Electrode processing equipment, control methods for electrode processing equipment, and battery production systems

Abstract

This application discloses an electrode processing equipment, a control method for the electrode processing equipment, and a battery production system. The electrode processing equipment includes a slitting mechanism and at least two stretching mechanisms. The slitting mechanism is configured to slit the electrode into at least two sub-electrodes. On the electrode conveying path, the stretching mechanism is located downstream of the slitting mechanism, and each stretching mechanism is configured to stretch the tab area of ​​one sub-electrode. The stretching mechanism includes at least two stretching roller groups, each stretching roller group including a first drive assembly and a stretching roller. The stretching roller is connected to the first drive assembly, which is configured to drive the stretching roller to rotate. The stretching rollers in the at least two stretching roller groups are arranged side-by-side along the electrode conveying path, and the rotational speeds of adjacent stretching rollers are different. The technical solution of this application can reduce defects such as electrode strip breakage, crater-like tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding, thereby improving the stretching quality of the electrode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to an electrode processing equipment, a control method for the electrode processing equipment, and a battery production system. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of battery electrodes, after the electrode is rolled, the tab area of ​​the electrode is usually stretched.

[0003] However, as battery capacity increases, the thickness of the electrode assembly also increases. To meet the requirements of soldering, the current-carrying area of ​​the tabs needs to be increased, leading to a continuous increase in the width of the tab area in the electrode sheet. At this point, it is difficult to ensure consistency of the wide tabs in various places, making it easy for defects such as electrode sheet breakage, crescent-shaped tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding to occur during the stretching process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of this application is to provide an electrode processing device that aims to reduce defects such as electrode breakage, crescent-shaped electrode tabs, electrode tab sagging, or electrode tab folding, thereby improving the stretching quality of the electrode.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the electrode processing equipment proposed in this application is characterized by comprising a slitting mechanism and at least two stretching mechanisms. The slitting mechanism is configured to slit the electrode sheet into at least two sub-electrodes. On the electrode sheet conveying path, the stretching mechanism is located downstream of the slitting mechanism, and each stretching mechanism is configured to stretch the tab area in one sub-electrode sheet. The stretching mechanism comprises at least two stretching roller groups, each stretching roller group comprising a first driving component and a stretching roller. The stretching roller is connected to the first driving component, which is configured to drive the stretching roller to rotate. The stretching rollers in the at least two stretching roller groups are arranged side by side along the electrode sheet conveying path, and the rotational speeds of adjacent stretching rollers are different.

[0006] In the technical solution of this application, by arranging the slitting mechanism and the stretching mechanism along the electrode sheet's conveying path, the electrode sheet can be pre-slit into at least two sub-electrodes before stretching. This reduces the width of the tab region in each sub-electrode sheet, ensuring consistency in the tab region across all sub-electrodes. Simultaneously, the number of stretching mechanisms corresponds to the number of slit sub-electrodes, allowing for one-to-one stretching of each sub-electrode sheet using different stretching mechanisms. This facilitates targeted stretching based on the tab region characteristics (e.g., thickness, grain size, or grain boundary distribution), using appropriate operating parameters to reduce defects such as electrode sheet breakage, crazing of the tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding during stretching, thereby improving the stretching quality of the electrode sheet. Furthermore, the sub-electrode is stretched by the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers, so that the sub-electrode is stretched at a constant stretching rate. After the tab area in the sub-electrode is stretched to the predetermined stretching rate, the crack will not continue to expand, which helps to reduce the possibility of strip breakage of the electrode and further improves the stretching quality of the electrode.

[0007] In some embodiments, the electrode processing equipment further includes at least two detection mechanisms. At least a portion of each detection mechanism is located downstream of the stretching mechanism along the electrode conveying path. Each detection mechanism is configured to detect the stretching rate of a sub-electrode. Therefore, the operating parameters of the stretching mechanism can be adjusted according to the stretching effect of each sub-electrode to further improve the adaptability of the stretching mechanism's operating parameters to the corresponding sub-electrode, thereby facilitating the stretching of the sub-electrode to meet preset requirements and improving the stretching quality of the electrode.

[0008] In some embodiments, the electrode processing equipment further includes a control module, and the stretching mechanism and the detection mechanism are electrically connected to the control module respectively; the control module is configured to control the working parameters of the stretching mechanism according to the detection results of the detection mechanism to adjust the stretching rate of the sub-electrode; the first drive assembly is electrically connected to the control module, and the working parameters include the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers.

[0009] This achieves automatic and accurate adjustment of the stretching effect of the sub-electrode. Simultaneously, it ensures that the sub-electrode is stretched at a constant stretching rate. Once the tab area of ​​the sub-electrode is stretched to the predetermined stretching rate, cracks will not continue to propagate, thus reducing the possibility of strip breakage and further improving the stretching quality of the electrode. Furthermore, by setting the operating parameters to include the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers, the control module can directly adjust the stretching rate of the sub-electrode based on its stretching effect, allowing for rapid adjustments according to actual needs.

[0010] In some embodiments, the detection mechanism includes at least two rangefinders arranged along the electrode conveying path and both configured to face the tab region of the sub-electrode. Thus, the elongation rate of the sub-electrode can be obtained by detecting the distance and performing corresponding calculations. Both the detection and calculation of this distance are highly accurate, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting the tab elongation rate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the number of stretching roller groups is two, and the speed of the upstream stretching roller on the electrode conveying path is less than that of the downstream stretching roller. Therefore, while satisfying the requirement of stretching the sub-electrode through the speed difference between the two stretching rollers, the number of stretching roller groups can be simplified, thereby simplifying the structural design of the stretching mechanism.

[0012] In some embodiments, the electrode processing equipment further includes a rolling mechanism located upstream of the slitting mechanism on the electrode conveying path. The rolling mechanism includes a pressure roller configured to roll the coating area in the electrode, and the rotational speed of the upstream stretching roller is equal to that of the pressure roller. Therefore, by rolling the coating area in the electrode using the rolling mechanism, and then slitting the electrode using the slitting mechanism, the consistency of the rolling process on the coating area in the electrode can be improved.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rotational speed of the upstream stretching roller is defined as V1, and the rotational speed of the downstream stretching roller is defined as V2, satisfying the relationship: 1 < V2 / V1 ≤ 3. This ensures that the rotational speed difference between the two stretching rollers is not too large, thus preventing excessive tensile force on the sub-electrode and reducing the possibility of electrode breakage.

[0014] In some embodiments, in two adjacent stretching roller groups, at least one stretching roller group is configured to slide along the electrode conveying path to adjust the spacing between the two stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups. Thus, the spacing between the two stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups can be adjusted accordingly based on the effect of stretching the sub-electrode.

[0015] In some embodiments, the slidable stretching roller group is defined as a movable stretching roller group. The movable stretching roller group further includes a first carrier, a first drive assembly, and a stretching roller disposed on the first carrier. The electrode processing equipment further includes a first support body, and the first carrier is slidably mounted on the first support body along the electrode conveying path. Thus, by setting the first carrier to be slidably mounted, the sliding mounting of both the first drive assembly and the stretching roller can be achieved, thereby simplifying the sliding mounting structure of the movable stretching roller group.

[0016] In some embodiments, the stretching mechanism further includes a second drive assembly connected to the first carrier and configured to drive the first carrier to slide. This enables automatic adjustment of the gap between the two stretching rollers, improving the automation level of the electrode processing equipment and the accuracy of the gap adjustment between the two stretching rollers.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second drive assembly includes a second drive member, a first lead screw, and a first nut; the first lead screw extends along the sliding direction of the first carrier; the first nut is sleeved on the first lead screw, and the first carrier is connected to the first nut. This improves the stability and accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two stretching rollers. Simultaneously, the lead screw also has a self-locking function, facilitating the stable maintenance of the distance between the two stretching rollers after adjustment, and eliminating the need for additional limiting structures to limit and fix the first carrier after sliding adjustment.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first support is provided with a first guide rail, which extends along the sliding direction of the first carrier; the first carrier is provided with a first slider, which slides in conjunction with the first guide rail. This provides guidance for the sliding of the first carrier, thereby further improving the accuracy of adjusting the gap between the two stretching rollers.

[0019] In some embodiments, the stretching mechanism further includes at least two abutment modules, each abutment module being spaced apart from a stretching roller to form a first belt gap for the sub-electrode to pass through. Thus, the abutment modules can abut the sub-electrode wound on the stretching roller, ensuring stable stretching of the electrode and reducing the possibility of electrode slippage. Furthermore, the number of abutment modules corresponds one-to-one with the stretching rollers, allowing appropriate abutment forces to be applied at each of the two stretching rollers to abut the electrode.

