Metal sheet forming method

Abstract

The invention discloses a metal sheet forming method, and relates to the technical field of battery manufacturing, and the metal sheet forming method comprises the following steps: providing a sheet-shaped metal base material; a metal sheet body and a connecting rib are punched on the metal base material, an outer support is formed on the portion, located on the outer side of the metal sheet body, of the metal base material, the outer contour size of the metal sheet body is larger than that of a metal sheet to be formed, and the metal sheet body is not in direct contact with the outer support. The support is connected with the outer support through the connecting ribs; stamping the outer edge of the metal sheet body, and forming an annular thin wall part on the outer edge of the metal sheet body; and punching a part consistent with the outer contour of the metal sheet on the metal sheet body. According to the metal sheet forming method, the metal sheet can be produced in a stamping mode, and the production efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of battery manufacturing, and in particular to a metal sheet forming method. Background Art

[0002] Some battery casings are made of metal. Metal's strength and ductility allow for both thinner walls and greater structural strength. Metal battery casings typically consist of an open shell and a cover plate that seals the shell opening. The cover plate is thin and typically ranges from 0.05mm to 0.3mm thick.

[0003] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, some battery cover plates require an annular groove 10 to form a stepped structure with a thick center and thin outer edges. One process for preparing the annular groove 10 is as follows: first, the outer shape of the cover plate is cut out, and then the annular groove 10 is formed on the edge of the cover plate by chemical etching.

[0004] The chemical etching processing method has low efficiency and it is very difficult to achieve the required tolerance for subsequent production and assembly. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing technology to overcome the above-mentioned defects.

[0005] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of this application and does not constitute an admission that the above is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a metal sheet forming method to improve the production efficiency of the metal sheet.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned object of the invention, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a metal sheet forming method, comprising the following steps:

[0008] providing a sheet-shaped metal substrate;

[0009] A metal sheet and connecting ribs are punched out of the metal substrate, wherein the portion of the metal substrate located outside the metal sheet forms an outer bracket, wherein the outer contour of the metal sheet is larger than the outer contour of the metal sheet to be formed, and the metal sheet is not in direct contact with the outer bracket, but is connected to the outer bracket via the connecting ribs;

[0010] Punching the outer edge of the metal sheet to form an annular thin-walled portion on the outer edge of the metal sheet;

[0011] A portion consistent with the outer contour of the metal sheet is punched out from the metal sheet body.

[0012] Further, the distance between the outer contour of the metal sheet body and the outer contour of the metal thin sheet is 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and the metal sheet body is arranged in imitation of the metal thin sheet to be formed.

[0013] Further, the connecting ribs are arranged in pairs to form a connecting rib group, and each connecting rib group includes two symmetrically arranged connecting ribs;

[0014] The step of stamping out the metal sheet body and the connecting ribs on the metal substrate includes the following steps:

[0015] Cut off the material located within the two connecting ribs of the connecting rib group;

[0016] Cut off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups.

[0017] Further, the metal substrate is in a strip shape and is provided with equally spaced guiding pin holes, and the metal thin sheet forming method is executed by a progressive die;

[0018] When cutting off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups, first cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body close to the next station, and then cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body close to the previous station.

[0019] Further, when cutting off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups, the material located on both sides of the connecting rib group is cut off in batches.

[0020] Further, the metal sheet body has a length direction and a width direction, and two groups of connecting rib groups are arranged at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body, and one group of connecting rib groups is arranged at both ends in the length direction of the metal sheet body;

[0021] The step of cutting off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups includes the following steps:

[0022] Cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body between two adjacent connecting rib groups;

[0023] Cut off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups at the same end in the width direction of the metal sheet body.

[0024] Further, when cutting off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body between two adjacent connecting rib groups, the material located at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body is cut off in batches.

[0025] Further, when cutting off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups at the same end in the width direction of the metal sheet body, the material located at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body is cut off in batches.

[0026] Furthermore, the metal substrate is in a strip shape and is provided with guiding pin holes arranged at equal intervals. The method for forming the metal thin sheet is carried out by a progressive die, and the progressive die includes a plurality of stations arranged in sequence;

[0027] When cutting off the material between two adjacent connecting rib groups, first cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body close to the next station;

[0028] Then cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body close to the previous station, and at the same time cut off the material between the two connecting rib groups corresponding to the long side of the metal sheet body close to the next station;

[0029] After that, cut off the material between the two connecting rib groups corresponding to the long side of the metal sheet body close to the previous station.

[0030] Furthermore, the connecting rib includes a first connecting arm connected to the inner peripheral surface of the outer support and a second connecting arm connected to the outer peripheral surface of the metal sheet body. The first connecting arm and the second connecting arm are connected and arranged at an angle.

