Wire feeding mechanism and evaporation coating equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of vacuum coating, in particular to a wire feeding mechanism and evaporation coating equipment. The wire feeding mechanism comprises a first driving assembly, a second driving assembly and a wire feeding motor, the first driving assembly comprises a first driving part and a first platform, and the first driving part is in transmission connection with the first platform so as to drive the first platform to slide in the X direction. The second driving assembly comprises a second driving part and a second platform, the second platform is arranged on the first platform and can slide in the Y direction, and the second driving part is in transmission connection with the second platform. The wire feeding motor is arranged on the second platform and used for conveying aluminum wires to the evaporation boat, and the first driving part and the second driving part can be independently opened and closed or synchronously opened and closed so as to adjust the position of the aluminum wires conveyed to the position above the evaporation boat. The evaporation coating equipment comprises the wire feeding mechanism, and the aluminum wires can be prevented from being located at the same position of the evaporation boat so as to improve the aluminum splashing phenomenon. Meanwhile, the service life of the evaporation boat is prolonged, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vacuum coating, and in particular to a wire feeding mechanism and evaporation coating equipment. Background Art

[0002] In lithium-ion batteries, the new composite aluminum foil current collector is a multi-layer composite structure with a "polymer substrate intermediate layer + a thin conductive metal layer". When a short circuit occurs in the battery, it can provide a larger resistance through melting and insulation, so as to cut off or reduce the short-circuit current in a short time, effectively preventing the battery from thermal runaway and improving the safety of the battery.

[0003] During the evaporation coating process for composite aluminum foil current collectors, a wire feed mechanism delivers aluminum wire to the surface of the evaporation boat. Since the aluminum wire remains in the same position on the boat, a high molten pool forms on the boat's surface. When the molten pool exceeds one-third of the boat's thickness, it causes severe aluminum splashing, forming holes in the composite aluminum foil and severely reducing the quality of the composite aluminum foil current collector. To minimize the formation of holes, the evaporation boat must be replaced promptly when the molten pool height has not yet reached one-third of the boat's thickness. This shortens the boat's service life and significantly increases production costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a wire feeding mechanism and evaporation coating equipment to avoid the formation of an excessively high molten pool on the surface of the evaporation boat, which leads to aluminum splashing, while extending the service life of the evaporation boat and reducing production costs.

[0005] To achieve this object, the technical solution adopted in the present invention is:

[0006] Wire feeding mechanism, including:

[0007] A first driving assembly includes a first driving member and a first platform, wherein the first driving member is in transmission connection with the first platform to drive the first platform to slide along the X direction;

[0008] A second driving assembly includes a second driving member and a second platform, wherein the second platform is disposed on the first platform and is capable of sliding along the Y direction, and the second driving member is in transmission connection with the second platform;

[0009] A wire feeding motor is provided on the second platform and is used to feed aluminum wire to the evaporation boat. The first driving member and the second driving member can be opened and closed individually or synchronously to adjust the position of the aluminum wire fed to the top of the evaporation boat.

[0010] As a preferred solution, the first drive assembly further includes:

[0011] a first gear, the output end of the first driving member being connected to the first gear;

[0012] A first rack extends along the X direction, and the first gear is engaged with the first rack.

[0013] As a preferred solution, the first driving assembly further includes a first slide rail, the first slide rail extends along the X direction, and the first platform is slidably disposed on the first slide rail.

[0014] As a preferred solution, the second drive assembly further includes:

[0015] a second gear, the output end of the second driving member being connected to the second gear;

[0016] A second rack is provided on the first platform along the Y direction, and the second gear is engaged with the second rack.

[0017] As a preferred solution, the second driving assembly further includes a second slide rail, the second slide rail is arranged on the first platform along the Y direction, and the second platform is slidably arranged on the second slide rail.

[0018] As a preferred solution, the wire feeding mechanism also includes a third drive assembly, which includes a third drive member and a third platform. The wire feeding motor is installed on the third platform, and the third drive member is transmission-connected to the third platform to drive the third platform to rotate relative to the second platform to adjust the distance between the aluminum wire transported to the top of the evaporation boat and the evaporation boat.

