Briquetting assembly and welding device

Abstract

This utility model discloses a pressing assembly and a welding device, relating to the field of welding technology, and aims to solve the problem of how to extend the service life of the pressing assembly body. The pressing assembly is used to press the tabs onto the cover plate when welding the tabs and cover plate of a power battery. The pressing assembly includes a pressing body and a sandwich structure. A welding channel is provided within the pressing body for welding equipment to pass through, enabling the welding equipment to weld the tabs and cover plate. The sandwich structure at least partially covers the inner wall of the welding channel and is detachably connected to the pressing body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of welding technology, and more particularly to briquetting assemblies and welding apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Welding equipment is used to weld workpieces, such as the tabs and cover plates of a power battery. The welding equipment includes a clamping assembly and welding equipment. The clamping assembly is used to press the tabs and cover plates of the power battery into place, and the welding equipment is used to weld the pressed tabs and cover plates. During the welding of the tabs and cover plates, weld slag easily splashes and adheres to the inner surface of the clamping assembly, affecting its service life.

[0003] In existing technology, after a certain number of welding operations on the tabs and cover plates, the inner surface of the clamping assembly needs to be polished before it can be reused. As the number of polishing operations increases, the clamping assembly will become unusable and scrapped, affecting its service life. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a briquetting assembly and welding device, which aims to solve the problem of how to extend the service life of the briquetting body.

[0005] In a first aspect, a pressing assembly is provided for pressing tabs onto a cover plate during welding of a power battery. The pressing assembly includes a pressing body and a sandwich structure. The pressing body has a welding channel for through which welding equipment passes to weld the tabs and cover plate. The sandwich structure at least partially covers the inner wall of the welding channel and is detachably connected to the pressing body.

[0006] In this way, by incorporating welding channels within the compact body, the welding equipment can be guided during welding of the battery's tabs and cover plates, preventing welding position deviation and improving welding consistency. Furthermore, by having a sandwich structure that at least partially covers the inner wall of the welding channels and is detachably connected to the compact body—meaning the compact body and sandwich structure are designed as separate units—welds slag entering the welding channels and adhering to the sandwich structure during welding of the tabs and cover plates. This slag damages the sandwich structure; when it becomes unusable, only the sandwich structure needs replacement, without needing to replace the entire compact body. Regularly replacing worn or damaged sandwich structures effectively extends the service life of the compact body.

[0007] Furthermore, replacing only the sandwich structure can reduce the maintenance cost of the briquette assembly compared to replacing the entire briquette assembly. In addition, the sandwich structure is smaller in volume than the briquette body, and by replacing the sandwich structure, different materials and structures of the sandwich interface can be selected according to different welding requirements, improving resource utilization efficiency and reducing waste.

[0008] In addition, the layout of the briquette body and the sandwich structure is reasonable, which can ensure that the volume of the briquette assembly remains unchanged, so that the structure of the briquette assembly is more compact and suitable for the narrow internal space of the power battery.

[0009] In some embodiments, the inner wall surface of the welding channel includes a first inner wall surface and a second inner wall surface arranged along a first direction, and a third inner wall surface and a fourth inner wall surface arranged along a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and both the first and second directions are perpendicular to the axial direction of the welding channel. The sandwich structure includes a first sandwich plate and a second sandwich plate, wherein the first sandwich plate covers the first inner wall surface, and the second sandwich plate covers the second inner wall surface. And / or, the first sandwich plate covers the third inner wall surface, and the second sandwich plate covers the fourth inner wall surface.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pressing block body includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall arranged along a first direction, and a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall arranged along a second direction. The third and fourth sidewalls are both connected between the first and second sidewalls, such that the first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls form a welding channel, and the lengths of the first and second sidewalls in the second direction are greater than the lengths of the third and fourth sidewalls in the first direction. A first sandwich panel covers the inner wall surface of the first sidewall, and a second sandwich panel covers the inner wall surface of the second sidewall.

[0011] In some embodiments, along the second direction, the first sandwich panel extends from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall to the other end. And / or, along the axial direction of the welding channel, the first sandwich panel extends from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall to the other end.

[0012] In some embodiments, the surface of the first sandwich panel facing away from the first inner wall is provided with an anti-adhesion layer to prevent welding slag from adhering.

[0013] In some embodiments, the anti-adhesion layer includes a ceramic film layer.

[0014] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the welding channel, the pressure block body has a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate. The first sandwich plate includes a first cover plate portion and a first limiting plate portion, the first cover plate portion covering the first inner wall surface, and the first limiting plate portion being connected to the end of the first cover plate portion away from the second surface and connected to the first surface.

[0015] In some embodiments, the pressure block body is provided with a first positioning groove, the first positioning groove is recessed from the first surface toward the second surface, and the first limiting plate is disposed in the first positioning groove.

[0016] In some embodiments, one of the first surface and the first limiting plate portion is provided with a first positioning post, and the other is provided with a first positioning hole, with the first positioning post passing through the first positioning hole.

[0017] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the welding channel, the pressure block body has a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate. The sandwich structure further includes a first connector and a second connector spaced apart along a second direction, with the first connector connected to one end of the first sandwich plate and the second sandwich plate along the second direction, and the second connector connected to the other end of the first sandwich plate and the second sandwich plate. Both the first connector and the second connector are connected to the first surface.

