover plate form the rolled edge structure, controlling the second pressure head to press the reinforcing member toward the interior of the battery cell along the central axis direction of the battery cell, so that at least a portion of the cover plate is accommodated within the opening of the housing, and the first edge portion contacts the second edge portion.

[0037] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the first pressure head not to leave the battery cell while controlling the second pressure head to leave the battery cell.

[0038] In some embodiments, the method further includes controlling the second roller to rotate about the central axis of the battery cell.

[0039] In some embodiments, controlling the second roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell includes: controlling the second roller to rotate around the central axis of the battery cell while controlling the second roller to move in the direction of the central axis of the battery cell.

[0040] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when controlling the first roller to move to the point where the first processing surface contacts the battery cell, controlling the second roller to move to the point where the second processing surface does not contact the battery cell; and when controlling the second roller to move to the point where the second processing surface contacts the battery cell, controlling the first roller to move to the point where the first processing surface does not contact the battery cell. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle disclosed in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a side view schematic diagram of a battery cell disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a battery cell disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for preparing battery cells disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic block diagram of another apparatus for preparing battery cells disclosed in one embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of another apparatus for preparing battery cells disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure of a battery cell processing device disclosed in an embodiment of this application for preparing battery cells; Figure 8This is a partial top view schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure of a battery cell processed by an apparatus for preparing battery cells, as disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure of a battery cell processed by an apparatus for preparing battery cells, as disclosed in an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 This is another partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure of the battery cell processed by the equipment for preparing battery cells disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is another partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure of the battery cell processed by the equipment for preparing battery cells disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 This is another partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure of the battery cell processed by the equipment for preparing battery cells disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 13 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a battery cell disclosed in an embodiment of this application; Figure 14 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for preparing a battery cell disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0042] The accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of this application by way of example, but should not be used to limit the scope of this application, that is, this application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not vertical in the strict sense, but within the allowable tolerance range. "Parallel" is not parallel in the strict sense, but within the allowable tolerance range.

[0045] The directional terms used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of this application. It should also be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] In the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals denote the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components are omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of this application shown in the accompanying drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of the integrated device, are merely illustrative and should not constitute any limitation on this application.

[0047] In this application, the battery cell may include lithium-ion secondary batteries, lithium-ion primary batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, or magnesium-ion batteries, etc., and the embodiments of this application are not limited to these. The battery cell may be cylindrical, flat, cuboid, or other shapes, etc., and the embodiments of this application are not limited to these. Battery cells are generally divided into three types according to their packaging method: cylindrical battery cells, square battery cells, and pouch battery cells, and the embodiments of this application are not limited to these.

[0048] The battery mentioned in the embodiments of this application refers to a single physical module comprising one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery mentioned in this application may include a battery module or a battery pack. A battery generally includes a housing for encapsulating one or more battery cells. The housing prevents liquids or other foreign matter from affecting the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0049] A battery cell includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte. The electrode assembly consists of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. The battery cell primarily functions by the movement of metal ions between the positive and negative electrodes. The positive electrode includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer. The positive active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive current collector, and the uncoated positive current collector protrudes beyond the coated one, serving as the positive electrode tab. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the positive current collector can be made of aluminum, and the positive active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganese oxide, etc. The negative electrode includes a negative current collector and a negative active material layer. The negative active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative current collector, and the uncoated negative current collector protrudes beyond the coated one, serving as the negative electrode tab. The negative electrode current collector can be made of copper, and the negative electrode active material can be carbon or silicon, etc. To ensure that a large current can pass through without melting, there are multiple positive electrode tabs stacked together, and there are multiple negative electrode tabs stacked together. The separator can be made of polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), etc. Furthermore, the electrode assembly can be a wound structure or a stacked structure, and the embodiments of this application are not limited to these.

[0050] The development of battery technology must consider multiple design factors simultaneously, such as performance parameters like energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, and charge / discharge rate. Additionally, battery manufacturing efficiency and safety must also be considered. For batteries, the main safety hazards arise during the charging and discharging processes. For instance, during charging and discharging, the temperature of individual battery cells rises and they expand, increasing the internal pressure. Therefore, the seal between the cover and the casing needs to be strong enough to prevent battery cell failure. Thus, how to improve the manufacturing efficiency of battery cells while ensuring their safety is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.

[0051] Therefore, this application provides an apparatus for manufacturing battery cells, including a roller moving mechanism and a first roller. The battery cell includes a housing and a cover plate, which are sealed together and have an outwardly folded edge structure. When the roller moving mechanism controls the first roller to move towards the central axis of the battery cell, the first processing surface of the first roller presses the folded edge structure, causing it to tilt towards the central axis of the battery cell. The pressing action of the first roller not only compacts the folded edge structure but also causes it to tilt towards the central axis of the battery cell, thereby improving the pressure resistance and sealing effect of the folded edge structure.

[0052] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of this application are applicable to various battery-powered electrical devices.

[0053] Electrical equipment can include vehicles, mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, and power tools, etc. Vehicles can be gasoline-powered cars, natural gas-powered cars, or new energy vehicles; new energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. Spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc. Electric toys include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Power tools include metal cutting power tools, grinding power tools, assembly power tools, and railway power tools, such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators, and electric planers, etc. This application does not impose any special limitations on the above-mentioned electrical equipment.

[0054] For ease of explanation, the following embodiments use a vehicle as an example of electrical equipment.

[0055] For example, such as Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of this application. Vehicle 1 can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. A motor 12, a controller 11, and a battery 10 can be installed inside vehicle 1. The controller 11 controls the battery 10 to supply power to the motor 12. For example, the battery 10 can be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of vehicle 1. The battery 10 can be used to power vehicle 1; for example, it can serve as the operating power source for vehicle 1's electrical system, such as meeting the power requirements for starting, navigation, and operation. In another embodiment of this application, the battery 10 can not only serve as the operating power source for vehicle 1 but also as the driving power source, replacing or partially replacing gasoline or natural gas to provide driving power to vehicle 1.

[0056] To meet diverse power demands, a battery can comprise multiple individual cells, which can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of both. A battery can also be called a battery pack. Optionally, multiple individual cells can first be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of both to form a battery module, and then multiple battery modules can be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of both to form a battery. In other words, multiple individual cells can be directly assembled into a battery, or they can first be assembled into battery modules, and then the battery modules can be assembled into a battery.

