Rotary positioning and detecting mechanism for battery cell lead
By using a parallel clamping device and sensors to sense the lead rotation angle, the problem of unstable lead positioning in cell manufacturing was solved, enabling stable continuity detection and low-cost production.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422917784.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-31
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-28
AI Technical Summary
In the current battery cell manufacturing process, the positioning of the leads is unstable, which makes continuity testing difficult, the leads are prone to deformation, affecting production efficiency and yield, and also increases manufacturing costs.
A simple parallel clamping device is adopted. The sensor detects the rotation angle of the lead wire and fixes it to a specific position. The parallel grippers are used for continuity detection, eliminating the need for a conduction shaft and simplifying the clamping structure.
This achieves stable positioning of the lead wire, reduces the risk of deformation, improves production efficiency and yield, reduces manufacturing costs, and ensures the stability of continuity testing.
Smart Images
Figure CN223501914U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to a rotation positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads. Background Technology
[0002] With the rapid development of battery cell (and battery) manufacturing, there is a growing demand for more efficient cell manufacturing processes. In particular, the control over the cell leads (also known as tabs) is becoming increasingly stringent in order to ensure stable and high-quality cell manufacturing.
[0003] For example, in the battery cell winding process, the winding equipment needs to perform continuity testing using the battery cell leads to remove those that fail the continuity test. Specifically, Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates the various units involved in the existing cell winding and continuity testing process. For example... Figure 1 As shown, in the battery cell winding process, the winding unloading unit 100' and the continuity detection unit 200' in the winding equipment are used sequentially to manufacture and inspect the battery cells. Generally, the winding unloading unit 100' and the continuity detection unit 200' have two-segment or three-segment stations, but... Figure 1 The structure consists of three stations, each with a 120° rotation interval. The winding and unloading unit 100' is set to rotate counterclockwise, and the continuity detection unit 200' is set to rotate clockwise. First, at station 1 of the winding and unloading unit 100', the cathode, anode, and diaphragm, after film bonding and insertion, are wound together into a battery cell 10' by the rotating device 101'. Then, the battery cell 10' is transported to station 2 by the rotation of the winding and unloading unit 100'. At station 2, the diaphragm is cut to complete the winding of the battery cell 10'. Finally, it is fixed with finishing adhesive to prevent the wound battery cell 10' from unraveling. Next, the wound battery cell 10' is transported to station 3 by the rotation of the winding unloading unit 100'. At station 3, the battery cell 10' is transferred to the three-jaw unloading unit 200' via a pair of holding jaws 201' for voltage withstand continuity testing. During this transfer, the pair of holding jaws 201' at station 4 extends to the position shown by the dotted line and clamps the battery cell 10', then retracts in this state. Next, the battery cell 10' is transported to station 5 by the rotation of the three-jaw unloading unit 200' for continuity testing to check for leakage or breakdown issues. During the continuity test, the pair of holding jaws 201' continuously extends and clamps the battery cell 10', retracting after the test is completed. If a poor conductivity is confirmed, i.e., the battery cell 10' is broken down by the voltage / current applied by the withstand voltage testing device, it is judged as a defective product and rotated to station 6 for sorting and discharge. Utility Model Content
[0004] As described above, in the current winding process, because there is no positioning control for the leads 11' in the cell 10', their unloading position is random, making it difficult to perform withstand voltage continuity testing. As a countermeasure, in the existing three-jaw unloading unit 200', a relatively complex three-segmented annular jaw 202' and a conduction shaft 203' are respectively provided on the positive and negative sides of the cell 10' to clamp the leads 11' (including the positive and negative leads) for continuity testing. Figure 1 As shown, the existing three-segment annular gripper 202' adopts an annular design with three roughly fan-shaped components, each fan-shaped component being set at approximately 120°. During continuity testing, this three-segment annular gripper 202' clamps the lead wire 11' in conjunction with the conduction shaft 203', for example, through air expansion, and is electrically connected to a withstand voltage testing device (not shown). It should be noted that... Figure 1 The diagram only schematically shows the lead 11' on one side of the battery cell 10', but the other side also has a similar structure with a three-segmented annular gripper 202' and a conductive shaft 203'. However, when the three-jaw unloading unit 200' uses the three-segmented annular gripper 202' to hold the lead 11', it may collide with the lead 11' and deform it, making it impossible to