Tab shaping cover plate, shaping equipment, welding system and battery production line

Abstract

The utility model provides a tab shaping cover plate, shaping equipment, a welding system and a battery production line, and belongs to the technical field of batteries. The embodiment of the utility model provides a tab shaping cover plate, which is used for shaping a tab of an electrode assembly and comprises a shaping part and a positioning part, the shaping part is provided with a first surface, and the first surface is used for shaping a tab of the electrode assembly; the positioning part is connected with the shaping part, and the surface of one side, facing the tab, of the positioning part protrudes relative to the first surface. Therefore, by arranging the positioning part protruding out of the first surface, interference with the tabs can be avoided, the tabs can be attached to the positioning part, the loss of the tabs is reduced, the shaping quality of the tabs is improved, and high-quality welding of the tabs is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a tab shaping cover plate, shaping equipment, welding system and battery production line. Background Art

[0002] Energy conservation and emission reduction are the key to the sustainable development of the automobile industry. Electric vehicles have become an important part of the sustainable development of the automobile industry due to their advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. For electric vehicles, battery technology is an important factor in their development.

[0003] As an important part of the battery, the tab is generally shaped by a shaping cover plate and then welded. In some cases, when the shaping cover plate is moved close to the tab and pressed down for shaping by a limiting structure such as a bolt, insufficient downward displacement accuracy will cause tab loss, thereby affecting the battery life. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the background technology. To this end, one purpose of the present application is to provide a tab shaping cover plate, shaping equipment, welding system and battery production line to solve the problem of easy loss during the tab shaping process.

[0005] An embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a pole lug shaping cover plate, which is used to shape the pole lug of an electrode assembly. The pole lug shaping cover plate includes a shaping portion and a positioning portion; the shaping portion has a first surface, and the first surface is used to shape the pole lug of the electrode assembly; the positioning portion is connected to the shaping portion, and a side surface of the positioning portion facing the pole lug protrudes relative to the first surface.

[0006] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, by providing a positioning portion protruding from the first surface, the accuracy of the pressing position and the lowering height of the pole lug shaping cover plate can be improved, and interference with the pole lug can be avoided and the pole lug can be fitted, thereby reducing the pole lug loss, thereby improving the pole lug shaping quality and facilitating high-quality welding of the pole lug.

[0007] In some embodiments, the shaping portion is provided with a welding through hole to expose the tab for welding. The shaping portion is provided with a welding through hole to expose the tab and avoid external welding equipment, thereby improving the quality of the tab welding and further reducing the tab loss.

[0008] In some embodiments, there are multiple positioning parts, and the multiple positioning parts are arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the shaping part. By providing multiple positioning parts arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the shaping part, it is beneficial to improve the stability of the tab shaping cover during the tab shaping process, thereby reducing the tab loss and improving the tab shaping quality.

[0009] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly includes a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly respectively arranged on both sides of the tab shaping cover plate; the shaping portion includes a first shaping area for shaping the tab of the first electrode assembly, and a second shaping area for shaping the tab of the second electrode assembly; wherein at least one of the first shaping area and the second shaping area is provided with a avoidance structure, and the avoidance structure is used to avoid one end of the tab connected to the pole piece. By setting the first shaping area and the second shaping area to shape the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly respectively, it is beneficial to improve the shaping efficiency and improve the shaping consistency. In addition, the tab loss can be reduced by setting the avoidance structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the avoidance structure is a notch portion disposed on the outer side of the shaping portion close to the electrode assembly and recessed relative to the first surface. The notch portion disposed relative to the first surface groove can reduce the contact degree between the shaping cover plate and the tab, thereby reducing the loss of the tab during the shaping process.

[0011] In some embodiments, the shaping portion is provided with a chamfered structure or a rounded structure at the corner near the electrode assembly. The corner is provided with a chamfered structure or a rounded structure, which is conducive to easing the shaping portion, reducing the impact on the tab during the shaping process, thereby reducing the tab shaping loss.

[0012] In some embodiments, the maximum distance that the positioning portion protrudes from the first surface is greater than or equal to the product of the number of layers of the tab and the thickness of the tab, and is less than or equal to 1 mm. Selecting the protruding size of the positioning portion on the tab shaping cover plate according to different battery models is conducive to improving the adaptability of the tab shaping cover plate and the flexibility during the tab shaping process, thereby reducing the tab shaping loss.

