Welding auxiliary device and welding method for flange-free square steel shell battery

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of battery production equipment, and discloses a flange-free square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device and a welding method. The welding auxiliary device for the flange-free square steel shell battery comprises a support, a positioning mechanism and a pressing mechanism, and the positioning mechanism is installed on the support and used for containing the battery; the pressing mechanism comprises a pressing plate assembly, a connecting arm, a first driving assembly and a first guide structure; the first driving assembly is installed on the support, the output end of the first driving assembly is in transmission connection with the connecting arm, the connecting arm is in sliding connection with the pressing plate assembly through the first guiding structure, the pressing plate assembly is located above the positioning mechanism, and a first avoiding notch and a second avoiding notch are formed in the two sides of the connecting arm in the Y direction. The projection parts of the first avoiding gap and the second avoiding gap in the X direction are overlapped; the first driving assembly can drive the connecting arm to move till one to-be-welded edge of the flange-free square steel shell battery is exposed out of the first avoiding notch or the second avoiding notch. The welding quality and the welding efficiency can be effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of battery production equipment, and in particular to a flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device and a welding method. Background Art

[0002] At present, the processing method of flanged square thin steel shell batteries is: install the battery cell in the bottom shell, then weld the top cover to the bottom shell, and then place the bottom shell, battery cell and top cover as a whole on the welding auxiliary tooling for flanged square thin steel shell batteries for welding. As a new product, flangeless square thin steel shell batteries do not have welding auxiliary tooling for this new product. The traditional production method is to directly cut off the flange of flanged square thin steel shell batteries, which adds a trimming process, and the operation is complicated, the production efficiency is low, and the product consistency is slightly poor.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a welding auxiliary device for flangeless square thin steel shell batteries. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device and welding method, which can complete the welding of four sides and four corners of a flangeless square steel shell battery at one time, effectively improving the welding quality and welding efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] On the one hand, a flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device is provided, comprising:

[0007] A bracket and a positioning mechanism, wherein the positioning mechanism is mounted on the bracket and is used to place flangeless square steel-shell batteries to be welded;

[0008] A clamping mechanism, the clamping mechanism comprises a pressing plate assembly, a connecting arm, a first driving assembly and a first guiding structure that plays a guiding role along the X direction, the first driving assembly is installed on the bracket, and the output end of the first driving assembly is transmission-connected to the connecting arm, the connecting arm is slidably connected to the pressing plate assembly through the first guiding structure, the pressing plate assembly is located above the positioning mechanism, a first avoidance gap is provided on one side of the connecting arm along the Y direction, a second avoidance gap is provided on the other side of the connecting arm along the Y direction, and the projections of the first avoidance gap and the second avoidance gap in the X direction partially overlap; the first driving assembly can drive the connecting arm to move in the vertical direction until the pressing plate assembly presses the flangeless square steel shell battery, and the first driving assembly can drive the connecting arm to move relative to the pressing plate assembly along the X direction until one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery is exposed in the first avoidance gap or the second avoidance gap, and the X direction, the Y direction and the vertical direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0009] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the first driving assembly includes a first mounting seat, a second mounting seat, a first driving unit and a second driving unit. The first driving unit is mounted on one side of the bracket along the X direction through the first mounting seat, and the second driving unit is fixed on the second mounting seat located above the first driving unit. The output end of the first driving unit is connected to the second mounting seat, one end of the connecting arm along the X direction is connected to the output end of the second driving unit, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the pressure plate assembly through the first guide structure. The first driving unit can drive the second driving unit to move in the vertical direction, and the second driving unit can drive the connecting arm to move in the X direction.

[0010] As a further scheme of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the pressure plate assembly includes a cover plate, a pre-pressure plate, a screw and a rod sleeve. The bottom of the pre-pressure plate is provided with an avoidance groove connected to the inner hole of the rod sleeve. The pre-pressure plate is located below the cover plate, and the rod sleeve is fixed on the cover plate. The screw passes through the rod sleeve and the cover plate and is connected to the pre-pressure plate. The screw cooperates with the rod sleeve, and the connecting arm is connected to the upper end of the cover plate through the first guide structure. The screw can drive the pre-pressure plate to move up and down relative to the cover plate. When the cover plate is pressed on the flangeless square steel shell battery, the pre-pressure plate is located in the avoidance groove and does not protrude from the lower end surface of the cover plate.

[0011] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, it also includes a limiting mechanism, which is installed on the connecting arm and can be selectively engaged or abutted with the cover plate.

[0012] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the limiting mechanism includes a cylinder and a locking piece. The cylinder is fixed to the connecting arm through the locking piece. The length of the piston rod of the cylinder extends along the vertical direction. A limiting hole is provided at the upper end of the cover plate. The piston rod of the cylinder can pass through the connecting arm and be inserted into the limiting hole to clamp the cover plate.

[0013] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the positioning mechanism includes a positioning fixture, a first push block assembly and a second push block assembly. The positioning fixture is fixed on the bracket, and the positioning fixture is located below the pressure plate assembly. It has a positioning groove for placing the flangeless square steel shell battery. The upper end of the positioning groove is a first opening, and one side of the positioning groove along the X direction is a second opening. The side of the positioning groove along the Y direction is a third opening. The first push block assembly is installed on the bracket and faces the second opening. The second push block assembly is installed on the bracket and faces the third opening. When the flangeless square steel shell battery is placed in the positioning groove, the first push block assembly can selectively abut the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the second opening along the X direction, and the second push block assembly can selectively abut the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction.