confirm and record the test data of the battery cell 10'. In this case, unlike the case of being judged as a defective product, the three-jaw unloading unit 200' does not rotate 120° to station 6, but only rotates clockwise, for example, 90°. Figure 1The battery cell 10' is discharged from the lower side of station 5. After such abnormal discharge, the battery cell undergoes a forced continuity test manually, during which a high voltage is directly applied to the positive and negative terminals to check for breakdown. This operation not only increases the manual workmanship but also reduces the first-pass yield of the battery cell. Furthermore, the three-section annular grippers 202' clamp the lead 11' in a 360° circumference, and the gaps between the three grippers can easily cause clamping failures. In addition, as mentioned above, since the three-section annular grippers 202' are roughly fan-shaped with a curved clamping surface, when clamping the lead 11' in conjunction with the circular cross-section conductive shaft 203', some of the lead 11' may be bent by this curved surface, potentially damaging the battery cell 10' and causing defects. This situation affects subsequent processing steps and reduces the productivity of the battery cell. Furthermore, depending on the type of cell 10', some types of leads 11' may be extremely close to the center of cell 10'. In this case, the conduction shaft 203' in the continuity test is adjusted to be thinner accordingly, resulting in poor versatility, higher requirements for its strength, increased manufacturing costs, and the possibility of breakage of the conduction shaft 203', making it impossible to perform continuity test stably.
[0005] This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads that can perform continuity testing stably with low manufacturing cost and that makes it less likely for the battery cell leads to deform during manufacturing.
[0006] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the inventors of this invention conducted repeated and in-depth research. To fundamentally avoid the problem of lead wire bending caused by curved clamping as described above, the existing three-segmented annular clamp 202' was eliminated, and instead, a simple parallel clamping device with a pair of parallel clamps was used to clamp the leads in parallel. As a result, the battery cell leads are less likely to be bent and deformed during continuity testing, making subsequent processing more efficient. Furthermore, because the shape and structure of each clamping component used for continuity testing are simplified and their number is reduced, clamping failures are less likely, and collisions with the leads during clamping can be suppressed. This ensures lead wire safety, suppresses damage to the battery cell, and greatly improves productivity. In addition, since the clamping device of this invention eliminates the use of the conduction shaft 203', problems such as breakage and poor versatility caused by it are completely avoided, reducing manufacturing costs and making continuity testing more stable.
[0007] Furthermore, in order to use a parallel clamping device with such a simple structure as described above, the inventors of this invention focused on sensing, adjusting, and fixing the rotational position, i.e., the rotational orientation, of the lead during the winding process. Based on the desired lead orientation (i.e., the required setting orientation θ in the parallel clamping device) obtained from continuity testing using this parallel clamping device, the rotation angle of the lead during handling at previous stations is traced back, thereby deducing the rotational positioning orientation X of the lead at station 2. Then, at station 2, a sensor is used to sense the rotation of the lead (positive or negative lead), and after sensing the lead, the cell continues to rotate to fix the sensed lead to the aforementioned deduced rotational positioning orientation X. Thus, through a series of handling operations at subsequent stations, the lead can finally be successfully clamped parallel to the desired setting orientation θ in the aforementioned parallel clamping device. The addition and control of such sensing leads are important and inseparable for the subsequent use of the parallel clamping device described above. They need to be considered comprehensively, and this utility model cannot be realized by considering only one aspect.
[0008] This utility model was completed based on the above-mentioned discovery, and its main purpose is as follows.
[0009] [1] A rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads, characterized in that it comprises:
[0010] A winding and unloading unit with the function of winding into battery cells;
[0011] A cell sensor capable of sensing the rotation of either the positive or negative lead of the aforementioned cell in the winding and unloading unit; and
[0012] A continuity detection unit is disposed adjacent to the winding and unloading unit and is used to clamp and transfer the battery cells in the winding and unloading unit and to perform continuity detection on the battery cells.
[0013] The aforementioned winding and unloading unit includes a rotation device capable of rotating the battery cell around its own central axis and capable of rotating and fixing either the sensed positive lead or the sensed negative lead to a specific rotation positioning position X.
[0014] The aforementioned continuity detection unit includes a positive conduction side that clamps the positive lead and a negative conduction side that clamps the negative lead.