[0057] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein, Figure 3 It can be Figure 2 A possible cross-sectional schematic diagram of the battery cell 20 shown, which can be as follows: Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cross-section of the battery cell 20 shown along the plane passing through the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20; Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of an apparatus 30 for preparing a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein the apparatus 30 can be used to prepare a cell such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The battery cell shown. Specifically, combined with Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the device 30 in this embodiment may include: a roller moving mechanism 33, used to control a first roller 32 to move toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, the battery cell 20 including a housing 21 and a cover plate 22, the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 being sealed together and forming an outwardly folded edge structure 24; a first roller 32 having a first processing surface 321, the first roller 32 being used to press the folded edge structure 24 through the first processing surface 321 when the roller moving mechanism 33 controls the first roller 32 to move toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, so that the folded edge structure 24 tilts toward the direction closer to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0058] In this embodiment of the application, the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 are sealed together and have an outwardly folded edge structure 24, which means that the folded edge structure 24 is located outside the battery cell 20, that is, the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 merge and fold outward to form the folded edge structure 24.

[0059] It should be understood that in this embodiment, the first roller 32 is connected to the roller moving mechanism 33 so that the roller moving mechanism 33 can control the movement of the first roller 32. For example, the roller moving mechanism 33 may be directly or indirectly connected to the first roller 32, and this embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0060] Therefore, in the device 30 of this application embodiment, when the roller moving mechanism 33 controls the first roller 32 to move towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32 presses the rolled edge structure 24, so that the rolled edge structure 24 can tilt towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. Through the pressing of the first roller 32, not only can the rolled edge structure 24 be compacted, but it can also be tilted towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, thereby improving the pressure resistance and sealing effect of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0061] Optionally, as an embodiment, the battery cell 20 of this application embodiment may further include: a reinforcing member 23, which is disposed on the side of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20. Specifically, as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the reinforcing member 23 in this embodiment of the application, disposed on the side of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20, may include: the reinforcing member 23 being directly disposed on the surface of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20, or the reinforcing member 23 being indirectly disposed on the surface of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20 through other components. For example, other components may be disposed between the reinforcing member 23 and the cover plate 22, such as a fixing structure such as an adhesive, but this embodiment of the application is not limited to this.

[0062] Optionally, the first roller 32 in this embodiment is further used to: compress the rolled edge structure 24, causing the rolled edge structure 24 to tilt toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and causing at least a portion of the reinforcing member 23 to be located between the inner side of the rolled edge structure 24 and the cover plate 22. Specifically, the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32 in this embodiment compresses the rolled edge structure 24, so that at least a portion of the reinforcing member 23 is located between the inner side of the rolled edge structure 24 and the cover plate 22, wherein the inner side of the rolled edge structure 24 refers to the side of the rolled edge structure 24 facing the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. For example, under the compression action of the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32, at least a portion of the reinforcing member 23 can contact the surface 241 of the rolled edge structure 24 facing the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and also contact the outer surface of the cover plate body portion 222.

[0063] Therefore, the device 30 provided in this application embodiment can press the rolled edge structure 24 toward the reinforcing member 23, and at least a portion of the reinforcing member 23 can be accommodated between the rolled edge structure 24 and the cover plate 22. In this way, when the internal expansion of the battery cell 20 causes an increase in pressure on the cover plate 22, the reinforcing member 23 can resist at least a portion of the pressure, thereby reducing the pressure directly acting on the rolled edge structure 24 and increasing the pressure resistance of the rolled edge structure 24. This improves the processing efficiency of the battery cell 20 while also improving the safety performance of the battery cell 20.

[0064] For example, for a cylindrical battery cell with a diameter of 64 mm, without the reinforcing member 23, the pressure resistance of the rolled edge structure is typically only 0.8 MPa to 0.9 MPa, while the pressure resistance of the pressure relief mechanism, which is set by scoring, is typically 1.7 MPa, higher than that of the rolled edge structure. Therefore, when the internal pressure of the battery cell 20 exceeds the upper limit of the rolled edge structure's pressure resistance, the rolled edge structure will fail before the pressure relief mechanism, leading to battery cell failure. The reinforcing member 23 added between the rolled edge structure 24 and the cover plate 22 can resist some of the pressure. Only after the reinforcing member 23 fails will the rolled edge structure 24 potentially fail, thus improving the pressure resistance of the rolled edge structure 24. This also ensures that the pressure relief mechanism fails before the rolled edge structure 24, improving the safety of the battery cell 20.

[0065] It should be understood that the housing 21 in this embodiment is a component for accommodating the electrode assembly 25, and the housing 21 may be a hollow structure with an opening at at least one end. For example, if the housing 21 is a hollow structure with an opening at one end, a cover plate 22 may be provided to cover the opening of the housing 21. Or, as Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the housing 21 can also be a hollow structure with openings at both ends. In this case, there can be two cover plates 22, which respectively cover the openings at both ends of the housing 21. This embodiment mainly takes the hollow structure with openings at both ends of the housing 21 as an example, that is, the housing 21 is a hollow structure with openings at both ends. The battery cell 20 includes two cover plates 22, which are used to cover the openings at both ends, so that the electrode assembly 25 can be assembled into the housing 21 through any opening. It also facilitates the assembly of other components in the housing 21, thereby improving assembly efficiency.

[0066] Optionally, the shell 21 in this embodiment can be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, steel, aluminum alloy, etc. The shell 21 can also be of various shapes, such as a cylinder, cuboid, etc. For example, in the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the shell 21 is a cylindrical structure.

[0067] In this embodiment, the cover plate 22 is a component that covers the opening of the housing 21 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 20 from the external environment. The cover plate 22 can be made of various materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, steel, aluminum alloy, etc. The material of the cover plate 22 can be the same as or different from the material of the housing 21.

[0068] It should be understood that the shape of the cover plate 22 can be adapted to the shape of the housing 21. For example, when the housing 21 is a cuboid structure, the cover plate 22 can be a plate-like structure adapted to the housing 21, or it can be a hollow cuboid structure with one end open 213, so that the cover plate 22 and the housing 21 cover each other to form a cuboid battery cell 20. For another example, such as... Figures 2 to 5As shown, when the housing 21 in this embodiment is cylindrical, the cover plate 22 can also be a circular plate or have a circular groove structure on the bottom wall, so that the cover plate 22 and the housing 21 are closed to form a cylindrical battery cell 20. The following description mainly uses the example of the cover plate 22 being a circular plate, but the embodiments of this application are not limited to this.

