Feeding device, gluing apparatus and control method for a feeding device

Abstract

A feeding device, a glue coating apparatus and a control method of the feeding device. The feeding device (60) comprises a pumping mechanism (10) having a suction end (12) for sucking a material fluid (MF) from a material container (MC), the suction end (12) being provided with a pressing member (11), an exhaust mechanism (20A) being arranged on the pressing member (11) for vacuumizing a first area (Z1) formed by the pressing member (11) and a liquid surface of the material fluid (MF) in the material container (MC), and a controller (40) connected with the exhaust mechanism (20A) for responding to the pressing member (11) reaching a first relative position relative to the material container (MC) to make the exhaust mechanism (20A) vacuumize.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a feeding device, a gluing apparatus and a control method of the feeding device. BACKGROUND

[0002] Secondary batteries, especially lithium ion batteries, have the advantages of high voltage, large specific energy, long cycle life, green and pollution-free, wide operating temperature range, and small self-discharge, and are widely used in portable electronic devices and large new energy electric vehicles, which have great significance in solving human environmental pollution and energy crisis.

[0003] In the process of manufacturing secondary batteries, a gluing machine can be used to glue electrode assemblies, battery modules or battery boxes to achieve functions such as bonding and sealing. At present, the gluing process still has room for improvement. SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a feeding device is provided, comprising: a pumping mechanism having a suction end for sucking a material fluid from a material container, the suction end being provided with a pressing member; an exhaust mechanism arranged at the pressing member and configured to vacuum a first area formed by the pressing member and a liquid surface of the material fluid in the material container; and a controller in signal connection with the exhaust mechanism and configured to cause the exhaust mechanism to vacuum in response to the pressing member reaching a first relative position relative to the material container.

[0005] In the process of feeding the material fluid in the material container, the controller causes the exhaust mechanism to vacuum the first area formed by the pressing member provided at the suction end of the pumping mechanism and the liquid surface of the material fluid in response to the pressing member reaching the first relative position relative to the material container, so as to eliminate as much as possible the air bubbles in the pumped material fluid, save manpower, and reduce the quality risk caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0006] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises: a vacuum degree sensing element arranged at the exhaust mechanism or the pressing member and configured to sense a vacuum degree of the first area; and a driving mechanism in driving connection with the pressing member and configured to drive the pressing member to move relative to the material container; wherein the controller is in signal connection with the vacuum degree sensing element, the pumping mechanism and the driving mechanism, and is configured to cause the exhaust mechanism to stop vacuuming in response to the vacuum degree of the first area reaching a preset vacuum degree threshold, cause the pressing member to press the liquid surface of the material fluid in the material container through the driving mechanism, and cause the pumping mechanism to pump the material fluid.

[0007] The vacuum sensing element is capable of sensing the vacuum degree of the first region, and the controller is configured to control the exhaust mechanism, the driving mechanism and the pumping mechanism respectively in response to the vacuum degree of the first region reaching a preset vacuum degree threshold, so as to realize the operations of stopping vacuum pumping, extruding the liquid surface of the extruding member and pumping the material fluid, so that the pumping operation can be automatically performed after the vacuum pumping is completed, the feeding process is more continuous, and the process efficiency is improved.

[0008] In some embodiments, the preset vacuum degree threshold is adjustable.

[0009] By adjusting the preset vacuum degree threshold, the controller can adapt the set vacuum degree threshold to different types of material fluids when realizing automatic pumping of the material fluid, so as to meet the pumping requirements of different types of material fluids.

[0010] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises an air inlet mechanism arranged in the extruding member and configured to charge air to the first region; wherein the controller is in signal connection with the air inlet mechanism and is configured to make the air inlet mechanism charge air in response to the extruding member reaching a second relative position relative to the material container, so as to make the extruding member separate from the material container.

[0011] By responding to the extruding member reaching the second relative position relative to the material container, the controller makes the air inlet mechanism automatically charge air to the first region formed by the extruding member and the liquid surface of the material fluid, so that the extruding member can smoothly and quickly separate from the material container, so as to replace another material container faster, thereby continuing the pumping of the material fluid and improving the process efficiency.

[0012] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises a driving mechanism in driving connection with the extruding member and configured to drive the extruding member to move relative to the material container; and a position sensing element in signal connection with the controller and configured to sense at least one of the pumping mechanism, the driving mechanism and the extruding member to determine the relative position of the extruding member relative to the material container.

[0013] The relative position of the extruding member relative to the material container can be determined in various ways. For embodiments in which the driving mechanism is used to drive the extruding member, the position sensing element can sense at least one of the pumping mechanism, the driving mechanism and the extruding member to determine the relative position of the extruding member relative to the material container.

[0014] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism comprises a movable driving member connected with the pumping mechanism to move the extruding member relative to the material container by movement of the driving member; and the position sensing element comprises a first position sensor configured to sense movement of the driving member to a first movement position corresponding to the first relative position.

[0015] The movable driving member is used to move the pumping mechanism, and the first position sensor is used to sense movement of the driving member to the first movement position. When the driving member is sensed to move to the first movement position, the extruding member correspondingly reaches the first relative position, so that the vacuumizing action of the exhaust mechanism can be triggered. Compared with the sensing element directly detecting the position of the extruding member, the first position sensor sensing the movement position of the driving member is more convenient to debug and install, and can be of a contact type or a non-contact type as needed.

[0016] In some embodiments, the position sensing element comprises a second position sensor, and the feeding device further comprises an air inlet mechanism arranged on the extruding member; the controller is in signal connection with the second position sensor and the air inlet mechanism, and is configured to, in response to the extruding member reaching a second relative position relative to the material container, cause the air inlet mechanism to be inflated to separate the extruding member from the material container; and the second position sensor is configured to sense movement of the driving member to a second movement position corresponding to the second relative position.

[0017] The second position sensor is used to sense movement of the driving member to the second movement position. When the driving member is sensed to move to the second movement position, the extruding member correspondingly reaches the second relative position, so that the inflation action of the air inlet mechanism can be triggered. The second position sensor is more convenient to debug and install, and can be of a contact type or a non-contact type as needed.

[0018] In some embodiments, the driving mechanism comprises a connecting plate and a piston cylinder having a cylinder barrel and a piston rod; the connecting plate is fixedly connected with the piston rod and serves as the driving member together with the connecting plate to be fixedly connected with the pumping mechanism; and the first position sensor and the second position sensor are connected on the cylinder barrel through a mounting bracket and respectively detect the sensing targets arranged on the piston rod.

[0019] For the piston cylinder achieving linear driving, the first position sensor and the second position sensor arranged outside the piston cylinder are used to detect the sensing targets on the piston rod, so that the sensors can be conveniently debugged and installed by the operator.

[0020] In some embodiments, the mounting frame has an adjusting slot, the length direction of the adjusting slot is parallel to the straight line direction of the reciprocating movement of the piston rod, the first position sensor and the second position sensor are arranged in the adjusting slot, and the positions of the first position sensor and the second position sensor along the length direction of the adjusting slot are adjustable.

[0021] According to the straight line direction of the reciprocating movement of the piston rod, the first position sensor and the second position sensor are arranged in the adjusting slot extending along the direction, and the positions of the first position sensor and the second position sensor along the length direction of the adjusting slot are adjustable. Thus, the positions of the first position sensor and the second position sensor can be adjusted adaptively according to the height of the material container and the liquid level of the material fluid, so that the timing of automatic vacuumizing and automatic inflating can be set more accurately.

[0022] In some embodiments, the exhaust mechanism includes a gas valve, which is detachably arranged on the extrusion member and operably connected with an external gas path.

[0023] The exhaust mechanism is operably connected with the external gas path through the gas valve detachably arranged on the extrusion member. The gas valve can be conveniently cleaned and replaced, and the first area formed by the extrusion member and the liquid level of the material fluid can be conveniently vacuumized through the external gas path.

