Tab laser cutting assembly for soft package battery

Abstract

A pole lug laser cutting assembly for a soft package battery relates to the technical field of pole lug laser cutting and comprises a transmission unit arranged on a machine tool and two laser cutting units used for cutting pole lugs, and the laser cutting units are located on the two sides of the transmission unit and correspond to the pole lugs at the two ends of a battery cell in a one-to-one mode. The laser cutting unit comprises a camera, a laser device and a mechanical arm used for driving the laser device and the camera, the camera collects an image of the tab and transmits the image to the control unit, and the control unit identifies the image and determines the initial position and the cutting path of the laser device. The method is matched with the production speed of the soft package battery, and the production efficiency of the soft package battery is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of ear laser cutting, in particular to an ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries. Background Art

[0002] During the production process of a soft-pack battery module, battery cells are combined in a stacked manner to form a battery module. Different battery modules adopt different electrical property formulas. Therefore, it is necessary to perform customized processing on the battery cells in the battery module to meet the overall performance requirements. To achieve the above purpose, a two-dimensional code is set on the surface of each standard battery cell to identify its processing parameters, so that the ears of the battery cell can be laser cut according to the module formula in subsequent processes. Therefore, an automated and high-precision ear laser cutting device is needed. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] The purpose of the utility model is to provide an ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries, which can cut the ears according to requirements, match the production speed of soft-pack batteries, and improve the production efficiency of soft-pack batteries.

[0004] To achieve the above purpose, the specific solution adopted by the utility model is: an ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries, including a transmission unit arranged on a machine tool and two laser cutting units for cutting ears. The laser cutting units are located on both sides of the transmission unit and correspond to the ears at both ends of the battery cell one by one. The laser cutting unit includes a camera, a laser, and a robotic arm for driving the laser and the camera. The camera collects the image of the ear and transmits it to the control unit. The control unit identifies the image and controls the robotic arm to adjust the initial position and path of the laser.

[0005] As an optimized solution of the above ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: the transmission unit includes a conveyor belt arranged on the machine tool. The conveyor belt is fixedly provided with a plurality of spaced-apart bearing units. The bearing unit includes two symmetrically arranged bearing plates. Limiting members are arranged at both ends of each bearing plate. The four limiting members enclose an accommodating space for accommodating the battery cell.

[0006] As another optimized solution of the above ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: the robotic arm includes a mounting plate, a first driving component for driving the mounting plate to reciprocate in the battery cell conveying direction, a second driving component for driving the mounting plate to reciprocate horizontally in the direction perpendicular to the battery cell conveying direction, and a third driving component for driving the mounting plate to move vertically. The camera and the laser are fixed on the mounting plate.

[0007] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: The first driving assembly includes a first bracket, the first bracket includes two vertical rods distributed along the battery cell conveying direction, and a first sliding plate cylinder for driving the mounting plate to reciprocate along the battery cell conveying direction is arranged at the top of the vertical rod.

[0008] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: The second driving assembly includes a second bracket fixedly connected to the sliding plate of the first sliding plate cylinder, and a second sliding plate cylinder for driving the mounting plate to reciprocate horizontally along the direction perpendicular to the battery cell conveying direction is arranged on the second bracket.

[0009] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: The third driving assembly includes a connecting plate fixedly connected to the sliding plate of the second sliding plate cylinder, and a third sliding plate cylinder for driving the mounting plate to move vertically is arranged on the connecting plate.

[0010] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: A fixing plate is fixedly connected to the connecting plate, the camera is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and a light source surrounding the camera is arranged on the fixing plate.

[0011] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: A positioning unit for positioning the position of the ear is arranged on the machine tool, the positioning unit includes a pressing plate located above the battery cell and a plurality of supporting blocks located below the battery cell, and the pressing plate is driven by a first cylinder to reciprocate vertically.

[0012] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: A blanking hole is formed in the supporting block, and a blanking pipe is communicated with the bottom end of the blanking hole.

[0013] As another optimization solution for the above-mentioned ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries: A processing hole for exposing the ear is formed in the pressing plate.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] 1. The utility model provides an ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries. The battery cell is conveyed to the cutting position by the transmission unit, the mechanical arm drives the camera to collect the image of the corresponding ear and transmits it to the control unit. The control unit identifies the image and confirms the initial position of the laser and the cutting path of the laser, and cuts the ear, and can adjust the cutting path of the laser in real time to adapt to the cutting of ears with different requirements and match the production speed of soft-pack batteries, thereby improving the production efficiency of soft-pack batteries.

