Battery baking device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a battery baking device which comprises a baking oven, a vacuum pump and a mechanical vacuumizing mechanism. Before the drying oven is started for drying, the interior of the containing cavity 101 of the drying oven can be vacuumized in a large range through the vacuum pump, and therefore the needed negative pressure environment is rapidly formed in the containing cavity 101. When the vacuum degree in the containing cavity 101 fluctuates in the continuous baking process, the vacuum pump does not need to be started due to the fact that the fluctuation amplitude is generally small. At the moment, the sealing piece can be driven by the connecting piece of the mechanical vacuumizing mechanism to slide along the shell so as to vacuumize the containing cavity 101 again until the vacuum degree in the containing cavity 101 is recovered to be within the preset range. Therefore, on the premise that the vacuum pump is not started, the vacuum degree of the containing cavity 101 can be kept within the preset range through the mechanical vacuumizing mechanism in the baking process, and therefore the starting and stopping frequency of the vacuum pump is remarkably reduced. Therefore, the service life of the battery baking device can be prolonged on the premise of ensuring the baking efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery production equipment technology, and in particular to a battery baking device. Background Technology

[0002] Before electrolyte filling, lithium-ion batteries require cell baking to remove internal moisture. Vacuum ovens used for cell baking typically have heating and vacuuming functions; heating in a vacuum environment allows for faster drying of the cells. However, due to moisture evaporation and insufficient oven sealing, the vacuum level inside the oven may fluctuate during baking, reducing baking efficiency. Currently, to maintain the vacuum level inside the oven, the vacuum pump needs to be activated again to re-vacuum once the vacuum level falls below a threshold. This may require frequent starting and stopping of the vacuum pump during baking, affecting the lifespan of the vacuum pump and the entire baking apparatus. Utility Model Content

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a battery baking device that can extend the battery life while ensuring baking efficiency, in order to address the above problems.

[0004] On one hand, this application provides a battery baking apparatus, comprising:

[0005] An oven with a accommodating cavity;

[0006] A vacuum pump, wherein the pump's suction port is connected to the accommodating cavity; and

[0007] A mechanical vacuuming mechanism includes a housing, a seal, and a connector. The seal is slidably installed inside the housing and seals against the inner wall of the housing. The connector is connected to the seal and can drive the seal to slide along the housing.

[0008] The sealing element divides the interior of the housing into a rod-shaped cavity and a rodless cavity, with the rodless cavity communicating with the receiving cavity.

[0009] In one embodiment, the housing for receiving the seal has a cylindrical cavity, and the seal is configured as a cylinder.

[0010] In one embodiment, the mechanical vacuuming mechanism further includes a drive member connected to the end of the connector away from the seal, and capable of driving the seal to slide along the housing according to a control command.

[0011] In one embodiment, the connector is configured as a rigid rod, one end of which is connected to the seal and the other end extends outside the housing and is connected to the drive.

[0012] In one embodiment, the mechanical vacuum mechanism further includes an exhaust assembly that is in communication with the rodless chamber and can be operably opened or closed.

[0013] In one embodiment, the exhaust assembly includes an exhaust pipe, an exhaust control valve, and a barometer, wherein the exhaust pipe is connected to the rodless chamber, and the exhaust control valve and the barometer are disposed on the exhaust pipe.

[0014] In one embodiment, a vacuum detection element is also included, which is capable of detecting the vacuum level within the accommodating cavity in real time.

[0015] In one embodiment, a vacuum pumping line is also included, wherein the vacuum pump's suction port and the rodless chamber are both connected to the receiving cavity through the vacuum pumping line, and the vacuum detection element is disposed on the vacuum pumping line.

[0016] In one embodiment, the suction pipeline includes a first branch pipe and a second branch pipe. The first branch pipe is provided with a first suction control valve, and the end of the first branch pipe away from the accommodating cavity is connected to the vacuum pump. The second branch pipe is provided with a second suction control valve, and the end of the second branch pipe away from the accommodating cavity is connected to the rodless cavity.

