An automatic tape connecting device for aluminum foil double-sided electroplating production line

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic roll-to-roll device for a double-sided aluminum foil electroplating production line, comprising a crossbar, a ring chain, a unidirectional transmission device, a clamping roller assembly, a vacuum adsorption positioning component, and a joining mechanism. The unidirectional transmission device is located between the end of the crossbar and the ring chain. It locks and transmits thrust as the crossbar advances, and allows the ring chain to slide freely when the crossbar is stopped. The ring chain moves in a unidirectional cycle, and the crossbar delivers the head of the new roll of aluminum foil to the joining position along a unidirectional closed path. The clamping roller assembly suspends the cut end of the old foil, waiting for it to be joined immediately after the new foil is actively delivered. After the crossbar completes its work, it does not self-lock or pause, and continues the cycle into the next working cycle. This device achieves automatic roll changing without stopping the machine using a purely mechanical method, simplifying the structure and control logic.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of material conveying technology for aluminum foil surface treatment equipment, and specifically to an automatic conveyor belt connection device for an aluminum foil double-sided electroplating production line. Background Technology

[0002] In roll-to-roll continuous processing technologies such as double-sided electroplating of aluminum foil, maintaining the continuity of material transport is crucial. A production line typically consists of an unwinding mechanism, a series of processing tanks, and a rewinding mechanism. Raw aluminum foil is loaded in roll form onto the unwinding mechanism and pulled sequentially through each processing station to complete the surface electroplating.

[0003] When a roll of aluminum foil is about to run out, the head of a new roll needs to be connected to the tail of the old roll that is still running to maintain production. The common practice in the industry is to manually stop the machine to change rolls, using tape to seal the ends of the old and new foils before restarting. This practice not only leads to lost production capacity but also causes fluctuations in process parameters such as current density, chemical concentration, and temperature in the electroplating bath, resulting in substandard plating quality in the transition section.

[0004] To overcome the drawbacks of downtime for roll changing, some technical solutions have attempted online automatic roll splicing. The idea is to set up a material storage mechanism at the front end of the production line, which releases stored material to supply the downstream section during roll changing. During roll changing, a clamping mechanism pulls the head of the new roll of aluminum foil to the joining position, pressing or bonding it to the tail of the old roll. However, the traction mechanism of such devices typically needs to perform a reciprocating motion of forward-stop-reverse reset. To achieve precise stopping and reset, servo motors and complex control programs are often required, or specialized self-locking and unlocking mechanisms are added, resulting in complex structures, high costs, and multiple points of failure. Furthermore, the traction mechanism does not participate in the roll splicing operation during reset, and the reset idle time limits further improvements in cycle time.

[0005] The fundamental reason for the complexity of the motion logic in existing online automatic conveyor belt connection devices lies in the rigid connection between the traction component and the drive mechanism, or the use of ordinary bearings. The traction component must stop and reset along with the drive mechanism, making it impossible for it to remain stationary or move independently while the drive mechanism is in continuous unidirectional motion. If this rigid constraint could be eliminated through the connection method, allowing the traction component to generate relative motion with the continuously moving drive mechanism when it needs to be stationary, the system architecture would be fundamentally simplified, and the reset idle time would be eliminated. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides an automatic splicing device for a double-sided aluminum foil electroplating production line, comprising at least one crossbar for bonding or adsorbing the head of a new roll of aluminum foil, an annular chain driving the crossbar to circulate along a one-way closed path, a one-way transmission device disposed between the end of the crossbar and the annular chain, a clamping roller group at a docking position on the movement path of the annular chain for suspending and holding the tail of the old roll of aluminum foil at the docking position after cutting it, an upper vacuum adsorption plate and a lower vacuum adsorption plate disposed at the docking position for adsorbing and positioning the tail of the old roll of aluminum foil and the head of the new roll of aluminum foil respectively, and a joining mechanism disposed at the docking position for joining and connecting the positioned tail of the old roll of aluminum foil and the head of the new roll of aluminum foil. The one-way transmission device is configured to lock when the crossbar moves in the forward direction to transmit thrust, and to allow the annular chain to slide freely relative to the crossbar when the crossbar is stopped and the annular chain continues to move. This device constructs a unidirectional closed-loop flexible traction system through the cooperation of a crossbar, a ring chain, and a unidirectional transmission device: the ring chain always moves in a unidirectional cycle; when the crossbar needs to move forward, the unidirectional transmission device locks and transmits thrust; when the crossbar is stopped, the unidirectional transmission device idles, allowing the ring chain to slide past the end of the crossbar, while the crossbar remains stationary and stable. This fundamentally eliminates the need for servo motor forward and reverse rotation control or complex self-locking and unlocking mechanisms, resulting in a simple, smooth operation logic and high reliability.

