Assembly apparatus and assembly method

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides assembling equipment and an assembling method. The assembling equipment is used for assembling single batteries, and comprises a first guide rail mechanism, a second guide rail mechanism and a third guide rail mechanism, the first guide rail mechanism is located in a shell entering station, and a gap is formed between the first guide rail mechanism and an adjacent second guide rail mechanism; the moving mechanism is used for conveying the electrode assembly of the battery monomer to the shell entering station; the pressure measuring mechanism is fixedly connected with the first guide rail mechanism, and the pressure measuring mechanism is used for bearing the weight of the first guide rail mechanism and the weight of the moving mechanism located on the first guide rail mechanism and measuring the pressure borne by the electrode assembly in the process that the electrode assembly is arranged in the shell. According to the assembling equipment and the assembling method provided by the embodiment of the invention, the processing efficiency of the battery monomers can be improved.

Description

Assembly equipment and assembly method Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to an assembly device and an assembly method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous advancement of battery technology, various new energy industries that use batteries as energy storage devices have developed rapidly. In the development of battery technology, in addition to improving battery performance, improving safety and processing efficiency are also issues that cannot be ignored.

[0003] Batteries typically consist of multiple cells. The assembly process typically involves processing and assembling the electrode assembly, assembling the electrode assembly to the end caps, assembling the electrode assembly to the casing, and finally assembling the casing to the end caps. During the placement of the electrode assembly inside the casing, detecting damage to the electrode assembly caused by the casing to improve cell installation efficiency is a pressing technical challenge.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide an assembly device and an assembly method, which can improve the processing efficiency of battery cells.

[0006] In a first aspect, an assembly device is provided for assembling battery cells, the assembly device comprising: a first guide rail mechanism, the first guide rail mechanism being located at a shell insertion station, a gap being provided between the first guide rail mechanism and an adjacent second guide rail mechanism; a moving mechanism for transferring the electrode assembly of the battery cell to the shell insertion station; a pressure measuring mechanism fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism, the pressure measuring mechanism being used to bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism and the moving mechanism located at the first guide rail mechanism, and to measure the pressure on the electrode assembly during the process of placing the electrode assembly inside the shell.

[0007] Therefore, for the assembly equipment of the embodiment of the present application, since there is a gap between the first guide rail mechanism of the shell entry station and the adjacent second guide rail mechanism, the pressure measuring mechanism can only bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism of the shell entry station and the weight of the moving mechanism located at the shell entry station without being affected by the adjacent stations, and the measurement is more accurate; and, when the pressure measuring mechanism measures the pressure on the electrode assembly, it can also bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism and the moving mechanism at the same time, and there is no need to separate the first guide rail mechanism, the moving mechanism and the pressure measuring mechanism, which can simplify the assembly equipment and also simplify the process of measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly during the process of the electrode assembly entering the shell, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery assembly.

[0008] In some embodiments, the pressure measurement mechanism includes: a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly during placement within the housing; and a fixing component for securing the pressure sensor. Thus, the fixing component can be configured to have a greater structural strength to improve structural stability and reduce the impact on pressure sensor measurements.

[0009] In some embodiments, the fixing component includes a first mounting portion disposed around the pressure sensor, the first mounting portion being configured to secure the pressure sensor. This can reduce the impact of the first mounting portion on the pressure sensor's measurement area, improve structural stability, reduce the likelihood of the pressure sensor tilting, and improve measurement accuracy.

[0010] In some embodiments, the fixing component also includes two second mounting portions that are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart. The two second mounting portions are located on one side of the first mounting portion close to the first guide rail mechanism, and part of the first guide rail mechanism is arranged between the two second mounting portions. The two second mounting portions are used to fix the first guide rail mechanism.

[0011] Considering that the pressure sensor is light in weight and the first guide rail mechanism is heavy in weight, the pressure sensor is fixed by the first mounting portion of the fixing component, and the first guide rail mechanism is fixed by the second mounting portion, and the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are stacked. This can improve the overall structural strength of the fixing component, improve the structural stability, and thereby improve the measurement accuracy of the pressure sensor.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressure measurement mechanism further includes a support component located on a side of the pressure sensor away from the first guide rail mechanism, the support component being configured to support the pressure sensor. Located away from a measurement region of the pressure sensor, the support component supports the pressure sensor, preventing it from being suspended in mid-air and ensuring close contact between the measurement region of the pressure sensor and the components supported above it, thereby improving the measurement accuracy of the pressure sensor.

[0013] In some embodiments, the support component is fixed to a side of the fixing component away from the first guide rail mechanism. Since the pressure sensor is also arranged on the side of the fixing component away from the first guide rail mechanism, it is convenient for the support component to approach and support the pressure sensor.

[0014] In some embodiments, the fixing component is provided with an opening, and at least a portion of the support component is located within the opening, so as to support the pressure sensor through the opening. By disposing at least a portion of the fixing component within the opening, and at least a portion of the pressure sensor within the opening, the portion of the support component located within the opening can directly contact the pressure sensor through the opening, thereby better supporting the pressure sensor and ensuring that the measuring area of ​​the pressure sensor is in close contact with the component supported above it, thereby improving the measurement accuracy of the pressure sensor.

[0015] In some embodiments, the fixing component includes a first mounting portion arranged around the pressure sensor, the first mounting portion is used to fix the pressure sensor, and the first mounting portion is used to form the opening, which has a simple structure and is easy to implement.

[0016] In some embodiments, a bearing surface is provided on the side of the moving mechanism away from the first guide rail mechanism, the electrode assembly is connected to the end cap, one side of the end cap is attached to the bearing surface, and the other side of the end cap is attached to the end face of the electrode assembly. In this way, when assembling the battery cell, the electrode assembly and the end cap can be fixed first. In the process of placing the electrode assembly in the shell, the shell can be sleeved with the electrode assembly from the side of the electrode assembly away from the end cap. There is no need to flip the electrode assembly, so that the end cap can correspond to the opening of the shell, which facilitates the connection between the end cap and the shell, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the battery cell.

[0017] In some embodiments, the end cap and the electrode assembly are stacked on the supporting surface along a first direction, and the movable mechanism clamps the electrode assembly along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. This ensures that when the movable mechanism clamps the electrode assembly, one end face of the electrode assembly is not affected by facing the supporting surface. Thus, while the electrode assembly is placed on the movable mechanism under its own weight, it can also be subjected to a clamping force along the second direction, further ensuring the stability of the electrode assembly on the movable mechanism.

[0018] In some embodiments, the assembly apparatus further includes a drive component configured to control the moving mechanism to clamp and release the electrode assembly, the drive component being fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism. The drive component can be used to control the moving mechanism, and the drive component is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism, eliminating the need for synchronous movement with the moving mechanism. This simplifies the structure of the moving mechanism and further increases its speed.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first rail mechanism includes a third mounting portion, the driving component is fixedly connected to the third mounting portion, and the third mounting portion is fixedly connected to the pressure measuring mechanism. Therefore, the pressure measuring component can bear the weight of the first rail mechanism, and more specifically, the pressure measuring component can bear the weight of the driving component fixedly connected to the first rail mechanism, thereby simplifying the structure of the assembly equipment and accelerating the assembly efficiency of the battery cells.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first guide rail mechanism includes a magnetically driven guide rail. The use of the magnetically driven guide rail can make the moving mechanism move faster and more smoothly during the movement process, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery cells.

