Gluing process and gluing device for girdling and sealing of battery cell

Abstract

The invention discloses a gluing process for girdling and sealing of a battery cell, which comprises a gluing process performed on a gluing station and a girdling process performed on a girdling station, the gluing station and the girdling station are sequentially arranged from front to back, and the gluing process is characterized by comprising the following steps: S1, cooling and pre-cooling a to-be-girdled part of a battery cell shell; s2, the glue flowing out of the glue tank is heated and output through a glue injection pump, and the corresponding girdling position of the circumferential face of the rubber plug is coated with the glue; and S3, pressing the glued rubber plug into the battery cell shell. The gluing process can improve the internal sealing performance of the battery cell. The invention also discloses a gluing device for girdling and sealing the battery cell, which can improve the internal sealing performance of the battery cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to battery cell waist sealing technology, and more particularly to an adhesive coating process for sealing battery cell waists, and an adhesive coating apparatus using the adhesive coating process. Background Technology

[0002] Existing room-temperature adhesives are slightly viscous, resulting in a slightly excessive amount applied to the periphery of the battery cell plug. After waisting, the adhesive seeps out towards the top and bottom of the plug, leading to a longer curing time, clumping, and detachment, resulting in slightly poor adhesion. While diluting with water can thin the coating, the actual amount of adhesive used is less, the curing time is longer, and the evaporation of water can cause shrinkage, leading to gaps in the adhesion points and leaks. Furthermore, diluted adhesives are prone to dripping due to their high water content. To avoid dripping, commonly used room-temperature adhesives are relatively viscous, making it difficult to control the amount applied, resulting in excessive adhesive being squeezed out during subsequent waisting, affecting product quality.

[0003] If too much glue is applied and fails to solidify quickly after waisting, it will melt under heat during subsequent processing, forming leakage channels and resulting in poor sealing of the battery cell after waisting. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell that can improve the internal sealing performance of the battery cell, and a corresponding coating device for sealing the waist of a battery cell that can improve the internal sealing performance of the battery cell.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the process technology solution adopted by the present invention is: a gluing process for sealing the waist of a battery cell, including a gluing process performed at a gluing station and a waist-sealing process performed at a waist-sealing station, wherein the gluing station and the waist-sealing station are arranged sequentially, and the gluing process includes: step S1, cooling the waist-sealing part of the battery cell shell; step S2, heating the glue flowing from the glue tank and outputting it through a glue pump to apply glue to the waist-sealing position on the periphery of the glue plug; step S3, placing the glued glue plug into the battery cell shell.

[0006] As an improvement to the adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of the battery cell, in the waisting process, the outer side of the upper end of the battery cell shell corresponding to the position of the glue plug is squeezed and deformed inward to form the waist. The cold battery cell shell is pressed tightly against the glue plug and comes into contact with the hot glue on the periphery so that it cools and solidifies.

[0007] As an improvement to the technical solution of the present invention for the gluing process of sealing the waist of the battery cell, the gluing station is provided with a gluing device, which includes a glue injection pump and a gluing roller located at the glue outlet below the glue injection pump. The gluing roller and the glue plug are axially inclined to each other so that the lower edge of the gluing roller tilts against the middle of the outer peripheral surface of the glue plug, and the rotation direction of the gluing roller and the glue plug is opposite during gluing.

[0008] As an improvement to the technical solution of the present invention for the gluing process of sealing the waist of battery cells, the gluing roller is provided with a temperature control inner seat.

[0009] As an improvement to the technical solution of the present invention for the gluing process of sealing the waist of the battery cell, the gluing roller and the glue plug are axially misaligned and obliquely intersected and the upper end is inclined outward.

[0010] As an improvement to the technical solution of the present invention for the gluing process of sealing the waist of the battery cell, a conveying heating pipe is provided between the glue tank and the glue injection pump, and a temperature-controlled inner liner with internal expansion is provided in the middle section of the conveying heating pipe, and a microwave heating device is provided around the temperature-controlled inner liner.

