Battery cell transfer tray
By optimizing the six-point positioning design of the cell transfer tray, interference between the tabs and electrode sheets and the tray is avoided, thus solving the problems of tab deformation and electrode sheet deformation in lithium battery production and improving production efficiency and cell quality.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TRW ENERGY STORAGE (CHUZHOU) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
AI Technical Summary
In current lithium battery production, during cell transfer, the interaction between the tabs and the four corners of the tray, as well as the collision of the electrode sheets, can cause deformation or tearing of the tabs and electrode sheets, affecting production quality and efficiency.
Design a battery cell transfer tray that uses a six-point positioning method. The width positioning component avoids the electrode area, and the length positioning component avoids the tab area. A buffer layer and an integrated molding design are used to avoid interference between the tabs and electrodes and the tray.
It effectively reduces the risk of tab tearing and electrode deformation, lowers the cell scrap rate, and improves production efficiency and testing accuracy.
Smart Images
Figure CN224312227U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of lithium battery manufacturing equipment, and specifically relates to a cell transfer tray. Background Technology
[0002] In the lithium battery manufacturing industry, materials need to be transferred between different machines via logistics lines. For cells that have been wound and hot-pressed, mechanical grippers are currently commonly used to place them into trays, which are then transferred to subsequent processes via logistics lines.
[0003] Currently, after winding and hot-pressing, the spools used for prismatic battery cells employ a four-corner positioning method. This method limits the movement of the bare cells in all directions by using the four corners of the spool to prevent displacement and damage. However, this solution has the following technical bottlenecks:
[0004] Electrode interference problem: The electrode tabs of the bare battery cell after winding are close to the edge of the cell width. When the trolley is running, the electrode tabs are prone to interference with the front and rear limit blocks at the four corners of the trolley, which can cause the electrode tabs to deform or tear, resulting in the scrapping of the battery cell.
[0005] Electrode collision problem: During operation, the positioning structure at the four corners of the material tray will collide with the electrode at the four corners of the bare cell, causing the electrode to deform, affecting the accuracy of electrode coating inspection, and increasing production losses. Utility Model Content
[0006] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a battery cell transfer tray that solves the problems of interference between the tabs and the tray and electrode collision and deformation caused by the existing four-corner positioning method of the tray.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a battery cell transfer tray, including a tray body, on which a positioning component for positioning the battery cells is provided; the positioning component includes a width positioning member arranged along the width direction and a length positioning member arranged along the length direction.
[0008] The positioning area of the width positioning component corresponds to the non-electrode area in the middle of the cell along the length direction, avoiding the end face electrode areas at the four corners and edges of the cell, so as to achieve positioning of the cell in the width direction.
[0009] The positioning area of the length positioning component avoids the width edge area where the battery cell tab is located and maintains a distance from the edge of the tab in order to achieve positioning of the battery cell in the length direction.
[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned cell transfer tray, the width positioning component includes multiple pairs of positioning posts, each pair being symmetrical, with the two positioning posts on the same side distributed at a distance along the length direction.
[0011] Furthermore, in the aforementioned cell transfer tray, the length positioning element is at least one pair of limiting blocks, each pair being symmetrical.
[0012] Furthermore, in the aforementioned battery cell transfer tray, the surfaces of the width positioning member and the length positioning member that contact the battery cell are provided with a buffer layer, which is an elastic buffer layer.
[0013] Furthermore, in the aforementioned cell transfer tray, the buffer layer is made of silicone or rubber.
[0014] Furthermore, in the aforementioned battery cell transfer tray, the battery cell transfer tray is integrally formed.
[0015] Furthermore, in the aforementioned battery cell transfer tray, a groove is provided in the middle area of the tray body, and a protrusion is provided at the bottom of the groove.
[0016] Furthermore, in the aforementioned battery cell transfer tray, the positioning post is any one of trapezoidal, semi-cylindrical, or rectangular in shape.