[0021] In some embodiments, the assembly apparatus further comprises: a shell insertion mechanism for controlling the shell to move in a first direction so that the electrode assembly enters the shell from the opening of the shell, the first direction being perpendicular to the surface of the pressure measuring mechanism facing the electrode assembly. The shell insertion mechanism controls the shell to move in the first direction and gradually approach the electrode assembly, with the opening of the shell facing the electrode assembly. Thus, the shell can be placed outside the electrode assembly without flipping the electrode assembly, thereby completing the shell insertion process. Furthermore, the pressure measuring mechanism can also measure the pressure exerted by the shell on the electrode assembly during the shell insertion process to confirm whether the shell is offset from the electrode assembly and whether the electrode assembly is damaged. The process is simple and easy to implement.

[0022] In a second aspect, an assembly method is provided, comprising: transferring an electrode assembly of a battery cell to a shell insertion station via a mobile mechanism, the shell insertion station being provided with a first guide rail mechanism, a gap being provided between the first guide rail mechanism and an adjacent second guide rail mechanism; in the process of placing the electrode assembly inside the shell, measuring the pressure borne by the electrode assembly via a pressure measuring mechanism fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism, the pressure measuring mechanism being used to bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism and the mobile mechanism located on the first guide rail mechanism.

[0023] Therefore, in the assembly method of the embodiment of the present application, the moving mechanism transfers the electrode assembly to the shell entry station. For example, the moving mechanism can move along the first guide rail mechanism and the second guide rail mechanism, and then can move to the shell entry station through the first guide rail mechanism of the shell entry station, and then place the electrode assembly in the shell at the shell entry station. Since there is a gap between the first guide rail mechanism and the second guide rail mechanism, that is, the first guide rail mechanism located at the shell entry station is relatively independent, the pressure measuring mechanism bears the weight of the first guide rail mechanism of the shell entry station and the weight of the moving mechanism located at the shell entry station, and will not be affected by the adjacent stations, for example, it will not be affected by the adjacent second guide rail mechanism, so that the measurement result is more accurate. In addition, when measuring the pressure borne by the electrode assembly during the process of entering the shell, it is not necessary to separate the first guide rail mechanism, the moving mechanism and the pressure measuring mechanism, which can simplify the assembly equipment and the process of measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly during the process of the electrode assembly entering the shell, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery assembly and the battery cell.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the moving mechanism transports the electrode assembly to the shell insertion station and the electrode assembly is not placed inside the shell, resetting the measured value of the pressure measuring mechanism to zero. When the electrode assembly is not inserted into the shell, the pressure sensor does not perform any measurement and the reading is reset to zero; thereafter, during the process of placing the electrode assembly into the shell, the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor can be equivalent to the pressure exerted by the shell on the electrode assembly. That is, the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly by the shell during the process of being placed outside the electrode assembly can be measured, thereby determining whether the electrode assembly is damaged.

[0025] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling the housing to move in a first direction via a housing insertion mechanism so that the electrode assembly enters the housing through an opening of the housing, the first direction being perpendicular to a surface of the pressure measuring mechanism facing the electrode assembly. By controlling the housing to move in the first direction and gradually approaching the electrode assembly via the housing insertion mechanism, with the opening of the housing facing the electrode assembly, the housing can be placed over the electrode assembly without flipping the electrode assembly, thereby completing the housing insertion process. Furthermore, the pressure measuring mechanism can measure the pressure exerted by the housing on the electrode assembly during the insertion process to determine whether the housing is offset from the electrode assembly and whether the electrode assembly is damaged. The process is simple and easy to implement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a system for assembling battery cells disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an assembly device disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG3 is another structural schematic diagram of an assembly device disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an assembly device disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG5 is another exploded structural diagram of an assembly device disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery cell disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a pressure measurement mechanism disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a first guide rail mechanism and a pressure measurement mechanism disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG9 is another exploded structural diagram of a first guide rail mechanism and a pressure measurement mechanism disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG10 is a schematic flow chart of an assembly method disclosed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] In the drawings, the drawings are not drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means more than two; the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions 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 direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Vertical" is not strictly perpendicular, but is within the allowable error range. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but is within the allowable error range.

[0039] The directional words appearing in the following description are all directions shown in the figures, and do not limit the specific structure of this application. In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" 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 directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] In the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components in different embodiments are omitted. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of the various components in the embodiments of this application, as well as the overall thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of the integrated device shown in the drawings are merely illustrative and should not constitute any limitation on this application.

[0041] In this application, battery cells 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 do not limit this. Battery cells may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or other shapes, etc., and the embodiments of this application do not limit this. Battery cells are generally divided into three types based on the packaging method: cylindrical battery cells, prismatic battery cells, and soft-pack battery cells, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0042] The battery referred to in the embodiments of this application refers to a single physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity. For example, the battery referred to in this application may include a battery module or a battery pack. A battery generally includes a casing for enclosing one or more battery cells. The casing can reduce the impact of liquids or other foreign matter on the charging or discharging of the battery cells.

[0043] A battery cell typically includes an electrode assembly. This assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. During the charge and discharge process of a battery cell, active ions (such as lithium ions) are inserted and removed between the positive and negative electrodes. The separator, placed between the positive and negative electrodes, prevents short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes while allowing the active ions to pass through.

[0044] The development of battery technology must take into account multiple design factors at the same time, such as energy density, cycle life, discharge capacity, charge and discharge rate and other performance parameters. In addition, the processing efficiency and quality of the battery must also be considered. For example, the processing efficiency of the battery can be improved by improving the processing efficiency of the battery cells.

[0045] The production process of battery cells is highly complex, typically encompassing the machining and assembly of the electrode assembly, the assembly between the electrode assembly and the end cap, the assembly between the electrode assembly and the housing, and the assembly between the housing and the end cap. Consequently, the production efficiency of battery cells significantly impacts the production efficiency of batteries. Furthermore, imperfect manufacturing processes can reduce the yield rate of battery cells during production, or lead to defects in certain aspects of the battery cells, resulting in performance issues and, in severe cases, affecting the service life of the battery cells and, consequently, the performance of the battery. Therefore, effectively improving the production efficiency of battery cells and the quality rate of products is a critical issue in the battery industry.

[0046] For example, during the assembly of a battery cell, a housing needs to be placed over the outside of the electrode assembly. During this process, if there is any offset between the relative position of the housing and the electrode assembly, the housing is likely to damage the electrode assembly, thereby affecting the performance of the electrode assembly, and thus the processing qualification rate and performance of the battery cell and battery. Therefore, during the process of placing the housing over the electrode assembly, the pressure on the electrode assembly can be measured to determine whether the housing has damaged the electrode assembly. However, how to set up a pressure measurement device to simply and quickly measure the pressure on the electrode assembly without affecting the entry of the electrode assembly into the housing is currently a problem that needs to be solved.

[0047] Therefore, an embodiment of the present application provides an assembly device and an assembly method that can solve the above problems. The assembly device of the embodiment of the present application includes a first guide rail mechanism, a moving mechanism and a pressure measuring mechanism. The first guide rail mechanism is located at the shell entry station and has a gap with the adjacent second guide rail mechanism, wherein the second guide rail mechanism can be a guide rail mechanism located at other stations; the moving mechanism can transfer the electrode assembly of the battery cell to be assembled to the shell entry station; the pressure measuring mechanism is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism, and the pressure measuring mechanism can simultaneously bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism and the moving mechanism located at the first guide rail mechanism, and measure the pressure on the electrode assembly during the process of placing the electrode assembly inside the shell. Since there is a gap between the first guide rail mechanism of the shell entering station and the adjacent second guide rail mechanism, the pressure measuring mechanism can only bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism of the shell entering station and the weight of the moving mechanism located at the shell entering station without being affected by the adjacent stations, and the measurement is more accurate; and, when the pressure measuring mechanism measures the pressure on the electrode assembly, it can also bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism and the moving mechanism at the same time, and there is no need to separate the first guide rail mechanism, the moving mechanism and the pressure measuring mechanism, which can simplify the assembly equipment and the process of measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly during the process of the electrode assembly entering the shell, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery assembly.

