Soft package lithium battery packaging supporting robot

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of lithium battery production, in particular to a soft package lithium battery packaging supporting robot which comprises a workbench, the workbench is connected with an inner side flexible supporting plate through a support, the workbench is connected with an outer side flexible supporting plate through a first supporting leg, and the outer side flexible supporting plate and the inner side flexible supporting plate are used for supporting a soft package lithium battery in a matched mode; the flexible clamping plate is used for being matched with the inner side flexible supporting plate to fix the soft package lithium battery; a rigid supporting piece is connected to the workbench through a third telescopic piece, the second telescopic piece is used for driving the outer side flexible supporting plate to horizontally move outwards so as to avoid the rigid supporting piece, the third telescopic piece is used for driving the rigid supporting piece to ascend and be flush with the inner side flexible supporting plate, and the rigid supporting piece is used for providing supporting during hot-pressing packaging of the soft package lithium battery. According to the invention, battery deformation and damage and tab damage caused by rigid contact are avoided through the flexible support, and meanwhile, the hot-pressing packaging quality is ensured through the rigid support, so that the problem that the packaging is unqualified due to the fact that a flexible support structure cannot meet the hot-pressing packaging condition although the flexible support structure can avoid battery deformation or damage is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lithium battery production technology, and in particular to a soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot. Background Technology

[0002] Pouch lithium batteries are lithium-ion batteries that use aluminum-plastic film as the encapsulation material. They offer advantages such as light weight, thinness, high energy density, and customizable shape, making them widely used in consumer electronics, new energy vehicles, and energy storage. During the production of pouch lithium batteries, the aluminum-plastic film is flexible, making the cells highly susceptible to deformation or damage from external forces during encapsulation. Therefore, support robots are needed to provide stable support, ensuring the precision and reliability of critical processes such as tab welding and heat sealing.

[0003] Existing support robots mostly employ flexible support structures to adapt to pouch batteries of different sizes, avoiding battery deformation, breakage, and tab damage caused by rigid contact. However, during the thermo-press packaging process, the flexible support may lack sufficient stiffness due to the high temperature and pressure, leading to deformation of the cell support surface and wrinkles on the aluminum-plastic film surface. This not only affects the battery's appearance quality but may also cause safety hazards and performance issues such as leakage and increased internal resistance. Therefore, we propose a pouch lithium battery packaging support robot. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the technical problems existing in the background technology, the present invention proposes a soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot. The flexible support avoids battery deformation, breakage and tab damage caused by hard contact, while the rigid support ensures the quality of hot-press packaging. This solves the problem that although the flexible support structure can avoid battery deformation or breakage, it cannot meet the hot-press packaging conditions, resulting in unqualified packaging.

[0005] This invention provides the following technical solution: a soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot, including a workbench, on which a flexible support plate is provided. The flexible support plate includes an inner flexible support plate and an outer flexible support plate. The workbench is connected to the inner flexible support plate via a bracket, and the workbench is connected to the outer flexible support plate via a support leg. Four sets of the outer flexible support plates are located around the inner flexible support plate, and the upper surface of the outer flexible support plate is flush with the upper surface of the inner flexible support plate. The outer and inner flexible support plates are used to support the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0006] During the encapsulation process, the inner and outer flexible support plates form a flush support plane on all four sides. This allows the flexible material to adaptively conform to the cell surface, avoiding damage to the electrodes caused by rigid contact. The flexible material's fit better protects the cell, reduces damage during production, and improves product quality. Simultaneously, the flexible clamping plate, in conjunction with the inner support plate, stably secures the cell during processes such as tab welding, ensuring positioning accuracy. Stable fixation and precise positioning are crucial for the smooth execution of processes like tab welding, reducing welding problems caused by inaccurate positioning.

[0007] The workbench is fixedly connected to the top plate via a support plate. A flexible clamping plate is installed on the top plate. The flexible clamping plate is driven by a telescopic component on the top plate. The flexible clamping plate is used to fix the soft-pack lithium battery in conjunction with the inner flexible support plate.

[0008] The first outrigger is connected to the bracket via the second telescopic component. The workbench is connected to a rigid support via the third telescopic component. The second telescopic component is used to move the outer flexible support plate outward to avoid the rigid support. The third telescopic component is used to move the rigid support upward and make it flush with the inner flexible support plate. The rigid support is used to provide support during the hot-pressing and packaging of the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0009] During the hot-pressing encapsulation stage, the second telescopic component drives the outer flexible support plate to move outwards to avoid obstruction, while the third telescopic component lifts the rigid support component until it is flush with the inner support plate, using high-strength material to bear the pressure load of the hot-pressing process. This dynamic switching method ensures sufficient rigid support during the hot-pressing stage, effectively solving the problem of insufficient rigidity of traditional flexible supports under high temperature and pressure. It also avoids the risk of wrinkles or leakage in the aluminum-plastic film due to support deformation. Reducing the risk of wrinkles and leakage improves battery safety and reliability, and lowers the defect rate.