[0017] In one embodiment, at least two cavities are provided, and the vacuum pipeline further includes at least two main pipelines corresponding to each of the cavities. One end of each main pipeline is connected to the corresponding cavity, and the other end is connected to the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe. Each main pipeline is provided with the vacuum detection element.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] Before starting the drying process, the aforementioned battery baking device can use a vacuum pump to create a large-scale vacuum within the container cavity, rapidly establishing the required negative pressure environment. When the vacuum level within the container fluctuates during continuous baking, the fluctuations are generally small, so the vacuum pump does not need to be activated. In this case, the sealing element can be slid along the housing via the connecting component to re-evacuate the container cavity until the vacuum level returns to the preset range. Therefore, without activating the vacuum pump, the mechanical vacuum mechanism can maintain the vacuum level within the preset range during baking, significantly reducing the frequency of vacuum pump start-stop operations. Consequently, the aforementioned battery baking device can extend its service life while maintaining baking efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the battery baking device in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this utility model. However, this utility model can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. Therefore, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0025] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0027] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0028] Please see Figure 1 The battery baking device 100 in the preferred embodiment of this utility model includes an oven 110, a vacuum pump 120 and a mechanical vacuuming mechanism 130.

[0029] The oven 110 has a receiving cavity 101 for accommodating battery cells (not shown) to be dried. The oven 110 generally also includes a heating element (not shown) that raises the temperature within the receiving cavity 101 to a set value, thereby baking the battery cells housed within the receiving cavity 101 to remove moisture from the cells. The oven 110 generally includes a chamber and a door, the door of which can open or close the receiving cavity 101 for easy access to and from the battery cells. The oven 110 can have a single-layer or multi-layer structure. A multi-layer oven 110 has at least two stacked receiving cavities 101. Optionally, the oven 110 has a double-layer structure, with the total volume of the two receiving cavities 101 being 0.45 m³. 3 Up to 1.2m 3It can accommodate approximately 100 individual battery cells.

[0030] The suction port of vacuum pump 120 is connected to the accommodating cavity 101. Specifically, the suction port of vacuum pump 120 can be directly connected to an opening in the side wall of oven 110, or it can be connected to the accommodating cavity 101 through a pipe. Vacuum pump 120 can be an altimeter pump, which has a large power and can quickly bring the vacuum level in accommodating cavity 101 to a preset range. Optionally, the power of vacuum pump 120 is 10KW to 20KW. By evacuating accommodating cavity 101, the battery cells inside accommodating cavity 101 can be baked in a negative pressure environment, thereby allowing the moisture inside the battery cells to be dried more quickly.

[0031] During the baking process of battery cells in oven 110, the vacuum level inside oven 110 may fluctuate and drop below the preset range due to factors such as moisture evaporation from the cells and insufficient sealing of oven 110. This will affect baking efficiency, requiring the restoration of the vacuum level in oven 110. Typically, this can be achieved by restarting vacuum pump 120 to re-evacuate the oven 110, but this will cause frequent starting and stopping of vacuum pump 120 during baking, significantly reducing its lifespan. However, vacuum pump 120 is expensive, typically costing between 150,000 and 300,000 RMB per unit; a shortened lifespan of vacuum pump 120 will significantly increase production costs.

[0032] The mechanical vacuum mechanism 130 can replenish the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 when there are small fluctuations, thus eliminating the need for frequent starting of the vacuum pump 120. Furthermore, the mechanical vacuum mechanism 130 itself has a simple structure and low cost, therefore it does not significantly increase production costs. The mechanical vacuum mechanism 130 includes a housing 131, a seal 132, and a connector 133.

[0033] The housing 131 has a hollow structure with a cavity for accommodating the sealing element 132. The sealing element 132 is slidably installed within the housing 131 and seals against the inner wall of the housing 131. The sealing element 132 can be a combination of a metal body and a rubber outer ring, thus forming a reliable seal with the inner wall of the housing 131. Specifically, in this embodiment, the cavity of the housing 131 for accommodating the sealing element 132 is cylindrical, and the sealing element 132 is also cylindrical. Thus, the sides of the sealing element 132 and the inner wall of the housing 131 are both smoothly transitioned curved surfaces, allowing for a better seal. Furthermore, the friction between the sealing element 132 and the inner wall of the housing 131 is reduced, allowing the sealing element 132 to slide more smoothly along the housing 131.