[0018] In some embodiments, the pressure block body further includes a first groove and a second groove spaced apart along a second direction, both the first groove and the second groove being recessed from the first surface toward the second surface. A first connector is disposed in the first groove, and a second connector is disposed in the second groove.

[0019] In some embodiments, the pressure block assembly is further provided with a first air inlet channel, which is connected to a welding channel for introducing protective gas to the welding positions of the electrode tab and the pressure cap.

[0020] In some embodiments, there are multiple first air intake channels. Along the second direction, a portion of the multiple first air intake channels are located on one side of the welding channel, and another portion of the multiple first air intake channels are located on the other side of the welding channel.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first air intake channel includes a first channel disposed on the first connector and a second channel disposed on the pressure block body. The first channel extends axially along the welding channel, and the second channel includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet is located on the first surface and communicates with the first channel, and the air outlet is located on the third inner wall surface and communicates with the welding channel.

[0022] In some embodiments, the main body of the pressure block is made of copper, and the sandwich structure is made of stainless steel.

[0023] Secondly, a welding apparatus is also provided, including a pressing assembly as described in any of the above technical solutions.

[0024] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the welding channel of the pressure block assembly, the pressure block body of the pressure block assembly has a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate. The welding apparatus further includes a dust removal assembly connected to the first surface and communicating with the welding channel.

[0025] In some embodiments, the dust removal device includes a connector and a dust removal body, the connector being connected between the dust removal body and the briquetting assembly.

[0026] In some embodiments, the pressing block assembly is further provided with a first air inlet channel, and the connector is provided with a second air inlet channel. One end of the second air inlet channel is adapted to connect to a protective gas source, and the other end is connected to the first air inlet channel.

[0027] In some embodiments, the diameter of the second air intake channel is larger than the diameter of the first air intake channel.

[0028] Since the welding apparatus provided in this application includes the pressing block assembly as described in any of the above technical solutions, it can solve the same technical problem and achieve the same effect. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments 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.

[0030] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a welding apparatus according to some embodiments;

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the welding apparatus shown.

[0032] Figure 3 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a briquetting assembly according to some embodiments;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Top view of the pressing block assembly shown;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the sandwich structure in the briquetting assembly.

[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 3 The bottom view of the pressure block assembly shown;

[0036] Figure 7 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the pressing block body in the pressing block assembly.

[0037] Figure label:

[0038] 100. Welding device; 10. Pressing block assembly; 20. Dust removal assembly; 201. Connector; 2011. Second air intake channel; 202. Dust removal body; 2021. Dust removal pipe; 2022. Dust removal hood; 203. First opening; 1. Pressing block body; 11. Welding channel; 111. First inner wall surface; 112. Second inner wall surface; 113. Third inner wall surface; 114. Fourth inner wall surface; 12. First side wall; 13. Second side wall; 14. Third side wall; 15. Fourth side wall; 16. First surface; 161 17. First positioning post; 18. Second surface; 19A. First positioning groove; 19B. Second groove; 2. Sandwich structure; 21. First sandwich plate; 211. First cover plate part; 212. First limiting plate part; 2121. First positioning hole; 22. Second sandwich plate; 221. Second cover plate part; 222. Second limiting plate part; 23. First connector; 24. Second connector; 3. First air intake channel; 31. First channel; 32. Second channel; 321. Air inlet; 322. Air outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0039] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" 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 with "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0040] In embodiments of this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0041] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, "parallel," "perpendicular," and "equal" include the described situation and situations similar to the described situation, where the range of similarity is within an acceptable deviation range, which is determined by those skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, where the acceptable deviation range for approximate parallelism can be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, where the acceptable deviation range for approximate perpendicularity can also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, where the acceptable deviation range for approximate equality can be, for example, a difference between the two equals being less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0043] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a welding apparatus 100 provided in some embodiments of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the welding apparatus 100. The welding apparatus 100 is used to weld workpieces, such as the tabs and cover plates of a power battery. Welding, also known as fusion welding, is a manufacturing process and technology that joins metals or other thermoplastic materials (such as plastics) by heating, high temperature, or high pressure.

[0044] The welding apparatus 100 may include a pressing assembly 10 and welding equipment. The pressing assembly 10 is used to press the tabs and cover plate of the power battery, and the welding equipment is used to weld the pressed tabs and cover plate of the power battery. For example, the welding equipment may be a laser welder, an ultrasonic welder, a friction welder, etc.

[0045] This application uses a laser welder as an example to illustrate the process.

[0046] In the prior art, the briquetting assembly 10 has a welding channel 11. When the welding equipment welds the electrode tabs and the cover plate through the welding channel 11, the welding slag easily splashes and adheres to the inner surface of the welding channel 11. After a certain number of welding cycles, the welding slag accumulates on the inner surface of the welding channel 11, requiring the inner surface of the welding channel 11 to be ground before reuse. As the number of grinding cycles increases, the wall of the welding channel 11 becomes thinner, resulting in a larger gap between the two sides of the inner wall of the welding channel 11, making it difficult to press the electrode tabs tightly, causing the briquetting assembly 10 to be scrapped and reducing its service life.