[0024] In some embodiments, the gas valve includes: a gas cylinder valve body, which has a hollow second area inside, and has a first gas port and a second gas port in communication with the second area, the first gas port is in communication with the first area, and the second gas port is operably connected with an external gas path; a valve core, which is at least partially located in the second area and is movable relative to the second area; a valve core driving structure, which is connected with the valve core and is configured to drive the valve core to move to different positions in the second area, so that the first gas port and the second gas port are closed or open in the gas path in the second area; and a reset member, which is connected with the valve core and is configured to move the valve core to a closed position in which the first gas port and the second gas port are disconnected in the gas path in the second area in response to the valve core driving structure stopping working.

[0025] The reset member is arranged in the gas valve, and the reset member is configured to move the valve core to a closed position in which the first gas port and the second gas port are disconnected in the gas path in response to the valve core driving structure stopping working. Thus, in the abnormal situation that the valve core driving structure stops working due to power failure or disconnection of the gas path, the gas valve can realize self-closing function through the reset member, so as to prevent the material fluid from being sucked into the gas valve in the abnormal situation, and to prevent the gas valve from being contaminated or damaged.

[0026] In some embodiments, the valve core driving structure includes a gas cylinder piston, the gas cylinder piston is connected with the valve core, and the reset member includes a spring located in the second area and connected with the gas cylinder piston.

[0027] For the gas valve with the cylinder piston driving the valve core, the spring force is used to reset the valve core to the closed position in abnormal conditions to achieve the self-closing function. The mechanical spring reset part is more reliable and durable, which is beneficial to improve the service life of the gas valve.

[0028] In some embodiments, the gas valve further comprises a sealing assembly located at the first gas port to seal the first gas port by the valve core located at a position to disconnect the gas path of the first gas port and the second gas port in the second area.

[0029] By setting the sealing assembly at the first gas port, the sealing of the first gas port can be achieved when the valve core is driven by the valve core driving structure to close the first gas port or self-close the first gas port, reducing the risk of air leakage of the first gas port to suck in the material fluid.

[0030] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises an air inlet mechanism arranged on the extrusion member and configured to charge air to the first area; wherein the air inlet mechanism and the air exhaust mechanism share the gas valve.

[0031] The air inlet mechanism and the air exhaust mechanism can be independently arranged or arranged as a module to facilitate overall installation and maintenance. By sharing the gas valve for the air inlet mechanism and the air exhaust mechanism, space occupation can be saved during installation on the extrusion member, the disassembly time is reduced, and the disassembly efficiency is improved.

[0032] In some embodiments, the air exhaust mechanism further comprises a first control valve, and the gas valve is in operable communication with an external vacuum gas path through the first control valve; the air inlet mechanism further comprises a second control valve, and the gas valve is in operable communication with an external positive pressure gas path through the second control valve.

[0033] For the air exhaust mechanism and the air inlet structure sharing the gas valve, the vacuum gas path and the positive pressure gas path are respectively in operable communication with the gas valve through the first control valve and the second control valve, to achieve reliable control of air inlet or air exhaust, and the space occupation is small, reducing the possibility of interference between the air exhaust mechanism, the air inlet structure and other components in arrangement.

[0034] In some embodiments, the surface of the extrusion member is provided with a gas valve joint, and the gas valve is threadedly connected with the gas valve joint.

[0035] The gas valve is installed on the gas valve joint arranged on the surface of the extrusion member in a threaded connection manner, facilitating disassembly and replacement.

[0036] In some embodiments, the material fluid comprises glue.

[0037] Different feeding scenarios can adopt different types of material fluids, and different types of material fluids are different in attributes, parameters, etc., such as viscosity. For embodiments in which the material fluid includes glue, the pumping mechanism pumps the glue used for bonding or sealing. In some embodiments, the exhaust mechanism is used to automatically vacuum the first region, which can effectively reduce bubbles in the pumped glue and improve the processing quality of structures using the glue.

[0038] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises a driving mechanism; wherein the feeding device is a platen pump, the platen pump comprises a plunger pump as the pumping mechanism, a platen as the extrusion member, and a column cylinder as the driving mechanism, the platen is arranged at the material suction end of the plunger pump, and the cylinder piston rod of the column cylinder is connected with the plunger pump through a mounting plate to drive the plunger pump to move.

[0039] For embodiments in which the platen pump is used as the feeding device, the plunger pump can meet the pumping of material fluids with relatively large viscosity, and the column cylinder can drive the plunger pump to move up and down in the vertical direction to realize the lifting and pressing actions of the platen.

[0040] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a glue applying device is provided, comprising: a material container for containing glue; and the aforementioned feeding device acting on the glue container to realize glue applying operation.

[0041] The glue applying device using the aforementioned feeding device embodiment can improve the automation of the glue applying process, save labor, and reduce the quality risks caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0042] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a control method of the aforementioned feeding device is provided, comprising: making the extrusion member enter the material container; and in response to the extrusion member reaching a first relative position relative to the material container, making the exhaust mechanism vacuumize a first region formed by the extrusion member and the liquid surface of the material fluid in the material container.

[0043] In the feeding process of the material fluid in the material container, the exhaust mechanism is made to vacuumize the first region formed by the extrusion member arranged at the material suction end of the pumping mechanism and the liquid surface of the material fluid in response to the extrusion member reaching the first relative position relative to the material container, so as to eliminate bubbles in the pumped material fluid as much as possible, save labor, and reduce the quality risks caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0044] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises a vacuum degree sensing element arranged at the exhaust mechanism or the extruding member, and a driving mechanism connected with the extruding member; the control method further comprises: in response to the vacuum degree sensing element sensing that the vacuum degree of the first region reaches a preset vacuum degree threshold, stopping the exhaust mechanism from vacuumizing, making the extruding member extrude the liquid surface of the material fluid in the material container through the driving mechanism connected with the extruding member, and pumping the material fluid through the pumping mechanism.

[0045] The vacuum degree of the first region is sensed through the vacuum degree sensing element, and a response is made to the vacuum degree of the first region reaching the preset vacuum degree threshold, so that the operations of stopping vacuumizing, extruding the liquid surface by the extruding member, and pumping the material fluid are realized through the control of the exhaust mechanism, the driving mechanism, and the pumping mechanism respectively, so that the pumping operation can be automatically performed after the vacuumizing is completed, and the feeding process is more continuous, and the process efficiency is improved.

[0046] In some embodiments, the control method further comprises: adjusting the preset vacuum degree threshold to adapt to the type of the material fluid.

[0047] By making the preset vacuum degree threshold adjustable, the set vacuum degree threshold can be adapted to different types of material fluids when realizing the automatic pumping of the material fluid, so as to meet the pumping requirements of different types of material fluids.

[0048] In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises an air inlet mechanism arranged at the extruding member; the control method further comprises: in response to the extruding member reaching a second relative position relative to the material container, making the air inlet mechanism air-filling to make the extruding member separate from the material container.

[0049] When the material fluid in the material container is pumped to a certain amount, another material container containing material fluid needs to be replaced. In order to stably and reliably pump the material fluid during the pumping process, the extruding member is usually in interference fit with the inner wall of the material container, so there is a certain difficulty in separating the extruding member from the material container. In response to the extruding member reaching the second relative position relative to the material container, the controller automatically makes the air inlet mechanism air-filling to the first region formed by the extruding member and the liquid surface of the material fluid, so that the extruding member can smoothly and quickly separate from the material container, so as to quickly replace another material container, thereby continuing the pumping of the material fluid, and improving the process efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0050] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below only constitute some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative labor.

