Flexible module battery cell distance expansion device and distance expansion method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a flexible component battery cell expansion device and expansion method, which belongs to the field of flexible battery technology. The expansion device includes a suction block assembly and a drive assembly; the drive assembly drives multiple active suction blocks to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure along the diagonal of the array structure, and the multiple active suction blocks synchronously drive the multiple driven suction blocks to move through the transverse guide rods and the longitudinal guide rods, so that the multiple battery cells are expanded to each other. The present invention drives the linkage of the active suction blocks on the diagonal by the drive assembly, and combines the transverse / longitudinal guide rods to synchronously drive the driven suction blocks, so as to complete the horizontal and vertical equal-spacing expansion of the battery cell array at one time, greatly improve production efficiency, and completely avoid the risk of misalignment during the circulation process. The present invention realizes non-proportional expansion of the transverse and longitudinal expansion amounts by adjusting the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods to meet the requirements of different battery cell layouts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of flexible batteries, and in particular relates to a flexible component battery cell expansion device and expansion method. Background Art

[0002] To achieve the flexible and rollable function of solar cells, large-size cells need to be divided into hundreds of small cells, and the small cells need to be arranged at equal intervals in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0003] Chinese patent publication number CN118658814A discloses an equal-pitch spacing device and a horizontal and vertical spacing device. The horizontal and vertical spacing device first uses an expansion mechanism to expand multiple battery cells in a third direction so that the multiple battery cells are arranged at equal intervals in the third direction (horizontal direction), and then uses another expansion mechanism to expand the multiple battery cells in a fourth direction so that the multiple battery cells are arranged at equal intervals in the fourth direction (longitudinal direction), thereby achieving the successive expansion of multiple battery cells in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0004] This patent has some areas for improvement: First, its lateral expansion and longitudinal expansion are performed on two independent devices respectively. Each expansion requires the process of lowering the device, adsorbing the battery cells, raising the device, expanding the battery cells, lowering the device, separating the battery cells, and raising the device. Two independent expansions require repeating the above process twice, which seriously affects actual production efficiency. Second, because the lateral expansion and longitudinal expansion of the existing technology are performed on two independent devices respectively, the battery cells still need to go through the circulation process after lateral expansion before they can be longitudinally expanded. During the circulation process, there may be problems with the battery cells being out of order or misaligned, which seriously affects the accuracy of longitudinal expansion and thus affects the battery yield.

[0005] Furthermore, a Chinese patent with publication number CN119997657A discloses a high-precision distance expansion device and distance expansion method for flexible component battery cells. The device includes a support frame, a vacuum adsorption component, a transverse crank distance expansion component and a longitudinal slide distance expansion component; the vacuum adsorption component is used to adsorb multiple battery cells that are neatly laid out and close to each other through the bottom surface; the transverse crank distance expansion component is used to drive the vacuum adsorption component to split from a first direction to separate multiple battery cells at equal intervals; the longitudinal slide distance expansion component is used to drive the vacuum adsorption component to split from a second direction to separate multiple battery cells at equal intervals. The device simultaneously completes transverse and longitudinal distance expansion through an integrated device.

[0006] This patent still has room for improvement. First, while this patent addresses the issues of the first patent through an integrated device, the lateral and longitudinal expansion steps in this integrated device are essentially performed in separate steps. Due to its structural limitations, the first-direction expansion must be completed before the second-direction expansion can proceed. If these steps are performed simultaneously, there is a significant risk of mechanical interference, and high-precision expansion is difficult to achieve. Its production efficiency still needs improvement. Second, the lateral and longitudinal expansion gaps in this patent are essentially unadjustable, limiting its applicability. Specifically, lateral expansion is entirely dependent on the crankshaft design. The first and second shaft diameters of each crankshaft are fixed, meaning the lateral spacing is determined during the mechanical design phase. Changing the spacing requires replacing the entire crankshaft assembly, resulting in high equipment costs. Regarding longitudinal expansion, the fixed major diameter of the stop ring limits the minimum expansion. While adjustment can be made by replacing the stop ring, each replacement requires disassembly and reassembly of the entire slider system, resulting in high labor costs.

[0007] It should be noted that this part of the present invention only provides background technology related to the present invention and does not necessarily constitute prior art or public known technology. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention provides a flexible component battery cell expansion device and expansion method, which at least solves the technical problems of the prior art in which lateral expansion and longitudinal expansion are carried out in steps, the production efficiency is low, the lateral and longitudinal expansion gaps cannot be adjusted, and the applicability is not wide enough.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a flexible component battery cell expansion device, comprising a suction block assembly and a driving assembly; the suction block assembly comprises a plurality of suction blocks that together form an array structure, the plurality of suction blocks adsorb a plurality of battery cells through the bottom surface, the plurality of suction blocks in each row of the array structure are jointly arranged on a transverse guide rod, and the plurality of suction blocks in each column of the array structure are jointly arranged on a longitudinal guide rod; the plurality of suction blocks comprise a central suction block, a plurality of active suction blocks, and a plurality of driven suction blocks, the central suction block is fixedly arranged at the center of the array structure, the plurality of active suction blocks are arranged on the two diagonals of the array structure, and the plurality of driven suction blocks are filled in the remaining positions of the array structure; the driving assembly is arranged on the suction block assembly; wherein the driving assembly drives the plurality of active suction blocks to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure along the diagonals of the array structure, and the plurality of active suction blocks synchronously drive the plurality of driven suction blocks to move through the transverse guide rod and the longitudinal guide rod, so that the plurality of battery cells expand each other.