[0020] In some embodiments, the abutting module includes two abutting components arranged along the axial direction of the stretching roller, with a first belt gap configured between the abutting components and the stretching roller. Thus, the two abutting components can respectively abut the tab areas located on both sides of the coating area in the sub-electrode, minimizing the impact on the coating area in the sub-electrode.

[0021] In some embodiments, the abutment assembly includes an abutment member configured with a first belt clearance between the abutment member and the stretch roller; the abutment member is configured to slide in a direction approaching or away from the stretch roller to adjust the distance between the abutment member and the stretch roller. Thus, by configuring the abutment member to slide in a direction approaching or away from the stretch roller, the distance between the abutment member and the stretch roller can be adjusted, thereby allowing adjustment of the abutment force of the abutment member on the sub-electrode wrapped around the stretch roller so that the sub-electrode receives a suitable abutment force.

[0022] In some embodiments, the abutment assembly further includes a third drive assembly connected to the abutment member and configured to drive the abutment member to slide in a direction approaching or away from the stretching roller. This enables automatic adjustment of the distance between the abutment member and the stretching roller, improving the automation level of the electrode processing equipment and the accuracy of the distance adjustment between the abutment member and the stretching roller.

[0023] In some embodiments, the two abutting components are configured to slide along the axial direction of the stretching roller to adjust the distance between the two abutting components. Thus, when dealing with sub-electrodes of different widths, the abutting tab areas on both sides of the sub-electrode can be correspondingly abutted by adjusting the distance between the two abutting components, improving the versatility of the electrode processing equipment for different types of electrodes.

[0024] In some embodiments, the abutment module further includes a fourth driving component connected to the two abutment components and configured to drive the two abutment components to move closer or further apart. This enables automatic adjustment of the distance between the two abutment components, improving the automation level of the electrode processing equipment and the accuracy of the distance adjustment between the two abutment components.

[0025] In some embodiments, the fourth drive assembly includes a fourth drive member, a second lead screw, and two second nuts. The second lead screw extends along the sliding direction of the abutment assembly and is a bidirectional lead screw. The two second nuts are sleeved on the second lead screw, and each abutment assembly is connected to one second nut. This improves the stability and accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two abutment assemblies. Simultaneously, the lead screw also has a self-locking function, facilitating the stable maintenance of the distance between the two abutment assemblies after adjustment, and eliminating the need for additional limiting structures to limit and fix the abutment assemblies after sliding adjustment.

[0026] In some embodiments, the electrode processing equipment further includes a second support body, which is provided with a second guide rail extending along the sliding direction of the abutment component; the abutment component is provided with a second slider that slides in cooperation with the second guide rail. This provides guidance for the sliding of the abutment component along the axial direction of the stretching roller, thereby further improving the accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two abutment components.

[0027] In some embodiments, the abutment assembly includes an abutment member, the abutment member including a second carrier and a roller; the roller is rotatably mounted on the second carrier, the axis of the abutment member is parallel to the axis of the stretching roller, and a first belt clearance is configured between the roller and the stretching roller.

[0028] Therefore, by configuring the abutment member to include rollers, it can rotate without causing excessive friction to the sub-electrode, thus preventing damage. In some embodiments, the conveying direction of the electrode in the slitting mechanism is defined as the first direction, and the width direction of the electrode is defined as the second direction; two stretching mechanisms corresponding to two adjacent sub-electrodes are arranged along a third direction, with the first direction, second direction, and third direction intersecting each other. This reduces the space occupied on the horizontal plane without affecting the stretching of each sub-electrode, thereby improving the convenience of installing and arranging the electrode processing equipment.

[0029] In some embodiments, the slitting mechanism is configured to slit the electrode sheet into at least three sub-electrodes, and the number of stretching mechanisms is at least three; in the three adjacent sub-electrodes, two stretching mechanisms for two correspondingly spaced sub-electrodes are arranged along a second direction. This allows multiple stretching mechanisms to be stacked in two layers, thus avoiding excessive space occupation in the vertical direction and providing a compact distribution among the multiple stretching mechanisms.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first and second directions are horizontal, and the third direction is vertical. This improves the compactness of stacking multiple tensioning mechanisms in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0031] In some embodiments, the slitting mechanism includes a slitting blade, which is disc-shaped and has beveled edges on both opposite sides of its periphery. The distance between the two beveled edges decreases in the radial direction of the slitting blade. This allows the beveled edges on both sides of the slitting blade to act simultaneously on both sides of the electrode sheet during slitting, uniformly distributing the cutting force, reducing deformation and damage to the electrode sheet, forming a smooth cut on the electrode sheet, and improving the slitting quality of the electrode sheet.

[0032] In some embodiments, the slitting mechanism further includes a first drive roller and a second drive roller, which are arranged at a distance from each other to form a second belt conveyor gap. A slitting blade is mounted on the first drive roller, and the second drive roller has a clearance groove at the position corresponding to the slitting blade that communicates with the second belt conveyor gap. A portion of the beveled blade is accommodated in the clearance groove. This facilitates the automatic conveying of the electrode sheet along the conveying path and its slitting by the slitting blade. Simultaneously, by accommodating a portion of the beveled blade within the clearance groove, the electrode sheet can be slit sufficiently and effectively.

[0033] This application also proposes a control method for an electrode processing equipment, which is the electrode processing equipment described above. The control method includes the following steps: controlling a rolling mechanism to roll the electrode sheet; controlling a slitting mechanism to slit the rolled electrode sheet into at least two sub-electrodes; and controlling at least two stretching mechanisms to stretch the tab areas in at least two sub-electrodes respectively. Thus, by rolling the coating area in the electrode sheet through the rolling mechanism and then slitting the electrode sheet through the slitting mechanism, the consistency of rolling the coating area in the electrode sheet can be improved. Furthermore, by first slitting the electrode sheet and then stretching the tab areas of the sub-electrodes, the electrode sheet can be pre-slit into at least two sub-electrodes by the slitting mechanism before stretching. In this case, the width of the tab areas in each sub-electrode is reduced, facilitating the consistency of the tab areas in each sub-electrode. Furthermore, by using different stretching mechanisms to stretch each sub-electrode individually, it is possible to use appropriate working parameters to stretch each sub-electrode according to the condition of the tab area, thereby reducing defects such as electrode breakage, crescent-shaped tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding during the stretching process, and thus improving the stretching quality of the electrode.

[0034] In some embodiments, the step of controlling at least two stretching mechanisms to stretch the tab regions in at least two sub-electrodes includes the following steps: controlling a fourth drive assembly in the abutment module to drive two abutment members to move closer or further apart to abut against 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the tab region in the sub-electrode from the edge; controlling a third drive assembly in the abutment assembly to drive the abutment members closer to the stretching rollers to cooperate with the stretching rollers and clamp the tab region in the sub-electrode; controlling the stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups to rotate at different speeds, with the downstream stretching roller rotating at a higher speed than the upstream stretching roller. This improves the uniformity of the overall stretching of the tab region while reducing the possibility of electrode breakage and wrinkling. Furthermore, by controlling the two stretching rollers to rotate at different speeds to stretch the sub-electrode, the sub-electrode is stretched at a constant stretch rate, and cracks in the tab region of the sub-electrode will not continue to propagate after being stretched to a predetermined stretch rate.

[0035] In some embodiments, after controlling the stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups to rotate at different speeds, with the downstream stretching roller rotating at a speed greater than the upstream stretching roller, the control method for the electrode processing equipment further includes the following steps: controlling a detection mechanism to detect the stretching ratio of the tab region in the sub-electrode; and controlling the speed difference between the two stretching rollers according to the detection structure of the detection mechanism, so that the stretching ratio of the tab region in the sub-electrode is consistent with a preset stretching ratio. Therefore, the working parameters of the stretching mechanism can be adjusted according to the stretching effect of each sub-electrode to improve the adaptability of the working parameters of the stretching mechanism to the corresponding sub-electrode, thereby facilitating the stretching of the sub-electrode to meet the preset requirements and improving the stretching quality of the electrode.

[0036] This application also proposes a battery production system, including the aforementioned electrode processing equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the electrode processing equipment of this application;

[0039] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of a medium electrode processing equipment;

[0040] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Another perspective schematic diagram of the medium electrode processing equipment;

[0041] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a tensioning mechanism;

[0042] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the stretching roller group, the second drive component, and the first support body of the middle stretching mechanism;

[0043] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram from an exploded view of the intermediate stretching roller group, the second drive assembly, and the first support body;

[0044] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Another perspective view of the exploded structure of the intermediate stretching roller group, the second drive assembly, and the first support body;

[0045] Figure 8 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a tensioning module, a fourth drive component, and a second support;

[0046] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram from an exploded view of the structure of the middle stretching module, the fourth drive component, and the second support.

