Drying device and pole piece manufacturing equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a drying device and pole piece manufacturing equipment, and belongs to the field of battery production. Wherein the drying device comprises a box body and a drying mechanism; the box body is provided with a feeding hole through which a pole piece enters the box body and a discharging hole through which the pole piece leaves the box body; the drying mechanism is arranged in the box body, the drying mechanism comprises a cavity, a connecting pipe and an air blowing piece, the cavity is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet is communicated with a hot air source, the connecting pipe is used for connecting the air outlet and the air blowing piece, and the position of the air blowing piece is adjustable in the width direction of the pole piece; and the width direction of the pole piece is perpendicular to the tape running direction of the pole piece. According to the technical scheme, the drying quality of the pole piece can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery production, and more specifically, to a drying apparatus and electrode manufacturing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] As lithium-ion batteries are increasingly used in communications, portable electronic products, electric vehicles, aerospace, and ships, the requirements for high driving range and safety performance of batteries are becoming more stringent, which also places higher demands on the coating process of lithium-ion power battery electrodes, especially in the drying process of the electrodes, which directly affects the forming quality of the electrodes.

[0003] Therefore, improving the drying quality of electrode sheets has become an urgent problem to be solved in the battery industry. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a drying apparatus and electrode manufacturing equipment to improve the drying quality of electrode sheets.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a drying apparatus, including a housing and a drying mechanism; the housing has an inlet for the electrode to enter the interior of the housing and an outlet for the electrode to leave the interior of the housing; the drying mechanism is disposed inside the housing, the drying mechanism includes a cavity, a connecting pipe and a blower, the cavity has an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet is connected to a hot air source, the connecting pipe is used to connect the air outlet and the blower, and the position of the blower is adjustable along the width direction of the electrode; the width direction of the electrode is perpendicular to the belt travel direction of the electrode.

[0006] In the above technical solution, by setting the blower to be adjustable in position along the width direction of the electrode, the air volume provided by the drying mechanism to the slower-drying part of the coating layer can be increased, and / or the air volume provided by the drying mechanism to the faster-drying part of the coating layer can be decreased. This allows all parts of the coating layer of the electrode to dry at a more similar rate, thereby reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rate, and thus improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0007] In some embodiments, the connecting pipe is a flexible pipe.

[0008] In the above technical solution, by setting the connecting pipe as a flexible pipe, the connecting pipe can flexibly deform to continue connecting the air outlet and the blowing component when the blowing component moves along the width direction of the electrode plate. This structure enables the connection between the blowing component and the hot air source. The structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0009] In some embodiments, there are multiple air outlets, multiple air blowers, and multiple connecting pipes. The multiple air blowers are arranged along the width direction of the electrode plate, and each air blower is connected to an air outlet through a connecting pipe.

[0010] In the above technical solution, by having multiple air outlets, blowing elements, and connecting pipes, and arranging these multiple blowing elements along the width direction of the electrode, it is easier to adjust the air volume provided by the drying mechanism to different positions of the coating layer by adjusting the position of the multiple blowing elements in the width direction of the electrode. This makes the drying rates of different parts of the electrode coating layer more similar, thereby further reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, and thus further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0011] In some embodiments, the drying mechanism further includes a slide rail; the slide rail is fixed outside the cavity and extends along the width direction of the electrode; wherein the blower is slidably disposed on the slide rail.

[0012] In the above technical solution, by setting a slide rail outside the cavity and setting the slide rail along the width direction of the electrode, and slidably setting the blower on the slide rail, it is possible to adjust the blower to be set outside the cavity along the width direction of the electrode, and to facilitate the restriction of the movement of the blower along the belt direction of the electrode by the slide rail, thereby improving the stability when adjusting the blower.

[0013] In some embodiments, the blower has a blower hole on the side facing the electrode, and there are multiple blower holes.

[0014] In the above technical solution, by setting multiple air holes on the side of the blower facing the electrode, the gas entering the blower through the connecting pipe can move more evenly toward the electrode through the air holes, thereby enabling the gas supplied by the drying mechanism to the coating layer to contact the coating layer more evenly, reducing the risk of inconsistent drying rates in the parts of the coating layer that are blown by the gas.

[0015] In some embodiments, the drying mechanism further includes an air volume regulating component, at least a portion of which is disposed within the cavity, the air volume regulating component being used to regulate the air volume at the air outlet.

[0016] In the above technical solution, the air volume at the air outlet is adjusted by the air volume adjustment component to increase and / or decrease the air volume supplied to the electrode by the blower. This allows for more flexible adjustment of the air volume supplied to different positions of the coating by the drying mechanism, thereby making the drying rates of different parts of the electrode coating more similar. This further reduces the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, and further improves the drying quality of the electrode.

[0017] In some embodiments, the airflow regulating assembly includes an airflow regulating blade and a knob. The airflow regulating blade is rotatably disposed within the cavity and located between the air outlet and the air inlet; the knob is disposed on the outer side of the cavity wall and connected to the airflow regulating blade.

[0018] In the above technical solution, by setting air volume regulating blades and knobs, and placing the knobs on the outside of the cavity wall, it is convenient to adjust the air volume regulating blades by adjusting the knobs, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the air volume at the air outlet.

