Device for assembling battery cell into shell

Abstract

The device comprises a first base, a second base and a first driving piece, the first base is provided with a first bearing face used for bearing a battery cell, the second base is provided with a second bearing face used for fixing a shell, the first base is rotationally connected with the second base, and the first driving piece is arranged on the second base. The first bearing surface and the second bearing surface are arranged on the same plane or at an angle; the first driving piece is connected to the first base and used for driving the first base to turn over along the rotating axis so that the first bearing face can rotate to be coplanar with the second bearing face. By adopting the device for loading the battery cell into the shell, the battery cell can be automatically and accurately loaded into the shell, and the accuracy and the operation efficiency of loading the battery cell into the shell are improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of battery manufacturing, in particular to a battery cell housing device. BACKGROUND

[0002] A battery mainly comprises a battery cell and a shell. After the battery cell and the shell are respectively manufactured, the battery cell needs to be assembled into the shell. On the one hand, in the related art, the assembly is usually realized by manual operation of an operator. This mode has problems such as low assembly efficiency, long production cycle, and insufficient assembly precision, and is prone to generate defective products. On the other hand, in the face of irregularly shaped battery cells, there is greater difficulty in alignment during the assembly process, and it is difficult to ensure that the battery cell is accurately housed. CONTENT OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0003] To solve at least one of the above technical problems, the present application provides a battery cell housing device capable of automatically and accurately assembling a battery cell into a shell. The technical scheme adopted is as follows.

[0004] The battery cell housing device provided by the present application comprises a first base, a second base, and a first driving member. The first base has a first receiving surface for receiving a battery cell. The second base has a second receiving surface for fixing a shell. The first base is rotationally connected to the second base, so that the first receiving surface is coplanar with or angularly arranged with the second receiving surface. The first driving member is connected to the first base. The first driving member is used to drive the first base to flip along a rotation axis, so that the first receiving surface is rotated to be coplanar with the second receiving surface.

[0005] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell housing device further comprises a third base and a second driving member. The third base and the second driving member are both arranged on the first receiving surface. The second driving member is connected to the third base. The second driving member is used to drive the third base to move on the first receiving surface, so that the third base is moved to be aligned with the second base.

[0006] In some embodiments of the present application, the battery cell housing device further comprises a slide rail. The slide rail is arranged on the first receiving surface and extends along the rotation axis. The third base is slidingly connected to the slide rail. The second driving member is used to drive the third base to move along the rotation axis to be aligned with the second base.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, a surface of the third base for receiving a battery cell is provided with a vacuum suction port. The vacuum suction port is used to suction the battery cell.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present application, the second base is provided with a fixing groove, and the second receiving surface is formed at the bottom of the fixing groove, and the fixing groove is used for fixing the shell.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the outer periphery of the fixing groove is provided with a clamping jaw, and the clamping jaw is used for clamping the shell.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the clamping jaw is movable in a direction perpendicular to the second receiving surface, and the clamping jaw is used for abutting against the outer periphery of the shell to fix the shell in the fixing groove when the clamping jaw is close to the second receiving surface, and the clamping jaw is separated from the shell when the clamping jaw is away from the second receiving surface.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the sidewall of the fixing groove away from the first receiving surface is provided with an avoiding opening, and the opening direction of the avoiding opening is parallel to the second receiving surface, and the avoiding opening is used for allowing the shell to pass through to enter into or leave the fixing groove.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the avoiding opening is provided with a guide surface towards the fixing groove, so that the direction from the inside of the fixing groove to the outside of the fixing groove gradually increases.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the cell-in-shell device further comprises a base and a driving shaft arranged on the base, the second base is vertically arranged on the base, the driving shaft is connected to the first base, the first driving member is connected to the driving shaft to drive the first base to rotate relative to the base, and the second base is arranged adjacent to the driving shaft.