[0047] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Another perspective schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the middle stretching module, the fourth drive component, and the second support;

[0048] Figure 11 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the testing institution;

[0049] Figure 12 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the middle cutting mechanism;

[0050] Figure 13 for Figure 12 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle;

[0051] Figure 14 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for electrode processing equipment of this application;

[0052] Figure 15 for Figure 14 A flowchart illustrating step S30;

[0053] Figure 16 This is a schematic flowchart of another embodiment of the control method for the electrode processing equipment of this application;

[0054] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0055] 100. Electrode processing equipment; 10. Slitting mechanism; 11. Slitting blade; 111. Beveled blade; 13. First drive roller; 15. Second drive roller; 15a. Clearance groove; 10a. Second belt passage gap; 20. Stretching mechanism; 21. Stretching roller group; 211. First drive assembly; 2111. First drive component; 213. Stretching roller; 215. First carrier; 2151. First slider; 21A. Movable stretching roller group; 23. Second drive assembly; 231. Second drive component; 233. First lead screw; 235. First nut; 25. Abutment module; 25a. First belt passage gap; 251. Abutment assembly; 2511. Abutment component; 2512. Second carrier; 2513, roller; 2514, third drive assembly; 2515, third drive component; 2516, third carrier; 2517, second slider; 253, fourth drive assembly; 2531, fourth drive component; 2533, second lead screw; 2535, second nut; 30, detection mechanism; 31, rangefinder; 31A, first rangefinder; 31B, second rangefinder; 40, control module; 50, roller pressing mechanism; 51, pressure roller; 60, first support body; 61, first guide rail; 70, second support body; 71, second guide rail; 80, reference surface; 200, electrode sheet; 201, coating area; 203, electrode tab area; 204, sub-electrode sheet.

[0056] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0058] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0059] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0060] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the word "and / or" throughout the text means including three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of a person skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0061] Batteries, which are devices used to store electrical energy, are widely used not only in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power plants, but also in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars and other fields.

[0062] A battery cell is the smallest unit that makes up a battery, typically including a casing and an electrode assembly housed within the casing. The electrode assembly is the component within the battery cell where the actual electrochemical reaction occurs, and may include a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator located between them. It is formed by winding or stacking the positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator. The positive electrode includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer. The positive active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive current collector, and the uncoated positive current collector protrudes beyond the coated positive current collector, serving as the positive electrode tab. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the material of the positive current collector can be aluminum, and the positive active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganese oxide, etc. The negative electrode includes a negative current collector and a negative active material layer. The negative active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative current collector, and the negative current collector without the negative active material layer protrudes from the one coated with the negative active material layer. The negative current collector without the negative active material layer serves as a negative tab. The material of the negative current collector can be copper, and the negative active material can be carbon or silicon, etc. Additionally, the positive and negative tabs can be used to connect the internal circuitry of the battery cell to the external circuitry. For example, the battery cell can also include an end cap assembly, which can cover an opening at one end of the casing to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell from the external environment. The end cap assembly can be provided with functional components such as electrode terminals. In this case, the tabs can be used to make electrical connections with the electrode terminals, thereby connecting the internal circuitry of the battery cell to the external circuitry, so as to output or input electrical energy into the battery cell.

[0063] Furthermore, in order to improve the energy density of the battery electrodes (the collective term for the aforementioned positive or negative electrodes), after coating the current collector of the electrode with an active material layer, a rolling process is usually performed on the electrode during the manufacturing process. At this time, since the rolling process cannot roll and stretch the tab area in the electrode, a stretching process is usually performed on the tab area in the electrode after the rolling process.

[0064] However, as battery capacity increases, the thickness of the electrode assembly also increases. To meet the requirements of soldering, the current-carrying area of ​​the tabs needs to be increased, leading to a continuous increase in the width of the tab area in the electrode sheet. At this point, it is difficult to ensure consistency in the characteristics of the wide tabs in different locations (e.g., thickness, grain size, or microstructure such as grain boundary distribution). This makes it impossible to use a single stretching mechanism to stretch the tabs in different locations with appropriate operating parameters, resulting in defects such as electrode breakage, crescent-shaped tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding during the stretching process.

[0065] Therefore, based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problems in related technologies where the large tabs of the electrode sheets make it difficult to ensure consistency, leading to defects such as electrode sheet breakage, crescent-shaped tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding during the stretching process, this application proposes a novel electrode sheet processing device. This electrode sheet processing device innovatively incorporates a slitting mechanism upstream of the stretching mechanism along the electrode sheet conveying path. This slitting mechanism pre-slits the electrode sheet into at least two sub-electrodes, ensuring consistency in the tab areas of each sub-electrode sheet. Simultaneously, at least two stretching mechanisms are arranged downstream of the slitting mechanism to achieve one-to-one stretching of each sub-electrode sheet. This allows for targeted stretching based on the tab area characteristics of each sub-electrode sheet using appropriate operating parameters, reducing defects such as electrode sheet breakage, crescent-shaped tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding during the stretching process.

[0066] In addition, it should be noted that the electrode processing equipment proposed in this application can be used to process either the positive electrode or the negative electrode in a battery.

[0067] The structure of the electrode processing equipment 100 proposed in this application will be explained below:

[0068] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment of this application, the electrode processing equipment 100 proposed in this application includes a slitting mechanism 10 and at least two stretching mechanisms 20. The slitting mechanism 10 is configured to slit the electrode 200 into at least two sub-electrodes 204. On the conveying path of the electrode 200, the stretching mechanism 20 is located downstream of the slitting mechanism 10, and each stretching mechanism 20 is configured to stretch the tab region 203 in a sub-electrode 204.

[0069] The slitting mechanism 10 can be used to cut the integral electrode sheet 200 to form at least two sub-electrodes 204. The area of ​​the electrode sheet 200 coated with an active material layer can be called the coating area 201, and the area without the active material layer can be called the empty foil area. Since this part can be subsequently die-cut to form tabs, it can also be called the tab area 203. Therefore, the tab area 203 proposed in this application refers to the entire empty foil area of ​​the electrode sheet 200, including the area remaining after die-cutting for forming tabs, and also the area removed by die-cutting. Furthermore, the slitting position of the slitting mechanism 10 on the electrode sheet 200 can be located in the tab area 203 between two adjacent coating areas 201, thereby cutting the electrode sheet 200 into at least two sub-electrodes 204, each including a coating area 201 and a tab area 203. Furthermore, the slitting mechanism 10 can slit the electrode sheet 200 into a corresponding number of sub-electrodes 204 as needed. For example, it can slit the electrode sheet 200 into two, three, or four sub-electrodes 204, etc., and this application does not limit this. Therefore, the slitting mechanism 10 can be equipped with one, two, or three slitting blades 11, etc., and the specific configuration can be set according to the number of sub-electrodes 204 to be slit as needed. The slitting blade 11 can be disc-shaped, as described below, so that it can slit the electrode sheet 200 when rotating. Of course, the slitting blade 11 can also be strip-shaped; this application does not limit the type of slitting blade 11.

[0070] The stretching mechanism 20 is used to stretch the tab region 203 in the sub-electrode 204. The stretching mechanism 20 is located downstream of the slitting mechanism 10. This includes cases where the electrode 200 enters the stretching mechanism 20 directly after being slit by the slitting mechanism 10, and cases where the electrode 200 can enter other process mechanisms after being slit by the slitting mechanism 10 before entering the stretching mechanism 20. Furthermore, the number of stretching mechanisms 20 can be two, three, or four, depending on the number of sub-electrodes 204 to be slit. Additionally, the stretching mechanism 20 can include at least two stretching roller groups 21, as described below, to stretch the sub-electrode 204 through the speed difference between the stretching rollers 213 in adjacent stretching roller groups 21. Alternatively, the stretching mechanism 20 can include a floating roller and two barrier rollers, located upstream and downstream of the floating roller, respectively. The sliding direction of the floating roller intersects the conveying path of the electrode 200, or the arrangement direction of the two barrier rollers. At this time, the electrode 200 wound around the floating roller can be stretched by sliding the floating roller. It can be seen that this application does not limit the structural type of the stretching mechanism 20.