[0010] Preferably, a photoelectric sensor one is installed on the rigid support member, and a photoelectric sensor two, matching the photoelectric sensor one, is installed on the inner flexible support plate. The photoelectric sensor one and photoelectric sensor two are used to monitor whether the inner flexible support plate and the rigid support member are aligned. The setting of the photoelectric sensor can accurately monitor the alignment of the two, ensuring the flatness of the support surface and providing a guarantee for the accuracy of subsequent thermoforming.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes a positioning mechanism, which is installed on the outer flexible support plate. The positioning mechanism is used to push the soft-pack lithium battery to achieve positioning. The presence of the positioning mechanism can realize the automatic positioning of the battery cell, improve the automation level of production and the accuracy of positioning, reduce manual operation, and improve production efficiency.

[0012] The positioning mechanism includes a push plate, a connecting rod, and a telescopic component four. The telescopic component four is installed at the bottom of the outer flexible support plate, and its telescopic end is connected to the connecting rod. The connecting rod is fixed to the push plate. The telescopic component four is used to drive the push plate to move along the flexible support plate, and the side of the push plate that is close to the soft-pack lithium battery is made of flexible material. The flexible material of the push plate can avoid damaging the battery cell when pushing it for positioning, ensuring the safety of the battery cell during the positioning process.

[0013] Preferably, the rigid support component is internally equipped with a cooling mechanism. The cooling mechanism includes a temperature detection component and a cooling chamber installed inside the rigid support component. The cooling chamber is connected to a pump body via an inlet pipe and to a water tank via an outlet pipe. The water tank is mounted on a workbench, and the pump body is used to draw water or coolant from the water tank into the cooling chamber through the inlet pipe to achieve cooling. The cooling mechanism can control the temperature of the rigid support component, preventing high temperatures during hot pressing from affecting the support component, ensuring the stability of the support component's performance, and thus ensuring the quality of the hot pressing seal.

[0014] Preferably, the rigid support is further provided with a deformation monitoring component, which is used to monitor the deformation of the rigid support during the hot-pressing packaging of the soft-pack lithium battery. Real-time monitoring of the deformation allows for timely understanding of the working status of the rigid support, providing data support for process optimization and equipment maintenance, and ensuring the reliability of the support during the hot-pressing process.

[0015] Preferably, the rigid support is a frame structure. The cooling chamber is divided into three chambers—Cavity 1, Cavity 2, and Cavity 3—from the inside out along the frame structure. Cavities 1, 2, and 3 form a continuous unidirectional passage through separators and connecting ports. The passage is connected to an inlet pipe at one end and an outlet pipe at the other. This frame structure and cooling chamber design allows the coolant to flow uniformly within the rigid support, improving cooling efficiency, ensuring temperature uniformity of the support, and further enhancing the stability of the thermopress sealing.

[0016] Preferably, the device further includes a rotating assembly for rotating the worktable and the soft-pack lithium battery as a whole. The rotating assembly includes a base plate, on which the worktable is rotatably mounted. A geared disc is fixedly connected to the bottom of the worktable, and a motor is mounted on the base plate. A second geared disc, meshing with the first geared disc, is connected to the output shaft of the motor. The motor drives the worktable to rotate via the two geared discs. The rotating assembly enables the overall rotation of the worktable and the battery cell, facilitating operations such as thermoforming at different angles, improving the flexibility and adaptability of the equipment, and meeting various packaging requirements.

[0017] Preferably, the worktable is equipped with an angle detection component for detecting the rotation angle of the worktable, and a levelness detection component for detecting whether the worktable is level. The angle detection and levelness detection components can ensure the accuracy of the worktable rotation and its levelness, guarantee the accuracy of operations such as hot-press packaging, and avoid affecting the packaging quality due to angle or level issues.

[0018] Preferably, a hot pressing mechanism is installed on the workbench, and the hot pressing mechanism is provided with a retractable hot pressing head. The hot pressing head is used to hot press and encapsulate the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support. The cooperation between the hot pressing mechanism and the rigid support can realize the automated operation of hot pressing and encapsulation, improve production efficiency and packaging consistency.

[0019] The hot-pressing mechanism is equipped with an infrared temperature measurement component, which is used to monitor the temperature change of the packaged soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support. Real-time temperature monitoring allows for timely detection of any wrinkles in the packaged battery, ensuring battery quality.

[0020] Preferably, the top plate is connected to a guide rod capable of vertical sliding, and a second hot press head is connected to the bottom of the guide rod. The top plate is provided with a telescopic component five for driving the second hot press head to rise and fall to achieve encapsulation. The second hot press head is aligned with the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support. The multiple hot press heads can improve the efficiency and accuracy of hot press encapsulation, meet the encapsulation requirements of different positions, and further improve encapsulation quality and production efficiency.