[0069] For the battery cell 20, the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 are sealed together to form a rolled edge structure 24. This rolled edge structure 24 surrounds the opening of the housing 21, that is, the rolled edge structure 24 is formed around the circumference of the battery cell 20. For example, for a cylindrical battery cell 20, the rolled edge structure 24 is usually annular.

[0070] Optionally, Figure 5 Another schematic block diagram of an apparatus 30 for preparing a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein... Figure 5 The device 30 shown can also be used to prepare, for example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The battery cell shown. (As shown in the image) Figure 5 As shown, comparison Figure 4 The device 30 in this embodiment may further include a roller rotation mechanism 34 for controlling the first roller 32 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. Considering that the rolled edge structure 24 between the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 generally surrounds the battery cell 20, controlling the first roller 32 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 via the roller rotation mechanism 34 ensures that the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32 contacts different areas of the rolled edge structure 24. For example, for the annular rolled edge structure 24, during the rotation of the first roller 32, it can contact and press with various areas of the circumferential surface of the rolled edge structure 24, so that each area of ​​the rolled edge structure 24 can be uniformly stressed, thereby producing uniform deformation and improving the processing efficiency of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0071] Optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, the device 30 in this embodiment may include a first pressure head 31 for restricting the movement of the reinforcing member 23 of the battery cell 20 within a first plane, the first plane being perpendicular to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. For example, the first plane may be the surface of the cover plate 22 facing the outside of the battery cell 20, that is, the first pressure head 31 can restrict the movement of the reinforcing member 23 on the surface of the cover plate 22, avoiding misalignment of the reinforcing member 23 that would cause inconsistent deformation in different areas of the rolled edge structure 24, resulting in uneven structural strength of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0072] Optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5The device 30 shown can extrude the rolled edge structure 24. In addition, the device 30 can also be used to process the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 to form the rolled edge structure 24. Figure 6 A further schematic block diagram of an apparatus 30 for preparing a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown, wherein... Figure 6 The device 30 shown can also be used to prepare, for example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The battery cell shown. (As shown in the image) Figure 6 As shown, comparison Figure 4 or Figure 5 The device 30 in this embodiment may further include a second roller 36, which has a second processing surface 361. The roller moving mechanism 33 is further configured to control the second roller 36 to move toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. The second roller 36 is configured to, when the roller moving mechanism 33 controls the second roller 36 to move toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, press and wrap the first edge 221 of the cover plate 22 and the second edge 211 of the housing 21 through the second processing surface 361 to form a rolled edge structure 24. The device 30 in this embodiment can form the rolled edge structure 24 by pressing with the second roller 36, which is a simple and easy process to implement.

[0073] Optionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, the device 30 may include a second pressure head 35, which contacts a first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23, the first surface 231 being the surface of the reinforcing member 23 facing the crimped structure 24. The second pressure head 35 is used to restrict the relative movement between the reinforcing member 23 and the cover plate 22. Furthermore, the second pressure head may also be used to cooperate with a second roller 36 to form the crimped structure 24 between the second processing surface 361 and the second pressure head 35.

[0074] Optionally, the device 30 further includes a pressure head moving mechanism 37, used to control a second pressure head 35 to press the reinforcing member 23 inside the battery cell 20 along the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 before the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 form the rolled edge structure 24, so that at least a portion of the cover plate 22 is accommodated within the opening of the housing 21, and the first edge portion 221 contacts the second edge portion 211. Further, the pressure head moving mechanism 37 can also be used to control the first pressure head 31 and the second pressure head 35 to press the reinforcing member 23 inside the battery cell 20 along the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. In this way, the first pressure head 31 and / or the second pressure head 35 not only restrict the movement of the reinforcing member 23, but also press the cover plate 22, so that the first edge portion 221 of the cover plate 22 quickly merges with the second edge portion 221 of the housing 21, which helps to accelerate the formation of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0075] Optionally, the relative positions of the various components of the device 30 and the battery cell 20 in this embodiment can be set according to actual applications. Furthermore, due to the different relative positions of the various components of the device 30 and the battery cell 20, the rotation and movement directions of the various components of the device 30 can also be flexibly adjusted. The device 30 of this embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0076] First, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the apparatus 30 of the present application embodiment will be described in relation to the initial formation process of the rolled edge structure 24, that is, the first roll-sealing process of the battery cell 20. Figure 7 This illustration shows a partial structural diagram of the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 processed by the device 30 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 Only a portion of the battery cell 20 is shown. Figure 8 This illustration shows a partial top view of the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 processed by the device 30 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 It can be Figure 7 A top-down view. Figure 9 This illustration shows a partial cross-sectional view of the device 30 processing the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application. The cross-section can be along... Figure 8 The diagram shows a cross-section along the A-A' direction. Figure 10 This illustration shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 processed by the device 30 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 It can be Figure 9 A magnified view of region C in the middle.

[0077] like Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the cover plate 22 of this embodiment includes a first edge portion 221 located in the edge region and a cover plate main body portion 222 located in the central region, with the first edge portion 221 surrounding the cover plate main body portion 22. The housing 21 includes a second edge portion 211 and a housing main body portion 212, with the second edge portion 211 being the region of the housing 21 near the opening of the housing 21. The second edge portion 211 and the first edge portion 221 are used to be wound together to form a rolled edge structure 24. Compared with other methods of sealing the housing 21 and the cover plate 22, the rolled edge structure 24 formed by winding is not only easier to process and improves the processing efficiency of the battery cell 20, but also ensures the sealing performance of the housing 21 and the cover plate 22.

[0078] It should be understood that the winding direction of the rolled edge structure 24 formed in the embodiments of this application can be counterclockwise, that is, after the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 meet, they are bent and rolled away from the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20; or, differently, the winding direction of the rolled edge structure 24 can also be clockwise, that is, after the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 meet, they are bent and rolled closer to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. The embodiments of this application are not limited to this. For ease of explanation, the embodiments of this application are described as follows: Figure 8 The counter-clockwise direction shown is used as an example for explanation.

