Hardware parameter determination method and control method of thermoforming mold and thermoforming system

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a kind of hardware parameter determination method, control method and thermoforming system of thermoforming mould, belong to battery pack bottom guard plate processing technical field;Method includes according to the process structure parameter of the largest first battery pack bottom guard plate in size in multiple battery pack bottom guard plates, the structure parameter of gas path integrated structure is determined, according to gas path integrated structure respectively located in the middle position of each battery pack bottom guard plate, the pipe length between each battery pack bottom guard plate and the farthest air cylinder from the middle position, determine the wiring farthest distance of each battery pack bottom guard plate;According to each wiring farthest distance, the gas path flow simulation is carried out to each thermoforming mould corresponding to each battery pack bottom guard plate, obtain the gas path control parameter corresponding to each thermoforming mould;According to structure parameter, and each gas path control parameter, corresponding wiring farthest distance, determine the hardware parameter of each thermoforming mould.The embodiment of the application can improve the yield of different battery pack bottom guard plates while reducing production cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery pack bottom protection plate processing technology, and in particular to a method for determining hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold, a control method, and a thermoforming system. Background Technology

[0002] The battery pack bottom protector is a crucial barrier protecting the electric vehicle battery pack. These products are typically just over 2 meters long and nearly 1.5 meters wide, with a relatively simple design. However, they usually require thermoforming using a thermoforming mold, followed by ejection. Synchronous ejection is key to ensuring the product's dimensional and surface quality. However, existing thermoforming molds for battery pack bottom protectors struggle to guarantee synchronous ejection, and due to the varying specifications of different bottom protectors, each mold needs individual optimization, increasing production costs. Therefore, improving the yield rate of different battery pack bottom protectors while reducing production costs is a pressing technical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this application is to propose a method for determining hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold, a control method, and a thermoforming system, which can improve the yield of different battery pack bottom protection plates while reducing production costs.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of this application proposes a method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold, the method comprising: Based on the process structure parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among various battery pack bottom protectors to be hot-pressed, the structural parameters of the air path integration structure are determined. The air path integration structure includes a first air path channel and a second air path channel that are spaced apart vertically and not interconnected. The first side of the air path integration structure has multiple first air ports, and the two opposite second sides of the second air path integration structure each have two rows of second air ports. Each first air port is connected to the first end of both the first and second air path channels. The two rows of second air ports on the same side are connected to both the first and second air path channels. The structural parameters include a first size parameter, the number of second air ports on each second side, the spacing between two adjacent second air ports in the same row, and the diameter parameter of each second air port. Based on the length of the pipeline between the integrated air circuit structure and the cylinder on each battery pack bottom guard plate that is furthest from the center position when the air circuit structure is located at the center position, the farthest wiring distance corresponding to each battery pack bottom guard plate is determined. Based on the farthest distance of each wiring, the air flow simulation is performed on the thermoforming mold corresponding to the bottom cover of each battery pack to obtain the air path control parameters corresponding to each thermoforming mold; wherein, each thermoforming mold integrates an air path integrated structure with the above structural parameters, and the pipe length between each cylinder and the corresponding connected second air port in the same thermoforming mold is the corresponding farthest distance of the wiring. Based on the structural parameters, the air path control parameters, and the corresponding maximum wiring distance, the hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold corresponding to each battery pack bottom cover plate are determined.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a second aspect of this application proposes a control method for a thermoforming mold. The lower mold base of the thermoforming mold is provided with an integrated air path structure and multiple cylinders. The integrated air path structure includes vertically spaced, non-communicating first and second air path channels. The integrated air path structure also includes multiple first and second air ports. Each first air port is connected to a first end of one of the first and second air path channels. The wiring between the integrated air path structure and each cylinder is based on one of the hardware parameters determined in the hardware parameter determination method described in the first aspect. The method includes: Obtain the gas path control parameters; The air path control of each cylinder is performed based on the air path control parameters and the current processing stage of the target battery pack bottom guard plate.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a third aspect of this application provides a thermoforming system, comprising: A thermoforming mold, comprising an upper mold base and a lower mold base, the lower mold base being provided with an integrated air passage structure and multiple cylinders, the integrated air passage structure being provided with a first air passage and a second air passage spaced apart and not interconnected, the integrated air passage structure being provided with multiple first air ports and second air ports; each first air port being connected to a first end of the first air passage and the second air passage respectively; the wiring between the integrated air passage structure and each of the cylinders is determined based on the structural parameters and the farthest wiring distance determined in the hardware parameter determination method of claim 1; A control module is provided for controlling the air path of each of the cylinders based on the control method for thermoforming molds as described in the second aspect.