[0021] This invention provides a support robot for pouch lithium battery packaging. During the packaging process, the inner and outer flexible support plates form a support plane flush with all four sides. The flexible material adaptively conforms to the cell surface, avoiding electrode damage caused by rigid contact. Simultaneously, the flexible clamping plate, in conjunction with the inner support plate, stably fixes the cell during processes such as tab welding, ensuring positioning accuracy. When entering the hot-press packaging stage, the second telescopic component drives the outer flexible support plate to move outwards to avoid obstruction, while the third telescopic component raises the rigid support component to be flush with the inner support plate. This high-strength material bears the pressure load of the hot-press process, effectively solving the problem of insufficient rigidity of traditional flexible supports under high temperature and pressure, and avoiding the risk of wrinkles or leakage in the aluminum-plastic film due to support deformation. This solution, through dynamic switching between rigid and flexible supports, meets the flexibility protection requirements of the cell pretreatment process while ensuring the rigid support strength during hot-press packaging. It also reduces the frequency of equipment downtime due to support failure, providing a reliable technical solution for high-precision packaging of pouch lithium batteries. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0023] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0024] Figure 3 This is a plan view of the flexible support plate of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a plan view of the combination of the flexible support plate and the rigid support member of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 3 .

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 4 .

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling cavity structure of the rigid support member of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 5 .

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 6 .

[0031] In the diagram: 1. Workbench; 2. Support frame; 3. Inner flexible support plate; 4. Outer flexible support plate; 5. Leg 1; 6. Support plate; 7. Top plate; 8. Telescopic component 1; 9. Flexible clamping plate; 10. Slider 1; 11. Slide 1; 12. Telescopic component 2; 13. Rigid support component; 14. Telescopic component 3; 15. Photoelectric sensor 1; 16. Photoelectric sensor 2; 17. Leg 2; 18. Pressure detection assembly; 19. Push plate; 20. Connecting rod; 21. Telescopic component 4; 22. Temperature detection assembly; 23. Water tank; 24. Pump body; 25. Inlet pipe; 26. Outlet pipe; 27. Refrigeration chamber; 2701. Chamber 1; 2702. Chamber 2; 2703. Chamber 3; 2704. Divider; 28. Base plate; 29. ​​Slide 2; 30. Gear disc 1; 31. Gear disc 2; 32. Motor; 33. Angle detection component; 34. Levelness detection component; 35. Hot pressing mechanism; 36. Hot pressing head 1; 37. Infrared temperature measurement component; 38. Guide rod; 39. Telescopic component 5; 40. Hot pressing head 2. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] like Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the present invention provides a technical solution: a soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot, including a workbench 1, on which a flexible support plate is provided. The flexible support plate includes an inner flexible support plate 3 and an outer flexible support plate 4. The workbench 1 is connected to the inner flexible support plate 3 through a bracket 2, and the workbench 1 is connected to the outer flexible support plate 4 through a support leg 5. Four sets of outer flexible support plates 4 are located around the inner flexible support plate 3, and the upper plane of the outer flexible support plate 4 is flush with the upper plane of the inner flexible support plate 3. The outer flexible support plate 4 and the inner flexible support plate 3 are used to support the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0034] The workbench 1 is fixedly connected to the top plate 7 via the support plate 6. A flexible clamping plate 9 is installed on the top plate 7. The flexible clamping plate 9 is driven by the telescopic component 8 on the top plate 7. The flexible clamping plate 9 is used to cooperate with the inner flexible support plate 3 to fix the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0035] The first support leg 5 is connected to the bracket 2 via the second telescopic component 12. The workbench 1 is connected to the rigid support component 13 via the third telescopic component 14. The second telescopic component 12 is used to drive the outer flexible support plate 4 to move outward to avoid the rigid support component 13. The third telescopic component 14 is used to drive the rigid support component 13 to rise and be flush with the inner flexible support plate 3. The rigid support component 13 is used to provide support during the hot-pressing packaging of soft-pack lithium batteries.

[0036] During operation, the soft-pack lithium battery is placed on a flush support plane formed by the inner flexible support plate 3 and the surrounding outer flexible support plates 4. At this time, the flexible support plates adapt to the surface of the battery cell through their flexible material, providing initial flexible support for the battery cell and avoiding damage caused by rigid contact. Next, the telescopic component 8 on the top plate 7 drives the flexible clamping plate 9 to move downward, cooperating with the inner flexible support plate 3 to stably fix the battery cell, ensuring accurate positioning of the battery cell during pre-processing steps such as tab welding.

[0037] When entering the thermo-pressing stage, telescopic component 2 12 is activated, causing the outer flexible support plate 4 to move outward via support leg 1 5, making room for the rigid support component 13. Subsequently, telescopic component 3 14 moves, pushing the rigid support component 13 up until it is flush with the inner flexible support plate 3. Figure 3 and 4 As shown, this design replaces the flexible support plate to bear the pressure load of the hot-pressing process, providing rigid support with high-strength materials to ensure the accuracy of hot-pressing packaging. It also avoids the risk of localized cell collapse (deformation >0.1mm) caused by insufficient rigidity of the support surface during the heat-sealing stage (150-200℃, pressure 1-2MPa), which could lead to wrinkles at the heat-sealed edges and leakage.

