Automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors and battery processing method

Abstract

This invention relates to an automatic welding and bending integrated device and battery processing method for battery connectors. The connector has a main board and a connecting piece that bends and extends from one side of the main board. The integrated device includes a rotating base with a negative pressure adsorption surface that can rotate around a rotation center line, and a welding head disposed above the processing station. The integrated device has loading, welding, and bending modes. In the loading mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface faces upward, the main board is supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface, and the connecting piece is located above the main board. In the welding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface extends vertically, the main board is located above the connecting piece, and the connecting piece extends horizontally and is in contact with the welding surface of the battery. In the bending mode, the rotating base rotates, causing the negative pressure adsorption surface to move downward toward the welding surface, so that the main board is folded up above the connecting piece. The integrated device has a simple structure, simple process, and high efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of battery production, specifically to an automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors and a battery processing method. Background Technology

[0002] During battery manufacturing, connectors such as electrode sheets and negative electrode substrates are attached to the battery. Some connectors have a main board and connecting pieces. Before manufacturing, the main board and connecting pieces are on different planes. In the finished product, the connecting pieces are welded to the battery, and the main board and connecting pieces are folded together. The equipment used to process these connectors and batteries, in addition to welding, also needs to fold the connectors. Compared to conventional welding equipment, the required operations are more complex, and the setup of the processing equipment is usually more complicated. Furthermore, due to the increased number of operations, ensuring and improving processing efficiency becomes a challenge. Simultaneously, since the connecting pieces requiring welding are typically small and thin, while the larger and heavier main board and connecting pieces are not on the same plane, the positioning and assembly of the connecting pieces during welding are more difficult, further increasing the complexity of the equipment setup. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a simple, efficient, and easy-to-use processing device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic welding and bending device for battery connectors to solve one or more problems in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors, wherein the connector includes a main board and a connecting piece located on one side of the main board and extending along the thickness direction of the main board, a bent edge is formed at the junction of the main board and the connecting piece, and when the connector is connected to a battery, the connecting piece is welded and fixed to the battery, and the main board bends around the bent edge relative to the connecting piece and retracts with the connecting piece, wherein the integrated device includes:

[0005] A workbench is provided with a processing station, and a welding head is provided above the processing station. The battery to be processed is placed at the processing station.

[0006] The flipping mechanism includes a flipping base rotatable about a rotation center line, the flipping base having a negative pressure adsorption surface; in the feeding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface faces upward, the main board is supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface, and the connecting piece is located above the main board; in the welding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface extends vertically, the connecting piece is converted to extend horizontally, and the connecting piece is in contact with the welding surface of the battery, the main board is located above the connecting piece; in the bending mode, the flipping base rotates about the rotation center line, causing the negative pressure adsorption surface to move downward toward the welding surface, so that the main board retracts above the connecting piece;

[0007] In this device, when the integrated device switches from the feeding mode to the welding mode, the flipping seat flips at a first angle; when the integrated device switches from the welding mode to the bending mode, the flipping seat flips at a second angle, and the sum of the first angle and the second angle is 180°. The automatic welding and bending integrated device has a simple structure. It utilizes a flipping seat and adopts an adsorption fixing mode, adjusting the state of the connecting piece by driving the main board to rotate, and achieving relative integrity between the main board and the connecting piece. The device's operating mode is also simple.

[0008] In some embodiments, the integrated device includes a stop member that is vertically movable. The lower part of the stop member has a stop head with a through groove extending vertically. In the welding mode, the stop head presses the connecting piece against the welding surface downwards, and the peripheral wall of the through groove encloses a welding area above the connecting piece. The through groove provides positioning guidance for the welding beam and prevents welding slag generated during welding from contaminating the connecting piece or the battery.

[0009] In some embodiments, the abutment includes a slag-collecting hole formed on the wall of the through groove and a slag-collecting assembly connected to the slag-collecting hole and used to collect welding slag generated during the welding process. By providing the slag-collecting hole and the slag-collecting assembly, the cleanliness of the welding process can be improved.

[0010] In some embodiments, the integrated device includes a rotating frame rotatably disposed about a vertically extending rotation center line, and a plurality of abutment members are circumferentially spaced on the rotating frame. The integrated device includes a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the abutment heads, the cleaning mechanism being disposed on one side of the rotating frame, and the rotating frame capable of reciprocating between the cleaning mechanism and the processing station. By employing a mode of alternating operation of multiple abutment members, and cleaning the abutment members during the alternation intervals, the cleanliness of the abutment members is ensured.