[0034] The connector 133 is connected to the seal 132 and can drive the seal 132 to slide along the housing 131. The seal 132 divides the interior of the housing 131 into a rod-side cavity 102 and a rodless cavity 103, with the rodless cavity 103 communicating with the receiving cavity 101. Specifically, the rod-side cavity 102 is located on the side of the seal 132 facing the connector 133, and the rodless cavity 103 is located on the side of the seal 132 facing away from the connector 133.

[0035] The connector 133 can be a rigid component such as a screw or a flexible component such as a rope. When a flexible component is used, the connector 133 can only pull the seal 132 to slide towards the rod-side cavity 102, thereby evacuating the receiving cavity 101 through the rodless cavity 103. When a rigid component is used, the connector 133 can drive the seal 132 to move back and forth, which can both evacuate the receiving cavity 101 and push the seal 132 to reset. Preferably, the connector 133 is a rigid rod, specifically a screw with threads at one end.

[0036] When the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 fluctuates during continuous baking, the fluctuation amplitude is generally small, so the vacuum pump 120 does not need to be started. At this time, the sealing element 132 can be slid along the housing 131 by the connecting member 133 to re-evacuate the accommodating cavity 101 until the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 is restored to the preset range. Without starting the vacuum pump 120, the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 can also be maintained within the preset range by using the mechanical vacuuming mechanism 130. Therefore, the start-stop frequency of the vacuum pump 120 is significantly reduced, and its damage probability will be greatly reduced. Thus, the service life of the vacuum pump 120 and the battery baking device 100 can be extended while ensuring baking efficiency.

[0037] The end of the housing 131 near the rodless chamber 103 can be directly connected to the side wall of the oven 110, so that the accommodating cavity 101 and the rodless chamber 103 are connected. Alternatively, the rodless chamber 103 can be connected to the accommodating cavity 101 through a pipe. Specifically, in this embodiment, the battery baking device 100 also includes a vacuum pipe 140. The vacuum port of the vacuum pump 120 and the rodless chamber 103 are both connected to the accommodating cavity 101 through the vacuum pipe 140. The side wall of the oven 110 can only have an opening that connects to the vacuum pipe 140. Since the vacuum port of the vacuum pump 120 and the rodless chamber 103 are both connected to the accommodating cavity 101 through the vacuum pipe 140 and the opening, the number of openings on the side wall of the oven 110 can be reduced, which helps to improve the sealing performance of the oven 110.

[0038] More specifically, in this embodiment, the suction pipe 140 includes a first branch pipe 141 and a second branch pipe 142. The first branch pipe 141 is provided with a first suction control valve 160, and the end of the first branch pipe 142 away from the accommodating cavity 101 is connected to the vacuum pump. The second branch pipe 142 is provided with a second suction control valve 170, and the end of the second branch pipe 170 away from the accommodating cavity 101 is connected to the rodless cavity 103.

[0039] The first vacuum control valve 160 and the second vacuum control valve 170 can be opened or closed independently, thereby controlling the opening or closing of the first branch pipe 141 and the second branch pipe 142 respectively. Before the oven 110 is turned on for baking, the second vacuum control valve 170 is closed and the first vacuum control valve 160 is opened, allowing the vacuum pump 120 to quickly evacuate the accommodating cavity 101. During the baking process, both the first vacuum control valve 160 and the second vacuum control valve 170 are closed to further improve the sealing effect of the accommodating cavity 101. When the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 fluctuates, the first vacuum control valve 160 is closed and the second vacuum control valve 170 is opened, allowing the mechanical vacuuming mechanism 130 to finely adjust the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101. It can be seen that the first vacuum control valve 160 and the second vacuum control valve 170 allow the first branch pipe 141 and the second branch pipe 142 to be selectively opened as needed, with minimal mutual interference between the vacuum pump 120 and the mechanical vacuuming mechanism 130.