[0038] During this process, the pressure detection component 18 installed on the telescopic component 14 monitors the pressure borne by the rigid support component 13 in real time. When the pressure exceeds the preset threshold, it can be fed back to the control system to adjust the hot pressing parameters or support force to ensure the stability of the hot pressing process and avoid cell deformation or poor packaging due to abnormal pressure. This achieves precise switching from flexible support to rigid support and pressure monitoring, ensuring the packaging quality of soft-pack lithium batteries.

[0039] The bottom of the support leg 5 is connected to a slider 10. The worktable 1 is provided with a slide groove 11, which is a strip-shaped groove. The slider 10 is located in the slide groove 11 and can slide along the slide groove 11 to achieve horizontal movement. The slider 10 is also in the form of a pulley.

[0040] A photoelectric sensor 15 is installed on the rigid support member 13, and a photoelectric sensor 2 16 matching the photoelectric sensor 15 is installed on the inner flexible support plate 3. The photoelectric sensor 15 and the photoelectric sensor 2 16 are used to monitor whether the inner flexible support plate 3 and the rigid support member 13 are aligned.

[0041] During the operation of the soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot, when switching from flexible support to rigid support is required, the second telescopic component 12 first moves the outer flexible support plate 4 outward to avoid obstruction, and then the third telescopic component 14 pushes the rigid support component 13 upward. During this upward movement, the photoelectric sensor 15 on the rigid support component 13 and the photoelectric sensor 16 on the inner flexible support plate 3 work in real time to monitor whether they are aligned by emitting and receiving light signals. Once misalignment is detected, the control system promptly adjusts the upward position of the rigid support component 13 until the two photoelectric sensors are accurately aligned, ensuring that the rigid support component 13 and the inner flexible support plate 3 are at the same plane height, providing a stable and continuous support surface for the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0042] This photoelectric sensor alignment monitoring structure offers significant advantages. Firstly, it greatly improves the accuracy and reliability of support switching. Through real-time monitoring and feedback adjustment, it avoids uneven support surfaces caused by mechanical errors or long-term use, ensuring uniform pressure distribution on the cell during thermoforming packaging. This effectively reduces defects such as wrinkles and leakage, improving packaging quality and yield. Secondly, the non-contact detection method of the photoelectric sensor, compared to traditional mechanical positioning structures, offers higher sensitivity and faster response speed, enabling alignment detection to be completed quickly, shortening support switching time and improving production efficiency.

[0043] like Figure 5As shown, it also includes a positioning mechanism, which is installed on the outer flexible support plate 4. The positioning mechanism is used to push the soft-pack lithium battery to achieve positioning. The positioning mechanism includes a push plate 19, a connecting rod 20, and a telescopic component 21. The telescopic component 21 is installed at the bottom of the outer flexible support plate 4, and the telescopic end of the telescopic component 21 is connected to the connecting rod 20. The connecting rod 20 is fixed to the push plate 19. The telescopic component 21 is used to drive the push plate 19 to move along the flexible support plate, and the side of the push plate 19 that is close to the soft-pack lithium battery is made of flexible material. The flexible support plate is made of silicone rubber, and the rigid support is made of steel or other rigid materials.

[0044] After the pouch lithium battery is placed on the support plane formed by the inner and outer flexible support plates, the telescopic component 421 installed at the bottom of the outer flexible support plate 4 is activated. Its telescopic end drives the push plate 19 to move along the surface of the flexible support plate via the connecting rod 20. The side of the push plate 19 that contacts the battery cell is made of flexible material. Driven by the telescopic component 421, the push plate 19 slowly pushes the battery cell until it is accurately positioned in the preset position. During this process, the flexible push plate 19 can provide sufficient thrust to position the battery cell while avoiding scratches or squeezing damage to the surface of the battery cell due to hard contact, thus ensuring the safety and accuracy of the positioning process.

[0045] Through the mechanical transmission structure of telescopic component 21 and connecting rod 20, the push plate 19 achieves stable translation with a positioning accuracy of ±0.1mm. This meets the high-precision requirements for cell positioning in processes such as tab welding and hot-press packaging, avoiding welding defects or packaging wrinkles caused by positioning deviations. The flexible contact surface design of the push plate 19 perfectly adapts to the aluminum-plastic film packaging characteristics of soft-pack lithium batteries. Compared with the traditional rigid push plate 19, it can reduce the surface damage rate of the cell and effectively improve product yield.

[0046] like Figure 6 As shown, a cooling mechanism is provided inside the rigid support member 13. The cooling mechanism includes a temperature detection component 22 and a cooling chamber 27 installed inside the rigid support member 13. The cooling chamber 27 is connected to the pump body 24 through the water inlet pipe 25 and to the water tank 23 through the water outlet pipe 26. The water tank 23 is installed on the workbench 1, and the pump body 24 is used to pump water or coolant in the water tank 23 into the cooling chamber 27 through the water inlet pipe 25 to achieve cooling.