[0071] In the technical solution of this application, by arranging the slitting mechanism 10 and the stretching mechanism 20 along the conveying path of the electrode sheet 200, the electrode sheet 200 can be pre-cut into at least two sub-electrodes 204 by the slitting mechanism 10 before stretching. At this time, the width of the tab area 203 in each sub-electrode sheet 204 is reduced, which facilitates the consistency of the tab area 203 in each sub-electrode sheet 204. At the same time, the number of stretching mechanisms 20 corresponds to the number of sub-electrodes 204 after being slit, so that each sub-electrode sheet 204 can be stretched one-to-one by different stretching mechanisms 20. This facilitates targeted stretching based on the condition of the tab area 203 in each sub-electrode sheet 204 using appropriate working parameters, reducing defects such as electrode sheet 200 breakage, crescent-shaped tabs, tab sagging, or tab folding during the stretching process, thereby improving the stretching quality of the electrode sheet 200.

[0072] Please refer to Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the electrode processing equipment 100 further includes at least two detection mechanisms 30. At least a portion of the detection mechanisms 30 is located downstream of the stretching mechanism 20 on the conveying path of the electrode 200. Each detection mechanism 30 is configured to detect the stretching rate of a sub-electrode 204.

[0073] The detection mechanism 30 can be used to detect the stretching ratio of the corresponding sub-electrode 204. The detection mechanism 30 can include at least two rangefinders 31, as described below. Alternatively, the detection mechanism 30 can include at least two cameras, located upstream and downstream of the stretching mechanism 20, respectively, to capture images of a specific area of ​​the electrode 200. Then, based on visual image processing technology, it identifies, analyzes, and calculates the positional changes of marker points within the images during the stretching process, thereby obtaining the stretching ratio of the sub-electrode 204. Therefore, this application does not limit the structural type of the detection mechanism 30. Furthermore, the number of detection mechanisms 30 can be set to two, three, or four, depending on the number of sub-electrodes 204 that need to be cut.

[0074] In this embodiment, by setting at least two detection mechanisms 30, the stretching rate of each sub-electrode 204 can be detected. Then, according to the stretching effect of each sub-electrode 204, the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 can be adjusted accordingly to further improve the adaptability of the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 to the corresponding sub-electrode 204, thereby facilitating the stretching of the sub-electrode 204 to meet the preset requirements and improving the stretching quality of the electrode 200.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, the electrode processing equipment 100 further includes a control module 40, and the stretching mechanism 20 and the detection mechanism 30 are electrically connected to the control module 40 respectively; the control module 40 is configured to control the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 according to the detection result of the detection mechanism 30, so as to adjust the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204.

[0076] The control module 40 may include a circuit board and a chip disposed on the circuit board, and may be used to control the operation of the stretching mechanism 20. Of course, the control module 40 may also be further used to control the operation of other mechanisms in the electrode processing equipment 100.

[0077] In this embodiment, the control module 40 controls the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 according to the detection results of the detection mechanism 30, thereby realizing the automatic and accurate adjustment of the stretching effect of the sub-electrode 204.

[0078] Please refer to the reference. Figures 2 to 4 In one embodiment of this application, the stretching mechanism 20 includes at least two stretching roller groups 21. Each stretching roller group 21 includes a first drive assembly 211 and a stretching roller 213. The stretching roller 213 is connected to the first drive assembly 211. The first drive assembly 211 is configured to drive the stretching roller 213 to rotate. The stretching rollers 213 in the at least two stretching roller groups 21 are arranged side by side along the conveying path of the electrode sheet 200, and the rotational speeds of adjacent stretching rollers 213 are different.

[0079] The first drive assembly 211 can be used to provide driving force to drive the stretching roller 213 to rotate. The first drive assembly 211 may include a first drive element 2111, which can be a motor, and its specific type is not limited. Alternatively, the first drive assembly 211 may further include a driving gear and a driven gear to drive the stretching roller 213 through a gear set. This application does not limit the structural type of the first drive assembly 211.

[0080] In this embodiment, the sub-electrode 204 is stretched by the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers 213, so that the sub-electrode 204 is stretched at a constant stretching rate. After the tab area 203 in the sub-electrode 204 is stretched to the predetermined stretching rate, the crack will not continue to expand, which helps to reduce the possibility of the electrode 200 breaking and further improves the stretching quality of the electrode 200.

[0081] Please refer to Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the first drive component 211 is electrically connected to the control module 40, and the operating parameters include the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers 213.

[0082] In this embodiment, the operating parameters are set to include the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers 213, allowing the control module 40 to directly adjust the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204 based on its stretching effect, enabling rapid adjustment according to actual needs. For example, when the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204 is detected to be low, the speed difference between the two adjacent stretching rollers 213 can be increased. Since the stretching rollers 213 are driven by the first drive assembly 211, adjusting the speed of the two adjacent stretching rollers 213 can be achieved by the control module 40 controlling the first drive assembly 211 to drive the stretching rollers 213 to rotate at the corresponding output speed.

[0083] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 and Figure 12 In one embodiment of this application, the detection mechanism 30 includes at least two rangefinders 31, which are arranged along the transport path of the electrode 200 and are all configured to face the tab region 203 of the sub-electrode 204.

[0084] In this embodiment, the rangefinder 31 can be a laser rangefinder, ultrasonic rangefinder, or infrared rangefinder, etc., to measure the distance between the point corresponding to the tab region 203 of the sub-electrode 204 and the rangefinder 31. The specific tensile strength detection principle can be found in: Please refer to... Figure 12Two rangefinders 31 can be defined as the first rangefinder 31A and the second rangefinder 31B. A reference plane 80 is pre-calibrated on the electrode sheet 200 conveying path, for example, the plane containing the sub-electrode 204 in the electrode sheet 200 between the two stretching rollers 213 is used as the reference plane 80. The distance between the first rangefinder 31A and the second rangefinder 31B can be preset as L1, and the distances between the first rangefinder 31A and the second rangefinder 31B and the reference plane 80 can be preset as L2 and L3, respectively. Since the electrode sheet 200 will fluctuate after being stretched, the distance between it and point P1 corresponding to the tab area 203 of the sub-electrode 204 can be measured by the first rangefinder 31A as L4, and the distance between it and point P2 corresponding to the tab area 203 of the sub-electrode 204 can be measured by the second rangefinder 31B as L5. At this point, based on the measured L4 and L5, and in conjunction with L2 and L3, the projected distance between P1 and P2 in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane 80 can be calculated. Furthermore, using L1 and the Pythagorean theorem, the length of the line connecting P1 and P2 can be calculated. This line length represents the conveying path of the electrode tab, and its ratio with the preset L1 yields the stretching ratio of the sub-electrode 204. The detection mechanism 30 is configured to include at least two rangefinders 31, allowing the stretching ratio of the sub-electrode 204 to be obtained through distance detection and corresponding calculations. Both distance detection and calculation are highly accurate, thus improving the accuracy of electrode stretching ratio detection. Additionally, it should be noted that the calculation and processing of the distance values ​​detected by the first rangefinder 31A and the second rangefinder 31B can be performed through the control module 40 described above. Alternatively, the detection mechanism 30 can further include a processor to process the detected distance values.

[0085] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 4 In one embodiment of this application, there are two stretching roller groups 21. On the conveying path of the electrode 200, the speed of the upstream stretching roller 213 is less than that of the downstream stretching roller 213.

[0086] In this embodiment, the number of stretching roller groups 21 is set to two. This simplifies the number of stretching roller groups 21 while still allowing the sub-electrode 204 to be stretched by the speed difference between the two stretching rollers 213. This, in turn, simplifies the final setup of the stretching mechanism 20. Moreover, at this time, only the speed difference between the two stretching rollers 213 needs to be adjusted to achieve portable and accurate adjustment of the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204.

[0087] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 and Figure 4In one embodiment of this application, the electrode processing equipment 100 further includes a rolling mechanism 50. On the conveying path of the electrode 200, the rolling mechanism 50 is located upstream of the slitting mechanism 10. The rolling mechanism 50 includes a pressure roller 51, which is configured to roll the coating area 201 in the electrode 200. The rotational speed of the upstream stretching roller 213 is equal to the rotational speed of the pressure roller 51.

[0088] The rolling mechanism 50 is used to roll the coating area 201 in the electrode 200 to compact the coated active material layer. The rolling mechanism 50 may include two relatively spaced pressure rollers 51, through which the electrode 200 can be conveyed. Alternatively, the rolling mechanism 50 may include a single pressure roller 51, with a support platform spaced relatively from the pressure roller 51 to provide support when the electrode 200 is rolled.