[0015] A parallel clamping device is provided on at least one of the positive electrode conducting side and the negative electrode conducting side. This device has a pair of parallel jaws that clamp the lead wire substantially parallel in the thickness direction of the lead wire, and is capable of performing the aforementioned continuity detection via the clamping device.
[0016] The rotational positioning orientation X at the winding and unloading unit is derived from the required orientation θ in the parallel clamping device.
[0017] [2] According to the rotating positioning and detection mechanism of the battery cell lead described in [1], the part of the pair of parallel jaws in the parallel clamping device that clamps the lead has a flat or slightly arc-shaped clamping surface.
[0018] [3] The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead wire described in [1] or [2] is characterized in that the winding and unloading unit and the conduction detection unit are respectively structures with n-divided workstations, where n is an integer greater than 2.
[0019] [4] According to the rotating positioning and detection mechanism of the battery cell lead described in [3], the above-mentioned n-segmentation station is a three-segmentation station with a single rotation of 120°, and the rotation directions of the above-mentioned winding and unloading unit and the above-mentioned continuity detection unit are opposite.
[0020] [5] According to the rotating positioning and detection mechanism of the battery cell lead described in [3], the above-mentioned n-segmentation station is a four-segmentation station with a single rotation of 90°, and the rotation directions of the above-mentioned winding and unloading unit and the above-mentioned continuity detection unit are opposite.
[0021] [6] The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead described in [4] is characterized in that the rotating positioning orientation X is approximately parallel to the setting orientation θ.
[0022] [7] The cell lead rotation positioning and detection mechanism according to any one of [1] to [6] is characterized in that the cell sensor uses a laser to sense either the positive lead or the negative lead.
[0023] [8] The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to any one of [1] to [7] is characterized in that the sensing and monitoring range of the battery cell sensor is the width range from the outermost side of the battery cell to the central axis of the battery cell.
[0024] [9] The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead as described in [8] is characterized in that the width range is the side of the battery cell closest to the battery cell sensor.
[0025]
[10] The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to any one of [1] to [9] is characterized in that the parallel clamping device in the above-mentioned continuity detection unit is disposed on one side of the lead that is easily deformed.
[0026] Utility Model Effect
[0027] According to this utility model, a rotation positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads can be provided, which can perform continuity testing stably with low manufacturing cost and prevent the battery cell leads from deforming during manufacturing. Attached Figure Description
[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the various units involved in the existing winding process for battery cells, including winding and continuity testing.
[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a rotating positioning and testing mechanism for a battery cell lead with three segmented workstations according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a rotating positioning and testing mechanism for a battery cell lead with four segmented workstations according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0031] The following is a detailed description of the rotation positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead of this utility model, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are illustrative, merely representing general or specific examples, and can take many different forms. The numerical values, shapes, materials, constituent elements, the arrangement and connection of constituent elements, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are all examples and are not intended to limit this utility model. Furthermore, constituent elements in the following embodiments that are not described in the independent claims are described as optional constituent elements. In addition, the drawings disclosed in this specification are, in principle, only schematic illustrations. That is, the size ratios in the drawings may not be consistent with the actual size ratios, and the size ratios may not be consistent between different drawings. In the drawings, substantially identical components are represented by the same symbols, and repeated descriptions are omitted or simplified.
[0032] Furthermore, in this specification, the terms used to indicate the relationships between elements, the terms used to indicate the shape of elements, and the numerical ranges are not only expressions in a strict sense, but also include expressions that indicate substantially equivalent ranges, such as differences of a few percent.
[0033] (First Embodiment)
[0034] The following is a detailed description of the rotation positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to the first embodiment of this utility model.
[0035] The cell lead rotation positioning and detection mechanism of this embodiment includes: a winding and unloading unit with the function of winding into a cell; a cell sensor capable of sensing the rotation of either the positive or negative lead of the cell in the winding and unloading unit; and a continuity detection unit disposed adjacent to the winding and unloading unit for clamping and transferring the cell in the winding and unloading unit and performing continuity detection on the cell. The winding and unloading unit is equipped with a mechanism that allows the cell to rotate about its own central axis and can detect the rotation of either the positive or negative lead. A rotating device is used to rotate and fix any one of the leads to a specific rotational positioning position X. The continuity detection unit has a positive conduction side that clamps the positive lead and a negative conduction side that clamps the negative lead. A parallel clamping device is provided on at least one of the positive and negative conduction sides. The parallel clamping device has a pair of parallel jaws that clamp the lead in a substantially parallel direction in the thickness direction of the lead and can perform continuity detection through them. The rotational positioning position X at the winding and unloading unit is derived according to the required setting position θ in the parallel clamping device.