[0013] In some embodiments, the tab shaping cover plate further includes a limiting portion and a connecting portion. The limiting portion includes a second surface facing the electrode assembly and parallel to the first surface; the connecting portion connects the limiting portion and the shaping portion, respectively, and the limiting portion and the connecting portion form a receiving space for receiving the electrode assembly. By providing the limiting portion and the connecting portion, the stability of the tab shaping cover plate can be improved, thereby facilitating the tab shaping and reducing the tab shaping loss.

[0014] In some embodiments, the difference between the distance between the second surface and the first surface along the thickness direction of the tab shaping cover plate and the thickness of the electrode assembly is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1 mm. By setting the numerical relationship between the distance between the second surface and the first surface and the thickness of the electrode assembly, the risk of pressing the electrode assembly during the tab shaping cover plate pressing down can be reduced, thereby improving the tab shaping quality.

[0015] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a tab shaping device, which includes: a base plate for carrying an electrode assembly; and a tab shaping cover plate as in the aforementioned embodiment, which is used to shape the tabs of the electrode assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the bottom plate further includes a groove for placing the adapter sheet, and the tab of the electrode assembly is at least partially located above the adapter sheet. Providing the groove on the bottom plate to place the adapter sheet is beneficial to improving the stability of the adapter sheet, facilitating the welding of the tabs, and thus improving the quality of the tab welding.

[0017] In some embodiments, the difference between the depth of the groove and the thickness of the adapter is greater than or equal to -0.05 mm and less than or equal to 0.05 mm. Therefore, the tab shaping device of the embodiment of the present application can determine the depth of the groove according to the thickness of the adapter, thereby improving the stability of the adapter during welding, thereby further improving the welding quality between the adapter and the tab.

[0018] An embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides a tab welding system, the tab welding system comprising: a tab shaping device as in the aforementioned embodiment; a tab welding device, the tab welding device being used to weld the tab and adapter plate shaped by the tab shaping device.

[0019] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present application provides a battery production line, which includes a tab welding system as described in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0020] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in the present application and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present application.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery cell according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figure 4 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a tab shaping cover plate of some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] Figure 5A top view of a tab shaping cover plate of some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Cross-sectional view along AA direction;

[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Cross-section along direction BB;

[0029] Figure 8 A bottom view of a tab shaping cover plate of some embodiments of the present application;

[0030] Fig. 9 This is a simplified schematic diagram of a tab shaping device according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0031] Description of reference numerals:

[0032] Vehicles 1000;

[0033] Battery 100, controller 200, motor 300, tab shaping cover 400;

[0034] Box body 10, first part 11, second part 12;

[0035] Battery cell 20, end cap 21, electrode terminal 21a, housing 22, electrode assembly 23, first electrode assembly 231, second electrode assembly 232, and tab 23a;

[0036] A shaping portion 30, a first surface 31, a welding through hole 32, a first shaping area 33, a second shaping area 34, and an avoidance structure 35;

[0037] The positioning portion 40 , the limiting portion 50 , the second surface 51 , the connecting portion 60 , the accommodating space 70 , the bottom plate 80 , the groove 81 , and the adapter sheet 90 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, and are therefore only used as examples, and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by technicians in the technical field to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish different objects, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0041] Reference to "embodiments" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "and / or" is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there may be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0046] At present, from the perspective of market development, the application of power batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power stations, but also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars, as well as military equipment and aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of the application field of power batteries, the market demand is also constantly expanding.

[0047] In the battery module production section, qualified battery cells are assembled into battery modules through processes such as tab cutting, cell insertion, tab shaping, laser welding and module packaging. Tab shaping is the process of mechanically shaping and flattening the positive and negative tabs in the battery pole piece.

[0048] In some cases, the lug shaping process is realized by acting on the lug through the lug shaping cover plate, wherein the shaping cover plate is installed on the welding plate, the welding plate is pushed by the cylinder and drives the shaping cover plate to descend in the direction close to the lug, and the shaping cover plate is designed to gather the cell lug through the contour design. In order to obtain a satisfactory lug shaping effect, it is necessary to accurately control the descending height of the shaping cover plate. In some cases, a limiting structure such as a bolt is used to control the descending height of the shaping cover plate, but due to the wear of the limiting structure, the screws are loose and there is a lack of foolproofing, resulting in insufficient accuracy of the pressing position of the shaping cover plate, and the correction and debugging efficiency of the pressing position is low, and the pressing position is too high or too low, which will lead to problems such as lug shaping failure, cell crushing or lug cracking.