[0007] An adhesive layer can be provided on the surface of the crossbar for attaching and fixing the head of the new roll of aluminum foil. The operator attaches the head of the new roll of aluminum foil to the crossbar using tape or the pre-installed adhesive layer on the crossbar surface. After completion, the operator releases the grip, the one-way bearing relocks, and the crossbar continues to move forward with the ring chain. As an optional implementation, the crossbar can also be a hollow tubular structure with multiple negative pressure adsorption holes on its surface. The internal chamber is connected to a negative pressure air source via a rotary air connector, allowing for the adsorption and release of the head of the new roll of aluminum foil by switching air pressures.

[0008] Two parallel circular chains are driven by sprockets. Each circular chain has a fixed connecting block. The one-way transmission device is specifically a one-way bearing, with its inner ring fixedly connected to the end of the crossbar and its outer ring embedded in the connecting block. The locking direction of the one-way bearing is set as follows: when the circular chain drives the connecting block in the forward direction, the one-way bearing locks, and the crossbar moves forward synchronously with the circular chain; when the crossbar is stopped while the circular chain continues to move forward, the one-way bearing is in a free-rotating state, and the connecting block slides freely relative to the end of the crossbar with the circular chain. This design achieves a purely mechanical and flexible connection between the drive source and the driven component: the circular chain does not need to stop or reverse; simply by switching between locking and free-rotating of the one-way bearing, the crossbar can freely switch between "moving forward" and "stationary waiting" states. When the crossbar reaches the docking position and is stuck in the limiting groove, the one-way bearing rotates freely, and the continuous thrust of the chain will not generate a torsional torque on the crossbar, ensuring the crossbar's stable posture and providing overload protection for the mechanism.

[0009] The device features an operating area on the side of the circular chain near the feed roller along its movement path. When the crossbar reaches the operating area, the operator can grab it to stop. At this point, the one-way bearing rotates freely, the circular chain continues to move and slides past the end of the crossbar via the connecting block, and the crossbar remains stationary in the operator's hand. The operator then attaches or attaches the head of a new roll of aluminum foil to the stationary crossbar. After completion, the operator releases the grip, the one-way bearing relocks, and the crossbar continues to move forward with the circular chain. This operation relies entirely on the free-spinning characteristic of the one-way drive mechanism, eliminating the need for a dedicated stopping mechanism, resulting in a simpler structure and intuitive and reliable operation.

[0010] The clamping roller assembly includes a first clamping roller and a second clamping roller arranged opposite each other. The first and second clamping rollers clamp the old roll of aluminum foil when it is cut, and, in conjunction with the tension provided by the downstream buffer storage mechanism, keep the tail end of the cut old roll of aluminum foil suspended and held in the docking position. The mechanical clamping force of the clamping rollers fixes the tail end of the old foil, preventing its spatial position from drifting with changes in the tension at the front end, thus providing a stable reference for subsequent docking.

[0011] The upper vacuum adsorption plate is used to adsorb the tail end of the cut old roll of aluminum foil, while the lower vacuum adsorption plate is used to adsorb the head end of the new roll of aluminum foil. A gap is reserved between the upper and lower vacuum adsorption plates to allow the joining mechanism to operate. The upper and lower vacuum adsorption plates are independent of each other, and the adsorption sequence can be controlled separately to accommodate the time difference between the arrival of the old and new aluminum foils. The reserved gap provides an unobstructed working channel for the joining operation.