[0051] The present disclosure can be more clearly understood according to the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0052] Figure 1 is a signal connection schematic diagram of some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure;

[0053] Figure 2 and Figure 3 are structural schematic diagrams of some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure from different perspectives, respectively;

[0054] Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the ellipse A in Figure 3

[0055] Figure 5 is a signal connection schematic diagram of other embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure;

[0056] Figures 6A-6D are state diagrams of the material container inside some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure from different working processes, respectively;

[0057] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the air valve in some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure;

[0058] Figure 8 is a BB sectional schematic diagram of Figure 7

[0059] Figures 9-11 are flow schematic diagrams of some embodiments of the control method of the feeding device according to the present disclosure, respectively.

[0060] It should be understood that the sizes of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn in accordance with the actual proportional relationship. In addition, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar components.

[0061] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0062] 10-pumping mechanism; 11-extrusion piece; 111-air valve joint; 112-outer edge of pressure plate; 12-material suction end;

[0063] ​​20A - exhaust mechanism; 20B - intake mechanism; 21 - air valve; 211 - cylinder valve body; 212 - valve core; 213 - valve core driving structure; 213a - cylinder piston; 214 - return member; 214a - spring; 215 - sealing assembly; 216 - driving air port; 22 - first control valve; 23 - second control valve; 24 - vacuum air path; 25 - positive pressure air path; 26 - connecting air path;

[0064] 30 - driving mechanism; 31 - driving member; 311 - piston rod; 312 - connecting plate; 32 - cylinder barrel; 33 - base;

[0065] 40 - controller; 41 - control box;

[0066] 51 - vacuum degree sensing element; 52 - position sensing element; 521 - first position sensor; 522 - second position sensor; 523 - mounting rack; 524 - adjusting groove;

[0067] 60 - feeding device;

[0068] MC - material container; MF - material fluid; Z1 - first area; Z2 - second area; ST - sensing target; P1 - first air port; P2 - second air port. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The embodiments of the technical solutions of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and therefore only serve as examples, and cannot limit the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0070] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure; the terms "include" and "have" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of the present disclosure and the above description of drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0071] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish different objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0072] Reference to“an embodiment” herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase“in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are they necessarily mutually exclusive of one another. It is expressly understood that any of the embodiments described herein can be incorporated in a combination of embodiments.

[0073] In the description of the embodiments of the disclosure, the term“and / or” is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the three cases of A existing alone, A and B existing together, and B existing alone. In addition, the character“ / ” herein generally represents that the front and rear associated objects are in an“or” relationship.

[0074] In the description of the embodiments of the disclosure, the term“a plurality of” refers to two or more (including two), and similarly, “a plurality of groups” refers to two or more groups (including two groups), and “a plurality of pieces” refers to two or more pieces (including two pieces).

[0075] In the description of the embodiments of the disclosure, the technical terms“center”,“longitudinal”,“transverse”,“length”,“width”,“thickness”,“upper”,“lower”,“front”,“rear”,“left”,“right”,“vertical”,“horizontal”,“top”,“bottom”,“inner”,“outer”,“clockwise”,“counterclockwise”,“axial”,“radial”,“circumferential” and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the disclosure.

[0076] In the description of the embodiments of the disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the technical terms“mounting”,“connection”,“connection”,“fixing” and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrated; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0077] In the manufacturing process of the secondary battery, a gluing machine can be used to glue the electrode assembly, battery monomer, battery module or battery box and other battery-related products to achieve functions such as bonding, sealing, etc. Considering that the glue containing bubbles may cause quality problems of the product after gluing, the operator manually operates the air path control box when gluing in order to vacuum the space between the platen and the glue surface to eliminate the bubbles in the pumped glue as much as possible.

[0078] It is found that the manual operation of the operator in the process of vacuumizing requires a certain operation proficiency. If the operator is not proficient or is not concentrated, the bubbles in the glue may not be removed sufficiently, causing a quality risk of the battery-related product. In addition, the vacuumizing device lacks a mistake-proofing function, and there is a possibility of failure due to the penetration of glue, thereby causing the quality risk of the product to be improved.

[0079] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a feeding device, a gluing device and a control method of the feeding device, which can reduce the quality risk of the product using the material fluid.

[0080] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a feeding device is provided, comprising: a pumping mechanism having a material suction end for sucking a material fluid from a material container, the material suction end being provided with a pressing member; an exhaust mechanism arranged at the pressing member and configured to vacuumize a first area formed by the pressing member and a liquid surface of the material fluid in the material container; and a controller in signal connection with the exhaust mechanism and configured to cause the exhaust mechanism to vacuumize in response to the pressing member reaching a first relative position relative to the material container.

[0081] In the process of feeding the material fluid in the material container, the controller causes the exhaust mechanism to vacuumize the first area formed by the pressing member provided at the material suction end of the pumping mechanism and the liquid surface of the material fluid in response to the pressing member reaching the first relative position relative to the material container, so as to eliminate the bubbles in the pumped material fluid as much as possible, save manpower, and reduce the quality risk caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0082] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the feeding device is used to feed a material fluid to be applied to a target object to achieve a specific function. The material fluid herein can be a liquid, a mixture of liquid and gas, or a mixture of liquid and solid.

[0083] In some embodiments, the material fluid includes glue. The feeding device feeds the glue to be applied to a target object such as an electrode assembly, a battery cell, a battery module, a battery box or an electrical equipment, etc. to achieve the functions of bonding, sealing, insulation or conduction, etc. For example, the electrode assembly is glued on the surface to bond the electrode assembly and the insulation film; the terminal of the battery cell is wrapped with insulation glue to prevent short circuit; the waterproof glue is coated on the inner side of the bottom connection part of the battery box to achieve the sealing and waterproof effect, etc. In other embodiments, the material fluid can also include an active material slurry for coating on the surface of the current collector substrate to form a pole piece.

[0084] In scenarios where the target object is a battery-related product such as an electrode assembly, a battery cell, a battery module, or a battery pack, a battery refers to a single physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide higher voltage and capacity.

[0085] The battery cell can be a secondary battery, which refers to a battery cell that can be activated by charging after discharging, such as a lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery, a sodium-lithium-ion battery, a lithium-metal battery, a sodium-metal battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a magnesium-ion battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a lead-acid battery, and the like.

[0086] The battery cell can include an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly can include first and second polar plates having opposite polarities, and a separator disposed between the first and second polar plates. In some embodiments, the first polar plate is a positive polar plate, and the second polar plate is a negative polar plate. In other embodiments, the first polar plate is a negative polar plate, and the second polar plate is a positive polar plate. During charging and discharging of the battery cell, active ions (e.g., lithium ions) are intercalated and deintercalated between the positive and negative polar plates. The separator, which is disposed between the positive and negative polar plates, can prevent short-circuiting of the positive and negative polar plates while allowing the active ions to pass through.

[0087] In some embodiments, the battery cell can include a housing. The housing can be used to encapsulate components such as the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The housing can be a steel case, an aluminum case, a plastic case (e.g., polypropylene), a composite metal case (e.g., a copper-aluminum composite case), an aluminum-plastic film, or the like.

[0088] As an example, the battery cell can be a cylindrical battery cell, a prismatic battery cell, a pouch battery cell, or a battery cell of another shape, and the prismatic battery cell can include a square-shaped battery cell, a blade-shaped battery cell, a multi-prismatic battery cell (e.g., a hexagonal battery cell), or the like.

[0089] In some embodiments, the battery can be a battery module, and when there are multiple battery cells, the multiple battery cells can be arranged and fixed to form a battery module. The battery module can include multiple battery cells connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection.

[0090] In some embodiments, the battery can be a battery pack, and the battery pack can include a case and battery cells, which can be accommodated in the case.