[0047] The rigid support 13 is also equipped with a deformation monitoring component, which is used to monitor the deformation of the rigid support 13 during the hot-pressing of the soft-pack lithium battery.

[0048] like Figure 7As shown, the rigid support 13 is a frame structure. The refrigeration chamber 27 is divided into three chambers 2701, 2702, and 2703 from the inside to the outside along the frame structure. The three chambers 2701, 2702, and 2703 form a unidirectional passage through the separator 2704 and the connecting port. The passage is connected to the water inlet pipe 25 at the beginning and to the water outlet pipe 26 at the end.

[0049] The inlet pipe 25 and outlet pipe 26 are both located on one side of the top seal, and the separator 2704 is located at the tab, which can reduce the impact of temperature changes at the separator 2704 on the thermo-press sealing.

[0050] When the rigid support 13 rises to the working position and begins the hot-pressing process, the internal temperature detection component 22 monitors the support temperature in real time. If the temperature exceeds the threshold (usually 80°C), the control system activates the pump 24 to draw coolant (usually deionized water) from the water tank 23 into the cooling chamber 27 through the inlet pipe 25. The coolant flows unidirectionally within the frame-shaped cooling chamber 27: first entering the innermost chamber 2701, then flowing sequentially through the connecting port into chambers 2702 and 2703, and finally returning to the water tank 23 via the outlet pipe 26, forming a circulating cooling system. During this process, the coolant absorbs the heat transferred to the rigid support 13 during hot pressing, keeping the support surface temperature within a stable range. Simultaneously, the deformation monitoring component continuously monitors the deformation of the support under pressure (the threshold is usually set to ±0.05mm). If the deformation exceeds the threshold, an alarm is triggered and the hot-pressing parameters are adjusted. The deformation monitoring component uses a photoelectric sensor, operating on the same principle as above; strain gauge sensors can also be used.

[0051] Both the inlet pipe 25 and the outlet pipe 26 are located on the top seal side, and the separator 2704 is located at the electrode tab. This layout allows the coolant to preferentially cool the electrode tab area, reducing the fluctuation of the aluminum-plastic film heat sealing performance caused by temperature changes.

[0052] Through the three-section cooling chamber 27 and unidirectional circulation path, the residence time of coolant in the support component is extended by 30%, and the cooling efficiency is improved by 25%, effectively avoiding the carbonization of aluminum-plastic film or seal failure caused by overheating of the support component during hot pressing. The design of the separator 2704 at the electrode tab controls the temperature fluctuation in this area within ±2℃, significantly improving the sealing performance of the electrode tab welding area and reducing the risk of leakage by 40%. The closed-loop design of the cooling system saves 50% of water compared to the traditional air-cooling method, and the energy consumption of the pump body 24 is reduced by 20%, meeting the requirements of green manufacturing.

[0053] During the heat sealing process, the temperature of the support fixture rises to 150-200℃, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the general steel support surface is... This causes a shift in the positioning reference (approximately 0.2mm at 200℃). Temperature fluctuations are controlled to <5℃ via miniature cooling pipes (cooling chamber 27, 1mm diameter) embedded in the cooling mechanism and circulating water (25±1℃). This avoids thermal deformation of the support components due to localized overheating and reduces wrinkling by minimizing differences in material thermal deformation.

[0054] like Figure 8 As shown, it also includes a rotating assembly, which drives the worktable 1 and the soft-pack lithium battery to rotate as a whole. The rotating assembly includes a base plate 28, on which the worktable 1 is rotatably mounted. A geared disc 30 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the worktable 1. A motor 32 is mounted on the base plate 28, and a geared disc 31 that meshes with the geared disc 30 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 32. The motor 32 drives the worktable 1 to rotate through the two geared discs. A support leg 17 is mounted on the bottom of the worktable 1. A groove 29 is provided on the base plate 28 corresponding to the position of the support leg 17. The groove 29 is an annular groove, and the center of the annular groove is aligned with the central axis of the worktable 1, so that when the worktable 1 rotates along the annular groove, it also rotates along its central axis. A slider or pulley is provided at the bottom of the support leg 17 to reduce resistance during rotation.

[0055] An angle detection component 33 for detecting the rotation angle of the workbench 1 is installed on the workbench 1, and a levelness detection component 34 for detecting whether the workbench 1 is level is installed on the workbench 1.

[0056] The rotation component, angle detection component 33, and levelness detection component 34 work together. When different angles need to be used for packaging soft-pack lithium batteries, the motor 32 starts, and the output shaft of the motor 32 drives the gear disk 31 to rotate. The gear disk 31 meshes with the gear disk 30 at the bottom of the worktable 1, thereby driving the entire worktable 1 to rotate. The support leg 17 at the bottom of the worktable 1 is placed in the annular groove 29 of the base plate 28. The slider or pulley at the bottom of the support leg 17 can greatly reduce the rotational resistance, allowing the worktable 1 to rotate smoothly around its own central axis, ensuring that the soft-pack lithium battery rotates synchronously and stably. During the rotation, the angle detection component 33 monitors the rotation angle of the worktable 1 in real time and accurately feeds it back to the control system, so that the worktable 1 can stop precisely at the preset angle; the levelness detection component 34 continuously monitors the levelness of the worktable 1 to avoid the worktable 1 shifting due to rotation, which would affect the hot pressing effect, and provides a stable support foundation for the hot pressing packaging and other processes of soft-pack lithium batteries.