[0047] Based on this, this application provides a briquetting assembly 10, please refer to... Figure 3 , Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a pressing assembly 10 provided in some embodiments of this application. The pressing assembly 10 is used to press the tabs onto the cover plate during the welding of a power battery's tabs and cover plate. The pressing assembly 10 may include a pressing body 1 and a sandwich structure 2. The pressing body 1 has a welding channel 11 for passing through welding equipment to weld the tabs and cover plate. At least a portion of the sandwich structure 2 covers the inner wall of the welding channel 11 and is detachably connected to the pressing body 1.

[0048] In this way, by providing a welding channel 11 within the pressing body 1, the welding equipment can be guided during welding of the battery's tabs and cover plates, preventing welding position deviation and improving welding consistency. Furthermore, by having at least a portion of the sandwich structure 2 cover the inner wall of the welding channel 11 and detachably connected to the pressing body 1, the pressing body 1 and the sandwich structure 2 are designed as separate units. During welding of the tabs and cover plates, welding slag enters the welding channel 11 and adheres to the sandwich structure 2. Thus, the welding slag damages the sandwich structure 2. When the sandwich structure 2 is damaged beyond repair, only the sandwich structure 2 needs to be replaced, without replacing the pressing body 1. By periodically replacing the worn or damaged sandwich structure 2, the service life of the pressing body 1 can be effectively extended.

[0049] Furthermore, replacing only the interlayer structure 2 can reduce the maintenance cost of the pressing assembly 10 compared to replacing the entire pressing assembly 10. In addition, compared to the pressing body 1, the interlayer structure 2 is smaller in volume. By replacing the interlayer structure 2, different materials and structures of interlayer interfaces can be selected according to different welding requirements, thereby improving resource utilization efficiency and reducing waste.

[0050] In addition, the layout of the briquetting body 1 and the sandwich structure 2 is reasonable, which can ensure that the volume of the briquetting assembly 10 remains unchanged, so that the structure of the briquetting assembly 10 is more compact and suitable for the narrow internal space of the power battery.

[0051] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 for Figure 3 The top view of the pressing block assembly 10 shown. Figure 5 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the sandwich structure 2 in the pressure block assembly 10. The inner wall surface of the welding channel 11 includes a first direction (e.g., Figure 4 The first inner wall surface 111 and the second inner wall surface 112 arranged in the direction A shown, and along the second direction (as shown) Figure 4The third inner wall surface 113 and the fourth inner wall surface 114, arranged in direction B), are perpendicular to the second direction in the first direction, and both the first and second directions are perpendicular to the axial direction of the welding channel 11. The sandwich structure 2 includes a first sandwich plate 21 and a second sandwich plate 22, with the first sandwich plate 21 covering the first inner wall surface 111 and the second sandwich plate 22 covering the second inner wall surface 112.

[0052] In this way, when the welding equipment welds the tabs and cover plates of the power battery, the welding slag splashes onto the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22, avoiding the splashing of welding slag onto the first inner wall surface 111 and the second inner wall surface 112. When the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22 are worn or damaged, only the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22 need to be replaced, without the need to grind the first inner wall surface 111 and the second inner wall surface 112. This keeps the distance between the first inner wall surface 111 and the second inner wall surface 112 unchanged, so that the tabs can be pressed against the side wall where the first inner wall surface 111 is located and the side wall where the second inner wall surface 112 is located. As long as the side wall where the third inner wall surface 113 is located and the side wall where the fourth inner wall surface 114 is located are not completely worn, the clamping assembly 10 can always be used to press against the tabs, thereby improving the service life of the clamping assembly 10.

[0053] In some examples, the first sandwich panel 21 and the second sandwich panel 22 can be an integral structure, for example, manufactured by bending, stamping or other processes. In other examples, the first sandwich panel 21 and the second sandwich panel 22 can be separate structures. For example, the first sandwich panel 21 and the second sandwich panel 22 can be connected by welding, or they can also be connected by snap-fitting, riveting or other methods.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first sandwich panel 21 covers the third inner wall surface 113, and the second sandwich panel 22 covers the fourth inner wall surface 114.

[0055] In this way, when the welding equipment welds the tabs and cover plates of the power battery, the welding slag splashes onto the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22, avoiding the welding slag splashing onto the third inner wall surface 113 and the fourth inner wall surface 114. When the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22 are worn or damaged, only the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22 need to be replaced, without the need to grind the third inner wall surface 113 and the fourth inner wall surface 114. This keeps the distance between the third inner wall surface 113 and the fourth inner wall surface 114 unchanged, so that the tabs can be pressed together by the side wall where the third inner wall surface 113 is located and the side wall where the fourth inner wall surface 114 is located. As long as the side wall where the first inner wall surface 111 is located and the side wall where the second inner wall surface 112 is located are not completely worn, the clamping assembly 10 can always be used to press together the tabs, thereby improving the service life of the clamping assembly 10.

[0056] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 4 to 6 , Figure 6 for Figure 3 The diagram shows a bottom view of the pressing block assembly 10. The pressing block body 1 includes a first sidewall 12 and a second sidewall 13 arranged along a first direction, and a third sidewall 14 and a fourth sidewall 15 arranged along a second direction. The third sidewall 14 and the fourth sidewall 15 are both connected between the first sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13, such that the first sidewall 12, the second sidewall 13, the third sidewall 14, and the fourth sidewall 15 form a welding channel 11, and the length L1 of the first sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13 in the second direction is greater than the length L2 of the third sidewall 14 and the fourth sidewall 15 in the first direction. A first sandwich plate 21 covers the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12, and a second sandwich plate 22 covers the inner wall surface of the second sidewall 13.