[0011] Specifically, the cleaning mechanism includes a housing, a brush roller rotatably disposed within the housing, and a ventilation assembly communicating with the interior of the housing. One side of the housing has an opening for the abutment head to extend into the interior.

[0012] In some embodiments, the rotation center line extends horizontally; when the connector is fixed to the flip base, the bent edge extends along the rotation center line. This arrangement enables the flip base to drive the motherboard to bend relative to the connector around the bent edge.

[0013] In some embodiments, the angle between the plane where the connecting piece is located and the plane where the motherboard is located is α. When the integrated device is in the feeding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface extends horizontally; the first angle is α, and the second angle is (180°-α).

[0014] In some embodiments, the flipping mechanism includes a horizontally movable frame and a lifting frame capable of vertical movement relative to the movable frame, with the flipping seat rotatably mounted on the lifting frame about the rotation center line. The integrated device has a loading station, and the flipping mechanism can reciprocate between the loading station and the processing station; when the integrated device is in the loading mode, the flipping mechanism is located at the loading station; an inspection station is provided between the loading station and the processing station, and a vision inspection module is located above the inspection station. Before welding, the connecting piece is first inspected and positioned by the vision inspection module, and the position of the connecting piece can be adjusted by the movable frame and the lifting frame to ensure that the connecting piece can accurately fit onto the welding surface.

[0015] In some embodiments, the flip base is further provided with a clamping member, which can move towards the negative pressure adsorption surface perpendicular to its extension direction to clamp the motherboard; the clamping member can also be movably disposed along the extension direction of the negative pressure adsorption surface, and in the bending mode, the clamping member is away from the connector. The cooperation between the clamping member and the negative pressure adsorption surface improves the stability of the motherboard fixation, while the clamping member can disengage from the motherboard and the connector to create clearance during bending.

[0016] The purpose of this invention is to provide a battery processing method for welding connectors to a battery. To achieve the above objective, the technical solution adopted by this invention is: a battery processing method based on the above-mentioned automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors, the battery processing method comprising the following steps:

[0017] Step 1: Move the connector to the flip base, support the motherboard on the upward-facing negative pressure adsorption surface, and extend the bent edge along the rotation center line. The flip base adsorbs and fixes the motherboard from below.

[0018] Step 2: Drive the flipping seat to rotate around the rotation center line, convert the negative pressure adsorption surface to extend in the vertical direction, convert the connecting piece to extend in the horizontal direction, and convert the main board to be located above the connecting piece;

[0019] Step 3: Drive the connecting piece to fit against the welding surface of the battery, and weld the connecting piece to the battery;

[0020] Step 4: Drive the flipping seat to rotate around the rotation center line again, drive the negative pressure adsorption surface to move downward toward the welding surface, drive the main board to bend relative to the connecting piece and fold the main board above the connecting piece.

[0021] In some embodiments, in step one, the motherboard is pressed and fixed from above by a clamping member; in step four, after the flip seat rotates to a preset angle, the clamping member releases its pressure on the motherboard and moves away from the connector.

[0022] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: The automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors of the present invention includes a flipping seat and a welding working head, wherein the welding working head is used to perform welding operations, while the flipping seat performs multiple functions. When the integrated device is in the feeding mode, the flipping seat is used to receive the connector. In this mode, the main board can be supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface of the flipping seat, and the main board is adsorbed and fixed from below the main board. When the integrated device switches from the feeding mode to the welding mode, the flipping seat rotates around the rotation center line. The flipping seat drives the main board to rotate, thereby driving the connecting piece to extend in the horizontal direction, which facilitates the alignment and assembly of the connecting piece and the battery. After the welding surface of the connecting piece and the battery is in contact, the welding working head welds and fixes the connecting piece and the battery. After the welding operation is completed, the flipping seat continues to drive the main board to rotate around the rotation center line, so that the integrated device switches from the welding mode to the bending mode. During this process, the flipping seat drives the main board to bend relative to the connecting piece around the bending edge, and the main board is folded up above the connecting piece.