[0012] The buffer storage mechanism is located downstream of the docking position and includes at least two fixed lower tension rollers and at least one upper buffer roller that can be raised and lowered vertically. The aluminum foil sequentially passes over the lower surface of the lower tension roller, the upper surface of the upper buffer roller, and the lower surface of the other lower tension roller, forming an inverted V-shaped buffer path. This inverted V-shaped vertical arrangement effectively utilizes vertical space, significantly reducing the equipment's lateral footprint; the active raising and lowering function of the upper buffer roller enables precise matching of the downstream material supply speed during roll changing.

[0013] A tension measuring device is also installed upstream of the buffer storage mechanism. The tension measuring device is used to detect the tension changes of the aluminum foil in real time and feed the signal back to the controller. The controller adjusts the output of the drive unit of the unwinding mechanism according to the signal to maintain the tension stability of the aluminum foil during the splicing process and avoid sudden tension changes caused by cutting and splicing actions.

[0014] The joining mechanism is used to join the ends of new and old aluminum foil. A common joining method is adhesive bonding, which uses tape to bond and fix the overlapping new and old aluminum foil together; this method is simple and reliable. As an alternative implementation, cold pressing or ultrasonic welding can also be used.

[0015] The lifting drive mechanism of the buffer belt mechanism can be a lead screw module driven by a servo motor or a linear motor, which can respond quickly and control the position precisely.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. Simple structure and high reliability. A purely mechanical flexible connection is formed by a unidirectional transmission device set at the end of the crossbar. The ring chain always moves in a unidirectional cycle, eliminating the need for servo motor forward and reverse control and complex self-locking and unlocking mechanisms, making the system less prone to control failures.

[0017] 2. Fast roll changing cycle. After the crossbar completes the material connection, it does not need to stop and reset. The one-way drive device allows the ring chain to slide past the end of the crossbar. After a brief pause, the crossbar continues to move forward with the ring chain to perform the next work cycle, eliminating the reset idle time.

[0018] 3. Strong overload protection. When the crossbar encounters resistance exceeding the normal driving force during its forward movement, the one-way transmission device allows the ring chain to rotate relative to the crossbar without generating a torsional torque on the crossbar. This ensures the crossbar's stable posture and protects the mechanism from damage.

[0019] 4. Small footprint. The vertical layout of the clamping roller assembly, the vertical array of the tensioning rollers, and the inverted V-shaped buffer belt storage mechanism work together to minimize the horizontal space occupied by the core functional modules.

[0020] 5. Convenient operation and stable docking quality. The combination of vacuum adsorption positioning plate and adhesive or crimping ensures consistent geometric accuracy and sufficient connection strength in every docking. Attached Figure Description

[0021] 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.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an automatic tape-connecting device for an aluminum foil double-sided electroplating production line according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram from another perspective of the automatic tape-connecting device of an aluminum foil double-sided electroplating production line according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a front view of an automatic tape-connecting device for an aluminum foil double-sided electroplating production line according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] The correspondence between the numbers and component names in the diagram is as follows: 11 Feeding roller, 12 First traction roller, 13 Second traction roller, 14 Clamping roller group, 21 Crossbar, 22 Ring chain, 23 Sprocket, 24 Connecting block, 25 One-way transmission device, 31 Upper vacuum adsorption plate, 32 Lower vacuum adsorption plate, 33 Limiting groove, 41 Tensioning roller group, 42 Tension measuring device, 43 Buffer storage belt mechanism, 44 Lower tensioning roller, 45 Upper buffer roller, 46 Lifting drive mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The automatic tape-splitting device proposed in this invention can be divided into two main functional modules: an unwinding and tape-splitting unit and a buffer tape storage unit. The two modules are arranged sequentially along the direction of aluminum foil tape travel.