[0089] In this embodiment, after the coating area 201 in the electrode 200 is rolled by the rolling mechanism 50, the electrode 200 is then cut by the slitting mechanism 10, which can improve the consistency of the rolling of the coating area 201 in the electrode 200. Furthermore, by setting the rotational speed of the upstream stretching roller 213 to be equal to the rotational speed of the pressure roller 51, the sub-electrode 204 will not be stretched between the pressure roller 51 and the upstream stretching roller 213, but will only be stretched between the two stretching rollers 213, thereby improving the accuracy of the stretching mechanism 20 in stretching the sub-electrode 204.

[0090] In one embodiment of this application, the rotational speed of the upstream stretching roller 213 is defined as V1, and the rotational speed of the downstream stretching roller 213 is defined as V2, satisfying the relationship: 1 < V2 / V1 ≤ 3.

[0091] In this embodiment, the ratio of the rotational speed V2 of the downstream stretching roller 213 to the rotational speed V1 of the upstream stretching roller 213 is set to 1 to 3. This ensures that the rotational speed difference between the two stretching rollers 213 is not too large, thus preventing excessive tensile force on the sub-electrode 204 and reducing the possibility of strip breakage in the electrode 200. The ratio of V2 to V1 can be 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, or 3, or any value within the above range.

[0092] Please refer to the reference. Figures 4 to 7 In one embodiment of this application, in two adjacent stretching roller groups 21, at least one stretching roller group 21 is configured to slide along the conveying path of the electrode 200 to adjust the spacing between the two stretching rollers 213 in the two stretching roller groups 21.

[0093] In two adjacent stretching roller groups 21, either only one stretching roller group 21 can be made to slide, or both stretching roller groups 21 can be made to slide, ensuring that the distance between the two stretching rollers 213 can be adjusted. The sliding adjustment of the stretching roller group 21 can be achieved automatically by being driven by the second drive component 23, as described below. Alternatively, manual adjustment can be used, where the stretching roller group 21 is slid into place and then fixed in place using locking bolts or screws.

[0094] In this embodiment, at least one of the two adjacent stretching roller groups 21 is made to slide, allowing the spacing between the two stretching rollers 213 in the two stretching roller groups 21 to be adjusted accordingly based on the stretching effect of the sub-electrode 204. This avoids insufficient tension and poor stretching effect due to an excessively small spacing between the two stretching rollers 213, which could even lead to material breakage or uneven stretching. Simultaneously, it also avoids excessively large spacing between the two stretching rollers 213, which could cause the electrode 200 to loosen during stretching, affecting uniformity and potentially resulting in wavy or other irregular shapes, thus impacting the stretching quality. Furthermore, in conjunction with the setting described above for adjusting the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204 by controlling the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 via the control module 40, the adjustable spacing between the two stretching rollers 213 can serve as an "initial adjustment," meaning it can be adjusted during installation or when using different electrode 200 material types. The control module 40's settings for controlling the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 can serve as a "fine-tuning," thereby significantly improving the stretching quality of the electrode 200.

[0095] Please refer to the reference. Figures 5 to 7 In one embodiment of this application, the slidable stretching roller group 21 is defined as the movable stretching roller group 21A. The movable stretching roller group 21A further includes a first carrier 215, and the first drive assembly 211 and the stretching roller 213 are disposed on the first carrier 215. The electrode processing equipment 100 further includes a first support body 60, and the first carrier 215 is slidably installed on the first support body 60 along the conveying path of the electrode 200.

[0096] The first carrier 215 can be used to provide a mounting position for mounting the first drive assembly 211 and the stretching roller 213. The first carrier 215 can be a plate structure, or it can be a seat structure; this application does not limit the structural type of the first carrier 215. The first support 60 can be used to provide a mounting position for mounting and supporting the first carrier 215. Of course, the first support 60 can also be used to further support other mechanisms in the electrode processing equipment 100. Furthermore, the first support 60 can be a plate structure, or it can be a seat structure; this application does not limit the structural type of the first support 60. In addition, in two adjacent stretching roller groups 21, the upstream stretching roller group 21 can be set as a movable stretching roller group 21A, or the downstream stretching roller group 21 can be set as a movable stretching roller group 21A, or both the upstream and downstream stretching roller groups 21 can be set as movable stretching roller groups 21A.

[0097] In this embodiment, the first drive assembly 211 and the stretching roller 213 are jointly supported by the first carrier 215, which simplifies the number of carriers required. Simultaneously, by configuring the first carrier 215 for sliding installation, the first drive assembly 211 and the stretching roller 213 can be slidably installed, thereby simplifying the sliding installation structure of the movable stretching roller assembly 21A.

[0098] Please refer to the reference. Figures 5 to 7 In one embodiment of this application, the stretching mechanism 20 further includes a second drive component 23, which is connected to the first carrier 215 and configured to drive the first carrier 215 to slide.

[0099] The second drive assembly 23 can be used to provide driving force to drive the first carrier 215 to slide. The second drive assembly 23 can be, as described below, a second drive member 231, a first lead screw 233, and a first nut 235; it can also include the second drive member 231, a driving wheel, a driven wheel, and a belt; or it can include the second drive member 231, a gear, and a rack. This application does not limit the structural type of the second drive assembly 23; it only needs to be used to drive the first carrier 215 to slide.

[0100] In this embodiment, the second drive component 23 can automatically drive the first carrier 215, thereby automatically adjusting the distance between the two stretching rollers 213, improving the automation effect of the electrode processing equipment 100 and the accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two stretching rollers 213.

[0101] Please refer to the reference. Figures 5 to 7In one embodiment of this application, the second drive assembly 23 includes a second drive member 231, a first lead screw 233 and a first nut 235. The first lead screw 233 extends along the sliding direction of the first carrier 215; the first nut 235 is sleeved on the first lead screw 233, and the first carrier 215 is connected to the first nut 235.

[0102] In this embodiment, the lead screw drive offers high precision and stability, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two stretching rollers 213. Simultaneously, the lead screw also has a self-locking function, facilitating the stable maintenance of the distance between the two stretching rollers 213 after adjustment, and eliminating the need for additional limiting structures to fix the first carrier 215 after sliding adjustment. The second drive component 231 can be a motor, and its specific type is not limited.

[0103] Please refer to the reference. Figures 5 to 7 In one embodiment of this application, the first support body 60 is provided with a first guide rail 61, which extends along the sliding direction of the first carrier 215; the first carrier 215 is provided with a first slider 2151, which slides in cooperation with the first guide rail 61.

[0104] In this embodiment, the cooperation between the first guide rail 61 and the first slider 2151 can guide the sliding of the first carrier 215, so as to further improve the accuracy of the spacing control between the two stretching rollers 213.

[0105] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1 to 4 In one embodiment of this application, the stretching mechanism 20 includes at least two abutment modules 25, each abutment module 25 being disposed at a distance from a stretching roller 213 to be configured to allow the sub-electrode 204 to pass through a first belt gap 25a.

[0106] The first belt gap 25a can be used to allow the sub-electrode 204 to pass through, thereby enabling the stretching roller 213 to abut against one side of the sub-electrode 204 and the abutting module 25 to abut against the other side of the sub-electrode 204.

[0107] In this embodiment, the abutment module 25 can abut the sub-electrode 204 wound on the stretching roller 213, so that the stretching roller 213 can stably stretch the electrode 200 and reduce the possibility of the electrode 200 slipping. Moreover, the number of abutment modules 25 corresponds one-to-one with the stretching roller 213, so that appropriate abutment force can be used at each of the two stretching rollers 213 to abut the electrode 200.

[0108] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4as well as Figure 8 In one embodiment of this application, the abutting module 25 includes two abutting components 251, which are arranged along the axial direction of the stretching roller 213. The abutting components 251 and the stretching roller 213 are configured to be spaced apart to form a first belt gap 25a.

[0109] In this embodiment, two abutting components 251 can respectively abut the tab areas 203 located on both sides of the coating area 201 in the sub-electrode 204, which is less likely to affect the coating area 201 in the sub-electrode 204. During the rolling process of the electrode 200 by the rolling mechanism 50, the area of ​​the tab area 203 near the coating area 201 will be stretched by the coating area 201 during the rolling process. Therefore, in order to improve the uniformity of the overall stretching of the tab area 203 and reduce the possibility of electrode breakage and wrinkling, the abutting module 25 can be set to abut against 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the area of ​​the tab area 203 in the sub-electrode 204 from the edge. This edge is the side of the tab area 203 in the sub-electrode 204 away from the coating area 201.