[0031] Furthermore, the first connecting arm is inclined with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the outer support to which it is connected, and the second connecting arm is inclined with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the metal sheet body to which it is connected. The included angle between the second connecting arm and the first connecting arm is an obtuse angle, and the end of the second connecting arm close to the first connecting arm is closer to the metal sheet body than the end of the second connecting arm far from the first connecting arm.

[0032] Furthermore, the connecting rib further includes a connecting portion connected between the second connecting arm and the outer peripheral surface of the metal sheet body. The connecting portion is connected to the end of the second connecting arm far from the first connecting arm.

[0033] Furthermore, the metal thin sheet is a cover plate of a battery. The thickness of the metal thin sheet is 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm, and the outer edge of the cover plate has an annular groove.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0035] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the method for forming the metal thin sheet first punches out the metal sheet body and the connecting ribs on the metal substrate, so that an annular thin wall portion can be reliably formed when stamping the outer edge of the metal sheet body. After that, the metal thin sheet to be formed can be punched off the metal sheet body by punching, realizing the production of the metal thin sheet by stamping, which is beneficial to improving production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the metal thin sheet in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 is Figure 1 An enlarged view of part I in

[0038] Figure 3 A perspective view of a metal sheet stamping blank in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 4 is Figure 3 A top view of the metal sheet stamping blank shown in the figure, showing the outer contour of the metal sheet.

[0040] Figure 5 A perspective view of a metal sheet stamping blank when a thin wall portion is punched out in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 6 is Figure 5 An enlarged view of part II in

[0042] Figure 7 A schematic view of punching out a metal sheet from a metal sheet stamping blank in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 8 A schematic view of a metal sheet stamping blank in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 9 A schematic view of a metal sheet stamping blank in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 10 is Figure 3 A top view of the metal sheet stamping blank shown in the figure.

[0046] Figure 11 is Figure 10 An enlarged view of part III in , showing a set of connecting rib groups.

[0047] Figure 12 is Figure 11 A schematic view when the connecting ribs are arranged in the reverse direction in

[0048] Figure 13 A schematic view of a metal strip in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 14 A schematic view of a metal strip when a thin wall portion is punched out and a metal sheet is punched off in sequence in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 15 A schematic view of a metal strip in some embodiments of the present invention, showing the shape of the finally formed product at each station.

[0051] Figure 16It is the product shape formed by a certain part of the metal strip in the present invention after passing through various working stations.

[0052] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of a metal substrate according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of punching out material within a connecting rib group on a metal substrate in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 19 Schematic diagram of metal strips according to some embodiments of the present invention, in which the portions to be removed at each work station are indicated by dotted lines. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, rather than to limit the present application. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only some, rather than all, structures related to the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0056] As used herein, the terms "comprise," "comprising," and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may optionally include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0057] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0058] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a metal sheet stamping blank, so that a metal sheet 1 (eg Figure 1 In some specific application scenarios, the metal sheet 1 can be, for example, a battery cover. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the metal sheet 1 is the cover plate of the battery, and an annular groove 10 is provided at its outer edge. The thickness of the metal sheet 1 is 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm, and the material can be, for example, stainless steel. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the metal sheet 1 may not be used as the cover plate of the battery but for other scenarios.

[0059] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 shown, the metal sheet stamping blank includes an outer bracket 2, a metal sheet body 3, and a connecting rib 4.

[0060] The size of the outer contour 3a of the metal sheet body 3 is larger than the size of the outer contour 1a of the metal sheet to be formed. Figure 4 In , the outer contour 1a of the metal sheet to be formed is shown by a dotted line, which is located within the outer contour 3a of the metal sheet body 3, facilitating subsequent formation of the metal sheet with sufficient dimensions.

[0061] The metal sheet body 3 is not in direct contact with the outer bracket 2, and the two are connected by the connecting rib 4. Since the connecting rib 4 is relatively thin, the connecting rib 4 connecting the outer bracket 2 and the metal sheet body 3 is prone to deformation towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located. In some embodiments, the width of the narrowest part of the connecting rib 4 is 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm to make it more prone to deformation towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located.

[0062] With the metal sheet stamping blank having the above structure, the required metal sheet can be formed by stamping. Exemplarily, referring to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , when forming the metal sheet 1, the outer edge area of the metal sheet body 3 can be stamped first to form a thin-walled part 30. Since the connecting rib 4 is prone to deformation towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located, the outer edge area can be more easily extended towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located to form the thin-walled part 30. Obviously, the contour of the part 31 within the thin-walled part 30 is consistent with the contour of the relatively thicker middle part 11 of the metal sheet 1 to form the middle part 11. Referring to Figure 7 , then the part consistent with the outer contour 1a of the metal sheet 1 is punched out on the metal sheet body 3, and the punched-out part is the metal sheet 1 to be formed, and the annular groove 10 is naturally formed at the outer edge of the metal sheet 1.