[0049] Based on the above considerations, the embodiment of the present application proposes a tab shaping cover plate, which is used to shape the tab of the electrode assembly. The tab shaping cover plate includes a shaping portion and a positioning portion; the shaping portion has a first surface, and the first surface is used to shape the tab of the electrode assembly; the positioning portion is connected to the shaping portion, and the side surface of the positioning portion facing the tab protrudes relative to the first surface. Therefore, by providing the positioning portion protruding from the first surface, interference with the tab can be avoided and the tab can be fitted, thereby reducing the tab loss, thereby improving the tab shaping quality, and facilitating high-quality welding of the tab.

[0050] The tab shaping cover plate disclosed in the embodiment of the present application is used to shape the tabs of the battery assembly, and the tab shaping cover plate, shaping equipment, welding system and battery production line disclosed in the present application can be used to manufacture battery cells. The battery cells disclosed in the present application can be used, but not limited to, in electrical devices such as vehicles, ships or aircraft. A power supply system comprising the battery cells, batteries, etc. disclosed in the present application can be used to form the electrical device.

[0051] The embodiment of the present application provides an electric device using a battery as a power source, and the electric device may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, etc. Among them, the electric toy may include a fixed or mobile electric toy, such as a game console, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, and an electric airplane toy, etc., and the spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, and a spacecraft, etc.

[0052] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by taking a vehicle 1000 as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle provided for some embodiments of the present application. Vehicle 1000 may be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle, etc. A battery 100 is provided inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 may be provided at the bottom, head or tail of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 may be used to power the vehicle 1000, for example, the battery 100 may be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000. The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300, and the controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to power the motor 300, for example, for starting, navigating and driving the vehicle 1000.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 100 can not only serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also serve as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the battery provided for some embodiments of the present application. The battery 100 includes a box 10 and a battery cell 20, and the battery cell 20 is contained in the box 10. Among them, the box 10 is used to provide a storage space area for the battery cell 20, and the box 10 can adopt a variety of structures. In some embodiments, the box 10 may include a first part 11 and a second part 12, the first part 11 and the second part 12 cover each other, and the first part 11 and the second part 12 jointly define a storage space area for accommodating the battery cell 20. The second part 12 can be a hollow structure with one end open, the first part 11 can be a plate-like structure, and the first part 11 covers the open side of the second part 12, so that the first part 11 and the second part 12 jointly define a storage space area; the first part 11 and the second part 12 can also be hollow structures with one side open, and the open side of the first part 11 covers the open side of the second part 12. Of course, the box 10 formed by the first part 11 and the second part 12 can be in a variety of shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0056] In the battery 100, there may be multiple battery cells 20, and the multiple battery cells 20 may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection. A mixed connection means that the multiple battery cells 20 are both connected in series and in parallel. The multiple battery cells 20 may be directly connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and then the whole formed by the multiple battery cells 20 is accommodated in the box 10; of course, the battery 100 may also be a battery module formed by connecting multiple battery cells 20 in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection, and then the multiple battery modules are connected in series, in parallel, or in a mixed connection to form a whole, and accommodated in the box 10. The battery 100 may also include other structures, for example, the battery 100 may also include a busbar component for realizing electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20.

[0057] Each battery cell 20 may be a secondary battery or a primary battery, or a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto. The battery cell 20 may be cylindrical, flat, rectangular, or in other shapes.

[0058] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the decomposition structure of a battery cell provided in some embodiments of the present application. A battery cell 20 refers to the smallest unit that constitutes a battery. Figure 3 The battery cell 20 includes an end cover 21, a shell 22, an electrode assembly 23 and other functional components.

[0059] The end cap 21 refers to a component that covers the opening of the shell 22 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 20 from the external environment. Without limitation, the shape of the end cap 21 can be adapted to the shape of the shell 22 to match the shell 22. Optionally, the end cap 21 can be made of a material with a certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy), so that the end cap 21 is not easily deformed when squeezed and collided, so that the battery cell 20 can have a higher structural strength and the safety performance can also be improved. Functional components such as electrode terminals 21a can be provided on the end cap 21. The electrode terminal 21a can be used to electrically connect to the electrode assembly 23 for outputting or inputting electrical energy of the battery cell 20. In some embodiments, the end cap 21 can also be provided with a pressure relief mechanism for releasing the internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 20 reaches a threshold. The material of the end cap 21 can also be a variety of materials, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc. In some embodiments, an insulating member may be provided inside the end cap 21, and the insulating member may be used to isolate the electrical connection components in the housing 22 from the end cap 21 to reduce the risk of short circuit. For example, the insulating member may be plastic, rubber, or the like.