[0016] 2. In the utility model, the battery cell is fixed by the pressing plate and the supporting blocks, avoiding the reduction of processing accuracy caused by the shaking of the battery cell during the laser cutting process. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic structural view of the present utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 is the front view of the present utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 is the three-dimensional view of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 is Figure 2 the partial enlarged view of part A in

[0021] Figure 5 the enlarged view of the bearing unit in the present utility model;

[0022] Reference Numerals: 1, machine tool; 2, conveyor belt; 3, first support; 4, first slide cylinder; 5, second support; 6, second slide cylinder; 7, third slide cylinder; 8, pressing plate; 9, second cylinder; 10, protection claw; 11, first cylinder; 12, laser; 13, exhaust pipe; 14, support block; 15, positioning unit; 16, blanking pipe; 17, third support; 18, third cylinder; 19, blanking hole; 20, avoidance groove; 21, backing plate; 22, receiving groove; 23, spacer block; 24, bearing plate; 25, limiting member; 26, support plate; 27, mounting plate; 28, camera. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0023] The following further elaborates on the technical solutions of the present utility model in combination with specific embodiments. For parts not detailedly described and disclosed in the following embodiments of the present utility model, they should all be understood as the prior art known or should be known to those skilled in the art, such as the setting of the control unit, how the control unit recognizes images, how the control unit controls the robotic arm, etc.

[0024] Embodiment

[0025] A laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries includes a transmission unit disposed on a machine tool 1 and two laser cutting units for cutting tabs. The transmission unit includes a conveyor belt 2 rotatably disposed on the machine tool 1. A plurality of loading units are fixedly arranged on the conveyor belt 2 along its length direction. The loading units move synchronously with the conveyor belt 2. The battery cells are placed on the loading units, and then the conveyor belt 2 drives the battery cells to move synchronously. The loading unit includes two symmetrically arranged loading plates 24. The loading plates 24 are fixedly connected to the conveyor belt 2. Specifically, the loading plates 24 are connected to the conveyor belt 2 through pads 23. The pads 23 are fixedly connected to the conveyor belt 2, and the connection method between them is bolt connection; the loading plates 24 are fixedly connected to the pads 23, and the connection method between them is bolt connection. Limiting members 25 are provided at both ends of each loading plate 24. The four limiting members 25 enclose an accommodation space for accommodating the battery cells. In this embodiment, the loading plate 24 has two limiting members 25. The limiting members 25 are located above the loading plate 24 and are fixedly connected to the loading plate 24. The connection method between them is bolt connection. A first baffle is vertically fixedly connected to the limiting member 25 away from the other loading plate 24. The height of the first baffle is higher than the upper surface of the battery cell; a second baffle is vertically provided at the edge of the limiting member 25 away from the end of the same loading plate 24. The height of the second baffle is lower than the upper surface of the battery cell. The lower surface of the battery cell is located in the accommodation space formed by the four limiting members 25. The lower surface of the tab of the battery cell contacts the end of the second baffle and extends out of the accommodation space.

[0026] The laser cutting units are located on both sides of the transmission unit, corresponding to the tabs at both ends of the battery cell one by one. The number of laser cutting units is two and they are located on both sides of the conveyor belt 2. In this embodiment, one laser cutting unit can cut the tabs of two battery cells at a time. The laser cutting unit includes a camera 28, a laser 12, and a robotic arm for driving the laser 12 and the camera 28. The camera 28 acquires an image of the tab and transmits it to the control unit. The control unit identifies the image and controls the robotic arm to adjust the initial position and cutting path of the laser 12. The robotic arm includes a mounting plate 27, a first driving component for driving the mounting plate 27 to reciprocate along the battery cell conveying direction, a second driving component for driving the mounting plate 27 to reciprocate horizontally along the direction perpendicular to the battery cell conveying direction, and a third driving component for driving the mounting plate 27 to move vertically. The camera 28 and the laser 12 are fixed on the mounting plate 27.