[0019] In some embodiments, the airflow regulating assembly includes a rotating shaft; the two ends of the rotating shaft are respectively mounted on two opposite walls of the cavity; wherein the knob is disposed at one end of the rotating shaft, and the airflow regulating blade is fixed to the circumference of the rotating shaft.

[0020] In the above technical solution, the air volume regulating blade is rotatably set in the cavity through a rotating shaft, and the knob and the air volume regulating blade are connected by the rotating shaft. The structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0021] In some embodiments, the airflow regulating assembly includes a limiting portion; the limiting portion is disposed on the inner surface of the cavity and is used to limit the rotation range of the airflow regulating blades.

[0022] In the above technical solution, a limiting part is set on the inner surface of the cavity to limit the rotation range of the air volume regulating blades, which is simple in structure and easy to implement.

[0023] In some embodiments, the drying mechanism further includes an air distribution plate; the air distribution plate is disposed in the cavity and located between the air inlet and the air outlet, and the air distribution plate is provided with a plurality of through holes for gas to pass through.

[0024] In the above technical solution, by setting the air distribution plate between the air inlet and the air outlet, and setting multiple through holes on the air plate for gas to pass through, the gas moving from the air inlet to the air outlet can be dispersed by multiple through holes, thereby reducing the risk of excessive local gas flow velocity, and allowing the gas to enter the blower more evenly from the air outlet through the connecting pipe.

[0025] In some embodiments, the cavity includes a first sub-cavity and a second sub-cavity connected to each other, the first sub-cavity being provided with the air inlet and the second sub-cavity being provided with the air outlet; wherein the air distribution plate is located inside the first sub-cavity and the air volume regulating component is located inside the second sub-cavity.

[0026] In the above technical solution, by setting the cavity as a split structure composed of a first sub-cavity and a second sub-cavity, it becomes an integral structure relative to the cavity. On the one hand, this reduces the manufacturing difficulty of the box and thus reduces the manufacturing cost of the cavity; on the other hand, it facilitates the installation and disassembly of the air distribution plate and air volume adjustment components, and facilitates the installation and maintenance of the drying mechanism.

[0027] In some embodiments, along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the size of the second sub-cavity gradually decreases in the direction of the electrode's travel.

[0028] In the above technical solution, along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the size of the second sub-cavity gradually decreases in the direction of the electrode's travel. As the gas moves from the air inlet to the air outlet, the inner wall of the second sub-cavity can guide the gas assembly to accelerate while limiting the generation of turbulence, thereby reducing the energy damage of the gas. This allows the gas to pass through the air outlet and connecting pipe at a faster speed and be discharged from the blower. Furthermore, the gas can be more concentrated on blowing the slower-drying parts of the coating layer, thereby enabling all parts of the electrode's coating layer to dry at a more similar rate. This further reduces the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, thus further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0029] In some embodiments, the drying device further includes a first air guide box and a second air guide box; both the first air guide box and the second air guide box are disposed inside the box and are connected to a hot air source, and the air inlet is connected to the first air guide box; wherein, the drying mechanism is detachably disposed in the first air guide box.

[0030] In the above technical solution, the drying mechanism is detachably installed in the first air guide box to facilitate the installation and disassembly of the drying mechanism, thereby facilitating the installation and maintenance of the drying mechanism.

[0031] In some embodiments, the number of drying mechanisms is multiple, and the multiple drying mechanisms are arranged along the belt-carrying direction of the electrode sheet.

[0032] In the above technical solution, by arranging multiple drying mechanisms along the belt-carrying direction of the electrode, the air volume provided by the drying mechanisms to the slower-drying parts of the coating layer is continuously increased, and / or the air volume provided by the drying mechanisms to the faster-drying parts of the coating layer is continuously decreased during the belt-carrying process of the electrode. This further enables the various parts of the coating layer of the electrode to dry at a more similar rate, thereby further reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, and thus further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0033] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electrode manufacturing apparatus, including the drying device provided in the first aspect embodiment. The drying device is used to dry the coating layer applied to the current collector. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying apparatus provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drying mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drying mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application from another direction;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slide rail structure provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0040] Figure 6 Cross-sectional views of drying mechanisms provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the drying mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application in another direction.

[0042] icon:

[0043] 100-Drying device; 10-Box body; 11-Feed inlet; 12-Discharge outlet; 20-Drying mechanism; 21-Cavity; 21A-Air inlet; 21B-Air outlet; 211-First sub-cavity; 212-Second sub-cavity; 213-Mounting part; 22-Connecting pipe; 23-Blowing component; 231-Shell; 2311-Blowing hole; 232-Sliding part; 24-Slide rail; 240-Mounting plate; 2401-Dovetail groove ; 2402-Strip hole; 241-Connecting rod; 25-Airflow adjustment assembly; 251-Knob; 252-Airflow adjustment blade; 253-Rotating shaft; 254-Limiting part; 26-Air distribution plate; 261-Through hole; 30-First air guide box; 31-First exhaust port; 40-Second air guide box; 41-Second exhaust port; 50-Conveying roller; X-Width direction of electrode sheet; Y-Belt direction of electrode sheet; Z-Thickness direction of electrode sheet. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the description, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the description, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy.

[0046] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0047] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0049] In the embodiments of this application, the same reference numerals denote the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components are omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of this application shown in the accompanying drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length, width, and other dimensions of the integrated device, are merely illustrative and should not constitute any limitation on this application.