[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:
[0018] This invention optimizes the positioning component design of the battery cell transfer tray, employing a six-point positioning method. The width positioning component is positioned in the non-electrode area at the center of the battery cell along its length, while the length positioning component avoids the width edge area where the tabs are located. This achieves fixation of the battery cell in both the width and length directions, effectively preventing interference between the tabs / electrodes and the tray during transfer. This significantly reduces the risk of tab tearing and electrode deformation, thereby lowering the battery cell scrap rate and improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the battery cell transfer tray in one embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of the battery cell transfer tray in one embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] Figure 3 This is a front view of the battery cell transfer tray in one embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] Figure 4 This is a left view of the battery cell transfer tray in one embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Among them, 1. Battery cell; 2. Positioning post; 3. Limiting block; 4. Material tray body; 5. Electrode tab; 6. Protrusion. Detailed Implementation
[0024] The following is a more detailed description of a battery cell transfer tray according to the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can modify the present invention described herein while still achieving its advantageous effects. Therefore, the following description should be understood as being of general knowledge to those skilled in the art and is not intended to limit the present invention.
[0025] For clarity, not all features of the actual embodiments are described. In the following description, well-known functions and structures are not detailed in detail, as they would confuse the present invention with unnecessary detail. It should be understood that in the development of any actual embodiment, numerous implementation details must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as changes from one embodiment to another according to limitations related to the system or business. Furthermore, it should be understood that such development work may be complex and time-consuming, but is merely routine work for those skilled in the art.
[0026] The present invention will be described in more detail below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the present invention.
[0027] As mentioned in the background section, in the lithium battery production process, the wound and hot-pressed cells are transferred to subsequent processes via material trays through a logistics line. However, the existing material trays use a four-corner positioning method to fix the cells, which has the following problems:
[0028] First, the spool uses its four corners to limit the movement of the bare battery cells in all directions. However, after winding, the tabs of the bare cells are close to the edge of the cell's width. During spool movement, the tabs interfere with the corner limiting blocks, causing deformation or tearing of the tabs and rendering the cells unusable. Second, during spool movement, the four corner positioning points also collide with the electrode sheets at the four corners of the bare cells, causing electrode deformation and affecting the accuracy of electrode coating inspection. These problems seriously affect the production quality and efficiency of the battery cells, increasing production costs.
[0029] In view of this, in order to solve the problems in the prior art, such as Figure 1 This utility model proposes a battery cell transfer tray. By optimizing the design of the positioning components, interference between the tabs and electrode sheets and the tray is avoided, thereby improving the safety of battery cell transfer and the accuracy of detection.
[0030] For ease of understanding and description, the following explanations will use the following terms: Figure 1As shown, the x-axis and y-axis are drawn using two perpendicular lines passing through the center point of the material tray body 4, which are also perpendicular to the outer edge. In this invention, the direction parallel to the x-axis is denoted as the width direction, and the direction parallel to the y-axis is denoted as the length direction. The above-mentioned definition of directions also applies when the battery cell is embedded in the battery cell transfer tray of this application for positioning.
[0031] The battery cell transfer tray includes a tray body 4, on which a positioning component is provided for positioning the battery cells. The positioning component is used to accurately position the battery cells, ensuring the stability of the battery cells 1 during the transfer process and avoiding interference with the tray.
[0032] Furthermore, the positioning component includes width positioning elements and length positioning elements. The width positioning elements are arranged on both sides of the material tray body 4 along the width direction, and multiple pairs are arranged along the length direction. The length positioning elements are arranged on both sides of the material tray body 4 along the length direction.
[0033] When positioning the battery cell, the positioning area of the width positioning component corresponds to the non-electrode area in the middle of the battery cell along its length, avoiding the end face electrode areas at the four corners and edges of the battery cell, so as to achieve positioning of the battery cell in the width direction.