[0057] The inner wall surface of the first side wall 12 forms the first inner wall surface 111, the inner wall surface of the second side wall 13 forms the second inner wall surface 112, the inner wall surface of the third side wall 14 forms the third inner wall surface 113, and the inner wall surface of the fourth side wall 15 forms the fourth inner wall surface 114.

[0058] In this way, the pressure block body 1 has a cuboid shape. During the actual welding process, on the one hand, since the lengths of the first sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13 are greater than the lengths of the third sidewall 14 and the fourth sidewall 15, most of the welding slag will adhere to the first sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13. Therefore, by covering the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12 with the first sandwich plate 21 and the inner wall surface of the second sidewall 13 with the second sandwich plate 22, most of the welding slag can be adhered, reducing the impact of welding slag on the pressure block body 1 and improving its service life. On the other hand, the greater lengths of the first sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13 also reduce the amount of welding slag residue splashed onto the third sidewall 14 and the fourth sidewall 15, eliminating the need to cover the third sidewall 14 and the fourth sidewall 15 with sandwich plates, thus saving costs.

[0059] In addition, this layout is reasonable. On the one hand, it can reduce the volume of the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22, and further reduce the volume of the sandwich structure 2, so that the structure of the pressing assembly 10 is more compact and suitable for the narrow internal space of the power battery. On the other hand, the thickness of the first sandwich plate 21 is less than the thickness of the first side wall 12, and the thickness of the second sandwich plate 22 is less than the thickness of the second side wall 13, which can further save the material of the sandwich structure 2 and save costs.

[0060] This application is illustrated by way of example, with a first sandwich panel 21 covering the first inner wall surface 111 and a second sandwich panel 22 covering the second inner wall surface 112.

[0061] In some embodiments, along the second direction, the first sandwich panel 21 extends from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12 to the other end.

[0062] This increases the coverage area of ​​the first interlayer plate 21 in the second direction, improving the coverage effect on the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12.

[0063] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the welding channel 11, the first sandwich panel 21 extends from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12 to the other end.

[0064] This increases the coverage area of ​​the first sandwich plate 21 in the axial direction of the welding channel 11, further improving the coverage effect on the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12.

[0065] This application provides an illustrative example with the first sandwich panel 21 extending from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12 to the other along the second direction. This allows the first sandwich panel 21 to cover the entire inner wall surface of the first sidewall 12, improving the coverage and protection of the first sidewall 12.

[0066] In some embodiments, the surface of the first sandwich panel 21 facing away from the first inner wall surface 111 is provided with an anti-adhesion layer to prevent welding slag from adhering.

[0067] This reduces the amount of welding slag residue on the first sandwich plate 21, extends the service life of the first sandwich plate 21, further extends the service life of the pressing assembly 10, and reduces the replacement frequency of the first sandwich plate 21, thereby saving costs.

[0068] In some examples, the anti-adhesion layer can be applied to the surface of the first interlayer plate 21 by processes such as cladding or embedding. For example, the anti-adhesion layer can be a ceramic coating, a Teflon coating, a metal plating (such as hard chrome, nickel-based alloy), a graphite coating, a silicon-based anti-stick coating, etc.

[0069] In some embodiments, the anti-adhesion layer includes a ceramic film layer.

[0070] In this way, the high melting point, low surface energy, and chemical inertness of the ceramic film layer can effectively reduce the wetting and adhesion of molten welding slag, making it easier for the slag to fall off or be cleaned. This can further reduce the amount of welding slag splashed on the first interlayer plate 21, extend the service life of the pressing block body 1, and reduce the maintenance and replacement costs of the pressing block body 1.

[0071] In some examples, the ceramic film can be an alumina ceramic film, a zirconia ceramic film, a silicon carbide ceramic film, a silicon nitride ceramic film, a chromium oxide ceramic film, and so on.

[0072] In some embodiments, the structure of the second sandwich panel 22 may be the same as that of the first sandwich panel 21 in any of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0073] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 4 to 7 , Figure 7 for Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the pressure block body 1 in the pressure block assembly 10. Along the axial direction of the welding channel 11, the pressure block body 1 has a first surface 16 and a second surface 17, the second surface 17 being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate.

[0074] The first interlayer plate 21 includes a first cover plate portion 211 and a first limiting plate portion 212. The first cover plate portion 211 covers the first inner wall surface 111, and the first limiting plate portion 212 is connected to the end of the first cover plate portion 211 away from the second surface 17 and is also connected to the first surface 16. For example, the first limiting plate portion 212 is detachably connected to the first surface 16. For instance, the first limiting plate portion 212 and the first surface 16 can be connected by screwing, snap-fitting, plugging, or other methods.

[0075] In this way, the second surface 17 directly contacts the tabs and the cover plate to press the tabs and cover plate of the power battery together, ensuring the welding effect at the connection between the tabs and the cover plate. By covering the first inner wall surface 111 with the first cover plate 211, and connecting the first limiting plate 212 to the first cover plate 211 and the first surface 16, the space restriction when connecting and disconnecting the first limiting plate 212 from the first surface 16 is small, which facilitates the connection and disconnection of the first interlayer plate 21 from the pressure block body 1, thereby facilitating the replacement of the interlayer structure 2.