[0050] In this application, "multiple" means two or more (including two).

[0051] The electrode processing involves multiple steps, including slurry preparation, coating, drying, cold pressing, die cutting, winding, and hot pressing.

[0052] The electrode mentioned in this application embodiment includes a current collector and a coating layer coated on the surface of the current collector. The coating layer is coated on a portion of the current collector, and the current collector without the coating layer protrudes beyond the current collector with the coating layer. The current collector without the coating layer serves as the tab of the electrode. The electrode can be a positive electrode or a negative electrode. If the electrode is a positive electrode, it includes a positive current collector and a positive coating layer. The positive coating layer includes a positive active material layer and an insulating material layer, which are coated on the surface of the positive current collector. The positive current collector without the coating layer protrudes beyond the current collector with the coating layer. The positive current collector without the coating layer serves as the tab of the positive electrode. Taking a lithium-ion battery as an example, the material of the positive current collector can be aluminum, and the positive active material can be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, or lithium manganese oxide, etc. If the electrode is a negative electrode, it includes a negative current collector and a negative electrode coating layer. The negative electrode coating layer includes a negative electrode active material layer coated on the surface of the negative current collector. The negative current collector without the negative electrode active material layer protrudes from the negative current collector with the negative electrode active material layer, and serves as the negative electrode tab. The material of the negative current collector can be copper, and the negative electrode active material can be carbon or silicon, etc.

[0053] In electrode manufacturing, many factors need to be considered to ensure the quality of electrode forming, such as coating weight, coating density, coating thickness, and tape feeding accuracy. In addition, the drying quality of the active material layer of the electrode also needs to be considered.

[0054] When drying the positive electrode, the drying rate varies depending on the materials of the positive active material layer and the insulating layer. When drying the negative electrode, the edges of the negative active material layer have a larger surface area, allowing for more contact with the surrounding environment (such as hot air), which facilitates heat transfer and moisture evaporation. The center of the negative active material layer is surrounded by other materials, resulting in a longer moisture migration path and a faster drying rate at the edges compared to the center. Therefore, uneven drying speeds occur throughout the coating during the electrode drying process. In areas where drying is faster, the solvent evaporates quickly, causing a sharp increase in surface viscosity and thus higher surface tension. In areas where drying is slower, more solvent remains, resulting in lower surface viscosity and fluidity, leading to lower surface tension. This tension difference drives the liquid coating layer to flow from low-tension areas to high-tension areas, reducing the surface smoothness of the coating layer and consequently lowering the drying quality.

[0055] Based on the above considerations, in order to improve the drying quality of the electrode sheets, this application provides a drying device, including a housing and a drying mechanism; the housing has an inlet for the electrode sheets to enter the housing and an outlet for the electrode sheets to leave the housing; the drying mechanism is disposed inside the housing, and the drying mechanism includes a cavity, a connecting pipe and a blower, the cavity has an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet is connected to a hot air source, the connecting pipe is used to connect the air outlet and the blower, and the position of the blower is adjustable along the width direction of the electrode sheet; the width direction of the electrode sheet is perpendicular to the belt travel direction of the electrode sheet.

[0056] In this type of drying device, by setting the blower to be position adjustable along the width of the electrode, the airflow provided by the drying mechanism to the slower-drying parts of the coating can be increased, and / or the airflow provided by the drying mechanism to the faster-drying parts of the coating can be decreased. This allows all parts of the electrode coating to dry at a more similar rate, thereby reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, and thus improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0057] The specific structure of the drying device will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] Please refer to Figures 1-3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drying apparatus 100 provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drying mechanism 20 provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drying mechanism 20 provided in some embodiments of this application from another direction. Embodiments of this application provide a drying device 100, including a housing 10 and a drying mechanism 20; the housing 10 has an inlet 11 for the electrode to enter the interior of the housing 10 and an outlet 12 for the electrode to leave the interior of the housing 10; the drying mechanism 20 is disposed inside the housing 10, and the drying mechanism 20 includes a cavity 21, a connecting pipe 22, and a blower 23. The cavity 21 has an air inlet 21A and an air outlet 21B. The air inlet 21A is connected to a hot air source. The connecting pipe 22 is used to connect the air outlet 21B and the blower 23. The position of the blower 23 is adjustable along the width direction X of the electrode; the width direction X of the electrode is perpendicular to the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode.

[0059] The housing 10 is a shell-like structure that provides an installation position for the drying mechanism 20. Understandably, the interior of the housing 10 can be used to contain gas with a certain temperature provided by the drying mechanism 20, so that the interior of the housing 10 is at a high temperature, thereby drying the coating layer of the electrode.

[0060] The housing 10 can be in various shapes, such as a cylinder or a cuboid. The housing 10 can be made of a material with a certain degree of hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy).

[0061] The feed port 11 is an opening on the housing 10 for the electrode to enter the housing 10, and the discharge port 12 is an opening on the housing 10 for the electrode to leave the housing 10.

[0062] Understandably, the inlet 11 and the outlet 12 can be on the same side of the wall of the housing 10, or the inlet 11 and the outlet 12 can be respectively provided on two opposite sides of the housing 10 in any direction.