[0063] In this way, the metal sheet 1 can be formed by stamping, which is beneficial to improving production efficiency and can ensure dimensional accuracy by stamping, facilitating subsequent assembly.

[0064] In some embodiments, the spacing D between the outer contour 3a of the metal sheet body 3 and the outer contour 1a of the metal foil 1 is 0.5 mm to 5 mm, so that the outer edge portion of the metal sheet body 3 is not too narrow to be reliably stamped, nor too wide, resulting in difficulty in pressure-induced extension of the outer edge portion, thereby ensuring that the metal sheet body 3 is easily stamped to form the thin-walled portion 30. It should be noted that the spacing D corresponds to the width of the annular portion of the metal sheet body 3 located outside the outer contour 1a, and the spacing D being 0.5 mm to 5 mm means that the width of each part of this annular portion is within this numerical range.

[0065] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 4 , the outer contour 3a of the metal sheet body 3 and the outer contour 1a of the metal foil 1 are contoured, that is, their shapes are the same. In this way, when the outer edge portion of the metal sheet body 3 is under pressure, the resistance received by each part during outward extension is relatively small, and it can extend outward more uniformly, improving the forming quality. Further, the outer contour 3a of the metal sheet body 3 and the outer contour 1a of the metal foil 1 are equidistant, so that when the outer edge portion of the metal sheet body 3 is under pressure, the resistance magnitudes received by each part during outward extension are more consistent.

[0066] In some embodiments, the metal foil stamping blank is integrally formed as a whole. For example, structures such as the outer bracket 2, the metal sheet body 3, and the connecting rib 4 can be punched out on a metal substrate. Optionally, the outer bracket 2 is provided with a limiting structure 21, and the limiting structure 21 can be, for example, a groove or a hole, etc., to facilitate positioning during stamping to form the metal foil 1. It can be understood that the thickness of the metal sheet body 3 is the same as the thickness of the metal foil 1 to be formed, so that the thickness of the formed metal foil 1 meets the design requirements.

[0067] In some embodiments, the outer bracket 2 is annular, the metal sheet body 3 is located inside the outer bracket 2, and the connecting rib 4 is located in the annular space 20 formed between the metal sheet body 3 and the outer bracket 2. It can be understood that the outer bracket 2 does not have to be annular, and the annular outer bracket 2 can make the metal foil stamping blank have better structural strength and prevent deformation.

[0068] In some embodiments, connecting ribs 4 are connected to both ends of the metal sheet body 3 in the first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the metal sheet body 3. The first direction can be, for example, the length direction or the width direction of the metal sheet body 3, Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, connecting ribs 4 are provided at both ends in the length direction of the metal sheet body 3, Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, connecting ribs 4 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body 3.

[0069] In some embodiments, connecting ribs 4 are connected to both ends of the metal sheet body 3 in the first direction and both ends in the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are both perpendicular to the thickness direction of the metal sheet body 3, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. Exemplarily, one of the first direction and the second direction is the length direction of the metal sheet body 3, and the other is the width direction of the metal sheet body 3. Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, connecting ribs 4 are provided at both ends of the metal sheet body 3 in the length direction and both ends in the width direction.

[0070] In some embodiments, the metal sheet body 3 has a length direction and a width direction, that is, the length of the metal sheet body 3 is greater than its width, and the number of connecting ribs 4 provided at both ends of the width direction of the metal sheet body 3 is greater than the number of connecting ribs 4 provided at both ends of its length direction. In this way, the number of connecting ribs 4 corresponding to the long side of the metal sheet body 3 is more, and the long side can be supported more reliably, preventing the metal sheet body 3 from tilting due to too long a suspended section, and the overall structural strength is better. Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, two connecting ribs 4 are provided at each end of the length direction of the metal sheet body 3, and four connecting ribs 4 are provided at each end of the width direction.

[0071] In some embodiments, the connecting ribs 4 are arranged in pairs to form a connecting rib group, and each connecting rib group includes two symmetrically arranged connecting ribs 4. As Figure 10 shown, Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, one set of connecting rib groups is provided at each end of the length direction of the metal sheet body 3, and two sets of connecting rib groups are provided at each end of the width direction.