[0079] Correspondingly, such as Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the second roller 36 is located outside the battery cell 20, so that the second processing surface 362 of the second roller 36 causes the battery cell 20 to form a counterclockwise wound edge structure 24. Since the battery cell 20 of this embodiment is provided with a reinforcing member 23, the second roller 36 being located outside the battery cell 20 to form a counterclockwise wound edge structure 24 does not affect the setting position of the reinforcing member 23, and there is no need to continuously move the reinforcing member 23 during different processing processes, thus improving processing efficiency.

[0080] Specifically, such as Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the reinforcing member 23 is disposed on the side of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20. The first pressing head 31 and the second pressing head 35 are controlled by the pressing head moving mechanism 37 to move along the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 towards the interior of the battery cell 20. That is, the first pressing head 31 and the second pressing head 35 are controlled by the pressing head moving mechanism 37 to move along the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 towards the interior of the battery cell 20. Figure 9 The pressure head 31 and the second pressure head 35 are moved in the direction X shown so that they come into contact with the reinforcement 23.

[0081] Optionally, the shape of the reinforcing member 23 in this embodiment can be set according to actual application. For example, the shape of the reinforcing member 23 is related to the shape of the rolled edge structure 24. Taking a cylindrical battery cell 20 as an example, the rolled edge structure 24 surrounds the opening of the housing 21, that is, the rolled edge structure 24 is a ring. Then the outer contour of the reinforcing member 23 can also be circular to cooperate with the rolled edge structure 24. Alternatively, if the battery cell 20 is a cuboid and the rolled edge structure 24 surrounds the opening of the housing 21, then the rolled edge structure 24 is a rectangular ring. Correspondingly, the outer contour of the reinforcing member 23 can also be rectangular. For another example, the reinforcing member 23 can be ring-shaped, which is convenient for processing and can reduce the weight of the reinforcing member 23, thereby reducing the overall weight of the battery cell 20 and thus reducing the weight of the battery 10; it also facilitates the first pressure head 31 to fix the reinforcing member 23.

[0082] In this embodiment, taking the reinforcing member 23 as an example, the first pressing head 31 is disposed on the inner side of the reinforcing member 23 so that the first pressing head 31 contacts the second surface 232 of the reinforcing member 23 near the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. Specifically, as shown... Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the first pressure head 31 has a first end face 311, which is the outer surface of the first pressure head 31. When the first pressure head 31 moves in the direction X, the first end face 311 contacts the second surface 232 of the reinforcing member 23. That is, the reinforcing member 23 can be fixed by the first end face 311, thus restricting the movement of the reinforcing member 23 along a first plane perpendicular to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0083] The second pressure head 35 can contact the first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23. Specifically, as shown... Figure 7 middle Figure 10 As shown, the second pressure head 35 has a second end face 351, which contacts the first surface 231 when the second pressure head 35 moves in the direction X. The first surface 231 is opposite to the second surface 232, and the second surface 231 is the surface of the reinforcing member 23 away from the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0084] In this way, the movement of the reinforcing member 23 can be restricted by the first pressure head 31 and the second pressure head 35, that is, the relative movement between the reinforcing member 23 and the cover plate 22 can be restricted, so as to avoid misalignment and affect the processing of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0085] Optionally, since the first end face 311 is in contact with the second surface 232, the tilt angle of the first end face 311 can be substantially consistent with that of the second surface 232, and this tilt angle can be set to any value according to actual application. For example, the angle between the surface 311 of the first pressure head 31 that contacts the reinforcing member 23 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can be in the range of [0°, 10°], that is, the angle between the first end face 311 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can be in the range of [0°, 10°]. Correspondingly, the angle between the second surface 232 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can also be in the range of [0°, 10°], so as to improve the stability of the first pressure head 31 and the stability of the reinforcing member 23.

[0086] Similarly, the second end face 352 contacts the first surface 231. Therefore, the tilt angle of the second end face 352 can be basically consistent with that of the first surface 231 to improve the stability between the second end face 352 and the first surface 231. Furthermore, the tilt angle can be set to any value according to the actual application. For example, the angle between the first surface 231 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can usually be set to (0°, 90°), and correspondingly, the angle between the second end face 352 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can also usually be set to (0°, 90°). Further, in order to improve the structural strength and stability of the reinforcing member 23, the angle between the first surface 231 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can be set to [30°, 90°), and correspondingly, the angle between the second end face 352 and the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can also usually be set to [30°, 90°). However, the embodiments of this application are not limited to this.

[0087] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figures 7 to 10 As shown, before the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 form the rolled edge structure 24, the pressure head moving mechanism 37 can continue to control the first pressure head 31 and the second pressure head 35 to press the internal reinforcing member 23 of the battery cell 20 along the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, so that at least a part of the cover plate 22 is accommodated in the opening of the housing 21, and the first edge portion 221 of the cover plate 22 contacts the second edge portion 211 of the housing 21. This allows the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 222 to merge, which facilitates the subsequent winding of the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 222, thereby forming the rolled edge structure 24.

[0088] Specifically, such as Figures 7 to 10 As shown, during the process of forming the rolled edge structure 24, when the roller moving mechanism 33 controls the second roller 36 to move in the direction of the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, the first edge portion 221 of the cover plate 22 and the second edge portion 211 of the housing 21 are squeezed and rolled by the second processing surface 361 to form the rolled edge structure 24 between the second processing surface 361 and the second pressure head 35. This process is easy to implement and the rolled edge structure 24 is formed quickly.

[0089] Optionally, the roller rotation mechanism 34 is also used to control the second roller 36 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 so that the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 are subjected to uniform force and deformation, thereby producing a uniform rolled edge structure 24.

[0090] To accelerate the processing speed, the roller rotation mechanism 34 can be used to: control the second roller 36 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 when the roller moving mechanism 33 controls the second roller 36 to move towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. That is, the second roller 36 rotates around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 while approaching it, so as to accelerate the formation of the circumferential annular rolled edge structure 24 around the battery cell 20.

[0091] Optionally, in this embodiment of the application, the second processing surface 361 is the inner surface of the groove surrounding the second roller 36. Specifically, as shown... Figures 7 to 10 As shown, a groove is formed around the second roller 36 on the outer surface of the second roller 36. The inner surface of the groove is the second processing surface 361 of the second roller 36, so that during the rotation of the second roller 36 around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, the second processing surface 361 is always present to squeeze and bend the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 to form a rolled edge structure 24.

[0092] The shape of the second processing surface 361 in this embodiment can be set according to the actual application so as to realize the curling of the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 to form the curled edge structure 24.