[0091] In some embodiments, the case can be a part of the structure of the electrical device itself, such as a part of the chassis structure of a vehicle using the battery. A part of the case can become at least a part of the floor of the vehicle, or a part of the case can become at least a part of the cross beam and the longitudinal beam of the vehicle.

[0092] In some embodiments, the battery can be an energy storage device. The energy storage device includes an energy storage container, an energy storage cabinet, etc.

[0093] For the power consuming device using the battery, the power consuming device can be a mobile phone, a portable device, a notebook computer, an electric vehicle, an electric automobile, a ship, a spacecraft, an electric toy, and an electric tool, etc. For example, the spacecraft includes an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spacecraft, etc. The electric toy includes a stationary or mobile electric toy, such as a game machine, an electric automobile toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc. The electric tool includes a metal cutting electric tool, a grinding electric tool, an assembling electric tool, and a railway electric tool, such as an electric drill, an electric grinder, an electric wrench, an electric screwdriver, an electric hammer, an impact electric drill, a concrete vibrator, and an electric planer.

[0094] Figure 1 is a signal connection diagram of some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure. Figure 2 and Figure 3 are structural diagrams of some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure from different perspectives. Figure 4 is Figure 3 is an enlarged diagram of the ellipse A in

[0095] Referring to Figures 1-4 , the present disclosure provides a feeding device 60, which includes a pumping mechanism 10, an exhaust mechanism 20A, and a controller 40. The pumping mechanism 10 has a material suction end 12 for sucking a material fluid MF from a material container MC, and the material suction end 12 is provided with a pressing piece 11. The outer periphery of the pressing piece 11 can be provided with a pressing disc outer edge 112, so that after entering the material container MC, the pressing disc outer edge 112 can be in sealing contact with the inner cavity surface of the material container MC, thereby meeting the needs of vacuumizing and pumping the material, etc.

[0096] The material container MC can include Figure 2 and Figure 3 The material bucket shown is provided with the material suction end 12 of the pressing piece 11, which can enter from the opening side of the material bucket, so that the pumping mechanism 10 can suck the material fluid MF in the material bucket through the material suction end 12 and deliver it to the device for applying the material fluid MF to the target object.

[0097] The exhaust mechanism 20A is arranged on the pressing piece 11 and is configured to vacuumize a first area Z1 formed by the pressing piece 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in the material container MC.

[0098] The extruding member 11, after entering the material container MC, can form a first region Z1 with the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in the material container MC, and the first region Z1 stores a certain amount of air. The air exhaust mechanism 20A can reduce the air in the first region Z1 by vacuumizing the first region Z1, so as to reduce the amount of air bubbles in the material fluid MF sucked by the pumping mechanism 10.

[0099] The first region Z1 herein refers to the region between the extruding member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF. When the extruding member 11 has a gap with the liquid surface of the material fluid MF, the first region Z1 is a three-dimensional cavity. When the extruding member 11 is in contact with the liquid surface of the material fluid MF without a gap, the first region Z1 is a two-dimensional surface shape, and can be re-formed into a three-dimensional cavity after being aerated.

[0100] The controller 40 is in signal connection with the air exhaust mechanism 20A, and is configured to make the air exhaust mechanism 20A vacuumize in response to the extruding member 11 reaching a first relative position relative to the material container MC.

[0101] The controller 40 can include a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general purpose processor can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor can be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0102] In the above embodiment of the feeding device 60, during the feeding process of the material fluid MF in the material container MC, the controller 40 makes the air exhaust mechanism 20A vacuumize the first region Z1 formed by the extruding member 11 set by the material suction end 12 of the pumping mechanism 10 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in response to the extruding member 11 reaching the first relative position relative to the material container MC, so as to eliminate the air bubbles in the pumped material fluid MF as much as possible, save manpower, simplify manual operation, and reduce the quality risk caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0103] The first relative position herein refers to a preset relative position of the extruding member 11 and the material container MC, which can be the positional relationship and distance of the two in at least one direction. For example, the first relative position can be a set distance value from the lower surface of the extruding member 11 to the bottom of the material container MC in the vertically downward direction.

[0104] Figure 5 is a signal connection diagram of another embodiment of the feeding device according to the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 2-5 In some embodiments, the feeding device 60 further comprises a vacuum degree sensing element 51 and a driving mechanism 30. The vacuum degree sensing element 51 is arranged on the exhaust mechanism 20A or the extrusion member 11 and is configured to sense the vacuum degree of the first region Z1. The vacuum degree sensing element 51 can comprise a vacuum sensor.

[0105] The driving mechanism 30 is drivingly connected with the extrusion member 11 and is configured to drive the extrusion member 11 to move relative to the material container MC. Here, the driving mechanism 30 can directly drive the extrusion member 11 to move, or can drive the pumping mechanism 10 to drive the extrusion member 11 to move. The driving mechanism 30 can be a driving mechanism based on electromagnetic, gas or hydraulic principles.

[0106] The controller 40 is signal connected with the vacuum degree sensing element 51, the pumping mechanism 10 and the driving mechanism 30, and is configured to, in response to the vacuum degree of the first region Z1 reaching a preset vacuum degree threshold, cause the exhaust mechanism 20A to stop vacuumizing, cause the extrusion member 11 to extrude the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in the material container MC through the driving mechanism 30, and cause the pumping mechanism 10 to pump the material fluid MF.

[0107] The vacuum degree sensing element 51 can sense the vacuum degree of the first region Z1, and the controller 40 can control the exhaust mechanism 20A, the driving mechanism 30 and the pumping mechanism 10 respectively in response to the vacuum degree of the first region Z1 reaching the preset vacuum degree threshold, so as to realize the operations of stopping vacuumizing, extruding the liquid surface by the extrusion member 11 and pumping the material fluid MF. Thus, the pumping operation can be automatically performed after the vacuumizing is completed, the feeding process is more continuous, and the process efficiency is improved.

[0108] Different types of material fluid MF require different pumping, and accordingly the vacuum degree required during pumping is also different. For example, the structural adhesive is suitable to be set to a vacuum degree range of -8kpa~ -15kpa, and the thermal conductive adhesive is suitable to be set to a vacuum degree range of -10kpa~ -30kpa, so different vacuum degree thresholds can be set according to the types of different material fluid MF. That is, the preset vacuum degree threshold can be adjustable.

[0109] By making the preset vacuum degree threshold adjustable, the controller 40 can make the set vacuum degree threshold adapt to different types of material fluid MF when realizing the automatic pumping of the material fluid MF, so as to meet the pumping requirements of different types of material fluid MF. Here, the adjustment of the vacuum degree threshold can be set by the operator according to the actual situation, or the adjustment rule can be set in the controller logic, so that the controller can adjust itself according to the type of material fluid.

[0110] Reference Figure 5 In some embodiments, the feeding device 60 further comprises an air inlet mechanism 20B. The air inlet mechanism 20B is arranged on the extrusion member 11 and is configured to fill air into the first region Z1. The controller 40 is in signal connection with the air inlet mechanism 20B and is configured to, in response to the extrusion member 11 reaching the second relative position relative to the material container MC, cause the air inlet mechanism 20B to fill air so as to separate the extrusion member 11 from the material container MC.

[0111] The second relative position herein refers to another preset relative position of the extrusion member 11 and the material container MC, which can be the positional relationship and distance between the two in at least one direction. For example, the second relative position can be another preset distance value from the lower surface of the extrusion member 11 to the bottom of the material container MC in the vertically downward direction.

[0112] When the material fluid MF in the material container MC is pumped to a certain amount, another material container MC containing material fluid MF needs to be replaced. In order to stably and reliably pump the material fluid MF during the pumping process, the extrusion member 11 is usually in interference fit with the inner wall of the material container MC, so that it is difficult for the extrusion member 11 and the material container MC to separate from each other.

