Battery cell stacking equipment and battery cell grouping method

Abstract

A battery cell stacking device and a battery cell grouping method relate to the field of battery cell assembly.The stacking device comprises a first limiting mechanism and a second limiting mechanism, the first limiting mechanism comprises a limiting space, and the limiting space is configured to enable the first limiting mechanism to be separated from the second limiting mechanism; the limiting space is used for limiting the first side face and the second side face of the stacked battery cells in the width direction and the third side face and the fourth side face of the stacked battery cells in the stacking direction, force in the stacking direction can be applied to the battery cells, and the front portions and the rear portions of the battery cells are exposed out of the limiting space; the second limiting mechanism is located on one side of the first limiting mechanism and can make contact with the front end face or the rear end face of the battery cell, it can be guaranteed that the battery cell has enough pre-tightening force, the battery cells are tightly attached when stacked, the structure is simple, operation is convenient, and the battery cell stacking efficiency and the stacking quality can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery cell assembly technology, and in particular to a battery cell stacking device and a battery cell assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Cell stacking refers to combining several individual cells along a certain direction to form a battery module in order to obtain a larger voltage or capacity. For example, for soft-pack sodium-ion batteries, since their overall mechanical strength is relatively weak, it is necessary to stack the cells first and then install a shell on the outside of the battery module to strengthen the structural strength.

[0003] The method and quality of cell stacking directly affect the performance and lifespan of the battery module. Manual stacking is prone to problems such as poor uniformity and misalignment, and it cannot guarantee sufficient stacking preload between cells, which will increase the internal resistance of the module and affect its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery cell stacking device and a battery cell assembly method, which can ensure that the battery cells have sufficient preload and improve the battery cell stacking efficiency and stacking quality.

[0005] This invention provides a battery cell stacking device, in which battery cells are stacked along their height direction, including a first limiting mechanism and a second limiting mechanism. The first limiting mechanism includes a limiting space, which is configured to limit the stacked battery cells on a first and second side in the width direction, and on a third and fourth side in the stacking direction, and to apply a force to the battery cells along the stacking direction. The front and rear portions of the battery cells are exposed in the limiting space. The second limiting mechanism is located on one side of the first limiting mechanism and is capable of contacting the front or rear face of the battery cells.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first limiting mechanism includes a stop, a support, and a pressure member. Two stops, one support, and one pressure member cooperate to form the limiting space. The two stops are opposite each other along the width direction of the battery cell and respectively contact the first side and the second side of the battery cell. The support and the pressure member are opposite each other along the height direction of the battery cell. The support is in contact with the third side of the battery cell located at the bottom, and the pressure member is in contact with the fourth side of the battery cell located at the top.

[0007] In one embodiment, at least one of the two stops is configured to be positionally adjustable in the width direction of the battery cell to change the width dimension of the limiting space.

[0008] In one embodiment, two of the stops are mounted on a base, and the two stops have a support platform protruding at their adjacent ends. The support member is mounted on the support platform, or the support member can move relative to the support platform in the front-back direction of the battery cell.

[0009] In one embodiment, at least one of the two stops is detachably mounted on the base, or at least one of the two stops is movably mounted on the base by a drive cylinder for driving at least one of the stops to move along the width direction of the battery cell.

[0010] In one embodiment, the upper end of the base is provided with an adjustment groove, which extends along the width direction of the battery cell, and the lower end of the stop is provided with a guide member, which slides with the adjustment groove.

[0011] In one embodiment, the pressing member includes a pressing plate and a locking member. The lower end of the pressing plate can contact the fourth side of the uppermost battery cell. The locking member is mounted on the upper end of the stop member and can contact the upper end of the pressing plate. The locking member can apply a force to the pressing plate along the stacking direction of the battery cells.

[0012] In one embodiment, the second limiting mechanism includes an abutment member, which is detachably mounted on the base. One of the upper end of the base and the lower end of the abutment member has an insertion hole, and the other has a protruding insertion member, which can be inserted into the insertion hole.