[0034] Specifically, such as Figure 2-4 The width positioning component includes multiple pairs of positioning posts 2, each pair of which is symmetrically distributed on both sides about the y-axis. The two positioning posts 2 on the same side are spaced apart along the length direction to achieve positioning of the battery cell in the width direction and prevent possible rotation of the battery cell. Furthermore, each pair of positioning posts 2 maintains a certain distance from the end face electrode area of the battery cell along the length direction to avoid collision with the electrode (not shown). It is understood that this distance can be set according to actual conditions, and this application does not impose any special limitations.
[0035] In this embodiment, the number of positioning posts 2 is schematically shown as two pairs. Each pair of positioning posts is symmetrically distributed about the y-axis, and the position of one pair of positioning posts is... Figure 2 It is indicated by a red dashed box. For example... Figure 2 The two pairs of positioning posts 2 are correspondingly distributed in the non-end-face electrode area along the length of the cell 1. They are positioned in the width direction by contacting the side of the cell 1 with the limiting surface. This design can effectively prevent the material tray from colliding with the electrodes at the four corners of the cell 1 during movement, thereby reducing electrode deformation and improving the accuracy of electrode coating detection.
[0036] Furthermore, the positioning post 2 can be any one of trapezoidal, semi-cylindrical, or rectangular.
[0037] Specifically, such as Figure 2In this embodiment, the positioning post 2 adopts a trapezoidal structure, with a narrow top and wide bottom to disperse contact stress. The wide bottom cross-section provides a larger connection area with the material tray, resulting in a more stable structure. Furthermore, the positioning post 2 can also be semi-cylindrical or rectangular. When the positioning post 2 is semi-cylindrical, the cross-section is half-circular, and the arc surface reduces frictional damage to the battery cell. This is suitable for batteries with fragile electrodes (such as thin aluminum foil electrodes), and multiple sets are needed to ensure positioning accuracy. When the positioning post 2 is rectangular, the cross-section is rectangular, and the positioning surface is flat. This is suitable for standardized batteries with strict dimensional tolerances. Right-angled edges need to be wrapped with a buffer layer to prevent scratching the battery cell.
[0038] In this embodiment of the utility model, the length positioning member is arranged on both sides along the length direction, and its positioning area avoids the width edge area where the battery cell tab is located, and maintains a distance from the edge of the tab 5, so as to achieve the positioning of the battery cell 1 in the length direction.
[0039] Specifically, the length positioning element is at least one pair of limiting blocks 3, each pair is symmetrically distributed about the x-axis, and maintains a distance from the tabs 5 in the width direction of the battery cell 1 to avoid interference with the tabs 5.
[0040] In this embodiment, the limiting blocks 3 are schematically shown as a pair. This pair of limiting blocks 3 is symmetrically distributed about the x-axis and is positioned on the y-axis. The positions of this pair of limiting blocks 3 are... Figure 2 The blue dashed box indicates that the limit blocks 3 are located in the non-tab area along the width of the cell. This design effectively prevents the tray from interfering with the tabs 5 during movement, thereby reducing deformation or tearing of the tabs 5 and lowering the cell scrap rate.
[0041] In this embodiment, a buffer layer (not shown) is provided on the surfaces of the width positioning member and the length positioning member that contact the battery cell 1. The buffer layer is made of an elastic material, specifically silicone or rubber. The buffer layer further improves the safety of battery cell transportation, reduces battery cell damage caused by vibration or collision, and extends the service life of the positioning components.
[0042] Furthermore, the battery cell transfer tray adopts a one-piece molding process, which improves the integrity and stability of the tray body structure 4, avoiding problems such as gaps and loosening caused by splicing or assembly, thereby effectively improving the strength and durability of the battery cell transfer tray. At the same time, one-piece molding can precisely control the positional accuracy of the positioning components (positioning post 2, limit block 3), making the layout of the width positioning component and the length positioning component more in line with the battery cell positioning requirements, and improving the accuracy of the six-point positioning method. In addition, one-piece molding reduces processing steps and assembly costs, improves production efficiency, and the smoother surface of the tray without splicing reduces the risk of interference with the battery cell tabs and electrodes, further ensuring the safety of the battery cell transfer process.