[0007] The hardware parameter determination method, control method, and thermoforming system for the thermoforming mold proposed in this application design the structural parameters of the air circuit integration structure based on the process structure parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among various battery pack bottom protectors. This allows the air circuit integration structure to be adapted to thermoforming molds corresponding to various battery pack bottom protectors simultaneously. Furthermore, by setting the pipeline length between each cylinder and its corresponding second air port in the same thermoforming mold to the maximum wiring distance, the main factors affecting the pressure of each cylinder can be kept synchronized. By fine-tuning the routing of the pipelines between the cylinders and each second air port, the yield rate of battery pack bottom protectors processed using this thermoforming mold can be improved. Simultaneously, by simulating the airflow of the thermoforming mold, it is ensured that when the cylinder is controlled based on the airflow control parameters, the thrust provided by the cylinder can meet the pressure requirements of the corresponding battery pack bottom protector. This allows for the integration of airflow into a single hardware structure, with separate software and wiring for the airflow control parameters and maximum wiring distance of the thermoforming molds corresponding to different battery pack bottom protectors. This eliminates the need for individual hardware modifications to each thermoforming mold, resulting in lower production costs. Therefore, compared to related technologies, the embodiments of this application can improve the yield rate of different battery pack bottom protectors while reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold provided in this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for thermoforming molds provided in this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the application process of an embodiment of the method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold provided in this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the air circuit integrated structure in one embodiment of the method for determining the hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold provided in this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the lower mold base in one embodiment of the method for determining the hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold provided in this application; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the lower mold base in one embodiment of the method for determining the hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold provided in this application.

[0009] Figure label: Gas path integrated structure 100, first gas port 110, second gas port 120 Lower mold base 200, wire groove partition 210, wire groove opening 211, cylinder 220, ejector pin 230. Air pipe 310, air line connector 320, plug 330, blank 340. Detailed Implementation

[0010] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0011] It should be noted that although functional modules are divided in the device schematic diagram and a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be performed in a different order than the module division in the device or the order in the flowchart. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and the aforementioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0012] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0013] The battery pack bottom protector is a crucial barrier protecting the electric vehicle battery pack. These products are typically just over 2 meters long and nearly 1.5 meters wide, with a relatively simple design. However, they usually require thermoforming using a thermoforming mold and then ejection after thermoforming. Synchronous ejection is key to ensuring the product's dimensional and surface quality. However, existing thermoforming molds for battery pack bottom protectors struggle to guarantee this synchronization. Furthermore, due to the varying specifications of battery pack bottom protectors, different air passages are typically designed in the thermoforming mold for each type of bottom protector. Therefore, current technology requires individual optimization of the thermoforming mold for each specific battery pack bottom protector specification to ensure synchronous ejection, leading to increased production costs. For example, the air connectors (320) of the thermoforming mold differ for different specifications of battery pack bottom protectors, resulting in varying pipe lengths. When adjusting the ejection time difference and thrust, each air passage needs to be adjusted. Furthermore, if one of the air passages malfunctions (such as leaking air), each passage needs to be located individually, rendering the thermoforming mold unusable and increasing production costs. Therefore, improving the yield rate of different battery pack bottom protectors while reducing production costs is an urgent technical problem to be solved. Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a method for determining hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold, a control method, and a thermoforming system, which can improve the yield rate of different battery pack bottom protectors while reducing production costs.

[0014] Understandably, referring to Figure 1 As shown, a method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold according to an embodiment of this application includes: Step S110: Based on the process structure parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among the various battery pack bottom protectors to be hot-pressed, determine the structural parameters of the air path integrated structure 100. The air path integrated structure 100 includes vertically spaced, non-communicating first and second air path channels. The first side of the air path integrated structure 100 has multiple first air ports 110, and the two opposite second sides of the second air path integrated structure 100 each have two rows of second air ports 120. Each first air port 110 is connected to the first end of the first and second air path channels, and the two rows of second air ports 120 on the same side are connected to the first and second air path channels, respectively. The structural parameters include first size parameters, the number of second air ports 120 on each second side, the spacing between two adjacent second air ports 120 in the same row, and the diameter parameters of each second air port 120. Step S120: Based on the pipe length between the integrated air circuit structure 100 and the cylinder 220 on the bottom guard plate of each battery pack when the air circuit structure 100 is located in the middle position of each battery pack bottom guard plate, determine the farthest wiring distance corresponding to each battery pack bottom guard plate. Step S130: Perform airflow simulation on the thermoforming mold corresponding to the bottom cover plate of each battery pack according to the farthest distance of each wiring, and obtain the airflow control parameters corresponding to each thermoforming mold; wherein, each thermoforming mold is integrated with an airflow integrated structure 100 with structural parameters, and the pipe length between each cylinder 220 and the corresponding connected second air port 120 in the same thermoforming mold is the farthest distance of the corresponding wiring. Step S140: Determine the hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold corresponding to each battery pack bottom cover plate based on the structural parameters, the air path control parameters, and the corresponding maximum wiring distance.

[0015] The structural parameters of the air circuit integration structure 100 are designed based on the process structure parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among various battery pack bottom protectors. This allows the air circuit integration structure 100 to be compatible with the thermoforming molds corresponding to various battery pack bottom protectors. Simultaneously, the pipe length between each cylinder 220 and its corresponding second air port 120 in the same thermoforming mold is set to the maximum wiring distance. This ensures that the main factors affecting the pressure of each cylinder 220 remain synchronized. By fine-tuning the routing of the pipes between the cylinder 220 and each second air port 120, the yield rate of battery pack bottom protectors processed using this thermoforming mold can be improved. Simultaneously, by simulating the airflow of the thermoforming mold, it is ensured that when the cylinder 220 is controlled based on the airflow control parameters, the thrust provided by the cylinder 220 can meet the pressure requirements of the corresponding battery pack bottom cover plate. This allows the airflow integration structure 100 with the same hardware structure to be customized with the airflow control parameters and maximum wiring distance of the thermoforming molds corresponding to different battery pack bottom covers, both in software and wiring. In this case, it is unnecessary to modify the hardware structure of each thermoforming mold individually, resulting in lower production costs. Therefore, compared with related technologies, the embodiments of this application can improve the yield rate of different battery pack bottom covers while reducing production costs.