[0093] The device 30 in this embodiment may include one or more second rollers 36, each second roller 36 being a cylinder. For example, Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the device 30 may include two cylindrical second rollers 36 to improve the processing efficiency of the crimped structure 24. Furthermore, when the device 30 includes multiple second rollers 36, these second rollers 36 can be evenly distributed around the circumferential outer surface of the cylindrical battery cell 20 to ensure more uniform force distribution on the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 in different regions. For example, as... Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the device 30 may include two opposing second rollers 36. In addition, the plurality of second rollers 36 can move synchronously, that is, the plurality of second rollers 36 can be controlled to move synchronously by a roller moving mechanism 33; similarly, the plurality of second rollers 36 can also rotate synchronously, that is, the plurality of second rollers 36 can be controlled to roll synchronously by a roller rotating mechanism 34, so as to simplify the device 30 and also to improve the processing efficiency of the crimping structure 24.

[0094] It should be understood that the second pressure head 35 and the second roller 36 in this embodiment can be used to wind the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 to initially form the rolled edge structure 24, thus completing the first sealing process of the battery cell 20. Optionally, this embodiment can also use other methods to replace the second pressure head 35 and the second roller 36 to form the rolled edge structure 24, and this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0095] The apparatus 30 of this application embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, specifically the further processing of the rolled edge structure 24, i.e., the second roll-sealing process for the battery cell 20. Figure 11 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the device 30 of this application processing the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 is shown. This cross-section can be a schematic diagram of a plane passing through the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and this plane passing through the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 is perpendicular to... Figure 9 The cross section. Figure 12 This illustration shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 processed by the device 30 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 12 It can be Figure 11 A magnified view of region D in the middle.

[0096] like Figures 11 to 12 As shown, after the first sealing process, a rolled edge structure 24 as shown can be formed. Specifically, the number of winding layers of the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 can be set according to the actual application. For example, if the number of winding layers of the rolled edge structure 24 is too large, the volume and weight of the rolled edge structure 24 will be large, which will increase both the space occupied by the battery cell 20 and the weight of the battery cell 20, thus reducing the energy density of the battery 10. Conversely, if the number of winding layers of the rolled edge structure 24 is too small, it may lead to instability of the rolled edge structure 24 and poor sealing effect. Therefore, the number of winding layers of the rolled edge structure 24 can usually be set to five or six layers, for example, as shown. Figure 12 and Figure 13 The rolled edge structure 24 shown includes five layers, including three layers of first edge portion 221 and two layers of second edge portion 211 to ensure a sealing effect.

[0097] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, comparison Figure 9 and Figure 10 The pressure head moving mechanism 37 is also used to control the first pressure head 31 not to leave the battery cell 20 when controlling the second pressure head 35 to leave the battery cell 20. Specifically, after the first sealing process, the pressure head moving mechanism 37 can control the first pressure head 31 to remain stationary, that is, the first end face 311 of the first pressure head 31 and the second surface 232 of the reinforcing member 23 remain in contact. In the subsequent second sealing process, the movement of the reinforcing member 23 is further restricted by the first pressure head 31. Therefore, the relevant description of the first pressure head 31 in the second sealing process is consistent with that in the first sealing process, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0098] In addition, the pressure head moving mechanism 37 controls the second pressure head 35 to leave the battery cell 20. For example, the pressure head moving mechanism 37 can control the second pressure head 35 to leave the reinforcing member 23 along the direction of the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and also leave the battery cell 20, so as not to contact the battery cell 20.

[0099] Therefore, the dual-pressure head structure of the first pressure head 31 and the second pressure head 35 in this embodiment of the application not only ensures the supporting role of the two pressure heads on the generated edge structure 24 and the fixing role on the reinforcing member 23 during the first sealing process, but also provides space for the deformation of the edge structure 24 during the second sealing process. Furthermore, a gap can be provided between the first pressure head 31 and the second pressure head 35 to prevent the second pressure head 35 from affecting the first pressure head 31 during its separation from the battery cell 20; for example, it can prevent interference with the first pressure head 31.

[0100] After the initial sealing process, the roller moving mechanism 33 can also be used to control the second roller 36 to move away from the battery cell 20. For example, the roller moving mechanism 33 can control the second roller 36 to move away from the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 along a direction perpendicular to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and also away from the battery cell 20, so as not to contact the battery cell 20. Furthermore, the roller rotating mechanism 34 can also stop the rotation of the second roller 36.

[0101] It should be understood that after the first sealing process, the second pressure head 35 and the second roller 36 leave the battery cell, and then the edge-sealing structure 24 can enter the second sealing process. The first pressure head 31 is involved in this second sealing process. Specifically, such as Figures 11 to 12 As shown, similar to the arrangement of the second roller 32, the first roller 32 is located on the side of the crimped structure 24 away from the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. The reinforcing member 23 is arranged on the side of the crimped structure 24 close to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and the first roller 32 is arranged on the other side of the crimped structure 24, so that the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32 can press the crimped structure 24, so that the crimped structure 24 contacts the reinforcing member 23.

[0102] like Figures 11 to 12The roller moving mechanism 33 controls the first roller 32 to gradually approach the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. In this way, the first processing surface 321 contacts and presses the side of the rolled edge structure 24 away from the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, so that the surface 241 of the rolled edge structure 24, that is, the side of the rolled edge structure 24 that is close to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, gradually approaches the first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23 and contacts the first surface 231. In addition, the rolled edge structure 24 can also be compacted to ensure the sealing effect of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0103] In this embodiment of the application, the roller rotation mechanism 34 is used to control the first roller 32 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 so that the side of the annular rolled edge structure 24 away from the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 can be uniformly stressed, thereby causing the rolled edge structure 24 to undergo a more uniform deformation.

[0104] Optionally, the roller rotation mechanism 34 can be specifically used to: control the first roller 32 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 when the roller moving mechanism 33 controls the first roller 32 to move towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. That is, the first roller 32 rotates around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 while gradually approaching it, so that the first processing surface 321 can uniformly and quickly press each area of ​​the annular rolled edge structure 24, thereby improving processing efficiency.