[0063] In an embodiment where the inlet 11 and outlet 12 are respectively located on two opposite walls of the housing 10 in any direction, the electrode's carrying direction Y can be parallel to that direction, so that the electrode passes through the housing 10 along that direction, thereby making fuller use of the space inside the housing 10.

[0064] The electrode's conveyor direction Y refers to the overall movement direction of the electrode. In embodiments where the inlet 11 and outlet 12 are respectively located on two opposite walls of the housing 10 in any direction, the electrode's conveyor direction Y is the direction from the inlet 11 to the outlet 12. Exemplarily, the electrode's conveyor direction Y can be parallel to the length direction of the housing 10.

[0065] The cavity 21 is a shell-like structure for containing the gas supplied by the hot air source.

[0066] The cavity 21 can be of various shapes, such as a cylinder or a cuboid. The cavity 21 can be made of a material with certain heat resistance and strength (such as aluminum alloy).

[0067] Air inlet 21A is an opening on cavity 21 through which gas for heating air enters the interior of cavity 21, and air outlet 21B is an opening on cavity 21 through which gas leaves the interior of cavity 21.

[0068] Understandably, the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B can be on the same side of the wall of the cavity 21, or the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B can be respectively provided on two opposite sides of the cavity 21 in any direction.

[0069] In some embodiments, the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B may also be respectively disposed on two opposite walls of the cavity 21 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode, wherein the thickness direction Z of the electrode, the width direction X of the electrode, and the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode are perpendicular to each other.

[0070] A hot air source is a device or system that generates and continuously outputs hot air. Its core function is to convert energy (electrical energy, chemical energy, etc.) into heat energy. For example, a hot air source can be a ventilation mechanism with a resistance wire or an electric heating tube. A hot air source can also be a ventilation mechanism that heats air by burning combustible materials.

[0071] The connecting pipe 22 is a pipe body that is not used to connect the air outlet 21B and the blower 23.

[0072] In some embodiments, there are multiple air outlets 21B and connecting pipes 22 arranged along the width direction X of the electrode, and the blower 23 is located at different positions along the width direction X of the electrode and connected to different connecting pipes 22 so as to connect to different air outlets 21B.

[0073] In some embodiments, the outer periphery of the air outlet 21B is provided with a first external thread, and the inner periphery of the connecting pipe 22 is provided with a first internal thread that is threadedly engaged with the first external thread. The connecting pipe 22 is detachably sleeved on the outer periphery of the air outlet 21B through the first internal thread to connect with the air outlet 21B.

[0074] As the name suggests, the blowing component 23 is a structural component that supplies gas to the electrode.

[0075] For example, the electrode includes a current collector and a coating layer coated on the surface of the current collector. The coating layer is coated on a portion of the current collector. The current collector without the coating layer protrudes from the current collector with the coating layer along the width direction X of the electrode. The current collector without the coating layer serves as the tab of the electrode.

[0076] Specifically, when using the drying device 100 to dry the electrode, the position of the blower 23 in the width direction X of the electrode can be adjusted so that the gas provided by the blower 23 can blow on the part of the coating that dries more slowly, thereby increasing the drying speed of that part and making the overall drying speed of the coating more uniform.

[0077] In this embodiment, by setting the blower 23 to be adjustable in position along the width direction X of the electrode, the air volume provided by the drying mechanism 20 to the slower-drying part of the coating layer can be increased, and / or the air volume provided by the drying mechanism 20 to the faster-drying part of the coating layer can be decreased. This allows the various parts of the coating layer of the electrode to dry at a more similar rate, thereby reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rate, and thus improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0078] According to some embodiments of this application, the connecting pipe 22 is a flexible pipe.

[0079] Flexible pipes are pipes that can disperse external stress through deformation when subjected to external forces.

[0080] For example, the connecting pipe 22 can be a rubber hose or a corrugated pipe.

[0081] In this embodiment, by setting the connecting pipe 22 as a flexible pipe, when the blower 23 moves along the width direction X of the electrode, the connecting pipe 22 can flexibly deform to continue connecting the air outlet 21B and the blower 23. This structure enables the blower 23 to communicate with the hot air source. The structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 2 According to some embodiments of this application, there are multiple air outlets 21B, blowers 23 and connecting pipes 22. Multiple blowers 23 are arranged along the width direction X of the electrode sheet, and each blower 23 is connected to an air outlet 21B through a connecting pipe 22.

[0083] In some embodiments, a plurality of blowers 23 are spaced apart along the width direction X of the electrode.

[0084] In this embodiment, by having multiple air outlets 21B, multiple air blowers 23, and multiple connecting pipes 22, and arranging the multiple air blowers 23 along the width direction X of the electrode, it is easier to adjust the air volume provided by the drying mechanism 20 to different positions of the coating layer by adjusting the position of the multiple air blowers 23 in the width direction of the electrode. This makes the drying rate of each part of the coating layer of the electrode layer more similar, thereby further reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rate, and thus further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0085] Please refer to Figures 2-4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slide rail 24 provided in some embodiments of this application. According to some embodiments of this application, the drying mechanism 20 further includes a slide rail 24; the slide rail 24 is fixed outside the cavity 21 and extends along the width direction X of the electrode sheet; wherein, the blower 23 is slidably disposed on the slide rail 24.