[0014] The embodiments of the present application have at least the following beneficial effects: the first base is driven to overturn by the first driving member, the mutual rotation between the first base and the second base is realized, and the cell is moved towards the direction close to the shell, until the cell on the first receiving surface is loaded into the shell when the first receiving surface is rotated to be coplanar with the second receiving surface, the effect of cell-in-shell is realized, when the first driving member drives the first base to rotate in the opposite direction, the first base is away from the first base, at this time, the second receiving surface and the first receiving surface are arranged at an angle, the first receiving surface can load the next cell, and the assembled shell and cell on the second receiving surface can be taken out and loaded into the next shell, so as to realize the automatic operation process of cell-in-shell, improve the efficiency of cell-in-shell operation. The first receiving surface and the second receiving surface are matched in the way of mutual rotation, which can simplify the action of moving the two surfaces close to or away from each other, improve the alignment effect, and thus improve the alignment and assembly precision of cell-in-shell, avoid the damage caused by the collision between the cell and the shell during the assembly process, and improve the manufacturing yield of cell-in-shell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The aspects and advantages described and / or attached in the embodiments of the present application will become apparent and easily understood in conjunction with the following drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments embodied in the following drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present application.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the battery cell shell insertion device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the first receiving surface and the second receiving surface of the battery cell housing device viewed along the rotation axis;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of point A.

[0019] Figure numerals: 100, battery cell shell insertion device; 10, first base; 11, first receiving surface; 20, second base; 21, second receiving surface; 22, fixing groove; 221, claw; 222, avoidance opening; 2221, guide surface; 30, first driving member; 40, third base; 50, second driving member; 60, slide rail; 70, base; 71, driving shaft; 200, battery cell; 300, shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following combination Figures 1 to 3 Embodiments of the present application are described in detail, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and are not to be construed as limiting the present application.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "middle", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application. In addition, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0022] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connecting" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, can be fixed connection, can also be detachable connection, or integrally connected; can be mechanical connection, can also be electrical connection; can be directly connected, can also be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be the communication inside two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 The present application provides an electric core into shell device 100, comprising a first base 10, a second base 20 and a first driving member 30, the first base 10 has a first receiving surface 11 for receiving the electric core 200, the second base 20 has a second receiving surface 21 for fixing the shell 300, the first base 10 is rotatably connected with the second base 20, so that the first receiving surface 11 and the second receiving surface 21 are coplanar or angularly arranged. The first driving member 30 is connected to the first base 10, and the first driving member 30 is used to drive the first base 10 to flip along the rotation axis, so that the first receiving surface 11 is rotated to be coplanar with the second receiving surface 21. By driving the first base 10 to flip through the first driving member 30, the mutual rotation between the first base 10 and the second base 20 can be realized, and the electric core 200 is driven to move towards the direction close to the shell 300, until the first receiving surface 11 is rotated to be coplanar with the second receiving surface 21 (as shown in Figure 2 (a)), the electric core 200 located on the first receiving surface 11 can be loaded into the shell 300, realizing the effect of electric core into shell. When the first driving member 30 drives the first base 10 to rotate in the opposite direction (as shown in Figure 2 (b)), the first base 10 is away from the first base 10, at this time, the second receiving surface 21 and the first receiving surface 11 are angularly arranged, the first receiving surface 11 can be put into the next electric core 200, and the assembled shell 300 of the second receiving surface 21 and the electric core 200 can be taken out and put into the next shell 300, so as to realize the automatic operation process of electric core into shell, improve the efficiency of electric core into shell operation. The first receiving surface 11 and the second receiving surface 21 are matched by rotating each other, which can simplify the action of moving the two surfaces close to or away from each other, improve the alignment effect, thereby improving the alignment and assembly precision of the electric core into shell, avoiding the damage caused by the collision between the electric core 200 and the shell 300 in the assembly process, and improving the manufacturing yield of the electric core into shell.

[0024] It can be understood that the same mechanical arm or different mechanical arms can be used to feed the battery cell 200 and the shell 300 respectively, and when the battery cell 200 and the shell 300 are assembled to form a battery, the mechanical arm can be used to take out the battery. The battery cell 200 and the shell 300 can be transported to the vicinity of the battery cell shell feeding device 100 by a feeding conveyor belt, and then the mechanical arm can be used for feeding operation. After the mechanical arm takes out the battery, the battery can also be placed on a discharging conveyor belt and transported away. Here, no limitation is made.