[0036] Figure 2 An example of a cell lead rotation positioning and detection mechanism according to the first embodiment of this utility model is shown schematically. Figure 2 As shown, the cell lead rotation positioning and detection mechanism 1000 includes: a winding and unloading unit 100 with the function of winding into a cell 10; and a mechanism capable of sensing either the positive or negative lead of the cell 10 in the winding and unloading unit 100. Figure 2 The text describes a rotating cell sensor 301 (represented by lead 11) and a continuity detection unit 200, which is adjacent to the winding and unloading unit 100 and used to grip and transfer the cell 10 in the winding and unloading unit 100 and to detect the continuity of the cell 10. The winding and unloading unit 100 includes a sensor 301 capable of rotating the cell 10 about its own central axis and capable of detecting either the positive or negative lead (represented by lead 11). Figure 2 The rotating device 101 (represented by lead wire 11) is rotated and fixed to a specific rotational positioning position X. The continuity detection unit 200 has a positive conduction side that clamps the positive lead wire and a negative conduction side that clamps the negative lead wire. A parallel clamping device 202 is provided on at least one of the positive and negative conduction sides. The parallel clamping device 202 has a pair of parallel jaws 202a that clamp the lead wire 11 in a substantially parallel direction in the thickness direction of the lead wire 11 and can perform continuity detection through them. The rotational positioning position X at the winding unloading unit 100 is derived according to the required setting position θ in the parallel clamping device 202.
[0037] Therefore, in the winding equipment, by employing the cell lead rotation positioning and detection mechanism 1000 of this embodiment, the rotation angle of the lead 11, i.e., the rotation positioning orientation X, can be accurately controlled and positioned. After the cells 10 are transported through subsequent stations, the lead 11 in the cell 10 is finally positioned at the required orientation θ, which is suitable for parallel clamping by the parallel grippers 202a. This allows for simple and stable withstand voltage continuity testing, and the lead 11 becomes less prone to deformation, ensuring the productivity of the cells.
[0038] The following, combined with Figure 2 The rotation positioning and detection mechanism 1000 for the battery cell leads in this embodiment will be described in more detail.
[0039] In this embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the winding unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 in the winding equipment are used in sequence to manufacture and test the battery cell 10.
[0040] It should be noted that, in Figure 2 In this description, both the winding unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 are illustrated using a three-step rotation configuration, i.e., a three-segment station configuration. That is, both the winding unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 rotate only 120° per rotation under the control of a stepper motor (not shown), returning to their initial position after three rotations. However, this is not a limitation; they can also be configured with n segments (where n is an integer greater than 2), as described later. For example, in addition to three segments, the winding unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 can also have two, four, or more segments, respectively. In the case of a two-segment station, each rotation is 180°. In the case of a four-segment station, each rotation is 90°. The number of segments in the winding unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 can be the same or different. Furthermore, in... Figure 2 In this design, the rotation directions of the winding and unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 are set to opposite directions, but this is not a limitation; they can be set to the same direction depending on the situation. Furthermore, the winding and unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 are shown operating on the same plane, but this is not a limitation; adjustments can be made based on actual manufacturing conditions, etc. However, in actual manufacturing, the rotation surfaces of the winding and unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 are generally configured to be parallel to each other.
[0041] Furthermore, generally, the battery cell 10 has a positive lead and a negative lead at its two axial ends, respectively. Therefore, during continuity testing, both the positive and negative leads of the battery cell 10 are electrically connected simultaneously to perform the continuity test. However, for ease of illustration and explanation, withstand voltage testing devices are omitted, and only one lead is used as an example for explanation. Figure 2 The middle part is represented by the leader line 11.
[0042] First, the winding of the battery cell 10 is completed in the winding and unwinding unit 100 of the winding equipment. In the winding process of the battery cell 10, as in the past, at station 1, the cathode, anode and separator after film bonding and insertion are wound together into a battery cell 10 by the rotating device 101. However, this rotating device 101 is different from the past. It can not only rotate the battery cell 10 around its own central axis, but also, for example, at a subsequent station 2, can rotate and fix either the positive lead or the negative lead (represented by lead 11 in the figure) sensed by the battery cell sensor 301 located nearby to a specific orientation, namely the rotation positioning orientation X.