[0010] Preferably, the driving assembly includes two horizontal guide rods and multiple horizontal combination sliders. The centers of the two horizontal guide rods are cross-arranged above the multiple active suction blocks. The multiple horizontal combination sliders can be slidably mounted on the two horizontal guide rods, and the bottoms of the multiple horizontal combination sliders are connected to the multiple active suction blocks one by one.

[0011] Preferably, the driving assembly also includes a vertical guide rod, a lifting combination slider, and multiple expansion drive cylinders; the vertical guide rod is vertically arranged on the central suction block, the lifting combination slider can be movably arranged on the vertical guide rod along the vertical direction, the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders are fixedly connected to the tops of the multiple horizontal combination sliders in a one-to-one correspondence, and the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders are all fixedly connected to the lifting combination slider; wherein, the piston rods of the multiple expansion drive cylinders extend synchronously, the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the lifting combination slider to move upward on the vertical guide rod, and at the same time, the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the multiple horizontal combination sliders on the horizontal guide rod away from the center of the array structure.

[0012] Preferably, the middle parts of the two horizontal guide rods each have a first rotation pair, and the middle parts of the two horizontal guide rods are rotatably mounted on the vertical guide rod through the first rotation pair, and there is a preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods.

[0013] Preferably, the lifting combination slider includes a lifting slider, a first sliding bearing and two drive cylinder connecting seats. A first through hole is opened in the center of the lifting slider along its thickness direction, and a first sliding bearing is arranged in the first through hole. The lifting slider is mounted on the vertical guide rod through the first sliding bearing, and the centers of the two drive cylinder connecting seats intersect with each other and are connected to the bottom of the lifting slider.

[0014] Preferably, the middle part of the two drive cylinder connecting seats has a second rotating pair, and the middle parts of the two drive cylinder connecting seats are rotatably mounted on the vertical guide rod through the second rotating pair. The bottom of the lifting slider is provided with a connecting flange, and the connecting flange is provided with multiple waist groove holes. The two drive cylinder connecting seats are rotatably set on the bottom of the lifting slider through the waist groove holes.

[0015] Preferably, the horizontal combination slider includes a horizontal slider and a second sliding bearing. A second through hole is opened in the middle of the horizontal slider, and a second sliding bearing is arranged in the second through hole. The horizontal slider is mounted on the horizontal guide rod through the second sliding bearing, and the bottom of the horizontal slider is inserted into the active suction block.

[0016] Preferably, a self-lubricating bearing is provided at the bottom of the horizontal slider, and the horizontal slider is rotatably arranged on the active suction block through the self-lubricating bearing.

[0017] Preferably, vacuum joints are provided on the top surfaces of the central suction block, the active suction block and the driven suction block, and vacuum suction ports are provided on the bottom surfaces of the central suction block, the active suction block and the driven suction block.

[0018] Preferably, the plurality of battery cells are laid out neatly and close to each other, and the horizontal center distance or the vertical center distance of adjacent battery cells are equal.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for extending the distance between cells of a flexible module. The method is applied to a device for extending the distance between cells of a flexible module. The method comprises:

[0020] S102, multiple suction blocks absorb multiple battery cells through the bottom surface;

[0021] S104, the driving component drives the multiple active suction blocks to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure along the diagonal of the array structure;

[0022] S106 , the multiple active suction blocks synchronously drive the multiple driven suction blocks to move via the transverse guide rods and the longitudinal guide rods, thereby causing the multiple battery cells to expand relative to each other.

[0023] Preferably, between S102 and S104, the piston rods of multiple expansion drive cylinders are also extended synchronously, and the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the lifting combination sliders to move upward on the vertical guide rod, and at the same time, the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the multiple horizontal combination sliders on the horizontal guide rod away from the center of the array structure.

[0024] Preferably, the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods is 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart from each other, the lateral spread distance of the multiple battery cells is equal to the longitudinal spread distance.

[0025] Preferably, the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods is less than 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart from each other, the transverse spread distance of the multiple battery cells is greater than the longitudinal spread distance.