[0072] It can be understood that since the width of the connecting rib 4 is small and the overall thickness of the metal thin sheet stamping blank is small, the connecting rib 4 itself is relatively easy to deform. In order to further make the connecting rib 4 easy to deform, in some embodiments, as Figure 11 shown, the connecting rib 4 includes a first connecting arm 40 connected to the inner peripheral surface 2a of the outer support 2 and a second connecting arm 41 connected to the outer peripheral surface 3b of the metal sheet body 3. The first connecting arm 40 and the second connecting arm 41 are connected and arranged at an angle. Arranged at an angle means that the two are not parallel or coincident. Since the first connecting arm 40 and the second connecting arm 41 are arranged at an angle, when a pressure towards the side where the outer support 2 is located is applied, an angular change will occur between the first connecting arm 40 and the second connecting arm 41, and it can deform more easily.

[0073] Optionally, the first connecting arm 40 and the second connecting arm 41 are transitioned by an arc, which is beneficial to reducing the risk of breakage at the connection while making the relative angular change between the first connecting arm 40 and the second connecting arm 41, thus ensuring the smooth progress of the production process.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first connecting arm 40 is inclined relative to the inner peripheral surface 2a of the outer bracket 2 to which it is connected. In this way, when the connecting rib 4 is subjected to a pressure towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located, the first connecting arm 40 can bend and deform towards the side where the inner peripheral surface 2a is located, reducing the difficulty of deformation of the first connecting arm 40. In some embodiments, the second connecting arm 41 is inclined relative to the outer peripheral surface 3b of the metal sheet body 3 to which it is connected, so that when the connecting rib 4 is subjected to a pressure towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located, the second connecting arm 41 can more easily undergo elastic deformation, reducing the difficulty of deformation of the second connecting arm 41.

[0075] Optionally, the included angle α1 between the second connecting arm 41 and the outer peripheral surface 3b of the metal sheet body 3 is 3° to 30°, so that the force arm of the second connecting arm 41 is relatively longer, making it more convenient for the second connecting arm 41 to deform. Further optionally, the included angle α2 between the first connecting arm 40 and the inner peripheral surface 2a of the outer bracket 2 is greater than the included angle α1 between the second connecting arm 41 and the outer peripheral surface 3b of the metal sheet body 3. The included angle α2 can be, for example, 60° to 90°. In this way, the deformation can mainly occur through the second connecting arm 41, while reducing the stress at the connection between the first connecting arm 40 and the inner peripheral surface 2a of the outer bracket 2 and preventing the connection from being torn. Optionally, the included angle α1 is 5° to 15°. Further optionally, the included angle α2 is 70° to 80°. Further optionally, the connection 400 between the first connecting arm 40 and the outer bracket 2 is in a conical shape with a width gradually increasing towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located, so as to further improve the connection strength. The included angles α1 and α2 can be measured relative to the relatively flat side surfaces of the corresponding connecting arms.

[0076] In some embodiments, the included angle between the second connecting arm 41 and the first connecting arm 40 is a right angle or an obtuse angle, so as to increase the force arm and enable the connecting rib 4 to easily deform towards the side where the outer bracket 2 is located. Further optionally, the included angle α3 between the second connecting arm 41 and the first connecting arm 40 is 90° to 135°. Further optionally, the included angle α3 is an obtuse angle.

[0077] In some embodiments, the connecting rib 4 further includes a connecting portion 42 connected between the second connecting arm 41 and the outer peripheral surface 3b of the metal sheet body 3. The connecting portion 42 is connected to the end of the second connecting arm 41 away from the first connecting arm 40 and extends towards the side where the metal sheet body 3 is located to be connected to the metal sheet body 3. By providing the connecting portion 42, the distance between the second connecting arm 41 and the metal sheet body 3 can be increased, providing space for the extension and deformation of the metal sheet body 3. And when the metal sheet body 3 extends and deforms, a force is applied to the end of the second connecting arm 41 through the connecting portion 42, and the force arm is larger, making it easier to push the connecting rib 4 to deform.

[0078] It can be understood that the second connecting arms 41 of the two connecting ribs 4 of the connecting rib group do not necessarily extend towards each other. In other embodiments, such asFigure 12 As shown, two second connecting arms 41 extend away from each other.

[0079] Some embodiments of the present invention propose a metal strip, which includes the metal sheet stamping blank as described above.

[0080] In some embodiments, as Figure 13 shown, the metal strip includes a plurality of continuously arranged metal sheet stamping blanks. After the metal sheet stamping blank enters the stamping die, as Figure 14 shown, the outer edge of the metal sheet 3 is first stamped to form a thin wall portion 30, and then a part of the metal sheet 3 is punched out to form the required metal sheet 1. By continuously feeding the metal strip into the stamping die through a feeding mechanism, the required metal sheets 1 can be continuously punched out.

