Bowl loading mechanism

Abstract

The utility model provides a bowl loading mechanism. The bowl loading mechanism is used for achieving the consistency of the bowl loading amount. The bowl loading mechanism comprises an upper bin, a lower bin and a material falling pipe, the material falling pipe can be switched between a communicating state and a disconnecting state, and when the material falling pipe is in the communicating state, materials in the upper bin can fall into the lower bin from the upper bin through the material falling pipe; the bowl loading mechanism further comprises a pressure equalizing pipe, one end of the pressure equalizing pipe is communicated with the upper bin, the other end of the pressure equalizing pipe is communicated with the lower bin, and the upper bin and the lower bin are in gas communication through the pressure equalizing pipe. By the adoption of the mode, it can be guaranteed that the air pressure between the upper bin and the lower bin is consistent, the impact force of material falling is reduced, and therefore the situation that the bowl loading amount is inconsistent due to material leakage in the first bowl loading process can be avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of lithium battery material preparation devices, in particular to a filling mechanism. Background Art

[0002] With the popularity of electronic products such as electric vehicles and smart phones, the performance and quality requirements of lithium-ion batteries as their core power source are increasing day by day. As an important component of lithium-ion batteries, the performance of ternary cathode materials directly affects the overall performance of lithium-ion batteries. In the production process of ternary cathode materials, the roasting process is one of the key steps, which can directly affect the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of ternary cathode materials.

[0003] During the calcination process, the amount of ternary cathode material in the pot is an important factor affecting the calcination quality. The amount of calcination directly affects the physicochemical properties and electrochemical performance of the ternary cathode material. However, in the actual mass production process, the amount of ternary cathode material in the pot will be inconsistent, making it impossible to guarantee the calcination quality. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model aims to provide a bowl filling mechanism, which is used to achieve consistency in the amount of bowl filling.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model provides a loading mechanism, which includes an upper bin, a lower bin and a drop pipe, wherein the drop pipe can be switched between a connected state and a disconnected state, and when the drop pipe is in the connected state, the material in the upper bin can fall from the upper bin through the drop pipe into the lower bin; the loading mechanism also includes a pressure equalizing pipe, one end of the pressure equalizing pipe is connected to the upper bin, and the other end is connected to the lower bin, and the upper bin and the lower bin are gas-connected through the pressure equalizing pipe.

[0006] By adopting the method of the present application, the air pressure between the upper bin and the lower bin can be ensured to be consistent, and the impact force of the falling material can be reduced, thereby avoiding the situation in which the material leakage during the first filling process causes inconsistent filling amount.

[0007] Optionally, the pressure-equalizing tube is made of a flexible material; by providing a flexible pressure-equalizing tube, it is possible to prevent the pressure-equalizing tube from conducting force that causes damage to the upper bin and the lower bin when the upper bin and the lower bin vibrate during operation.

[0008] Optionally, it also includes a level meter, which is used to limit the highest position of the material in the lower bin; the lower bin is provided with a pressure equalizing hole, which is used to communicate with the pressure equalizing pipe, and the pressure equalizing hole is higher than the highest position; in this way, it is possible to prevent the material falling into the lower bin body from clogging the pressure equalizing hole.

[0009] Optionally, the inner wall surface of the upper bin has an opening connected to the equalizing pressure pipe, and the loading mechanism also includes a filter, which covers the opening; by providing the filter, it is possible to prevent the material in the upper bin from entering the lower bin through the equalizing pressure pipe and affecting the loading amount of the material; at the same time, it is also possible to prevent the material from clogging the equalizing pressure pipe.

[0010] Optionally, the upper bin and the lower bin are respectively provided with connecting parts, and both ends of the equalizing pressure tube are connected with adapter parts; the adapter parts are snap-fitted, threaded or plug-in connected to the corresponding connecting parts; by providing the connecting parts and the adapter parts, the disassembly and connection of the equalizing pressure tube with the upper bin and the lower bin can be facilitated, and the installation, maintenance and overhaul of the equalizing pressure tube can be facilitated, and at the same time, the equalizing pressure tube can be prevented from being detached from the upper bin and the lower bin.