[0027] The first driving component includes a first bracket 3. The first bracket 3 includes two vertical rods distributed along the battery cell conveying direction. The bottom ends of the vertical rods are fixedly connected to the machine tool 1. Specifically, the bottom ends of the two vertical rods are jointly connected with an intermediate plate. The connection mode between the vertical rod and the intermediate plate is bolt connection, and the connection mode between the intermediate plate and the machine tool 1 is bolt connection. At the top of the vertical rod, a first slide cylinder 4 is provided for driving the mounting plate 27 to reciprocate along the battery cell conveying direction. A horizontal plate is fixedly connected to the top of the vertical rod, and the connection mode between the vertical rod and the horizontal plate is bolt connection. The first slide cylinder 4 is fixedly installed on the horizontal plate. The second driving component includes a second bracket 5 fixedly connected to the slide of the first slide cylinder 4. The second bracket 5 includes a vertically arranged first part and a horizontally arranged second part. The first part and the second part are fixedly connected, and the connection mode between them is bolt connection. Two parallel reinforcing plates are fixedly arranged between the first part and the second part. Both the first part and the second part are plate-like structures, and the second part is fixedly connected to the slide of the first slide cylinder 4. The second bracket 5 is provided with a second slide cylinder 6 for driving the mounting plate 27 to reciprocate horizontally along the direction perpendicular to the battery cell conveying direction. In this embodiment, the second slide cylinder 6 is arranged on the first part. The third driving component includes a connecting plate fixedly connected to the slide of the second slide cylinder 6. A third slide cylinder 7 for driving the mounting plate 27 to move vertically is arranged on the connecting plate. The mounting plate 27 is fixedly connected to the slide of the third slide cylinder 7. The laser 12 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate 27.

[0028] The camera 28 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate 27. Specifically, a fixing plate is fixedly connected to the connecting plate, and the connection mode between them is bolt connection. The camera 28 is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and a light source surrounding the camera 28 is arranged on the fixing plate.

[0029] A positioning unit 15 for positioning the positions of tab ears is provided on the machine tool 1. The positioning unit 15 includes a pressing plate 8 located above the battery cell and a plurality of supporting blocks 14 located below the battery cell. The pressing plate 8 is a square plate-like mechanism, and processing holes for exposing the tab ears are provided on the pressing plate 8. In this embodiment, the number of processing holes is four and they are respectively located at the four corners of the pressing plate 8, that is, corresponding to the four tab ears of two battery cells. The pressing plate 8 is driven by two first cylinders 11 to move vertically in a reciprocating manner. The number of the first cylinders 11 is two. Two third brackets 17 are fixedly connected to the machine tool 1, and the third brackets 17 are located on both sides of the conveyor belt 2. The first cylinders 11 are fixedly installed on the corresponding third brackets 17. The number of the supporting blocks 14 is four, corresponding to the four tab ears of two battery cells respectively. A blanking hole 19 is provided on the supporting block 14. The side wall of the blanking hole 19 is an inclined surface. The large end of the blanking hole 19 is located on the upper surface of the supporting block 14, and the small end is located on the lower surface of the supporting block 14; an avoidance groove 20 is provided on the side wall of the blanking hole 19. A blanking pipe 16 is communicated with the bottom end of the blanking hole 19. The cut tab ear waste enters the blanking pipe 16 through the blanking hole 19 and finally flows out through the blanking pipe 16. The supporting blocks 14 are arranged in such a way that a third cylinder 18 is fixedly connected below each third bracket 17. The piston end of the third cylinder 18 is fixedly connected to a sliding plate, and the sliding plate is fixedly connected to the two supporting blocks 14 on this side through a supporting plate 26. In this embodiment, a guiding rod is fixedly connected to the pressing plate 8. The top end of the guiding rod is fixedly connected to the pressing plate 8, and the bottom end of the guiding rod passes through the third bracket 17 and is slidably connected to the sliding plate.

[0030] In this embodiment, four cushion blocks 21 are fixedly connected below the pressing plate 8, and a receiving groove 22 for receiving the battery cell is provided on the cushion block 21. Two clamping units are provided above the pressing plate 8. The clamping units correspond to the battery cells one by one. The clamping unit includes two protection claws 10 slidably connected to the pressing plate 8 and a second cylinder 9. The second cylinder 9 is fixed on the pressing plate 8. The second cylinder 9 drives the two protection claws 10 to move towards or away from each other, for clamping or loosening the battery cell to fix the battery cell and prevent the battery cell from shaking during the cutting process.

