Coating pad, coating die, and coating apparatus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of coating gasket, coating die and coating equipment, it is related to battery manufacturing technical field, wherein, coating gasket includes plate body and flow blocking part, one side of plate body is equipped with slurry flow channel area, the region being set as corresponding with feed inlet in slurry flow channel area is first area;Flow blocking part connects plate body, and is located first area.The utility model technical scheme can make slurry distribution uniform when flowing out, improve coating weight uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to a coating pad, a coating die, and a coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The battery manufacturing process includes the coating of electrode sheets. To provide higher quality batteries, an extrusion coating die is often used. The slurry enters the die cavity from the feed port, fills the die cavity, and then flows out from the discharge port of the coating die to coat the substrate.

[0003] However, because the fluid pressure is high when the slurry enters the mold cavity from the inlet, the slurry will flow rapidly along the feeding direction and preferentially flow out quickly from the discharge area directly opposite the inlet. Since the slurry needs time to flow, other areas of the mold cavity may not be filled yet, resulting in slower slurry flow and less flow in other areas of the discharge port. This can easily cause uneven coating weight distribution, such as a "U" shape or groove phenomenon where the middle is heavier and the sides are lighter. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this invention is to provide a coating pad that aims to improve the uniformity of coating weight.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the coated gasket proposed in this utility model includes:

[0006] The plate body has a slurry flow channel area on one side, and a region in the slurry flow channel area corresponding to the feed inlet is designated as a first region; and

[0007] The flow-blocking part is connected to the plate body and is located in the first region.

[0008] In the coating pad of this utility model, a flow-blocking part is set in the slurry flow channel area. This flow-blocking part is used to correspond to the feed port of the coating die head and to block the slurry flowing along the feed port direction. This increases the flow resistance of the slurry from the die cavity to the slurry flow channel area along the feed port direction, forcing the slurry to flow to other areas of the die cavity, so that the slurry is evenly distributed when it flows out, improving the uniformity of coating weight and improving the U-shaped weight phenomenon.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, the coating pad further includes at least two side plates connected to the side of the plate body, the at least two side plates being spaced apart along a first direction of the plate body to divide the slurry flow channel into a plurality of sub-flow channel regions; wherein the sub-flow channel region located in the middle is the first region.

[0010] This design increases the flow resistance of the slurry as it enters the central sub-channel area from the mold cavity, forcing the slurry to flow to both sides, resulting in a more uniform distribution of the slurry when it flows out, and avoiding the phenomenon of the slurry being heavier in the middle and lighter on both sides.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the two ends of the flow-blocking portion in the first direction are respectively connected to the two opposite edges of the sub-flow channel region in which it is located.

[0012] This design increases the obstruction of the slurry flowing out of the mold cavity along the feed port direction, forcing the slurry in the middle area of ​​the mold cavity to flow to both sides, thereby increasing the outflow in the two sides and improving the consistency of coating weight.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the flow-blocking portion is located at the middle of the slurry flow channel area along a first direction of the plate.

[0014] This design can block the slurry from flowing out of the mold cavity along the feed port direction, forcing the slurry in the middle area of ​​the mold cavity to flow to both sides, thereby increasing the outflow in the two sides and improving the consistency of coating weight.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, the slurry flow channel area is provided with a slurry outlet on the side away from the plate body, and the flow-blocking part protrudes from the edge of the plate body toward the slurry outlet.

[0016] This design can, on the one hand, improve the structural strength of the baffle to prevent deformation, and on the other hand, block the slurry from flowing out of the mold cavity along the feed port direction, thereby improving the consistency of coating weight.

[0017] In one embodiment of this application, the dimension D of the baffle portion protruding from the plate body in the direction from the plate body to the slurry outlet satisfies: 4mm≤D≤15mm.

[0018] This design ensures smooth coating output and effectively improves coating weight uniformity.

[0019] In one embodiment of this application, the flow-blocking part and the plate body are integrally formed.

[0020] This design simplifies the molding process and improves production efficiency.

[0021] In one embodiment of this application, thinning members are provided on opposite sides of the slurry flow channel region, and the thinning members are located at the slurry outlet of the slurry flow channel region.

[0022] This design allows the slurry to form a thinning zone at the edge when it is applied to the substrate through the slurry flow channel.

[0023] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a coating die head, including an upper die head, a lower die head, and the aforementioned coating pad, wherein the coating pad is sandwiched between the upper die head and the lower die head; the lower die head is provided with a die cavity and a feed inlet communicating with the die cavity, the slurry flow channel area is communicating with the die cavity, and the flow blocking part is provided corresponding to the feed inlet.