[0048] The technical solutions described in the embodiments of the present application can be used in the processing and assembly process of battery cells. Multiple battery cells can be assembled into a battery, and the battery is suitable for various electrical devices that use batteries.

[0049] Electrical equipment can be vehicles, mobile phones, portable devices, laptops, ships, spacecraft, electric toys, and electric tools, etc. Vehicles can be fuel vehicles, gas vehicles, or new energy vehicles. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or extended-range vehicles, etc. Spacecraft include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc. Electric toys include fixed or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Electric tools include metal cutting electric tools, grinding electric tools, assembly electric tools, and railway electric tools, such as electric drills, electric grinders, electric wrenches, electric screwdrivers, electric hammers, impact drills, concrete vibrators, and electric planers, etc. The embodiments of the present application do not impose any special restrictions on the above-mentioned electrical equipment.

[0050] To meet different power requirements, a battery can include multiple battery cells, which can be connected in series, parallel, or in a hybrid configuration. A hybrid configuration refers to a combination of series and parallel connections. A battery can also be referred to as a battery pack. Alternatively, multiple battery cells can be connected in series, parallel, or in a hybrid configuration to form a battery module, which can then be connected in series, parallel, or in a hybrid configuration to form a battery. In other words, multiple battery cells can be directly connected to form a battery, or they can be first connected to form battery modules, which can then be connected to form a battery.

[0051] Figure 1 shows a partial schematic diagram of a system 1 for assembling battery cells according to an embodiment of the present application; Figures 2 and 3 respectively show structural schematic diagrams of the assembly equipment 10 according to an embodiment of the present application at different angles; Figures 4 and 5 respectively show decomposed structural schematic diagrams of the assembly equipment 10 according to an embodiment of the present application at different angles. For example, Figures 4 and 5 may be decomposed structural schematic diagrams of the assembly equipment 10 shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0052] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the assembly equipment 10 of the embodiment of the present application is used to assemble battery cells, and may specifically include: a first guide rail mechanism 11, which is located at the shell entry station 100, and a gap 110 is set between the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31; a moving mechanism 12, which is used to transfer the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell to the shell entry station 100; a pressure measuring mechanism 13, which is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism 11, and the pressure measuring mechanism 13 is used to bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the moving mechanism 12 located at the first guide rail mechanism 11, and to measure the pressure on the electrode assembly 22 during the process of placing the electrode assembly 22 inside the shell 211.

[0053] It should be understood that the assembly apparatus 10 of the embodiment of the present application can be used in a system 1, which can be used to assemble battery cells. The system 1 can include multiple workstations, including at least one shell insertion station 100. For example, FIG1 shows two shell insertion stations 100 as an example. The two shell insertion stations 100 can be used to respectively insert two electrode assemblies 22 into shells, thereby improving the efficiency of batch assembly of battery cells.

[0054] In some embodiments, the system 1 may also include other stations for processing and assembling battery cells. For example, the system 1 may also include an inspection station 200 adjacent to the shell insertion station 100 for detecting the status of the battery cell during assembly; and, similar to the one or more shell insertion stations 100 provided in the system 1, the system 1 may also be provided with at least one inspection station 200. For example, FIG1 takes two inspection stations 200 as an example to improve the efficiency of batch assembly of battery cells. Specifically, before the shell insertion station 100, it is usually necessary to process the electrode assembly 22. For example, the electrode assembly 22 may need to be coated. The inspection station 200 can be used to detect the status of the electrode assembly 22 and then determine the coating effect, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0055] In some embodiments, the system 1 may further include a blanking station 300 adjacent to the shell entry station 100. At the blanking station 300, the electrode assembly 22 provided with the shell 211 is separated from the mobile mechanism 12, so that the electrode assembly 22 with the shell 211 is subjected to other subsequent processing. Specifically, the mobile mechanism 12 of the embodiment of the present application can continue to transfer the electrode assembly 22 provided with the shell 211 from the shell entry station 100 to the blanking station 300. At the blanking station 300, the electrode assembly 22 provided with the shell 211 can be separated from the mobile mechanism 12, and the mobile mechanism 12 can be recycled to continue to fix and transfer other electrode assemblies 22. At the same time, the electrode assembly 22 provided with the shell 211 after separation can continue to perform other subsequent assembly steps to obtain the assembled battery cell. In addition, the system 1 can be provided with at least one blanking station 300. For example, Figure 1 takes two blanking stations 300 as an example to improve the efficiency of batch assembly of battery cells.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present application, the assembly equipment 10 includes a first guide rail mechanism 11, which is located at the shell insertion station 100 and has a gap 110 between it and the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31. The second guide rail mechanism 31 can be any guide rail mechanism adjacent to the first guide rail mechanism 11, and the second guide rail mechanism 31 can include a guide rail mechanism located at other stations, or the second guide rail mechanism 31 can include a guide rail mechanism located between the shell insertion station 100 and other stations. Since there is a gap 110 between the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the second guide rail mechanism 31, that is, the first guide rail mechanism 11 located at the shell insertion station 100 is relatively independent, the pressure measuring mechanism 13 bears the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 at the shell insertion station 100 and the weight of the moving mechanism 12 located at the shell insertion station 100, and will not be affected by the adjacent stations, for example, it will not be affected by the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31, so that the measurement result is more accurate.

[0057] The moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100. For example, the moving mechanism 12 can move along the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the second guide rail mechanism 31, and can then move to the shell insertion station 100 via the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the shell insertion station 100, and then place the electrode assembly 22 in the shell 211 at the shell insertion station 100. The pressure measuring mechanism 13 of the assembly equipment 10 can simultaneously bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the moving mechanism 12. In this way, when measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly 22 during its entry into the shell 211, it is not necessary to separate the first guide rail mechanism 11, the moving mechanism 12, and the pressure measuring mechanism 13. This can simplify the assembly equipment 10 and the process of measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly 22 during its entry into the shell 211, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery assembly 22 and the battery cell.

[0058] It should be understood that, in the embodiment of the present application, placing the electrode assembly 22 inside the shell 211 may include any of the following situations: fixing the electrode assembly 22 and controlling the shell 211 to move toward the electrode assembly 22 so as to sleeve the shell around the outside of the electrode assembly 22; or fixing the shell 211 and controlling the electrode assembly 22 to move toward the shell 211 so as to install the electrode assembly 22 inside the shell 211; or controlling the electrode assembly 22 to move toward the shell 211 and also controlling the shell 211 to move toward the electrode assembly 22, so that the two move together to place the electrode assembly 22 inside the shell 211. For ease of explanation, the embodiment of the present application mainly takes the example of fixing the electrode assembly 22 and controlling the shell 211 to move toward the electrode assembly 22 so as to sleeve the shell 211 around the outside of the electrode assembly 22, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0059] In some embodiments, the assembly device 10 further includes a shell insertion mechanism 15 for controlling the housing 211 to move along a first direction so that the electrode assembly 22 enters the housing 211 from the opening 2111 of the housing 211, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the surface of the pressure measuring mechanism 13 facing the electrode assembly 22. Specifically, the shell insertion mechanism 15 can direct the opening 2111 of the housing 211 toward the electrode assembly 22 and control the housing 211 to move along the first direction so that the electrode assembly 22 enters the housing 211 from the opening 2111, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the surface of the pressure measuring mechanism 13 facing the electrode assembly 22; for example, the present application takes the first direction as the height direction Z of the assembly device 10 as an example, and for another example, the first direction can be the direction of gravity of the electrode assembly 22. The shell 211 has an opening 2111, and the electrode assembly 22 can be set on the moving mechanism 12 along the first direction. The shell insertion mechanism 15 controls the shell 211 to move along the first direction Z and gradually approach the electrode assembly 22, and the opening 2111 of the shell 211 is facing the electrode assembly 22. The shell 211 can be placed on the outside of the electrode assembly 22 without flipping the electrode assembly 22 to realize the shell insertion process of the electrode assembly 22. In addition, the pressure measuring mechanism 13 can also measure the pressure of the shell 211 on the electrode assembly 22 during the shell insertion process to confirm whether the shell 211 is offset from the electrode assembly 22, whether the electrode assembly is damaged, etc. The process is simple and easy to implement.