[0026] Preferably, the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods is greater than 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart from each other, the transverse spread distance of the multiple battery cells is smaller than the longitudinal spread distance.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0028] 1. The present invention achieves synchronous horizontal and vertical expansion of battery cells. The driving assembly drives the linkage of the active suction blocks on the diagonal line, and the horizontal / vertical guide rods synchronously drive the driven suction blocks, completing the horizontal and vertical equal spacing expansion of the battery cell array in one go. Compared with the step-by-step expansion process, the production efficiency is greatly improved, and the risk of misalignment during the circulation process is completely avoided.

[0029] 2. The present invention supports flexible adjustment of the horizontal and vertical expansion ratios. By adjusting the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods, the horizontal combination slider displacement components in the horizontal / vertical directions are directly controlled to achieve non-proportional expansion of the horizontal and vertical expansion amounts to meet the requirements of different battery cell layouts.

[0030] 3. The present invention adopts rigid transmission and geometric constraints to ensure the expansion accuracy. The expansion drive cylinder is rigidly connected to the lifting combination slider through a fixed-angle connecting seat. The expansion drive cylinder, vertical guide rod and horizontal guide rod form a triangular structure. The triangles of the three before and after expansion constitute similar triangles, ensuring that each horizontal combination slider always maintains proportional linear motion during the expansion process, effectively reducing the expansion uniformity error.

[0031] 4. The waist slot design of the lifting and lowering combination slider and the horizontal guide rod rotational substructure of the present invention support the adjustment of the angle between the drive cylinder connection base and the horizontal guide rod without disassembly. This allows switching between extended range modes without replacing core components, effectively reducing equipment adjustment and maintenance costs. The present invention has a highly compatible structure. The modular suction block assembly and drive assembly can adapt to different sizes and numbers of cell arrays. The application scenarios can be expanded by simply adjusting the number of suction blocks and the length of the guide rod. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a distance extending device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a drive assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a suction block assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the top view of the distance extending device provided by an embodiment of the present invention during distance extending;

[0037] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the distribution structure of the longitudinal guide rods of the distance expansion device provided by an embodiment of the present invention during distance expansion;

[0038] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the distribution structure of the transverse guide rods of the distance extending device provided by an embodiment of the present invention during distance extending;

[0039] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of the front and rear battery cells provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the front and rear horizontal combination sliders and the lifting combination sliders provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a lifting combination slider from one perspective provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the lifting combination slider provided by an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0043] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the axonometric structure of a horizontal combination slider provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a horizontal combination slider provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 13 A schematic structural diagram of the battery cell expansion conditions under different preset angles of the horizontal guide rods provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Description of reference numerals:

[0047] 10. Distance expansion device; 100. Suction block assembly; 110. Central suction block; 120. Active suction block; 130. Driven suction block; 140. Horizontal guide rod; 150. Longitudinal guide rod; 160. Vacuum joint; 200. Drive assembly; 210. Horizontal guide rod; 220. Horizontal combination slider; 221. Horizontal slider; 222. Second sliding bearing; 223. Retaining ring; 224. Clamping plate; 225. Self-lubricating bearing; 230. Vertical guide rod; 240. Lifting combination slider; 241. Lifting slider; 242. First sliding bearing; 243. Drive cylinder connecting seat; 244. Cover plate; 250. Distance expansion drive cylinder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, directional words such as "up, down, left, right" are generally understood in conjunction with the directions shown in the drawings and actual applications.

[0049] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referenced. Thus, a feature identified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0050] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0051] The endpoints of the ranges and any values ​​disclosed herein are not limited to the precise ranges or values, and such ranges or values ​​should be understood to encompass values ​​approximate to such ranges or values. For numerical ranges, the values ​​between the endpoints of each range, between the endpoints of each range and individual point values, and between individual point values ​​can be combined to form one or more new numerical ranges, and such numerical ranges should be considered specifically disclosed herein. The terms "optional" and "optional" both mean that a range may or may not be included (or may or may not be present).

[0052] Flexible module cells are solar cells. During their production, the cells are first broken into multiple small pieces. A predetermined number of these pieces are then bonded to a flexible circuit board, with a certain gap between adjacent pieces, to form the flexible module cell. This allows the flexible circuit board to be unfolded when the cell is needed, allowing the multiple pieces to be laid out flatly, increasing the area of ​​contact between the pieces and sunlight, thereby enabling the photovoltaic power generation function of the flexible module cell and ensuring power generation efficiency. When the cell is no longer needed, the flexible circuit board can be rolled up for storage, saving space. During this process, the gaps between adjacent pieces prevent the pieces from interfering with the winding of the flexible circuit board, making it easier to store the flexible module cell.