[0113] By responding to the extrusion member 11 reaching the second relative position relative to the material container MC, the controller 40 causes the air inlet mechanism 20B to automatically fill air into the first region Z1 formed by the extrusion member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF, so that the extrusion member 11 can smoothly and quickly separate from the material container MC, so as to quickly replace another material container MC and continue to pump the material fluid MF, thereby improving the process efficiency.

[0114] The relative position of the extrusion member 11 relative to the material container MC can be determined in various ways, such as directly sensing the position or movement distance of the extrusion member 11, or sensing the position or movement distance of other structures connected to the extrusion member 11, or indirectly calculating the position or movement distance of the extrusion member 11 according to the movement speed and movement time of the extrusion member 11.

[0115] For embodiments in which the drive mechanism 30 is used to drive the connecting extrusion 11, the feeding device 60 further comprises a position sensing element 52. The position sensing element 52 is in signal connection with the controller 40 and is configured to sense at least one of the pumping mechanism 10, the drive mechanism 30 and the extrusion 11 to determine the relative position of the extrusion 11 with respect to the material container MC. The position sensing element 52 can sense at least one of the pumping mechanism 10, the drive mechanism 30 and the extrusion 11 to determine the relative position of the extrusion 11 with respect to the material container MC.

[0116] With reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 30 can comprise a movable drive member 31 connected with the pumping mechanism 10 to move the extrusion 11 with respect to the material container MC by movement of the drive member 31. The position sensing element 52 can comprise a first position sensor 521 configured to sense movement of the drive member 31 to a first movement position corresponding to the first relative position.

[0117] Here, the first movement position refers to a preset position to which the drive member 31 moves, and the preset position corresponds to the first relative position. That is, when the drive member 31 moves to the first movement position, the extrusion 11 reaches the first relative position with respect to the material container MC.

[0118] The movable drive member 31 is used to move the pumping mechanism 10, and the first position sensor 521 is used to sense movement of the drive member 31 to the first movement position. When the drive member 31 is sensed to move to the first movement position, the extrusion 11 correspondingly reaches the first relative position, so that the evacuation mechanism 20A can be triggered to perform the vacuumizing action. Compared with the sensing element that directly detects the position of the extrusion 11, the first position sensor 521 that senses the movement position of the drive member 31 is more convenient to debug and install, and can use a contact or non-contact sensor type as needed.

[0119] In order to make the extrusion 11 separate from the material container MC by automatic inflation, with reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the position sensing element 52 comprises a second position sensor 522, and the feeding device 60 further comprises an air inlet mechanism 20B arranged on the extrusion member 11, and the controller 40 is in signal connection with the second position sensor 522 and the air inlet mechanism 20B, and is configured to, in response to the extrusion member 11 reaching a second relative position relative to the material container MC, cause the air inlet mechanism 20B to inflate so as to separate the extrusion member 11 from the material container MC. The second position sensor 522 is configured to sense movement of the driving member 31 to a second movement position corresponding to the second relative position.

[0120] The second movement position here refers to another preset position to which the driving member 31 moves, and the preset position corresponds to the second relative position. That is, when the driving member 31 moves to the second movement position, the extrusion member 11 reaches the second relative position relative to the material container MC.

[0121] The second position sensor 522 is used to sense movement of the driving member 31 to the second movement position, and when the driving member 31 is sensed to move to the second movement position, the extrusion member 11 correspondingly reaches the second relative position, so as to trigger the inflation action of the air inlet mechanism 20B. Similar to the arrangement of the first position sensor 521, the second position sensor 522 is more convenient for debugging and installation, and can also be of a contact type or a non-contact type according to needs.

[0122] In Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the driving mechanism 30 can comprise a connecting plate 312 and a piston cylinder having a cylinder barrel 32 and a piston rod 311. The connecting plate 312 is fixedly connected with the piston rod 311, and serves together with the connecting plate 312 to fixedly connect the driving member 31 with the pumping mechanism 10. The first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522 are connected on the cylinder barrel 32 through a mounting bracket 523, and respectively detect the sensing target ST arranged on the piston rod 311.

[0123] For the piston cylinder that realizes linear driving, the first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522 arranged outside the piston cylinder can be used to detect the sensing target ST on the piston rod 311, so as to facilitate convenient debugging and installation of the sensors by an operator.

[0124] The sensing target ST on the piston rod 311 can be a color mark or element that can be sensed arranged at a specific position of the piston rod 311, such as a sensing ring sleeved at a specific position of the piston rod 311. The first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522 can be of various forms, such as sensors of contact type, proximity type, photoelectric type, etc., and the selection is less limited.

[0125] The drive mechanism 30 may also include a base 33 for fixing the cylinder 32 and for mounting the material container MC. The drive mechanism 30 may include two piston cylinders, both of which are fixedly connected to the base 33, and the piston rods 311 are fixedly connected to both ends of the connecting plate 312 by bolts or other connecting parts. To facilitate manual control by the operator, a control box 41 with buttons, knobs, or handles may also be provided on the cylinder 32.

[0126] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the mounting bracket 523 has an adjustment groove 524, the length direction of which is parallel to the linear direction of the reciprocating motion of the piston rod 311. The first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522 are disposed in the adjustment groove 524 and their positions are adjustable along the length direction of the adjustment groove 524.

[0127] Based on the linear direction of the reciprocating motion of the piston rod 311, an adjustment groove 524 extending along this direction is used to set the first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522, and their positions are adjustable in the length direction of the adjustment groove 524. In this way, the positions of each position sensor can be adaptively adjusted according to factors such as the height of different material containers MC and the liquid level of the material fluid MF, so as to more accurately set the timing of automatic vacuuming and automatic inflation.

[0128] In other embodiments, the mounting bracket 523 may be provided with multiple mounting holes to selectively mount the first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522, thereby enabling position adjustment of the first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522. In some embodiments, the first position sensor 521 and the second position sensor 522 may also be configured to have non-adjustable positions.

[0129] refer to Figures 2-4 In some embodiments, the exhaust mechanism 20A includes an air valve 21, which is detachably mounted on the extruder 11 and operably connected to an external air passage. The exhaust mechanism 20A, via the air valve 21 detachably mounted on the extruder 11, is operably connected to an external air passage, facilitating the cleaning and replacement of the air valve 21 while also enabling convenient vacuuming of the first region Z1 formed by the liquid surface of the extruder 11 and the material fluid MF through the external air passage.

[0130] refer to Figure 4In some embodiments, the surface of the extrusion member 11 can be provided with a gas valve joint 111, and the gas valve 21 is threadedly connected to the gas valve joint 111. In the use of the gas valve 21, there is a possibility of being contaminated or blocked by a material fluid containing corrosive substances, for example, and thus the gas valve 21 can be conveniently replaced by the threaded connection relative to the gas valve joint 111.

[0131] With reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the gas valve 21 is shared by the gas inlet mechanism 20B and the gas outlet mechanism 20A provided on the extrusion member 11. The gas inlet mechanism 20B and the gas outlet mechanism 20A can be independently provided, or can be provided as a module to facilitate overall installation and maintenance. By sharing the gas valve 21 by the gas inlet mechanism 20B and the gas outlet mechanism 20A, space occupation can be saved during installation on the extrusion member 11, and installation and removal time can be reduced, and installation and removal efficiency can be improved.

[0132] In order to facilitate the control of the gas outlet mechanism 20A and the gas inlet mechanism 20B, with reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the gas outlet mechanism 20A can include a first control valve 22, and the gas valve 21 is in operable communication with an external vacuum air path through the first control valve 22. The gas inlet mechanism 20B can include a second control valve 23, and the gas valve 21 is in operable communication with an external positive pressure air path through the second control valve 23.