[0060] The structure of the shell insertion mechanism 15 of the embodiment of the present application can be set according to the actual application. For example, the shell insertion mechanism 15 may include: a bracket, a driving unit and a shell fixing component, wherein the shell fixing component is fixed to the bracket, and the driving unit can also be fixed to the bracket to facilitate the processing and assembly of the shell insertion mechanism 15. Specifically, the shell fixing component can be used to fix the shell 211 so that the opening 2111 of the shell 211 can be aligned with the electrode assembly 22, so that the shell 211 can be accurately placed on the outside of the electrode assembly 22 to complete the shell insertion process of the electrode assembly 22.

[0061] It should be understood that the assembly apparatus 10 of the present embodiment can be used to assemble battery cells, and the structure of the battery cells can be flexibly configured according to actual applications. For example, Figure 6 shows a possible exploded schematic diagram of a battery cell 200 according to the present embodiment. The structure of the battery cell 20 will be described below using Figure 6 as an example. As shown in Figure 6, the battery cell 20 may include one or more electrode assemblies 22 and a housing 21 for accommodating the electrode assemblies 22.

[0062] It should be understood that, as shown in FIG6 , the housing 21 of the embodiment of the present application can be a polyhedral structure. Specifically, the housing 21 can include a shell 211 and an end cap 212, wherein the shell 211 can be a hollow structure with an opening 2111 formed at least at one end, and the shape of the end cap 212 can be adapted to the shape of the shell 211, and the end cap 212 is used to cover the opening 2111 of the shell 211 so that the shell 21 isolates the internal environment of the battery cell 20 from the external environment. If the shell 211 is a hollow structure with an opening 2111 formed at one end, the end cap 212 can be provided as one, such as shown in FIG6 ; in contrast, if the shell 211 is a hollow structure with openings 2111 formed at opposite ends, the end cap 212 can be provided as two, and the two end caps 212 respectively cover the openings 2111 at both ends of the shell 211.

[0063] The housing 211 of the embodiment of the present application can be made of a variety of materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, steel, aluminum alloy, etc. The end cap 212 can also be made of a variety of materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, steel, aluminum alloy, etc. The material of the end cap 212 can be the same as or different from the material of the housing 211.

[0064] The housing 21 of the embodiment of the present application can be of various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc. The shapes of the housing 211 and the end cap 212 match each other. For example, as shown in FIG6 , the housing 211 can be a cuboid structure, and the end cap 212 can be a rectangular plate structure that matches the housing 211.

[0065] For ease of explanation, this application uses the outer shell 21 as an example. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the outer shell 21 includes: a shell 211, which is a hollow structure with one end open; and an end cap 212, which is used to cover the opening 2111 of the shell 211 to form a closed cavity for accommodating the electrode assembly 22.

[0066] In the battery cell 20, the housing 211 is used to accommodate the electrode assembly 22. Depending on actual use requirements, one or more electrode assemblies 22 can be provided within the housing 211. For example, FIG6 illustrates a battery cell 20 including four electrode assemblies 22 arranged along the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 22, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0067] The electrode assembly 22 of the present embodiment is the component where the electrochemical reaction occurs in the battery cell 20. The electrode assembly 22 can be cylindrical, rectangular, or the like. If the electrode assembly 22 is cylindrical, the housing 211 can also be cylindrical. If the electrode assembly 22 is rectangular, the housing 211 can also be rectangular.

[0068] For any electrode assembly 22, the electrode assembly 22 may include a tab 222 and a main body 221. Specifically, as shown in FIG6 , the electrode assembly 22 may include at least two tabs 222, and the at least two tabs 222 may include at least one cathode tab and at least one anode tab. The cathode tab may be formed by laminating portions of the cathode electrode sheet that are not coated with the cathode active material layer, and the anode tab may be formed by laminating portions of the anode electrode sheet that are not coated with the negative electrode active material layer.

[0069] The housing 21 of the embodiment of the present application is also provided with an electrode terminal 214, which is used to electrically connect to the electrode assembly 22 to output the electrical energy of the battery cell 20. As shown in Figure 6, the battery cell 20 may also include at least two electrode terminals 214. The at least two electrode terminals 214 can be arranged on the same wall or different walls of the battery cell 20. For example, Figure 6 takes the battery cell 20 as an example, in which the two electrode terminals 214 are provided on the end cap 212. The end cap 212 is generally in the shape of a flat plate, and the two electrode terminals 214 are fixed to the flat surface of the end cap 212. The two electrode terminals 214 are respectively a cathode terminal and a negative electrode terminal. Each electrode terminal 214 is provided with a corresponding connecting member 24. The connecting member 24 is located between the end cap 212 and the electrode assembly 22 and is used to electrically connect the electrode assembly 22 and the electrode terminal 214. Specifically, as shown in FIG6 , the cathode tab of the electrode assembly 22 may be connected to the cathode electrode terminal via one connecting member 24 , and the anode tab of the electrode assembly 22 may be connected to the negative electrode terminal via another connecting member 24 .

[0070] Optionally, the housing 21 of the battery cell 20 of the embodiment of the present application may also be provided with other components. For example, the battery cell 200 may also include a pressure relief mechanism that is activated when the temperature and / or pressure inside the battery cell 20 reaches a threshold value to relieve the temperature and / or pressure inside the battery cell 20.

[0071] It should be understood that the battery cell 20 of the embodiment of the present application also includes an insulating layer 23, which is a hollow structure with at least one opening. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the present application mainly takes the insulating layer 23 having one opening as an example, and the opening of the insulating layer 23 faces the end cap 212. The insulating layer 23 is arranged between the shell 211 and the electrode assembly 22. The hollow structure of the insulating layer 23 is used to accommodate the electrode assembly 22, so that the insulating layer 23 wraps at least a portion of the outer surface of the electrode assembly 22, and the insulating layer 23 can be used to maintain electrical insulation between the electrode assembly 22 and the inner wall of the shell 211. For example, the insulating layer 23 can be a thin film-shaped cover layer composed of an insulating material to cover at least a portion of the outer periphery of the electrode assembly 22. Specifically, the insulating layer 23 can be a sheet-like structure before wrapping the electrode assembly 22, and a hollow opening structure wrapped around the outside of the electrode assembly 22 is formed by the action of the wrapping mechanism 20.

[0072] In the embodiment of the present application, the shape of the insulating layer 23 can be determined according to the shape of the electrode assembly 22 or the shape of the housing 211. For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the insulating layer 23 is taken as a rectangular parallelepiped, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0073] It should be understood that the mobile mechanism 12 of the embodiment of the present application transmits the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100, and then completes the shell insertion operation at the shell insertion station. Considering the structure of the battery cell 20, the electrode assembly 22 transmitted by the mobile mechanism 12 can be connected or provided with other structures.