[0014] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the first push block assembly includes a third mounting seat, a third driving part and a first push block, the third driving part is fixed to the side of the bracket adjacent to the second opening along the X direction through the third mounting seat, and the output end of the third driving part is connected to the first push block; the second push block assembly includes a fourth mounting seat, a fourth driving part and a second push block, the fourth driving part is fixed to the side of the bracket adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction through the fourth mounting seat, and the output end of the fourth driving part is connected to the second push block; when the flangeless square steel shell battery is located in the positioning groove, the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the second opening along the X direction protrudes from the positioning groove, and the third driving part enables the first push block to abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery along the X direction; the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction protrudes from the positioning groove, and the fourth driving part enables the second push block to abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery along the Y direction.

[0015] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the first push block assembly also includes a first connecting part and a second guide structure that guides along the X direction, the first connecting part is connected to the output end of the third driving part through the second guide structure, and the first push block is removably fixed to the first connecting part; the second push block assembly also includes a second connecting part and a third guide structure that guides along the Y direction, the second connecting part is connected to the output end of the fourth driving part through the third guide structure, and the second push block is removably fixed to the second connecting part.

[0016] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the first push block assembly also includes a first fixing part and two first adjusting bolts, the first fixing part is fixed on the first connecting part, the first push block is located between the first fixing part and the positioning fixture, the first fixing part is provided with two first through holes, the axis of the first through hole extends along the X direction, and the first adjusting bolt passes through the first through hole and is threadedly connected to the first push block; the second push block assembly also includes a second fixing part and two second adjusting bolts, the second fixing part is fixed on the second connecting part, the second push block is located between the second fixing part and the positioning fixture, the second fixing part is provided with two second through holes, the axis of the second through hole extends along the Y direction, and the second adjusting bolt passes through the second through hole and is threadedly connected to the second push block.

[0017] As a further solution of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, the first push block has two first adjustment long holes along the vertical direction, and the length of the first adjustment long holes extends along the X direction. The first push block assembly also includes two first screws corresponding to the first adjustment long holes one by one, and the first screws pass through the first adjustment long holes and are screwed and fixed to the first push block; the second push block has two second adjustment long holes along the vertical direction, and the length of the second adjustment long holes extends along the Y direction. The second push block assembly also includes two second screws corresponding to the second adjustment long holes one by one, and the second screws pass through the second adjustment long holes and are screwed and fixed to the second push block.

[0018] On the other hand, a method for welding a flangeless square steel shell battery is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0019] Providing the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, placing the assembled flangeless square steel shell battery on the positioning mechanism of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device for positioning;

[0020] Start the first driving assembly, so that the connecting arm drives the pressing plate assembly to move downward, and the flangeless square steel shell battery is pressed against the positioning mechanism;

[0021] Using the first driving assembly to drive the connecting arm to move relative to the pressing plate assembly along the X direction, so that one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery is located directly above the first avoidance gap;

[0022] Taking the position of the edge to be welded located at the inner end of the first avoidance notch as the welding starting point, welding is performed along the exposed edge to be welded;

[0023] During the welding process, when the welding reaches the outer end beyond the first avoidance gap, the first driving assembly is used to drive the connecting arm to move relative to the pressing plate assembly along the X direction, so that the edge to be welded with the welding starting point is located directly below the second avoidance gap;

[0024] When the welding starting point coincides with the welding end point, the weld forms a closed loop and the welding is completed. The first driving assembly is used to drive the pressing plate assembly to rise, and the flangeless square steel shell battery that has been welded is taken out.

[0025] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0026] The first driving component of the present invention can drive the connecting arm to move in the vertical direction to the pressure plate component to press the flangeless square steel shell battery, by opening a first avoidance gap on one side of the connecting arm along the Y direction, and opening a second avoidance gap on the other side of the connecting arm along the Y direction, and the projections of the first avoidance gap and the second avoidance gap in the X direction partially overlap; the positions of the first avoidance gap and the second avoidance gap can be adjusted during the welding process, so that one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery is exposed to the first avoidance gap or the second avoidance gap, and the welding of the four edges and four corners of the flangeless square steel shell battery can be completed at one time. During the entire welding process, there is no need to move the pressure plate component to avoid the empty laser path, which effectively improves the welding quality and welding efficiency.

[0027] In the present invention, before the cover plate is pressed down, the pre-pressing plate can be driven by the pressing screw rod to press against the square steel shell battery without flanges, so as to ensure that the assembled bottom shell and top cover are stably combined together, and the relative position of the top cover and the bottom shell will not change due to the temporary absence of the pressing effect of the cover plate. After the pre-pressing plate presses the top cover of the square steel shell battery without flanges, the first driving unit drives the connecting arm to drive the cover plate to press the top cover down, and the height of the square steel shell battery without flanges is limited to ensure the consistency of the welding height after the top cover and the bottom shell are combined.