[0013] The present invention also proposes a cell assembly method, applied to the aforementioned cell stacking equipment, comprising the following steps: S1. Stack at least two battery cells along their height direction within the limiting space of the first limiting mechanism, so that the front and rear parts of the stacked battery cells are exposed in the limiting space, and the front or rear face of the stacked battery cells is in contact with the second limiting mechanism. S2. Wrap fixing tape around the front and rear sides of the stacked battery cells; S3. Remove the stacked battery cells from the first limiting mechanism and wrap a fixing tape around the middle side of the stacked battery cells.

[0014] In one embodiment, step S1 further includes: adjusting at least one of the two stops according to the width dimension of the battery cell so that the two stops can contact the first side and the second side of the stacked battery cells respectively, stacking at least two battery cells along their height direction on the upper end of the support, pressing the pressure member against the upper end of the fourth side of the uppermost battery cell, and applying a force along the stacking direction to the battery cells.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The first limiting mechanism can fix the stacked cells in two directions. It limits the stacked cells in the width direction to ensure good alignment of the cells during the stacking process. It works in conjunction with the second limiting mechanism to limit the cells in the front and back directions to prevent the cells from shifting during the stacking process. The first limiting mechanism can also limit the battery cell in the stacking direction and apply force to the battery cell in the stacking direction to ensure that the battery cells can fit tightly together and avoid excessive internal resistance of the battery module. By exposing the front and rear of the stacked battery cells to the limiting space, fixing tape can be wrapped around the front and rear sides of the battery cells to ensure that the battery cells are fully attached and fixed. The structure is simple and improves the stacking efficiency and stacking quality of the battery cells. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with a battery cell.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the stop and the support member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the stop and the support in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pressure member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the steps of a cell assembly method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] In the picture: 10-Battery cell; 101-Front end; 102-Rear end; 11-First side; 12-Second side; 13-Third side; 14-Fourth side; 20-First limiting mechanism; 21-Stop; 211-Support platform; 212-First mounting hole; 22-Support piece; 221-Second mounting hole; 23-Pressure piece; 231-Pressure plate; 232-Locking piece; 24-Base; 241-Adjusting groove; 242-Interlocking hole; 30 - Second limiting mechanism; 31 - Abutting part; 32 - Inserting part; 33 - Supporting part. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the description of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] Unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” and “outer,” etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of the invention is in use. They are only for the convenience of description and simplification, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0028] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used merely to distinguish elements with similar properties, not to indicate or imply relative importance or a specific order.

[0029] The terms “include,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, which includes not only the elements listed but also other elements not expressly listed.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a possible battery cell 10 according to the present invention. To facilitate understanding of the positional relationships, connection relationships, and relative motion relationships of the components in the present invention, the following definitions are provided. Figure 1In the diagram, the X direction is the width direction of the cell 10, and the Y direction is the height direction of the cell 10. The cell 10 includes a first side 11 and a second side 12 that are opposite each other in the X direction, and a third side 13 and a fourth side 14 that are opposite each other in the Y direction. When at least two cells 10 are stacked, they are stacked along the height direction of the cell 10 itself, and the third side 13 of the upper cell 10 contacts the fourth side 14 of the lower cell 10.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the battery cell stacking device proposed in this invention includes a first limiting mechanism 20 and a second limiting mechanism 30. The first limiting mechanism 20 includes a limiting space, which is configured to limit the stacked battery cells 10 on a first side 11 and a second side 12 in the width direction, and on a third side 13 and a fourth side 14 in the stacking direction. The limiting space can apply a force to the battery cells 10 in the stacking direction. The front part 101 and the rear part 102 of the battery cells 10 are exposed in the limiting space. The second limiting mechanism 30 is located on one side of the first limiting mechanism 20 and can contact the front end face or the rear end face of the battery cells 10.

[0032] In one embodiment, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first limiting mechanism 20 includes a stop 21, a support 22, and a pressure member 23. The two stop members 21, the support 22, and the pressure member 23 cooperate to form the aforementioned limiting space. The two stop members 21 are arranged opposite each other along the width direction of the battery cell 10 and respectively contact the first side 11 and the second side 12 of the battery cell 10. The two stop members 21 cooperate to limit and fix the battery cell 10 in the width direction. The support 22 and the pressure member 23 are arranged opposite each other along the height direction of the battery cell 10. The support 22 contacts the third side 13 of the bottom battery cell 10, and the pressure member 23 contacts the fourth side 14 of the top battery cell 10.