[0016] Process structure parameters are used to indicate parameters related to the structural relationships affecting the process, such as the distribution of cylinders 220 (e.g., the number of cylinders 220, the installation dimensions of cylinders 220, the installation position of cylinders 220, etc.) and dimensional parameters. The number of second air ports 120 is twice the total number of cylinders 220 deployed on the bottom cover of the first battery pack. The number of second air ports 120 connected to each of the first and second air passages is the same. One of the first and second air passages is an air inlet passage, and the other is an air outlet passage. For example, assuming the first air passage is an air inlet passage, and the second air passage is an air outlet passage, then the second air port 120 connected to the first air passage is an air inlet, and the second air port 120 connected to the second air passage is an air outlet. The number of air inlets and outlets is the same as the total number of cylinders 220.

[0017] The orifice parameter includes at least the inner diameter of the second air port 120. The spacing between two adjacent second air ports 120 can be determined based on the outer diameter of the second air port 120 and the outer diameter of the matching air pipe 310 to ensure the convenience of installing the air pipe 310 on the two adjacent second air ports 120. This application embodiment does not limit how the orifice parameter of the second air port 120 is determined; it can refer to the diameter of the air pipe 310 used in the existing first battery bottom cover plate, selecting a parameter greater than or equal to the diameter of the air pipe 310 as the structural parameter of the gas path integrated structure 100. In other embodiments, it can also be estimated based on existing gas pipeline pressure loss formulas, the furthest wiring distance of the first battery bottom cover plate, and the desired pressure. This application embodiment does not elaborate on these points individually; those skilled in the art can selectively set them according to actual conditions.

[0018] By simulating the gas flow path, the initial gas pressure of the gas synchronously supplied to the bottom cover plate of the battery pack by each thermoforming mold can be determined more accurately, thereby ensuring the yield rate of the bottom cover plate of the battery pack.

[0019] In some embodiments, assuming there are N types of battery pack bottom protectors, and the furthest wiring distances corresponding to each of the N types of battery pack bottom protectors are D1, D2, ..., Dn respectively; then for the first type of battery pack bottom protector, the pipe length between each cylinder 220 and the corresponding connected second air port 120 in its corresponding thermoforming mold is D1; ​​for the second type of battery pack bottom protector, the pipe length between each cylinder 220 and the corresponding connected second air port 120 in its corresponding thermoforming mold is D2, and so on. This embodiment will not elaborate on each case. In this case, airflow simulation can be performed on each thermoforming mold based on this wiring method to obtain the airflow control parameters corresponding to each thermoforming mold.

[0020] The pneumatic control parameters include at least valve parameters indicating the pneumatic pressure provided by the battery pack bottom cover during the initial stage of thermoforming. For example, if the pipes connected to the two first air ports 110 are independently controlled, then the parameters include the valve opening degree of each of the two pipes. Alternatively, if the pipes connected to the two first air ports 110 are controlled by the same controller, then the parameters include the valve opening degree of that controller. This will not be elaborated upon in the embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, the pneumatic control parameters also include the pressure change per unit valve opening, indicating the effect of different unit valve opening degrees on the pressure magnitude. This allows the adjustment step to be determined based on the pressure change per unit valve opening during the thermoforming process. This will not be elaborated upon in the embodiments of this application.

[0021] Understandably, based on the process structural parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among the various battery pack bottom protectors to be hot-pressed, the structural parameters of the air passage integrated structure 100 are determined, including: The second dimension parameters of the gas path integrated structure 100 are determined based on the first dimension parameters of the bottom protective plate of the first battery pack. When the air circuit integrated structure 100 is located in the middle of the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack, the length of the pipeline between the air circuit integrated structure 100 and the cylinder 220 that is furthest from the middle position on the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack is determined, and the furthest wiring distance of the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack is obtained. Based on the second size parameters, the total number of cylinders 220, and the furthest wiring distance of the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack, the air port distribution parameters of the air circuit integrated structure 100 are determined. The air port distribution parameters include the first size parameters, the number of second air ports 120 on each second side, the spacing between two adjacent second air ports 120 in the same row, and the diameter parameters of each second air port 120. The total number of cylinders 220 is the number of cylinders 220 that perform point pressing on the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack.

[0022] Both the first and second dimension parameters represent the outer contour dimensions of the corresponding structures. In some embodiments, the air circuit integration structure 100 is rectangular. Determining the second dimension parameter based on the first dimension parameter ensures that the size of the air circuit integration structure 100 is not too large, thus affecting installation and air circuit control. The number of second air ports 120 is twice the total number of cylinders 220.