[0011] Optionally, a sealing member is further provided between the adapter portion and the connecting portion; by providing a sealing structure, leakage can be avoided when the pressure equalizing tube is connected to the upper bin and the lower bin.

[0012] Optionally, the lower bin has an upper material port and a lower material port, the lower material port is used to discharge the material in the lower bin, and the upper material port is connected to the drop pipe;

[0013] In the vertical direction, the feeding port is located on the upper side of the feeding port;

[0014] In the horizontal direction, the feed opening and the discharge opening are staggered; thereby, the feed opening and the discharge opening are prevented from being opposite to each other in the vertical direction, and the material is prevented from directly impacting the baffle disposed at the discharge opening;

[0015] Optionally, the lower bin also includes a guide surface, the loading port is vertically opposite to the guide surface, and the guide surface is inclined to guide the material from the loading port to the loading port; when the material falls to the side wall, it will slide along the guide surface into the loading port, thereby avoiding the material from directly impacting the loading port.

[0016] Optionally, the drop pipe is provided with at least one drop valve, and the drop valve is used to switch the drop pipe between the connected state and the disconnected state; thereby, the speed and quantity of the material entering the lower bin can be controlled by controlling the drop valve. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the specification and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the specification.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the bowl loading mechanism in the embodiment of the utility model.

[0019] Figure 1 middle:

[0020] 1. Upper bin; 2. Lower bin; 21. Upper material port; 22. Lower material port; 23. Baffle; 23a. Sealing section; 23b. Connecting section; 24. Top wall; 25. Side wall; 3. Dropping pipe; 4. Pressure equalizing pipe; 5. Level indicator; 61. First drop valve; 62. Second drop valve; 63. Third drop valve; 7. Stirring device; 8. Feeder; 91. Connecting part; 92. Adapter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The utility model provides a filling mechanism, which is used to achieve consistency in the filling amount of ternary positive electrode materials.

[0022] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0023] The upper and lower positions described in this article are based on the normal use state of the bowl loading mechanism. Figure 1 The side pointing to the ground in the vertical direction is down, and the opposite side is up; the vertical direction is also the height direction of the bowl-loading mechanism, and the horizontal direction is the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, that is, the left and right direction of the bowl-loading mechanism.

[0024] Relational terms such as “first” and “second” and the like are merely used to distinguish one component from another having the same name, but do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these components.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the bowl loading mechanism in the embodiment of the utility model.

[0026] As shown in the figure, the loading mechanism for preparing ternary positive electrode materials of the utility model (hereinafter referred to as the loading mechanism) includes an upper bin 1, a lower bin 2 and a drop pipe 3, and both the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2 are used to accommodate the ternary positive electrode materials to be loaded (hereinafter referred to as materials). The upper bin 1 is located on the upper side of the lower bin 2, and the upper side refers to the side of the upper bin 1 located away from the ground of the lower bin 2 in the vertical direction. A drop port is provided on the surface opposite to the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2, and a loading port 21 is provided on the lower bin 2, and the drop pipe 3 connects the loading port 21 with the drop port. The drop pipe 3 can be switched between a connected state and a disconnected state, and the drop pipe 3 is provided with at least one drop valve, and the drop valve is used to switch the drop pipe 3 between the connected state and the disconnected state; when the drop pipe 3 is in the connected state, the material in the upper bin 1 can fall from the upper bin 1 through the drop pipe 3 into the lower bin 2, thereby controlling the drop valve to control the speed and quantity of the material entering the lower bin 2. The lower bin 2 is also provided with a discharge port 22, which is used to discharge the material in the lower bin 2 into the sagger to be roasted; in order to block and open the discharge port 22, the lower bin 2 is also rotatably connected to a baffle 23, and the baffle 23 can be driven to move relative to the lower bin 2 to open and close the discharge port 22. Specifically, the baffle 23 is an L-shaped structure, having a connecting section 23b and a blocking section 23a arranged vertically, the blocking section 23a blocks the discharge port 22 in the horizontal direction, and the connecting section 23b extends vertically and is directly or indirectly rotatably connected to the lower bin 2.