[0024] In one embodiment of this application, the mold cavity includes a first mold cavity and a second mold cavity, the first mold cavity is connected to the feed inlet, and the second mold cavity is located on the side of the first mold cavity away from the feed inlet; the flow-blocking portion partially blocks the communication channel between the first mold cavity and the slurry flow channel area.

[0025] This design helps to distribute the slurry more evenly throughout the mold cavity, reducing the occurrence of excessive or insufficient slurry in certain areas and improving the uniformity of coating weight.

[0026] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a coating device, including a feeding assembly and the above-mentioned coating die head, wherein the feeding assembly is connected to the feed port through a pipe.

[0027] With this design, the slurry output from the feeding component can enter the mold cavity from the inlet. Under the action of the flow-blocking part, the slurry is distributed more evenly throughout the mold cavity, improving the uniformity of coating weight.

[0028] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this application are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the coated gasket of this utility model;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the coating gasket of this utility model and the lower die head in one embodiment;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the coating gasket of this utility model and the structure of the lower die head.

[0033] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0034] label name label name 1 Coated gasket 14 Thinned parts 11 plate body 2 lower die head 12 baffle 21 mold cavity 13 Side panel 211 First mold cavity 101 Slurry flow channel area 212 Second mold cavity 101a Sub-channel region 22 feed inlet

[0035] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0037] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0038] Meanwhile, the meaning of "and / or" or "and / or" appearing throughout the text is that it includes three options. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes option A, option B, or an option that satisfies both A and B.

[0039] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0040] Currently, judging from market trends, the application of power batteries is becoming increasingly widespread. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also widely applied in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of power battery applications, market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0041] The coating process described in this application is a crucial part of the production of electrode assemblies for power batteries. These electrode assemblies are the components within a single battery cell where electrochemical reactions occur. A single battery cell may contain one or more electrode assemblies. Electrode assemblies are primarily formed by winding or stacking positive and negative electrode sheets. During electrode assembly production, the positive or negative electrode sheets undergo a coating process. In this process, positive and negative electrode slurries are applied to the battery electrode sheets. After coating, the positive or negative electrode sheet includes a coated portion and an uncoated portion. The coated portion forms the main body through winding or stacking, while the uncoated portions are stacked to form tabs. The positive and negative electrode tabs can be located together at one end of the main body or separately at both ends. During the charging and discharging process of the battery, the positive and negative active materials react with the electrolyte, and the tabs connect to the electrode terminals to form a current loop.

[0042] In related technologies, an extrusion die head is used for coating operations. After the slurry enters the die cavity from the feed port, it flows to both sides to fill the die cavity, and then flows out from the discharge port of the coating die head to coat the substrate.

[0043] However, when the slurry enters from the inlet, due to the high fluid pressure of the slurry, it will flow rapidly along the feeding direction and preferentially flow out quickly from the discharge area directly opposite the inlet. Since the slurry needs time to flow, other areas of the mold cavity may not be filled yet, resulting in slower slurry flow and less flow in other areas of the discharge port. This can easily cause uneven coating weight distribution, such as a "U-shaped" or groove phenomenon where the middle is heavier and the sides are lighter.

[0044] To address this issue, this invention proposes a coating gasket for use in a coating die. By providing a flow-blocking section in the slurry flow channel area corresponding to the inlet of the coating gasket, the resistance to slurry flow along the inlet direction is increased, forcing the slurry to flow to other areas of the die cavity. This results in a more uniform distribution of the slurry as it flows out of the outlet, improving the consistency of coating weight. The structure of this coating gasket will be described below with reference to embodiments.

[0045] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coated pad 1 includes a plate 11 and a flow-blocking portion 12.

[0046] A slurry flow channel area 101 is provided on one side of the plate body 11. The area in the slurry flow channel area 101 that is set to correspond to the feed inlet 22 is the first area; the flow-blocking part 12 is connected to the plate body 11 and is located in the first area.

[0047] The plate 11 is the main structure of the coating pad 1. When applied to the coating die head, the coating pad 1 is installed and fixed to the die head through the plate 11, so that the slurry flow channel area 101 is correspondingly connected to the die cavity 21 of the die head. It can be understood that the plate 11 can be a square plate, a rectangular plate, a circular plate, or a plate structure of other shapes.