[0076] In some examples, the first cover plate portion 211 and the first limiting plate portion 212 can be an integral structure, for example, processed by bending, stamping or other processes. In other examples, the first cover plate portion 211 and the first limiting plate can be separate structures. For example, the first cover plate portion 211 and the first limiting plate can be connected by welding, or they can also be connected by snap-fit, riveting or other methods.

[0077] In some examples, the first interlayer plate 21 may be elastic, and the first interlayer plate 21 may generate an elastic force that causes the first cover plate portion 211 to move toward the first inner wall surface 111. Thus, after the first limiting plate portion 212 is connected to the first surface 16, the first cover plate portion 211 can be tightly attached to the first inner wall surface 111, thereby improving the protective effect of the first cover plate portion 211 on the first inner wall surface 111.

[0078] In some embodiments, the second interlayer plate 22 includes a second cover plate portion 221 and a second limiting plate portion 222. The second cover plate portion 221 covers the second inner wall surface 112, and the second limiting plate portion 222 is connected to the end of the second cover plate portion 221 away from the second surface 17 and is connected to the first surface 16.

[0079] The structure and connection method of the second cover plate portion 221 and the second limiting plate portion 222 in the second sandwich panel 22 can be the same as the structure and connection relationship of the first cover plate portion 211 and the first limiting plate portion 212 in the first sandwich panel 21, and will not be described in detail here.

[0080] Specifically, the first limiting plate portion 212 is connected to the portion of the first surface 16 located on the first side wall 12, and the second limiting plate portion 222 is connected to the portion of the first surface 16 located on the second side wall 13. Thus, the provision of the first limiting plate portion 212 and the second limiting plate portion 222 facilitates the connection and disassembly of the sandwich structure 2 and the pressure block body 1.

[0081] Furthermore, by providing the first limiting plate portion 212 and the second limiting plate portion 222, it can be ensured that the sandwich structure 2 will not move relative to the pressing block body 1 in the second direction, so that the sandwich structure 2 and the pressing block body 1 are in contact, and welding slag is prevented from splashing on the second inner wall surface 112, thus affecting the service life of the pressing block body 1.

[0082] In some embodiments, the pressure block body 1 is provided with a first positioning groove 18, which is recessed from the first surface 16 toward the second surface 17, and a first limiting plate portion 212 is disposed in the first positioning groove 18. The inner wall surface of the first positioning groove 18 is also a part of the first surface 16.

[0083] In this way, when assembling the pressing block body 1 and the first limiting plate part 212, the first positioning groove 18 can limit the first limiting plate part 212 by setting the first positioning groove 18, so as to facilitate the assembly of the pressing block body 1 and the first limiting plate part 212 and improve the assembly efficiency.

[0084] In some examples, the number of first positioning slots 18 can be two. Alternatively, the number of first positioning slots 18 can be other than two, such as three, four, five, etc. This application does not make a specific limitation on this.

[0085] In some embodiments, one of the first surface 16 and the first limiting plate portion 212 is provided with a first positioning post 161, and the other is provided with a first positioning hole 2121, with the first positioning post 161 passing through the first positioning hole 2121.

[0086] In this way, when assembling the pressure block body 1 and the first limiting plate 212, the cooperation of the first positioning post 161 and the first positioning hole 2121 can facilitate the assembly of the pressure block body 1 and the first limiting plate, thereby improving assembly efficiency.

[0087] In some examples, the first positioning post 161 is located within the first positioning groove 18, and the axial direction of the first positioning post 161 is aligned with the axial direction of the welding channel 11.

[0088] In some examples, there can be multiple first positioning pins 161 and first positioning holes 2121. The number of first positioning pins 161 and first positioning holes 2121 are equal and correspond one-to-one, with one first positioning pin 161 passing through one first positioning hole 2121.

[0089] In some examples, the first surface 16 is provided with a first positioning post 161, and the first limiting plate portion 212 is provided with a first positioning hole 2121. In other examples, the first limiting plate portion 212 is provided with a first positioning post 161, and the first surface 16 is provided with a first positioning hole 2121.

[0090] This application is illustrated by taking the example of a first positioning post 161 provided on the first surface 16 and a first positioning hole 2121 provided on the first limiting plate portion 212.

[0091] One of the first surface 16 and the second limiting plate portion 222 is provided with a second positioning post 162, and the other is provided with a second positioning hole 2221. The second positioning post 162 passes through the second positioning hole 2221. The structure, setting position and connection relationship of the second positioning post 162 and the second positioning hole 2221 can be referred to the first positioning post 161 and the first positioning hole 2121, and will not be described in detail here.

[0092] In some embodiments, along the axial direction of the welding channel 11, the pressure block body 1 has a first surface 16 and a second surface 17, the second surface 17 being used to press the electrode tabs onto the cover plate. The sandwich structure 2 further includes a first connector 23 and a second connector 24 spaced apart along a second direction, with the first connector 23 connected to one end of the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22, and the second connector 24 connected to the other end of the first sandwich plate 21 and the second sandwich plate 22. Both the first connector 23 and the second connector 24 are connected to the first surface 16.

[0093] In this way, the first connecting piece 23 and the second connecting piece 24 can connect the first sandwich panel 21 and the second sandwich panel 22 together, so that the first sandwich panel 21 and the second sandwich panel 22 become a whole, which facilitates the synchronous installation and disassembly of the first sandwich panel 21 and the second sandwich panel 22 and improves the operating efficiency.