[0023] The automatic welding and bending integrated device has a simple structure. It features a rotating base that can rotate around a center line, and the main board is fixed to the rotating base. The main board is secured by adsorption on the side facing away from the connecting piece, allowing the rotating base to adjust the state of the connector for welding and bending operations with just two rotations. Furthermore, welding and bending of the connecting piece are performed at the same station, saving space. Bending can be performed immediately after welding, improving the device's processing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Appendix Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a connector according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Appendix Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a welding and bending integrated device according to a specific embodiment;

[0026] Appendix Figure 3 For the appendix Figure 2 Side view;

[0027] Appendix Figure 4 For the appendix Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the middle section structure;

[0028] Appendix Figure 5 For the appendix Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the tilting mechanism in its first state;

[0029] Appendix Figure 6 For the appendix Figure 5 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0030] Appendix Figure 7 For the appendix Figure 6 A schematic diagram after removing the connectors;

[0031] Appendix Figure 8 For the appendix Figure 5 Side view;

[0032] Appendix Figure 9 A side view of the flipping mechanism in its second state;

[0033] Appendix Figure 10 A side view of the flipping mechanism in its third state;

[0034] Appendix Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the transport vehicle, battery, and connectors;

[0035] Appendix Figure 12 A schematic diagram showing the connectors and battery after welding and bending.

[0036] Appendix Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a vision inspection module and a welding head;

[0037] Appendix Figure 14 For the appendix Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the central part of the organization;

[0038] Appendix Figure 15 For the appendix Figure 14 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0039] Appendix Figure 16 For the appendix Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the cleaning mechanism;

[0040] The components are as follows: 100, Connector; 110, Mainboard; 120, Connecting Piece; 130, Bending Edge; 200, Battery; 210, Welding Surface; 101, Processing Station; 102, Loading Station; 103, Inspection Station; 1, Tilting Mechanism; 11, Tilting Seat; 111, Negative Pressure Adsorption Surface; 12, Positioning Component; 13, Pressing Component; 14, Moving Frame; 15, Lifting Frame; 16, Fixed Frame; 2, Welding Working Head; 31, Abutting Component; 311, Abutting Head; 312, Through Slot; 32, Rotating Frame; 4, Cleaning Mechanism; 41, Housing; 411, Opening; 42, Brush Roller; 5, Vision Inspection Module; 6, Battery Handling Mechanism; 61, Battery Handling Track; 62, Handling Carrier; 7, Lower Support Component. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art. Obviously, the embodiments described in this application are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] See Figure 1 The connector 100 shown has a main board 110 and a connecting piece 120 that extends from the main board 110 by bending. Specifically, the connecting piece 120 is located on one side of the main board 110 and extends along the thickness direction of the main board 110. A bent edge 130 is formed at the junction of the main board 110 and the connecting piece 120. When the connector 100 is connected to the battery 200, the connecting piece 120 is welded and fixed to the battery 200, and the main board 110 bends around the bent edge 130 relative to the connecting piece 120 and retracts into each other with the connecting piece 120.

[0043] See Figure 2 , Figure 3The device shown is an automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors. It includes a flipping mechanism 1 and a worktable. The flipping mechanism 1 includes a flipping seat 11 that can rotate around a rotation center line X1, and the flipping seat 11 is provided with a negative pressure adsorption surface 111. The worktable is provided with a processing station 101, and a welding head 2 is provided above the processing station 101. The battery 200 to be processed is placed at the processing station 101. When the battery 200 is at the processing station 101 and the connecting piece 120 of the connector 100 is assembled on the welding surface 210 of the battery 200, the welding head 2 welds the connecting piece 120 to the battery 200.

[0044] In this embodiment, the automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors has a feeding mode, a welding mode, and a bending mode. The flip base 11 has a first state, a second state, and a third state that can be switched around the rotation center line X1. When the integrated device is in the feeding mode, the flip base 11 is in the first state, with the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 facing upwards to support the connector 100. The main board 110 is supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface 111, and the connecting piece 120 is located above the main board 110. Specifically, when the flip base 11 is in the first state, the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 extends horizontally, allowing the main board 110 to be placed horizontally on the flip base 11. After the connector 100 is placed on the flip base 11, the main board 110 is adsorbed and fixed from below by the negative pressure self-adsorption plate 110.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the integrated device is in welding mode, the flipping seat 11 is in the second state, the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 extends vertically, the connecting piece 120 is converted to extend horizontally and fits against the welding surface 210 of the battery 200, and the main board 110 is located above the connecting piece 120. When the welding and bending integrated device switches from the feeding mode to the welding mode, the flipping seat 11 flips at a first angle. The flipping seat 11 drives the main board 110 to flip, thereby driving the connecting piece 120 to rotate, so that the connecting piece 120 is converted to extend horizontally, thus enabling it to be assembled to the welding surface 210 of the battery 200. In welding mode, the welding head 2 can weld the battery 200 and the connector 100 located at the processing station 101.