[0040] In the case where there are at least two accommodating cavities 101, the evacuation pipe 140 also includes at least two main pipes 143 corresponding to each accommodating cavity 101. One end of each main pipe 143 is connected to the corresponding accommodating cavity 101, and the other end is connected to the first branch pipe 141 and the second branch pipe 142.

[0041] In addition, in this embodiment, the mechanical vacuum mechanism 130 also includes a drive member 134, which is connected to the end of the connector 133 away from the seal 132, and can drive the seal 132 to slide along the housing 131 according to the control command.

[0042] The drive unit 134 can communicate with a host computer (not shown), which can generate control commands based on the real-time vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101. The drive unit 134 can then drive the sealing member 132 to move the required distance according to these control commands until the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 is restored to a preset range. Therefore, the drive unit 134 enables automatic compensation of the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101.

[0043] Of course, in other embodiments, the driving member 134 may not be provided, and the sealing member 132 may be driven to slide along the housing 131 by manually operating the connector 133.

[0044] Specifically, the drive component 134 is generally an electric motor. This motor only needs to be able to move the seal 132; there is no requirement for a vacuuming rate, therefore the power requirement for this motor is low. Optionally, the power of the motor as the drive component 134 is 0.1KW to 0.2KW, with a cost between 0.2W and 1W. It is evident that the cost of the mechanical vacuuming mechanism 130 is lower than that of the vacuum pump 120. Of course, the drive component 134 can also be a cylinder, or a structure combining a motor and a lead screw.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the battery baking device 100 also includes a vacuum detection element 150, which can detect the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 in real time. Specifically, the vacuum detection element 150 can upload the real-time vacuum level information to a host computer (not shown), which can then generate corresponding control commands. In conjunction with the drive unit 134, closed-loop control of the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity 101 can be achieved, improving the accuracy and timeliness of vacuum level adjustment.

[0046] Specifically, the vacuum detection element 150 is disposed on the suction pipe 140. Similarly, the vacuum detection element 150 can communicate with the accommodating cavity 101 through the suction pipe 140, thus further reducing the number of openings in the side wall of the oven 110 and helping to improve the sealing performance of the oven 110. More specifically, the vacuum detection element 150 is disposed on the main pipe 143, and in the case of at least two accommodating cavities 101, each main pipe 143 is provided with a vacuum detection element 150 to detect the vacuum level of the corresponding accommodating cavity 101.

[0047] Of course, in other embodiments, the vacuum detection element 150 can also be directly mounted on the detection hole opened in the oven 110. Alternatively, the vacuum detection element 150 can also be housed in the receiving cavity 101 and upload the obtained vacuum information to the host computer via wireless communication such as Bluetooth.

[0048] Optionally, in this embodiment, the vacuum detection element 150 is configured as a vacuum valve with a barometer. Thus, the vacuum detection element 150 can not only detect the vacuum level within the accommodating cavity 101 in real time, but also function as a switch. During continuous baking, the vacuum detection element 150 can be switched to the off state, thereby disconnecting the vacuum pump 120 and the mechanical vacuuming mechanism 130 from the accommodating cavity 101, further improving the sealing effect of the accommodating cavity 101.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, the mechanical vacuum mechanism 130 also includes an exhaust assembly 135, which is connected to the rodless chamber 103 and can be operably opened or closed.

[0050] When the mechanical vacuum mechanism 130 is operating normally, the exhaust assembly 135 is in the closed state. After the seal 132 moves to its maximum stroke towards the rod chamber 102, it needs to be reset before the vacuum level of the receiving chamber 101 can be further adjusted. At this time, the connection between the rodless chamber 103 and the receiving chamber 101 is first closed, and the exhaust assembly 135 is opened. Then, the seal 132 is pushed towards the rodless chamber 103, and the gas in the rodless chamber 103 is discharged through the exhaust assembly 135, and the seal 132 gradually resets.