[0027] In the actual batch production process, there will be a difference between the amount of the first filling and the amount of the subsequent filling. When the material is first filled, leakage often occurs. This is mainly because the lower bin 2 is empty when the material enters the lower bin 2, and the impact on the baffle 23 is too large, which will cause the baffle 23 to shift and form a gap with the bucket body, thereby causing the material to overflow from the gap and leak; however, in the subsequent filling process, there is a certain amount of material in the lower bin 2, and the friction between the material in the lower bin 2 and the lower bin 2 will offset the impact of the material on the baffle 23, avoiding the displacement of the baffle 23 and leakage. In other words, leakage mainly occurs in the process of first filling of the material; of course, it may also occur in the second or third filling process, until the friction between the material in the lower bin 2 and the bin and the impact force formed when the material falls are offset.

[0028] The reason why the material forms an impact force on the baffle 23 when it first enters the lower bin 2 is that the air pressure in the upper bin 1 is greater than the air pressure in the lower bin 2. When the material falls into the lower bin 2, the material is not only affected by gravity, but also by the pressure between the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2.

[0029] The pressure in the upper warehouse 1 is greater than that in the lower warehouse 2 because the upper warehouse 1 is filled with protective gas during the actual production process. The protective gas is decarbonizing and dehumidifying compressed air. This is because the material is stored in the upper warehouse 1 for a long time. The protective gas mainly plays a role in protecting the material from the influence of the external environment, avoiding the conversion of lithium hydroxide in the material into lithium carbonate, and ensuring the quality and performance of the material in the filling warehouse; the protective gas can form a high-pressure side in the upper warehouse 1, that is, the air pressure in the upper warehouse 1 is greater than the external atmospheric pressure; however, in the conventional technical solution, the lower warehouse 2 is not filled with protective gas but is directly connected to the external atmospheric pressure. This is because the material does not need to stay in the lower warehouse 2 for too long, and the probability of being oxidized is relatively small. Therefore, the lower warehouse 2 is usually not filled with protective gas, so that the lower warehouse 2 will form a relatively low-pressure side relative to the upper warehouse 1.

[0030] In order to solve the pressure difference between the upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2, the loading mechanism in the present application also includes a pressure equalizing tube 4, one end of the pressure equalizing tube 4 is connected to the upper warehouse 1, and the other end is connected to the lower warehouse 2. The upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2 are gas-connected through the pressure equalizing tube 4.

[0031] By adopting the method of the present application, the air pressure between the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2 can be ensured to be consistent, reducing the impact force of the falling material, thereby avoiding leakage of material during the first filling process and resulting in inconsistent filling amounts.

[0032] As an optional embodiment, in order to prevent the material in the upper warehouse 1 from being carried into the lower warehouse 2 by the airflow and causing a change in the filling amount, the inner wall surface of the upper warehouse 1 has an opening connected to the equalizing pipe 4, and the filling mechanism also includes a filter, and the filter covers the opening; specifically, the filter can be a filter net or a fiber material with gaps and air permeability; when the filter is a filter net, the filter net is welded or glued to the inner wall surface of the upper warehouse 1, and the filter net covers the opening; of course, the filter net can also be fixed to the inner wall surface of the upper warehouse 1 in a detachable connection manner, and cover the opening; in addition, the filter can also be embedded in the opening to be bonded and fixed to the wall of the opening; by setting the filter, it can be prevented that the material in the upper warehouse 1 enters the lower warehouse 2 through the equalizing pipe 4 and affects the filling amount of the material.

[0033] In some optional embodiments, the pressure-equalizing tube 4 can be made of a hard material or a flexible material. When the pressure-equalizing tube 4 is made of a flexible material, it can be made of polyvinyl chloride. By providing a flexible pressure-equalizing tube 4, it is prevented that the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2 vibrate during operation, and the force transmitted by the pressure-equalizing tube 4 causes damage to the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2.

[0034] Optionally, the upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2 are respectively provided with a connecting portion 91, which can be fixed to the upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2 by welding, and the connecting portion 91 encloses an airway, and the airway runs through the warehouse wall of the upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2; both ends of the equalizing pressure tube 4 are connected with an adapter 92, and the adapter 92 can be inserted into the connecting portion 91, and the adapter 92 is snap-fitted, threaded or plugged with the corresponding connecting portion 91. The adapter 92 is crimped or glued to the two ends of the equalizing pressure tube 4, but the adapter 92 does not block the equalizing pressure tube 4, so that after the adapter 92 is connected to the connecting portion 91, the equalizing pressure tube 4 is connected to the airway. By providing the connecting portion 91 and the adapter 92, the disassembly and connection of the equalizing pressure tube 4 with the upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2 can be facilitated, and the installation, maintenance and repair of the equalizing pressure tube 4 can be facilitated, and the equalizing pressure tube 4 can be prevented from being detached from the upper warehouse 1 and the lower warehouse 2.