[0057] In existing technologies, when pouch lithium batteries are heat-sealed on all four sides simultaneously, leakage rates are high due to the wavy deformation of the aluminum-plastic film edges. To ensure sealing performance, this invention employs a step-by-step sealing process, consisting of top sealing and side sealing on three sides. The top sealing area includes the tabs, requiring a special design (such as tab grooves) to prevent damage to the welding area. Side sealing, however, does not require consideration of the tabs and uses the same sealing method. The rotating assembly achieves side sealing on all three sides of the pouch lithium battery, eliminating the need for manual adjustment of the cell position, reducing labor intensity and the risk of human error, while also improving the equipment's intelligence and production consistency.

[0058] A hot pressing mechanism 35 is installed on the workbench 1. The hot pressing mechanism 35 is equipped with a retractable hot pressing head 36. The hot pressing head 36 is used to side seal the three sides of the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support member 13.

[0059] An infrared temperature measuring component 37 is installed on the hot-pressing mechanism 35. The infrared temperature measuring component 37 is used to monitor the temperature change of the soft-pack lithium battery after it is packaged on the rigid support 13. The wrinkled area has abnormal thermal conductivity due to material stacking, and the temperature field distribution is uneven during the cooling stage after hot pressing (temperature difference ≥ 0.5℃). The infrared temperature measuring component 37 can detect the micro-wrinkles hidden inside the package (which cannot be detected by traditional vision).

[0060] After the rigid support 13 rises to be flush with the inner flexible support plate 3 and the cell is positioned, the hot pressing head 36 of the hot pressing mechanism 35 extends through telescopic control to simultaneously perform side sealing hot pressing on the three sides of the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support 13. The hot pressing head 36 applies heat and pressure to the aluminum-plastic film according to preset parameters (temperature 180-200℃, pressure 0.5-1MPa), causing the inner PP layer to melt and seal. After hot pressing is completed, the infrared temperature measuring component 37 immediately performs dynamic temperature monitoring on the encapsulation area. Utilizing the abnormal thermal conductivity characteristics of the wrinkled area caused by material stacking, it captures the uneven temperature field distribution phenomenon (temperature difference ≥0.5℃) during the cooling stage, thereby identifying internal micro-wrinkles that cannot be detected by traditional visual inspection.

[0061] When the infrared temperature measurement component 37 uses an infrared camera, after the hot-pressing mechanism 35 completes the side and top sealing of the soft-pack lithium battery, the infrared camera quickly starts up, using a sensor to capture the infrared radiation emitted or reflected from the battery surface (wavelength range typically between 780nm and 1mm). After the infrared radiation signal is focused by the optical lens, the infrared detector (such as InGaAs or a pyroelectric sensor) converts the light signal into an electrical signal, which is then converted into a visualized infrared image by the signal processing module. Since micro-wrinkles in the soft-pack lithium battery packaging area can cause abnormal thermal conductivity at the material stacking point, resulting in uneven temperature field distribution (temperature difference ≥ 0.5℃) during the cooling stage, the image generated by the infrared camera can intuitively present these temperature differences, converting internal defects invisible to the naked eye into changes in image grayscale. The system analyzes the infrared image using a preset temperature threshold and image processing algorithm. Once an abnormal temperature area is identified, it can be determined that there are defects such as micro-wrinkles, and the detection result is fed back to the control system. This process does not rely on visible light and can penetrate aluminum-plastic film of a certain thickness, achieving non-contact, high-precision internal defect detection. Throughout the process, the infrared camera completes defect identification through machine vision optical imaging, signal conversion, and algorithm analysis, greatly improving the automation and accuracy of soft-pack lithium battery packaging quality inspection.

[0062] The hot-press head 36 features a simultaneous packaging design for three sides. Compared to traditional step-by-step side-sealing processes, it reduces the single-station packaging time from 15 seconds to 8 seconds, increasing production efficiency by 47%. Simultaneously, the stable support of the rigid support component 13 ensures that the flatness of the side-sealing edge is ≤0.03mm, improving heat-sealing strength consistency by 35%. The introduction of the infrared temperature measurement component 37 enables non-contact, precise detection of micro-wrinkles, identifying hidden wrinkles with a depth ≤0.1mm. This reduces the wrinkle detection rate from 12% with traditional visual inspection to 1.8%, effectively preventing the risk of later leakage caused by micro-wrinkles (leakage rate reduced to below 0.15%). The integrated design of hot pressing and temperature measurement brings the packaging quality inspection process forward, allowing real-time feedback to the process control system. For example, when an abnormal temperature is detected in a certain area, the local heating power of the hot-press head 36 is automatically adjusted (adjustment accuracy ±2W), forming a closed-loop control of "hot pressing-detection-compensation," improving packaging yield. In addition, the non-contact detection characteristics of the infrared temperature measurement component 37 avoid secondary damage to the surface of the battery cell.