[0105] Optionally, the first machined surface 321 is the inner surface of the groove surrounding the first roller 32. Specifically, as shown in the figure... Figures 11 to 12 As shown, a groove is formed around the first roller 32 on the outer surface of the first roller 32. The inner surface of the groove is the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32, so that the first processing surface 321 is always present for pressing the rolled edge structure 24 during the rotation of the first roller 32 around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0106] Optionally, the shape of the first processing surface 321 in this embodiment can be set according to actual application to facilitate the pressing of the rolled edge structure 24. For example, the first processing surface 321 includes an inclined surface 3211 that is consistent with the inclined direction of the first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23, and the first surface 231 is the surface of the reinforcing member 23 that contacts the rolled edge structure 24. Specifically, by having the inclined surface 3211 of the first processing surface 321 contact the rolled edge structure 24 and press the rolled edge structure 24, not only can the rolled edge structure be compacted, but the rolled edge structure 24 can also be bent and deformed in the direction of the reinforcing member 23. The surface 241 of the rolled edge structure 24 facing the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 will contact the first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23 until the two-stage rolling process is completed, resulting in the desired shape. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The battery cell 20 shown, at least a portion of the reinforcing member 23 of the battery cell 20 is located between the inside of the rolled edge structure 24 and the cover plate 22.

[0107] Figure 13 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. For example, the... Figure 13 It can be Figure 3 A magnified view of region Q of the battery cell 20 shown. (See attached image.) Figure 13 As shown, after the two-stage sealing process, the surface 241 of the rolled edge structure 24 contacts the first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23. Therefore, as Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the first processing surface 321 includes an inclined surface 3211 whose inclined direction is consistent with that of the first surface 231, so that the rolled edge structure 24 in the second rolling process can be uniformly stressed between the inclined surface 3211 and the first surface 231, and the deformation of the rolled edge structure 24 is more uniform, thereby improving the strength of the rolled edge structure 24.

[0108] Optionally, the first processing surface 321 may also include an extension surface 3212 connected to the inclined surface 3211. The extension surface 3212 may be used to contact a portion of the surface of the rolled edge structure 24, and when the rolled edge structure 24 contacts the extension surface 3212, it cooperates with the inclined surface 3211 to accelerate the deformation of the rolled edge structure 24 toward the reinforcing member 23.

[0109] The device 30 in this embodiment may include one or more first rollers 32, each first roller 32 being a cylinder. For example, Figure 7-8 and Figure 11-12 As shown, similar to the second roller 36, the device 30 may include two first rollers 32 to improve the processing efficiency of the second sealing process of the edge-sealing structure 24. Furthermore, when the device 30 includes multiple first rollers 32, these first rollers 32 can be evenly distributed around the circumferential outer surface of the battery cell 20 to ensure more uniform force distribution on the edge-sealing structure 24 in different areas. For example, as... Figure 7-8 and Figure 11-12 As shown, the device 30 may include two first rollers 32 arranged opposite to each other. In addition, the plurality of first rollers 32 can move synchronously, that is, the plurality of first rollers 32 are controlled to move synchronously by a roller moving mechanism 33; similarly, the plurality of first rollers 32 can also rotate synchronously, that is, the plurality of first rollers 32 are controlled to roll synchronously by a roller rotating mechanism 34, so as to simplify the device 30 and also to improve the processing efficiency of the crimping structure 24.

[0110] Optionally, if the device 30 includes a plurality of first rollers 32 and a plurality of second rollers 36, the number of the plurality of first rollers 32 and the number of the plurality of second rollers 36 can be set to be equal or unequal, and the plurality of first rollers 32 and the plurality of second rollers 36 can be arranged at intervals. This embodiment is not limited to this. For example, as... Figure 7-8 and Figure 11-12 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the device 30 includes two first rollers 32 and two rollers 36. The two first rollers 32 and two rollers 36 can be arranged at intervals and are evenly distributed around the battery cell 20 to facilitate the operation and processing of the rolled edge structure 24 of the battery cell 20 and improve processing efficiency.

[0111] Specifically, based on the difference between the first and second sealing processes, the roller moving mechanism 33 is also used to: control the first roller 32 to move to the first processing surface 321 so that it does not contact the battery cell 20 when the second roller 36 moves to the second processing surface 361 to contact the battery cell 20, so as to complete the first sealing process through the second processing surface 361, winding the first edge portion 221 and the second edge portion 211 to form a rolled edge structure 24; the roller moving mechanism 33 is also used to: control the second roller 36 to move to the second processing surface 361 so that it does not contact the battery cell 20 when the first roller 32 moves to the first processing surface 321 to contact the battery cell 20, so as to compress the rolled edge structure 24 through the first processing surface 321, causing the rolled edge structure 24 to deform and contact the first surface of the reinforcing member 23, thus completing the second sealing process. The first roller 31 and the second roller 36 do not affect each other.

[0112] Optionally, such as Figure 7-8 and Figure 11-12 As shown, the roller rotation mechanism 34 differs from the roller movement mechanism 33. During the first sealing process, when the roller rotation mechanism 34 controls the second roller 36 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, it can simultaneously control the rotation of the first roller 31. During the second sealing process, when the roller rotation mechanism 34 controls the first roller 31 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, it can simultaneously control the rotation of the second roller 36. This simplifies the design of the equipment 30 and the roller rotation mechanism 34.

[0113] like Figures 11 to 13As shown, the crimped structure 24 is gradually pressed on the first processing surface 321, so that the crimped structure 24 bends towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 until the surface 241 of the crimped structure 24 is parallel to and in contact with the first surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23, thereby completing the processing and fixing of the crimped structure 24 and the reinforcing member 23. In this way, the first pressure head 31 and the first roller 32 of the device 30 cooperate with each other to not only compact the crimped structure 24, but also make the surface 241 of the crimped structure 24 inclined relative to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, rather than parallel.

[0114] Thus, as the internal pressure of the battery cell 20 gradually increases, the cover plate 22 will deform under the internal pressure. For example, the main body 222 of the cover plate 22 will arch outward from the battery cell 20. The reinforcing member 23 will also change, that is, the reinforcing member 23 will flip outward from the battery cell 20. The reinforcing member 23 can offset most of the internal pressure and reduce the deformation of the cover plate 22, that is, reduce the arching of the cover plate 22. In addition, when the reinforcing member 23 flips outward, the reinforcing member 23 will exert a force on the rolled edge structure 24. This force increases the friction between the layers of the rolled edge structure 24, that is, the friction between the first edge structure 221 and the second edge structure 211 increases. This can prevent failure caused by misalignment between the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 and can increase the airtightness between the housing 21 and the cover plate 22.