[0086] The slide rail 24 refers to a linear motion system consisting of a fixed track and a blower 23, which allows the blower 23 to move back and forth in its extension direction (the width direction X of the electrode).

[0087] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The drying mechanism 20 also includes a mounting plate 240 and a connecting rod 241. The extending direction of the connecting rod 241 is parallel to the thickness direction Z of the electrode. The end of the connecting rod 241 away from the electrode is connected to the outer surface of the cavity 21. The end of the connecting rod 241 near the electrode is provided with the mounting plate 240. The thickness direction of the mounting plate 240 is parallel to the thickness direction Z of the electrode, and the length direction of the mounting plate 240 is parallel to the width direction X of the electrode. The side of the mounting plate 240 away from the cavity 21 is recessed to form a dovetail groove 2401, thereby forming a slide rail 24. The blower 23 is adapted to the dovetail groove 2401. Please refer to... Figure 4 The mounting plate 240 has a strip hole 2402 that penetrates the bottom wall of the dovetail groove 2401 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet. The strip hole 2402 extends along the width direction X of the electrode sheet. The end of the connecting pipe 22 away from the air outlet 21B is inserted into the strip hole 2402 and connected to the blower 23.

[0088] In some embodiments, the blower 23 is interference-fitted with the dovetail groove 2401 to reduce the risk of the blower 23 sliding relative to the slide rail 24 during use.

[0089] In this embodiment, by setting a slide rail 24 outside the cavity 21 and setting the slide rail 24 along the width direction X of the electrode, and simultaneously slidably setting the blower 23 on the slide rail 24, the blower 23 can be adjusted to be set outside the cavity 21 along the width direction X of the electrode, and the slide rail 24 can be used to limit the movement of the blower 23 along the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode, thereby improving the stability when adjusting the blower 23.

[0090] Please refer to Figure 2 Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 Figure 2 Enlarged view at point A. According to some embodiments of this application, the blower 23 has multiple blow holes 2311 on the side facing the electrode.

[0091] For example, the blower 23 includes a housing 231 and a sliding part 232. The sliding part 232 is slidably disposed on the slide rail 24. The housing 231 is connected to the connecting pipe 22. The housing 231 has a blower hole 2311 on the side of the electrode sheet away from the slide rail 24 in the thickness direction Z.

[0092] For example, the air holes 2311 can be arranged in multiple rows at intervals along the width direction X of the electrode, and each row of air holes 2311 can be arranged in multiple rows at intervals along the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode.

[0093] For example, the air blowing holes 2311 can be arranged in multiple rings around the first axis (not shown in the figure), with each ring of air blowing holes 2311 being a plurality of spaced-apart holes, and the first axis being parallel to the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet.

[0094] In this embodiment, by providing multiple air holes 2311 on the side of the blower 23 facing the electrode, the gas entering the blower 23 through the connecting pipe 22 can move more evenly toward the electrode through the air holes 2311, thereby enabling the gas supplied by the drying mechanism 20 to the coating layer to contact the coating layer more evenly, reducing the risk of inconsistent drying rates in the parts of the coating layer that are blown by the gas.

[0095] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a drying mechanism 20 provided in some embodiments of this application. According to some embodiments of this application, the drying mechanism 20 further includes an air volume regulating component 25, at least a portion of which is disposed within the cavity 21. The air volume regulating component 25 is used to regulate the air volume at the air outlet 21B.

[0096] The air volume regulating component 25 is a component structure used to regulate the air volume of the air outlet 21B.

[0097] In some embodiments, the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B are respectively located on two opposite walls of the cavity 21 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode, and the air volume adjustment component 25 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode is located between the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B.

[0098] For example, the airflow regulating component 25 may be a structural component used to shield a portion of the interior of the cavity 21 to reduce and / or increase the flow area of ​​the gas moving from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B.

[0099] In some embodiments, the airflow regulating component 25 includes a first part (not shown) and a second part (not shown). On a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction Z of the electrode, the orthographic projection of the first part and the orthographic projection of the second part have a first overlapping area. The second part is movably disposed on the first part along the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode. The second part slides relative to the first part to increase and / or decrease the area of ​​the first overlapping area, thereby reducing and / or increasing the flow area of ​​the gas moving from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B.

[0100] In this embodiment, the airflow of the air outlet 21B is adjusted by the airflow adjustment component 25 to increase and / or decrease the airflow provided by the blower 23 to the electrode, thereby facilitating more flexible adjustment of the airflow provided by the drying mechanism 20 to different positions of the coating layer. This makes the drying rates of different parts of the coating layer of the electrode layer more similar, thereby further reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, and thus further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0101] Please refer to Figure 6 According to some embodiments of this application, the air volume regulating assembly 25 includes an air volume regulating blade 252 and a knob 251. The air volume regulating blade 252 is rotatably disposed in the cavity 21 and located between the air outlet 21B and the air inlet 21A; the knob 251 is disposed on the outer side of the wall of the cavity 21 and connected to the air volume regulating blade 252.

[0102] The air volume regulating blade 252 can be a plate-shaped structure disposed inside the cavity 21 and rotatable relative to the housing 10. For example, the rotation axis of the air volume regulating blade 252 can be parallel to the width direction X of the electrode plate.