[0133] For the gas outlet mechanism 20A and the gas inlet mechanism 20B sharing the gas valve 21, the vacuum air path and the positive pressure air path are respectively in operable communication with the gas valve 21 through the first control valve 22 and the second control valve 23, to achieve reliable control of gas inlet or gas outlet, and to reduce the possibility of interference between the gas outlet mechanism 20A, the gas inlet mechanism 20B and other components in arrangement.

[0134] In Figures 2-4 , the gas valve 21 is connected to a connecting air path 26, and the connecting air path 26 is connected to a vacuum air path 24 connected to the first control valve 22 and a positive pressure air path 25 connected to the second control valve 23 through a three-way piece. And the first control valve 22 and the second control valve 23 are respectively connected to the related external air paths of the negative pressure device and the positive pressure device.

[0135] The gas valve 21, the first control valve 22, the second control valve 23 and the air paths connected thereto can be installed and removed as a whole module independently of other mechanisms such as pumping mechanisms, driving mechanisms and the like of the feeding device, thereby facilitating overall replacement and maintenance.

[0136] Figures 6A-6Dare the state diagrams of the inside of the material container in different working processes according to some embodiments of the feeding device of the present disclosure. In order to more clearly illustrate the working process of the feeding device, reference is made to Figures 6A-6D , and in combination with Figures 2-4 , the position changes and functions of the driving mechanism, the pumping mechanism, the air inlet mechanism and the air outlet mechanism in different stages are described.

[0137] In order to facilitate the observation of the position change of the extruding member 11, in Figures 6A-6D , only the material container MC, the partial structure of the pumping mechanism 10 close to the suction end 12, the extruding member 11 and the air valve 21 are drawn, and the flow directions of the gas and the material fluid are expressed by arrows. In the figure, the closure of the gas path or the material fluid flow path is also shown by a thicker black block.

[0138] Reference is made to Figure 6A , when the driving mechanism 30 drives the extruding member 11 to move to a position in the material container MC, and the distance between the position and the reference position (for example, the bottom, or other positions) of the material container MC in the vertical direction is H1, the extruding member 11 reaches the first relative position relative to the material container MC. At this time, the height of the first area Z1 formed by the lower surface of the extruding member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in the vertical direction is h1, and the first area Z1 is filled with air.

[0139] In the position shown in Figure 6A , the controller 40 sends a control instruction to the air outlet mechanism 20A to make the air outlet mechanism 20A draw the air in the first area Z1 along the arrow direction through the air valve 21. At this time, the extruding member 11 can remain stationary relative to the material container MC.

[0140] When the controller 40 determines that the vacuum degree of the first area Z1 sensed by the vacuum degree sensing element 51 reaches the preset vacuum degree threshold, the air valve 21 is closed, the extruding member 11 is driven to move downward by the driving mechanism, contacts and extrudes the liquid surface of the material fluid MF, and the material fluid MF is sucked through the suction end 12 of the pumping mechanism 10 to realize the pumping of the material fluid MF.

[0141] Figure 6B The extruding member 11 is shown to descend to a position with a distance of H2 from the reference position of the material container MC in the vertical direction, and the motion direction of the extruding member 11 is shown by the hollow arrow line. It can be seen that the liquid surface of the material fluid MF has descended and is being drawn upward through the suction end 12.

[0142] When the pumping mechanism 10 pumps the material fluid MF to a certain amount, the extruding member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF have both descended to a lower position. Reference is made to Figure 6CWhen the distance between the pressing member 11 and the reference position of the material container MC in the vertical direction is H3, the pressing member 11 reaches a second relative position relative to the material container MC. At this time, the controller 40 sends control instructions to the pumping mechanism 10 and the air inlet mechanism 20B, so that the pumping mechanism 10 closes the material suction end 12, the air valve 21 is opened, and the first region Z1 is injected with positive pressure gas, such as compressed air.

[0143] With the injection of positive pressure gas, the height of the first region Z1 gradually increases until the position shown in Figure 6D . At this position, the distance between the pressing member 11 and the reference position of the material container MC in the vertical direction is H4, at which position the pressing member 11 has been separated from the material container MC, and the height of the first region Z1 in the vertical direction is h2. In this way, the automatic process of separating the pressing member 11 from the material container MC is completed.

[0144] In the above process, h2 is greater than h1, H1 is greater than H2, H2 is greater than H3, and H4 is greater than H1.

[0145] Figure 7 is a schematic view of the structure of the air valve in some embodiments of the feeding device according to the present disclosure. Figure 8 is a schematic view of the BB cross section of Figure 7 . Referring to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , in some embodiments, the air valve 21 comprises a cylinder valve body 211, a valve core 212, a valve core driving structure 213, and a reset member 214. The cylinder valve body 211 has a hollow second region Z2 inside, and also has a first gas port P1 and a second gas port P2 communicating with the second region Z2, the first gas port P1 communicates with the first region Z1, and the second gas port P2 is operatively connected with an external gas path. The external gas path here can be a negative pressure gas path for vacuumizing, or a positive pressure gas path for inflating.

[0146] The second region Z2 here refers to the hollow region inside the cylinder valve body 211 for the movement of the valve core 212. When the valve core 212 is in a position where the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2 are both open, the second region Z2 can form a conductive gas path together with the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2.

[0147] The valve core 212 is at least partially located in the second region Z2 and is movable relative to the second region Z2. The valve core driving structure 213 is connected with the valve core 212 and is configured to drive the valve core 212 to move in different positions in the second region Z2, so as to make the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2 close or conduct the gas path in the second region Z2.

[0148] The reset member 214 is connected with the valve core 212 and is configured to move the valve core 212 to a closed position in which the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2 are disconnected in the second region Z2 in response to the valve core driving structure 213 stopping working.

[0149] By arranging the reset member 214 in the gas valve 21 and making the reset member 214 respond to the valve core driving structure 213 stopping working to move the valve core 212 to a closed position in which the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2 are disconnected, the gas valve 21 can realize a self-closing function through the reset member 214 in abnormal conditions such as power failure or gas path disconnection, preventing the material fluid MF from being sucked into the gas valve 21 in abnormal conditions and causing the gas valve 21 to be contaminated or damaged.

[0150] Reference Figure 8 In some embodiments, the valve core driving structure 213 includes a cylinder piston 213a connected with the valve core 212, and the reset member 214 includes a spring 214a located in the second region Z2 and connected with the cylinder piston 213a. The chamber on the side of the cylinder piston 213a away from the spring 214a can be in communication with the driving gas port 216. When compressed air enters from the driving gas port 216, the cylinder piston 213a moves towards the spring 214a to compress the spring 214a, and at this time the valve core 212 moves to a position in which the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2 are connected.

[0151] For the gas valve 21 that uses the cylinder piston 213a to drive the valve core 212, the spring 214a is used to reset the valve core 212 to the closed position in abnormal conditions to realize the self-closing function. This mechanical elastic reset member is more reliable and durable, which is conducive to improving the service life of the gas valve 21.

[0152] In Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the valve core 212 can have a part of its length protruding from the first gas port P1 of the cylinder valve body 211, and the opening and closing of the first gas port P1 can be realized by the protrusion and retraction of the valve core 212 relative to the first gas port P1 of the cylinder valve body 211. In order to reduce the risk of the first gas port P1 leaking and sucking in the material fluid MF, reference Figure 8 In some embodiments, the gas valve 21 further includes a sealing assembly 215 located at the first gas port P1 to seal the first gas port P1 by the valve core 212 located at a position in which the first gas port P1 and the second gas port P2 are disconnected in the second region Z2.

[0153] By setting the sealing assembly 215 at the first gas port P1, the sealing of the first gas port P1 can be achieved when the valve core 212 is driven by the valve core driving structure 213 to close the first gas port P1 or to seal the first gas port P1 by itself, thereby reducing the risk of the first gas port P1 leaking and sucking the material fluid MF.