[0046] In this embodiment, when the integrated device is in bending mode, the connecting piece 120 is welded and fixed to the welding surface 210. The flip base 11 rotates around the rotation center line X1 and transitions from the second state to the third state, causing the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 to move downward toward the welding surface 210, so that the main board 110 bends relative to the connecting piece 120. Specifically, in this embodiment, when the integrated device transitions from welding mode to bending mode, the flip base 11 flips at a second angle. In bending mode, the flip base 11 causes the main board 110 to fold up above the connecting piece 120. When the flip base 11 transitions to the third state, see [reference needed]. Figures 10 to 12 As shown, the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 faces downwards.

[0047] In this embodiment, the integrated device fixes the flip base 11 to the main board 110 and rotates the main board 110 via the flip base 11 to adjust the state of the connecting piece 120. Furthermore, the flip mechanism 1 uses a bottom-adhesive method to fix the main board 110, reducing damage to the main board 110 and avoiding interference during subsequent bending operations. In this embodiment, by driving the flip base 11 to rotate around the rotation center line X1, the flip base 11 transitions from a first state to a second state, and after the connector 100 and battery 200 are welded, it continues to transition to a third state. This allows for the sequential completion of multiple operations, including adjusting the state of the connector 100, assembling, and bending the connector 100. The flip base 11 integrates multiple functions, eliminating the need for separate welding and bending mechanisms in the integrated device, thus simplifying the device structure. Simultaneously, after welding the battery 200 and connector 100, the device can directly bend the connector 100 in situ, saving space and improving the device's processing efficiency.

[0048] In this embodiment, the connector 100 is the negative electrode substrate of the battery, the connector 120 is a thin metal sheet, and the main board 110 includes a circuit board. The main board 110 is larger in volume and heavier than the connector 120.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rotation center line X1 extends horizontally. When the connector 100 is fixed on the flip base 11, the bent edge 130 extends along the rotation center line X1, so that the flip base 11 can drive the main board 110 to bend relative to the connector 120 around the bent edge 130. Specifically, a positioning member 12 is provided on one side of the negative pressure adsorption surface 111. The main board 110 supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 abuts against the positioning member 12, thus positioning the main board 110 and consequently positioning the connector 100. There is a preset distance between the rotation center line X1 and the negative pressure adsorption surface 111, and between the rotation center line X1 and the positioning member 12, so that the bent edge 130 of the positioned connector 100 can extend along the rotation center line X1. In this embodiment, see Figure 7 As shown, in the first state, the flip base 11 extends upward from one side of the negative pressure adsorption surface 111. Specifically, the positioning member 12 is used to abut against the side of the connecting piece 120 in the motherboard 110 that is bent upward. In other embodiments, the positioning member 12 is provided on other sides, or multiple positioning members 12 are provided for positioning multiple sides of the motherboard 110 respectively.

[0050] In this embodiment, a connecting portion is provided on one side of the battery 200. The thickness of the connecting portion is smaller than that of other areas of the battery, thereby forming a stepped structure at the junction of the connecting portion and other areas. The welding surface is provided on the connecting portion. After the connector 100 and the battery 200 are welded and bent, see [reference needed]. Figure 12 As shown, the motherboard 110 is mounted on top of the connector.