[0110] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 8 In one embodiment of this application, the abutment component 251 includes an abutment member 2511, which is configured with a first belt clearance 25a between the abutment member 2511 and the stretch roller 213; the abutment member 2511 is configured to slide in a direction close to or away from the stretch roller 213 to adjust the distance between the abutment member 2511 and the stretch roller 213.

[0111] The sliding adjustment of the abutment 2511 along the direction of approaching or moving away from the stretching roller 213 can be achieved automatically by being driven by the third drive assembly 2514, as described below. Alternatively, it can be manually adjusted, whereby the abutment 2511 is slid into place and then fixed in place by locking bolts or screws.

[0112] In this embodiment, the abutment member 2511 is configured to slide in a direction close to or away from the stretching roller 213, so that the distance between the abutment member 2511 and the stretching roller 213 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the abutment force of the abutment member 2511 on the sub-electrode 204 wound on the stretching roller 213, so that the sub-electrode 204 obtains a suitable abutment force, reducing the occurrence of slippage or wrinkling, and further improving the stretching quality of the electrode 200.

[0113] Please refer to the reference. Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 8In one embodiment of this application, the abutment component 251 further includes a third drive component 2514, which is connected to the abutment member 2511 and configured to drive the abutment member 2511 to slide in a direction close to or away from the stretching roller 213.

[0114] The third drive assembly 2514 can be used to provide driving force to drive the abutment member 2511 to slide. The third drive assembly 2514 can include a third drive member 2515, as described below, which can be a cylinder. Alternatively, the third drive member 2515 can be a motor. In this case, the third drive assembly 2514 can further include a lead screw drive structure, similar to the second drive assembly 23. This application does not limit the structural type of the third drive assembly 2514; it only needs to be used to drive the abutment member 2511 to slide.

[0115] In this embodiment, the third drive assembly 2514 enables automatic driving of the abutment member 2511, thereby achieving automatic adjustment of the distance between the abutment member 2511 and the stretching roller 213, improving the automation effect of the electrode processing equipment 100 and the accuracy of the distance adjustment between the abutment member 2511 and the stretching roller 213. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the abutment member 2511 in the two abutment assemblies 251 may also be driven by the same third drive assembly 2514.

[0116] In this embodiment, the third driving component 2514 includes a third driving member 2515, which is connected to the abutment member 2511 and configured to drive the abutment member 2511 to slide.

[0117] In this embodiment, the third drive component 2514 includes a third drive element 2515, which makes the structure of the third drive component 2514 simpler and also facilitates the installation and arrangement of the third drive component 2514.

[0118] Please refer to the reference. Figures 8 to 10 In one embodiment of this application, the two abutment components 251 are configured to slide along the axial direction of the stretch roller 213 to adjust the spacing between the two abutment components 251.

[0119] The sliding adjustment of the abutment component 251 along the axial direction of the stretch roller 213 can be achieved automatically by driving it through the fourth drive component 253, as described below. Alternatively, it can be manually adjusted, whereby the abutment component 251 is slid into place and then fixed in place by locking bolts or screws.

[0120] In this embodiment, the abutment component 251 is configured to slide along the axial direction of the stretching roller 213, so that the distance between the two abutment components 251 can be adjusted. Thus, when facing sub-electrode sheets 204 of different widths, the distance between the two abutment components 251 can be adjusted to achieve corresponding abutment of the tab areas 203 on both sides of the sub-electrode sheet 204, thereby improving the versatility of the electrode processing equipment 100 for different types of electrode sheets 200.

[0121] Please refer to the reference. Figures 8 to 10 In one embodiment of this application, the abutment module 25 further includes a fourth drive component 253, which is connected to the two abutment components 251 and configured to drive the two abutment components 251 to move closer to or further away from each other.

[0122] The fourth drive assembly 253 can be used to provide driving force to drive the sliding of the abutment assembly 251. The fourth drive assembly 253 can be, as described below, a fourth drive member 2531, a second lead screw 2533, and a second nut 2535; alternatively, it can include the fourth drive member 2531, a gear, and two racks meshing on opposite sides of the gear. This application does not limit the structural type of the fourth drive assembly 253; it can be used to drive the two abutment assemblies 251 closer together or further apart.

[0123] In this embodiment, the fourth driving component 253 can automatically drive the two abutting components 251, thereby automatically adjusting the distance between the two abutting components 251, improving the automation effect of the electrode processing equipment 100 and the accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two abutting components 251.

[0124] Please refer to the reference. Figures 8 to 10 In one embodiment of this application, the fourth drive assembly 253 includes a fourth drive member 2531, a second lead screw 2533, and two second nuts 2535. The second lead screw 2533 extends along the sliding direction of the abutment assembly 251 and is a bidirectional lead screw. The two second nuts 2535 are sleeved on the second lead screw 2533, and each abutment assembly 251 is connected to one second nut 2535.

[0125] A two-way lead screw, which includes two threaded sections with opposite directions of rotation, is fitted with a second nut 2535 on one threaded section, so that when the second lead screw 2533 rotates, it can drive the two second nuts 2535 to move closer or further apart.

[0126] In this embodiment, the lead screw drive offers high precision and stability, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of adjusting the distance between the two abutting components 251. Simultaneously, the lead screw also has a self-locking function, facilitating the stable maintenance of the distance between the two abutting components 251 after adjustment, without requiring additional limiting structures to fix the abutting components 251 after sliding adjustment. Furthermore, the second lead screw 2533 is a bidirectional lead screw, enabling synchronous driving of the two abutting components 251 using only a fourth driving element 2531, simplifying the structure while improving the accuracy of adjustment. The fourth driving element 2531 can be a motor, and its specific type is not limited.

[0127] Please refer to the reference. Figures 8 to 10 In one embodiment of this application, the electrode processing equipment 100 further includes a second support body 70, the second support body 70 is provided with a second guide rail 71, the second guide rail 71 extends along the sliding direction of the abutment component 251; the abutment component 251 is provided with a second slider 2517, the second slider 2517 slides in cooperation with the second guide rail 71.

[0128] The second support 70 can be used to provide a mounting position for slidingly mounting the abutment assembly 251. Of course, the second support 70 can also be used to further support other mechanisms in the electrode processing equipment 100. In addition, the second support 70 can be a plate structure or a base structure, and this application does not limit the structural type of the second support 70.

[0129] In this embodiment, the cooperation between the second guide rail 71 and the second slider 2517 can guide the sliding of the abutment component 251 in the axial direction of the stretch roller 213, so as to further improve the accuracy of the spacing control between the two abutment components 251.

[0130] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 8 In one embodiment of this application, the abutment 2511 includes a second carrier 2512 and a roller 2513; the roller 2513 is rotatably mounted on the second carrier 2512, the axis of the abutment 2511 is parallel to the axis of the stretching roller 213, and a first belt gap 25a is configured between the roller 2513 and the stretching roller 213.

[0131] The second carrier 2512 can be used to provide a mounting position for rotatably mounting the abutment member 2511. The second carrier 2512 can be a plate structure or a base structure, and this application does not limit the structural type of the second carrier 2512.

[0132] In this embodiment, the abutment member 2511 is configured to include a roller 2513, allowing it to rotate without causing excessive friction on the sub-electrode 204 and thus preventing damage. Additionally, the second carrier 2512 can be connected to the third driving member 2515 described above, and the third driving member 2515 can be slidably mounted on the second support body 70 via the cooperation of the second slider 2517 and the second guide rail 71. Alternatively, the abutment assembly 251 may also include a third carrier 2516, with the third driving member 2515 mounting the third carrier 2516, which is slidably mounted on the second support body 70 via the cooperation of the second slider 2517 and the second guide rail 71.

[0133] Please refer to the reference. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment of this application, the conveying direction of the electrode 200 in the slitting mechanism 10 is defined as the first direction, and the width direction of the electrode 200 is defined as the second direction; the two stretching mechanisms 20 corresponding to two adjacent sub-electrodes 204 are arranged along the third direction, and the first direction, the second direction and the third direction intersect each other.

[0134] When the electrode processing equipment 100 is in normal installation and use, with the ground as a reference, the first direction can be a horizontal direction, the second direction can be another horizontal direction, and the third direction can be a vertical direction.

[0135] In this embodiment, the two stretching mechanisms 20 of two adjacent sub-electrodes 204 are staggered in the vertical direction. This reduces the space occupied on the horizontal plane without affecting the stretching of each sub-electrode 204, thereby improving the convenience of installing and arranging the electrode processing equipment 100.