[0023] Understandably, based on the farthest distance of each wiring, thermoforming process simulations are performed on the corresponding thermoforming molds to obtain the air path control parameters for each thermoforming mold, including: Obtain the thrust provided by the thermoforming die during the initial stage of thermoforming; A thermoforming simulation model is obtained, wherein the length of the air pipe 310 between each cylinder 220 and its corresponding second air port 120 in the thermoforming simulation model is the farthest distance of the corresponding wiring, and the air circuit integrated structure 100 is set in the middle of the processing surface of the battery pack bottom guard plate in the thermoforming simulation model. Based on the thrust, the gas flow rate of the thermoforming simulation model is simulated to obtain the gas flow control parameters.

[0024] In the thermoforming simulation model, the length of the air pipe 310 of the first air port 110 is the horizontal straight-line distance between the first air port 110 and the edge of the thermoforming mold.

[0025] In some embodiments, the initial pressure of the gas supplied to the gas pipe 310 connected to the first gas port 110 of the gas path integrated structure 100 can be initially determined according to the gas pipeline pressure loss formula and the thrust. Then, the average pressure of the output pressure of the gas pipe 310 connected to each second gas port 120 in the thermoforming simulation model is compared with the thrust. When the comparison result shows that the error is not within the threshold range, the initial pressure is adjusted until the average pressure between the output pressures is within the threshold range. The opening degree corresponding to the pressure of the gas supplied by the gas pipe 310 connected to the first gas port 110 within the threshold range is used as the gas path control parameter.

[0026] In other embodiments, when the difference between the output pressures of the air pipes 310 connected to each of the second air ports 120 is greater than a preset pressure error threshold, the direction of each air pipe 310 can be adjusted to reduce its bending angle or bending section, and the simulated pipeline route diagram obtained by satisfying the pressure error threshold can be used as one of the hardware parameters.

[0027] Understandably, hardware parameters also include partition distribution parameters; methods also include: Based on the farthest distance of each wiring and the distribution of each cylinder 220 on the corresponding battery pack bottom guard plate, the spacing of the wire groove partitions 210 on each battery pack bottom guard plate is adjusted to obtain the partition distribution parameters. The partition distribution parameters are used to ensure that the wiring of the air pipe 310 between each cylinder 220 and the corresponding second air port 120 meets the preset bending conditions.

[0028] The preset bending condition means that the wiring of each air pipe 310 can ensure that the pressure difference between the air pressure output by the air pipe 310 between each cylinder 220 and the corresponding second air port 120 meets the preset pressure error threshold.

[0029] Adjusting the spacing of the wire trough partitions 210 includes reducing the number of wire trough partitions 210 when the spacing between them is reduced, and increasing the number of wire trough partitions 210 when the spacing between them is increased.

[0030] The wire groove partition 210 can further ensure that the wiring of the air pipe 310 matches the expected air path wiring during actual processing, thereby reducing the instability of pressure difference caused by the change of air pipe 310 direction. It can further ensure that the pressure difference between the pressure provided by each cylinder 220 meets the preset pressure error threshold, thereby improving the production yield of the battery pack bottom protection plate.

[0031] like Figure 6As shown, a slotted opening 211 is provided on the slotted partition 210, and the air pipe 310 passes through the slotted opening 211 to connect with the cylinder 220. The slotted partition 210 can isolate the air pipe 310 and reduce the probability of the air pipe 310 bending, thereby further ensuring that each air pipe 310 is as straight as possible, or has a large bending arc, thereby improving the synchronization of each cylinder 220.

[0032] Understandably, the furthest wiring distance represents the length of the air pipe 310 connected to the second air port 120 in the middle of the air circuit integrated structure 100 when it passes through the partition plates 210 of each wire groove and connects to the cylinder 220 at the diagonal of the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack.

[0033] By adjusting the length of the air pipe 310 when wiring based on the cable tray partition 210, the maximum wiring distance can meet the actual installation requirements, thereby improving the effectiveness of deployment.

[0034] Understandably, referring to Figure 2 As shown, according to an embodiment of this application, a control method for a thermoforming mold is provided. The lower mold base 200 of the thermoforming mold is provided with an integrated air passage structure 100 and multiple cylinders 220. The integrated air passage structure 100 has first and second air passages spaced vertically and not interconnected. The integrated air passage structure 100 also has multiple first air ports 110 and second air ports 120. Each first air port 110 is connected to the first end of the first and second air passages. The wiring between the integrated air passage structure 100 and each cylinder 220 is one of the hardware parameters determined in the aforementioned hardware parameter determination method. The method includes: Step S210: Obtain the gas path control parameters; the gas path control parameters are one of the hardware parameters determined based on the above-mentioned hardware parameter determination method; Step S220: Perform air circuit control on each cylinder 220 according to the air circuit control parameters and the current processing stage of the target battery pack bottom guard plate.

[0035] Understandably, the lower mold base 200 is also equipped with an air source switch valve and an air source control valve. The air source control valve is used to control the pressure of the air pipes 310 connecting the two first air ports 110; the air source switch valve is used to switch the air path of the two air pipes 310; and the air path control of each cylinder 220 is performed according to the air path control parameters and the processing stage of the target battery pack bottom cover plate, including: When the target battery pack bottom cover plate is in the initial stage of thermoforming, the air source control valve is opened at the first initial opening degree according to the air circuit control parameters, and the air source switch valve controls each cylinder 220 to provide thrust to the target battery pack bottom cover plate. When the target battery pack bottom cover is in the thermoforming stage, the opening of the air source control valve is reduced according to the processing temperature of the target battery pack bottom cover so that the target battery pack bottom cover meets the preset stress conditions. When the target battery pack bottom cover is in the thermoforming stage, if the ejection duration of cylinder 220 is greater than or equal to the preset ejection duration threshold, the cylinder 220 is reset by the air source switch valve. When the target battery pack bottom cover is in the thermoforming demolding stage, after the upper mold base of the thermoforming mold moves a preset distance, the first air source control valve is opened at the initial opening degree and the air source switch valve controls each cylinder 220 to provide thrust to the target battery pack bottom cover.