[0019] As a preferred solution, the third driving assembly further includes a support rod, one end of the support rod is arranged on the second platform, the other end of the support rod is rotatably provided with the third platform, and the third driving member is arranged on the second platform.

[0020] As a preferred solution, the third driving member is an electric push rod, which is arranged on the second platform, and the output end of the electric push rod is pivotally connected to the second platform.

[0021] As a preferred solution, both the first driving member and the second driving member are servo motors.

[0022] The evaporation coating equipment comprises a vacuum chamber, an evaporation boat and the above-mentioned wire feeding mechanism, wherein the evaporation boat and the wire feeding mechanism are both located in the vacuum chamber.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0024] The wire feeding mechanism proposed by the present invention has a first driving member that drives the wire feeding motor to move in the X direction via the first platform when the first driving member is turned on alone, and drives the wire feeding motor to move in the Y direction via the second platform when the second driving member is turned on alone. When the first driving member and the second driving member are turned on at the same time, they drive the wire feeding motor to move in a straight line, and the movement trajectory is set at an angle to the X direction and the Y direction respectively. By controlling the opening and closing of the first driving member and the second driving member, the movement trajectory of the aluminum wire transported to the top of the evaporation boat can be flexibly adjusted to prevent the aluminum wire from always being in the same position on the evaporation boat and to prevent an excessively high molten pool from forming on the surface of the evaporation boat, thereby improving the phenomenon of aluminum splashing and preventing holes in the current collector due to aluminum splashing. At the same time, the service life of the evaporation boat is extended, the number of replacement times of the evaporation boat is reduced, and the production cost is reduced.

[0025] The evaporation coating equipment proposed in the present invention includes the aforementioned wire feeding mechanism. By controlling the opening and closing of the first and second driving members, the movement trajectory of the aluminum wire delivered to the top of the evaporation boat can be flexibly adjusted. This prevents the aluminum wire from always remaining in the same position on the evaporation boat, preventing the formation of an excessively high molten pool on the surface of the evaporation boat. This improves aluminum splashing and prevents the formation of holes in the current collector caused by splashing aluminum. Furthermore, this extends the service life of the evaporation boat, reduces the number of boat replacements, and lowers production costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the wire feeding mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] The names and numbers of the components in the figure are as follows:

[0028] 100, aluminum wire;

[0029] 1. First driving member; 2. First platform; 3. Second driving member; 4. Second platform; 5. Wire feeding motor; 6. First gear; 7. First rack; 8. First slide rail; 9. Second gear; 10. Second rack; 11. Second slide rail; 12. Third driving member; 13. Third platform; 14. Support rod; 15. Pulley. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] To make the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical solutions adopted, and the technical effects achieved more clearly, the technical solutions of the present invention are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for the purpose of explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, the drawings only show portions relevant to the present invention, not all of them.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in specific circumstances.

[0032] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0033] In the description of this embodiment, terms such as "upper," "lower," "right," and "left" are used to refer to positions or locations based on those shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are intended solely to facilitate description and simplify operation, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used solely for descriptive purposes and have no special meaning.

[0034] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods.

[0035] This embodiment discloses an evaporation coating device, which is mainly used to prepare a composite aluminum foil current collector. Of course, it can also be used to prepare other products that require vacuum evaporation coating, which is not specifically limited here.

[0036] Specifically, if Figure 1 As shown, the evaporation coating apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, an evaporation boat, and a wire feeder, both located within the vacuum chamber. The wire feeder is used to transport aluminum wire 100 above the evaporation boat, where it forms an aluminum metal layer on the surface of the base film. Since the specific structure and operating principle of the evaporation coating apparatus are known from the prior art, the process for preparing a composite aluminum foil current collector using the evaporation coating apparatus will not be described in detail.

[0037] In the existing evaporation coating process, a wire feed mechanism delivers aluminum wire 100 to the surface of the evaporation boat. Since the aluminum wire 100 remains in the same position on the evaporation boat, a relatively high molten pool forms on the boat's surface. When the molten pool exceeds one-third of the boat's thickness, it causes severe aluminum splashing, resulting in holes in the composite aluminum foil and severely reducing the quality of the composite aluminum foil's current collector. To minimize the formation of holes, the evaporation boat must be replaced promptly when the molten pool height has not yet reached one-third of the boat's thickness. This shortens the boat's service life and significantly increases production costs.