[0094] In some examples, the first connector 23 and the second connector 24 can be connected to the pressure block body 1 by means of screwing, snapping, plugging, etc.

[0095] In some embodiments, the pressure block body 1 is further provided with a first groove 19A and a second groove 19B spaced apart along a second direction, both the first groove 19A and the second groove 19B being recessed from the first surface 16 toward the second surface 17. A first connector 23 is disposed in the first groove 19A, and a second connector 24 is disposed in the second groove 19B.

[0096] In this way, when assembling the pressing block body 1 with the first connecting member 23 and the second connecting member 24, the first groove 19A and the second groove 19B can limit the first connecting member 23 and limit the second connecting member 24, so as to facilitate the assembly of the pressing block body 1 with the first connecting member 23 and the second connecting member 24 and improve the assembly efficiency.

[0097] In some other embodiments, the number of first grooves 19A and second grooves 19B can both be multiple, such as 2, 3, 4, etc., and the multiple first grooves 19A and multiple second grooves 19B are all spaced apart along the first direction of the pressing block body 1. In this case, the number of first connectors 23 and second connectors 24 are both multiple, with one first connector 23 disposed in one first groove 19A and one second connector 24 disposed in one second groove 19B.

[0098] In some embodiments, the pressure block assembly 10 is further provided with a first air inlet channel 3, which is connected to the welding channel 11 and is used to introduce protective gas to the welding positions of the electrode tab and the pressure cap.

[0099] This reduces oxidation and slag spatter during the welding process of the battery tabs and cover plates, improving the welding effect at the connection between the tabs and cover plates.

[0100] In some examples, the protective gas can be nitrogen. In other examples, the protective gas can also be argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, etc.

[0101] In some embodiments, there are multiple first air intake channels 3. Along the second direction, a portion of the multiple first air intake channels 3 are located on one side of the welding channel 11, and another portion of the multiple first air intake channels 3 are located on the other side of the welding channel 11.

[0102] In this way, some of the first air intake channels 3 can introduce shielding gas into the welding channel 11 from one side, while other parts of the first air intake channels 3 can introduce shielding gas from the other side of the welding channel 11. This ensures the amount of shielding gas in the welding channel 11 and the uniformity of its distribution, which can further reduce oxidation and slag spatter during the welding process and improve the welding effect at the connection between the electrode tab and the cover plate.

[0103] In some examples, the number of first air intake channels 3 can be 2, or the number of first air intake channels 3 can be other than 2, such as 3, 4, 5, etc. This application does not make a specific limitation on this.

[0104] In some embodiments, the first air intake channel 3 includes a first channel 31 disposed on the first connector 23 and a second channel 32 disposed on the pressure block body 1. The first channel 31 extends axially along the welding channel 11, and the second channel 32 includes an air inlet 321 and an air outlet. The air inlet 321 is located on the first surface 16 and communicates with the first channel 31, and the air outlet is located on the third inner wall surface 113 and communicates with the welding channel 11.

[0105] In this way, protective gas can be introduced into the welding position of the electrode tab and the cover plate through the first channel 31 and the second channel 32 of the first air intake channel 3 to reduce oxidation and slag spatter during the welding process and improve the welding effect at the connection between the electrode tab and the cover plate.

[0106] In some examples, the second channel 32 may include an axial segment and a radial segment, the axial segment extending axially along the welding channel 11 and the radial segment extending in a second direction. A first port of the axial segment forms an air inlet, a second port of the axial segment communicates with the first port of the radial segment, and a second port of the radial segment forms an air outlet. This allows the air inlet 321 to be conveniently located on the first surface 16, and the air outlet 322 to be located on the third inner wall surface 113.

[0107] In some embodiments, the pressing block body 1 can be a copper structure, and the sandwich structure 2 can be a stainless steel structure.

[0108] Since the thickness of the first sandwich plate 21 is less than the thickness of the first sidewall 12, and the thickness of the second sandwich plate 22 is less than the thickness of the second sidewall 13, the thickness of the sandwich structure 2 is less than the thickness of the pressing block body 1. Thus, the pressing block body 1 is a copper structure, and the sandwich structure 2 is a stainless steel structure. This ensures that the fixing and heat transfer functions of the pressing block body 1 are essentially identical to those of the integrated pressing block assembly 10. Copper structures have high thermal and electrical conductivity, making them suitable for welding applications requiring rapid heat dissipation. Stainless steel structures have high strength, corrosion resistance, and lower cost. In this way, both the heat dissipation effect and wear resistance of the pressing block assembly 10 can be achieved while reducing costs.

[0109] In some embodiments, the material of the pressing block body 1 can also be metal materials such as YG15 cemented carbide, NA30 tungsten steel, and W85Cu, and the material of the sandwich structure 2 can also be diamond, graphite, etc.

[0110] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2 Along the axial direction of the welding channel 11 of the pressure block assembly 10, the pressure block body 1 of the pressure block assembly 10 has a first surface 16 and a second surface 17, the second surface 17 being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate. The welding device 100 also includes a dust removal assembly 20, which is connected to the first surface 16 and communicates with the welding channel 11.

[0111] In this way, during the welding of the electrode tabs and cover plates, the dust removal component 20 can extract the welding slag generated during the welding process in real time, thereby improving the welding effect.