[0028] The present invention designs the upper end of the positioning groove of the positioning fixture and one side along the X direction and one side along the Y direction as an open structure. After the flangeless square steel shell battery is placed in the positioning groove, the flangeless square steel shell battery can be pressed against the positioning groove along the X direction by the first push block assembly, and the flangeless square steel shell battery can be pressed against the positioning groove along the Y direction by the second push block assembly. At the same time, with the cooperation of the pressure plate assembly, the gap between the top cover and the bottom shell can be limited to ensure the consistency of the gap size and meet the requirements of the welding on the gap size, ensuring the yield of the product packaging welding and the consistency of the appearance size. And the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of the present invention is used to assist in the welding of flangeless square steel shell batteries, without cutting excess flanges, which can further improve the welding efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present invention is further described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the pressing mechanism, the limiting mechanism and the mounting platform of the rack according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the pressing plate assembly, the connecting arm and the limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the positioning mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of a clamping mechanism of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device in a raised state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device in a pre-pressed state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device in a downwardly pressed state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic top view of a flangeless square steel-shell battery according to an embodiment of the present invention when one of the edges to be welded is partially exposed at the first avoidance notch;

[0038] Fig. 9It is a top view schematic diagram of a flangeless square steel shell battery according to an embodiment of the present invention when one of the edges to be welded is partially exposed at the second avoidance gap.

[0039] Figures 1 to 9 middle:

[0040] 1. No flange square steel shell battery;

[0041] 100, bracket; 110, mounting platform; 120, legs; 130, base;

[0042] 200, positioning mechanism; 210, positioning fixture; 2101, positioning groove; 220, first push block assembly; 221, third mounting seat; 222, third driving part; 223, first push block; 2231, first adjustment slot; 224, first connecting part; 225, second guide structure; 226, first fixing part; 227, first adjustment bolt; 230, second push block assembly; 231, fourth mounting seat; 232, fourth driving part; 233, second push block; 2331, second adjustment slot; 234, second connecting part; 235, third guide structure; 236, second fixing part; 237, second adjustment bolt;

[0043] 300, clamping mechanism; 310, pressing plate assembly; 311, cover plate; 3111, limiting hole; 312, pre-pressing plate; 313, screw rod; 314, rod sleeve; 320, connecting arm; 3201, first avoidance gap; 3202, second avoidance gap; 330, first driving assembly; 331, first mounting seat; 332, second mounting seat; 333, first driving unit; 334, second driving unit; 340, first guiding structure;

[0044] 400. Limiting mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical solutions adopted and the technical effects achieved clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0047] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first feature being in direct contact with the second feature, or may include the first feature being in contact with the second feature through another feature between them instead of being in direct contact. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0048] In the description of this embodiment, if the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and other directions or positional relationships appear, they are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, if the terms "first", "second", etc. appear, they are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment includes a bracket 100, a positioning mechanism 200 and a pressing mechanism 300.

[0050] The positioning mechanism 200 is installed on the bracket 100 and is used to place the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 to be welded; the pressing mechanism 300 includes a pressing plate assembly 310, a connecting arm 320, a first driving assembly 330 and a first guiding structure 340 that guides along the X direction. The first driving assembly 330 is installed on the bracket 100, and the output end of the first driving assembly 330 is connected to the connecting arm 320 by transmission. The connecting arm 320 is slidably connected to the pressing plate assembly 310 through the first guiding structure 340. The pressing plate assembly 310 is located above the positioning mechanism 200, and a first avoidance gap 3201 is opened on one side of the connecting arm 320 along the Y direction. , a second avoidance gap 3202 is opened on the other side of the connecting arm 320 along the Y direction, and the projections of the first avoidance gap 3201 and the second avoidance gap 3202 in the X direction partially overlap; the first driving component 330 can drive the connecting arm 320 to move along the vertical direction (Z direction in the figure) until the pressure plate component 310 presses the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, and the first driving component 330 can drive the connecting arm 320 to move relative to the pressure plate component 310 along the X direction until one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is exposed in the first avoidance gap 3201 or the second avoidance gap 3202, and the X direction, the Y direction and the vertical direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0051] It is understandable that in the initial state, Figure 5 As shown, the first driving assembly 330 drives the pressing plate assembly 310 to move upward, and the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 to be welded is placed on the positioning mechanism 200, and then the first driving assembly 330 drives the pressing plate assembly 310 to move downward, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown, the pressing plate assembly 310 is pressed on the top cover of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1. At this time, the four edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 are exposed to the pressing plate assembly 310, but a part of the area of ​​one of the edges to be welded is blocked by the connecting arm 320 (the edge to be welded is referred to as the blocking edge); then the first driving assembly 330 drives the connecting arm 320 to slide relative to the pressing plate assembly 310 along the X direction under the action of the first guide structure 340, so that the first avoidance gap 3201 is located directly above the blocking edge, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown, at this time, the shielding edge is partially exposed in the first avoidance gap 3201; during welding, the inner end (the end away from the edge) of the first avoidance gap 3201 is used as the welding starting point, and welding is performed from the inside to the outside along the first avoidance gap 3201. When welding to the outer end beyond the first avoidance gap 3201, the first driving component 330 can drive the connecting arm 320 to move relative to the pressure plate component 310 along the X direction until the second avoidance gap 3202 is located directly above the shielding edge, as shown in FIG. Fig. 9As shown, at this time, part of the shielding edge area (including the weld at the welding starting position) is exposed in the second avoidance gap 3202; the first drive component 330 drives the connecting arm 320 to move, and the welding process continues until the welding reaches the weld at the starting position, that is, the welding starting point and the welding end point coincide to form a closed loop of the weld, and the welding is completed. After the welding is completed, the first drive component 330 drives the pressure plate component 310 to move up in the vertical direction, and the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 that has been welded on the positioning mechanism 200 is removed, and the welding of the next flangeless square steel shell battery 1 can be carried out.