[0038] To solve the above problems, Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment also provides a wire feeding mechanism, which includes a first drive assembly, a second drive assembly, and a wire feeding motor 5. The first drive assembly includes a first drive member 1 and a first platform 2. The first drive member 1 is in transmission connection with the first platform 2 to drive the first platform 2 to slide in the X direction. The second drive assembly includes a second drive member 3 and a second platform 4. The second platform 4 is disposed on the first platform 2 and can slide in the Y direction. The second drive member 3 is in transmission connection with the second platform 4. The wire feeding motor 5 is disposed on the second platform 4 and is used to feed the aluminum wire 100 to the evaporation boat. The first drive member 1 and the second drive member 3 can be opened and closed independently or synchronously to adjust the position of the aluminum wire 100 fed to the evaporation boat.

[0039] When the first driving member 1 is turned on alone, it drives the wire feeding motor 5 to move in the X direction through the first platform 2. When the second driving member 3 is turned on alone, it drives the wire feeding motor 5 to move in the Y direction through the second platform 4. When the first driving member 1 and the second driving member 3 are turned on at the same time, they drive the wire feeding motor 5 to move in a straight line, and the movement trajectory is set at an angle to the X direction and the Y direction respectively. By controlling the opening and closing of the first driving member 1 and the second driving member 3, the movement trajectory of the aluminum wire 100 transported to the top of the evaporation boat can be flexibly adjusted to prevent the aluminum wire 100 from always being in the same position of the evaporation boat and to prevent an excessively high molten pool from forming on the surface of the evaporation boat, thereby improving the phenomenon of aluminum splashing to avoid holes in the current collector due to aluminum splashing. At the same time, the service life of the evaporation boat is extended, the number of replacement times of the evaporation boat is reduced, and the production cost is reduced.

[0040] In this embodiment, for ease of description, the X-direction has first and second directions facing in opposite directions, and the Y-direction has third and fourth directions facing in opposite directions. When the first drive member 1 is turned on alone, it drives the second platform 4 and the wire feed motor 5 to move in the first direction of the X-direction via the first platform 2. At this time, the aluminum wire 100 fed by the wire feed mechanism moves a certain distance in the X-direction. The first drive member 1 then drives the wire feed motor 5 to move in the second direction of the X-direction. Simultaneously, the second drive member 3 is turned on and drives the wire feed motor 5 to move in the third direction of the Y-direction. At this time, the aluminum wire 100 above the evaporation boat moves simultaneously in the X-direction and the Y-direction, with the movement trajectory of the aluminum wire 100 being set at an angle to the X-direction and the Y-direction, respectively. After the wire feed motor 5 moves in the first direction of the X-direction and resets, the second drive member 3 is turned off. The first drive member 1 drives the second platform 4 and the wire feed motor 5 to move again in the first direction of the X-direction via the first platform 2. This causes the aluminum wire 100 to form a Z-shaped movement trajectory above the evaporation boat, preventing the aluminum wire 100 from remaining in the same position above the evaporation boat for a long time and avoiding the formation of an excessively high molten pool on the evaporation boat. Of course, in other embodiments, the opening and closing of the first driving member 1 and the second driving member 3 can be flexibly adjusted so that the aluminum wire 100 has different movement trajectories (for example, an eight-shaped, a triangle, etc.), and it is only necessary to ensure that the aluminum wire 100 does not stay in the same position on the evaporation boat for a long time.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the first drive assembly further includes a first gear 6 and a first rack 7. The output end of the first drive member 1 is connected to the first gear 6. The first rack 7 extends in the X-direction and meshes with the first gear 6. This meshing engagement between the first gear 6 and the first rack 7 transmits high power, ensuring stable and reliable operation and a constant transmission ratio, thereby enhancing the stability of the reciprocating movement of the first platform 2 in the X-direction.