[0081] In some embodiments, the metal strip is initially a solid strip-shaped metal base material, and the metal sheet 1 is directly punched out through multiple punches of a progressive die. As Figure 15 shown, the progressive die includes a plurality of stations arranged in sequence. Each time the metal strip moves forward one station, corresponding operations are performed by the stamping die. Figure 16 The figure shows a schematic diagram of a certain part of the metal base material being punched successively. It can be seen from the figure that through the stamping operations at stations one to five, part of the material of the metal strip is cut off to form the metal sheet stamping blank as described above. At station six, a thin wall portion 30 is formed on the outer edge of the metal sheet 3. At station seven, the metal sheet 1 is punched out. In this way, the metal sheet 1 can be continuously punched out on the metal base material, further improving the forming efficiency. The metal strip has equally spaced guiding pin holes 60 to facilitate the movement of the metal strip and position the metal strip during stamping. The guiding pin holes 60 are punched out at station one.

[0082] Some embodiments of the present invention propose a method for forming a metal sheet to form the metal sheet 1.

[0083] In some embodiments, the method for forming a metal sheet includes the following steps:

[0084] S1. Provide a sheet-shaped metal base material 6, as Figure 17 shown.

[0085] S2. Stamp a metal sheet 3 and connecting ribs 4 on the metal base material 6. Referring to Figure 10 , the part of the metal base material 6 located outside the metal sheet 3 forms an outer bracket 2. The outer contour size of the metal sheet 3 is larger than the outer contour size of the metal sheet 1 to be formed. The metal sheet 3 does not directly contact the outer bracket 2 and is connected to the outer bracket 2 through the connecting ribs 4. This step actually forms the metal sheet stamping blank as described above on the metal base material 6.

[0086] S3. Stamp the outer edge of the metal sheet body 3 to form an annular thin-walled portion 30 on the outer edge of the metal sheet body 3, as Figure 5 shown.

[0087] S4. Punch out a portion on the metal sheet body 3 that is consistent with the outer contour of the metal thin sheet 1. The punched-out portion is the required metal thin sheet 1, as Figure 7 shown.

[0088] It can be understood that the descriptions of the structures and positional relationships of the outer bracket 2, the connecting ribs 4, and the metal sheet body 3, etc. can all refer to the above text.

[0089] In some embodiments, the connecting ribs 4 are arranged in pairs to form a connecting rib group. Each connecting rib group includes two symmetrically arranged connecting ribs 4. For example Figure 10 the structure shown, the description of Figure 10 the structure shown can refer to the above text. In order to more reliably form this structure, in step S2, the step of stamping out the metal sheet body 3 and the connecting ribs 4 on the metal substrate 6 includes the following steps:

[0090] S21. Cut out the material located within the two connecting ribs of the connecting rib group to form Figure 18 the structure shown;

[0091] S22. Cut out the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups to form Figure 10 the structure shown.

[0092] Taking Figure 10 the structure shown as an example, the materials that need to be removed include the first part 70a, the second part 70b, the third part 70c, the fourth part 70d, the fifth part 70e, the sixth part 70f located within the two connecting ribs of the connecting rib group, and the seventh part 71a, the eighth part 71b, the ninth part 71c, the tenth part 71d, the eleventh part 71e, and the twelfth part 71f located between two adjacent connecting rib groups. Among them, the seventh part 71a, the eighth part 71b, the ninth part 71c, and the tenth part 71d correspond to the corners of the metal sheet body 3, and the eleventh part 71e and the twelfth part 71f correspond to the long sides of the metal sheet body 3.

[0093] When cutting off the material on the metal substrate 6, it is necessary to press the upper and lower dies against the parts outside the material to be removed, and then punch off the part to be removed with a punching tool. The larger the solid area of the pressed part, the easier it is to punch off the material to be removed, and the extension deformation of the solid part during punching can be reduced. Since there is relatively less material in the two connecting ribs, after removing the material in this part first, when removing the material between adjacent two connecting rib groups subsequently, the contact area between the die and the metal substrate 6 when pressing the metal substrate 6 is larger, and the forming effect is better. Further, since the connecting rib 4 is relatively thin, if the parts on both sides of it are punched simultaneously, it is difficult for the connecting rib 4 to be reliably pressed and limited by the die, and thus it is difficult to reliably form the connecting rib 4. Therefore, punching off the materials on both sides of the connecting rib 4 successively instead of simultaneously can better form the connecting rib 4 and reduce the precision requirements for the die.