[0052] Specifically, the first avoidance gap 3201 is located on the left side of the second avoidance gap 3202 .

[0053] The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment is used to weld the flangeless square steel shell battery 1. Since the connecting arm 320 adopts an active air avoidance structure design and a slidable structure design relative to the pressure plate assembly 310, the welding of the four sides and four corners of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 can be completed at one time. During the welding process, there is no need to move the pressure plate assembly 310 to avoid the laser path, which effectively improves the welding quality and welding efficiency.

[0054] Furthermore, if Figure 2 As shown, the first driving assembly 330 includes a first mounting seat 331, a second mounting seat 332, a first driving part 333 and a second driving part 334. The first driving part 333 is installed on one side of the bracket 100 along the X direction through the first mounting seat 331, and the second driving part 334 is fixed on the second mounting seat 332 located above the first driving part 333. The output end of the first driving part 333 is connected to the second mounting seat 332, one end of the connecting arm 320 along the X direction is connected to the output end of the second driving part 334, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the pressure plate assembly 310 through the first guide structure 340. The first driving part 333 can drive the second driving part 334 to move in the vertical direction, and the second driving part 334 can drive the connecting arm 320 to move in the X direction.

[0055] In this embodiment, the second driving part 334 is installed at the output end of the first driving part 333. The first driving part 333 can drive the second driving part 334 to drive the connecting arm 320 and the pressure plate assembly 310 to move as a whole in the vertical direction (Z direction in the figure). The second driving part 334 can drive the connecting arm 320 to slide relative to the pressure plate assembly 310 in the X direction, and can also drive the connecting arm 320 and the pressure plate assembly 310 to move as a whole in the X direction.

[0056] Specifically, the first drive assembly 330 also includes two guide structures that guide along the Z direction and along the X direction, respectively, which guide the up and down movement of the second drive part 334 and the movement of the connecting arm 320 along the X direction, and the guide structures, such as the way in which the slider and the slide seat cooperate with each other or the way in which the guide rod and the guide sleeve cooperate with each other, are not described in detail.

[0057] For example, Figure 1 As shown, the bracket 100 includes a mounting platform 110, four legs 120 fixed under the mounting platform 110, and a base 130 fixedly connected to the bottom of the four legs 120. The first mounting seat 331 is an inverted L-shaped structure. The first mounting seat 331 is fixed to the bottom of the mounting platform 110. The first driving part 333 is installed on the outer side of the first mounting seat 331 along the X direction. The first driving part 333 is a cylinder, and the output end of the cylinder faces upward and is connected to the second mounting seat 332. The second driving part 334 is a cylinder, which is installed on the second mounting seat 332.

[0058] In other embodiments, the first driving part 333 and the second driving part 334 are not limited to the cylinder, and any linear driving structure of an oil cylinder or a motor may also be selected, and the details are not repeated here.

[0059] The first guide structure 340 includes a slide rail and a slide seat. The slide rail is fixed to the upper end of the pressure plate assembly 310. The length of the slide rail extends along the X direction. The slide seat is fixed to the lower end of the connecting arm 320. The slide rail and the slide seat are slidably connected along the X direction.

[0060] Furthermore, the pressure plate assembly 310 includes a cover plate 311, a pre-compression plate 312, a screw rod 313 and a rod sleeve 314. The bottom of the pre-compression plate 312 is provided with an avoidance groove connected to the inner hole of the rod sleeve 314. The pre-compression plate 312 is located below the cover plate 311. The rod sleeve 314 is fixed on the cover plate 311. The screw rod 313 passes through the rod sleeve 314 and the cover plate 311 and is connected to the pre-compression plate 312. The screw rod 313 cooperates with the rod sleeve 314. The connecting arm 320 is connected to the upper end of the cover plate 311 through the first guide structure 340. The screw rod 313 can drive the pre-compression plate 312 to move up and down relative to the cover plate 311. When the cover plate 311 is pressed on the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, the pre-compression plate 312 is located in the avoidance groove and does not protrude from the lower end surface of the cover plate 311.

[0061] In this embodiment, the rod sleeve 314 is fixed on the cover plate 311, and the screw rod 313 matched with the rod sleeve 314 passes through the cover plate 311 and is connected to the pre-pressing plate 312. Since the cover plate 311 is relatively fixed, before the cover plate 311 is pressed down, Figure 6As shown, by pressing down the screw rod 313, the pre-pressing plate 312 can be driven to press against the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, ensuring that the assembled bottom shell and top cover are stably combined together, and the relative position of the top cover and the bottom shell will not change due to the temporary lack of the pressing effect of the cover plate 311.

[0062] After the pre-pressing plate 312 presses the top cover of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, the first driving part 333 drives the connecting arm 320 to drive the cover plate 311 to press the top cover downward, thereby limiting the height of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 and ensuring the consistency of the welding height after the top cover and the bottom shell are combined.