[0060] The shell 22 is a component used to cooperate with the end cap 21 to form the internal environment of the battery cell 20, wherein the formed internal environment can be used to accommodate the electrode assembly 23, the electrolyte and other components. The shell 22 and the end cap 21 can be independent components, and an opening can be set on the shell 22, and the internal environment of the battery cell 20 is formed by covering the opening with the end cap 21 at the opening. Without limitation, the end cap 21 and the shell 22 can also be integrated. Specifically, the end cap 21 and the shell 22 can form a common connection surface before other components are put into the shell, and when it is necessary to encapsulate the interior of the shell 22, the end cap 21 covers the shell 22. The shell 22 can be of various shapes and sizes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylindrical shape, a hexagonal prism, etc. Specifically, the shape of the shell 22 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 23. The material of the shell 22 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc.

[0061] The electrode assembly 23 is a component in the battery cell 20 where electrochemical reactions occur. One or more electrode assemblies 23 may be included in the housing 22. The electrode assembly 23 is mainly formed by winding or stacking positive and negative electrode sheets, and a separator is usually provided between the positive and negative electrode sheets. The parts of the positive and negative electrode sheets with active materials constitute the main body of the electrode assembly, and the parts of the positive and negative electrode sheets without active materials each constitute a tab 23a. The positive tab and the negative tab may be located together at one end of the main body or respectively at both ends of the main body. During the charge and discharge process of the battery, the positive active material and the negative active material react with the electrolyte, and the tab 23a connects the electrode terminals to form a current loop.

[0062] The embodiment of the present application provides a tab shaping cover plate 400, such as Figure 4-Figure 8 In the example of the embodiment of the present invention, the electrode tab shaping cover plate 400 is used to shape the electrode tab 23a of the electrode assembly 23, and the electrode tab shaping cover plate 400 includes a shaping portion 30 and a positioning portion 40. The shaping portion 30 has a first surface 31, and the first surface 31 is used to shape the electrode tab 23a of the electrode assembly 23; the positioning portion 40 is connected to the shaping portion 30, and a side surface of the positioning portion 40 facing the electrode tab 23a protrudes relative to the first surface 31.

[0063] The shaping portion 30 may be a rectangular structure and have at least one surface that can be contacted by the tab 23a. In some embodiments, the shaping portion 30 may also be a circular structure or a triangular structure, as long as it can achieve the tab shaping function. The specific structure of the shaping portion 30 is not limited in this application. The first surface 31 is used for tab shaping. The first surface 31 may be a flat surface so that shaping pressure can be applied to the tab along the thickness direction.

[0064] In some embodiments, the positioning portion 40 can be integrally formed with the shaping portion 30. In other embodiments, the positioning portion 40 and the shaping portion 30 can be manufactured separately and connected and fixed by, for example, bonding, riveting, or threaded connection. The cross-sectional shape of the positioning portion 40 can be any shape, and the number of the positioning portions 40 can be one or more, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0065] In some embodiments, the tab shaping cover plate 400 can be pressed downward so that the first surface 31 contacts the tab and shapes the tab, and the side surface of the positioning portion 40 facing the tab 23a can protrude relative to the first surface 31, so that during the pressing process of the tab shaping cover plate 400, the positioning portion 40 will first contact the base supporting the electrode assembly, thereby providing a certain shaping space for the shaping portion 30.

[0066] By providing a positioning portion 40 protruding from the first surface 31, the accuracy of the pressing position and the lowering height of the pole tab shaping cover plate 400 can be improved, and interference with the pole tab can be avoided and the pole tab 23a can be fitted, thereby reducing the loss of the pole tab 23a, thereby improving the pole tab shaping quality and facilitating high-quality welding of the pole tab 23a.

[0067] According to some embodiments of the present application, the shaping portion 30 is provided with a welding through hole 32 to expose the electrode tab 23 a for welding.