[0074] For example, the moving mechanism 12 in the embodiment of the present application transports the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100 . The electrode assembly 22 may include an insulating layer 23 .

[0075] In some embodiments, the system 1 may include a coating station for wrapping an insulating layer 23 on the outer surface of the electrode assembly 22, wherein, in order to fix the insulating layer 23 and the electrode assembly 22, the insulating layer 23 may be subjected to a heat-melt treatment, and the electrode assembly 22 wrapped with the insulating layer 23 may also be subjected to a glue treatment. The moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 wrapped with the insulating layer 23 to the inspection station 200 to detect the wrapping effect of the insulating layer 23 of the electrode assembly 22. For example, the electrode assembly 22 wrapped with the insulating layer 23 may be subjected to defect detection by the inspection mechanism at the inspection station 200, so as to promptly discover and process defective areas. For example, unqualified glue-applying areas may be discovered in a timely manner to avoid affecting the performance of the assembled battery cell 20. The inspection mechanism of the embodiment of the present application may be a charge coupled device (CCD) inspection mechanism to take pictures and perform defect detection by a CCD camera, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. Afterwards, the moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 wrapped with the insulating layer 23 that has passed through the inspection station 200 to other stations, for example, it can continue to be transferred to the shell insertion station 100 to complete the shell insertion operation.

[0076] In an embodiment of the present application, the moving mechanism 12 can also be used to fix and transport the electrode assembly 22 and the end cap 212 connected to the electrode assembly 22. When assembling the battery cell 20, the electrode assembly 22 and the end cap 212 can be fixed first. For example, the electrode terminal 214 of the end cap 212 can be connected to the corresponding pole ear 222 through the connecting member 24, so that the end cap 212 and the electrode assembly 22 are relatively fixed, that is, the end cap 212 and the electrode assembly 22 can be transported together to the shelling station 100 for subsequent processing. Therefore, the moving mechanism 12 can be used to fix and transport the electrode assembly 22 connected to the end cap 212, so as to facilitate other subsequent processing processes, and is also conducive to improving the processing efficiency of the battery cell 20.

[0077] It should be understood that the relative positions of the electrode assembly 22 and the end cap 212 of the embodiment of the present application can be flexibly set according to actual applications. For example, a bearing surface 121 is provided on the side of the moving mechanism 12 away from the first guide rail mechanism 11, and the electrode assembly 22 is connected to the end cap 212. One side of the end cap 212 is attached to the bearing surface 121, and the other side of the end cap 212 is attached to the end face of the electrode assembly 22. That is, the end cap 212 is set between the bearing surface 121 and the electrode assembly 22. In this way, when the electrode assembly 22 is placed in the shell 211, the shell 211 can be sleeved with the electrode assembly 22 from the side away from the end cap 212. There is no need to flip the electrode assembly 22, so that the end cap 212 can correspond to the opening 2111 of the shell 211, which facilitates the connection between the end cap 212 and the shell 211, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the battery cell 20.

[0078] In the embodiment of the present application, the moving mechanism 12 includes a carrying surface 121 for carrying the electrode assembly 22, and the first end surface 223 of the electrode assembly 22 faces the carrying surface 121, so that the electrode assembly 22 is placed on the moving mechanism 12 along a first direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the first end surface 223, and the first direction can be the direction of gravity of the electrode assembly 22. On the one hand, considering that when wrapping the insulating layer 23, the insulating layer 23 generally does not need to wrap the entire surface of the electrode assembly 22, for example, the insulating layer 23 may not need to wrap the first end surface 223 of the electrode assembly 22, therefore, when the electrode assembly 22 is transported by the moving mechanism 12, it is not necessary to wrap the first end surface 223 of the insulating layer 23 toward the carrying surface 121, which will not affect the wrapping process of the insulating layer 23. There is no need to flip the electrode assembly 22 when wrapping the insulating layer 23, thereby avoiding damage to the electrode assembly 22. On the other hand, the first end face 223 faces the supporting surface 121, and the electrode assembly 22 is arranged on the moving mechanism 12 along the first direction, so that the electrode assembly 22 can be placed on the moving mechanism 12 by its own gravity, which is convenient for setting and can also improve the stability of the electrode assembly 22 on the moving mechanism 12.

[0079] Optionally, the first end surface 223 of the embodiment of the present application can be any surface of the electrode assembly 22 that does not need to be wrapped with the insulating layer 23. For example, the first end surface 223 can be the end surface of the electrode assembly 22 provided with the electrode tab 222, or the electrode tab 222 can also be provided on other end surfaces, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0080] It should be understood that the bearing surface 121 of the embodiment of the present application is a surface of the moving mechanism 12, wherein the surface can be a flat surface to facilitate the processing of the moving mechanism 12; or, the bearing surface 121 can also be an uneven surface. For example, the shape of the bearing surface 121 can be set according to the shape of the component in contact with it. For example, the bearing surface 121 contacts the surface of the end cap 212. Considering that there may be some protruding or recessed components on the surface of the end cap 212 away from the electrode assembly 22, the surface of the end cap 212 away from the electrode assembly 22 is generally uneven. Correspondingly, the bearing surface 121 can also be uneven to adapt to the surface of the end cap 212 away from the electrode assembly 22. For example, the end cap 212 is provided with an electrode terminal 214, which is protruding from the surface of the end cap 212 away from the electrode assembly 22. Correspondingly, a recessed area can be provided on the bearing surface 121 to accommodate the electrode terminal 214, so that the surface of the end cap 212 and the bearing surface 121 are compatible. On the one hand, the corresponding relationship between the protruding portion and the recessed area can achieve positioning, facilitating accurate placement of the end cap 212 and the electrode assembly 22 on the bearing surface 121, and can also enable the end cap 212 to be more stably positioned on the bearing surface 121, thereby improving the transmission stability of the moving mechanism 12. On the other hand, it can also reduce the wear of the bearing surface 121 on the surface of the end cap 212, thereby improving the qualified rate of the battery cells 20.

[0081] In some embodiments, the end cap 212 and the electrode assembly 22 are stacked on the supporting surface 121 along a first direction, and the moving mechanism 12 clamps the electrode assembly 22 along a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the supporting surface 121, and the first direction is taken as the height direction Z of the assembly device 10 as an example. In the case where the first direction Z is perpendicular to the first end surface 223, if the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction Z, then the second direction is parallel to the first end surface 223. For example, the present application takes the second direction as the length direction X of the assembly device 10 as an example, wherein the length direction X is the moving direction of the moving mechanism 12, then the moving mechanism 12 clamps the electrode assembly 22 along the second direction X, that is, the moving mechanism 12 can clamp the two second end surfaces 224 of the electrode assembly 22 that are oppositely arranged, and the second end surfaces 224 intersect with the first end surface 223. In this way, when the mobile mechanism 12 clamps the electrode assembly 22, it will not affect the first end face 223 of the electrode assembly 22 facing the supporting surface 121. Then, while the electrode assembly 22 is placed on the mobile mechanism 12 under the action of its own gravity, it can also be subjected to a clamping force along the second direction, further ensuring the stability of the electrode assembly 22 on the mobile mechanism 12.