[0033] In this first embodiment, the relative positions of the two baffles 21 are fixed, and the spacing between the two baffles 21 can be set according to the width of the stacked cells 10.

[0034] In another example of this embodiment, at least one of the two stops 21 is configured to be positionally adjustable in the width direction of the cell 10 to change the width of the limiting space. This configuration allows the size of the limiting space to be adaptively adjusted according to the width of the stacked cells 10, thus enabling it to be used for stacking and fixing cells 10 of different specifications.

[0035] In an example scheme, such as Figure 3As shown, two stops 21 are mounted on a base 24. The two stops 21 have a support platform 211 protruding at their close ends. The height of the support platform 211 is lower than the height of the stops 21. The lower end of the support member 22 contacts the upper end of the support platform 211. The support platform 211 can support the support member 22. The support member 22 is fixedly installed or detachably installed on the upper end of the support platform 211.

[0036] For example, the support platform 211 and the stop 21 are integrally formed.

[0037] In one alternative, when at least one of the two stops 21 is configured to be adjustable, at least one of the two stops 21 is detachably mounted on the base 24. When it is necessary to stack and fix cells 10 of different widths, the installation position of the stops 21 relative to the base 24 can be changed by removing and installing the stops 21, thereby achieving adaptive adjustment.

[0038] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, an adjustment groove 241 is provided at the upper end of the base 24. The adjustment groove 241 extends along the width direction of the battery cell 10 to provide adjustment margin in the width direction of the battery cell 10. The length of the adjustment groove 241 along the width direction of the battery cell 10 can be adjusted according to the common specifications of the battery cell 10.

[0039] Optionally, the lower end of the stop 21 is provided with a fixing hole, the position of which corresponds to the position of the adjustment groove 241. A fixing member passes through the adjustment groove 241 and engages with the fixing hole to fix the stop 21 to the base 24. The fixing member can be a screw, pin, etc.

[0040] When adjusting the position of the stop 21 relative to the base 24 along the width direction of the cell 10, simply remove the fixing piece to make the stop 21 movable relative to the base 24. After the position of the stop 21 is adjusted to the correct position, insert the fixing piece into the adjustment groove 241 and the fixing hole to complete the fixation. The adjustment is convenient.

[0041] Optionally, the lower end of the stop 21 is provided with a guide, which passes through the adjustment groove 241 and can slide with the adjustment groove 241 under the action of external force, so that the adjustment of the stop 21 is stable and efficient, and the fixing hole is opened at the lower end of the guide.

[0042] For example, when at least one of the two stops 21 is configured to be adjustable, the support 22 is detachably connected to the support platform 211, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the support platform 211 has a first mounting hole 212 at its upper end, and the support member 22 has a second mounting hole 221. The second mounting hole 221 cooperates with the first mounting hole 212 to allow the support member 22 to be detachably mounted on the support platform 211.

[0043] Optionally, at least one of the first mounting hole 212 and the second mounting hole 221 is configured to extend along the width direction of the cell 10 to provide adjustment margin in the width direction of the cell 10, thereby meeting the installation requirements of the support 22 while adjusting the position of the stop 21.

[0044] In another alternative, at least one of the two stops 21 is movably mounted on the base 24 by a drive cylinder, which drives at least one stop 21 to move along the width direction of the cell 10 to change the distance between the two stops 21.

[0045] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the upper end of the base 24 is provided with an adjustment groove 241. The adjustment groove 241 extends along the width direction of the battery cell 10 to provide adjustment margin in the width direction of the battery cell 10. The length of the adjustment groove 241 along the width direction of the battery cell 10 can be adjusted according to the common specifications of the battery cell 10. The lower end of the stop member 21 is provided with a guide member. The guide member passes through the adjustment groove 241. When the drive cylinder drives the stop member 21 to move, the guide member slides with the adjustment groove 241. The guide member and the adjustment groove 241 cooperate to make the adjustment of the stop member 21 stable and efficient.

[0046] In one example configuration, the support 22 is configured to move relative to the support platform 211 in the front-back direction of the battery cell 10, so as to transport the stacked battery cells 10 out via the support 22, which helps to save manpower.