[0011] As an improvement to the technical solution of the present invention for the gluing process of sealing the waist of the battery cell, one end of the temperature-controlled inner liner is connected to the glue tube on the lower side, while the other end is connected to the hot glue outlet tube to the glue injection pump on the upper side.

[0012] The device technology solution adopted in this invention is: a glue application device for sealing the waist of a battery cell, which includes a glue injection pump and a glue application roller located at the glue outlet below the glue injection pump. The glue application roller and the glue stopper are axially inclined to each other so that the lower edge of the glue application roller tilts against the middle of the outer peripheral surface of the glue stopper, and the glue application roller and the glue stopper rotate in opposite directions during glue application.

[0013] As an improvement to the technical solution of the gluing device for sealing the waist of battery cells according to the present invention, the gluing roller is provided with a temperature control inner seat; the gluing roller and the glue plug are axially offset and obliquely intersecting each other, and the upper end is inclined outward.

[0014] As an improvement to the technical solution of the gluing device for sealing the waist of the battery cell of the present invention, a conveying heating pipe is provided between the glue tank and the glue injection pump. The middle section of the conveying heating pipe is provided with an internally controlled and expanded temperature-controlled inner liner. A microwave heating device is provided around the temperature-controlled inner liner. The lower part of one end of the temperature-controlled inner liner is connected to the glue tube, and the upper part of the other end is connected to the hot glue outlet tube to the glue injection pump.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: In the pre-coating process before the battery cell and rubber stopper are installed into the battery cell casing for waisting, the adhesive used is preheated while the waisted portion of the battery cell casing is pre-cooled. This allows the higher-temperature adhesive to be evenly applied and dispersed onto the periphery of the rubber stopper, resulting in strong adhesion after solidification. The thinner adhesive layer prevents clumping, shrinkage, or detachment after solidification, thus avoiding leakage channels. It also prevents delayed solidification and shrinkage that could create leakage channels. Pre-cooling the waisted portion of the battery cell casing prevents leakage caused by insufficient adhesive solidification. It also avoids the problems of difficult solidification and leakage caused by solidification after water evaporation when diluting the adhesive with added water. Furthermore, it allows for thinner coating thickness control without adding water, preventing excessively thick adhesive and avoiding melting of thicker adhesive lumps due to high heat generation during battery cell use, which could lead to leakage. Directly using room-temperature adhesive will solidify too quickly and not flow, thus failing to adequately seal the non-flexible bonding area between the rubber stopper and the battery cell casing.

[0016] Using the above-mentioned glue application device allows the glue stopper to be kept at a slightly higher temperature during application, and then continuously cooled down during the waisting process. During the waisting process, the glue can flow and fill the areas where the inner side of the battery cell casing and the glue stopper are not tightly bonded. It can also allow the glue stopper to cool down and solidify quickly during the pre-cooled metal contact, so that the solidification time is not affected by excessive or thick glue or clumping, thus avoiding the formation of leakage channels later. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded state structure of a battery cell assembly in a coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the circular worktable used in the adhesive application process.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adhesive application device installed at the adhesive application station in the adhesive application process.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the coating roller, the battery cell assembly, and the glue plug during the coating process. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, this invention provides an adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell, which... Figure 1 The battery cell shown is in Figure 2 On the circular worktable shown, use Figure 3The adhesive application device shown performs the adhesive application process before waisting. The adhesive application process includes an adhesive application process at the adhesive application station and a waisting process at the waisting station. The adhesive application station and the waisting station are arranged sequentially. The adhesive application process includes: step S1, cooling the waisting portion of the battery cell housing 15; step S2, heating the adhesive flowing from the adhesive tank 21 and outputting it through the adhesive pump 23 to apply adhesive to the periphery of the adhesive plug 13 corresponding to the waisting position; step S3, placing the adhesive-applied adhesive plug 13 into the battery cell housing 15 along with the battery cell 12. When the waisting station is the current station, the adhesive application station should be the previous station according to the sequence. Pre-cooling can be performed at the first two stations, pre-cooling first, and then applying hot adhesive. The battery cell and battery cell housing assembly is placed in the cavity 32 of the circular worktable 31. The circular worktable 31 rotates and transfers the battery cell between the various stations through the cavity 32. Before the battery cell 12 and rubber stopper 13 are installed into the battery cell housing 15 for waisting, the adhesive used in the pre-coating process is preheated, while the waisting part of the battery cell housing 15 is pre-cooled. This allows the hotter adhesive to be evenly applied and dispersed to the periphery of the rubber stopper 13, resulting in strong adhesion after solidification. A thinner layer of adhesive prevents clumping, shrinkage, or detachment after solidification, thus avoiding leakage channels. It also prevents delayed solidification and shrinkage that could cause leakage channels. Pre-cooling the waisting part of the battery cell housing 15 prevents leakage caused by insufficient adhesive solidification. It also avoids the problems of difficult solidification and leakage caused by solidification after water evaporation when diluting the adhesive with added water. Furthermore, without adding water to thin the adhesive, it allows for a thinner coating thickness, preventing the adhesive from being too thick or excessive, which could cause the thicker adhesive to melt and leak due to the high heat value of the battery cell during use. If room temperature glue is used directly, it will solidify too quickly and not flow, so the glue cannot fully seal the non-flexible bonding part between the glue stopper 13 and the battery cell shell 15.