[0053] The battery cells are arranged in a rectangular shape. After production, the battery cells are relatively small in size (500mm*500mm). They need to be broken into multiple small pieces (50mm*50mm). That is, one battery cell needs to be broken into approximately 100 small pieces (arranged in a rectangular shape). After the battery cells are broken, they need to be further spread and arranged. For small pieces of this size and quantity, manual spreading is obviously not suitable. Therefore, the battery cell spreading method of the present invention is used to spread the battery cells. In other embodiments, the size of the battery cell may be 600mm*600mm, 700mm*700mm, or 800mm*800mm, and the size of the small pieces may be 30mm*30mm or 40mm*40mm. The present invention does not specifically limit the size of the battery cell and the size of the small pieces.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the present invention provides a flexible component battery cell expansion device 10, including a suction block assembly 100 and a driving assembly 200; the suction block assembly 100 includes a plurality of suction blocks that together form a square array structure, and the plurality of suction blocks adsorb multiple battery cells through the bottom surface. The plurality of suction blocks in each row of the square array structure are jointly installed on a transverse guide rod 140, and the plurality of suction blocks in each column of the square array structure are jointly installed on a longitudinal guide rod 150; the plurality of suction blocks include a central suction block 110, a plurality of active suction blocks 120, and a plurality of driven suction blocks 130. The central suction block 110 is connected to the battery cell by a plurality of suction blocks. 0 is fixedly arranged at the center of the array structure, multiple active suction blocks 120 are arranged on the two diagonals of the array structure, and multiple driven suction blocks 130 fill the remaining positions of the array structure; the driving component 200 is arranged on the suction block assembly 100; wherein, the driving component 200 drives the multiple active suction blocks 120 to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure along the diagonals of the array structure, and the multiple active suction blocks 120 synchronously drive the multiple driven suction blocks 130 to move through the transverse guide rods 140 and the longitudinal guide rods 150, so that the multiple battery cells are spread apart from each other.

[0055] The present invention realizes synchronous horizontal and vertical expansion of battery cells. The driving assembly 200 drives the linkage of the active suction blocks 120 on the diagonal line, and the horizontal / vertical guide rods synchronously drive the driven suction blocks 130, so as to complete the horizontal and vertical equal-spacing expansion of the battery cell array in one go. Compared with the step-by-step expansion process, the production efficiency is greatly improved, and the risk of misalignment during the circulation process is completely avoided.

[0056] It is understandable that the embodiments of the present invention only take a product of a certain specification as an example. In actual applications, there will be other variations depending on the differences in parameters such as the type, quantity and size of the small battery cells, but those with the same basic structural form and operating principle are all within the scope of protection of this patent.

[0057] Preferably, if Figure 4 As shown, the central suction block 110 is arranged at the center of the array structure, and the central suction block 110 is connected to the vertical guide rod 230. During the expansion process, the central suction block 110 is fixed; multiple active suction blocks 120 are arranged on the two diagonals of the array structure, and the active suction blocks 120 are connected to the horizontal combined slider 220 and are directly driven by it; the driven suction blocks 130 are other suction blocks except the central suction block 110 and the active suction block 120. Multiple driven suction blocks 130 are filled in the remaining positions of the array structure and are indirectly driven by the active suction blocks 120 through the transverse guide rod 140 and the longitudinal guide rod 150.

[0058] Preferably, the "square array structure" in this application refers to a battery cell supporting array formed by multiple suction blocks arranged in a rectangular grid (for example, a 5×5, 7×7, etc. layout). Among them, the active suction blocks are fixedly located on the two diagonals of the square array (excluding the center point), and their specific number is determined by the size of the square array: for an n×n square array, the number of active suction blocks is 2(n-1). The number of passive suction blocks is (n 2 -2n+1).

[0059] Specifically, in a 5×5 square array (25 suction blocks in total), there is 1 central suction block (fixed position), 8 active suction blocks (located on two diagonals), and 16 driven suction blocks (filling the remaining positions).

[0060] Preferably, if Figure 4 As shown, every two horizontal combination sliders 220 in the four angular directions are expanded at equal intervals on the horizontal guide rod 210, that is, the hypotenuses of the right triangles in the yx decomposition diagram are equal; since the expansion on the same horizontal guide rod 210 is in the same expansion direction and at equal angles, the expansion amounts of every two horizontal combination sliders 220 in the four angular directions on the horizontal guide rod 210 are also equal in the horizontal and vertical directions, that is, the expansion is equal in the horizontal and vertical directions. Since the horizontal combination slider 220 is connected to the active suction block 120, the active suction block 120 is expanded at equal intervals in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0061] Furthermore, if Figure 5 As shown, multiple suction blocks in each column of the array structure are jointly installed on a longitudinal guide rod 150; the middle longitudinal guide rod 150 passes through a central suction block 110 and several driven suction blocks 130, and the remaining longitudinal guide rods 150 all pass through two active suction blocks 120 and several driven suction blocks 130; when expanding, the middle longitudinal guide rod 150 is stationary, and the longitudinal guide rods 150 on both sides are driven by the active suction blocks 120 to expand evenly to both sides synchronously.