[0027] The unwinding and splicing unit is the core area for performing roll changing operations. This device has two alternately operating unwinding rollers 11; one is in the unwinding state while the other is on standby. During normal production, aluminum foil is drawn from the currently operating unwinding roller 11 and passes sequentially through the first traction roller 12 and the second traction roller 13, which are arranged horizontally and parallel. A narrow feed gap is left between them, with the upper and lower blades of a cutting assembly for cutting the aluminum foil positioned on either side of the gap. A clamping roller is directly above the second traction roller 13, forming a clamping roller group 14 opposite the second traction roller 13, capable of controlling the clamping or releasing of the passing aluminum foil.

[0028] After passing through the cutter assembly and clamping roller group 14, the aluminum foil enters a set of vertically arranged tension roller groups 41. These tension roller groups 41 are installed at staggered heights on the frame columns, with the shaft end of the foremost tension roller connected to a lateral movement module and a displacement sensor, forming a tension measuring device 42. When the tension of the aluminum foil changes, it pushes the tension roller to produce a slight lateral displacement. The displacement sensor detects the offset and sends it back to the controller as a basis for adjusting the speed of the subsequent drive unit. The aluminum foil that has passed through the tension adjustment zone then enters the buffer storage mechanism 43.

[0029] The core of the buffer storage mechanism 43 is an inverted V-shaped path formed by rollers arranged vertically. At the bottom are two fixed lower tension rollers 44, and at the top is an upper buffer roller 45 that can rise and fall along a vertical guide rail. The shaft of the upper buffer roller 45 is connected to a lifting drive mechanism 46, which can be a servo motor-driven lead screw module or a linear motor. The stroke of the upper buffer roller 45 is set according to the required storage capacity. When a roll change causes a brief pause or slowdown in the front-end feeding, the upper buffer roller 45 actively rises under controller command, releasing a pre-stored section of aluminum foil in the vertical space to compensate for the speed difference and ensure a constant rate of aluminum foil supply to the subsequent processing tank.

[0030] The core automatic traction and docking mechanism is achieved through a unidirectional circulating crossbar-chain system. Two annular chains 22 loop vertically in a vertical plane, tensioned and driven by upper and lower sprockets 23. The drive motor is connected to the lower sprocket 23 via a reducer, and its rotation direction is designed to be unidirectional. A connecting block 24 is fixed on each annular chain 22. A crossbar 21 spans between the two annular chains 22. The two ends of the crossbar 21 are connected to the connecting blocks 24 on the annular chains 22 via a unidirectional transmission device 25. The unidirectional transmission device 25 is specifically a unidirectional bearing, with its inner ring fixedly connected to the end of the crossbar 21 and its outer ring embedded in the connecting block 24. The locking direction of the one-way bearing is set as follows: when the annular chain 22 drives the connecting block 24 to move in the forward direction, the one-way bearing locks, and the crossbar 21 moves forward synchronously with the annular chain 22; when the crossbar 21 is stopped while the annular chain 22 continues to move forward, the one-way bearing is in a free-rotating state, and the connecting block 24 slides freely relative to the end of the annular chain 22 relative to the crossbar 21. This design achieves a purely mechanical flexible connection between the drive source and the driven component: the chain always circulates in one direction, the crossbar can be stopped and stationary when needed, while the chain does not stop, does not reverse, and is not subject to impact.

[0031] The surface of the crossbar 21 is covered with an adhesive layer. When the crossbar 21 moves to the operating area near the feed roller 11 on the circulation path, the operator grabs the crossbar 21 to stop it. Since the one-way bearing allows the annular chain 22 to spin freely relative to the end of the crossbar 21, the annular chain 22 continues to run under the drive of the drive motor, and the connecting block 24 slides freely over the journal of the crossbar 21 along with the annular chain 22. The operator pulls out the head of the new aluminum foil from the spare feed roller 11 and uses tape to attach it to the adhesive layer of the crossbar 21. After the attachment is completed, the operator releases the grip, the one-way bearing re-enters the locked state, and the crossbar 21, driven by the annular chain 22, smoothly leaves the operating area carrying the head of the new aluminum foil and moves along the upper path towards the docking station.