[0023] In the waisting process, the outer side of the upper end of the battery cell casing 15 corresponding to the rubber stopper 13 is compressed and deformed inward to form a waist. The cold battery cell casing 15 is pressed tightly against the rubber stopper 13 and comes into contact with the hot adhesive on the periphery, causing it to solidify. The preheated adhesive can be applied thinner and in smaller quantities, while the precooled battery cell casing 15 has a greater temperature difference with the adhesive. Under the cold compression of the casing, it contacts the periphery of the rubber stopper 13 and freezes the adhesive, giving the adhesive good fluidity before solidification. This allows it to fill the tiny pits and depressions on the inner surface of the rubber stopper 13 and the battery cell casing 15 without needing to add thinner to increase fluidity, thus preventing solidification and the formation of depressions that could lead to leakage.

[0024] The adhesive application station is equipped with an adhesive application device, such as... Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the glue application device includes a glue pump 23 and a glue application roller 26 located at the glue outlet below the glue pump 23. The glue application roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 are axially inclined relative to each other, so that the lower edge of the glue application roller 26 inclinedly abuts against the middle of the outer peripheral surface of the glue stopper 13. During glue application, the glue application roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 rotate in opposite directions. By delivering the glue through the glue pump 23, the output amount of the relatively thin glue can be controlled to be small, avoiding excessive glue application that results in clumps. The axial inclination of the glue application roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 during glue application reduces the contact area between the glue application roller and the glue stopper, reducing the amount of glue applied and avoiding the excessive glue application that occurs with conventional contact adhesive application methods. When applying the adhesive, the adhesive roller 26 rotates in the opposite direction to the adhesive stopper 13, so that after the adhesive is applied, the excess adhesive is further scraped off. The adhesive application process is not adhesive but scraped and transferred to the periphery of the adhesive stopper 13, effectively controlling the amount of adhesive applied to be extremely small, which is only used to fill the pits on the surface of the contact area between the battery cell shell 15 and the adhesive stopper 13.

[0025] Furthermore, the coating roller 26 is equipped with a temperature-controlled inner seat 25, which ensures that the glue maintains a certain temperature after heating and before being output for application, preventing the temperature from dropping during output and more effectively controlling the glue temperature during application, thus guaranteeing the glue temperature during application. The temperature-controlled inner seat can also be replaced by a heat-insulating outer shell with radiant heating function located around the coating roller 26.

[0026] Furthermore, the glue-applying roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 are axially offset and obliquely intersecting each other, with their upper ends tilted outwards. When the glue-applying roller 26 contacts the glue stopper 13, it rotates in a downward tangential direction, causing the glue-applying roller 26 to apply glue at a downward angle. This allows the glue to be applied and scraped off simultaneously, leaving no excess glue residue. The glue-applying roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 are neither coplanar nor parallel in axis direction, but are inclined towards each other in three-dimensional space.