[0043] Next, the battery cell 10 obtained at station 1 is rotated 120° counterclockwise by the winding and unloading unit 100 and transported to station 2. At station 2, the diaphragm is cut, completing the winding of the battery cell 10. Then, the battery cell 10 is secured with finishing adhesive to prevent the wound battery cell 10 from unraveling. In this embodiment, a battery cell sensor 301 is placed near station 2. After the finishing adhesive is applied to the battery cell 10, it continues to rotate via the rotating device 101. Simultaneously, the battery cell sensor 301 begins to sense the rotation of the lead wire 11. The output, sensing method, and means of the battery cell sensor 301 are not particularly limited; for example, a laser sensor that outputs laser light can be used to sense the rotation of the lead wire 11. When using a laser sensor as the battery cell sensor 301, the laser sensor itself can immediately sense when the rotating lead wire 11 interrupts the laser light emitted from the laser sensor. Figure 2 The lead wire at position α, indicated by the dashed line. Next, the lead wire 11 is rotated and positioned to a specific rotational positioning position X using the rotating device 101. Figure 2(Position of position β). In this case, due to the high sensitivity of the laser sensor, it can detect the laser as soon as it is cut off by the lead 11, and output a signal command to the rotating device 101 to rotate the lead 11 to the rotation positioning orientation X. Therefore, the positioning accuracy of the rotation positioning orientation X is improved, and error control becomes easier. In contrast, without using the cell sensor 301 of this embodiment, although some devices can roughly predict the orientation of the lead 11 by the insertion position of the lead 11 in the diaphragm and the winding time when winding at station 1, the rotation positioning orientation X obtained after such rotation control has a very large angular deflection error relative to the theoretical value of the rotation positioning orientation X obtained by reverse calculation based on the setting orientation θ required in the parallel clamping device 202 described later, which can reach 50°, so the parallel clamping device 202 cannot be applied. In order to apply the parallel clamping device 202, the angular deviation error of the rotational positioning orientation X obtained after actual rotation relative to the theoretical value is preferably within the range of ±2°, more preferably within the range of ±1°, and most preferably 0°.
[0044] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the rotational positioning orientation X and the aforementioned setting orientation θ are in-plane directions of the rotation plane of their respective units, and their positional relationship is relative to each other, which can also be represented by the relative angle between them. For example, when the rotational positioning orientation X and the setting orientation θ are parallel (also called aligned), they can be considered to have a relative angle of 0°; when the rotational positioning orientation X and the setting orientation θ are perpendicular, they can be considered to have a relative angle of 90°. The rotational positioning orientation X can be derived by tracing back the rotation angle of the lead wire 11 during the handling at each of the previous workstations based on the required setting orientation θ. Although this will be described in detail below, Figure 2 In the case of such a three-part workstation, according to the above-described derivation method, it is preferable that the rotational positioning orientation X and the setting orientation θ are approximately parallel. In this specification, "approximately parallel" means that the relative angle between them is within 5°, preferably within 3°, more preferably within 2°, further preferably within 1°, and most preferably 0°.
[0045] Furthermore, the sensing and monitoring range of the cell sensor 301 is preferably limited to a specific distance range. This sensing and monitoring range is preferably a width range (i.e., the radius of the cell 10) extending from the outermost edge of the cell 10 to its central axis (corresponding to the winding needle). This allows only the lead 11 to be sensed, minimizing interference from objects outside the monitoring range (e.g., tools used for cutting the diaphragm). To avoid interference, sensing and monitoring are not performed outside this range. Furthermore, the width of the sensing and monitoring range is preferably the side of the cell 10 closest to the cell sensor 301. This shortens the distance between the cell sensor 301 and the sensing and monitoring range, making it less susceptible to interference from objects outside the monitoring range. It should be noted that the cell sensor 301 is only required to be undisturbed, not hinder the operation of each workstation, and reliably sense the lead 11. Its placement is not particularly limited, but to achieve the aforementioned effects more effectively, it is preferable to place it close to the lead 11 to be sensed. As an example, in this embodiment, although it varies depending on the battery cell 10, the sensing and monitoring range is generally set to be within a range of 45mm to 50mm from the sensing emission port (or laser emission port in the case of a laser sensor) of the battery cell sensor 301.