[0051] It should be noted that in other embodiments, without the exhaust assembly 135, a one-way valve (not shown) can be provided on the seal 132, allowing gas to be discharged from the rodless chamber 103 to the rod chamber 102 via the one-way valve. Alternatively, the suction port of the vacuum pump 120 can be connected to the rod chamber 102, thereby using the vacuum pump 120 to evacuate the rod chamber 102 to reset the seal 132.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exhaust assembly 135 includes an exhaust pipe 1351, an exhaust control valve 1352, and a barometer 1353. The exhaust pipe 1351 is connected to the rodless chamber 103, and the exhaust control valve 1352 and the barometer 1353 are disposed on the exhaust pipe 1351. The exhaust control valve 1352 can be a solenoid valve or a manual valve, capable of controlling the opening or closing of the exhaust assembly 135.

[0053] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the exhaust assembly 135 may also be simplified to a valve that is directly mounted on the side wall of the housing 131 and communicates with the rodless chamber 103.

[0054] Before the oven 110 starts drying, the battery baking apparatus 100 described above can first use a vacuum pump 120 to perform a large-scale vacuum evacuation within the accommodating cavity 101, thereby quickly creating the required negative pressure environment within the accommodating cavity 101. When the vacuum level within the accommodating cavity 101 fluctuates during continuous baking, since the fluctuation amplitude is generally small, it is not necessary to start the vacuum pump 120. At this time, the sealing element 132 can be slid along the housing 131 via the connecting member 133 to perform a second vacuum evacuation within the accommodating cavity 101 until the vacuum level within the accommodating cavity 101 is restored to the preset range. It can be seen that without starting the vacuum pump 120, the vacuum level within the accommodating cavity 101 can be maintained within the preset range during the baking process using the mechanical vacuum evacuation mechanism 130, thus significantly reducing the start-stop frequency of the vacuum pump 120. Therefore, the battery baking apparatus 100 described above can extend its service life while ensuring baking efficiency.

[0055] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0056] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery baking device, characterized in that, include: An oven with a accommodating cavity; A vacuum pump, wherein the pump's suction port is connected to the accommodating cavity; and A mechanical vacuuming mechanism includes a housing, a seal, and a connector. The seal is slidably installed inside the housing and seals against the inner wall of the housing. The connector is connected to the seal and can drive the seal to slide along the housing. The sealing element divides the interior of the housing into a rod-shaped cavity and a rodless cavity, with the rodless cavity communicating with the receiving cavity.

2. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing has a cylindrical cavity for accommodating the seal, and the seal is also cylindrical.

3. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical vacuuming mechanism also includes a driving component, which is connected to the end of the connecting component away from the seal, and can drive the seal to slide along the housing according to control commands.

4. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The connector is configured as a rigid rod, one end of which is connected to the seal, and the other end extends outside the housing and is connected to the drive component.

5. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical vacuum mechanism also includes an exhaust assembly, which is connected to the rodless chamber and can be operably opened or closed.

6. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The exhaust assembly includes an exhaust pipe, an exhaust control valve, and a barometer. The exhaust pipe is connected to the rodless chamber, and the exhaust control valve and the barometer are disposed on the exhaust pipe.

7. The battery baking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, It also includes a vacuum detection element, which can detect the vacuum level in the accommodating cavity in real time.

8. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a vacuum pumping line, wherein the vacuum pump's suction port and the rodless chamber are both connected to the accommodating cavity through the vacuum pumping line, and the vacuum detection element is disposed on the vacuum pumping line.

9. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The air extraction pipeline includes a first branch pipe and a second branch pipe. The first branch pipe is equipped with a first air extraction control valve, and the end of the first branch pipe away from the accommodating cavity is connected to the vacuum pump. The second branch pipe is equipped with a second air extraction control valve, and the end of the second branch pipe away from the accommodating cavity is connected to the rodless cavity.

10. The battery baking apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The accommodating cavity is provided with at least two, and the air extraction pipeline also includes at least two main pipelines corresponding to the accommodating cavity one by one. One end of each main pipeline is connected to the corresponding accommodating cavity, and the other end is connected to the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe. The vacuum detection element is provided on each main pipeline.

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