[0063] like Figure 9As shown, a guide rod 38 capable of vertical sliding is connected to the top plate 7. A second hot press head 40 is connected to the bottom of the guide rod 38. A telescopic component 39 is provided on the top plate 7 to drive the second hot press head 40 to rise and fall to achieve sealing. The second hot press head 40 is aligned with the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support 13 for top sealing of the soft-pack lithium battery. In order to accommodate the tabs included in the top sealing area, a special design (such as tab grooves) is required to avoid damage to the welding area. Therefore, the second hot press head 40 is designed with tab grooves.

[0064] After the soft-pack lithium battery is fixed to the inner flexible support plate 3 by the flexible clamping plate 9 and the rigid support member 13 is switched, the telescopic component 5 39 on the top plate 7 drives the guide rod 38 to slide vertically, causing the bottom hot press head 2 40 to descend vertically and precisely align with the top sealing area of ​​the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support member 13. Since the top sealing area includes tabs, the pre-designed tab groove on the hot press head 2 40 can just accommodate the tabs, avoiding direct contact between the tabs and the hot press head during hot pressing. Under the action of the telescopic component 5 39, the hot press head 2 40 performs hot pressing operation on the top sealing area at the set temperature and pressure, melting and sealing the inner PP material of the aluminum-plastic film, while the tabs remain intact under the protection of the tab groove, and are not damaged by high temperature and pressure. After hot pressing is completed, the telescopic component 5 39 drives the hot press head 2 40 to rise and reset, completing the top sealing process.

[0065] The coordinated design of the hot pressing head 240 with the telescopic component 539 and guide rod 38 enables automated and precise operation of the top sealing process. Compared to manual top sealing, efficiency is increased by 60%, and the positioning accuracy error is controlled within ±0.1mm, ensuring accurate top sealing every time. The special design of the tab groove specifically solves the problem of tab damage during top sealing, reducing the tab damage rate from 5% in traditional hot pressing methods to below 0.5%, greatly improving the electrical performance and safety of the battery cell. In addition, this structure is closely integrated with the overall design of the supporting robot. Under the stable support of the rigid support component 13, the hot pressing head 240 can apply pressure evenly, increasing the sealing strength of the top sealing area by 40% and significantly reducing the risk of leakage. At the same time, the modular hot pressing head 240 is easy to disassemble and replace, and can quickly adapt to the tab size of different battery cell specifications, enhancing the equipment's compatibility with multiple product models and effectively reducing the company's equipment modification costs and production changeover time.

[0066] The photoelectric sensor 15 and photoelectric sensor 16 in this invention are diffuse reflection infrared photoelectric sensors. The pressure detection component 18 uses a strain gauge pressure sensor, the temperature detection component 22 uses an armored PT100 platinum resistance thermometer, the pump body 24 is a horizontal multi-stage centrifugal pump, and the angle detection component 33 uses an absolute angle encoder. The infrared temperature measurement component 37 uses an infrared array temperature sensor or an infrared camera, and the levelness detection component 34 uses a two-dimensional electronic level. The hot pressing mechanism 35 uses an electrically heated pneumatic hot press. Hot pressing head 1 36: dedicated to side sealing, temperature range 180-200℃, pressure 0.5-1MPa, three-sided synchronous encapsulation. Hot pressing head 2 40: dedicated to top sealing, integrated tab groove (width 2-3mm), temperature 180-220℃, pressure 0.8-1.2MPa. Telescopic component 4, 21, is used to drive the push plate 19 and employs a servo electric cylinder; telescopic component 5, 39, is used to lift the hot press head 2, 40, and employs a standard pneumatic cylinder; the other three telescopic components use electric push rods or pneumatic cylinders for adjusting the support plate. Other types and models of electrical appliances can also be used as needed.

[0067] Both sensors and actuators are from industrial-grade brands (such as Omron, SMC, HEIDENHAIN), and the signal protocols are unified (such as ModBus, SSI), which facilitates centralized control by PLC.

[0068] The pump body 24 and the hot pressing mechanism 35 are adapted to the high humidity and electrolyte corrosion environment of the lithium battery production workshop through corrosion-resistant materials (stainless steel, ceramic) and sealing design.

[0069] The infrared temperature measurement component 37 and the angle encoder enable accurate detection of micro-defects (≤0.1mm wrinkles) and posture errors (≤0.003°). Closed-loop control improves the packaging yield from 96.5% to 99.2%.

[0070] The hybrid drive of servo electric cylinder and pneumatic cylinder balances the high-load rigidity motion of push plate 19 with the rapid response of hot press head, reducing the single-station packaging time from 15 seconds to 8 seconds.

[0071] The hot pressing mechanism 35 and the telescopic component adopt a standardized interface, which supports quick replacement of hot pressing heads and guide rods 38 of different specifications, and is compatible with a variety of products from consumer electronics to power batteries.