[0136] Please refer to the reference. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment of this application, the slitting mechanism 10 is configured to slit the electrode 200 into at least three sub-electrodes 204, and the number of stretching mechanisms 20 is at least three; in the three adjacent sub-electrodes 204, the two stretching mechanisms 20 of the two correspondingly spaced sub-electrodes 204 are arranged along the second direction.

[0137] In this embodiment, the two stretching mechanisms 20 of the two correspondingly spaced sub-electrodes 204 can be located at the same height, so that multiple stretching mechanisms 20 can be stacked in two layers, thus avoiding excessive space occupation in the vertical direction and providing compact distribution among multiple stretching mechanisms 20. In addition, it should be noted that the first direction and the third direction can also be horizontal, and the second direction can be vertical. This application does not limit the specific types of the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction.

[0138] Please refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 In one embodiment of this application, the slitting mechanism 10 includes a slitting blade 11, which is disc-shaped and has oblique blades 111 on both opposite sides of its periphery; the distance between the two oblique blades 111 is reduced in the radial direction of the slitting blade 11.

[0139] In this embodiment, the slitting blade 11 is set in a disc shape and has beveled edges 111 on both sides. This allows the beveled edges 111 on both sides of the electrode 200 to act simultaneously on both sides of the electrode 200 during slitting, evenly distributing the cutting force, reducing deformation and damage to the electrode 200, forming a smooth cut on the electrode 200, and improving the slitting quality of the electrode 200.

[0140] Please refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 In one embodiment of this application, the slitting mechanism 10 further includes a first transmission roller 13 and a second transmission roller 15. The first transmission roller 13 and the second transmission roller 15 are arranged at a distance from each other to form a second belt pass gap 10a. The slitting blade 11 is mounted on the first transmission roller 13. The second transmission roller 15 is provided with a relief groove 15a communicating with the second belt pass gap 10a at the position corresponding to the slitting blade 11. A portion of the oblique blade 111 is accommodated in the relief groove 15a.

[0141] In this embodiment, the rotation of the first drive roller 13 and the second drive roller 15 facilitates the automatic conveying of the electrode sheet 200 along the conveying path and its slitting by the slitting blade 11. The second drive roller 15 has a relief groove 15a at the position corresponding to the slitting blade 11, and part of the oblique blade 111 is accommodated in the relief groove 15a, which facilitates the full and effective slitting of the electrode sheet 200.

[0142] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1 to 10 ,as well as Figure 12 and Figure 13In one embodiment of this application, the electrode processing equipment 100 includes a rolling mechanism 50, a slitting mechanism 10, a stretching mechanism 20, a detection mechanism 30, and a control module 40 arranged sequentially on a conveying path. The rolling mechanism 50 includes a pressure roller 51, which is configured to roll the coating area 201 in the electrode 200. The slitting mechanism 10 includes a disc-shaped slitting blade 11, with oblique blades 111 on both opposite sides of the periphery of the slitting blade 11. The distance between the two oblique blades 111 decreases in the radial direction of the slitting blade 11. The slitting mechanism 10 is configured to slit the electrode 200 into at least two sub-electrodes 204. The stretching mechanism 20 has at least two components, and each stretching mechanism 20 is configured to stretch one sub-electrode 204. The stretching mechanism 20 includes at least two stretching roller groups 21, each including a first drive assembly 211 and a stretching roller 213. The stretching roller 213 is connected to the first drive assembly 211, which is configured to drive the stretching roller 213 to rotate. The stretching rollers 213 in the at least two stretching roller groups 21 are arranged side-by-side along the conveying path of the electrode sheet 200. In two adjacent stretching rollers 213, the upstream stretching roller 213 rotates at the same speed as the pressure roller 51, while the downstream stretching roller 213 rotates at a higher speed than the upstream stretching roller 213. At least one of the two stretching roller groups 21 is configured to slide to adjust the distance between the two stretching rollers 213. The stretching mechanism 20 also includes at least two abutment modules 25, each abutment module 25 being spaced apart from a stretching roller group 21 to form a first belt-passing gap 25a through which the sub-electrode sheet 204 passes. The abutment module 25 includes two abutment components 251, which are spaced apart along the axial direction of the stretching roller 213 and configured to abut against the tab region 203 of the sub-electrode 204 from 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the area from the edge. Each abutment component 251 includes a third drive component 2514 and an abutment member 2511. The third drive component 2514 is configured to drive the abutment member 2511 closer to and further away from the stretching roller 213 to adjust the size of the first belt gap 25a. At least two detection mechanisms 30 are provided, configured to detect the stretching rate of each sub-electrode 204. A control module 40 is electrically connected to the detection mechanisms 30 and the first drive component 211, configured to adjust the rotational speed difference between the two stretching rollers 213 according to the detection structure of the detection mechanisms 30, thereby adjusting the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204.

[0143] Please refer to Figure 14 This application also proposes a control method for an electrode processing equipment 100. The specific structure of the processing equipment is as described in the above embodiments. In one embodiment of this application, the control method for the electrode processing equipment 100 includes the following steps:

[0144] S10, controls the roller pressing mechanism 50 to press the electrode sheet 200;

[0145] S20, control the slitting mechanism 10 to slit the rolled electrode sheet 200 into at least two sub-electrodes 204;

[0146] S30, control at least two stretching mechanisms 20 to stretch the tab region 203 in at least two sub-electrodes 204 respectively.

[0147] In this embodiment, after the coating area 201 in the electrode 200 is rolled by the rolling mechanism 50, the electrode 200 is then cut by the slitting mechanism 10, which improves the consistency of the rolling of the coating area 201 in the electrode 200. Furthermore, the electrode 200 is first cut, and then the tab area 203 of the sub-electrode 204 is stretched. This allows the electrode 200 to be pre-cut into at least two sub-electrodes 204 by the slitting mechanism 10 before stretching. At this time, the width of the tab area 203 in each sub-electrode 204 is reduced, facilitating the consistency of the tab area 203 in each sub-electrode 204. Furthermore, by using different stretching mechanisms 20 to stretch each sub-electrode 204 one-to-one, it is convenient to use appropriate working parameters to stretch each sub-electrode 204 according to the condition of the tab area 203 in each sub-electrode 204, thereby reducing defects such as electrode 200 breakage, tab crescent, tab sagging, or tab folding during the stretching process, so as to improve the stretching quality of the electrode 200.

[0148] Please refer to Figure 15 In one embodiment of the application, step S30, which involves controlling at least two stretching mechanisms 20 to stretch the tab regions 203 in at least two sub-electrodes 204 respectively, includes the following steps;

[0149] S31, the fourth drive component 253 in the control abutment module 25 drives the two abutment members 2511 to move closer or further apart from each other, so as to abut against the tab area 203 in the sub-pole 204 from 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the area from the edge;

[0150] S32, control the third drive assembly 2514 in the abutment assembly 251 to drive the abutment member 2511 close to the stretching roller 213 so as to cooperate with the stretching roller 213 to clamp the tab area 203 in the sub-electrode 204;

[0151] S33 controls the stretching rollers 213 in the two stretching roller groups 21 to rotate at different speeds, with the speed of the downstream stretching roller 213 being greater than that of the upstream stretching roller 213.

[0152] In this embodiment, by controlling the contact member 2511 to abut against the tab region 203 in the sub-electrode 204 from 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the area from the edge, the uniformity of the overall stretching of the tab region 203 is improved, while reducing the possibility of strip breakage and wrinkling of the electrode 200. Furthermore, by controlling the two stretching rollers 213 to rotate at different speeds to stretch the sub-electrode 204, the sub-electrode 204 is stretched at a constant stretching rate, and the cracks in the tab region 203 of the sub-electrode 204 will not continue to propagate after being stretched to the predetermined stretching rate.

[0153] Please refer to Figure 16 In one embodiment of the application, after controlling the stretching rollers 213 in the two stretching roller groups 21 to rotate at different speeds in step S33, and the speed of the downstream stretching roller 213 is greater than the speed of the upstream stretching roller 213, the control method of the electrode processing equipment 100 further includes the following steps.

[0154] S40, the control and testing mechanism 30 detects the elongation of the tab region 203 in the sub-electrode 204;

[0155] S50. Based on the detection structure of the detection mechanism 30, control the speed difference between the two stretching rollers 213 so that the stretching rate of the tab area 203 in the sub-electrode 204 is consistent with the preset stretching rate.