[0027] Furthermore, a delivery heating pipe is provided between the glue tank 21 and the glue pump 23. The middle section of the delivery heating pipe has an internally expanded temperature-controlled inner liner 22, and a microwave heating device 28 is provided around the temperature-controlled inner liner 22. Microwave heating or other heating methods can be used to heat the glue temporarily stored in the temperature-controlled inner liner, heating the glue before it is dispensed by the glue pump 23 to a temperature higher than room temperature, making it thinner and more flexible. This ensures that the glue temperature before application is slightly higher, which is more conducive to controlling the amount applied and resulting in less glue being used. Microwave heating also makes the glue heated more evenly, allowing even glue with poor self-flowability to be heated to an appropriate temperature.

[0028] More preferably, the lower part of one end of the temperature-controlled inner liner 22 is connected to the glue tube, while the upper part of the other end is connected to the hot glue outlet tube leading to the glue pump 23, so that the temperature-controlled inner liner 22 forms a harbor, allowing the glue to remain heated, thereby forming a vortex state after the glue flows in, avoiding the glue from accumulating locally and remaining there for a long time without being output, which could lead to denaturation.

[0029] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, an adhesive applicator for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to the present invention includes an adhesive pump 23 and an adhesive applicator roller 26 located at the adhesive outlet below the adhesive pump 23. The adhesive applicator roller 26 and the adhesive plug 13 are axially inclined to each other, with the lower edge of the adhesive applicator roller 26 inclinedly abutting the middle of the outer peripheral surface of the adhesive plug 13. During adhesive application, the adhesive applicator roller 26 and the adhesive plug 13 rotate in opposite directions. Using the above adhesive applicator allows the adhesive plug to maintain a slightly higher temperature during application, followed by continuous cooling during the waisting process. This allows the adhesive to flow and fill areas where the inner surface of the battery cell casing and the adhesive plug 13 are not tightly bonded during the waisting process. Furthermore, it allows the adhesive plug to cool and solidify rapidly during pre-cooled metal contact, preventing excessive or thick adhesive from affecting the solidification time and avoiding leakage channels later. By using the adhesive pump 23 to deliver the adhesive, the amount of relatively thin adhesive output can be controlled to be small, preventing excessive adhesive application and clumping. During adhesive application, the axial tilt of the adhesive roller 26 and the rubber stopper 13 reduces the contact area between them, thus decreasing the amount of adhesive applied and avoiding excessive application that can occur with conventional adhesive application methods. The opposite rotation directions of the adhesive roller and the rubber stopper during application further scrape away excess adhesive after application. The adhesive application process is not adhesive but rather a scraping motion that transfers the adhesive to the periphery of the rubber stopper, effectively controlling the amount applied to a very small quantity, used only to fill the pits and depressions on the surface where the battery cell casing contacts the rubber stopper.

[0030] Preheated glue can be applied thinner and in smaller quantities. The pre-cooled battery cell casing 15 has a greater temperature difference with the glue. Under the cold extrusion of the casing, the glue contacts the periphery of the plug 13 and is subjected to cold baking and freezing. This makes the plug 13 have better fluidity before solidification, filling the tiny pits and depressions on the inner surface of the plug 13 and the battery cell casing 15 without the need to add thinner to increase fluidity and prevent solidification from causing depressions and forming leakage channels.

[0031] Furthermore, the glue-applying roller 26 is equipped with a temperature-controlled inner seat 25, which ensures that the glue maintains a certain temperature after heating and before being applied, preventing temperature drop during application and more effectively controlling the glue temperature during application. The glue-applying roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 are axially offset and obliquely intersecting each other, with the upper end inclined outward. When the glue-applying roller 26 contacts the glue stopper 13, it rotates in a downward tangential direction, allowing the glue-applying roller 26 to apply glue at a downward angle, so that the glue is applied and scraped off simultaneously, leaving no excess glue residue. The glue-applying roller 26 and the glue stopper 13 are not coplanar or parallel in axis, but are inclined towards each other in three-dimensional space.