[0094] Optionally, when cutting off the material between adjacent two connecting rib groups, the materials on both sides of the connecting rib group are cut off in batches. For example, the seventh part 71a and the eighth part 71b can be cut off simultaneously, rather than the seventh part 71a and the eleventh part 71e being cut off simultaneously. Since the connecting rib 4 is relatively thin, by cutting off the materials on both sides of the connecting rib group in batches, the contact area between the die and the solid near the connecting rib 4 is relatively large during each punching, which is beneficial to improving the forming quality and reliability.

[0095] Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, the metal sheet 3 has a length direction and a width direction. Two groups of connecting rib groups are provided at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet 3, and one group of connecting rib groups is provided at both ends in the length direction of the metal sheet 3. In step S21, when cutting off the material between adjacent two connecting rib groups, the following steps may be included:

[0096] S211. Cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet 3 between adjacent two connecting rib groups;

[0097] S212. Cut off the material between adjacent two connecting rib groups at the same end in the width direction of the metal sheet 3.

[0098] For example, the seventh part 71a, the eighth part 71b, the ninth part 71c, and the tenth part 71d corresponding to the corners of the metal sheet body 3 can be first punched and cut off, and then the eleventh part 71e and the twelfth part 71f can be punched and cut off. It can be understood that the above steps do not limit that all the materials corresponding to the corners must be cut off first and then the materials corresponding to the long sides are cut off. Instead, it means that for the connecting rib group 4 adjacent to both the materials corresponding to the corners and the materials corresponding to the long sides of the metal sheet body 3, when punching and cutting, the materials corresponding to the corners of the metal sheet body 3 are punched and cut first, and then the materials corresponding to the long sides of the metal sheet body 3 are punched and cut. For example, taking the connecting rib group in the upper right corner as an example, the seventh part 71a needs to be punched and cut first, and then the eleventh part 71e is punched and cut.

[0099] The materials between two adjacent connecting rib groups can be removed in multiple times, for example, one is punched off at a time. To improve production efficiency, when punching and cutting off the materials corresponding to the corners of the metal sheet body 3 between two adjacent connecting rib groups, two materials corresponding to the corners can be punched off at one time. Optionally, the materials corresponding to the corners located at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body 3 are punched and cut off in multiple times. Exemplarily, the seventh part 71a and the eighth part 71b are first punched and cut off, and then the ninth part 71c and the tenth part 71d are punched and cut off. To further improve production efficiency, when punching and cutting off the ninth part 71c and the tenth part 71d, the eleventh part 71e can be cut off simultaneously, and then the twelfth part 71f is cut off.

[0100] Optionally, when punching and cutting off the materials between two adjacent connecting rib groups located at the same end in the width direction of the metal sheet body 3, the materials located at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body 3 are punched and cut off in multiple times. For example, the eleventh part 71e is first punched and cut off, and then the twelfth part 71f is punched and cut off. It can be understood that the materials located at both ends in the width direction of the metal sheet body 3 correspond to the long sides of the metal sheet body 3.

[0101] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 15 , the metal substrate 6 is in a strip shape, that is, the metal substrate 6 is a strip structure, and it is provided with equally spaced guiding pin holes 60 to facilitate the movement and positioning of the metal substrate 6. At this time, the forming method of the metal thin sheet can be performed by a progressive die. As described above, the metal thin sheet stamping blank can be formed by punching and cutting multiple times by the progressive die, and then the outer edge of the metal sheet is stamped to form the thin wall portion 30, and finally the metal thin sheet 1 is punched off.

[0102] Optionally, when punching and cutting off the materials between two adjacent connecting rib groups, the materials biased towards the side where the subsequent station is located are punched and cut off first, and then the materials biased towards the side where the previous station is located are punched and cut off. The side where the subsequent station is located refers to the advancing side of the strip, and the side where the previous station is located refers to the opposite side of the advancing side. Taking Figure 10Taking the shown structure as an example, when punching the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet 3, the seventh part 71a and the eighth part 71b close to the subsequent station can be punched off first, and then the ninth part 71c and the tenth part 71d close to the previous station can be cut off. When punching the material corresponding to the long side of the metal sheet 3, the eleventh part 71e close to the subsequent station can be punched off first, and then the twelfth part 71f close to the previous station can be punched off.