[0062] Furthermore, if Figure 6 As shown, multiple suction blocks in each row of the array structure are jointly installed on a transverse guide rod 140; the middle transverse guide rod 140 passes through a central suction block 110 and several driven suction blocks 130, and the remaining transverse guide rods 140 all pass through two active suction blocks 120 and several driven suction blocks 130; when expanding, the middle transverse guide rod 140 is stationary, and the transverse guide rods 140 on both sides are driven by the active suction blocks 120 to expand evenly to both sides synchronously.

[0063] Furthermore, if Figure 7As shown, before the expansion, there are no gaps between the multiple cells, both horizontally and vertically. After the expansion, there are gaps between the multiple cells, both horizontally and vertically, and the gaps are uniform. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention only use a certain specification (5x5) as an example. In actual applications, there will be other variations based on parameters such as the type, number, and size of the small cells. However, those with the same basic structure and operating principle are all within the scope of protection of this patent.

[0064] Preferably, if Figure 2 As shown, the drive assembly 200 includes two horizontal guide rods 210 and multiple horizontal combination sliders 220. The centers of the two horizontal guide rods 210 are cross-arranged above the multiple active suction blocks 120. The multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 can be slidably mounted on the two horizontal guide rods 210. The bottoms of the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 are connected to the multiple active suction blocks 120 in a one-to-one correspondence. The drive assembly 200 also includes a vertical guide rod 230, a lifting combination slider 240, and multiple expansion drive cylinders 250. The vertical guide rod 230 is vertically arranged on the central suction block 110, and the lifting combination slider 240 can be moved along the center suction block 110. It is arranged on the vertical guide rod 230 for vertical movement, and the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 are fixedly connected to the tops of the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 in a one-to-one correspondence, and the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 are fixedly connected to the lifting combination slider 240; wherein, the piston rods of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 are synchronously extended, and the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 synchronously drive the lifting combination slider 240 to move upward on the vertical guide rod 230, and at the same time, the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 synchronously drive the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 on the horizontal guide rod 210 away from the center of the array structure.

[0065] Preferably, the two horizontal guide rods 210 are respectively arranged on the two diagonals of the square array structure, and the centers of the two horizontal guide rods 210 are staggered and located on the central suction block 110 .

[0066] It should be noted that the drive assembly of the present invention is a preferred embodiment. Its primary advantage lies in the rigid connection between the lifting assembly slide 240 and the horizontal assembly slide 220 via the piston rods of multiple expansion drive cylinders 250. The expansion drive cylinders 250, vertical guide rods 230, and horizontal guide rods 210 form a triangular structure, with similar triangles in both the pre-expansion and post-expansion states. This ensures that all horizontal assembly slides 220 maintain strictly proportional linear motion during the expansion process, avoiding cumulative errors caused by step-by-step drive and achieving high-precision synchronization. However, the drive assembly could also employ a rack-and-pinion system (with a rack integrated into the horizontal guide rods 210, and a central gear driving all horizontal assembly slides 220 synchronously away from the center) or a linear motor module (with an independent linear motor configured for each horizontal assembly slide 220, whose displacement is synchronously controlled by a controller). Any solution, as long as it enables the multiple horizontal assembly slides 220 to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure on the horizontal guide rods 210, falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0067] Preferably, each of the two horizontal combination sliders 220 in the four angular directions mentioned above is equally spaced apart on the horizontal guide rod 210, and the horizontal combination sliders 220 are connected to the active suction block 120, so the active suction block 120 is equally spaced apart in the horizontal and vertical directions. The principle of the device of the present invention to enable the horizontal combination sliders 220 to be equally spaced apart on the horizontal guide rod 210 will be described in detail below: Figure 8 As shown, a1 and a2 are the relative positions of the first horizontal combination slider and the second horizontal combination slider on the horizontal guide rod before expansion; b1 and b2 are the relative positions of the first horizontal combination slider and the second horizontal combination slider on the horizontal guide rod after expansion; c1 and c2 are the positions of the lifting combination slider on the vertical guide rod before and after expansion; it can be obtained that a1=a2 before expansion, and the triangles formed by the expansion drive cylinders and the vertical guide rod and the horizontal guide rod before and after expansion are similar triangles, that is: a2 / b2=c2 / c1, (a1+a2) / (b1+b2)=c2 / c1, so a2 / b2=(a1+a2) / (b1+b2), substituting a1=a2 to obtain b1=b2, so the spacing between the horizontal combination sliders 220 before and after expansion is equal, and the horizontal combination sliders 220 are expanded at equal intervals.

[0068] Preferably, the plurality of battery cells are laid out neatly and close to each other, and the horizontal center distance or the vertical center distance of adjacent battery cells are equal, so a1=a2.