[0063] Specifically, both side surfaces of the cover plate 311 along the X direction and the two side surfaces along the Y direction are inclined surfaces, and the area of ​​the upper end surface of the cover plate 311 is smaller than the area of ​​the lower end surface, and the lower end surface of the cover plate 311 extends to the welding edge adjacent to the flangeless square steel shell battery 1. In this embodiment, by designing the side surfaces of the cover plate 311 as inclined surfaces, the cover plate 311 can be prevented from affecting the position of the welding head during welding.

[0064] The pre-pressing plate 312 is a circular structure, the screw rod 313 is located at the center of the cover plate 311, and when the pre-pressing plate 312 is pressed down, it abuts against the central area of ​​the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, which can improve the pre-pressing effect. The first guide structure 340 is located on one side of the rod sleeve 314 along the Y direction and is spaced apart from the rod sleeve 314.

[0065] Furthermore, a limiting mechanism 400 is included. The limiting mechanism 400 is installed on the connecting arm 320 , and the limiting mechanism 400 can be selectively engaged or abutted with the cover plate 311 .

[0066] It is understandable that, since the connecting arm 320 is slidably connected to the cover plate 311 through the first guide structure 340, when the first driving assembly 330 drives the cover plate 311 to rise to separate from the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, the cover plate 311 and the connecting arm 320 are prone to relative movement along the X direction. When the next flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is welded, the cover plate 311 that moves relative to the connecting arm 320 along the X direction may block a certain welding edge of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 when it is pressed down, affecting normal welding. For this reason, the present embodiment installs a limiting mechanism 400 on the connecting arm 320. Before the first driving assembly 330 drives the cover plate 311 to rise, the limiting mechanism 400 can be engaged or abutted with the cover plate 311, thereby limiting the movement of the cover plate 311 relative to the connecting arm 320 along the X direction.

[0067] Furthermore, if Figure 3As shown, the limiting mechanism 400 includes a cylinder and a locking piece. The cylinder is fixed to the connecting arm 320 through the locking piece. The length of the piston rod of the cylinder extends in the vertical direction. A limiting hole 3111 is provided at the upper end of the cover plate 311. The piston rod of the cylinder can pass through the connecting arm 320 and be inserted into the limiting hole 3111 to be clamped with the cover plate 311.

[0068] When the piston rod of the cylinder passes through the connecting arm 320 and is inserted into the limiting hole 3111 , the cover plate 311 can be locked in the X direction.

[0069] Optionally, the locking piece can be a nut, and the cylinder can be a single-acting cylinder. When the single-acting cylinder is in a ventilated state, the piston rod extends out and is inserted into the limiting hole 3111; when the single-acting cylinder is in a non-ventilated state, the piston rod retracts to release the restriction on the cover plate 311.

[0070] Furthermore, if Figure 4 As shown, the positioning mechanism 200 includes a positioning fixture 210, a first push block assembly 220 and a second push block assembly 230. The positioning fixture 210 is fixed on the bracket 100, and the positioning fixture 210 is located below the pressure plate assembly 310. The positioning fixture 210 has a positioning groove 2101 for placing the flangeless square steel shell battery 1. The upper end of the positioning groove 2101 is a first opening, and one side of the positioning groove 2101 along the X direction is a second opening, and one side of the positioning groove 2101 along the Y direction is a third opening. The first push block assembly 220 is installed on the bracket 100 and faces the second opening, and the second push block assembly 230 is installed on the bracket 100 and faces the third opening. When the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is placed in the positioning groove 2101, the first push block assembly 220 can selectively abut the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 adjacent to the second opening along the X direction, and the second push block assembly 230 can selectively abut the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction.

[0071] For square thin steel shell batteries, the preparation method of flangeless square steel shell batteries 1 in the prior art is to weld the flanged thin steel shell batteries and then cut off the redundant flanges, which adds redundant steps and is prone to poor welding phenomena such as blown welds and cold welds during the welding process. Taking a steel shell with a thickness of 0.1 mm as an example, since the steel shell is relatively thin, the uniformity of the weld is not easy to control, which is prone to poor welding phenomena such as blown welds and leaky welds. In addition, the steel shell will expand and contract due to heat and cold during welding, resulting in deformation of the battery steel shell after welding. In this embodiment, the upper end of the positioning groove 2101 of the positioning fixture 210 and one side along the X direction and one side along the Y direction are designed as an open structure. After the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is placed in the positioning groove 2101, the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 can be pressed against the positioning groove 2101 along the X direction by the first push block assembly 220, and the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 can be pressed against the positioning groove 2101 along the Y direction by the second push block assembly 230. At the same time, with the cooperation of the pressure plate assembly 310, the gap between the top cover and the bottom shell can be limited to ensure the consistency of the gap size and meet the requirements of the gap size for welding, so as to improve the yield rate of product packaging welding and the consistency of appearance size. And after welding using the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment, there is no need to cut excess flanges. With the assistance of the first push block assembly 220 and the second push block assembly 230, it is possible to prevent the steel shell from expanding and contracting during welding, which may cause deformation of the battery steel shell after welding.

[0072] For a thin steel-shell battery with a thickness of 0.1 mm, the flangeless square steel-shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment can ensure that the gap between the top cover and the bottom shell of the thin steel-shell battery is less than half the wall thickness of the steel shell. After welding the thin steel-shell battery using the flangeless square steel-shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment, the height error of the battery after welding can be less than ±0.035 mm.