[0051] In this embodiment, the sum of the first angle and the second angle is 180°. The flipping seat 11 can complete the processing operation by flipping half a turn. After the bending is completed, the flipping seat 11 is released from the fixation of the main board 110 and separates from the connector 100. In some embodiments, the flipping seat 11 is provided with two negative pressure adsorption surfaces 111 circumferentially spaced around the rotation center line X1. After one negative pressure adsorption surface 111 completes the bending work and is released from the fixation of the main board 110, the other negative pressure adsorption surface 111 can be switched to the state of the feeding mode and participate in the work by rotating the flipping seat 11. Setting two negative pressure adsorption surfaces 111 can speed up the work handover efficiency of the flipping seat 11, so that the flipping seat 11 does not need to rotate 180° to switch from the third state to the first state. Preferably, the two negative pressure adsorption surfaces 111 are distributed at a 90° angle with respect to the rotation center line X1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the angle between the plane where the connecting piece 120 is located and the plane where the main board 110 is located is α, the first angle is α, and the second angle is (180°-α). Specifically, the main board 110 and the connecting piece 120 form a right angle, see [reference needed]. Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, when the flip base 11 transitions from the first state to the second state, the flip base 11 rotates 90° around the rotation center line X1, that is, the first angle is 90°. See also Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown, when the flip seat 11 transitions from the second state to the third state, the flip seat 11 continues to rotate 90° around the rotation center line X1, that is, the second angle is 90°.

[0053] In this embodiment, see Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the fixing assembly also includes a clamping member 13, which is perpendicular to the extending direction of the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 and close to the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 to clamp the motherboard 110. When the connector 100 is placed on the negative pressure adsorption surface 111, the clamping member 13 can clamp and fix the motherboard 110 from top to bottom. With the cooperation of the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 and the clamping member 13, the connector 100 can be firmly fixed on the flip base 11, thereby preventing the connector 100 from being disturbed during the flipping process.

[0054] In this embodiment, the clamping member 13 can also be movably disposed along the extending direction of the negative pressure adsorption surface 111. Since the main board 110 folds over the connecting piece 120 when the flip seat 11 is switched to the third state, during the transition of the flip seat 11 from the second state to the third state, the clamping member 13 releases its pressure on the connecting piece 100 and moves away from the connecting piece 100, thereby creating a clearance. See also... Figure 7As shown, the thickness of the clamping member 13 gradually decreases along the direction towards the negative pressure adsorption surface 111, and a slope extending towards the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 is formed on the side of the clamping member 13 away from the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 to form a clearance. In this embodiment, the clamping member 13 only moves away from the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 after the main board 110 bends towards the connecting piece 120 at a preset angle, and the clamping member 13 maintains the fixation of the connecting piece 100 within the preset angle. In this embodiment, after the flipping seat 11 drives the main board 110 to rotate relative to the connecting piece 120 by 30° to 50°, the remaining angle is greater than the angle between the clamping surface of the clamping member 13 and the slope on the back side. At this time, the clamping member 13 releases its clamping on the connecting piece 100 and exits between the main board 110 and the connecting piece 120.

[0055] In this embodiment, see Figure 5 As shown, the flipping mechanism includes a horizontally movable frame 14 and a vertically movable lifting frame 15 relative to the movable frame 14. The flipping seat 11 is rotatably mounted on the lifting frame 15 about a rotation center line X1. After the connector 100 is fixed to the flipping seat 11, the flipping mechanism drives the connector 100 to move towards the processing station 101 by driving the movable frame 14 to move. Before and after transferring the connector 100, the flipping seat 11 completes the transition to the second state, and the assembly of the connector 100 is completed by the horizontal movement of the movable frame 14 and the vertical movement of the lifting frame 15. In this embodiment, the flipping mechanism also includes a fixed frame 16, which is rotatably connected to the lifting frame 15 about a vertically extending rotation axis, and the flipping seat 11 is rotatably connected to the fixed frame 16. By driving the fixed frame 16 to rotate about the rotation axis, the angle of the flipping seat 11 can be adjusted, and the angle of the connecting piece 120 can be adjusted, thereby achieving accurate assembly of the connector 100.

[0056] In this embodiment, the automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors includes a loading station 102. When the integrated device is in loading mode, the flipping mechanism is located at the loading station 102, and the flipping seat 11 is in a first state. The flipping mechanism 1 loads the connector 100 at the loading station 102, that is, it transports the connector 100 to the flipping mechanism 1 located at the loading station 102. The flipping mechanism 1 reciprocates between the loading station 102 and the processing station 101, thereby transporting the connector 100 to the processing station 101. Specifically, the flipping mechanism 1 transports the connector 100 through the moving frame 14.

[0057] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , Figure 13As shown, an inspection station 103 is provided between the loading station 102 and the processing station 101. A vision inspection module 5 is installed at the inspection station 103. Before the flipping mechanism 1 transports the connector 100 to the processing station 101, the flipping mechanism 1 first transports the connector 100 to the inspection station 103, and the vision inspection module 5 inspects and positions the connector 100. In this embodiment, the vision inspection module 5 is located above the inspection station 103. In other embodiments, the vision inspection module 5 is located below the inspection station 103, or the vision inspection module 5 is located on both the upper and lower sides of the inspection station 103.