[0112] In some examples, the dust collection component 20 can be a bag filter, a filter cartridge, etc., but this application does not specifically limit it.

[0113] In some embodiments, the dust removal assembly 20 includes a connector 201 and a dust removal body 202, with the connector 201 connected between the dust removal body 202 and the pressing assembly 10.

[0114] In this way, the connection between the dust removal body 202 and the briquetting assembly 10 can be easily made through the connection 201.

[0115] In some embodiments, the pressing block assembly 10 is further provided with a first air inlet channel 3, and the connector 201 is provided with a second air inlet channel 2011. One end of the second air inlet channel 2011 is adapted to connect to a protective gas source, and the other end is connected to the first air inlet channel 3.

[0116] In this way, protective gas can be supplied to the electrode tab through the first air intake channel 3 and the second air intake channel 2011 to prevent oxidation and spatter generated during the welding process and improve the welding quality.

[0117] In some examples, one end of the second air intake channel 2011 can be connected to an external air source via a hose.

[0118] In some embodiments, the diameter D1 of the second air intake channel 2011 is greater than or equal to the diameter D2 of the first air intake channel 3.

[0119] This ensures the flow rate of the protective gas, improves the protective effect, and the fact that the diameter D1 of the second air inlet channel 2011 is larger than the diameter D2 of the first air inlet channel 3 increases the flow rate of the protective gas in the second air inlet channel 2011, so that the protective gas can fill the welding channel 11 through the first air inlet channel 3, preventing oxidation and spatter generated during the welding process and improving the welding quality.

[0120] In some embodiments, the dust removal body 202 is provided with a first opening 203, which is connected to the welding channel 11. The welding equipment extends through the first opening 203 and the welding channel 11 to the welding position of the electrode tab and the cover plate to weld the electrode tab and the cover plate of the power battery. This facilitates the welding equipment to weld the electrode tab and the cover plate of the power battery.

[0121] It should be noted that a sealing structure is provided between the first opening 203 and the welding equipment, and the gap is small, so welding slag will enter the dust removal components of the dust removal body 202, such as filter elements and cloth bags.

[0122] In some embodiments, the dust removal body 202 may include a dust removal pipe 2021 and a dust removal hood 2022, wherein the dust removal hood 2022 is connected to the dust removal pipe 2021 and is connected to the connector 201.

[0123] In this way, the dust removal body 202 can draw out the welding slag generated during the welding process in real time through the dust removal pipe 2021, thereby improving the welding effect.

[0124] The welding process of the battery's tabs and cover plate is described below.

[0125] Specifically, the pressing block body 1 has a first surface 16 and a second surface 17. The dust removal device is connected to the first surface 16 and communicates with the welding channel 11. The second surface 17 is used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate. The pressing block body 1 is provided with a first positioning post 161, and the sandwich structure 2 is provided with a first positioning hole 2121 to position the pressing block body 1 and the sandwich structure 2. Then, the pressing block body 1 and the sandwich structure 2 are connected by fasteners.

[0126] Before welding the tabs and cover plates of the power battery, it is necessary to ensure that the tabs and cover plates are in a compressed state. First, the tabs and cover plates are positioned using a fixture. After positioning, under the action of the power component, the pressing block body 1 applies a downward force to the tabs and cover plates along the welding channel 11, so that the tabs are pressed tightly onto the cover plates. At this time, the tabs and cover plates are in a compressed state.

[0127] Next, the laser welder emits a laser through the welding channel 11 to weld the electrode tabs and cover plates in the welding area. The first air inlet channel 3 and the second air inlet channel 2011 provide protective gas to the welding area, covering the welding area and preventing oxidation and spatter generated during the welding process. At the same time, the dust removal component 20 extracts the welding slag generated during the welding process in real time to improve the welding effect at the connection between the electrode tabs and the cover plates.

[0128] Furthermore, the pressure block body 1 is made of copper, and the sandwich structure 2 is made of stainless steel. The surface of the first sandwich plate 21 is provided with an anti-adhesion layer to prevent weld slag from adhering. At least part of the sandwich structure 2 covers the inner wall of the welding channel 11. This reduces the amount of weld slag residue on the sandwich structure 2. After a certain number of welding cycles, when the sandwich structure 2 wears or is damaged, only the sandwich structure 2 needs to be replaced, without replacing the pressure block body 1. By regularly replacing the worn or damaged sandwich structure 2, the service life of the pressure block body 1 can be effectively extended, avoiding the scrapping of the entire equipment due to local damage and reducing the maintenance and replacement costs of the pressure block body 1. In the description of the embodiments of this application, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0129] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A pressing assembly for pressing the tabs onto the cover plate during welding of a power battery; characterized in that, include: The pressure block body (1) is provided with a welding channel (11) inside the pressure block body (1). The welding channel (11) is used to pass through the welding equipment so that the welding equipment can weld the electrode tab and the cover plate. A sandwich structure (2) at least partially covers the inner wall of the welding channel (11) and is detachably connected to the pressure block body (1).

2. The briquetting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall surface of the welding channel (11) includes a first inner wall surface (111) and a second inner wall surface (112) arranged along a first direction, and a third inner wall surface (113) and a fourth inner wall surface (114) arranged along a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and both the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the axial direction of the welding channel (11). The sandwich structure (2) includes a first sandwich panel (21) and a second sandwich panel (22), wherein the first sandwich panel (21) covers the first inner wall surface (111) and the second sandwich panel (22) covers the second inner wall surface (112); and / or, the first sandwich panel (21) covers the third inner wall surface (113) and the second sandwich panel (22) covers the fourth inner wall surface (114).