[0082] It should be understood that when the mobile mechanism 12 carries the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100, it can also carry other structures connected to the electrode assembly 22, which will not be described in detail here. In addition, the weight of the mobile mechanism 12 carried by the pressure measuring mechanism 13 can include the total weight of the electrode assembly 22 and other components connected to the electrode assembly 22 that the pressure measuring mechanism 13 can carry. The pressure measuring mechanism 13 of the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0083] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the pressure measurement mechanism 13 in an embodiment of the present application. The pressure measurement mechanism 13 shown in Figure 7 may be the pressure measurement mechanism 13 included in the assembly device 10 shown in Figures 1 to 6. As shown in Figure 7, the pressure measurement mechanism 13 includes a pressure sensor 131 for measuring the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly 22 during placement within the housing 211; and a fixing member 132 for securing the pressure sensor 131. The pressure measurement mechanism 13 measures the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly 22 via the pressure sensor 131 and secures the pressure sensor 131 via the fixing member 132. Therefore, the structural strength of the fixing member 132 can be increased to improve structural stability and reduce the impact on the pressure sensor 131's measurement.

[0084] Specifically, the pressure sensor 131 can be used to: when the moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100 and the electrode assembly 22 is not placed inside the shell 211, the measurement value of the pressure measuring mechanism 13 is reset to zero, that is, when the electrode assembly 22 does not perform the shell insertion operation, the pressure sensor 131 does not perform measurement and the reading is reset to zero; thereafter, during the process of placing the electrode assembly 22 in the shell 211, the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 131 can be equivalent to the pressure exerted by the shell 211 on the electrode assembly 22.

[0085] For example, if there is no offset between the shell 211 and the electrode assembly 22, that is, the electrode assembly 22 can be placed in the shell 211 according to the preset processing requirements, then the measurement value of the pressure sensor 131 should be within the preset range; on the contrary, if the electrode assembly 22 fails to be placed in the shell 211 according to the preset processing requirements, for example, there is a deviation between the shell 211 and the electrode assembly 22, it may cause the pressure value of the shell 211 on a certain area of ​​the electrode assembly 22 to increase, that is, the measurement value of the pressure sensor 131 will exceed the preset range, and then by reading the measurement results of the pressure sensor 131, errors in the process of the electrode assembly 22 entering the shell can be discovered in time, and unqualified battery cells 20 can be reduced to improve the processing efficiency of the battery cells 20.

[0086] In the embodiment of the present application, the shape and size of the pressure sensor 131 can be flexibly set according to the actual application. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the pressure sensor 131 of the embodiment of the present application can be a plate-shaped structure to facilitate installation and measurement, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0087] In some embodiments, the pressure measuring mechanism 13 of the embodiment of the present application may further include a transmission interface 1311, which is used to transmit the measurement results of the pressure measuring mechanism 13. For example, the pressure measurement results can be transmitted to other devices through the transmission interface 1311, so as to timely monitor and adjust the shell entry process of the electrode assembly 22. Specifically, the pressure sensor 131 may include the transmission interface 1311, and the transmission interface 1311 can also be used to control the pressure sensor 131. Specifically, the transmission interface 1311 can be used to connect a control component so as to control the pressure sensor 131 through the transmission interface 1311. For example, the pressure sensor 131 can be cleared through the transmission interface 1311; for another example, the measurement data of the pressure sensor 131 can also be read through the transmission interface 1311, and the pressure measurement data can be transmitted for timely analysis and processing.

[0088] In the embodiment of the present application, the fixing member 132 includes a first mounting portion 1321 disposed around the pressure sensor 131. The first mounting portion 1321 is used to secure the pressure sensor 131. Specifically, as shown in FIG7 , the first mounting portion 1321 may be formed with an opening 1323, so that at least a portion of the pressure sensor 131 is disposed within the opening 1323. The first mounting portion 1321 is disposed around the pressure sensor 131 to secure the pressure sensor 131, thereby reducing the impact on the measurement area of ​​the pressure sensor 131, improving structural stability, reducing the possibility of the pressure sensor 131 tilting, and improving measurement accuracy.

[0089] In some embodiments, the fixing component 132 can also be used to fix other components. For example, the fixing component 132 can be used to achieve a fixed connection between the pressure measuring mechanism 13 and other components. The embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0090] For example, the fixing component 132 further includes two second mounting portions 1322 that are arranged opposite each other and spaced apart. The two second mounting portions 1322 are located on a side of the first mounting portion 1321 that is close to the first guide rail mechanism 11. A portion of the first guide rail mechanism 11 is disposed between the two second mounting portions 1322. The two second mounting portions 1322 are used to fix the first guide rail mechanism 11. Considering that the pressure sensor 131 is relatively light in weight while the first guide rail mechanism 11 is relatively heavy, the pressure sensor 131 is fixed by the first mounting portion 1321 of the fixing component 132, and the first guide rail mechanism 11 is fixed by the second mounting portion 1322. Furthermore, the first mounting portion 1321 and the second mounting portion 1322 are stacked. This can improve the overall structural strength and stability of the fixing component 132, thereby improving the measurement accuracy of the pressure sensor 131.

[0091] Specifically, the fixing component 132 may include two second mounting portions 1322 that are spaced apart and opposite to each other, and part of the first guide rail mechanism 11 is set between the two second mounting portions 1322. For example, the first guide rail mechanism 11 may include a third mounting portion 111, and the third mounting portion 111 is set between the two second mounting portions 1322 to clamp the third mounting portion 111, so that the first guide rail mechanism 11 is set more stably on the fixing component 132.

[0092] In the embodiment of the present application, the pressure measurement mechanism 13 further includes a support member 133 located on a side of the pressure sensor 131 away from the first guide rail mechanism 11. The support member 133 is used to support the pressure sensor 131. The support member 133 is located on the back side of the measurement area of ​​the pressure sensor 131 to support the pressure sensor 131, thereby preventing the pressure sensor 131 from being suspended in the air and ensuring close contact between the measurement area of ​​the pressure sensor 131 and the components supported above it, thereby improving the measurement accuracy of the pressure sensor 131.

[0093] In some embodiments, the support component 133 is fixed to the side of the fixing component 132 away from the first guide rail mechanism 11. The side of the fixing component 132 away from the first guide rail mechanism 11 may include a first mounting portion 1321 of the fixing component 132, and the support component 133 may be fixed to the first mounting portion 1321 to facilitate proximity to and support of the pressure sensor 131 fixed to the first mounting portion 1321. In addition, considering that the fixing component 132 needs to bear the total weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the moving mechanism 12, in order to further improve structural stability, a support component 133 may be provided below the fixing component 132, that is, on the side of the pressure sensor 131 away from the first guide rail mechanism 11, to further improve structural stability.

[0094] In some embodiments, the fixing component 132 is provided with an opening 1323, and at least a portion of the support component 133 is located within the opening 1323, thereby supporting the pressure sensor 131 through the opening 1323. By disposing at least a portion of the fixing component 132 within the opening 1323, and at least a portion of the pressure sensor 131 also within the opening 1323, the portion of the support component 133 located within the opening 1323 can directly contact the pressure sensor 131 through the opening 1323, thereby better supporting the pressure sensor 131 and ensuring that the measurement area of ​​the pressure sensor 131 is in close contact with the component supported above it, thereby improving the measurement accuracy of the pressure sensor 131.

[0095] In some embodiments, the fixing member 132 includes a first mounting portion 1321 disposed around the pressure sensor 131. The first mounting portion 1321 is used to secure the pressure sensor 131 and to form an opening 1323. Since the first mounting portion 1321 is disposed around the pressure sensor 131, the opening 1323 can be formed by the first mounting portion 1321, resulting in a simple structure and ease of implementation.