[0058] In this embodiment, the automatic welding and bending integrated device for the battery connector includes abutment 31, which is vertically movable. (See attached image.) Figure 15 As shown, the lower part of the abutment 31 is provided with an abutment head 311, which has a through groove 312 extending vertically. In welding mode, the abutment head 311 abuts against the connecting piece 120, causing the connecting piece 120 to be firmly fixed against the welding surface 210, thereby fixing the connecting piece 120 relative to the battery 200 and preventing relative displacement between the connecting piece 120 and the battery 200 during welding. During welding, the through groove 312 forms a channel for the welding beam to pass through. The peripheral wall of the through groove 312 encloses the area to be welded above the connecting piece 120, and the welding beam welds the connecting piece 120 and the battery 200 within the area to be welded. The through groove 312 serves both as a guide for the welding beam and as a barrier to prevent welding slag from contaminating the connecting piece 100 or the battery 200.

[0059] In this embodiment, the automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors includes a rotating frame 32. The rotating frame 32 is rotatably arranged around a rotation center line X2 extending in the vertical direction. Multiple abutment members 31 are spaced apart along the circumference of the rotating frame 32. The abutment members 31 are movable up and down and connected to the rotating frame 32. During the welding process, the abutment heads 311 may become contaminated. Therefore, multiple abutment heads 311 are used to alternately perform the clamping operation.

[0060] In this embodiment, see Figure 14 As shown, the automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors includes a cleaning mechanism 4 for cleaning the abutment head 311. The cleaning mechanism 4 is located on one side of the rotating frame 32. The rotating frame 32 can reciprocate between the cleaning mechanism 4 and the processing station 101. After the abutment head 311 has completed the welding operation, the rotating frame 32 is driven to rotate and move, so that the abutment head 311 moves away from the processing station 101 and enters the cleaning mechanism 4 for cleaning.

[0061] In this embodiment, see Figure 16As shown, the cleaning mechanism 4 includes a housing 41, brush rollers 42 rotatably disposed within the housing 41, and an exhaust assembly communicating with the interior of the housing 41. One side of the housing 41 has an opening 411 for the abutment head 311 to extend into the interior. When the abutment head 311 extends into the housing 41 through the opening 411, the brush rollers 42 clean the abutment head 311, and the exhaust assembly sucks away the cleaned-off welding slag and other impurities. In this embodiment, two brush rollers 42 are rotatably disposed within the housing 41, rotating in opposite directions. When cleaning the abutment head 311, the abutment head 311 extends between the two brush rollers 42, and the two brush rollers 42 remove the impurities adhering to the abutment head 311.

[0062] In this embodiment, the abutment 31 includes a slag suction hole (not shown in the figure) opened on the wall of the through groove 312 and a slag suction assembly connected to the slag suction hole and used to suction the welding slag generated during the welding process, so as to ensure the cleanliness of the working surface during the welding process.

[0063] In this embodiment, see Figure 4 As shown, the welding and bending integrated device includes two sets of flipping mechanisms 1 arranged side by side. The device can simultaneously weld the two sets of connectors 100 and the battery 200, or can alternately weld the two sets of connectors 100 and the battery 200, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0064] In this embodiment, the welding and bending integrated device is equipped with a battery transport mechanism 6. The battery transport mechanism 6 includes a battery transport track 61 and a transport carrier 62 that can move along the battery transport track 61. The battery 200 is fixed on the transport carrier 62, and the processing station 101 is set on the movement path of the transport carrier 62 along the battery transport track 61.

[0065] In this embodiment, see Figure 11 As shown, the battery 200, fixed on the transport carrier 62, has its connecting portion extending out of one side of the transport carrier 62. In this embodiment, a lower support member 7 is provided below the processing station 101, and the lower support member 7 is configured to move up and down. When the transport carrier 62 transports the battery 200 to the processing station 101, the lower support member 7 moves upward and abuts against the bottom of the battery 200, thereby providing stable support for the connecting portion of the battery 200 in its suspended state, so that the battery 200 can remain stable during subsequent operations such as assembling the connector 100, pressing with the abutment member 31, and welding.