[0036] This application embodiment does not limit the number of air source control valves. One air source control valve can be set so that the inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the two first air ports 110 increase or decrease synchronously.

[0037] The first initial opening is one of the parameters in the gas path control parameters.

[0038] The thermoforming initiation stage refers to the stage from the start of heating to the point where the blank of the battery pack bottom cover begins to soften. During this thermoforming initiation stage, the thrust provided by cylinder 220 remains constant and is greater than the yield strength and tensile strength of the softened blank.

[0039] The thermoforming stage refers to the stage from when the blank softens until it is formed.

[0040] This application does not limit how the opening degree of the gas source control valve is reduced. In some embodiments, the gas path control parameters define a step for reducing the opening degree, and control can be performed based on this step. In other embodiments, curves of yield strength and tensile strength versus temperature change can be constructed, and the yield strength and tensile strength for the next cycle can be determined based on the real-time detected temperature. The opening degree can then be adjusted based on a preset thrust estimation formula. This application will not elaborate on these details further.

[0041] It is understood that a thermoforming system provided according to an embodiment of this application includes: A thermoforming mold includes an upper mold base and a lower mold base 200. The lower mold base 200 is provided with an integrated air passage structure 100 and multiple cylinders 220. The integrated air passage structure 100 is provided with a first air passage and a second air passage that are spaced apart and not interconnected. The integrated air passage structure 100 is provided with multiple first air ports 110 and second air ports 120. Each first air port 110 is connected to a first end of the first air passage and the second air passage. The wiring between the integrated air passage structure 100 and each cylinder 220 is determined based on the structural parameters and the farthest wiring distance determined in the hardware parameter determination method of claim 1. The control module is used to control the air path of each cylinder 220 based on the above-mentioned control method for thermoforming molds.

[0042] Understandably, the air circuit integrated structure 100 and the lower mold base 200 are detachably connected.

[0043] The air circuit integrated structure 100 is detachably connected to the lower mold base 200, which facilitates the maintenance of the air circuit integrated structure 100 and reduces production costs.

[0044] This application does not limit the detachable method in its embodiments. In some embodiments, a screw through hole can be provided on the gas circuit integrated structure 100, and a detachable connection can be made by a nut passing through the screw through hole. In other embodiments, a snap-fit ​​connection can also be used.

[0045] Understandably, the vertical distance between the first air passage and the second air passage is greater than or equal to 30mm.

[0046] By spacing the air passages at least 30mm apart, the air passages can be adapted to the ends of air passage connectors 320 with a diameter of ￠11.4 or less, thereby satisfying the air passage deployment of most thermoforming molds.

[0047] For example, the following describes a method for determining hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold and a method for controlling a thermoforming mold, according to embodiments of this application, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific examples are as follows: Example 1, see reference Figure 3 As shown, the specific process for determining hardware parameters is as follows: S1: Determine the structural parameters of the integrated gas path structure 100, as follows: 1) Determine the first dimensional parameters of the gas path integrated structure 100, as follows: Determine the second dimensional parameters of the first battery pack bottom cover plate, and the third dimensional parameters corresponding to the installation space occupied by each cylinder 220 used for point pressing of the first battery pack bottom cover plate. Based on the third dimensional parameters and the second dimensional parameters, determine the first dimensional parameters. For example, the first dimensional parameters can be determined in the following way: assuming the maximum dimensions of the first battery pack bottom cover plate are length * width * height 2050 * 1800 * 12 mm (i.e., the second dimensional parameter is 2050 * 1800 * 12 mm), and the first battery pack bottom cover plate is provided with... There are 12 cylinders 220. The area occupied by each cylinder 220 (i.e., the third dimension parameter) is 450*680mm. The 12 cylinders 220 are arranged in three rows. The row with the most cylinders 220 has 5 cylinders 220 and they are evenly spaced. In this case, the maximum center-to-center distance between two adjacent cylinders 220 is 2050 / 4≈512. Taking half of this center-to-center distance as the constraint value of the air circuit integrated structure 100, the length of the air circuit integrated structure 100 is greater than 256mm. Then, based on this length constraint threshold of 256, the width value is determined to be greater than 256 / 6≈43. For example, the first dimension parameter of the air circuit integrated structure 100 (length*width*height) is 260*60*80mm. The height is determined based on the dimension of the thermoforming mold in the height direction.