[0069] Preferably, the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 are fixedly connected to the tops of the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 in a one-to-one correspondence, and the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 are fixedly connected to the lifting combination slider 240. Therefore, the angle of the expansion drive cylinder 250 is fixed and the expansion drive cylinder 250 will not swing during the expansion process.

[0070] It is understandable that Figure 8 This is just an exemplary description. The actual number of horizontal combination sliders 220 can be greater than 2 depending on the product type. When the number is greater than 2, the proportional relationship of similar triangles is also satisfied, that is, the horizontal combination sliders 220 are still expanded at equal intervals.

[0071] Preferably, if Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the lifting assembly slider 240 includes a lifting slider 241, a first sliding bearing 242, and two drive cylinder connectors 243. A first through-hole is defined at the center of the lifting slider 241 along its thickness, and a first sliding bearing 242 is positioned within the first through-hole. The lifting slider 241 is sleeved onto the vertical guide rod 230 via the first sliding bearing 242. The centers of the two drive cylinder connectors 243 intersect and connect to the bottom of the lifting slider 241. The first sliding bearings 242 ensure precise alignment between the lifting slider 241 and the vertical guide rod 230, ensuring no radial wobble during the lifting process and preventing suction block deflection caused by asynchronous multi-cylinder actuation.

[0072] Preferably, if Figure 9 As shown, the lifting combination slider 240 also includes a cover plate 244, which is arranged on the top surface of the lifting slider 241. The cover plate 244 is pressed against the first sliding bearing 242 by screws. When damaged, only the cover plate 244 needs to be removed to replace the bearing without disassembling the entire machine.

[0073] Preferably, if Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the horizontal combination slider 220 includes a horizontal slider 221 and a second sliding bearing 222. A second through-hole is defined in the center of the horizontal slider 221, within which the second sliding bearing 222 is disposed. The horizontal slider 221 is sleeved onto the horizontal guide rod 210 via the second sliding bearing 222. The top of the horizontal slider 221 is fixedly connected to the second end of the telescoping drive cylinder 250, and the bottom of the horizontal slider 221 is inserted into the active suction block 120. The horizontal slider 221 forms a high-precision sliding pair with the horizontal guide rod 210 via the second sliding bearing 222, effectively reducing straightness errors during telescoping and preventing the active suction block 120 from getting stuck.

[0074] Preferably, if Figure 11As shown, the horizontal combination slider 220 also includes a retaining ring 223 and a clamping plate 224. The retaining ring 223 is arranged in the second through hole, and the retaining ring 223 is used to axially limit the second sliding bearing 222; the clamping plate 224 is arranged at the lower part of the horizontal slider 221, and the clamping plate 224 locks the horizontal slider 221 on the active suction block 120 through screws.

[0075] Preferably, if Figure 2 As shown, the middle portions of the two horizontal guide rods 210 each have a first revolute pair. The middle portions of the two horizontal guide rods 210 are rotatably mounted on the vertical guide rod 230 via the first revolute pair, creating a predetermined angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210. Because the connection between the two horizontal guide rods 210 and the vertical guide rod 230 is a revolute pair, the angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 is adjustable. More preferably, the first revolute pair is a ring-shaped spherical bearing.

[0076] Preferably, a bottom plate is further provided at the bottom of the vertical guide rod 230 , and the middle portions of the two horizontal guide rods 210 are stacked on the bottom plate of the vertical guide rod 230 via annular joint bearings.

[0077] Preferably, if Figure 10 As shown, the middle portions of the two drive cylinder connectors 243 each have a second rotational pair, which rotatably fits onto the vertical guide rod 230 via the second rotational pair. The bottom of the lift slider 241 is provided with a connecting flange, which is provided with multiple waist-grooved holes. The two drive cylinder connectors 243 are rotatably mounted on the bottom of the lift slider 241 via the waist-grooved holes. The angle between the two drive cylinder connectors 243 is adjustable. More preferably, the second rotational pair is an annular spherical plain bearing.

[0078] Preferably, if Figure 12 As shown, a self-lubricating bearing 225 is provided at the bottom of the horizontal slider 221, and the horizontal slider 221 is rotatably mounted on the active suction block 120 via the self-lubricating bearing 225. Since the horizontal combination slider 220 and the active suction block 120 are connected as a revolute pair, when the angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 is adjusted, the horizontal combination slider 220 can rotate relative to the suction block to meet the required adjustment of the angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210.

[0079] Preferably, vacuum joints 160 are provided on the top surfaces of the central suction block 110, the active suction block 120 and the driven suction block 130, and vacuum suction ports are provided on the bottom surfaces of the central suction block 110, the active suction block 120 and the driven suction block 130, which are used to adsorb battery cells.

[0080] Preferably, the distance expanding device 10 also includes a vacuum pump component, which includes a vacuum pump and multiple branch pipes. The vacuum pump is connected to multiple branch pipes at the same time, and each branch pipe is connected to a vacuum joint 160 to realize the vacuum adsorption function of each vacuum suction port and ensure the vacuum adsorption effect.