[0035] Optionally, a seal is further provided between the adapter 92 and the connection part 91. The seal is a sealing ring or a sealing gasket. The seal is provided between the surfaces of the adapter 92 and the connection part 91 that are in contact. When the adapter 92 and the connection part 91 are connected, the surfaces in contact between the two will squeeze the seal together to form a seal. The seal can be installed on the adapter 92 and / or the connection part 91 by gluing or snapping. Those skilled in the art can choose by themselves. By providing a sealing structure, leakage can be avoided when the pressure equalizing tube 4 is connected to the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2.

[0036] In one embodiment, the loading mechanism further includes a level gauge 5, which can be a contact level gauge 5, a non-contact level gauge 5, or a capacitive level gauge 5, etc.; the level gauge 5 is used to limit the highest position of the material in the lower bin 2, wherein the highest position refers to the height of the surface of the material farthest from the ground; specifically, the lower bin 2 is provided with a pressure-equalizing hole, and the connecting portion 91 located in the lower bin 2 is connected to the pressure-equalizing hole, and the pressure-equalizing hole is connected to the pressure-equalizing tube 4 through the connecting portion 91, and the pressure-equalizing hole is higher than the highest position. In this way, it is possible to prevent the material falling into the lower bin 2 from clogging the pressure-equalizing hole.

[0037] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the lower bin 2 has a loading port 21 and a loading port 22, the loading port 21 is connected to the drop pipe 3, and the loading port 22 is used to discharge the material in the lower bin 2; the lower bin 2 specifically includes a top wall 24 and a side wall 25, the side wall 25 is curled to form a funnel structure to form a large diameter end and a small diameter end, the large diameter end is axially opposite to the small diameter end and is located on the upper side of the small diameter end, the top wall 24 is fixedly connected to the large diameter end, the loading port 21 is opened on the top wall 24, and the loading port 22 is located at the small diameter end; the equalizing hole can be set in the top wall 24 and spaced apart from the loading hole; of course, the equalizing hole can also be set on the side wall 25, so that it can be higher than the highest position of the material in the lower bin 2 to avoid being blocked.

[0038] In this embodiment, in the vertical direction (the axial direction of the funnel structure), the loading port 21 is located on the upper side of the lower loading port 22; in the horizontal direction (the radial direction of the funnel structure), the loading port 21 and the lower loading port 22 are staggered; thereby, it is possible to avoid the loading port 21 and the lower loading port 22 being opposite to each other in the vertical direction, thereby avoiding the material from directly impacting the baffle 23 arranged at the lower loading port 22.

[0039] The lower bin 2 further includes a guide surface, the feed port 21 is vertically opposite to the guide surface, and the guide surface is inclined to guide the material from the feed port 21 to the discharge port 22. Specifically, the guide surface can be a part of the inner wall surface of the side wall 25, and the height of the guide surface from the ground gradually decreases from the feed port 21 side to the discharge port 22 side, and the lower side of the guide surface corresponds to the discharge port 22; when the material falls to the side wall 25, it will slide into the discharge port 22 along the guide surface, thereby avoiding the material from directly impacting the discharge port 22. Of course, the guide surface can also be other structures arranged in the lower bin 2, so as to play a guiding role.

[0040] The specific working process of the bowl loading mechanism in the present application is described below. As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, a feeder 8 and a first drop valve 61 are provided in the drop tube 3. The first drop valve 61 is closer to the upper bin 1 than the feeder 8. The feeder 8 is a star feeder 8. Of course, it can also be a spiral feeder 8, an electromagnetic vibrating feeder 8, a pendulum feeder 8, etc. The type of feeder 8 is not limited here. Of course, in addition to the first drop valve 61 provided in the drop tube 3, more drop valves can be provided, such as a second drop valve 62 and a third drop valve 63. The second drop valve 62 and the third drop valve 63 are located at the lower side of the feeder 8. The drop valve can be a butterfly valve, etc. The lower bin 2 is also provided with a stirring device 7, which is driven by a motor and stirs the material in the lower bin 2 through a stirring rod.