[0154] In the above-mentioned various embodiments of the feeding device, the material fluid MF can include glue. The glue can be structural glue, insulating glue, waterproof glue, conductive glue, or heat-conducting glue, etc. Different feeding scenarios can use different types of material fluid MF, and different types of material fluid MF are different in attributes, parameters, etc., such as different viscosities.

[0155] For the embodiment in which the material fluid MF includes glue, the pumping mechanism 10 pumps the glue used for bonding or sealing. The automatic vacuumization of the first region Z1 by the exhaust mechanism 20A can effectively reduce the bubbles in the pumped glue and improve the processing quality of the structure using the glue.

[0156] For the material fluid MF with high viscosity, in order to meet the pumping requirements of the material fluid MF with high viscosity, in some embodiments, the feeding device 60 further includes a driving mechanism 30, the feeding device 60 is a platen pump, the platen pump includes a plunger pump as the pumping mechanism 10, a platen as the extrusion member 11, and a column cylinder as the driving mechanism 30, the platen is arranged at the material suction end of the plunger pump, and the cylinder piston rod 311 of the column cylinder is connected with the plunger pump through a mounting plate to drive the plunger pump to move.

[0157] For the embodiment in which the platen pump is used as the feeding device, the plunger pump can meet the pumping requirements of the material fluid MF with high viscosity, and the column cylinder can drive the plunger pump as a whole to rise and fall in the vertical direction to realize the lifting and pressing actions of the platen.

[0158] Based on the above-mentioned various embodiments of the feeding device 60, the present disclosure further provides a gluing device including a material container MC and the feeding device 60 of any of the above-mentioned embodiments. The material container MC is used to contain glue. The feeding device 60 acts on the glue container to realize the gluing operation. The gluing device using the above-mentioned feeding device 60 embodiment can improve the automation of the gluing process, save manpower, and reduce the quality risk caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0159] Figures 9-11Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are schematic diagrams of some embodiments of a control method for a feeding device according to the present disclosure. Based on the foregoing embodiments of the feeding device 60, the present disclosure further provides a control method for the foregoing feeding device. The control method comprises steps S1 and S2. In step S1, the extruding member 11 is caused to enter the material container MC. In step S2, in response to the extruding member 11 reaching a first relative position relative to the material container MC, the exhaust mechanism 20A is caused to evacuate the first region Z1 formed by the extruding member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in the material container MC.

[0160] In the process of feeding the material fluid MF in the material container MC, the exhaust mechanism 20A is caused to evacuate the first region Z1 formed by the extruding member 11 provided at the material suction end 12 of the pumping mechanism 10 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in response to the extruding member 11 reaching the first relative position relative to the material container MC, so as to eliminate the air bubbles in the pumped material fluid MF as much as possible, save manpower, and reduce the quality risks caused by inaccurate or unskilled manual operation.

[0161] In the present embodiment, steps S1 and S2 can be performed by the controller 40 in the feeding device embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Figure 1 or Figure 5

[0162] Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, in some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises a vacuum degree sensing element 51 provided at the exhaust mechanism 20A or the extruding member 11, and a driving mechanism 30 drivingly connected to the extruding member 11. Compared with the foregoing embodiments of the feeding device 60, Figure 10 , the control method further comprises step S3. In step S3, in response to the vacuum degree sensing element 51 sensing that the vacuum degree of the first region Z1 reaches a preset vacuum degree threshold, the exhaust mechanism 20A is caused to stop evacuating, the extruding member 11 is caused to extrude the liquid surface of the material fluid MF in the material container MC by the driving mechanism 30 drivingly connected to the extruding member 11, and the pumping of the material fluid MF is performed by the pumping mechanism 10. Figure 9 The vacuum degree of the first region Z1 is sensed by the vacuum degree sensing element 51, and the control method is responsive to the vacuum degree of the first region Z1 reaching the preset vacuum degree threshold. Thus, the exhaust mechanism 20A, the driving mechanism 30, and the pumping mechanism 10 are respectively controlled to stop evacuating, the extruding member 11 extrudes the liquid surface, and the pumping of the material fluid MF is performed, so that the pumping operation can be automatically performed after the evacuation is completed, the feeding process is more continuous, and the process efficiency is improved.

[0163]

[0164] ​​In some embodiments, the control method further comprises: adjusting the preset vacuum degree threshold to adapt to the type of the material fluid MF. By making the preset vacuum degree threshold adjustable, the set vacuum degree threshold can be adapted to different types of material fluid MF to meet the pumping requirements of different types of material fluid MF when achieving automatic pumping of the material fluid MF.

[0165] Reference Figure 11 In some embodiments, the feeding device further comprises an air inlet mechanism 20B arranged on the extrusion member 11. Compared with the prior art, the air inlet mechanism 20B is arranged on the extrusion member 11, so that the air inlet mechanism 20B can be controlled by the controller 40 to automatically inflate the first region Z1 formed by the extrusion member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF when the extrusion member 11 reaches the second relative position relative to the material container MC, thereby facilitating the separation of the extrusion member 11 from the material container MC. Figure 10 The control method further comprises step S4. In step S4, in response to the extrusion member 11 reaching the second relative position relative to the material container MC, the air inlet mechanism 20B is inflated to separate the extrusion member 11 from the material container MC.

[0166] When the material fluid MF in the material container MC is pumped to a certain amount, another material container MC containing material fluid MF needs to be replaced. In order to stably and reliably pump the material fluid MF during pumping, the extrusion member 11 is usually in interference fit with the inner wall of the material container MC, so there is a certain difficulty in separating the extrusion member 11 from the material container MC.

[0167] By responding to the extrusion member 11 reaching the second relative position relative to the material container MC, the controller 40 automatically inflates the first region Z1 formed by the extrusion member 11 and the liquid surface of the material fluid MF by the air inlet mechanism 20B, so that the extrusion member 11 can be smoothly and quickly separated from the material container MC, so as to quickly replace another material container MC, continue to pump the material fluid MF, and improve the process efficiency.

[0168] In the above embodiments, steps S3 and S4 can be performed by the controller 40 in the feeding device embodiment shown in the figure. Figure 5

[0169] Those skilled in the art can understand that in the above method of the specific embodiments, the writing order of the steps does not mean a strict execution order and does not constitute any limitation on the implementation process. The specific execution order of the steps should be determined by its function and possible internal logic.

[0170] The embodiments in the specification are described in a progressive manner, and the focuses of the embodiments are different. The same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other. For the method embodiments, the whole and the steps involved are corresponding to the contents in the system embodiments, so the description is relatively simple, and the related parts can be referred to the part of the system embodiment.

[0171] ​So far, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail. In order to avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art are not described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein according to the above description.

[0172] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail through examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the above examples are only for illustration, not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments can be modified or some technical features can be replaced by equivalents without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A feeding device (60), comprising: a pumping mechanism (10) having a material suction end (12) for sucking a material fluid (MF) from a material container (MC), the material suction end (12) being provided with a pressing member (11) ; an exhaust mechanism (20A) provided on the pressing member (11) and configured to vacuumize a first region (Z1) formed by the pressing member (11) and a liquid surface of the material fluid (MF) in the material container (MC) ; a controller (40) in signal connection with the exhaust mechanism (20A) and configured to cause the exhaust mechanism (20A) to vacuumize in response to the pressing member (11) reaching a first relative position relative to the material container (MC) ; a vacuum degree sensing element (51) provided on the exhaust mechanism (20A) or the pressing member (11) and configured to sense a vacuum degree of the first region (Z1) ; and a driving mechanism (30) in driving connection with the pressing member (11) and configured to drive the pressing member (11) to move relative to the material container (MC) ; wherein the controller (40) is in signal connection with the vacuum degree sensing element (51), the pumping mechanism (10) and the driving mechanism (30), and configured to cause the exhaust mechanism (20A) to stop vacuumizing the first region (Z1) in response to the vacuum degree of the first region (Z1) reaching a preset vacuum degree threshold, cause the driving mechanism (30) to drive the pressing member (11) to move downward to contact and press the liquid surface of the material fluid (MF) in the material container (MC), and cause the pumping mechanism (10) to pump the material fluid (MF). The preset vacuum degree threshold is adjustable.