[0068] The welding through hole 32 may be an opening that passes through the shaping portion 30, and its shape may be a strip, a circle, or any other shape, as long as it can meet the welding requirements. The welding through hole 32 may be opened at the center of the shaping portion 30, and the number of welding through holes 32 may be multiple. In some embodiments, the welding through holes 32 are symmetrically distributed to expose the tabs 23a for welding by external welding equipment.

[0069] The welding through hole 32 provided in the shaping portion 30 is beneficial for exposing the pole tab 23 a and avoiding external welding equipment, thereby improving the welding quality of the pole tab 23 a and further reducing the loss of the pole tab 23 a.

[0070] According to some embodiments of the present application, there are multiple positioning portions 40 , and the multiple positioning portions 40 are arranged at intervals along the outer circumference of the shaping portion 30 .

[0071] In some embodiments, the number of the positioning portions 40 may be 2 or 4. The positioning portions 40 may be spaced apart along the outer periphery of the shaping portion 30 and may be arranged along the first direction X and placed at the edge of the shaping portion 30. The first direction X is the length direction of the tab shaping cover plate 400.

[0072] By providing a plurality of positioning portions 40 arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the shaping portion 30 , it is beneficial to improve the stability of the tab shaping cover plate 400 during the tab shaping process, thereby reducing the loss of the tab 23 a and improving the tab shaping quality.

[0073] According to some embodiments of the present application, the electrode assembly 23 includes a first electrode assembly 231 and a second electrode assembly 232 respectively arranged on both sides of the pole ear shaping cover plate 400; the shaping portion 30 includes a first shaping area 33 for shaping the pole ear 23a of the first electrode assembly 231, and a second shaping area 34 for shaping the pole ear 23a of the second electrode assembly 232; wherein, at least one of the first shaping area 33 and the second shaping area 34 is provided with an avoidance structure 35, and the avoidance structure 35 is used to avoid one end of the pole ear 23a connected to the pole piece.

[0074] like Fig. 9As shown, in some embodiments, the first pole lug assembly and the second pole lug assembly are arranged along the second direction X and are respectively placed on both sides of the pole lug shaping cover plate 400. Correspondingly, the first shaping area 33 and the second shaping area 34 are arranged along the second direction X, and the first pole lug assembly and the second pole lug assembly are shaped respectively. In some embodiments, the first pole lug assembly is made of copper material, and the second pole lug assembly is made of aluminum material. Under the same shaping pressure, the second pole lug assembly made of aluminum material is more likely to break and wear than the first pole lug assembly made of copper material. A avoidance structure 35 can be provided in the second shaping area 34 of the shaping portion 30 to reduce the shaping contact area. The avoidance structure 35 can be provided in one of the first shaping area 33 and the second shaping area 34, or both of them can be provided with the avoidance structure 35. During the shaping process of the pole lug, the pole lug 23a will bend, wherein the pole lug 23a at one end connected to the pole piece 23a is bent to a greater extent. Therefore, the avoidance structure 35 reduces the loss of the pole lug 23a during the shaping process by reducing the contact area of ​​the pole lug 23a at one end connected to the pole piece.

[0075] The first shaping area 33 and the second shaping area 34 are provided to shape the first electrode assembly 231 and the second electrode assembly 232 respectively, which is beneficial to improving the shaping efficiency and the shaping consistency. In addition, the avoidance structure 35 can reduce the loss of the tab 23a.

[0076] According to some embodiments of the present application, the avoidance structure 35 is a notch portion disposed on the outer side of the shaping portion 30 close to the electrode assembly 23 and recessed relative to the first surface 31 .

[0077] The outer side of the shaping portion 30 close to the electrode assembly 23 may be the edge of the shaping portion 30 away from the center along the first direction Y or the edge in the opposite direction to the first direction Y. The notch portion faces the surface of the pole ear, and the direction of depression relative to the first surface 31 is opposite to the direction of protrusion relative to the positioning portion 40 along the first surface 31. In this way, the shaping portion 30 can form a larger accommodation space at the position corresponding to the pole ear, thereby reducing the force on the root of the pole ear. In some embodiments, the notch portion may be a groove 81, and the notch portion is used to avoid the end of the pole ear 23a connected to the pole piece.

[0078] By providing a notch portion relative to the groove 81 of the first surface 31 , the contact degree between the shaping cover plate and the pole tab 23 a can be reduced, thereby reducing the loss of the pole tab 23 a during the shaping process.