[0041] The filling process includes the unloading process and the filling process. In the unloading process, after the feeder 8 is started, the second unloading valve 62 and the third unloading valve 63 are opened in sequence from bottom to top, and finally the first unloading valve 61 is opened; the material in the upper bin 1 flows into the lower bin 2 along the unloading pipe 3, and when the material in the lower bin 2 reaches the highest position defined by the material level device 5, the feeder 8 stops working, and the first unloading valve 61, the second unloading valve 62 and the third unloading valve 63 are closed in sequence from top to bottom, and the unloading process ends;

[0042] During the filling process, the stirring device 7 is started, the baffle 23 is opened, and the material is discharged from the discharge port 22 into the sagger to be roasted. When the weight of the sagger to be roasted reaches the set threshold, the stirring device 7 is turned off and the baffle 23 closes the discharge port 22. At this time, the material is lower than the highest position defined by the level indicator 5, the feeder 8 is started, and the above-mentioned discharge process is repeated.

[0043] By adopting the technical solution of the present application, by adding a pressure equalizing pipe 4, the pressure in the upper bin 1 and the lower bin 2 is balanced; thereby solving the problem of material leakage caused by the impact of the baffle 23 during the first filling process; this method is simple and low-cost, and can be improved without replacing the existing equipment to achieve the purpose of accurately controlling the filling amount.

[0044] The above is a detailed introduction to the bowl loading mechanism provided by the utility model. This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principle and implementation method of the utility model. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the core idea of ​​the utility model. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principle of the utility model, the utility model can also be improved and modified, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the utility model.

Claims

1. A bowl loading mechanism, characterized in that: It comprises an upper bin (1), a lower bin (2) and a drop pipe (3), wherein the drop pipe (3) can be switched between a connected state and a disconnected state. When the drop pipe (3) is in the connected state, materials can drop from the upper bin (1) through the drop pipe (3) into the lower bin (2); The loading mechanism further comprises a pressure equalizing tube (4), one end of the pressure equalizing tube (4) being connected to the upper bin (1), and the other end of the pressure equalizing tube (4) being connected to the lower bin (2), and the upper bin (1) and the lower bin (2) being in gas communication via the pressure equalizing tube (4).

2. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure equalizing tube (4) is made of a flexible material.

3. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also comprises a material level indicator (5), the material level indicator (5) is used to limit the highest position of the material in the lower bin (2); the lower bin (2) is provided with a pressure equalizing hole, the pressure equalizing hole is used to communicate with the pressure equalizing pipe (4), and the pressure equalizing hole is higher than the highest position.

4. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall surface of the upper bin (1) has an opening connected to the pressure equalizing pipe (4), and the bowl loading mechanism further comprises a filter element, which covers the opening.

5. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper bin (1) and the lower bin (2) are respectively provided with connecting parts (91), and both ends of the equalizing pressure pipe (4) are connected with adapting parts (92); the adapting parts (92) are snap-fitted, threadedly connected or plug-fitted with the corresponding connecting parts (91).

6. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a sealing member, which is located between the surfaces of the adapting portion (92) and the connecting portion (91) that are in contact with each other.

7. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower bin (2) has a loading port (21) and a unloading port (22), the unloading port (22) being used to discharge the material in the lower bin (2), and the loading port (21) being in communication with the unloading pipe (3); In the vertical direction, the loading port (21) is located above the unloading port (22); In the transverse direction, the feed opening (21) and the feed opening (22) are staggered.

8. The bowl loading mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lower bin (2) further comprises a guide surface, the material loading port (21) being vertically opposite to the guide surface, and the guide surface being arranged at an angle to guide the material from the material loading port (21) to the material loading port (22).

9. The bowl loading mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The blanking pipe (3) is provided with at least one blanking valve, and the blanking valve is used to switch the blanking pipe (3) between the connected state and the disconnected state.

Images