2. The feeding device (60) according to claim 1, wherein 3.The feeding device (60) of claim 1, further comprising: an air inlet mechanism (20B) provided on the pressing member (11) and configured to air charge the first region (Z1) ; wherein the controller (40) is in signal connection with the air inlet mechanism (20B) and configured to cause the air inlet mechanism (20B) to air charge in response to the pressing member (11) reaching a second relative position relative to the material container (MC), so that the pressing member (11) is separated from the material container (MC). 4.The feeding device (60) of claim 1, further comprising: a driving mechanism (30) in driving connection with the pressing member (11) and configured to drive the pressing member (11) to move relative to the material container (MC) ; and a position sensing element (52) in signal connection with the controller (40) and configured to sense at least one of the pumping mechanism (10), the driving mechanism (30) and the pressing member (11) to determine the relative position of the pressing member (11) relative to the material container (MC). ​ 5. The feeding device (60) according to claim 4, wherein The driving mechanism (30) comprises a movable driving member (31) connected with the pumping mechanism (10) to realize the movement of the extruding member (11) relative to the material container (MC) through the movement of the driving member (31); the position sensing element (52) comprises a first position sensor (521) configured to sense the movement of the driving member (31) to a first movement position corresponding to the first relative position.

6. The feeding device (60) according to claim 5, wherein The position sensing element (52) comprises a second position sensor (522), and the feeding device (60) further comprises an air inlet mechanism (20B) arranged on the extruding member (11); the controller (40) is in signal connection with the second position sensor (522) and the air inlet mechanism (20B) and is configured to, in response to the extruding member (11) reaching a second relative position relative to the material container (MC), cause the air inlet mechanism (20B) to be inflated to separate the extruding member (11) from the material container (MC); the second position sensor (522) is configured to sense the movement of the driving member (31) to a second movement position corresponding to the second relative position.

7. The feeding device (60) according to claim 6, wherein The driving mechanism (30) comprises a connecting plate (312), a piston cylinder having a cylinder barrel (32) and a piston rod (311), the connecting plate (312) is fixedly connected with the piston rod (311) and serves as the driving member (31) together with the connecting plate (312) to be fixedly connected with the pumping mechanism (10), and the first position sensor (521) and the second position sensor (522) are connected on the cylinder barrel (32) through a mounting bracket (523) and respectively detect the in-place of an induction target (ST) arranged on the piston rod (311).

8. The feeding device (60) according to claim 7, wherein The mounting bracket (523) has an adjusting groove (524) with a length direction parallel to the straight line direction of the reciprocating movement of the piston rod (311), the first position sensor (521) and the second position sensor (522) are arranged in the adjusting groove (524) and are adjustable in position along the length direction of the adjusting groove (524).

9. The feeder device (60) according to claim 1, wherein The air outlet mechanism (20A) comprises an air valve (21) detachably arranged on the extruding member (11) and operably connected with an external air path.

10. The feeding device (60) according to claim 9, wherein The air valve (21) comprises: a cylinder valve body (211) having a hollow second region (Z2) inside, the cylinder valve body (211) further has a first air port (P1) and a second air port (P2) in communication with the second region (Z2), the first air port (P1) is in communication with the first region (Z1), and the second air port (P2) is operably connected with an external air path; a valve core (212) at least partially located in the second region (Z2) and movable relative to the second region (Z2); a valve core driving structure (213) connected with the valve core (212) and configured to drive the valve core (212) to move to different positions in the second region (Z2) so as to make the first gas port (P1) and the second gas port (P2) closed or open in the gas path in the second region (Z2); and a reset member (214) connected with the valve core (212) and configured to make the valve core (212) move to a closed position in which the first gas port (P1) and the second gas port (P2) are disconnected in the gas path in the second region (Z2) in response to the valve core driving structure (213) stopping working.

11. The feeding device (60) according to claim 10, wherein The valve core driving structure (213) comprises a cylinder piston (213a) connected with the valve core (212), and the reset member (214) comprises a spring (214a) located in the second region (Z2) and connected with the cylinder piston (213a).

12. The supply device (60) according to claim 10, wherein The gas valve (21) further comprises a sealing assembly (215) located in the first gas port (P1) so as to seal the first gas port (P1) by the sealing assembly (215) when the valve core (212) is in a position in which the first gas port (P1) and the second gas port (P2) are disconnected in the gas path in the second region (Z2).

13. The feeding device (60) according to claim 9, further comprising: an air inlet mechanism (20B) arranged on the extruding member (11) and configured to charge air into the first region (Z1); wherein the air inlet mechanism (20B) and the air outlet mechanism (20A) share the gas valve (21).

14. The feeding device (60) according to claim 13, wherein The air outlet mechanism (20A) further comprises a first control valve (22) through which the gas valve (21) is operatively connected with an external vacuum gas path, and the air inlet mechanism (20B) further comprises a second control valve (23) through which the gas valve (21) is operatively connected with an external positive pressure gas path.

15. The feeder device (60) according to claim 9, wherein The surface of the extruding member is provided with a gas valve joint (111), and the gas valve (21) is threadedly connected with the gas valve joint (111).

16. The feeder device (60) according to claim 1, wherein The material fluid (MF) comprises glue.

17. The feeder device (60) according to claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism (30); wherein, The feeding device (60) is a platen pump, which comprises a plunger pump as the pumping mechanism (10), a platen as the extruding member (11), and a column cylinder as the driving mechanism (30), the platen is arranged at a material suction end of the plunger pump, and a cylinder piston rod (311) of the column cylinder is connected with the plunger pump through a mounting plate to drive the plunger pump to move.

18. A gluing device, comprising: a material container (MC) for containing glue; and the feeding device (60) according to any one of claims 1-17, which acts on the material container (MC) to realize a gluing operation.

19. A control method of the feeding device (60) according to any one of claims 1-17, comprising: making the extruding member (11) enter the material container (MC); in response to the pressing member (11) reaching a first relative position relative to the material container (MC), causing the exhaust mechanism (20A) to evacuate a first region (Z1) formed by the pressing member (11) and a liquid surface of the material fluid (MF) in the material container (MC); The feeding device (60) further comprises a vacuum degree sensing element (51) arranged on the exhaust mechanism (20A) or the pressing member (11), and a driving mechanism (30) drivingly connected with the pressing member (11); and the control method further comprises: in response to the vacuum degree sensing element (51) sensing that the vacuum degree of the first region (Z1) reaches a preset vacuum degree threshold, causing the exhaust mechanism (20A) to stop evacuating the first region (Z1), causing the pressing member (11) to move downward by the driving mechanism (30) drivingly connected with the pressing member (11), to contact and press the liquid surface of the material fluid (MF) in the material container (MC), and causing the pumping mechanism (10) to pump the material fluid (MF).

20. The control method according to claim 19, further comprising: adjusting the preset vacuum degree threshold to adapt to the type of the material fluid (MF).

21. The control method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein The feeding device (60) further comprises an air inlet mechanism (20B) arranged on the pressing member (11); and the control method further comprises: in response to the pressing member (11) reaching a second relative position relative to the material container (MC), causing the air inlet mechanism (20B) to be aerated, so that the pressing member (11) is separated from the material container (MC).

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