[0073] In this embodiment, the steel shell includes a bottom shell and a top cover, and both the bottom shell and the top cover are made of steel.

[0074] Furthermore, the first push block assembly 220 includes a third mounting seat 221, a third driving portion 222 and a first push block 223, the third driving portion 222 is fixed to the side of the bracket 100 adjacent to the second opening along the X direction through the third mounting seat 221, and the output end of the third driving portion 222 is connected to the first push block 223; the second push block assembly 230 includes a fourth mounting seat 231, a fourth driving portion 232 and a second push block 233, the fourth driving portion 232 is fixed to the side of the bracket 100 adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction through the fourth mounting seat 231, and the fourth driving portion 232 is connected to the first push block 223. The output end of the driving part 232 is connected to the second push block 233; when the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is located in the positioning groove 2101, the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 adjacent to the second opening along the X direction protrudes from the positioning groove 2101, and the third driving part 222 can enable the first push block 223 to abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 along the X direction; the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction protrudes from the positioning groove 2101, and the fourth driving part 232 can enable the second push block 233 to abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 along the Y direction.

[0075] In this embodiment, by designing the size of the positioning groove 2101 to be slightly smaller than the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, when the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is placed in the positioning groove 2101, the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 along the X direction and the side along the Y direction can be respectively protruded from the positioning groove 2101. The use of this structural design can make the first push block 223 in the first push block assembly 220 only abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 along the X direction and the second push block 233 in the second push block assembly 230 only abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 along the Y direction, thereby avoiding the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 from contacting the side of the positioning fixture 210 and affecting the fixing effect of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 on the positioning fixture 210.

[0076] In this embodiment, the third driving part 222 and the fourth driving part 232 are cylinders. In other embodiments, the third driving part 222 and the fourth driving part 232 are not limited to cylinders, and any linear driving structure of an oil cylinder or a motor can also be selected, and the details are not repeated here.

[0077] Furthermore, the first push block assembly 220 also includes a first connecting portion 224 and a second guide structure 225 that plays a guiding role along the X direction. The first connecting portion 224 is connected to the output end of the third driving portion 222 through the second guide structure 225, and the first push block 223 is detachably fixed on the first connecting portion 224; the second push block assembly 230 also includes a second connecting portion 234 and a third guide structure 235 that plays a guiding role along the Y direction. The second connecting portion 234 is connected to the output end of the fourth driving portion 232 through the third guide structure 235, and the second push block 233 is detachably fixed on the second connecting portion 234.

[0078] By setting the second guide structure 225, it can guide the movement of the first push block 223 along the X direction, thereby improving the movement stability of the first push block 223 along the X direction. By setting the third guide structure 235, it can guide the movement of the second push block 233 along the Y direction, thereby improving the movement stability of the second push block 233 along the Y direction. Among them, the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 are consumable parts. In this embodiment, the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 are designed as detachable structures. When the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 are damaged, only the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 need to be replaced, which is convenient for replacement and reduces loss.

[0079] Furthermore, the first push block assembly 220 also includes a first fixing portion 226 and two first adjusting bolts 227, the first fixing portion 226 is fixed on the first connecting portion 224, the first push block 223 is located between the first fixing portion 226 and the positioning fixture 210, the first fixing portion 226 is provided with two first through holes, the axis of the first through hole extends along the X direction, and the first adjusting bolt 227 passes through the first through hole and is threadedly screwed to the first push block 223; the second push block assembly 230 also includes a second fixing portion 236 and two second adjusting bolts 237, the second fixing portion 236 is fixed on the second connecting portion 234, the second push block 233 is located between the second fixing portion 236 and the positioning fixture 210, the second fixing portion 236 is provided with two second through holes, the axis of the second through hole extends along the Y direction, and the second adjusting bolt 237 passes through the second through hole and is threadedly screwed to the second push block 233.

[0080] It can be understood that by screwing the two first adjustment bolts 227 respectively, the first push block 223 can be fine-tuned so that the first push block 223 remains parallel to the two opposite surfaces of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, and the first push block 223 is in surface contact with the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, so as to improve the pressing effect of the first push block 223 on the flangeless square steel shell battery 1; similarly, by screwing the two second adjustment bolts 237 respectively, the second push block 233 can be fine-tuned so that the second push block 233 remains parallel to the two opposite surfaces of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, and the second push block 233 is in surface contact with the flangeless square steel shell battery 1, so as to improve the pressing effect of the second push block 233 on the flangeless square steel shell battery 1.

[0081] Furthermore, the first push block 223 protrudes from the first connection portion 224 on the side facing the second opening, and the second protrusion protrudes from the second connection portion 234 on the side facing the third opening, so that only the first push block 223 can be in surface contact with the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 protruding from the second opening, and the second push block 223 can be in surface contact with the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 protruding from the third opening.