[0025] In some embodiments, the battery cell shell feeding device 100 further comprises a third base 40 and a second driving member 50, both of which are arranged on the first supporting surface 11. The second driving member 50 is connected to the third base 40 and is used to drive the third base 40 to move on the first supporting surface 11, so that the third base 40 moves to be aligned with the second base 20. By arranging the second driving member 50 to drive the third base 40 to move, on the one hand, the battery cell 200 can be aligned with the shell 300 before the first base 10 drives the battery cell 200 to flip towards the shell 300, that is, the projection of the battery cell 200 along its flipping track on the second supporting surface 21 is just located in the shell 300. In this way, it can be ensured that the battery cell 200 can accurately enter the shell 300 after flipping, thereby improving the accuracy of the battery cell shell feeding, avoiding the battery cell 200 and the shell 300 from colliding with each other, and improving the operation accuracy and reliability of the battery cell shell feeding process. On the other hand, before the first base 10 flips, the third base 40 can not be directly opposite to the position of the shell 300 of the second base 20, but can have a certain misalignment with the shell 300 first. In this way, it can be convenient for the battery cell 200 and the shell 300 to be fed or discharged respectively, and avoid the third base 40 and the second base 20 being too close to each other, which causes mutual interference in the feeding process. After the feeding is completed, the third base 40 is moved until it is aligned with the second base 20. In this way, it can help to improve the operation convenience and reliability of the battery cell 200 and the shell 300 during the feeding and discharging process, and can also ensure the accuracy of the battery cell shell feeding.

[0026] In some embodiments, the cell housing device 100 further comprises a slide rail 60, which is arranged on the first supporting surface 11 and extends along the rotation axis direction, and the third base 40 is slidingly connected to the slide rail 60, and the second driving member 50 is configured to drive the third base 40 to move along the rotation axis direction to be aligned with the second base 20. By using the guiding effect of the slide rail 60, the stability and accuracy of the movement of the third base 40 can be improved, thereby improving the alignment accuracy and assembly effect between the cell 200 and the shell 300. By setting the extension direction of the slide rail 60 to be parallel to the rotation axis direction, on the one hand, the third base 40 can be guided and limited to move along this direction, thereby adjusting the relative position of the third base 40 and the first base 10; on the other hand, the adjustment direction of the third base 40 can be simplified, and the alignment process between the third base 40 and the second base 20 is simpler, thereby improving the alignment efficiency and making the structure of the cell housing device 100 more compact.

[0027] As an alternative implementation, the movement trajectory of the third base 40 on the first supporting surface 11 can not be limited to a direction parallel to the rotation axis direction, but can also be a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction. The movement trajectory of the third base 40 can be a linear trajectory, or a curved trajectory or other movement trajectory, which is not limited herein.

[0028] In some embodiments, the cell housing device 100 can further be provided with a camera module (not shown), which is arranged on the first base 10, the second base 20 or the third base 40. The camera module is configured to detect the position of the third base 40 relative to the second base 20, thereby identifying whether the third base 40 is aligned with the first base 10, so that the cell 200 can be adjusted to a suitable position before the first base 10 is rotated, thereby ensuring that the cell 200 can be accurately assembled into the shell 300 after the first base 10 is rotated.

[0029] For example, the first driving member 30 and the second driving member 50 can be power components such as motors or air cylinders.

[0030] As an optional implementation, the second supporting surface 21 can be vertically arranged, and the first supporting surface 11 can be horizontally arranged, so that the cell 200 on the first supporting surface 11 can be stably placed, and the shell 300 can be fixed by the clamping structure. After the first supporting surface 11 is rotated by 90° from the horizontal state to be coplanar with the second supporting surface 21, the cell 200 can be assembled into the shell 300. Of course, in other examples, the first supporting surface 11 and the second supporting surface 21 can also be arranged at other angles, which are not limited herein. In the following, the vertically arranged second supporting surface 21 and the horizontally arranged first supporting surface 11 will be taken as an example for further description.

[0031] In some embodiments, in order to improve the stability of the battery cell 200 during the process of entering the shell, the surface of the third base 40 for accommodating the battery cell 200 is provided with a vacuum suction port for suctioning the battery cell 200. By using the negative pressure effect of the vacuum suction port, the suction force can be applied to the back of the battery cell 200, thereby improving the connection strength between the battery cell 200 and the third base 40, avoiding the battery cell 200 from falling off during the process of the third base 40 rotating towards the second bearing surface, and thus improving the reliability and efficiency of the battery cell entering the shell operation. It can be understood that the vacuum suction port is connected to a vacuumizing device (such as a vacuum pump, etc.), and when the battery cell 200 is loaded into the shell 300, the vacuumizing device can stop vacuumizing, thereby releasing the suction effect on the battery cell 200, so that the battery cell 200 is separated from the third base 40.