[0042] Furthermore, the first drive assembly further includes a first slide rail 8, which extends along the X direction, and the first platform 2 is slidably disposed on the first slide rail 8. The first slide rail 8 can guide and limit the sliding process of the first platform 2, thereby improving the accuracy of the sliding process of the first platform 2 along the X direction.

[0043] Specifically, the first rack 7 and the first slide rail 8 are both fixedly mounted within the vacuum chamber. A dovetail groove is provided on the bottom of the first platform 2 that mates with the first slide rail 8, allowing the first platform 2 to slide on the first slide rail 8 via the dovetail groove. In this embodiment, two first slide rails 8 are provided, spaced apart within the vacuum chamber along the Y direction. Two corresponding dovetail grooves are provided on the bottom of the first platform 2 to further enhance the stability of the first platform 2 during its sliding along the X direction. Of course, the number of first slide rails 8 can also be three or four or more.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the second drive assembly also includes a second gear 9 and a second rack 10. The output end of the second drive member 3 is connected to the second gear 9. The second rack 10 is disposed on the first platform 2 along the Y direction, and the second gear 9 meshes with the second rack 10. The meshing of the second rack 10 and the second gear 9 transmits high power, stable and reliable operation, and can maintain a constant transmission ratio, thereby improving the stability of the reciprocating movement of the second platform 4 along the Y direction.

[0045] Furthermore, the second drive assembly also includes a second slide rail 11, which is arranged on the first platform 2 along the Y direction, and the second platform 4 is slidably arranged on the second slide rail 11. The second slide rail 11 can play a guiding and limiting role in the sliding process of the second platform 4, thereby improving the accuracy of the sliding process of the second platform 4 along the Y direction. Specifically, the second rack 10 and the second slide rail 11 are both fixedly mounted on the first platform 2. Among them, the bottom of the second platform 4 is provided with a dovetail groove adapted to the second slide rail 11, so that the second platform 4 is slidably arranged on the second slide rail 11 through the dovetail groove. There are two second slide rails 11 in this embodiment, and the two second slide rails 11 are arranged on the first platform 2 at intervals along the X direction. The bottom of the second platform 4 is correspondingly provided with two dovetail grooves to further improve the stability of the second platform 4 in the sliding process along the Y direction. Of course, the number of second slide rails 11 can also be three or more.

[0046] It should be noted that the first driving member 1 and the second driving member 3 of this embodiment are both servo motors. Servo motors are easy to install and use, and have the advantages of high precision, strong overload resistance and smooth low-speed operation, which improves the stability of the wire feeding motor 5 during movement.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the wire feeding mechanism also includes a third drive assembly, which includes a third drive member 12 and a third platform 13. The wire feeding motor 5 is mounted on the third platform 13. The third drive member 12 is connected to the third platform 13 in a transmission manner to drive the third platform 13 to rotate relative to the second platform 4 to adjust the distance between the aluminum wire 100 delivered to the evaporation boat and the evaporation boat. During evaporation coating, the third drive member 12 drives the third platform 13 to rotate relative to the second platform 4 (in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure), thereby reducing the angle between the wire feeding tube of the wire feeding motor 5 and the surface of the evaporation boat, shortening the wire feeding distance, and bringing the aluminum wire 100 closer to the evaporation boat. When the evaporation coating is completed, the third drive member 12 drives the third platform 13 to rotate in the opposite direction relative to the second platform 4 (in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure), so that the wire feeding tube quickly moves away from the surface of the evaporation boat, preventing the aluminum wire 100 from melting due to the residual heat of the evaporation boat and dripping onto the surface of the evaporation boat, preventing contamination and cracking of the evaporation boat surface, improving protection for the evaporation boat, and extending the service life of the evaporation boat.

[0048] Specifically, the third drive assembly further includes a support rod 14, one end of the support rod 14 is disposed on the second platform 4, the other end of the support rod 14 is rotatably provided with the third platform 13, and the third drive member 12 is provided on the second platform 4. The third platform 13 is rotatably mounted on the second platform 4 via the support rod 14, so that an installation space is formed between the second platform 4 and the third platform 13. The second drive member 3 and the third drive member 12 are both mounted above the second platform 4 and located between the second platform 4 and the third platform 13, thereby achieving a compact installation of the wire feeding mechanism.