[0079] According to some embodiments of the present application, a corner of the shaping portion 30 close to the electrode assembly 23 is provided with a chamfered structure or a rounded structure.

[0080] In some embodiments, the first tab assembly and the second tab assembly are arranged along the second direction Y and are respectively placed on both sides of the tab shaping cover plate 400. Accordingly, the direction in which the shaping portion 30 approaches the electrode assembly 23 may be along the second direction Y or in the opposite direction of the second direction Y. The corner portion may refer to the intersection of the first surface 31 and the side of the shaping portion 30. The chamfering structure refers to a structure in which the corner of the workpiece is processed into a certain inclined surface, and the rounding structure refers to a structure in which the corner of the workpiece is processed into a structure with an arc surface.

[0081] The corner portion is configured as a chamfered structure or a rounded structure, which is beneficial to relaxing the shaping portion 30 and reducing the impact on the tab 23a during the shaping process, thereby reducing the tab shaping loss.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, the maximum distance that the positioning portion 40 protrudes from the first surface 31 is greater than or equal to the product of the number of layers of the tab 23 a and the thickness of the tab 23 a , and is less than or equal to 1 mm.

[0083] like Figure 7 As shown, since the first surface 31 can be a non-planar surface, the maximum distance that the positioning portion 40 protrudes from the first surface 31 is defined as H1, and the defined H1 is the distance along the third direction Z. H1 is greater than or equal to the product of the number of layers n of the tab 23a and the thickness d of the tab 23a, and H1 is less than or equal to 1 mm, that is, n×d≤H1≤1 mm. There are differences in the thickness of the tab 23a and the specific number of layers of the tab 23a of different types of batteries, and the value of H1 can be adjusted according to the corresponding type of battery. The third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y, respectively.

[0084] Selecting the protruding size of the positioning portion 40 on the tab shaping cover plate 400 according to different battery models is beneficial to improving the adaptability of the tab shaping cover plate 400 and the flexibility during the tab shaping process, thereby reducing the tab shaping loss.

[0085] According to some embodiments of the present application, the tab shaping cover plate 400 further includes a limiting portion 50 and a connecting portion 60. The limiting portion 50 includes a second surface 51 facing the electrode assembly 23 and parallel to the first surface 31; the connecting portion 60 connects the limiting portion 50 and the shaping portion 30 respectively, and the limiting portion 50 and the connecting portion 60 form an accommodating space 70 for accommodating the electrode assembly 23.

[0086] The second surface 51 may be a plane, wherein the first surface 31 is arranged parallel to the second surface 51. The connecting portion 60 may be a sheet-like structure, and is fixedly connected to the limiting portion 50 and the shaping portion 30 respectively by an adhesive. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 60 may also be detachably connected to the limiting portion 50 and the shaping portion 30. The limiting portion 50 and the connecting portion 60 may be arranged in pairs, and the accommodating spaces 70 formed by the two may be two, and may respectively accommodate the first electrode assembly 231 and the second electrode assembly 232.

[0087] By providing the limiting portion 50 and the connecting portion 60 , the stability of the tab shaping cover plate 400 can be improved, thereby facilitating the tab shaping and reducing the tab shaping loss.

[0088] According to some embodiments of the present application, the difference between the distance between the second surface 51 and the first surface 31 along the thickness direction of the tab shaping cover plate 400 and the thickness of the electrode assembly 23 is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1 mm.

[0089] like Figure 7 As shown, the thickness direction of the tab shaping cover plate 400 is the third direction Z, and the distance between the second surface 51 and the first surface 31 along the third direction is defined as H2. When the electrode assembly 23 is accommodated in the accommodation space 70 and is about to undergo tab shaping, the dimension of the electrode assembly 23 in the third direction is defined as the thickness direction of the electrode assembly 23.

[0090] By setting a numerical relationship between the distance between the second surface 51 and the first surface 31 and the thickness of the electrode assembly 23, the risk of pressing the electrode assembly 23 during the tab shaping process of the tab shaping cover plate 400 can be reduced, thereby improving the tab shaping quality.

[0091] The present application embodiment provides a tab shaping device, such as Fig. 9 As shown, the tab shaping device includes: a bottom plate 80 for carrying the electrode assembly 23 ; and a tab shaping cover plate 400 as in the aforementioned embodiment, the tab shaping cover plate 400 is used to shape the tab 23 a of the electrode assembly 23 .