[0066] In this embodiment, the workflow of the automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors is as follows:

[0067] Step 1: Move the connector 100 to the flipping seat 11, support the main board 110 on the upward-facing negative pressure adsorption surface 111, and extend the bent edge 130 along the rotation center line X1. The flipping seat 11 then adsorbs and fixes the main board 110. Specifically, when the flipping mechanism 1 is at the loading station 102 and the flipping seat 11 is in the first state, move the connector 100 to the flipping seat 11 and support the main board 110 on the horizontally extending negative pressure adsorption surface 111. Then, adsorb and fix the main board 110, and press the connector 100 with the clamping member 13. The connector 100 fixed to the flipping seat 11 has a main board 110 extending horizontally and a connecting piece 120 extending vertically.

[0068] Step 2: Drive the flip base 11 to rotate around the rotation center line X1, converting the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 to extend in the vertical direction and the connecting piece 120 to extend in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the flip base 11 drives the connector 100 to rotate 90 degrees, thereby making the connecting piece 120 extend horizontally, with the main board 110 located above the connecting piece 120.

[0069] Step 3: Drive the connecting piece 120 to fit against the welding surface 210 of the battery 200, and weld the connecting piece 120 to the battery 200. Specifically, through the cooperation of the moving frame 14, the lifting frame 15, and the fixed frame 16, the connecting piece 120 is accurately assembled onto the welding surface 210 of the battery 200 located at the processing station 101, and then the welding head 2 located above the processing station 101 is used to weld the connecting piece 120 to the battery 200.

[0070] Step 4: Drive the flip base 11 to rotate around the rotation center line X1 again, causing the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 to move downward toward the welding surface 210, driving the main board 110 to bend relative to the connecting piece 120 and fold the main board 110 above the connecting piece 120. Specifically, after the connector 100 and the battery 200 are welded, drive the flip base 11 to rotate 90 degrees again, causing the main board 110 to fold above the connecting piece 120.

[0071] In this embodiment, in step three, after the welding surfaces 210 of the connecting piece 120 and the battery 200 are aligned, the abutment 31 is driven to move above the connecting piece 120 and then downward, so that the abutment head 311 presses against the connecting piece 120 and the connecting piece 120 is firmly fixed to the battery 200. In this embodiment, in step four, after the flipping seat 11 rotates by a preset angle, the clamping member 13 releases its pressure on the connecting member 100 and moves away from the connecting member 100.

[0072] In summary, the automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors in this embodiment includes a flipping base 11 and a welding head 2. The welding head 2 is used to perform welding operations, while the flipping base 11 performs multiple functions. When the integrated device is in the feeding mode, the flipping base 11 is used to receive the connector 100. In this mode, the main board 110 can be supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface 111 of the flipping base 11, and the main board 110 can be adsorbed and fixed from below the main board 110. When the integrated device switches from the feeding mode to the welding mode, the flipping base 11 rotates around the rotation center line X1. The flipping base 11 drives the main board 110 to rotate, thereby driving the connecting piece 120 to extend in the horizontal direction, which facilitates the alignment and assembly of the connecting piece 120 and the battery 200. After the connecting piece 120 and the welding surface 210 of the battery 200 are in contact, the welding head 2 welds and fixes the connecting piece 120 and the battery 200. After the welding operation is completed, the flip base 11 continues to drive the main board 110 to rotate around the rotation center line X1, so that the integrated device changes from welding mode to bending mode. During this process, the flip base 11 drives the main board 110 to bend around the bending edge 130 relative to the connecting piece 120, and causes the main board 110 to fold up above the connecting piece 120.

[0073] The integrated device in this embodiment has a simple structure. By setting a flipping seat 11 that can rotate around the rotation center line X1, and by specially setting the fixing method and position of the connector 100, the flipping seat 11 can adjust the state of the connector 100 for welding and bending operations by flipping it only twice. At the same time, the welding and bending of the connecting piece 120 are performed directly at the same station, saving device space, and the bending operation can be performed directly after welding, which can improve the processing efficiency of the device.