[0096] Figures 8 and 9 respectively illustrate exploded structural schematic diagrams of the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13 according to an embodiment of the present application from different angles. For example, the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13 shown in Figures 8 and 9 may be the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13 included in the assembly device 10 shown in Figures 1 to 6. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first guide rail mechanism 11 according to the embodiment of the present application may include a third mounting portion 111, which is used to secure the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13. For example, the third mounting portion 111 can be located in the area of ​​the first guide rail mechanism 11 close to the pressure measuring mechanism 13; for another example, the third mounting portion 111 can be fixed to the fixing part 132 of the pressure measuring mechanism 13; for another example, the third mounting portion 111 can be located between two second mounting portions 1322 that are opposite to and spaced apart from each other on the fixing part 132, and the two second mounting portions 1322 clamp the third mounting portion 111; for another example, the third mounting portion 11 can also be fixed to the first mounting portion 1321, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0097] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the embodiment of the present application may further include: a track 112 and a drive assembly 113, wherein the track 112 can be used to move the mobile mechanism 12 on the track 112, and the drive assembly 113 can be used to provide driving force for the track 112, or can also be used to control the movement path of the mobile mechanism 12. In addition, the type of the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the embodiment of the present application can be set according to actual application. For different similar guide rails, the corresponding track 112 and drive assembly 113 types are different.

[0098] For example, the first guide rail mechanism 11 may include a magnetically driven guide rail. Specifically, the track 112 of the first guide rail mechanism 11 may be a magnetically driven track, and the drive assembly 113 may include a magnetically driven stator. The drive assembly 113 controls the movement of the mobile mechanism 12 along the track 112 through magnetic levitation. The use of a magnetically driven guide rail allows the mobile mechanism 12 to move faster and more smoothly during movement, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery cells 20.

[0099] In the embodiment of the present application, the assembly equipment 10 further includes: a driving component 14, the driving component 14 is used to control the moving mechanism 12 to clamp and release the electrode assembly 22, and the driving component 14 is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism 11. The driving component 14 is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism 11 and does not need to move synchronously with the moving mechanism 12, which can simplify the structure of the moving mechanism 12 and further increase the movement speed of the moving mechanism 12. Considering that in the shell insertion station 100, when the electrode assembly 22 is placed inside the shell 211, the moving mechanism 12 needs to release the electrode assembly 22. Therefore, the driving component 14 is provided to control the moving mechanism 12 to release the electrode assembly 22; in addition, after the electrode assembly 22 is placed inside the shell 211, the driving component 14 can also control the moving mechanism 12 to clamp the electrode assembly 22 with the shell 211, so that the moving mechanism 12 transports the electrode assembly 22 with the shell 211 out of the shell insertion station 100.

[0100] In some embodiments, the driving component 14 is further used to apply a driving force to the moving mechanism 12 along a third direction, and the moving mechanism 12 can release the electrode assembly 22 under the action of the driving force. Specifically, when the moving mechanism 12 is required to release the electrode assembly 22, for example, at the shell insertion station 100, the electrode assembly 22 needs to be placed in the shell 211. At this time, the moving mechanism 12 needs to release the electrode assembly 22. Then, under the action of the driving force applied by the driving component 14 along the third direction, the moving mechanism 12 can move along the second direction X to release the electrode assembly 22, thereby facilitating the processing of the electrode assembly 22. Similarly, when the electrode assembly 22 needs to be clamped, for example, after the electrode assembly 22 is placed in the shell 211, the moving mechanism 12 needs to clamp the electrode assembly 22 and continue to move. The driving force along the third direction applied by the driving component 14 can be used to enable the moving mechanism 12 to clamp the electrode assembly 22 and continue to move.

[0101] It should be understood that the driving component 14 of the embodiment of the present application applies a driving force along a third direction, and the third direction can be flexibly set according to the actual application. For example, the third direction can be the same as or different from the second direction X in which the moving mechanism 12 clamps the electrode assembly 22. For example, if the third direction is set to be different from the second direction X, the position of the driving component 14 can be set more flexibly, reducing the obstruction of the driving component 14 to the process of clamping the electrode assembly 22. For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the second direction X is taken as the moving direction of the moving mechanism 12 as an example, and the third direction is set perpendicular to the second direction Y, then the third direction can be the width direction Y of the assembly device 10, then the driving component 14 applies a driving force along the third direction Y, which can not only reduce the obstruction of the driving component 14 to the process of clamping the electrode assembly 22, but also reduce the obstruction of the driving component 14 to the movement of the moving mechanism 12, thereby facilitating the setting of the moving mechanism 12, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0102] It should be understood that the driving component 14 of the embodiment of the present application can be implemented in various ways. For example, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the driving component 14 can be a cylinder, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0103] In some embodiments, the first rail mechanism 11 includes a third mounting portion 111, to which the driving component 14 is fixedly connected, and the third mounting portion 111 is fixedly connected to the pressure measuring mechanism 13. Specifically, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the driving component 14 can be fixed to the third mounting portion 111, and the fixed connection between the driving component 14 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13 can also be indirectly achieved through the fixation of the third mounting portion 111 to the pressure measuring mechanism 13. The pressure measuring component 13 can bear the weight of the first rail mechanism 11, and specifically, the pressure measuring component 13 also bears the weight of the driving component 14 fixedly connected to the first rail mechanism 11, thereby simplifying the structure of the assembly equipment 10 and accelerating the assembly efficiency of the battery cells 20.

[0104] In an embodiment of the present application, the assembly equipment 10 includes a first guide rail mechanism 11, which is located at the shell insertion station 100 and has a gap 110 between the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31, that is, the first guide rail mechanism 11 located at the shell insertion station 100 is relatively independent. In this way, the pressure measuring mechanism 13 bears the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the shell insertion station 100 and the weight of the moving mechanism 12 located at the shell insertion station 100, and will not be affected by the adjacent stations, for example, it will not be affected by the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31, so that the measurement results are more accurate.

[0105] The moving mechanism 12 of the embodiment of the present application transfers the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100. For example, the moving mechanism 12 can move along the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the second guide rail mechanism 31, and can move to the shell insertion station 100 through the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the shell insertion station 100, and then place the electrode assembly 22 in the shell 211 at the shell insertion station 100.

[0106] The pressure measuring mechanism 13 of the assembly equipment 10 can bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the moving mechanism 12 at the same time. In this way, when measuring the pressure borne by the electrode assembly 22 during the process of entering the shell 211, there is no need to separate the first guide rail mechanism 11, the moving mechanism 12 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13. This can simplify the assembly equipment 10 and also simplify the process of measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly 22 during the process of the electrode assembly 22 entering the shell 211, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery assembly 22 and the battery cell.

[0107] For example, the pressure measurement mechanism 13 of the embodiment of the present application may include: a pressure sensor 131 for measuring the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly 22 during the process of placing the electrode assembly 22 inside the housing 211; and a fixing component 132 for fixing the pressure sensor 131. The pressure sensor 131 may be specifically configured to reset the measurement value of the pressure measurement mechanism 13 to zero when the moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 to the housing insertion station 100 and the electrode assembly 22 is not placed inside the housing 211, thereby measuring the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly 22 during the process of placing the electrode assembly 22 inside the housing 211.

[0108] In the embodiment of the present application, the fixing component 132 includes a first mounting portion 1321 disposed around the pressure sensor 131, and the first mounting portion 1321 is used to fix the pressure sensor 131. The fixing component 132 may also include two second mounting portions 1322 disposed opposite each other and spaced apart. The two second mounting portions 1322 are located on a side of the first mounting portion 1321 that is close to the first guide rail mechanism 11, and a portion of the first guide rail mechanism 11 is disposed between the two second mounting portions 1322. The two second mounting portions 1322 are used to fix the first guide rail mechanism 11.