[0031] An exhaust pipe 13 is provided on the mounting plate 27 for discharging the gas generated by laser cutting.

[0032] The working process of the laser cutting assembly is as follows: The battery cell is conveyed by the transmission unit between the pressing plate 8 and the supporting blocks 14. The first cylinder 11 drives the pressing plate 8 to press down to fix the tab ear between the pressing plate 8 and the supporting blocks 14. The robotic arm drives the camera 28 to collect the image of the corresponding tab ear and transmit it to the control unit. The control unit identifies the image and confirms the initial position of the laser 12 and the cutting path of the laser 12. After the laser 12 cuts the corresponding tab ear, it cuts the other tab ear on the same side again; after the four tab ears are cut, the first cylinder 11 drives the pressing plate 8 to move upward, and the transmission unit conveys the battery cell to the next working station.

[0033] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use the present utility model. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present utility model. Therefore, the present utility model will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather to the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An ear laser cutting assembly for a soft-pack battery, characterized in that: It includes a transmission unit arranged on a machine tool (1) and two laser cutting units for cutting tab ears. The laser cutting units are located on both sides of the transmission unit and correspond to the tab ears at both ends of the battery cell one by one. The laser cutting unit includes a camera (28), a laser (12), and a robotic arm for driving the laser (12) and the camera (28). The camera (28) acquires an image of the tab ear and transmits it to the control unit, and the control unit identifies the image and determines the initial position and cutting path of the laser (12).

2. The ear laser cutting assembly for a soft-pack battery according to claim 1, wherein: The transmission unit includes a conveyor belt (2) arranged on the machine tool (1). The conveyor belt (2) is fixedly provided with a plurality of spaced-apart bearing units. The bearing unit includes two symmetrically arranged bearing plates (24). Limiting members (25) are arranged at both ends of each bearing plate (24), and the four limiting members (25) enclose an accommodation space for accommodating the battery cell.

3. The ear laser cutting assembly for a soft-pack battery according to claim 1, wherein: The robotic arm includes a mounting plate (27), a first driving assembly for driving the mounting plate (27) to reciprocate in the battery cell conveying direction, a second driving assembly for driving the mounting plate (27) to reciprocate horizontally in the direction perpendicular to the battery cell conveying direction, and a third driving assembly for driving the mounting plate (27) to move vertically. The camera (28) and the laser (12) are fixed on the mounting plate (27).

4. The ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack batteries according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first driving assembly includes a first support (3). The first support (3) includes two vertical rods distributed in the battery cell conveying direction, and a first slide cylinder (4) for driving the mounting plate (27) to reciprocate in the battery cell conveying direction is arranged at the top of the vertical rod.

5. The ear laser cutting assembly for a soft-pack battery according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second driving assembly includes a second support (5) fixedly connected to the slide of the first slide cylinder (4). The second support (5) is provided with a second slide cylinder (6) for driving the mounting plate (27) to reciprocate horizontally in the direction perpendicular to the battery cell conveying direction.

6. The ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack battery according to claim 5, characterized in that: The third driving assembly includes a connecting plate fixedly connected to the slide of the second slide cylinder (6). A third slide cylinder (7) for driving the mounting plate (27) to move vertically is arranged on the connecting plate.

7. The ear laser cutting assembly for a soft-pack battery according to claim 3, wherein: A fixing plate is fixedly connected to the mounting plate (27). The camera (28) is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and a light source surrounding the camera (28) is arranged on the fixing plate.

8. The ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack battery according to claim 1, wherein: A positioning unit (15) for positioning the position of the tab ear is arranged on the machine tool (1). The positioning unit (15) includes a pressing plate (8) located above the battery cell and a plurality of supporting blocks (14) located below the battery cell. The pressing plate (8) is driven to reciprocate vertically by a first cylinder (11).

9. The ear laser cutting assembly for soft-pack battery according to claim 8, characterized in that: A blanking hole (19) is formed in the supporting block (14), and a blanking pipe (16) is communicated with the bottom end of the blanking hole (19).

10. The ear laser cutting assembly for a soft-pack battery according to claim 8, wherein: A processing hole for exposing the tab ear is formed in the pressing plate (8).

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