[0103] It can be understood that each station is arranged adjacent to each other in sequence, and the station of the subsequent punching process is adjacent to the station of the previous punching process. As shown in Figure 19 shown, Figure 19 In the figure, a schematic diagram of the positions of the materials punched at each station during progressive die stamping is shown by dotted lines. It can be seen from the figure that when the material on the side of the subsequent station is punched off first and then the material on the side of the previous station is punched off, the positions of the materials to be punched at adjacent stations are relatively symmetrical during each punching, and the corresponding punch positions are also relatively symmetrical. For example, when the seventh part 71a, the eighth part 71b, the ninth part 71c, and the tenth part 71d are simultaneously punched at station three and station four, the seventh part 71a and the tenth part 71d are relatively symmetrical, and the eighth part 71b and the ninth part 71c are relatively symmetrical. When the eleventh part 71e and the twelfth part 71f are simultaneously punched at station four and station five, the eleventh part 71e and the twelfth part 71f are relatively symmetrical. Since the materials being punched simultaneously are relatively symmetrical, the force on the material between adjacent stations is also more symmetrical during punching, which is beneficial to preventing the material from stretching and extending to one side, thus ensuring the dimensional accuracy of punching.

[0104] It can be understood that when the seventh part 71a and the eighth part 71b are simultaneously cut off at the same station, and the ninth part 71c and the tenth part 71d are simultaneously cut off at the same station, since the seventh part 71a and the eighth part 71b are relatively symmetrical, and the ninth part 71c and the tenth part 71d are also relatively symmetrical, therefore, the force on the material in the length direction of the metal sheet body 3 during punching is also more symmetrical, which is beneficial to ensuring the dimensional accuracy of punching.

[0105] The following introduces a feasible method for forming a metal thin sheet, which is manufactured by a progressive die. The progressive die includes station one to station eight. Referring to Figure 19 , the work carried out at each station is as follows:

[0106] Station one: Punch guide holes. Specifically, punch guide pin holes 60 on both sides in the width direction of the strip. The width direction and the length direction of the strip correspond to the length direction and the width direction of the metal sheet body 3 respectively. Optionally, the guide pin holes 60 are located between two adjacent outer brackets 2, and half of the guide pin holes 60 is located on one outer bracket 2, and the other half is located on the other outer bracket 2.

[0107] Station 2: Punch out the parts within two connecting ribs 4 of the connecting rib group, namely the first part 70a, the second part 70b, the third part 70c, the fourth part 70d, the fifth part 70e, and the sixth part 70f. It can be understood that the shapes and positions of these parts depend on the shape and position of the connecting rib group.

[0108] Station 3: Punch out the materials between adjacent two connecting rib groups corresponding to the corners of the metal sheet body 3 close to the next station (Station 4), that is, punch out the seventh part 71a and the eighth part 71b.

[0109] Station 4: Punch out the materials between adjacent two connecting rib groups corresponding to the corners of the metal sheet body 3 close to the previous station (Station 3), and at the same time punch out the materials between adjacent two connecting rib groups corresponding to the long sides of the metal sheet body 3 close to the next station (Station 5), that is, punch out the ninth part 71c, the tenth part 71d, and the eleventh part 71e.

[0110] Station 5: Punch out the materials between adjacent two connecting rib groups corresponding to the long sides of the metal sheet body 3 close to the previous station (Station 4), that is, punch out the twelfth part 71f.

[0111] Station 6: Stamp the outer edge of the metal sheet body 3 to form a thin-walled part 30. The inner contour of the thin-walled part 30 is consistent with the outer contour of the middle part 11 of the metal thin sheet 1 to be formed.

[0112] Station 7: Punch the metal sheet body 3. The outer contour of the punched part is consistent with the outer contour of the metal thin sheet 1 to be formed. The punched part is the metal thin sheet 1 to be produced.

[0113] Optionally, in the above stations, at least Stations 3 to 5 are arranged adjacent to each other in sequence and are punched simultaneously to make the punching process more reliable and the formed dimensional accuracy higher. Further optionally, Stations 1 to 7 are all arranged adjacent to each other in sequence and work simultaneously to improve production efficiency and the compactness of the progressive die.

[0114] It can be understood that when the progressive die is working, the strip moves from Station 1 to Station 7, and each time it moves one station. Each time it moves one station, the progressive die performs a stamping / punching action to complete the work corresponding to each station.

[0115] It can be understood that if Figure 13 the strip corresponding to the metal thin sheet stamping blank shown is to be formed, the progressive die can only retain Stations 1 to 5.

[0116] It can be understood that forming the metal sheet by continuous die can improve production efficiency, but it is not necessary. For example, the work content of different stations can be completed through multiple dies in different steps, and the metal substrate 6 does not have to be in the form of a strip. It can be a single piece, and the metal sheet 1 is formed through multiple dies.

[0117] It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments in this text can be combined with each other to obtain more implementation schemes.