[0043] In this embodiment, during the transfer of the battery cell via the battery cell transfer tray on the logistics line, the battery cell 1 is first pre-positioned by the positioning components (positioning post 2 and limiting block 3) of the tray body 4, ensuring that the tab 5 and the electrode (not shown) avoid interference areas. The mechanical gripper is matched to the size of the battery cell 1, with rounded corners on the gripping surface. It is aligned with the battery cell 1 using a vision positioning system and gradually closes with constant pressure. A buffer layer absorbs impact force upon contact with the battery cell 1. After gripping, it is lifted vertically, exceeding the edge of the tray by 5-10mm. During transfer, a shock-absorbing device controls the vibration amplitude to within 0.5mm to prevent the battery cell from shaking. The process of transferring the battery cell using the mechanical gripper is prior art and will not be described in detail here.
[0044] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 The material tray body 4 has a groove (unlabeled) in the middle area, and a protrusion 6 at the bottom of the groove. The protrusion 6 is located in the center of the bottom surface of the groove, forming a "groove nested within a protrusion" structural layout.
[0045] Specifically, the recessed design of the groove provides space for the mechanical gripper (not shown) to extend into. The mechanical gripper can directly contact the bottom or side of the battery cell through the groove, avoiding collision between the mechanical gripper and the edge of the tray body 4, allowing the mechanical gripper to smoothly hold the battery cell 1. At the same time, the smooth transition design of the groove edge (such as rounded corners) can prevent scratching the mechanical gripper or the battery cell 1. Figure 4 When the protrusion 6 contacts the bottom of the battery cell 1, it can provide effective support for the battery cell 1 and prevent the battery cell 1 from being misaligned in the tray. The layout of the protrusion 6, together with the positioning post 2 and the limiting block 3, further enhances the stability of the battery cell in the width and length directions, especially reducing the risk of displacement caused by vibration during transportation.
[0046] In summary, this invention optimizes the design of the positioning components of the battery cell transfer tray, employing a six-point positioning method. The width positioning component is positioned in the non-electrode area at the center of the battery cell along its length, while the length positioning component avoids the width edge area where the tabs are located. This achieves fixation of the battery cell in both the width and length directions, effectively preventing interference between the tabs / electrodes and the tray during transfer. This significantly reduces the risk of tab tearing and electrode deformation, thereby lowering the battery cell scrap rate and improving production efficiency.
[0047] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and do not constitute any limitation on this utility model. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions and contents disclosed in this utility model without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of this utility model shall still fall within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A battery cell transfer tray, characterized in that, The device includes a material tray body, on which a positioning component for positioning battery cells is provided; the positioning component includes a width positioning element arranged along the width direction and a length positioning element arranged along the length direction. The positioning area of the width positioning component corresponds to the non-electrode area in the middle of the cell along the length direction, avoiding the end face electrode areas at the four corners and edges of the cell, so as to achieve positioning of the cell in the width direction. The positioning area of the length positioning component avoids the width edge area where the battery cell tab is located and maintains a distance from the edge of the tab in order to achieve positioning of the battery cell in the length direction.
2. The battery cell transfer tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width positioning component includes multiple pairs of positioning posts, each pair being symmetrical, with the two positioning posts on the same side spaced apart along the length direction.
3. The cell transfer tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length positioning element is at least one pair of limiting blocks, each pair being symmetrical.
4. The cell transfer tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surfaces of the width positioning member and the length positioning member that contact the battery cell are provided with a buffer layer, which is an elastic buffer layer.
5. The cell transfer tray according to claim 4, characterized in that, The buffer layer is made of silicone or rubber.
6. The cell transfer tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery cell transfer tray is integrally formed.
7. The cell transfer tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central area of the tray body is provided with a groove, and the bottom of the groove is provided with a protrusion.
8. The cell transfer tray according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning post can be any one of trapezoidal, semi-cylindrical, or rectangular.