[0047] Since the overall weight of the stacked battery cells 10 may be large, manual handling is time-consuming and laborious. By pulling the support 22, the support 22 can move the stacked battery cells 10 out of the limiting space. A transport vehicle can be set up on one side of the first limiting mechanism 20 so that the height of the transport vehicle matches that of the support 22. The support 22 and the stacked battery cells 10 on it can be dragged directly onto the transport vehicle. Then, the middle part is fixed with tape. After the tape is wrapped, it can be transported to the next process by the transport vehicle.

[0048] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the length of the support platform 211 in the front-to-back direction is greater than that of the support member 22 in the front-to-back direction, which helps to reduce the overall weight and makes it easier for the support member 22 to move relative to the support platform 211 in the front-to-back direction.

[0049] In one embodiment, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 5The pressing member 23 includes a pressing plate 231 and a locking member 232. The lower end of the pressing plate 231 can contact the fourth side 14 of the uppermost battery cell 10. The locking member 232 is installed on the upper end of the stop member 21 and can contact the upper end of the pressing plate 231. The locking member 232 can apply a force along the stacking direction of the battery cells 10 to the upper end of the pressing plate 231 so that the pressing plate 231 presses the stacked battery cells 10 tightly, which is beneficial to make the stacked battery cells 10 fit together tightly.

[0050] For example, the locking member 232 is a clamp.

[0051] In one embodiment, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 6 The second limiting mechanism 30 includes an abutment member 31, which is detachably mounted on the base 24 and combined with... Figure 3 One of the upper end of the base 24 and the lower end of the abutment 31 has an insertion hole 242, and the other has a protruding insertion member 32. When the abutment 31 is installed on the base 24, the insertion member 32 is inserted into the insertion hole 242. When it is necessary to disassemble the abutment 31, simply remove the insertion member 32 from the insertion hole 242. The operation is simple and convenient.

[0052] Alternatively, for the battery cell 10, since it has a terminal post on its front end face, in a preferred example, the abutment 31 contacts the rear end face of the battery cell 10.

[0053] Optionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, the second limiting mechanism 30 also includes a support member 33. The support member 33 is located at the end of the abutment member 31 that is away from the battery cell 10 in the front-back direction. The lower end of the support member 33 can contact the upper end of the base 24. The support member 33 ensures the stability of the abutment member 31.

[0054] like Figure 7 As shown, the present invention also proposes a cell assembly method, applied to the aforementioned cell stacking equipment, specifically including the following steps: S1. Stack at least two battery cells 10 along their height direction in the limiting space of the first limiting mechanism 20, so that the front part 101 and the rear part 102 of the stacked battery cells 10 are exposed in the limiting space, and the front end face or rear end face of the stacked battery cells 10 is in contact with the second limiting mechanism 30. S2. Wrap fixing tape around the sides of the front 101 and rear 102 of the stacked battery cells 10; S3. Remove the stacked battery cells 10 from the first limiting mechanism 20 and wrap the middle side of the stacked battery cells 10 with fixing tape.

[0055] In one embodiment, step S1 further includes: Adjust at least one of the two stops 21 according to the width of the battery cell 10 so that the two stops 21 can contact the first side 11 and the second side 12 of the stacked battery cells 10 respectively, stack at least two battery cells 10 along their height direction on the upper end of the support member 22, and press the pressure member 23 on the upper end of the fourth side 14 of the uppermost battery cell 10 to apply a force along the stacking direction to the battery cell 10.

[0056] In one embodiment, step S2 further includes: Wrap a fixing tape around the front 101 side of the stacked battery cells 10, remove the abutment 31 from the base 24, and wrap a fixing tape around the rear 102 side of the stacked battery cells 10.

[0057] In one embodiment, step S3 further includes: Release the pressure member 23 to release the pre-tightening force of the pressure member 23 on the stacked battery cells 10, pull the support member 22 to move in the front-back direction, so as to remove the stacked battery cells 10 from the limiting space.

[0058] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The first limiting mechanism 20 can fix the stacked battery cells 10 in two directions. It limits the stacked battery cells 10 in the width direction to ensure that the battery cells 10 have good neatness during the stacking process. It works in conjunction with the second limiting mechanism 30 to limit the battery cells 10 in the front and back directions to prevent the battery cells 10 from shifting during the stacking and fixing process. The first limiting mechanism 20 can also limit the battery cell 10 in the stacking direction and apply force to the battery cell 10 in the stacking direction to ensure that the battery cells 10 can fit tightly together and avoid excessive internal resistance of the battery module. The front 101 and rear 102 of the stacked battery cells 10 are exposed in the limiting space. Fixing tape can be wrapped around the side of the front 101 and the side of the rear 102 of the battery cells 10 to ensure that the battery cells 10 are fully attached and fixed. The structure is simple and improves the stacking efficiency and stacking quality of the battery cells 10.