[0081] Preferably, the vacuum pump assembly also includes a main pipeline, a vacuum gas distribution block, multiple branch pipelines and a bus. The vacuum pump is connected to the vacuum gas distribution block through the main pipeline, the vacuum gas distribution block is connected to the bus through multiple branch pipelines, and the bus is connected to multiple vacuum joints 160 through multiple branch pipelines. The vacuum gas distribution block is used to achieve a primary gas distribution function, and the bus is used to achieve a secondary gas distribution function. Specifically, through the two-stage gas distribution of the vacuum gas distribution block and the bus, the thicker main pipeline is divided step by step into multiple thinner branch pipelines and connected to multiple vacuum joints 160, avoiding the situation where the vacuum pump directly leads to multiple vacuum pipelines connected to multiple vacuum joints 160, thereby avoiding the problem of uneven airflow in multiple vacuum pipelines due to large changes in pipeline diameter, and thus realizing a step-by-step transition function, ensuring that the pressure of multiple pipelines (multiple branch pipelines or multiple branch pipelines) at the same level is balanced, making the entire vacuum pumping system stable and reliable.

[0082] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for extending the distance between cells of a flexible module. The method is applied to a flexible module cell extending device 10. The method includes:

[0083] S102, multiple suction blocks absorb multiple battery cells through the bottom surface;

[0084] S103. The piston rods of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 are extended synchronously, and the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 synchronously drive the lifting combination slider 240 to move upward on the vertical guide rod 230. At the same time, the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders 250 synchronously drive the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 on the horizontal guide rod 210 away from the center of the array structure.

[0085] S104, the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 are synchronously moved away from the center of the array structure on the horizontal guide rod 210, and the multiple horizontal combination sliders 220 synchronously drive the multiple active suction blocks 120 to move;

[0086] S106 , the multiple active suction blocks 120 synchronously drive the multiple driven suction blocks 130 to move via the transverse guide rods 140 and the longitudinal guide rods 150 , thereby causing the multiple battery cells to expand relative to each other.

[0087] Preferably, the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 is 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart, the lateral spread distance of the multiple battery cells is equal to the longitudinal spread distance. The preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 is less than 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart, the lateral spread distance of the multiple battery cells is greater than the longitudinal spread distance. The preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 is greater than 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart, the lateral spread distance of the multiple battery cells is less than the longitudinal spread distance.

[0088] Preferably, since the angle between the two drive cylinder connecting seats 243 and the angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 are designed to be adjustable, and the connection between the horizontal combination slider 220 on the horizontal guide rod 210 and the active suction block 120 is a revolving pair, when the angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210 is changed, the displacement components of the horizontal combination slider 220 along the horizontal guide rod 210 in the horizontal and vertical directions will change, that is, the horizontal and vertical expansion gaps are adjustable.

[0089] like Figure 13 As shown, taking a product of a certain specification (5*5) as an example, θ is the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods 210, x is the horizontal distance between a cell and its adjacent cell, and y is the vertical distance between a cell and its adjacent cell. When θ = 90°, x = y; when θ < 90° (which can be 85°), y < x; and when θ > 90° (which can be 95°), y > x.

[0090] The present invention can adsorb dozens or even hundreds of small battery cells that have been broken and neatly aligned onto the expansion device 10. The expansion drive cylinder 250 piston rod is extended and retracted to drive the suction block to expand and retract uniformly in both the horizontal and vertical directions, thereby achieving the arrangement of small battery cells at equal intervals in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The present invention can achieve the simultaneous expansion of small battery cells in both the horizontal and vertical directions, and the horizontal and vertical expansion gaps are adjustable, with the characteristics of high expansion efficiency and wide product applicability. The present invention can be applied to high-efficiency semi-automated production, and can also be combined with automatic loading and unloading equipment to achieve fully automated production, achieving the goals of reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and improving product quality.