[0048] 2) Determine the air inlet distribution parameters of the integrated gas path structure 100, as follows: Based on the length of the integrated air passage structure 100, for 12 cylinders 220, the maximum outer diameter of a single second air inlet is less than 260 / 6≈43. Therefore, considering the thrust required by the thermoforming mold corresponding to the bottom cover plate of the first battery pack and the maximum wiring distance, the diameter of each second air inlet 120 in the integrated air passage structure 100 is determined. In some embodiments, taking 12 cylinders 220 as an example, and the first dimension parameter of the integrated air passage structure 100 (length*width*height) as 260*60*80mm, a diameter of ￠10 for the second air inlet 120 can satisfy the thrust provided when the length of the connected air pipe 310 is the maximum wiring distance. Correspondingly, a ￠11.4 air passage connector 320 with a 15.0mm deep threaded hole can be provided at the end of the air passage pipe. In this case, the spacing between each second air inlet 120 can satisfy the installation of the ￠11.4 air passage pipe end. Thus, the following can be obtained: Figure 5 The gas path integrated structure 100 shown is as follows: Figure 4As shown, the air circuit integrated structure 100 has 24 second air ports 120. Every 12 second air ports 120 are located on a second side of the air circuit integrated structure 100. The second air ports 120 on the same second side are evenly spaced in two rows. Two second air ports 120 in the same row correspond to the inlet and outlet of a cylinder 220, respectively. That is, each second side connects to 6 cylinders 220. The inner diameter of the second air port 120 is ￠10, and the outer diameter is less than or equal to ￠11.4; the interval between each second port is 50mm.

[0049] S2: Place the air circuit integrated structure 100 in the center area of ​​the bottom surface of the lower mold base 200 of each thermoforming mold, and determine the farthest wiring distance corresponding to each battery bottom protection plate, as follows: 1) Placing the air circuit integrated structure 100 in the center area of ​​the bottom surface of the lower mold base 200 of each thermoforming mold means aligning the center position of the air circuit integrated structure 100 with the center area of ​​the bottom surface of the lower mold base 200. For example, assuming there are 10 cylinders 220, that is, the air circuit integrated structure 100 needs to occupy 5 second air ports 120. That is, the position of the third second air port 120 along the length direction of the air circuit integrated structure 100 starting from the first air inlet is the center position of the air circuit integrated structure 100. This center position is aligned with the center area. In other words, the center position of the air circuit integrated structure 100 represents the middle position of the length corresponding to the occupied second air ports 120 on the second side. 2) Taking the center of the air circuit integrated structure 100 as the dividing line, the second air ports 120 arranged from the center to both sides are bound one by one to the cylinders 220 distributed from both sides towards the center. The second air ports 120 located on the same side of the center are connected to the cylinders 220 to obtain the thermoforming simulation model. At this time, based on the preset bending conditions, the farthest wiring distance corresponding to each battery pack bottom protection plate can be determined. In some embodiments, after the connection relationship between each second air port 120 and cylinder 220 is determined in 2), the coordinates can be directly calculated based on the second size parameter, the first size parameter and the center position of the air circuit integrated structure 100 without simulation. This application will not elaborate on this point.

[0050] S3: Configure a gas source control valve for the gas pipe 310 connected to the first gas port 110, and perform simulation to determine the gas path control parameters, as follows: 1) Adjust the length of the air pipe 310 connecting each second air port 120 to the corresponding cylinder 220 to the maximum distance of the wiring to obtain the thermoforming simulation model, and as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the unused second air port 120 is blocked with a plug 330; 2) Connect an air source control valve to the air pipe 310 connecting to the first air port 110. This air source control valve allows for unified control of all other cylinders 220. It controls the air intake and exhaust of the first air port 110. When the air source control valve is open and the air source switch valve controls the air intake, the cylinder 220's ejector pin 230 pushes out of the mold surface, supporting the blank 340 and re-forming it through point-pressing. When the air source control valve is reset and the air source switch valve is switched to exhaust mode, the cylinder 220 resets. 3) Adjust the air source switch valve to allow air to enter the first air inlet. By adjusting the opening of the air source control valve, the outlet pressure of the air pipe 310 connected to each of the second air ports 120 can be simulated. 4) Based on the air pressure, the average pressure of each thermoforming mold is obtained. At this time, based on the average pressure and the thrust expected to be achieved in the initial stage of thermoforming, it can be determined whether the opening of the air source control valve needs to be adjusted. The opening value when the air source control valve does not need to be adjusted is recorded as one of the air circuit control parameters. In some embodiments, it is also possible to observe whether the difference between the outlet pressures of each air pipe 310 meets a preset threshold. If it does not meet the threshold, the direction of each air pipe 310 and the distribution parameters of the separator are adjusted to further ensure that the thrust provided by each cylinder 220 meets the requirements during the forming process of the battery bottom cover plate.

[0051] At this time, as determined by the hardware parameters in the above-described embodiments of this application, when the air source enters from one side of the thermoforming mold, it can enter the first air passage of the air passage integrated module through the air pipe 310 to one of the first air ports 110, and then be output to each cylinder 220 connected to it through each second air port 120 connected to the first air passage. Since the length of the air pipe 310 between each second air port 120 and the corresponding cylinder 220 is known, and the cylinder 220 near the center point is the second air port 120 connected to the outermost side, it can be ensured that the thrust time difference and thrust magnitude provided by each cylinder 220 meet the preset synchronization conditions, resulting in a high yield rate for the bottom protection plate of the battery pack processed by thermoforming mojunp.