[0059] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cell stacking device, wherein at least two cells (10) are stacked along their height direction, characterized in that, The device includes a first limiting mechanism (20) and a second limiting mechanism (30). The first limiting mechanism (20) includes a limiting space configured to limit the stacked battery cells (10) on a first side (11) and a second side (12) in the width direction, and on a third side (13) and a fourth side (14) in the stacking direction, and to apply a force to the battery cells (10) in the stacking direction. The front (101) and rear (102) of the battery cells (10) are exposed in the limiting space. The second limiting mechanism (30) is located on one side of the first limiting mechanism (20) and can contact the front end face or the rear end face of the battery cells (10).

2. The cell stacking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first limiting mechanism (20) includes a stop (21), a support (22) and a pressure member (23). The two stops (21), the support (22) and the pressure member (23) cooperate to form the limiting space. The two stops (21) are opposite to each other along the width direction of the battery cell (10) and respectively contact the first side (11) and the second side (12) of the battery cell (10). The support (22) and the pressure member (23) are opposite to each other along the height direction of the battery cell (10). The support (22) contacts the third side (13) of the battery cell (10) located at the bottom, and the pressure member (23) contacts the fourth side (14) of the battery cell (10) located at the top.

3. The cell stacking device according to claim 2, characterized in that, At least one of the two stops (21) is configured to be positionally adjustable in the width direction of the cell (10) to change the width dimension of the limiting space.

4. The cell stacking device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, Two of the stops (21) are mounted on a base (24). The two stops (21) have a support platform (211) protruding at one end close to each other. The support member (22) is mounted on the support platform (211), or the support member (22) can move relative to the support platform (211) in the front-back direction of the cell (10).

5. The cell stacking device according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least one of the two stops (21) is detachably mounted on the base (24), or at least one of the two stops (21) is movably mounted on the base (24) by a drive cylinder for driving at least one of the stops (21) to move along the width direction of the cell (10).

6. The cell stacking device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper end of the base (24) is provided with an adjustment groove (241), which extends along the width direction of the battery cell (10). The lower end of the stop (21) is provided with a guide, which slides with the adjustment groove (241).

7. The cell stacking device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressure member (23) includes a pressure plate (231) and a locking member (232). The lower end of the pressure plate (231) can contact the fourth side (14) of the uppermost battery cell (10). The locking member (232) is installed on the upper end of the stop member (21) and can contact the upper end of the pressure plate (231). The locking member (232) can apply a force to the pressure plate (231) along the stacking direction of the battery cells (10).

8. The cell stacking device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second limiting mechanism (30) includes an abutment (31), which is detachably mounted on the base (24). One of the upper end of the base (24) and the lower end of the abutment (31) is provided with a plug hole (242), and the other is provided with a plug (32). The plug (32) can be inserted into the plug hole (242).

9. A method for assembling battery cells, characterized in that, The method applied to the cell stacking device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 includes the following steps: S1. Stack at least two battery cells (10) along their height direction in the limiting space of the first limiting mechanism (20), so that the front (101) and rear (102) of the stacked battery cells (10) are exposed in the limiting space, and the front end face or rear end face of the stacked battery cells (10) is in contact with the second limiting mechanism (30). S2. Wrap fixing tape around the front (101) and rear (102) sides of the stacked battery cells (10); S3. Remove the stacked battery cells (10) from the first limiting mechanism (20) and wrap the middle side of the stacked battery cells (10) with fixing tape.

10. The cell assembly method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Step S1 also includes: Adjust at least one of the two stops (21) according to the width of the cell (10) so that the two stops (21) can contact the first side (11) and the second side (12) of the stacked cells (10) respectively, stack at least two cells (10) along their height direction on the upper end of the support (22), and press the pressure member (23) on the upper end of the fourth side (14) of the uppermost cell (10) to apply a force along the stacking direction to the cell (10).

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