[0091] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the technical concept of the present invention, various simple variations of the technical solution of the present invention may be made, including combining the various technical features in any other appropriate manner. These simple variations and combinations should also be regarded as disclosed in the present invention and fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible module battery cell expansion device, characterized in that: include: A suction block assembly, wherein the suction block assembly includes a plurality of suction blocks that together form a square array structure, wherein the plurality of suction blocks adsorb multiple battery cells through the bottom surface, wherein the plurality of suction blocks in each row of the square array structure are jointly installed on a transverse guide rod, and the plurality of suction blocks in each column of the square array structure are jointly installed on a longitudinal guide rod; the plurality of suction blocks include a central suction block, a plurality of active suction blocks, and a plurality of driven suction blocks, wherein the central suction block is fixedly arranged at the center of the square array structure, the plurality of active suction blocks are arranged on two diagonals of the square array structure, and the plurality of driven suction blocks fill the remaining positions of the square array structure; A drive assembly, the drive assembly being disposed on the suction block assembly; the drive assembly comprising two horizontal guide rods and a plurality of horizontal combination sliders, the centers of the two horizontal guide rods being intersected and disposed above the plurality of active suction blocks, the plurality of horizontal combination sliders being slidably sleeved on the two horizontal guide rods, the bottoms of the plurality of horizontal combination sliders being connected one-to-one with the plurality of active suction blocks; The drive assembly further includes a vertical guide rod, a lifting combination slider, and a plurality of expansion drive cylinders; the vertical guide rod is vertically arranged on the central suction block, the lifting combination slider is movably arranged on the vertical guide rod in the vertical direction, the first ends of the plurality of expansion drive cylinders are fixedly connected to the tops of the plurality of horizontal combination sliders in a one-to-one correspondence, and the second ends of the plurality of expansion drive cylinders are fixedly connected to the lifting combination slider; Among them, the driving component drives multiple active suction blocks to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure along the diagonal of the array structure, and multiple active suction blocks synchronously drive multiple driven suction blocks to move through the transverse guide rods and the longitudinal guide rods, so that the multiple battery cells expand with each other.

2. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston rods of the multiple expansion drive cylinders extend synchronously, and the first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the lifting combination sliders to move upward on the vertical guide rod. At the same time, the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the multiple horizontal combination sliders on the horizontal guide rod away from the center of the array structure.

3. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The middle parts of the two horizontal guide rods are each provided with a first rotation pair, and the middle parts of the two horizontal guide rods are both rotatably sleeved on the vertical guide rod through the first rotation pair, and a preset angle is formed between the two horizontal guide rods.

4. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting combination slider includes a lifting slider, a first sliding bearing and two drive cylinder connecting seats. A first through hole is opened in the center of the lifting slider along its thickness direction. The first sliding bearing is arranged in the first through hole. The lifting slider is sleeved on the vertical guide rod through the first sliding bearing. The centers of the two drive cylinder connecting seats intersect with each other and are connected to the bottom of the lifting slider.

5. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The middle parts of the two driving cylinder connecting seats each have a second rotating pair, and the middle parts of the two driving cylinder connecting seats are rotatably mounted on the vertical guide rod through the second rotating pair. The bottom of the lifting slider is provided with a connecting flange, and the connecting flange is provided with a plurality of waist slot holes. The two driving cylinder connecting seats are rotatably arranged on the bottom of the lifting slider through the waist slot holes.

6. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal combination slider includes a horizontal slider and a second sliding bearing. A second through hole is opened in the middle of the horizontal slider, and the second sliding bearing is arranged in the second through hole. The horizontal slider is sleeved on the horizontal guide rod through the second sliding bearing, and the bottom of the horizontal slider is inserted into the active suction block.

7. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A self-lubricating bearing is provided at the bottom of the horizontal sliding block, and the horizontal sliding block is rotatably arranged on the active suction block through the self-lubricating bearing.

8. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top surfaces of the central suction block, the active suction block and the driven suction block are all provided with vacuum joints, and the bottom surfaces of the central suction block, the active suction block and the driven suction block are all provided with vacuum suction ports.

9. The flexible module battery cell extension device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of battery cells are neatly laid out and close to each other, and the horizontal center distance or the vertical center distance of adjacent battery cells are equal.

10. A method for extending the distance between cells of a flexible module, characterized in that: The distance expansion method is applied to the flexible module battery cell distance expansion device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the distance expansion method includes: S102, multiple suction blocks absorb multiple battery cells through the bottom surface; S104, the driving component drives the multiple active suction blocks to synchronously move away from the center of the array structure along the diagonal of the array structure; S106 , the multiple active suction blocks synchronously drive the multiple driven suction blocks to move via the transverse guide rods and the longitudinal guide rods, thereby causing the multiple battery cells to expand relative to each other.

11. A method for extending the distance between cells of a flexible module according to claim 10, characterized in that: Between S102 and S104, the piston rods of multiple expansion drive cylinders are also extended synchronously. The first ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the lifting combination sliders to move upward on the vertical guide rod. At the same time, the second ends of the multiple expansion drive cylinders synchronously drive the multiple horizontal combination sliders on the horizontal guide rod away from the center of the array structure.

12. The method for extending the distance between cells of a flexible module according to claim 10, characterized in that: The preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods is 90 degrees. After the multiple battery cells are spread apart, the horizontal spread distance of the multiple battery cells is equal to the vertical spread distance. Alternatively, the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods is less than 90°, and after the plurality of battery cells are spread apart from each other, the transverse spread distance of the plurality of battery cells is greater than the longitudinal spread distance; Alternatively, the preset angle between the two horizontal guide rods is greater than 90°, and after the multiple battery cells are spread apart from each other, the lateral spread distance of the multiple battery cells is smaller than the longitudinal spread distance.

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