[0082] Furthermore, the first push block 223 is provided with two first adjustment long holes 2231 along the vertical direction, and the length of the first adjustment long holes 2231 extends along the X direction. The first push block assembly 220 also includes two first screws corresponding to the first adjustment long holes 2231, and the first screws pass through the first adjustment long holes 2231 and are screwed and fixed to the first push block 223; the second push block 233 is provided with two second adjustment long holes 2331 along the vertical direction, and the length of the second adjustment long holes 2331 extends along the Y direction. The second push block assembly 230 also includes two second screws corresponding to the second adjustment long holes 2331, and the second screws pass through the second adjustment long holes 2331 and are screwed and fixed to the second push block 233.

[0083] In this embodiment, after the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 are finely adjusted, the first push block 223 is fixed to the first connection portion 224 by a first screw and the second push block 233 is fixed to the second connection portion 234 by a second screw, so as to improve the installation stability of the first push block 223 and the second push block 233. Moreover, the first adjustment long hole 2231 and the second adjustment long hole 2331 are respectively arranged to adapt to the fine adjustment of the first push block 223 and the second push block 233, so that the first screw can be aligned with the threaded hole on the first connection portion 224 after passing through the first adjustment long hole 2231 and the second screw can be aligned with the threaded hole on the second connection portion 234 after passing through the second adjustment long hole 2331, so as to facilitate the fixing operation of the first push block 223 and the second push block 233 after fine adjustment.

[0084] The existing welding process can only complete the control of the gap on a single side at a time, and cannot locate the gaps on the four straight sides and four corners of the battery at one time, so each straight side and corner can only be welded individually, and the welding efficiency is 0.3PPM. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment is used to assist laser welding, which can complete the welding of four straight sides and four corners at one time, and the efficiency is increased to 2.5PPM.

[0085] The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of this embodiment is particularly suitable for the combined welding of flangeless square steel shell batteries 1 with thin steel shells.

[0086] This embodiment also provides a method for welding a flangeless square steel shell battery, comprising the following steps:

[0087] The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device of the above embodiment is provided, and the assembled flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is placed on the positioning mechanism 200 of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device for positioning;

[0088] Start the first driving assembly 330, so that the connecting arm 320 drives the pressing plate assembly 310 to move downward, and the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is pressed against the positioning mechanism 200;

[0089] The first driving assembly 330 is used to drive the connecting arm 320 to move relative to the pressing plate assembly 310 along the X direction, so that one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is located directly above the first avoidance notch 3201;

[0090] The position where the edge to be welded is located at the inner end of the first avoidance notch 3201 is taken as the welding starting point, and welding is performed along the exposed edge to be welded;

[0091] During the welding process, when the welding reaches the outer end beyond the first avoidance gap 3201, the first driving assembly 330 is used to drive the connecting arm 320 to move relative to the pressing plate assembly 310 along the X direction, so that the edge to be welded with the welding starting point is located directly below the second avoidance gap 3202;

[0092] When the welding starting point coincides with the welding end point, the weld forms a closed loop and the welding is completed. The first driving assembly 330 is used to drive the pressing plate assembly 310 to rise, and the flangeless square steel shell battery 1 that has been welded is taken out.

[0093] Furthermore, the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device also includes a limiting mechanism 400, which is installed on the connecting arm 320, and the limiting mechanism 400 can be selectively engaged or abutted with the cover plate 311; correspondingly, in the flangeless square steel shell battery welding method, after welding is completed, the limiting mechanism 400 is first engaged or abutted with the cover plate 311 to limit the movement of the cover plate 311 relative to the connecting arm 320 along the X direction; and then the first driving assembly 330 is used to drive the pressure plate assembly 310 to rise, and the welded flangeless square steel shell battery 1 is taken out.

[0094] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device, characterized in that: include: A bracket and a positioning mechanism, wherein the positioning mechanism is mounted on the bracket and is used to place flangeless square steel-shell batteries to be welded; A clamping mechanism, the clamping mechanism comprises a pressing plate assembly, a connecting arm, a first driving assembly and a first guiding structure that plays a guiding role along the X direction, the first driving assembly is installed on the bracket, and the output end of the first driving assembly is transmission-connected to the connecting arm, the connecting arm is slidably connected to the pressing plate assembly through the first guiding structure, the pressing plate assembly is located above the positioning mechanism, a first avoidance gap is provided on one side of the connecting arm along the Y direction, a second avoidance gap is provided on the other side of the connecting arm along the Y direction, and the projections of the first avoidance gap and the second avoidance gap in the X direction partially overlap; the first driving assembly can drive the connecting arm to move in the vertical direction until the pressing plate assembly presses the flangeless square steel shell battery, and the first driving assembly can drive the connecting arm to move relative to the pressing plate assembly along the X direction until one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery is exposed in the first avoidance gap or the second avoidance gap, and the X direction, the Y direction and the vertical direction are perpendicular to each other.

2. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The first driving assembly includes a first mounting seat, a second mounting seat, a first driving part and a second driving part. The first driving part is mounted on one side of the bracket along the X direction through the first mounting seat. The second driving part is fixed on the second mounting seat located above the first driving part. The output end of the first driving part is connected to the second mounting seat. One end of the connecting arm along the X direction is connected to the output end of the second driving part, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the pressure plate assembly through the first guide structure. The first driving part can drive the second driving part to move along the vertical direction, and the second driving part can drive the connecting arm to move along the X direction.

3. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The pressure plate assembly includes a cover plate, a pre-pressure plate, a screw and a rod sleeve. The bottom of the pre-pressure plate is provided with an avoidance groove connected to the inner hole of the rod sleeve. The pre-pressure plate is located below the cover plate, and the rod sleeve is fixed on the cover plate. The screw passes through the rod sleeve and the cover plate and is connected to the pre-pressure plate. The screw cooperates with the rod sleeve, and the connecting arm is connected to the upper end of the cover plate through the first guide structure. The screw can drive the pre-pressure plate to move up and down relative to the cover plate. When the cover plate is pressed on the flangeless square steel shell battery, the pre-pressure plate is located in the avoidance groove and does not protrude from the lower end surface of the cover plate.

4. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 3 is characterized in that: It also includes a limiting mechanism, which includes a cylinder and a locking piece. The cylinder is fixed to the connecting arm through the locking piece. The length of the piston rod of the cylinder extends along the vertical direction. A limiting hole is provided at the upper end of the cover plate. The piston rod of the cylinder can pass through the connecting arm and be inserted into the limiting hole to be clamped with the cover plate.

5. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The positioning mechanism includes a positioning fixture, a first push block assembly and a second push block assembly. The positioning fixture is fixed on the bracket. The positioning fixture is located below the pressure plate assembly and has a positioning groove for placing the flangeless square steel shell battery. The upper end of the positioning groove is a first opening, one side of the positioning groove along the X direction is a second opening, and one side of the positioning groove along the Y direction is a third opening. The first push block assembly is installed on the bracket and faces the second opening, and the second push block assembly is installed on the bracket and faces the third opening. When the flangeless square steel shell battery is placed in the positioning groove, the first push block assembly can selectively abut the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the second opening along the X direction, and the second push block assembly can selectively abut the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction.

6. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 5 is characterized in that: The first push block assembly includes a third mounting seat, a third driving part and a first push block, the third driving part is fixed to a side of the bracket adjacent to the second opening along the X direction through the third mounting seat, and the output end of the third driving part is connected to the first push block; the second push block assembly includes a fourth mounting seat, a fourth driving part and a second push block, the fourth driving part is fixed to a side of the bracket adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction through the fourth mounting seat, and the output end of the fourth driving part is connected to the second push block; when the flangeless square steel shell battery is located in the positioning groove, the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the second opening along the X direction protrudes from the positioning groove, and the third driving part enables the first push block to abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery along the X direction; the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery adjacent to the third opening along the Y direction protrudes from the positioning groove, and the fourth driving part enables the second push block to abut against the side of the flangeless square steel shell battery along the Y direction.

7. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The first push block assembly also includes a first connection part and a second guide structure that guides along the X direction, the first connection part is connected to the output end of the third drive part through the second guide structure, and the first push block is detachably fixed to the first connection part; the second push block assembly also includes a second connection part and a third guide structure that guides along the Y direction, the second connection part is connected to the output end of the fourth drive part through the third guide structure, and the second push block is detachably fixed to the second connection part.

8. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 7 is characterized in that: The first push block assembly also includes a first fixing portion and two first adjusting bolts, the first fixing portion is fixed on the first connecting portion, the first push block is located between the first fixing portion and the positioning fixture, the first fixing portion is provided with two first through holes, the axis of the first through hole extends along the X direction, and the first adjusting bolt passes through the first through hole and is threadedly connected to the first push block; the second push block assembly also includes a second fixing portion and two second adjusting bolts, the second fixing portion is fixed on the second connecting portion, the second push block is located between the second fixing portion and the positioning fixture, the second fixing portion is provided with two second through holes, the axis of the second through hole extends along the Y direction, and the second adjusting bolt passes through the second through hole and is threadedly connected to the second push block.

9. The flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first push block is provided with two first adjustment long holes along the vertical direction, and the length of the first adjustment long holes extends along the X direction. The first push block assembly also includes two first screws corresponding to the first adjustment long holes one by one, and the first screws pass through the first adjustment long holes and are screwed and fixed to the first push block; the second push block is provided with two second adjustment long holes along the vertical direction, and the length of the second adjustment long holes extends along the Y direction. The second push block assembly also includes two second screws corresponding to the second adjustment long holes one by one, and the second screws pass through the second adjustment long holes and are screwed and fixed to the second push block.

10. A method for welding flangeless square steel shell batteries, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Providing a flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, placing the assembled flangeless square steel shell battery on the positioning mechanism of the flangeless square steel shell battery welding auxiliary device for positioning; Start the first driving assembly, so that the connecting arm drives the pressing plate assembly to move downward, and the flangeless square steel shell battery is pressed against the positioning mechanism; Using the first driving assembly to drive the connecting arm to move relative to the pressing plate assembly along the X direction, so that one of the edges to be welded of the flangeless square steel shell battery is located directly above the first avoidance gap; Taking the position of the edge to be welded located at the inner end of the first avoidance notch as the welding starting point, welding is performed along the exposed edge to be welded; During the welding process, when the welding reaches the outer end beyond the first avoidance gap, the first driving assembly is used to drive the connecting arm to move relative to the pressing plate assembly along the X direction, so that the edge to be welded with the welding starting point is located directly below the second avoidance gap; When the welding starting point coincides with the welding end point, the weld forms a closed loop and the welding is completed. The first driving assembly is used to drive the pressing plate assembly to rise, and the flangeless square steel shell battery that has been welded is taken out.

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