[0072] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot, comprising a workbench (1), wherein a flexible support plate is disposed on the workbench (1), characterized in that: The flexible support plate includes an inner flexible support plate (3) and an outer flexible support plate (4). The workbench (1) is connected to the inner flexible support plate (3) via a bracket (2). The workbench (1) is connected to the outer flexible support plate (4) via a support leg (5). The four sets of outer flexible support plates (4) are located around the inner flexible support plate (3), and the upper plane of the outer flexible support plate (4) is flush with the upper plane of the inner flexible support plate (3). The outer flexible support plate (4) and the inner flexible support plate (3) are used to support the soft-pack lithium battery. The workbench (1) is fixedly connected to the top plate (7) via a support plate (6). A flexible clamping plate (9) is installed on the top plate (7). The flexible clamping plate (9) is driven by a telescopic component (8) on the top plate (7). The flexible clamping plate (9) is used to cooperate with the inner flexible support plate (3) to fix the soft-pack lithium battery. The first leg (5) is connected to the bracket (2) via the second telescopic member (12). The workbench (1) is connected to a rigid support member (13) via the third telescopic member (14). The second telescopic member (12) is used to drive the outer flexible support plate (4) to move outward to avoid the rigid support member (13). The third telescopic member (14) is used to drive the rigid support member (13) to rise and be flush with the inner flexible support plate (3). The rigid support member (13) is used to provide support during the hot-pressing of soft-pack lithium batteries.

2. The soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: A photoelectric sensor 1 (15) is installed on the rigid support member (13), and a photoelectric sensor 2 (16) matching the photoelectric sensor 1 (15) is installed on the inner flexible support plate (3). The photoelectric sensor 1 (15) and the photoelectric sensor 2 (16) are used to monitor whether the inner flexible support plate (3) and the rigid support member (13) are aligned.

3. The soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a positioning mechanism, which is installed on the outer flexible support plate (4) and is used to push the soft-pack lithium battery to achieve positioning; The positioning mechanism includes a push plate (19), a connecting rod (20), and a telescopic component four (21). The telescopic component four (21) is installed at the bottom of the outer flexible support plate (4). The telescopic end of the telescopic component four (21) is connected to the connecting rod (20). The connecting rod (20) is fixed to the push plate (19). The telescopic component four (21) is used to drive the push plate (19) to move along the flexible support plate. The side of the push plate (19) that is close to the soft-pack lithium battery is made of flexible material.

4. The soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rigid support member (13) is provided with a cooling mechanism. The cooling mechanism includes a temperature detection component (22) and a cooling chamber (27) installed inside the rigid support member (13). The cooling chamber (27) is connected to the pump body (24) through the water inlet pipe (25). The cooling chamber (27) is connected to the water tank (23) through the water outlet pipe (26). The water tank (23) is installed on the workbench (1). The pump body (24) is used to draw water or coolant from the water tank (23) into the cooling chamber (27) through the water inlet pipe (25) to achieve cooling.

5. The soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rigid support (13) is also provided with a deformation monitoring component (18), which is used to monitor the deformation of the rigid support (13) during the hot-pressing of the soft-pack lithium battery.

6. The soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rigid support (13) is a frame structure. The refrigeration chamber (27) is divided into three chambers (2701, 2702, and 3703) from the inside to the outside along the frame structure. The three chambers (2701, 2702, and 3703) form a one-way passage through the separator (2704) and the connecting port. The passage is connected to the water inlet pipe (25) at the beginning and to the water outlet pipe (26) at the end.

7. The soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a rotating assembly, which is used to drive the worktable (1) and the soft-pack lithium battery to rotate as a whole. The rotating assembly includes a base plate (28). The worktable (1) is rotatably mounted on the base plate (28). A gear disk one (30) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the worktable (1). A motor (32) is mounted on the base plate (28). A gear disk two (31) that meshes with the gear disk one (30) is connected to the output shaft of the motor (32). The motor (32) is used to drive the worktable (1) to rotate through the two gear disks.

8. A soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: An angle detection component (33) for detecting the rotation angle of the workbench (1) is installed on the workbench (1), and a levelness detection component (34) for detecting whether the workbench (1) is horizontal is installed on the workbench (1).

9. A soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: A hot pressing mechanism (35) is installed on the workbench (1). The hot pressing mechanism (35) is provided with a retractable hot pressing head (36). The hot pressing head (36) is used to hot press and encapsulate the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support (13). An infrared temperature measuring component (37) is provided on the hot pressing mechanism (35), which is used to monitor the temperature change of the soft-pack lithium battery after it is packaged on the rigid support (13).

10. A soft-pack lithium battery packaging support robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top plate (7) is connected to a guide rod (38) that can slide vertically. The bottom of the guide rod (38) is connected to a second hot press head (40). The top plate (7) is provided with a telescopic component (39) for driving the second hot press head (40) to rise and fall to achieve encapsulation. The second hot press head (40) is aligned with the soft-pack lithium battery on the rigid support (13).

Images