[0103] Understandably, when the thickness direction of the airflow regulating blade 252 is parallel to the thickness direction Z of the electrode, the flow area of ​​the gas moving from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B is the smallest, and the airflow at the air outlet 21B is the smallest; when the thickness direction of the airflow regulating blade 252 is perpendicular to the thickness direction Z of the electrode, the flow area of ​​the gas moving from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B is the largest, and the airflow at the air outlet 21B is the largest.

[0104] In some embodiments, the maximum dimension of the second sub-cavity 212 in the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode is H1, and the maximum dimension of the airflow regulating blade 252 in the belt-carrying direction Y of the electrode is H2 when the thickness direction of the blade is parallel to the thickness direction Z of the electrode, satisfying 1 / 2≤H2 / H1<1.

[0105] For example, H2 / H1 can be 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, etc.

[0106] In this embodiment, by setting an airflow regulating blade 252 and a knob 251, and placing the knob 251 on the outside of the wall of the cavity 21, the airflow regulating blade 252 can be adjusted by the knob 251, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the airflow at the air outlet 21B.

[0107] Please refer to Figure 6 According to some embodiments of this application, the air volume regulating assembly 25 includes a rotating shaft 253; the two ends of the rotating shaft 253 are respectively installed on two opposite walls of the cavity 21; wherein, a knob 251 is disposed at one end of the rotating shaft 253, and the air volume regulating blade 252 is fixed to the periphery of the rotating shaft 253.

[0108] For example, the shaft 253 can be parallel to the width direction X of the electrode.

[0109] In some embodiments, the rotating shaft 253 is interference-fitted with the mounting hole on the cavity 21 so that the air volume regulating blade 252 can be fixed relative to the cavity 21 at any angle by means of the rotating shaft 253.

[0110] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the knob 251 of the cavity 21 is provided with a boss, the boss is provided with a mounting hole for the rotating shaft 253 to pass through, the outer periphery of the boss is provided with a second external thread, the side of the knob 251 facing the cavity 21 is provided with a groove for accommodating the boss, the inner wall of the groove is provided with a second internal thread that engages with the second external thread, thereby giving the knob 251 a certain self-locking ability, so that the air volume regulating blade 252 can be fixed relative to the cavity 21 at any angle by the knob 251.

[0111] In this embodiment, the air volume regulating blade 252 is rotatably mounted in the cavity 21 via the rotating shaft 253, and the knob 251 and the air volume regulating blade 252 are connected by the rotating shaft 253. The structure is simple and easy to implement.

[0112] Please refer to Figure 6 According to some embodiments of this application, the air volume regulating assembly 25 further includes a limiting part 254; the limiting part 254 is disposed on the inner surface of the cavity 21 and is used to limit the rotation range of the air volume regulating blade 252.

[0113] The limiting part 254 is a protrusion provided on the inner surface of the cavity 21. Specifically, the limiting part 254 abuts against the air volume regulating blade 252 to limit the air volume regulating blade 252 from continuing to rotate around the rotating shaft 253 in the previous rotation direction.

[0114] For example, the limiting part 254 can be a plurality of parts that are spaced apart inside the cavity 21 along the width direction X of the electrode.

[0115] In this embodiment, a limiting part 254 is provided on the inner surface of the cavity 21 to limit the rotation range of the air volume regulating blade 252, which is simple in structure and easy to implement.

[0116] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the drying mechanism 20 provided in some embodiments of this application in another direction. According to some embodiments of this application, the drying mechanism 20 further includes an air distribution plate 26; the air distribution plate 26 is disposed in the cavity 21 and located between the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B, and the air distribution plate 26 is provided with a plurality of through holes 261 for gas to pass through.

[0117] In some embodiments, the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B are respectively located on two opposing walls of the cavity 21 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet. Along the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet, the air distribution plate 26 is located between the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B, and the thickness direction of the air distribution plate 26 is parallel to the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet. The through hole 261 is a perforated structure that penetrates the air distribution plate 26 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet.

[0118] For example, the through holes 261 can be arranged in multiple rows at intervals along the width direction X of the electrode, and each row of through holes 261 can be arranged in multiple rows at intervals along the tape-carrying direction Y of the electrode.

[0119] In this embodiment, by placing the air distribution plate 26 between the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B, and providing multiple through holes 261 for gas to pass through, the gas moving from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B can be dispersed by the multiple through holes 261, thereby reducing the risk of excessively high local gas flow rate, and allowing the gas to enter the blower 23 more evenly from the air outlet 21B through the connecting pipe 22.

[0120] Please refer to Figure 3 Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 According to some embodiments of this application, the cavity 21 includes a first sub-cavity 211 and a second sub-cavity 212 connected to each other. The first sub-cavity 211 is provided with an air inlet 21A, and the second sub-cavity 212 is provided with an air outlet 21B. The air distribution plate 26 is located inside the first sub-cavity 211, and the air volume adjustment component 25 is located inside the second sub-cavity 212.

[0121] The first sub-cavity 211 and the second sub-cavity 212 are the two main parts of cavity 21.

[0122] In some embodiments, the first sub-cavity 211 is provided with a first flange edge, and the second sub-cavity 212 is provided with a second flange edge, the first flange edge and the second flange edge being detachably connected by bolts.

[0123] In some embodiments, the cavity 21 further includes a sealing structure, wherein the first sub-cavity 211 and the second sub-cavity 212 are arranged sequentially along the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet, and the sealing structure is sandwiched between the first sub-cavity 211 and the second sub-cavity 212 along the thickness direction Z of the electrode sheet.