[0049] Furthermore, the third driving member 12 is an electric push rod, which is arranged on the second platform 4, and the output end of the electric push rod is pivotally connected to the second platform 4. The electric push rod has the characteristics of small size, no oil leakage, easy installation and maintenance, and much longer service life than mechanisms such as cylinders. There are two electric push rods in this embodiment, and the two electric push rods are arranged on the second platform 4 at intervals along the Y direction, and the push rod ends of the electric push rods are pivotally connected to the third platform 13 through a rotating shaft. During evaporation coating, the push rod extends and drives the third platform 13 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, so that the aluminum wire 100 is closer to the evaporation boat. When the evaporation coating is completed, the push rod retracts and drives the third platform 13 to rotate in the opposite direction of the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, so that the aluminum wire 100 quickly moves away from the surface of the evaporation boat.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, a pulley 15 is also mounted on the third platform 13. Aluminum wire 100 is wound around the wire feed reel. When the wire feed reel unwinds, the aluminum wire 100 is wound around the pulley 15 and fed to the top of the evaporation boat through the wire feed tube of the wire feed motor 5. The pulley 15 guides and straightens the aluminum wire 100, improving the stability of the wire feeding process.

[0051] The above embodiments merely illustrate the basic principles and features of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection claimed in the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Wire feeding mechanism, characterized in that, include: A first driving assembly comprises a first driving member (1) and a first platform (2), wherein the first driving member (1) is in transmission connection with the first platform (2) to drive the first platform (2) to slide along the X direction; A second driving assembly comprises a second driving member (3) and a second platform (4), wherein the second platform (4) is arranged on the first platform (2) and is capable of sliding along the Y direction, and the second driving member (3) is transmission-connected to the second platform (4); A wire feeding motor (5) is provided on the second platform (4), and is used to feed aluminum wire (100) to the evaporation boat. The first driving member (1) and the second driving member (3) can be opened and closed individually or synchronously to adjust the position of the aluminum wire (100) fed to the top of the evaporation boat.

2. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first drive assembly further includes: a first gear (6), the output end of the first driving member (1) being connected to the first gear (6); A first rack (7), wherein the first rack (7) extends along the X direction, and the first gear (6) is meshed with the first rack (7).

3. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first driving assembly further comprises a first slide rail (8), the first slide rail (8) extending along the X direction, and the first platform (2) is slidably arranged on the first slide rail (8).

4. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second drive assembly further includes: a second gear (9), the output end of the second driving member (3) being connected to the second gear (9); A second rack (10), wherein the second rack (10) is arranged on the first platform (2) along the Y direction, and the second gear (9) is meshed with the second rack (10).

5. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second driving assembly further comprises a second slide rail (11), wherein the second slide rail (11) is arranged on the first platform (2) along the Y direction, and the second platform (4) is slidably arranged on the second slide rail (11).

6. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wire feeding mechanism also includes a third driving assembly, which includes a third driving member (12) and a third platform (13). The wire feeding motor (5) is installed on the third platform (13). The third driving member (12) is transmission-connected to the third platform (13) to drive the third platform (13) to rotate relative to the second platform (4) to adjust the distance between the aluminum wire (100) transported to the top of the evaporation boat and the evaporation boat.

7. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The third driving assembly further comprises a support rod (14), one end of the support rod (14) is arranged on the second platform (4), the other end of the support rod (14) is rotatably provided with the third platform (13), and the third driving member (12) is arranged on the second platform (4).

8. The wire feeding mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The third driving member (12) is an electric push rod, which is arranged on the second platform (4), and the output end of the electric push rod is pivotally connected to the second platform (4).

9. The wire feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The first driving member (1) and the second driving member (3) are both servo motors.

10. Evaporation coating equipment, characterized in that, The invention comprises a vacuum chamber, an evaporation boat and a wire feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the evaporation boat and the wire feeding mechanism are both located in the vacuum chamber.

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