[0052] Example 2: Taking a battery pack bottom protector with a raw material thickness of 0.6~0.8mm, the maximum dimensions of the formed battery pack bottom protector are 2050*1800*12mm (length*width*height). The dimensions of the air passage integrated structure 100 are designed to be 260*60*80mm (length*width*height). The diameter of each second air port 120 is ￠10, and the air passage pipe end has a ￠11.4 air passage connector with a 320*15.0mm deep threaded hole. The first and second air passages are 30mm apart vertically and are not interconnected. The air passage integrated structure 100 has 12 air inlets and 12 air outlets (i.e., a total of 24 second air ports 120). Figure 5As shown, the air circuit integrated structure 100 is detachably connected to the thermoforming mold through pre-set screw holes. The thermoforming mold is equipped with 10 cylinders 220, arranged in three rows. The middle row has two cylinders 220, and the remaining two rows each have four cylinders 220. When the air circuit integrated structure 100 is equipped with a unified air source control valve, the control method of the thermoforming mold is as follows: Step 1: In the initial stage of thermoforming the bottom cover of the target battery pack, open the air source control valve to the first initial opening degree, allowing air to enter the air circuit integrated structure 100 and drive the cylinder 220, as follows. Figure 6 As shown, the ejector pin 230 on the cylinder 220 ejects from the mold surface and supports the blank 340. Step 2: Heat the blank and perform dot-pressing re-forming. When it is in the thermoforming stage of the bottom protective plate of the target battery pack, reduce the air pressure through the air source control valve to reduce the probability of imprinting caused by the decrease in yield strength and tensile strength of the blank after heating at 340. Step 3: Monitor the duration of cylinder 220 in the thermoforming stage in real time. When it is greater than or equal to the preset time, adjust the air source switch valve to reset cylinder 220. In some embodiments, the air source control valve will also be reset. This can reduce the probability that the product sticks to the upper mold due to the cylinder 220 ejecting for too long and the ejector pin 230 being continuously pressed against the upper mold. Step 4: During the demolding stage of the target battery pack bottom cover plate, after the mold is opened and the upper mold base rises a certain distance to separate from the lower mold base 200, the air source control valve is opened to drive the cylinder 220 to eject the product and complete the demolding, thus achieving delayed ejection.

[0053] At this point, by using the above method, the air source can reach each cylinder 220 by the same distance and in the same time. This enables the air circuit integrated block to be connected to control the ejector pin 230 to be ejected synchronously when the air circuit is adapted to different target bottom protection plates. Furthermore, the air pressure can be dynamically adjusted according to the actual working conditions of the target battery pack bottom protection plate.

[0054] Therefore, the above embodiments of this application can optimize the arrangement of the mold cylinder 220 and the air pipe 310, adapt to the synchronization of ejection of different types of target bottom guard plates, reduce product deformation after molding, and at the same time, the detachable connection of the air circuit integration structure 100 can improve design work efficiency. In some embodiments, for the extra unused second air ports 120 in the air circuit integration structure 100, such as Figure 4 As shown, a plug 330 can be used for sealing, which can flexibly meet the needs of using different numbers of cylinders 220 on the mold.

[0055] The embodiments described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of technology and the emergence of new application scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0056] Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions shown in the figures do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application, and may include more or fewer steps than shown, or combine certain steps, or different steps.

[0057] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0058] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps in the methods disclosed above, as well as the functional modules / units in the systems and devices, can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or suitable combinations thereof.

[0059] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0060] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0061] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of the units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0062] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0063] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0064] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes multiple instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing programs, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0065] The preferred embodiments of the present application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this does not limit the scope of the claims of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and substance of the embodiments of the present application shall be within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold, characterized in that, The method includes: Based on the process structure parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among various battery pack bottom protectors to be hot-pressed, the structural parameters of the air path integration structure are determined. The air path integration structure includes a first air path channel and a second air path channel that are spaced apart vertically and not interconnected. The first side of the air path integration structure has multiple first air ports, and the two opposite second sides of the second air path integration structure each have two rows of second air ports. Each first air port is connected to the first end of both the first and second air path channels. The two rows of second air ports on the same side are connected to both the first and second air path channels. The structural parameters include a first size parameter, the number of second air ports on each second side, the spacing between two adjacent second air ports in the same row, and the diameter parameter of each second air port. Based on the length of the pipeline between the integrated air circuit structure and the cylinder on each battery pack bottom guard plate that is furthest from the center position when the air circuit structure is located at the center position, the farthest wiring distance corresponding to each battery pack bottom guard plate is determined. Based on the farthest distance of each wiring, the air flow simulation is performed on the thermoforming mold corresponding to the bottom cover of each battery pack to obtain the air path control parameters corresponding to each thermoforming mold; wherein, each thermoforming mold integrates an air path integrated structure with the above structural parameters, and the pipe length between each cylinder and the corresponding connected second air port in the same thermoforming mold is the corresponding farthest distance of the wiring. Based on the structural parameters, the air path control parameters, and the corresponding maximum wiring distance, the hardware parameters of the thermoforming mold corresponding to each battery pack bottom cover plate are determined.