[0124] For example, the sealing structure can be a sealing gasket or a sealant.

[0125] In this embodiment, by setting the cavity 21 as a split structure composed of a first sub-cavity 211 and a second sub-cavity 212, it becomes an integral structure relative to the cavity 21. On the one hand, it reduces the manufacturing difficulty of the box 10, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the cavity 21; on the other hand, it facilitates the installation and disassembly of the air distribution plate 26 and the air volume adjustment component 25, and facilitates the installation and maintenance of the drying mechanism 20.

[0126] Please refer to Figure 6 According to some embodiments of this application, along the direction from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B, the size of the second sub-cavity 212 in the electrode traveling direction Y gradually decreases.

[0127] In some embodiments, the two inner surfaces of the second sub-cavity 212 that are disposed opposite each other in the Y direction of the electrode are planes, and the two planes are inclined relative to the Z thickness direction of the electrode.

[0128] In this embodiment, along the direction from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B, the size of the second sub-cavity 212 gradually decreases in the Y-direction of the electrode. As the gas moves from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B, the inner wall of the second sub-cavity 212 can guide the gas assembly to accelerate while limiting the generation of turbulence, thereby reducing the energy damage of the gas. This allows the gas to pass through the air outlet 21B and the connecting pipe 22 at a faster speed and be discharged from the blower 23. Furthermore, the gas can be more concentrated on blowing the slower-drying parts of the coating layer, thereby enabling the various parts of the electrode coating layer to dry at a more similar rate. This further reduces the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rate, thereby further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0129] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the drying device 100 further includes a first air guide box 30 and a second air guide box 40; both the first air guide box 30 and the second air guide box 40 are disposed inside the box body 10 and are connected to the hot air source, and the air inlet 21A is connected to the first air guide box 30; wherein, the drying mechanism 20 is detachably disposed in the first air guide box 30.

[0130] In some embodiments, the drying apparatus 100 further includes a conveying roller 50, a first air guide box 30, and a second air guide box 40, disposed within the housing 10. The conveying roller 50 is used to carry and convey the electrode sheet. Both the first air guide box 30 and the second air guide box 40 are disposed inside the housing 10, located on opposite sides of the electrode sheet along its thickness direction Z, which is parallel to the direction of gravity. The first air guide box 30 has a first air outlet surface facing the electrode sheet along its thickness direction Z. The drying mechanism 20 is disposed on the first air outlet surface, which has a plurality of first exhaust ports 31 spaced apart along the electrode sheet's belt-carrying direction Y. The second air guide box 40 has a second air outlet surface facing the electrode sheet along its thickness direction Z, which has a plurality of second exhaust ports 41 spaced apart along the electrode sheet's belt-carrying direction Y.

[0131] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3The drying mechanism 20 also includes a mounting part 213, which is disposed on one side of the cavity 21 in the electrode width direction and protrudes from the side of the cavity 21 facing the first air guide box 30 in the electrode thickness direction Z. The mounting part 213 is detachably connected to the first air guide box 30 by bolt connection or snap-fit ​​connection.

[0132] In this embodiment, the drying mechanism 20 is detachably mounted on the first air guide box 30 to facilitate the installation and disassembly of the drying mechanism 20, thereby facilitating the installation and maintenance of the drying mechanism 20.

[0133] Please refer to Figure 1 According to some embodiments of this application, there are multiple drying mechanisms 20, and the multiple drying mechanisms 20 are arranged along the Y-direction of the electrode sheet.

[0134] In some embodiments, at least one drying mechanism 20 is provided between two adjacent first exhaust vents 31.

[0135] In this embodiment, by arranging multiple drying units 20 along the Y-direction of the electrode, the airflow provided by the drying units 20 to the slower-drying parts of the coating layer is continuously increased, and / or the airflow provided by the drying units 20 to the faster-drying parts of the coating layer is continuously decreased during the electrode's conveying process. This further enables the various parts of the electrode's coating layer to dry at a more similar rate, thereby further reducing the risk of uneven coating surface caused by dynamic surface tension imbalance due to differences in drying rates, and thus further improving the drying quality of the electrode.

[0136] This application provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus, including a drying device 100 as provided in the first aspect embodiment. The drying device 100 is used to dry a coating layer applied to a current collector.