[0046] Here, in this embodiment, the cell sensor 301 is set near station 2. However, it can also be set at other stations after it, that is, at any station in the winding unloading unit 100 between the completion of winding and the transfer to the continuity detection unit 200. However, considering the rationality and simplicity of space utilization in manufacturing, it is most advantageous to set it at station 2, where the winding has just been completed, in terms of the three-section station structure.
[0047] Furthermore, when the cell sensor 301 at station 2 does not detect the lead 11 for a period of time, in order to improve productivity, it is set to automatically unload according to the unloading angle (i.e., rotate a specific angle based on the angle of the lead 11 roughly predicted at station 1 as described above). However, as mentioned above, in this case, the angle deflection error of the rotation positioning orientation X is very large.
[0048] Next, the battery cell 10 obtained in station 2 is rotated 120° counterclockwise by the winding and unloading unit 100 and transported to station 3, where it awaits to be picked up by the continuity detection unit 200. It should be noted that after station 2, except for the change in the angle of the lead wire 11 caused by the handling at each station (120° rotation at the three-section station), the angle of the lead wire 11 relative to the winding and unloading unit 100 itself and the angle of the lead wire 11 relative to the continuity detection unit 200 itself no longer change. In other words, after the lead wire 11 is positioned at position β (i.e., the rotational positioning orientation X derived from the setting orientation θ required in the parallel clamping device 202 described later) at station 2, the cell 10 itself no longer rotates around its own central axis. The lead wire 11 is fixed relative to the winding and unloading unit 100 itself, and in the continuity detection unit 200 described later, the cell 10 itself does not rotate and is thus fixed relative to the continuity detection unit 200 itself, only resulting in a 120° rotation angle change during transport between stations. Furthermore, to ensure that the lead wire 11 is not bent due to its angle change in the subsequent continuity detection unit 200, the angle of the lead wire 11 can be slightly adjusted according to the actual situation. For example, as... Figure 2 As shown, at station 3 and station 4, the lead wire 11 is rotated approximately 120° counterclockwise relative to the positive direction of the y-axis.
[0049] Next, at station 3, the battery cell 10 is gripped from the winding and unloading unit 100 by a pair of holding claws 201 located within the continuity detection unit 200, and transferred to the continuity detection unit 200. For example... Figure 2 As shown, at station 4, a pair of holding grippers 201 extend to the position of station 3 (shown by the dashed line) and grip the battery cell 10. They then retract in a gripped state, thereby transferring the battery cell 10 to the continuity detection unit 200. At this time, only the transport displacement of the battery cell 10 changes; the rotation angle itself remains unchanged. Furthermore, the distance between the winding and unloading unit 100 and the continuity detection unit 200 is not particularly limited, as long as it allows the battery cell 10 to be gripped from the winding and unloading unit 100 and transferred to the continuity detection unit 200 within that distance.
[0050] Next, the battery cell 10 is activated by the rotation of the continuity detection unit 200. Figure 2 The lead 11 is transported to station 5 by rotating 120° clockwise, and a continuity test is performed by clamping the lead 11 with a pair of parallel jaws 202a in the parallel clamping device 202 to check whether the cell 10 itself has leakage or breakdown problems. Here, the continuity test is set to be performed at station 5, that is, station 5 has a positive conduction side for clamping the positive lead and a negative conduction side for clamping the negative lead, and at least one of the positive conduction side and the negative conduction side (e.g., on the positive conduction side and the negative conduction side) is selected. Figure 2A parallel clamping device 202 is provided on one side of station 5 shown in the diagram, and is electrically connected to a withstand voltage testing device (not shown). Thus, the lead 11, through a series of controls as described above, becomes aligned with the required orientation θ in the parallel clamping device 202, and thus can be clamped approximately parallel to each other in the thickness direction of the lead 11 for continuity testing. To more effectively achieve the above effect and further suppress deformation of the lead 11 during clamping, it is preferable that at least the portion of the pair of parallel clamps 202a in the parallel clamping device 202 that clamps the lead 11 has a flat or slightly curved clamping surface. Regarding the slightly curved shape, there are no particular limitations as long as it does not cause deformation of the lead 11 during clamping. Furthermore, the pair of parallel clamps 202a only needs to be able to clamp approximately parallel for continuity testing, but is preferably a pair of parallel clamps facing each other. Furthermore, the clamping position of the lead 11 is preferably at the center of the pair of parallel clamps 202a. It should be noted that although in Figure 2 Not shown in the figure, but during continuity testing at station 5, a pair of retaining jaws 201 extend to hold the battery cell 10, and then a pair of parallel jaws 202a are inserted to hold the lead wire 11 for continuity testing. After the test is completed, the pair of retaining jaws 201 retract to... Figure 2 The location shown.