[0032] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 3 , the second base 20 is provided with a fixing groove 22, and the second bearing surface 21 is formed at the bottom of the fixing groove 22, and the fixing groove 22 is used for fixing the shell 300. By providing the fixing groove 22, the fixing effect of the shell 300 can be achieved, and when the second bearing surface 21 is vertically arranged, the shell 300 can also be prevented from falling off from the vertical plane, thereby improving the stability of the battery cell entering the shell operation process. It can be understood that the inner wall of the fixing groove 22 can be clamped with the shell 300, and the fixing of the shell 300 can be achieved by using the friction effect of the inner wall of the fixing groove 22. Of course, further, a clamping jaw 221 or the like can also be provided to fix the shell 300.

[0033] In some embodiments, the outer periphery of the fixing groove 22 is provided with a clamping jaw 221, and the clamping jaw 221 is used for clamping the shell 300. By providing the clamping jaw 221, the contact area with the shell 300 can be further increased, the fixing effect of the fixing groove 22 on the shell 300 can be improved, and the risk of the shell 300 falling off during the process of the battery cell entering the shell can be further reduced.

[0034] Exemplarily, a plurality of clamping jaws 221 can be provided, and the plurality of clamping jaws 221 are arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the fixing groove 22, so that the clamping force of the clamping jaw 221 on the shell 300 is more evenly distributed.

[0035] In some embodiments, the clamping jaw 221 is movable in a direction perpendicular to the second bearing surface 21, and when the clamping jaw 221 is close to the second bearing surface 21, it is used for abutting against the outer periphery of the shell 300 to fix the shell 300 in the fixing groove 22, and when the clamping jaw 221 is away from the second bearing surface 21, it is separated from the shell 300. By moving the clamping jaw 221 in a direction perpendicular to the second bearing surface 21, when the clamping jaw 221 is close to the second bearing surface 21, the shell 300 can be pressed tightly in the fixing groove 22, and when the clamping jaw 221 is away from the second bearing surface 21, the clamping jaw 221 can release the pressing effect on the shell 300, thereby releasing the shell 300, and facilitating the shell 300 to be taken out of the fixing groove 22.

[0036] It can be understood that the shell 300 itself forms an internal cavity, and the battery cell 200 is finally loaded into the cavity of the shell 300. In order to avoid the blocking of the clamping jaw 221 to the battery cell during the loading process, the clamping jaw 221 is clamped on the outer edge of the shell 300, and the clamping jaw 221 avoids extending into the cavity, so as to ensure that the battery cell 200 is loaded into the cavity of the shell 300 without scratching the clamping jaw 221.

[0037] As an alternative embodiment, the clamping jaw 221 can move in a direction parallel to the second bearing surface 21, and the clamping jaw 221 can be clamped on the side wall of the shell 300 to fix the shell 300, and the clamping jaw 221 can also move in a direction parallel to the second bearing surface 21 and away from the shell 300 to release the shell 300. The direction of the movement of the clamping jaw 221 is not limited herein.

[0038] In some embodiments, the side wall of the fixing groove 22 away from the first bearing surface 11 is provided with a bypass opening 222, and the opening direction of the bypass opening 222 is parallel to the second bearing surface 21. The bypass opening 222 is used for the shell 300 to pass through to enter or leave the fixing groove 22. By providing the bypass opening 222, the side wall of the shell 300 can be exposed from the fixing groove 22, which facilitates the mechanical arm to put the shell 300 into the fixing groove 22 through the bypass opening 222 or take the shell 300 out of the fixing groove 22. The direction in which the shell 300 is put into or taken out of the fixing groove 22 can be parallel to the second bearing surface 21, as shown in (b), the shell 300 can be put into the fixing groove 22 in the z direction or taken out of the fixing groove 22 in the z direction, so that the action route of the shell 300 can be simplified, and the loading and unloading operations of the shell 300 and the loading and unloading operations of the battery cell 200 can be avoided. Figure 2

[0039] In some embodiments, the bypass opening 222 is provided with a guide surface 2221 facing the fixing groove 22, so that the direction from the inside of the fixing groove 22 to the outside of the fixing groove 22 gradually increases. By providing the guide surface 2221, the shell 300 can be smoothly guided into the fixing groove 22, and the smoothness and reliability of the loading of the shell 300 can be improved. Exemplarily, the guide surface 2221 can be a chamfered inclined surface facing the inside of the fixing groove 22.