[0092] The bottom plate 80 can be a plate structure of any shape. During the tab shaping process, the positioning portion 40 of the tab shaping cover plate 400 contacts the bottom plate 80 to squeeze and shape the tab 23a. The tab shaping device can also include a power device to drive the tab shaping cover plate 400 toward or away from the electrode assembly 23.

[0093] The pole lug shaping equipment provided in this embodiment can improve the accuracy of the downward position and the lowering height of the pole lug shaping cover plate 400 by providing a positioning portion 40 protruding from the first surface 31, and can avoid interference with the pole lug 23a and fit the pole lug 23a, thereby reducing the loss of the pole lug 23a, thereby improving the pole lug shaping quality and facilitating high-quality welding of the pole lug 23a.

[0094] According to some embodiments of the present application, the bottom plate 80 further includes a groove 81 , and the groove 81 is used to place the adapter plate 90 , and the electrode ear 23 a of the electrode assembly 23 is at least partially located above the adapter plate 90 .

[0095] The size and shape of the groove 81 need to be adapted to the size and shape of the adapter plate 90 , and the pole ear 23a of the electrode assembly 23 and the adapter plate 90 are placed along the third direction Z, wherein the pole ear 23a of the electrode assembly 23 is arranged on one side of the positive direction of the third direction Z of the adapter plate 90 .

[0096] The groove 81 is provided on the bottom plate 80 to place the adapter plate 90 , which is beneficial to improving the stability of the adapter plate 90 , facilitating the welding of the pole tab 23 a and the adapter plate 90 , thereby improving the welding quality of the pole tab 23 a .

[0097] According to some embodiments of the present application, the difference between the depth of the groove 81 and the thickness of the adapter plate 90 is greater than or equal to -0.05 mm and less than or equal to 0.05 mm.

[0098] The depth of the groove 81 and the thickness of the adapter sheet 90 are both dimension distances along the third direction Z, and the adapter sheet 90 is accommodated in the groove 81 for welding with the tab 23a. Therefore, the tab shaping device of the embodiment of the present application can determine the depth of the groove 81 according to the thickness of the adapter sheet 90, thereby improving the stability of the adapter sheet 90 during welding, thereby further improving the welding quality of the adapter sheet 90 and the tab 23a.

[0099] An embodiment of the present application provides a tab welding system, which includes: a tab shaping device as in the aforementioned embodiment; and a tab welding device, which is used to weld the tab 23a and the adapter 90 shaped by the tab shaping device.

[0100] The tab welding device may be an ultrasonic welding device or a laser welding device, and the welding through hole 32 may expose the tab 23a for the tab welding device to weld it to the adapter 90. Thus, the tab welding device realizes welding of the adapter 90 and the tab 23a through the welding through hole 32, which is beneficial to improving the welding accuracy, thereby improving the welding quality of the adapter 90 and the tab 23a.

[0101] An embodiment of the present application provides a battery production line, which includes a tab welding system as described in the above embodiment.

[0102] The battery production line is a production system for battery manufacturing. In addition to the tab welding system of the embodiment of the present application, the battery production line may also include a pole piece rolling device, a battery cell winding device, a battery cell packaging device, and a battery formation device. The battery production line of the embodiment of the present application is conducive to improving the tab shaping quality and the tab welding quality, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the manufactured battery.

[0103] like Figure 4-Figure 9 Taking the example of , an embodiment of the present application provides a pole ear shaping cover plate 400 for shaping the pole ears 23a of the first electrode assembly 231 and the second electrode assembly 232, and the pole ear shaping cover plate 400 includes a shaping portion 30, a positioning portion 40, a limiting portion 50 and a connecting portion 60.

[0104] The shaping portion 30 includes a first surface 31, a welding through hole 32, a first shaping area 33 and a second shaping area 34. The first surface 31 is used to shape the pole ear 23a of the electrode assembly 23; the welding through hole 32 is used to expose the pole ear 23a and is used for welding; the first shaping area 33 and the second shaping area 34 can respectively shape the first electrode assembly 231 and the second electrode assembly 232 arranged on both sides of the pole ear shaping cover plate 400. Among them, at least one of the first shaping area 33 and the second shaping area 34 is provided with an avoidance structure 35, and the avoidance structure 35 is used to avoid one end of the pole ear 23a connected to the pole piece, and the avoidance structure 35 is a notch portion arranged on the outer side of the shaping portion 30 close to the electrode assembly 23 and recessed relative to the first surface 31. In addition, the shaping portion 30 is provided with a chamfered structure or a rounded structure at the corner close to the electrode assembly 23.