[0032] As an alternative implementation, the crossbar 21 can also be a hollow steel tube with a row of fine negative pressure adsorption holes on the side of the tube facing the aluminum foil. One or both ends of the crossbar 21 are connected to a negative pressure air source via a rotary air connector, and a solenoid valve is installed in the air line. The operator places the head of the new aluminum foil over the negative pressure adsorption hole area of ​​the crossbar 21, and the controller instructs the solenoid valve to open, and the negative pressure adsorbs the head of the aluminum foil onto the surface of the crossbar 21. The advantage of this method is that after docking, the crossbar and the aluminum foil strip can be separated immediately by cutting off the negative pressure, without relying on tension peeling.

[0033] At the docking station, an upper vacuum adsorption plate 31 and a lower vacuum adsorption plate 32 are installed vertically, forming a narrow operating gap between them. Both the upper and lower vacuum adsorption plates 31 and 32 have arrayed adsorption holes or grooves on their adsorption surfaces, controlled by their respective independent vacuum pipelines and valves. When the old roll is nearly exhausted, the system begins the roll-changing sequence. First, the clamping roller assembly 14 immediately clamps the old roll, and the upper buffer roller 45 of the rear buffer storage mechanism 43 begins to rise. Second, after the clamping action is confirmed, the cutting assembly actuates, cutting the old aluminum foil between the first traction roller 12 and the second traction roller 13. The clamping roller assembly 14 firmly fixes the tail of the old aluminum foil roll, precisely suspending it below the upper vacuum adsorption plate 31. The upper vacuum adsorption plate 31 then draws in air, flattening the tail of the old foil. Almost simultaneously, the crossbar 21, carrying the head of a new aluminum foil, enters the operating gap from the side. When the photoelectric sensor detects that the crossbar 21 has reached the predetermined position, the limiting groove 33 at the docking position stops the crossbar 21. At this time, the ring chain 22 continues to move forward, the one-way bearing rotates freely, and the connecting block 24 slides over the journal of the crossbar 21. The crossbar 21 is stable and not affected by the torsional force of the ring chain 22. The lower vacuum adsorption plate 32 draws in air, firmly adsorbing the head of the new aluminum foil and precisely aligning it with the tail of the old foil above. Then, the two layers of aluminum foil are joined together. A common joining method is adhesive bonding, which uses tape to bond and fix the overlapping new and old aluminum foils. This method is simple and reliable. As an alternative, cold pressing can also be used. The working surfaces of the upper and lower pressure heads have micro-concave and convex structures, which cause local plastic deformation of the two layers of aluminum foil and interlocking when pressed; or ultrasonic welding can be used, which uses high-frequency vibration to fuse the contact surfaces together.

[0034] At the moment of joining, if adhesive bonding is used, as the production line resumes full speed, the downstream tension causes the joined aluminum foil strip to naturally peel off from the adhesive layer of the crossbar 21. If negative pressure adsorption is used, the negative pressure air source of the crossbar 21 is cut off, and the aluminum foil strip is released immediately. The upper vacuum adsorption plate 31 on the old foil side is also simultaneously de-aired and released. The clamping roller group 14 is released. The limiting groove 33 releases the crossbar 21, the one-way bearing is relocked, and the crossbar 21 continues to return along the lower path of the circular path under the drive of the annular chain 22, circulating from below the workstation to the rear of the device, and then rising back to the operating area, ready to perform the next bonding, adsorption, or traction task.

[0035] Throughout the roll change process, the upper buffer roller 45 of the buffer storage mechanism 43 rises rapidly, releasing the stored aluminum foil to compensate for the supply. After the connection is completed, the production speed resumes, and the upper buffer roller 45 slowly descends to re-store material. This dynamic energy storage and release process completely eliminates the impact of the front-end roll change operation on the entire production line.