[0109] The above describes in detail the assembly device 10 of the embodiment of the present application in combination with the accompanying drawings. The assembly method of the embodiment of the present application will be described below. For parts not described in detail, please refer to the aforementioned embodiments.

[0110] FIG10 is a schematic flow chart of an assembly method 400 according to an embodiment of the present application. This method 400 can be used to assemble the battery cell 20 described above. As shown in FIG10 , this method 400 may include: S410, transferring the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 20 to the shell insertion station 100 via the mobile mechanism 12. The shell insertion station 100 is provided with a first guide rail mechanism 11, and a gap 110 is provided between the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31; S420, during the process of placing the electrode assembly 22 inside the shell 211, measuring the pressure exerted on the electrode assembly 22 via a pressure measuring mechanism 13 fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism 11. The pressure measuring mechanism 13 is used to bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the mobile mechanism 12 located on the first guide rail mechanism 11.

[0111] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: when the moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100 and the electrode assembly 22 is not placed inside the shell 211 , resetting the measurement value of the pressure measuring mechanism 13 to zero.

[0112] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: controlling the shell 211 to move along a first direction through a shell entry mechanism so that the electrode assembly 22 enters the shell 211 from the opening 2111 of the shell 211, and the first direction is perpendicular to the surface of the pressure measuring mechanism 13 facing the electrode assembly 22.

[0113] It should be understood that the assembly method 400 of the embodiment of the present application can be used for the assembly device 10 described above, and for the sake of brevity, it will not be described here one by one.

[0114] In the assembly method 400 of the embodiment of the present application, the moving mechanism 12 transfers the electrode assembly 22 to the shell insertion station 100. For example, the moving mechanism 12 can move along the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the second guide rail mechanism 31, and can then move to the shell insertion station 100 via the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the shell insertion station 100, and then place the electrode assembly 22 within the shell 211 at the shell insertion station 100. Since there is a gap 110 between the first guide rail mechanism 11 and the second guide rail mechanism 31, that is, the first guide rail mechanism 11 located at the shell insertion station 100 is relatively independent, the pressure measuring mechanism 13 bears the weight of the first guide rail mechanism 11 of the shell insertion station 100 and the weight of the moving mechanism 12 located at the shell insertion station 100, and will not be affected by adjacent stations, for example, it will not be affected by the adjacent second guide rail mechanism 31, making the measurement results more accurate. In addition, when measuring the pressure that the electrode assembly 22 withstands during the process of entering the shell 211, it is not necessary to separate the first guide rail mechanism 11, the moving mechanism 12 and the pressure measuring mechanism 13. This can simplify the assembly equipment 10 and also simplify the process of measuring the pressure of the electrode assembly 22 during the process of the electrode assembly 22 entering the shell 211, thereby improving the processing efficiency of the battery assembly 22 and the battery cell.

[0115] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and components may be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses all technical solutions within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An assembly device for assembling a battery cell (20), characterized in that: The assembly equipment comprises: A first guide rail mechanism (11), the first guide rail mechanism (11) being located at the shell insertion station (100), and a gap (110) being provided between the first guide rail mechanism (11) and an adjacent second guide rail mechanism (31); A moving mechanism (12) for transferring the electrode assembly (22) of the battery cell (20) to the shell insertion station (100); A pressure measuring mechanism (13) is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism (11), and is used to bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism (11) and the moving mechanism (12) located on the first guide rail mechanism (11), and to measure the pressure borne by the electrode assembly (22) when the electrode assembly (22) is placed inside the shell (211).

2. The assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure measuring mechanism (13) comprises: A pressure sensor (131) for measuring the pressure to which the electrode assembly (22) is subjected during the process of placing the electrode assembly (22) inside the housing (211); A fixing component (132) is used to fix the pressure sensor (131).

3. The assembly device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fixing component (132) comprises a first mounting portion (1321) arranged around the pressure sensor (131), and the first mounting portion (1321) is used to fix the pressure sensor (131).

4. The assembly device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fixing component (132) further comprises two second mounting portions (1322) arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart from each other, wherein the two second mounting portions (1322) are located on a side of the first mounting portion (1321) close to the first guide rail mechanism (11), and a portion of the first guide rail mechanism (11) is arranged between the two second mounting portions (1322), and the two second mounting portions (1322) are used to fix the first guide rail mechanism (11).

5. The assembly device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that The pressure measuring mechanism (13) further comprises: A supporting component (133) is located on a side of the pressure sensor (131) away from the first guide rail mechanism (11), and the supporting component (133) is used to support the pressure sensor (131).

6. The assembly device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The supporting component (133) is fixed to a side of the fixing component (132) away from the first guide rail mechanism (11).

7. The assembly device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The fixing component (132) is provided with an opening (1323), and at least a partial area of ​​the supporting component (133) is located in the opening (1323) so as to support the pressure sensor (131) through the opening (1323).

8. The assembly device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fixing component (132) comprises a first mounting portion (1321) arranged around the pressure sensor (131), the first mounting portion (1321) being used to fix the pressure sensor (131), and the first mounting portion (1321) being used to form the opening (1323).

9. The assembly device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that A bearing surface (121) is provided on a side of the moving mechanism (12) away from the first guide rail mechanism (11); the electrode assembly (22) is connected to an end cover (212); one side of the end cover (212) is attached to the bearing surface (121), and the other side of the end cover (212) is attached to an end surface of the electrode assembly (22).

10. The assembly device according to claim 9, characterized in that The end cover (212) and the electrode assembly (22) are stacked on the bearing surface (121) along a first direction, and the moving mechanism (12) clamps the electrode assembly (22) along a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The assembly device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The assembly equipment also includes: A driving component (14) is used to control the moving mechanism (12) to clamp and release the electrode assembly (22), and the driving component (14) is fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism (11).

12. The assembly device according to claim 11, characterized in that The first guide rail mechanism (11) comprises a third mounting portion (111), the driving component (14) is fixedly connected to the third mounting portion (111), and the third mounting portion (111) is fixedly connected to the pressure measuring mechanism (13).

13. The assembly device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that The first guide rail mechanism (11) comprises a magnetically driven guide rail.

14. The assembly device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that The assembly equipment also includes: The shell entry mechanism (15) is used to control the shell (211) to move along a first direction so that the electrode assembly (22) enters the shell (211) from an opening (2111) of the shell (211), wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a surface of the pressure measuring mechanism (13) facing the electrode assembly (22).

15. An assembly method, characterized in that: include: The electrode assembly (22) of the battery cell (20) is transferred to the shell insertion station (100) by means of a moving mechanism (12), wherein the shell insertion station (100) is provided with a first guide rail mechanism (11), and a gap (110) is provided between the first guide rail mechanism (11) and an adjacent second guide rail mechanism (31); During the process of placing the electrode assembly (22) inside the housing (211), the pressure to which the electrode assembly (22) is subjected is measured by a pressure measuring mechanism (13) fixedly connected to the first guide rail mechanism (11), wherein the pressure measuring mechanism (13) is used to bear the weight of the first guide rail mechanism (11) and the moving mechanism (12) located on the first guide rail mechanism (11).

16. The assembly method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the moving mechanism (12) transfers the electrode assembly (22) to the shell insertion station (100) and the electrode assembly (22) is not placed inside the shell (211), the measurement value of the pressure measuring mechanism (13) is reset to zero.

17. The assembly method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The shell (211) is controlled to move along a first direction by a shell entry mechanism so that the electrode assembly (22) enters the shell (211) from an opening (2111) of the shell (211), and the first direction is perpendicular to a surface of the pressure measuring mechanism (13) facing the electrode assembly (22).

Images