[0074] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors, characterized in that, The connector includes a main board and a connecting piece located on one side of the main board and extending along the thickness direction of the main board. A bent edge is formed at the junction of the main board and the connecting piece. When the connector is connected to the battery, the connecting piece is welded and fixed to the battery, and the main board bends around the bent edge relative to the connecting piece and retracts into the connecting piece. The integrated device includes: A workbench is provided with a processing station, and a welding head is provided above the processing station. The battery to be processed is placed at the processing station. The flipping mechanism includes a flipping base rotatable about a rotation center line, the flipping base having a negative pressure adsorption surface; in the feeding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface faces upward, the main board is supported on the negative pressure adsorption surface, and the connecting piece is located above the main board; in the welding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface extends vertically, the connecting piece is converted to extend horizontally, and the connecting piece is in contact with the welding surface of the battery, the main board is located above the connecting piece; in the bending mode, the flipping base rotates about the rotation center line, causing the negative pressure adsorption surface to move downward toward the welding surface, so that the main board retracts above the connecting piece; When the integrated device switches from the feeding mode to the welding mode, the flipping seat flips at a first angle; when the integrated device switches from the welding mode to the bending mode, the flipping seat flips at a second angle; the sum of the first angle and the second angle is 180°. The flipping mechanism includes a horizontally movable frame and a lifting frame that can move up and down relative to the movable frame. The flipping seat is rotatably mounted on the lifting frame around the rotation center line. The integrated device is provided with a loading station, and the flipping mechanism can reciprocate between the loading station and the processing station. When the integrated device is in the loading mode, the flipping mechanism is located at the loading station. An inspection station is provided between the loading station and the processing station, and a vision inspection module is provided at the inspection station. The integrated device includes a backing component, which is vertically movable. The lower part of the backing component is provided with a backing head, which has a through groove extending in the vertical direction. In the welding mode, the backing head presses the connecting piece against the welding surface downwards, and the peripheral wall of the through groove surrounds the area to be welded above the connecting piece. The integrated device includes a rotating frame that is rotatably arranged about a rotation center line extending in the vertical direction, and a plurality of abutment members are arranged circumferentially on the rotating frame; the integrated device includes a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the abutment head, the cleaning mechanism is arranged on one side of the rotating frame, and the rotating frame is capable of reciprocating between the cleaning mechanism and the processing station.

2. The automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that: The abutment includes a slag suction hole formed on the wall of the through groove and a slag suction assembly connected to the slag suction hole and used to suction the welding slag generated during the welding process.

3. The automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation center line extends horizontally; when the connector is fixed on the flipping seat, the bent edge extends along the rotation center line.

4. The automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the integrated device is in the feeding mode, the negative pressure adsorption surface extends horizontally; the angle between the plane where the connecting piece is located and the plane where the main board is located is α, the first angle is α, and the second angle is (180°-α).

5. The automatic welding and bending integrated device for battery connectors according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flipping seat is also provided with a clamping member, which can move toward the negative pressure adsorption surface perpendicular to the extension direction of the negative pressure adsorption surface to clamp the motherboard; the clamping member can also be movably arranged along the extension direction of the negative pressure adsorption surface, and when the integrated device is in the bending mode, the clamping member is away from the connector.

6. A battery processing method for welding connectors to a battery, wherein, The connector includes a main board and a connecting piece located on one side of the main board and extending along the thickness direction of the main board. A bent edge is formed at the junction of the main board and the connecting piece. When the connector is connected to a battery, the connecting piece is welded and fixed to the battery, and the main board bends relative to the connecting piece around the bent edge and retracts with the connecting piece. The characteristic feature is that the processing method is based on the automatic welding and bending integrated device for the battery connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the battery processing method includes the following steps: Step 1: Move the connector to the flip base, support the motherboard on the upward-facing negative pressure adsorption surface, and extend the bent edge along the rotation center line. The flip base adsorbs and fixes the motherboard from below. Step 2: Drive the flipping seat to rotate around the rotation center line, convert the negative pressure adsorption surface to extend in the vertical direction, convert the connecting piece to extend in the horizontal direction, and convert the main board to be located above the connecting piece; Step 3: Drive the connecting piece to fit against the welding surface of the battery, and weld the connecting piece to the battery; Step 4: Drive the flipping seat to rotate around the rotation center line again, drive the negative pressure adsorption surface to move downward toward the welding surface, drive the main board to bend relative to the connecting piece and fold the main board above the connecting piece.

7. The battery processing method according to claim 6, characterized in that: In step one, the motherboard is pressed and fixed from above using a clamping member; in step four, after the flip seat rotates to a preset angle, the clamping member releases its pressure on the motherboard and moves away from the connector.

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