[0051] As described above, the rotational positioning orientation X can be derived by tracing back the rotation angles of the lead wire 11 during transport at each preceding station, based on the required orientation θ in the parallel clamping device 202. For example, in Figure 2 In the process of setting clockwise rotation as "+" and counterclockwise rotation as "-", if we work backward from the setting orientation θ at station 5, then the lead wire 11 at station 4 is θ-120°. Since the lead wire 11 at station 3 does not rotate, to maintain the state of θ-120°, the rotational positioning orientation X of the lead wire 11 at station 2 is ultimately X = (θ-120°) + 120°. This leads to X = θ. In other words, they are considered to have a relative angle of 0°, meaning the rotational positioning orientation X is parallel (or consistent) with the setting orientation θ. Therefore, as described above, in Figure 2 In such a three-part workstation configuration, it is preferable that the rotational positioning orientation X is approximately parallel to the aforementioned setting orientation θ.
[0052] In this embodiment, in the cell lead rotation positioning and detection mechanism 1000, by adding a cell sensor 301 for sensing the lead 11 in the previous station and comprehensively controlling its orientation, a simple clamping device with a single clamping jaw can be used in the subsequent station instead of the existing device. This device has a pair of parallel jaws 202a that can clamp the lead 11 in parallel. Compared with the existing three-segment ring jaws, this suppresses collision deformation and bending deformation of the lead 11 during continuity detection, greatly reduces the occurrence of abnormal discharge, and enables stable continuity detection. Furthermore, the use of a pair of parallel jaws 202a reduces manufacturing costs and improves versatility. Unexpectedly, due to the use of a simple pair of parallel jaws 202a, the maximum opening width between the jaws of the pair of holding jaws 201 used to hold the cell 10 is also significantly reduced when gripping the cell 10 at station 4. For example, when the diameter of the battery cell 10 is approximately 20 mm, if the parallel gripper 202a described above is used, the maximum opening width between the pair of retaining grippers 201 is approximately 30 mm. In contrast, if the existing three-part annular gripper 202' is used, the maximum opening width between the pair of retaining grippers 201 is approximately 50 mm. This significantly reduces the risk of collisions with other mechanisms or components, and a small cylinder can be used to control the pair of retaining grippers 201, thus further reducing manufacturing costs.
[0053] Furthermore, since the battery cell 10 has a positive lead and a negative lead on its two axial ends respectively, the parallel clamping device 202 in the continuity detection unit 200 can be provided on both sides of the battery cell 10, or only on one side. To achieve the above effect more effectively, it is preferable to provide it on the side of the lead that is more easily deformed.
[0054] In addition, when conducting continuity testing at station 5, if a poor continuity is found, that is, if the battery cell 10 is broken down by the voltage / current applied by the withstand voltage testing device, it is judged as a defective product as before, and rotated to station 6 for sorting and discharge.
[0055] (Second Implementation)
[0056] The above explanation primarily uses a winding and unloading unit and a continuity detection unit with a three-segment structure as examples. However, as mentioned above, both can also be structures with n segments (where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2), such as two-segment, four-segment, or five-segment or higher. For example, in... Figure 3 In this second embodiment of the present invention, a four-section station-type rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads is schematically shown. Hereinafter, identical components will be labeled with the same symbols, and descriptions will be omitted.