[0032] Furthermore, a delivery heating pipe is provided between the glue tank 21 and the glue pump 23. The middle section of the delivery heating pipe has an internally expanded temperature-controlled inner liner 22, and a microwave heating device 28 is provided around the temperature-controlled inner liner 22. Microwave heating or other heating methods can heat the glue stopper temporarily stored in the temperature-controlled inner liner, heating the glue before it is dispensed by the glue pump 23 to a temperature higher than room temperature, making it thinner and more flexible. This ensures that the glue to be dispensed before application is at a slightly higher temperature, which is more conducive to controlling the amount of glue applied, resulting in less glue being applied. Microwave heating also makes the glue heated more evenly, allowing even glue with poor self-flowability to be heated to an appropriate temperature.

[0033] The temperature-controlled inner liner 22 is connected to a glue tube at one lower end, and to a hot glue outlet tube at the other upper end, which leads to the glue pump 23. This allows the glue to flow into the temperature-controlled inner liner 22 in a propulsive flow state, preventing the glue from accumulating locally and remaining there for a long time without being output, which could lead to denaturation.

[0034] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell, comprising a coating process performed at a coating station and a waist-sealing process performed at a waist-sealing station, wherein the coating station and the waist-sealing station are arranged sequentially, characterized in that, The adhesive application process includes: step S1, cooling the waist portion of the battery cell casing; step S2, heating the adhesive flowing from the adhesive tank and applying it to the waist portion of the plug via an adhesive pump; and step S3, placing the adhesive-applied plug into the battery cell casing.

2. The adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the waisting process, the outer side of the upper end of the battery cell casing corresponding to the rubber plug position is squeezed and deformed inward to form the waist. The cold battery cell casing is pressed tightly against the rubber plug and comes into contact with the hot glue on the periphery, causing it to cool and solidify.

3. The adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 1, characterized in that: The glue application station is equipped with a glue application device, which includes a glue injection pump and a glue application roller located at the glue outlet below the glue injection pump. The glue application roller and the glue stopper are axially inclined to each other so that the lower edge of the glue application roller tilts and abuts against the middle of the outer circumference of the glue stopper. During glue application, the rotation direction of the glue application roller and the glue stopper is opposite.

4. The adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 3, characterized in that: The coating roller is equipped with a temperature control seat.

5. The adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 3, characterized in that: The glue-applying roller and the glue plug are axially misaligned and obliquely intersected, with their upper ends tilted outwards.

6. The adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 3, characterized in that: A delivery heating pipe is provided between the glue tank and the glue injection pump. The middle section of the delivery heating pipe is equipped with an internally controlled temperature-controlled inner liner, and a microwave heating device is provided around the temperature-controlled inner liner.

7. The adhesive coating process for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 6, characterized in that: The temperature-controlled inner liner is connected to a glue tube at the lower side of one end, and to a hot glue outlet tube at the upper side of the other end, which leads to the glue injection pump.

8. A gluing device for sealing the waist of a battery cell, characterized in that: The glue application device includes a glue injection pump and a glue application roller located at the glue outlet below the glue injection pump. The glue application roller and the glue stopper are axially inclined to each other so that the lower edge of the glue application roller tilts and abuts against the middle of the outer peripheral surface of the glue stopper. During glue application, the rotation direction of the glue application roller and the glue stopper is opposite.

9. The adhesive applicator for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 8, characterized in that: The coating roller is equipped with a temperature control seat; the coating roller and the glue stopper are axially offset and obliquely intersecting each other, and the upper end is inclined outward.

10. The adhesive applicator for sealing the waist of a battery cell according to claim 8, characterized in that: A delivery heating pipe is provided between the glue tank and the glue injection pump. The middle section of the delivery heating pipe is equipped with an internally expanded temperature-controlled inner liner. A microwave heating device is provided around the temperature-controlled inner liner. The lower part of one end of the temperature-controlled inner liner is connected to the glue tube, while the upper part of the other end is connected to the hot glue outlet tube to the glue injection pump.

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