2. The method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the structural parameters of the gas path integration structure based on the process structural parameters of the largest battery pack bottom protector among various battery pack bottom protectors to be hot-pressed includes: Based on the first dimension parameters of the first battery pack bottom guard plate, determine the total number of cylinders used for dot-shaped pressing of the first battery pack bottom guard plate, and the second dimension parameters of the air circuit integrated structure. When the air circuit integrated structure is located in the middle of the first battery pack bottom guard plate, the length of the pipeline between the air circuit integrated structure and the cylinder on the first battery pack bottom guard plate that is furthest from the middle position is obtained to obtain the furthest wiring distance of the first battery pack bottom guard plate. Based on the second size parameter, the total number of cylinders, and the furthest wiring distance of the first battery pack bottom guard plate, the air port distribution parameters of the air circuit integrated structure are determined. The air port distribution parameters include the first size parameter, the number of second air ports on each second side, the spacing between two adjacent second air ports in the same row, and the diameter parameter of each second air port. The total number of cylinders is the number of cylinders on the first battery pack bottom guard plate that perform point pressing.

3. The method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process involves performing thermoforming simulations on the corresponding thermoforming molds based on the farthest distance of each wiring, to obtain the air path control parameters corresponding to each thermoforming mold, including: Obtain the thrust provided by the thermoforming die during the initial stage of thermoforming; A thermoforming simulation model is obtained, wherein the length of the air pipe between each cylinder and the second air port connected to it in the thermoforming simulation model is the corresponding farthest distance of the wiring, and the air circuit integration structure is set in the middle of the processing surface of the battery pack bottom guard plate in the thermoforming simulation model. Based on the thrust, the gas flow rate of the thermoforming simulation model is simulated to obtain the gas flow control parameters.

4. The method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hardware parameters also include partition distribution parameters; the method further includes: Based on the farthest distance of each wiring and the distribution state of each cylinder on the corresponding bottom cover plate of the battery pack, the spacing of the wire groove partitions on each bottom cover plate of the battery pack is adjusted to obtain the partition distribution parameters. The partition distribution parameters are used to ensure that the air pipe wiring between each cylinder and the corresponding second air port meets the preset bending conditions.

5. The method for determining the hardware parameters of a thermoforming mold according to claim 4, characterized in that, The furthest distance of the wiring represents the length of the air pipe connected to the second air port in the middle of the air circuit integrated structure, when it passes through each wire groove partition and connects to the cylinder at the diagonal of the bottom guard plate of the first battery pack.

6. A method for controlling a thermoforming mold, characterized in that, The lower mold base of the thermoforming mold is provided with an integrated air circuit structure and multiple cylinders. The integrated air circuit structure has a first air circuit channel and a second air circuit channel that are spaced apart vertically and not interconnected. The integrated air circuit structure also has multiple first air ports and second air ports. Each first air port is connected to a first end of one of the first air circuit channels and the second air circuit channel. The piping between the integrated air circuit structure and each of the cylinders is based on one of the hardware parameters determined in the hardware parameter determination method of claim 1. The method includes: Obtain the gas path control parameters; the gas path control parameters are one of the hardware parameters determined based on the hardware parameter determination method of claim 1; The air path control of each cylinder is performed based on the air path control parameters and the current processing stage of the target battery pack bottom guard plate.

7. The control method for thermoforming molds according to claim 6, characterized in that, The lower mold base is also equipped with an air source switch valve and an air source control valve. The air source control valve is used to control the pressure of the air pipes connecting the two first air ports. The air source switch valve is used to switch the air path of the two air pipes. The air path control of each cylinder according to the air path control parameters and the processing stage of the target battery pack bottom cover plate includes: When the target battery pack bottom cover plate is in the thermoforming initial stage, the air source control valve is opened at a first initial opening degree according to the air circuit control parameters, and the air source switch valve controls each of the cylinders to provide thrust to the target battery pack bottom cover plate. When the target battery pack bottom cover is in the thermoforming stage, the opening of the air source control valve is reduced according to the processing temperature of the target battery pack bottom cover so that the target battery pack bottom cover meets the preset stress conditions. When the target battery pack bottom cover is in the thermoforming stage, if the duration of the cylinder ejection is greater than or equal to the preset ejection duration threshold, the cylinder is reset by the air source switch valve. When the target battery pack bottom cover is in the thermoforming demolding stage, after the upper mold base of the thermoforming mold moves a preset distance, the first air source control valve is opened at the initial opening degree and the air source switch valve controls each of the cylinders to provide thrust to the target battery pack bottom cover.

8. A thermoforming system, characterized in that, include: A thermoforming mold, comprising an upper mold base and a lower mold base, the lower mold base being provided with an integrated air passage structure and multiple cylinders, the integrated air passage structure being provided with a first air passage and a second air passage spaced apart and not interconnected, the integrated air passage structure being provided with multiple first air ports and second air ports; each first air port being connected to a first end of the first air passage and the second air passage respectively; the wiring between the integrated air passage structure and each of the cylinders is determined based on the structural parameters and the farthest wiring distance determined in the hardware parameter determination method of claim 1; A control module is provided for controlling the air path of each cylinder based on the control method for thermoforming molds as described in claim 6.

9. The thermoforming system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The air circuit integrated structure is detachably connected to the lower mold base.

10. The thermoforming system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The vertical distance between the first air passage and the second air passage is greater than or equal to 30 mm.

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