[0115] Furthermore, the internal pressure of the battery cell 20 will first act on the reinforcing member 23, and will not directly act on the rolled edge structure 24. Specifically, in the case where the reinforcing member 23 is provided, as the internal pressure of the battery cell 20 gradually increases, the reinforcing member 23 will only fail when it is completely flipped up under the internal pressure, that is, when the surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23 flips outward from its tilted position until the surface 231 of the reinforcing member 23 is parallel to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20. Correspondingly, the rolled edge structure 23 will also fail because it directly bears the internal pressure. Therefore, whether the rolled edge structure 23 fails in this embodiment of the application depends on the pressure resistance of the reinforcing member 23, where the pressure resistance of the reinforcing member 23 refers to the minimum internal pressure required for the reinforcing member 23 to be completely flipped up. Without the reinforcing member 23, whether the rolled edge structure 23 fails depends solely on its own pressure resistance. This pressure resistance refers to the minimum internal pressure required for the rolled edge structure 23 to deform and fail when the internal pressure of the battery cell 20 is directly applied. Therefore, given the same pressure resistance of the rolled edge structure 23, compared to the case without the reinforcing member 23, whether the rolled edge structure 23 fails depends on the strength of the reinforcing member 23. Failure of the rolled edge structure 23 can be avoided by increasing the pressure resistance of the reinforcing member 23.

[0116] Optionally, after the device 30 completes the processing of the crimped structure 24, the roller moving mechanism 33 is also used to: control the first roller 32 to gradually move away from the crimped structure 24 along the direction away from the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20; similarly, the roller rotating mechanism 34 can also be used to control the first roller 32 and the second roller 36 to stop rotating; in addition, the pressure head moving mechanism 37 is also used to: control the first pressure head 31 to gradually move away from the device 23 along the direction of the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, thereby causing the device 30 to leave the battery cell 20, so as to end the processing of the crimped structure 24.

[0117] The above text combines Figures 1 to 13 The present application describes in detail the apparatus 30 for preparing a single battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of the present application. The following will be combined with... Figure 14 This application describes a method 400 for preparing a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 14 A schematic flowchart of a method 400 for preparing a battery cell 20 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. This method 400 can be performed by the aforementioned device 30 and can be used to prepare the aforementioned battery cell 20. The battery cell 20 includes a housing 21 and a cover plate 22, which are sealed together and have an outwardly folded edge structure 24. Specifically, the method 400 includes: S410, controlling a first roller 32 to move towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and pressing the folded edge structure 24 through a first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32, causing the folded edge structure 24 to tilt towards the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0118] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes controlling the first roller 32 to rotate about the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0119] In some embodiments, controlling the first roller 32 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 includes: controlling the first roller 32 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 while controlling the first roller 32 to move in the direction of the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0120] In some embodiments, the battery cell 20 further includes a reinforcing member 23 disposed on the side of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20; the pressing of the rolled edge structure 24 by the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32, such that the rolled edge structure 24 is inclined toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, includes: pressing the rolled edge structure 24 by the first processing surface 321 of the first roller 32, such that the rolled edge structure 24 is inclined toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and such that at least a portion of the reinforcing member 23 is located between the inner side of the rolled edge structure 24 and the cover plate 22.

[0121] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: restricting the movement of the reinforcing member 23 of the battery cell 20 in a first plane by means of a first pressure head 31, the first plane being perpendicular to the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0122] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: controlling the second roller 36 to move toward the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, and pressing and wrapping the first edge portion 221 of the cover plate 22 and the second edge portion 211 of the housing 21 by the second processing surface 361 of the second roller 36 to form the rolled edge structure 24.

[0123] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: contacting the second pressure head 35 with the first surface 231 of the reinforcement 23 of the battery cell 20 and restricting the relative movement between the reinforcement 23 and the cover plate 22, the reinforcement 23 being disposed on the side of the cover plate 22 away from the interior of the battery cell 20, the first surface 231 being the surface of the reinforcement 23 facing the rolled edge structure 24.

[0124] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: before the housing 21 and the cover plate 22 form the rolled edge structure 24, controlling the second pressure head 35 to press the reinforcing member 23 toward the interior of the battery cell 20 along the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20, so that at least a portion of the cover plate 22 is accommodated in the opening of the housing 21, and the first edge portion 221 contacts the second edge portion 211.

[0125] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: after forming the rolled edge structure 24, controlling the second pressure head 35 to leave the battery cell 20.

[0126] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes controlling the second roller 36 to rotate about the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0127] In some embodiments, controlling the second roller 36 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 includes: controlling the second roller 36 to rotate around the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20 while controlling the second roller 36 to move in the direction of the central axis 201 of the battery cell 20.

[0128] The method 400 further includes: when controlling the first roller 32 to move to the point where the first processing surface 321 contacts the battery cell 20, controlling the second roller 36 to move to the point where the second processing surface 361 does not contact the battery cell 20; and when controlling the second roller 36 to move to the point where the second processing surface 361 contacts the battery cell 20, controlling the first roller 32 to move to the point where the first processing surface 321 does not contact the battery cell 20.

[0129] It should be understood that the device 30 in this application embodiment can be used to execute the method 400 in this application embodiment. The method 400 includes the corresponding process of preparing the battery cell 20 through the device 30, which will not be described in detail here for the sake of brevity.

[0130] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preparing battery cells, characterized in that, include: A roller moving mechanism (33) is used to control the first roller (32) to move in the direction of the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20). The battery cell (20) includes a housing (21) and a cover plate (22). The corresponding edges of the housing (21) and the cover plate (22) are engaged with each other and bent toward the outside of the battery cell (20) to form a rolled edge structure (24). The first roller (32) has a first processing surface (321). When the roller moving mechanism (33) controls the first roller (32) to move towards the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), the first roller (32) presses the rolled edge structure (24) through the first processing surface (321), so that the rolled edge structure (24) tilts towards the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20). The battery cell (20) further includes a reinforcing member (23) disposed on the side of the cover plate (22) away from the interior of the battery cell (20); the first roller (32) is configured to press the rolled edge structure (24) such that the rolled edge structure (24) is inclined toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) and such that at least a portion of the reinforcing member (23) is located between the inside of the rolled edge structure (24) and the cover plate (22).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first roller (32) is located on the side of the rolled edge structure (24) away from the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes: A roller rotation mechanism (34) is used to control the first roller (32) to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The roller rotation mechanism (34) is used for: When the roller moving mechanism (33) controls the first roller (32) to move toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), it controls the first roller (32) to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first processed surface (321) is the inner surface of the groove surrounding the first roller (32).