[0040] ​In some embodiments, the battery cell shell insertion device 100 further includes a base 70 and a drive shaft 71 disposed on the base 70. The second base 20 is vertically disposed on the base 70. The drive shaft 71 is connected to the first base 10. The first drive member 30 is connected to the drive shaft 71 to drive the first base 10 to rotate relative to the base 70. The second base 20 is disposed adjacent to the drive shaft 71. By arranging the second base 20 adjacent to the drive shaft 71, the rotation radius of the first base 10 can be reduced, thereby shortening the path length of the first base 10's rotation. This can, on the one hand, shorten the time it takes to insert the battery cell 200 into the shell 300 and improve the efficiency of battery cell shell insertion. On the other hand, it can also make the structure of the entire battery cell shell insertion device 100 more compact.

[0041] As an optional embodiment, during the process of inserting the battery core into the shell, the side of the battery core 200 close to one end of the drive shaft 71 (rotation axis) can first enter the shell 300, or abut against the shell 300. During the process of rotating from the first receiving surface 11 toward the second receiving surface 21, one end of the battery core 200 can always maintain abutment with the shell 300 until the other end of the battery core 200 is rotated and loaded into the shell 300, that is, the entire battery core 200 is loaded into the shell 300. In this way, the mutual abutment between the battery core 200 and the shell 300 can be used to provide support and limit the battery core 200 during the process of rotating into the shell, thereby preventing the battery core 200 from slipping or misalignment during the loading process, thereby improving the stability of the battery core 200 during rotation and the accuracy of the alignment of the battery core 200 and the shell 300.

[0042] In the description of this specification, if the reference terms "one embodiment," "some examples," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" appear, it means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0043] The above describes the implementation methods of the present application in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above implementation methods. Various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application.

[0044] In the description of this application, if the "," appears in the patent title, it indicates an "and" relationship, not an "or" relationship. For example, if the patent title is "A, B", it means that the content protected by this application is: the technical solution of the subject name A and the technical solution of the subject name B.

Claims

1. An electrode cell-in-can apparatus, characterized by: Comprising a first base having a first receiving surface for receiving the battery cell, and a second base having a second receiving surface for fixing the shell, the first base being rotatably connected with the second base so that the first receiving surface is coplanar with or angularly arranged with the second receiving surface; a first driving member connected with the first base, the first driving member being configured to drive the first base to flip along a rotation axis so that the first receiving surface is rotated to be coplanar with the second receiving surface.

2. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The battery cell shell-in device further comprises a third base and a second driving member, the third base and the second driving member are both arranged on the first receiving surface, the second driving member is connected with the third base, and the second driving member is configured to drive the third base to move on the first receiving surface so that the third base is moved to be aligned with the second base.

3. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 2, wherein: The battery cell shell-in device further comprises a slide rail, the slide rail is arranged on the first receiving surface and extends along the rotation axis, the third base is slidably connected with the slide rail, and the second driving member is configured to drive the third base to move along the rotation axis to be aligned with the second base.

4. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 2, wherein: A surface of the third base for receiving the battery cell is provided with a vacuum suction port, and the vacuum suction port is configured to suction the battery cell.

5. The cell-in-can apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The second base is provided with a fixing groove, the second receiving surface is formed at a bottom of the fixing groove, and the fixing groove is configured to fix the shell.

6. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 5, wherein: The fixing groove is provided with a clamping jaw at an outer periphery thereof, and the clamping jaw is configured to clamp the shell.

7. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 6, wherein: The clamping jaw is movable along a direction perpendicular to the second receiving surface, the clamping jaw is configured to abut against an outer periphery of the shell to fix the shell in the fixing groove when the clamping jaw is close to the second receiving surface, and the clamping jaw is separated from the shell when the clamping jaw is away from the second receiving surface.

8. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 5, wherein: A side wall of the fixing groove away from the first receiving surface is provided with an avoiding port, an opening direction of the avoiding port is parallel to the second receiving surface, and the avoiding port is configured to allow the shell to pass through to enter into or exit from the fixing groove.

9. The cell-in-can apparatus of claim 8, wherein: The avoiding port is provided with a guide surface facing the fixing groove, so that a direction from the inside of the fixing groove to the outside of the fixing groove gradually increases.

10. The cell-in-can apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The battery cell shell-in device further comprises a base and a driving shaft arranged on the base, the second base is vertically arranged on the base, the driving shaft is connected with the first base, the first driving member is connected with the driving shaft to drive the first base to rotate relative to the base, and the second base is arranged adjacent to the driving shaft.

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