[0156] In this embodiment, the stretching rate of the sub-electrode 204 can be detected by the detection mechanism 30. This allows the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 to be adjusted according to the stretching effect of each sub-electrode 204, thereby improving the adaptability of the working parameters of the stretching mechanism 20 to the corresponding sub-electrode 204 and making it easier to stretch the sub-electrode 204 to meet the preset requirements, thus improving the stretching quality of the electrode 200.

[0157] This application also proposes a battery production system, which includes an electrode processing equipment 100. The specific structure of the electrode processing equipment 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this battery production system adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here. The battery production system may also include a coating equipment, which can be used to coat the current collector in the electrode 200 with an active material layer. The coated electrode 200 can then be conveyed to the electrode processing equipment 100 for rolling, slitting, and stretching. Of course, the battery production system may also include a die-cutting equipment and a winding equipment after the electrode processing equipment 100, so that the electrode tabs can be cut out by the die-cutting equipment, and the positive electrode 200, the negative electrode 200, and the separator located between them can be wound into an electrode assembly by the winding equipment.

[0158] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the inventive concept of this application and the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An electrode processing device, characterized in that, include: A slitting mechanism is configured to slit an electrode sheet into at least two sub-electrodes; and At least two stretching mechanisms are located downstream of the slitting mechanism on the electrode conveying path, and each stretching mechanism is configured to stretch an electrode tab region in one of the sub-electrodes. The stretching mechanism includes at least two sets of stretching rollers, and the sets of stretching rollers include: First driving component; and A stretching roller is connected to the first drive assembly, which is configured to drive the stretching roller to rotate. The stretching rollers in at least two stretching roller groups are arranged side by side along the conveying path of the electrode sheet, and the rotational speeds of adjacent stretching rollers are different. The number of stretching roller groups is two, and on the conveying path of the electrode sheet, the speed of the stretching roller located upstream is less than the speed of the stretching roller located downstream. The electrode processing equipment also includes a rolling mechanism, which is located upstream of the slitting mechanism on the electrode conveying path. The rolling mechanism includes a pressure roller configured to roll the coating area in the electrode sheet, and the rotational speed of the upstream stretching roller is equal to that of the pressure roller.

2. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The electrode processing equipment further includes at least two detection mechanisms, at least a portion of which is located downstream of the stretching mechanism on the electrode conveying path, each of the detection mechanisms being configured to detect the stretching rate of a sub-electrode.

3. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The electrode processing equipment also includes a control module, and the stretching mechanism and the detection mechanism are respectively electrically connected to the control module; The control module is configured to control the operating parameters of the stretching mechanism based on the detection results of the detection mechanism, so as to adjust the stretching rate of the sub-electrode. The first drive component is electrically connected to the control module, and the operating parameters include the speed difference between two adjacent stretching rollers.

4. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The detection mechanism includes at least two rangefinders, which are arranged along the transport path of the electrode and are all configured to face the tab area of ​​the sub-electrode.

5. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotational speed of the stretching roller located upstream is defined as V1, and the rotational speed of the stretching roller located downstream is defined as V2, satisfying the relationship: 1 < V2 / V1 ≤ 3.

6. The electrode processing equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, In two adjacent stretching roller groups, at least one of the stretching roller groups is configured to slide along the conveying path of the electrode sheet to adjust the spacing between the two stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups.

7. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The sliding stretching roller group is defined as a movable stretching roller group, and the movable stretching roller group further includes a first carrier, with the first drive component and the stretching roller disposed on the first carrier; The electrode processing equipment further includes a first support body, and the first carrier is slidably mounted on the first support body along the conveying path of the electrode.

8. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The stretching mechanism further includes a second drive component, which is connected to the first carrier and configured to drive the first carrier to slide.

9. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The second driving component includes: Second drive unit; A first lead screw, which extends along the sliding direction of the first carrier; and The first nut is sleeved on the first lead screw, and the first carrier is connected to the first nut.

10. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The first support is provided with a first guide rail, which extends along the sliding direction of the first carrier; The first carrier is provided with a first slider, which slides in conjunction with the first guide rail.

11. The electrode processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The stretching mechanism further includes at least two abutment modules, each abutment module being disposed at a distance from one of the stretching rollers to be configured to allow the sub-electrode sheet to pass through a first belt-passing gap.

12. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The abutting module includes two abutting components, which are arranged along the axial direction of the stretching roller, and the abutting components and the stretching roller are configured to form the first belt passage gap.

13. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The abutting assembly includes an abutting member, which is configured with the stretching roller to form the first belt clearance; The abutment is configured to slide in a direction close to or away from the stretching roller to adjust the distance between the abutment and the stretching roller.

14. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The abutment assembly further includes a third drive assembly connected to the abutment member and configured to drive the abutment member to slide in a direction close to or away from the stretching roller.

15. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The two abutting components are configured to slide along the axial direction of the stretching roller to adjust the spacing between the two abutting components.

16. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 15, characterized in that, The abutment module further includes a fourth driving component, which is connected to the two abutment components and configured to drive the two abutment components to move closer to or further away from each other.

17. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 16, characterized in that, The fourth driving component includes: Fourth driving component; A second lead screw, extending along the sliding direction of the abutment assembly, is a bidirectional lead screw; and Two second nuts are fitted onto the second lead screw, and each of the abutment components is connected to one of the second nuts.

18. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 15, characterized in that, The electrode processing equipment further includes a second support body, which is provided with a second guide rail, which extends along the sliding direction of the abutment component; The abutment component is provided with a second slider, which slides in cooperation with the second guide rail.

19. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The abutment component includes an abutment member, the abutment member comprising: Second carrier; and A roller is rotatably mounted on the second carrier, the axis of the abutment member is parallel to the axis of the stretching roller, and the roller and the stretching roller are configured to form the first belt clearance.

20. The electrode processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The conveying direction of the electrode sheet in the slitting mechanism is defined as the first direction, and the width direction of the electrode sheet is defined as the second direction; The two stretching mechanisms corresponding to two adjacent sub-electrodes are arranged along a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction intersect each other.

21. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 20, characterized in that, The slitting mechanism is configured to slit the electrode sheet into at least three sub-electrodes, and the number of stretching mechanisms is at least three. In three adjacent sub-electrodes, two stretching mechanisms of two correspondingly spaced sub-electrodes are arranged along the second direction.

22. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 20, characterized in that, The first direction and the second direction are horizontal, and the third direction is vertical.

23. The electrode processing equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The slitting mechanism includes a slitting blade, which is disc-shaped and has beveled edges on both opposite sides of its periphery. In the radial direction of the slitting blade, the distance between the two beveled blades is set to decrease.

24. The electrode processing equipment as described in claim 23, characterized in that, The slitting mechanism further includes a first drive roller and a second drive roller, wherein the first drive roller and the second drive roller are arranged at a distance from each other to form a second belt passage gap; The slitting blade is mounted on the first drive roller, and the second drive roller is provided with a clearance groove at the position corresponding to the slitting blade, which communicates with the second belt gap. The portion of the oblique blade is accommodated in the clearance groove.

25. A control method for electrode processing equipment, characterized in that, The electrode processing equipment is the electrode processing equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 24, and the control method of the electrode processing equipment includes the following steps: Control the roller pressing mechanism to press the electrode sheets; The control slitting mechanism slits the rolled electrode sheet into at least two sub-electrodes; Control at least two stretching mechanisms to stretch the tab regions in at least two of the sub-electrodes respectively.

26. The control method for the electrode processing equipment as described in claim 25, characterized in that, In the step of controlling at least two stretching mechanisms to stretch the tab regions in at least two of the sub-electrodes respectively Includes the following steps; The fourth drive component in the control abutment module drives the two abutment members to move closer or further apart to abut against the tab area of ​​the sub-electrode in 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the region from the edge; The third drive component in the control abutment assembly drives the abutment member to approach the stretching roller so as to cooperate with the stretching roller to clamp the tab area in the sub-electrode sheet; The stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups are controlled to rotate at different speeds, with the downstream stretching roller rotating at a higher speed than the upstream stretching roller.

27. The control method for the electrode processing equipment as described in claim 26, characterized in that, After the step of controlling the stretching rollers in the two stretching roller groups to rotate at different speeds, and the speed of the downstream stretching roller is greater than the speed of the upstream stretching roller, the control method of the electrode processing equipment further includes the following steps. The control and testing mechanism detects the tensile strength of the tab region in the sub-electrode; Based on the testing structure of the testing agency, the speed difference between the two stretching rollers is controlled so that the stretching ratio of the tab area in the sub-electrode is consistent with the preset stretching ratio.

28. A battery production system, characterized in that, Includes the electrode processing equipment as described in any one of claims 1 to 24.

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