[0118] The above are only specific implementation manners of the present invention, and any improvements made on the premise of the present invention concept are regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for forming a metal sheet, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: Provide a sheet-shaped metal substrate (6); Punch out a metal sheet body (3) and connecting ribs (4) on the metal substrate (6). The part of the metal substrate (6) located outside the metal sheet body (3) forms an outer bracket (2). The outer contour size of the metal sheet body (3) is larger than the outer contour size of the metal thin sheet (1) to be formed. The metal sheet body (3) does not directly contact the outer bracket (2) and is connected to the outer bracket (2) through the connecting ribs (4); Stamp the outer edge of the metal sheet body (3) to form an annular thin wall portion (30) on the outer edge of the metal sheet body (3); Punch out a part on the metal sheet body (3) that is consistent with the outer contour of the metal thin sheet (1).

2. The method for forming a metal sheet according to claim 1, wherein The distance between the outer contour of the metal sheet body (3) and the outer contour of the metal thin sheet (1) is 0.5 mm to 5 mm, and the metal sheet body (3) is arranged in imitation of the metal thin sheet (1) to be formed; 3. The metal sheet forming method according to claim 1, wherein The connecting ribs (4) are arranged in pairs to form a connecting rib group. Each connecting rib group includes two symmetrically arranged connecting ribs (4); The step of punching out the metal sheet body (3) and the connecting ribs (4) on the metal substrate (6) includes the following steps: Punch out the material located within the two connecting ribs of the connecting rib group; Punch out the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups; 4. The method for forming a metal sheet as claimed in claim 3, wherein The metal substrate (6) is in a strip shape and is provided with equally spaced guiding pin holes (60). The metal thin sheet forming method is performed by a progressive die; When punching out the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups, first punch out the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body (3) close to the next station, and then punch out the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body (3) close to the previous station; 5. The method for forming a metal sheet according to claim 3, characterized in that, When punching out the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups, punch out the material located on both sides of the connecting rib group in multiple times; 6. The method for forming a metal sheet according to claim 3, wherein, The metal sheet body (3) has a length direction and a width direction. Two groups of connecting rib groups are arranged at both ends of the width direction of the metal sheet body (3), and one group of connecting rib groups is arranged at both ends of the length direction of the metal sheet body (3); The step of punching out the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups includes the following steps: Punch out the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body (3) between two adjacent connecting rib groups; Punch out the material between two adjacent connecting rib groups at the same end of the width direction of the metal sheet body (3); 7. The method for forming a metal sheet as claimed in claim 6, wherein When punching out the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body (3) between two adjacent connecting rib groups, punch out the material located at both ends of the width direction of the metal sheet body (3) in multiple times; 8. The method for forming a metal sheet according to claim 6, wherein When punching out the material between two adjacent connecting rib groups at the same end of the width direction of the metal sheet body (3), punch out the material located at both ends of the width direction of the metal sheet body (3) in multiple times; 9. The method for forming a metal sheet according to claim 6, characterized in that, [[ID=!9]]The metal substrate (6) is in a strip shape and is provided with equally spaced guiding pin holes (60). The metal thin sheet forming method is performed by a progressive die. The progressive die includes a plurality of stations arranged in sequence; When cutting off the material located between two adjacent connecting rib groups, first cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body (3) close to the subsequent station; then cut off the material corresponding to the corner of the metal sheet body (3) close to the previous station, and at the same time cut off the material between the two connecting rib groups corresponding to the long side of the metal sheet body (3) close to the subsequent station; after that, cut off the material between the two connecting rib groups corresponding to the long side of the metal sheet body (3) close to the previous station.

10. The method for forming a metal sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The connecting rib (4) includes a first connecting arm (40) connected to the inner peripheral surface of the outer support (2) and a second connecting arm (41) connected to the outer peripheral surface of the metal sheet body (3), and the first connecting arm (40) and the second connecting arm (41) are connected and arranged at an angle.

11. The method for forming a metal sheet as claimed in claim 10, wherein, The first connecting arm (40) is inclined relative to the inner peripheral surface of the outer support (2) to which it is connected, the second connecting arm (41) is inclined relative to the outer peripheral surface of the metal sheet body (3) to which it is connected, and the included angle between the second connecting arm (41) and the first connecting arm (40) is an obtuse angle. The end of the second connecting arm (41) close to the first connecting arm (40) is closer to the metal sheet body (3) than its end far from the first connecting arm (40).

12. The method for forming a metal sheet according to claim 11, characterized in that, The connecting rib (4) further includes a connecting portion (42) connected between the second connecting arm (41) and the outer peripheral surface of the metal sheet body (3), and the connecting portion (42) is connected to the end of the second connecting arm (41) far from the first connecting arm (40).

13. The method for forming a metal sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The metal thin sheet is the cover plate of the battery. The thickness of the metal thin sheet (1) is 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm, and the outer edge of the cover plate has an annular groove (10).

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