[0137] According to some embodiments of this application, a drying apparatus 100 is provided, with reference to... Figures 1-7The drying device 100 includes a housing 10 and a drying mechanism 20. The housing 10 has an inlet 11 for the electrode to enter the housing 10 and an outlet 12 for the electrode to leave the housing 10. The drying mechanism 20 is disposed inside the housing 10 and includes a cavity 21, a connecting pipe 22, and a blower 23. The cavity 21 has an air inlet 21A and an air outlet 21B. The air inlet 21A is connected to a hot air source. The connecting pipe 22 is used to connect the air outlet 21B and the blower 23. The position of the blower 23 is adjustable along the width direction X of the electrode. The width direction X of the electrode is perpendicular to the belt travel direction Y of the electrode. The connecting pipe 22 is a flexible pipe. There are multiple air outlets 21B, blowers 23, and connecting pipes 22. Multiple blowers 23 are arranged along the width direction X of the electrode, and each blower 23 is connected to an air outlet 21B through a connecting pipe 22. The drying mechanism 20 also includes a slide rail 24; the slide rail 24 is fixed outside the cavity 21 and extends along the width direction X of the electrode; wherein, the blower 23 is slidably disposed on the slide rail 24. The blower 23 has multiple blow holes 2311 on the side facing the electrode. The drying mechanism 20 also includes an airflow regulating assembly 25, which includes an airflow regulating blade 252 and a knob 251. The airflow regulating blade 252 is rotatably disposed inside the cavity 21 and located between the air outlet 21B and the air inlet 21A; the knob 251 is disposed on the outer side of the wall of the cavity 21 and connected to the airflow regulating blade 252. The airflow regulating assembly 25 includes a rotating shaft 253; the two ends of the rotating shaft 253 are respectively mounted on two opposite walls of the cavity 21; wherein, the knob 251 is disposed at one end of the rotating shaft 253, and the airflow regulating blade 252 is fixed to the periphery of the rotating shaft 253. The airflow regulating component 25 also includes a limiting part 254; the limiting part 254 is disposed on the inner surface of the cavity 21 and is used to limit the rotation range of the airflow regulating blade 252. The drying mechanism 20 also includes an air distribution plate 26; the air distribution plate 26 is disposed inside the cavity 21 and located between the air inlet 21A and the air outlet 21B, and the air distribution plate 26 is provided with a plurality of through holes 261 for gas to pass through. The cavity 21 includes a first sub-cavity 211 and a second sub-cavity 212 connected to each other. The first sub-cavity 211 is provided with an air inlet 21A, and the second sub-cavity 212 is provided with an air outlet 21B; wherein, the air distribution plate 26 is located inside the first sub-cavity 211, and the airflow regulating component 25 is located inside the second sub-cavity 212. Along the direction from the air inlet 21A to the air outlet 21B, the size of the second sub-cavity 212 gradually decreases in the Y direction of the electrode travel direction. The drying device 100 also includes a first air guide box 30 and a second air guide box 40; both the first air guide box 30 and the second air guide box 40 are disposed inside the housing 10 and are connected to a hot air source, with the air inlet 21A connected to the first air guide box 30; wherein, the drying mechanism 20 is detachably disposed in the first air guide box 30. There are multiple drying mechanisms 20, which are arranged along the Y-direction of the electrode sheet.

[0138] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0139] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application. For those skilled in the art, this application can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus, characterized in that, include: The housing has an inlet for the electrode to enter the housing and an outlet for the electrode to leave the housing. A drying mechanism is disposed inside the housing. The drying mechanism includes a cavity, a connecting pipe, and a blower. The cavity has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet is connected to a hot air source. The connecting pipe is used to connect the air outlet and the blower. The position of the blower is adjustable along the width direction of the electrode. The width direction of the electrode is perpendicular to the belt travel direction of the electrode.

2. The drying apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting pipe is a flexible pipe.

3. The drying apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of air outlets, air blowers, and connecting pipes are all multiple. The multiple air blowers are arranged along the width direction of the electrode plate, and each air blower is connected to an air outlet through a connecting pipe.

4. The drying apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drying mechanism also includes: A slide rail is fixed outside the cavity and extends along the width direction of the electrode sheet; The blower is slidably mounted on the slide rail.

5. The drying apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The blower has multiple air holes on the side facing the electrode.

6. The drying apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drying mechanism also includes: An airflow regulating component is at least partially disposed within the cavity, and the airflow regulating component is used to regulate the airflow at the air outlet.

7. The drying apparatus as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The air volume regulating component includes: An airflow regulating blade is rotatably disposed within the cavity and located between the air outlet and the air inlet; The knob is located on the outer side of the wall of the cavity and is connected to the air volume regulating blade.

8. The drying apparatus as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The air volume regulating component includes: A rotating shaft, the two ends of which are respectively mounted on two opposite walls of the cavity; The knob is located at one end of the rotating shaft, and the airflow adjustment blade is fixed to the circumference of the rotating shaft.

9. The drying apparatus as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The air volume regulating component includes: A limiting part is provided on the inner surface of the cavity and is used to limit the rotation range of the air volume regulating blade.

10. The drying apparatus as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The drying mechanism also includes: An air distribution plate is disposed in the cavity and located between the air inlet and the air outlet. The air distribution plate is provided with multiple through holes for gas to pass through.

11. The drying apparatus as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The cavity includes a first sub-cavity and a second sub-cavity connected to each other. The first sub-cavity is provided with the air inlet, and the second sub-cavity is provided with the air outlet. The air distribution plate is located inside the first sub-cavity, and the air volume adjustment component is located inside the second sub-cavity.

12. The drying apparatus as described in claim 11, characterized in that, Along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the size of the second sub-cavity gradually decreases in the direction of the electrode's travel.

13. The drying apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drying device further includes: The first air guide box and the second air guide box are both disposed inside the box and are both connected to the hot air source. The air inlet is connected to the first air guide box. The drying mechanism is detachably mounted on the first air guide box.

14. The drying apparatus as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The number of drying mechanisms is multiple, and the multiple drying mechanisms are arranged along the belt-carrying direction of the electrode sheet.

15. An electrode manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the drying apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-14.

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