[0057] like Figure 3 As shown, the rotating positioning and detection mechanism 2000 for the battery cell leads in the second embodiment includes a winding and unloading unit 100A and a continuity detection unit 200A. Both the winding and unloading unit 100A and the continuity detection unit 200A are four-position units that rotate only 90° per rotation and return to their initial positions after four rotations. The winding and unloading unit 100A has 1 to 4 positions. Positions 1 to 3 correspond to positions 1 to 3 of the winding and unloading unit 100 in the first embodiment. At position 4, various maintenance tasks are performed, such as maintenance of the winding needle (oiling) and maintenance of non-device components. The continuity detection unit 200A has 1 to 4 positions. Positions 5, 7, and 8 correspond to positions 4 to 6 of the continuity detection unit 200 in the first embodiment. At position 6, for example, the diameter of the battery cell 10 is measured. In this case, Figure 3 In the process, it can be deduced from the backward calculation that the rotational positioning orientation X is approximately perpendicular to the setting orientation θ. Furthermore, the diameter measurement at station 6 can also be performed after the continuity detection station, meaning that stations 6 and 7 can be interchanged. Additionally, in Figure 3 In this case, the rotation directions of the winding and unloading unit 100A and the continuity detection unit 200A are set to opposite directions, but they are not limited to this and can be set to the same direction depending on the situation.
[0058] The above description uses a winding and unloading unit and a continuity detection unit with a four-segment structure as an example. In this invention, the stations for positioning the battery cell leads and the continuity detection station are essential, and other stations can be added or removed accordingly based on actual needs. Therefore, the rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads of this invention can be applied to all devices and mechanisms with two or more segmented stations.
[0059] The present invention has been described above according to the currently preferred embodiments, but such disclosure should not be interpreted as limiting. Various modifications and alterations will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the above disclosure. Therefore, the appended claims should be understood to include all modifications and alterations without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0060] Industrial availability
[0061] According to this utility model, a rotation positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads can be provided, which can perform continuity testing stably with low manufacturing cost and prevent the battery cell leads from deforming during manufacturing.
[0062] Explanation of symbols
[0063] Rotation positioning and testing mechanism for 1000 cell leads
[0064] Workstations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
[0065] 10 battery cells
[0066] 11 Lead wire
[0067] 100, 100A winding and unloading unit
[0068] 101 Rotating Device
[0069] 200A Continuity Detection Unit
[0070] 201 A pair of retaining grippers
[0071] 202 Parallel clamping device
[0072] 202a A pair of parallel grippers
[0073] 301 Cell Sensor
Claims
1. A rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads, characterized in that, Include: A winding and unloading unit with the function of winding into battery cells; A cell sensor capable of sensing the rotation of either the positive or negative lead of the battery cell in the winding and unloading unit; and A continuity detection unit is disposed adjacent to the winding and unloading unit and is used to clamp and transfer the battery cell in the winding and unloading unit and to perform continuity detection on the battery cell. The winding and unloading unit includes a rotation device that enables the battery cell to rotate around its own central axis and can rotate and fix either the sensed positive lead or the negative lead to a specific rotation positioning position X. The continuity detection unit has a positive conduction side that clamps the positive lead and a negative conduction side that clamps the negative lead. A parallel clamping device is provided on at least one of the positive electrode conducting side and the negative electrode conducting side. This device has a pair of parallel jaws that clamp the lead wire substantially parallel in the thickness direction of the lead wire, and is capable of performing the continuity detection via the clamping device. The rotational positioning orientation X at the winding and unloading unit is derived from the required orientation θ in the parallel clamping device.
2. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the pair of parallel jaws in the parallel clamping device that clamps the lead wire has a flat or slightly curved clamping surface.
3. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The winding and unloading unit and the continuity detection unit are both structures with n divided workstations, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2.
4. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to claim 3, characterized in that, The n-segmentation station is a three-segmentation station with a single rotation of 120°, and the rotation directions of the winding and unloading unit and the conduction detection unit are opposite.
5. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to claim 3, characterized in that, The n-segmentation station is a four-segmentation station with a single rotation of 90°, and the winding and unloading unit and the conduction detection unit rotate in opposite directions.
6. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotational positioning orientation X is approximately parallel to the setting orientation θ.
7. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for the battery cell lead according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cell sensor uses a laser to sense either the positive lead or the negative lead.
8. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sensing and monitoring range of the cell sensor is the width range from the outermost edge of the cell to the central axis of the cell.
9. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads according to claim 8, characterized in that, The width range is the side of the battery cell closest to the battery cell sensor.
10. The rotating positioning and detection mechanism for battery cell leads according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The parallel clamping device in the continuity detection unit is positioned on one side of the lead wire, which is prone to deformation.