[0105] The maximum distance H1 of the positioning portion 40 protruding from the first surface 31 is greater than or equal to the product of the number of layers of the pole lug 23a and the thickness of the pole lug 23a, and is less than or equal to 1 mm. The limiting portion 50 includes a second surface 51 facing the electrode assembly 23 and parallel to the first surface 31, wherein the difference between the distance H2 of the second surface 51 and the first surface 31 along the thickness direction of the pole lug shaping cover plate 400 and the thickness of the electrode assembly 23 is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1 mm. The connecting portion 60 connects the limiting portion 50 and the shaping portion 30 respectively, wherein the limiting portion 50 and the connecting portion 60 form a receiving space 70 for receiving the first electrode assembly 231 and the second electrode assembly 232.

[0106] The embodiment of the present application also provides a tab welding system, which includes a base plate 80, a tab shaping cover plate 400 and a tab welding device. The base plate 80 is provided with a groove 81, and the groove 81 is used to place the adapter 90, wherein the tab 23a of the electrode assembly 23 is at least partially located above the adapter 90, and the difference between the depth of the groove 81 and the thickness of the adapter 90 is greater than or equal to -0.05 mm and less than or equal to 0.05 mm. The tab welding device realizes the welding of the adapter 90 and the tab 23a through the welding through hole 32.

[0107] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included in the scope of the claims and specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A tab shaping cover plate, used for shaping the tabs of an electrode assembly, characterized in that: include: A shaping portion having a first surface, wherein the first surface is used to shape the tab of the electrode assembly; A positioning portion is connected to the shaping portion, and a side surface of the positioning portion facing the pole ear protrudes relative to the first surface.

2. The tab shaping cover plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shaping portion is provided with a welding through hole to expose the tab for welding.

3. The tab shaping cover plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple positioning parts, and the multiple positioning parts are arranged at intervals along the outer circumference of the shaping part.

4. The tab shaping cover plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrode assembly comprises a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly respectively arranged on both sides of the tab shaping cover plate; The shaping portion includes a first shaping area for shaping the tab of the first electrode assembly, and a second shaping area for shaping the tab of the second electrode assembly; Wherein, at least one of the first shaping area and the second shaping area is provided with an avoidance structure, and the avoidance structure is used to avoid one end of the pole ear connected to the pole piece.

5. The tab shaping cover plate according to claim 4, characterized in that: The avoidance structure is a notch portion which is arranged on the outer side of the shaping portion close to the electrode assembly and is recessed relative to the first surface.

6. The tab shaping cover plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shaping portion is provided with a chamfered structure or a rounded structure at a corner close to the electrode assembly.

7. The tab shaping cover plate according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The maximum distance that the positioning portion protrudes from the first surface is greater than or equal to the product of the number of layers of the tab and the thickness of the tab, and is less than or equal to 1 mm.

8. The tab shaping cover plate according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Also includes: a limiting portion, comprising a second surface facing the electrode assembly and parallel to the first surface, and The connecting part connects the limiting part and the shaping part respectively, and the limiting part and the connecting part form a receiving space for receiving the electrode assembly.

9. The tab shaping cover plate according to claim 8, characterized in that: The difference between the distance between the second surface and the first surface along the thickness direction of the tab shaping cover plate and the thickness of the electrode assembly is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1 mm.

10. A tab shaping device, characterized in that: include A bottom plate, used to carry the electrode assembly; as well as The tab shaping cover plate according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the tab shaping cover plate is used to shape the tab of the electrode assembly.

11. The terminal ear shaping device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The bottom plate further comprises a groove, wherein the groove is used for placing a switching plate, and the electrode tab of the electrode assembly is at least partially located above the switching plate.

12. The terminal ear shaping device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The difference between the depth of the groove and the thickness of the adapter sheet is greater than or equal to -0.05 mm and less than or equal to 0.05 mm.

13. A tab welding system, characterized in that: include The tab shaping device according to any one of claims 10 to 12; A pole tab welding device is used to weld the pole tab and adapter sheet after being shaped by the pole tab shaping equipment.

14. A battery production line, characterized in that: Comprising the tab welding system as claimed in claim 13.

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