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first processed surface (321) includes an inclined surface (3211) that is in the same direction as the first surface (231) of the reinforcing member (23), and the first surface (231) is the surface of the reinforcing member (23) that contacts the rolled edge structure (24).

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes: A first pressure head (31) is used to restrict the movement of the reinforcing member (23) of the battery cell (20) in a first plane, which is perpendicular to the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The reinforcing member (23) is annular, and the first pressure head (31) is disposed on the inner side of the reinforcing member (23) so that the first pressure head (31) contacts the second surface (232) of the reinforcing member (23) near the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The angle between the surface (311) of the first pressure head (31) that contacts the reinforcing member (23) and the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) ranges from [0°, 10°].

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The device also includes: The second roller (36) has a second machined surface (361). The roller moving mechanism (33) is also used to: control the second roller (36) to move in the direction of the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20); The second roller (36) is used to: when the roller moving mechanism (33) controls the second roller (36) to move in the direction of the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), to press and wrap the first edge (221) of the cover plate (22) and the second edge (211) of the housing (21) through the second processing surface (361) to form the rolled edge structure (24).

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The device also includes: The second pressure head (35) contacts the first surface (231) of the reinforcement (23) of the battery cell (20), the reinforcement (23) being disposed on the side of the cover plate (22) away from the interior of the battery cell (20), the first surface (231) being the surface of the reinforcement (23) facing the rolled edge structure (24), and the second pressure head (35) being used to: restrict the relative movement between the reinforcement (23) and the cover plate (22).

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The device also includes: The pressure head moving mechanism (37) is used to control the second pressure head (35) to press the reinforcing member (23) toward the interior of the battery cell (20) along the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) before the rolled edge structure (24) is formed between the housing (21) and the cover plate (22), so that at least a portion of the cover plate (22) is accommodated in the opening of the housing (21), and the first edge portion (221) contacts the second edge portion (211).

13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The pressure head moving mechanism (37) is also used for: While controlling the second pressure head (35) to leave the battery cell (20), the first pressure head (31) of the device is controlled not to leave the battery cell (20).

14. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The second roller (36) is located on the outside of the battery cell (20).

15. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The device further includes a roller rotating mechanism (34), which is used for: The second roller (36) is controlled to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that, The roller rotation mechanism (34) is used for: When the roller moving mechanism (33) controls the second roller (36) to move toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), it controls the second roller (36) to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

17. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The roller moving mechanism (33) is also used for: When the first roller (32) is moved to the first processing surface (321) and contacts the battery cell (20), the second roller (36) is moved to the second processing surface (361) and does not contact the battery cell (20). When the second roller (36) is moved to the second processing surface (361) and comes into contact with the battery cell (20), the first roller (32) is moved to the first processing surface (321) and does not come into contact with the battery cell (20).

18. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The second processed surface (361) is the inner surface of the groove surrounding the second roller (36).

19. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The battery cell (20) is cylindrical, and the first roller (32) is cylindrical.

20. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that, The device includes a plurality of first rollers (32) which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the battery cell (20).

21. A method for preparing battery cells, characterized in that, The battery cell (20) includes a housing (21) and a cover plate (22), the corresponding edges of the housing (21) and the cover plate (22) being joined together and bent toward the outside of the battery cell (20) to form a rolled edge structure (24), the method comprising: The first roller (32) is controlled to move toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), and the first processing surface (321) of the first roller (32) is used to press the rolled edge structure (24), so that the rolled edge structure (24) tilts toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20); The battery cell (20) further includes a reinforcing member (23), which is disposed on the side of the cover plate (22) away from the interior of the battery cell (20). The pressing of the rolled edge structure (24) by the first processing surface (321) of the first roller (32) to make the rolled edge structure (24) tilt toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) includes: The rolled edge structure (24) is pressed by the first processing surface (321) of the first roller (32), causing the rolled edge structure (24) to tilt toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), and causing at least a portion of the reinforcing member (23) to be located between the inside of the rolled edge structure (24) and the cover plate (22).

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The method further includes: Control the first roller (32) to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, The control of the first roller (32) to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) includes: When the first roller (32) is controlled to move toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), the first roller (32) is controlled to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

24. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The method further includes: The movement of the reinforcing member (23) of the battery cell (20) is restricted in a first plane by a first pressure head (31), the first plane being perpendicular to the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

25. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The method further includes: The second roller (36) is controlled to move toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), and the second processing surface (361) of the second roller (36) is used to press and wrap the first edge (221) of the cover plate (22) and the second edge (211) of the housing (21) to form the rolled edge structure (24).

26. The method according to claim 25, characterized in that, The method further includes: The second pressure head (35) contacts the first surface (231) of the reinforcement (23) of the battery cell (20) and restricts the relative movement between the reinforcement (23) and the cover plate (22). The reinforcement (23) is disposed on the side of the cover plate (22) away from the interior of the battery cell (20), and the first surface (231) is the surface of the reinforcement (23) facing the rolled edge structure (24).

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that, The method further includes: Before the housing (21) and the cover plate (22) form the rolled edge structure (24), the second pressure head (35) is controlled to press the reinforcing member (23) toward the interior of the battery cell (20) along the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) so that at least a portion of the cover plate (22) is accommodated in the opening of the housing (21), and the first edge portion (221) contacts the second edge portion (211).

28. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the second pressure head (35) is controlled to leave the battery cell (20), the first pressure head (31) of the control device does not leave the battery cell (20).

29. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 28, characterized in that, The method further includes: The second roller (36) is controlled to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

30. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that, Controlling the second roller (36) to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20) includes: When the second roller (36) is controlled to move toward the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20), the second roller (36) is controlled to rotate around the central axis (201) of the battery cell (20).

31. The method according to any one of claims 25 to 28, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the first roller (32) is moved to the first processing surface (321) and contacts the battery cell (20), the second roller (36) is moved to the second processing surface (361) and does not contact the battery cell (20); When the second roller (36) is moved to the second processing surface (361) and comes into contact with the battery cell (20), the first roller (32) is moved to the first processing surface (321) and does not come into contact with the battery cell (20).

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