[0036] It should be understood that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In addition to one-way bearings, the one-way transmission device 25 can also employ a ratchet mechanism or other device with one-way transmission function. All equivalent structural transformations within the scope of this invention should be considered within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. An automatic tape-connecting device for a double-sided aluminum foil electroplating production line, comprising: At least one crossbar (21) for bonding or adsorbing the head of a new roll of aluminum foil. A ring chain (22) drives the crossbar (21) to move cyclically along a one-way closed path. A one-way transmission device (25) is disposed between the end of the crossbar (21) and the annular chain (22), the one-way transmission device (25) being configured to: lock to transmit thrust when the crossbar (21) moves in the forward direction, and allow the annular chain (22) to slide freely relative to the crossbar (21) when the crossbar (21) is stopped and the annular chain (22) continues to move; At the docking position on the movement path of the ring chain (22), there is a clamping roller group (14) for cutting the old roll of aluminum foil and keeping its tail suspended at the docking position. The vacuum adsorption positioning component set at the docking position is used to adsorb and position the tail of the old roll aluminum foil and the head of the new roll aluminum foil respectively, including an upper vacuum adsorption plate (31) and a lower vacuum adsorption plate (32). The joining mechanism, located at the docking position, is used to join and connect the positioned tail of the old roll of aluminum foil and the head of the new roll of aluminum foil.

2. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the crossbar (21) is provided with an adhesive layer for bonding and fixing the head of the new roll of aluminum foil.

3. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The crossbar (21) is a hollow tubular structure with multiple negative pressure adsorption holes on its surface. The internal chamber is controllably connected to a negative pressure air source so as to adsorb and release the head of the new roll of aluminum foil by switching the air pressure.

4. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The annular chains (22) are arranged in two parallel lines and driven by sprockets (23). Each annular chain (22) has a connecting block (24) fixed on it. The one-way transmission device (25) is a one-way bearing. The inner ring of the one-way bearing is fixedly connected to the end of the crossbar (21), and the outer ring of the one-way bearing is embedded in the connecting block (24). The locking direction of the one-way bearing is set as follows: when the annular chain (22) drives the connecting block (24) to move in the forward direction, the one-way bearing is locked, and the crossbar (21) moves forward synchronously with the annular chain (22). When the crossbar (21) is stopped and the annular chain (22) continues to move forward, the one-way bearing is in a free rotation state, and the connecting block (24) slides freely relative to the end of the crossbar (21) with the annular chain (22).

5. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping roller group (14) includes a first clamping roller and a second clamping roller arranged opposite each other. The first clamping roller and the second clamping roller clamp each other when the old roll of aluminum foil is cut. With the tension provided by the rear buffer storage mechanism (43), the tail of the cut old roll of aluminum foil is suspended and held at the docking position.

6. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper vacuum adsorption plate (31) is used to adsorb the tail of the cut old roll of aluminum foil, and the lower vacuum adsorption plate (32) is used to adsorb the head of the new roll of aluminum foil. A gap is reserved between the upper vacuum adsorption plate (31) and the lower vacuum adsorption plate (32) for the operation of the joining mechanism.

7. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a buffer storage mechanism (43), which is located downstream of the docking position and includes at least two fixed lower tension rollers (44) and at least one upper buffer roller (45) that can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction. The aluminum foil passes around the lower surface of the lower tension roller (44), the upper surface of the upper buffer roller (45), and the lower surface of the other lower tension roller (44) in sequence to form an inverted V-shaped buffer path.

8. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A tension measuring device (42) is provided upstream of the buffer storage mechanism (43). The tension measuring device (42) is used to detect the tension change of the aluminum foil in real time and feed the signal back to the controller. The controller adjusts the output of the drive unit of the unwinding mechanism according to the signal to maintain the tension stability of the aluminum foil during the tape splicing process.

9. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The joining mechanism is an adhesive bonding mechanism, a cold pressing joining mechanism, or an ultrasonic welding mechanism.

10. The automatic tape-connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, An operating area is provided on the side of the movement path of the annular chain (22) near the feeding roller (11); when the crossbar (21) moves to the operating area, the operator manually stops the crossbar (21), and the one-way transmission device (25) allows the annular chain (22) to continue moving and slide freely relative to the end of the crossbar (21), so that the crossbar (21) remains stationary, allowing the operator to attach or adsorb the head of the new roll of aluminum foil onto the crossbar (21).

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