3. The briquetting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressing block body (1) includes a first sidewall (12) and a second sidewall (13) arranged along a first direction, and a third sidewall (14) and a fourth sidewall (15) arranged along a second direction. The third sidewall (14) and the fourth sidewall (15) are both connected between the first sidewall (12) and the second sidewall (13) so that the first sidewall (12), the second sidewall (13), the third sidewall (14) and the fourth sidewall (15) form the welding channel (11), and the length of the first sidewall (12) and the second sidewall (13) in the second direction is greater than the length of the third sidewall (14) and the fourth sidewall (15) in the first direction. The first sandwich panel (21) covers the inner wall surface of the first sidewall (12), and the second sandwich panel (22) covers the inner wall surface of the second sidewall (13).

4. The briquetting assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along the second direction, the first sandwich panel (21) extends from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall (12) to the other end; and / or, along the axial direction of the welding channel (11), the first sandwich panel (21) extends from one end of the inner wall surface of the first sidewall (12) to the other end.

5. The briquetting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first sandwich plate (21) has an anti-adhesion layer on the side of the first inner wall (111) that is away from the first inner wall (111) to prevent welding slag from adhering.

6. The briquetting assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The anti-adhesion layer includes a ceramic film layer.

7. The briquetting assembly according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the welding channel (11), the pressure block body (1) has a first surface (16) and a second surface (17), the second surface (17) being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate; The first interlayer plate (21) includes a first cover plate portion (211) and a first limiting plate portion (212). The first cover plate portion (211) covers the first inner wall surface (111), and the first limiting plate portion (212) is connected to the end of the first cover plate portion (211) away from the second surface (17) and is connected to the first surface (16).

8. The briquetting assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pressing block body (1) is provided with a first positioning groove (18), the first positioning groove (18) is recessed from the first surface (16) toward the second surface (17), and the first limiting plate portion (212) is provided in the first positioning groove (18).

9. The briquetting assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, One of the first surface (16) and the first limiting plate portion (212) is provided with a first positioning post (161), and the other is provided with a first positioning hole (2121), with the first positioning post (161) passing through the first positioning hole (2121).

10. The briquetting assembly according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the welding channel (11), the pressure block body (1) has a first surface (16) and a second surface (17), the second surface (17) being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate (40); The sandwich structure (2) further includes a first connector (23) and a second connector (24) spaced apart along the second direction. Along the second direction, the first connector (23) is connected to one end of the first sandwich plate (21) and the second sandwich plate (22), and the second connector (24) is connected to the other end of the first sandwich plate (21) and the second sandwich plate (22). Both the first connector (23) and the second connector (24) are connected to the first surface (16).

11. The briquetting assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, The pressing block body (1) is also provided with a first groove (19A) and a second groove (19B) spaced apart along the second direction. The first groove (19A) and the second groove (19B) are both recessed from the first surface (16) toward the second surface (17). The first connector (23) is disposed in the first groove (19A), and the second connector (24) is disposed in the second groove (19B).

12. The briquetting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressing assembly is also provided with a first air inlet channel (3), which is connected to the welding channel (11) for introducing protective gas into the welding positions of the electrode tab and the cover plate.

13. The briquetting assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, There are multiple first air intake channels (3). Along the second direction, some of the multiple first air intake channels (3) are located on one side of the welding channel (11), and another part of the multiple first air intake channels (3) are located on the other side of the welding channel (11).

14. The briquetting assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, The sandwich structure (2) includes a first connector (23), and the first air inlet channel (3) includes a first channel (31) disposed on the first connector (23) and a second channel (32) disposed on the pressure block body (1). The first channel (31) extends along the axial direction of the welding channel (11), and the second channel (32) includes an air inlet (321) and an air outlet (322). The air inlet (321) is located on the first surface (16) and communicates with the first channel (31). The air outlet (322) is located on the third inner wall surface (113) and communicates with the welding channel (11).

15. The briquetting assembly according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The main body (1) of the pressing block is made of copper, and the sandwich structure (2) is made of stainless steel.

16. A welding apparatus, characterized in that, The briquetting assembly includes any one of claims 1-15.

17. The welding apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the welding channel (11) of the pressing block assembly, the pressing block body (1) of the pressing block assembly has a first surface (16) and a second surface (17), the second surface (17) being used to press the electrode tab onto the cover plate; The welding apparatus further includes a dust removal component (20), which is connected to the first surface (16) and communicates with the welding channel (11).

18. The welding apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that, The dust removal assembly (20) includes a connector (201) and a dust removal body (202), wherein the connector (201) is connected between the dust removal body (202) and the pressing assembly.

19. The welding apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that, The pressing block assembly is also provided with a first air inlet channel (3), and the connector (201) is provided with a second air inlet channel (2011). One end of the second air inlet channel (2011) is adapted to connect to the gas source of the protective gas, and the other end is connected to the first air inlet channel (3).

20. The welding apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that, The diameter of the second air intake channel (2011) is equal to or greater than the diameter of the first air intake channel (3).

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