[0048] The slurry flow channel area 101 is located on one side of the plate 11 for slurry flow. A slurry outlet is located on the side of the slurry flow channel area 101 away from the plate 11. When applied to a coating die, the slurry flow channel area 101 communicates with the die cavity 21. The slurry enters the die cavity 21 from the inlet 22, then flows from the die cavity 21 into the slurry flow channel area 101, and exits from the slurry outlet. The width of the slurry outlet defines the width of the coating area for the slurry applied to the electrode sheet. The area of ​​the slurry flow channel area 101 corresponding to the inlet 22 is defined as the first area. This first area is understood to be the area where the slurry flows into the slurry flow channel area 101 along the direction of the inlet 22. In practical applications, viewed along the thickness direction of the plate 11, the first area can be the area directly opposite the inlet 22, or the area close to the central axis of the inlet 22, or the area spanning the central axis of the inlet 22, etc.

[0049] The flow-blocking part 12 connects to the plate 11 and is located in the first region. It serves to impede the flow of slurry along the direction of the inlet 22, increasing the flow resistance of the slurry from the mold cavity 21 to the slurry flow channel area 101 along the direction of the inlet 22. This forces the slurry to flow to other areas of the mold cavity 21, ultimately resulting in a uniform flow. It is understood that the specific structure of the flow-blocking part 12 is not limited; for example, it can be a block, a strip, or other structure. The shape of the flow-blocking part 12 can be rectangular, circular, triangular, or other irregular shapes. The position of the flow-blocking part 12 can be the middle or side of the first region. The flow-blocking part 12 and the plate 11 can be integrally formed or formed separately and then connected.

[0050] In summary, in the coating pad 1 of this utility model, by setting a flow-blocking part 12 in the slurry flow channel area 101, the flow-blocking part 12 is used to correspond to the feed port 22 of the coating die head, to obstruct the flow of slurry flowing along the feed port 22, increase the flow resistance of slurry from the die cavity 21 to the slurry flow channel area 101 along the feed port 22, force the slurry to flow to other areas of the die cavity 21, so that the slurry is evenly distributed when it flows out, improve the uniformity of coating weight, and improve the U-shaped weight phenomenon.

[0051] Please see Figure 1In one embodiment of this application, the coating pad 1 further includes at least two side plates 13 connected to the side of the plate body 11. The at least two side plates 13 are spaced apart along the first direction of the plate body 11 to divide the slurry flow channel area 101 into a plurality of sub-flow channel areas 101a; wherein the sub-flow channel area 101a located in the middle is the first region.

[0052] In this embodiment, the side plate 13 is connected to the side of the plate body 11 and is used to separate the slurry flow channel area 101. It can be understood that when coating the substrate, the area corresponding to the side plate 13 is the tab blanking area. In practical applications, the number of side plates 13 can be determined according to the actual situation, for example, there can be two, three or more. The first direction of the plate body 11 is the length direction of the plate body 11. Multiple side plates 13 are distributed at intervals along the first direction, dividing the slurry flow channel area 101 into multiple sub-flow channel areas 101a distributed at intervals along the first direction. The width of the sub-flow channel area 101a defines the width of the slurry coating area on the substrate, and the width of the side plate 13 along the first direction is the width of the tab blanking area on the substrate. Optionally, the side plate 13 and the plate body 11 can be an integral structure or a separate connection structure.

[0053] The sub-flow channel area 101a located in the middle is the first region. Understandably, in practical applications, the feed inlet 22 of the coating die head is usually positioned in the middle of the mold cavity 21. When the slurry enters the mold cavity 21 from the feed inlet 22, it can diffuse from the center outwards to both sides of the mold cavity 21. In this case, the first region can be the sub-flow channel area 101a located in the middle. It should be noted that when the number of sub-flow channel areas 101a is odd, the middle sub-flow channel area 101a is the first region; when the number of sub-flow channel areas 101a is even, one of the two sub-flow channel areas 101a closest to the center line of the plate 11 can be the first region.

[0054] With this design, the flow-blocking part 12 is located in the first region, which can increase the flow resistance of the slurry from the mold cavity 21 into the middle sub-flow channel region 101a, forcing the slurry to flow to both sides, so that the slurry is evenly distributed when it flows out, and avoids the phenomenon of being heavy in the middle and light on both sides.

[0055] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the two ends of the flow-blocking portion 12 in the first direction are respectively connected to the two opposite edges of the sub-flow channel region 101a in which it is located.

[0056] In this embodiment, the first direction is the length direction of the plate 11. The two ends of the flow-blocking portion 12 along the first direction are respectively connected to the opposite two edges of the corresponding sub-flow channel region 101a. It can be understood that the two ends of the flow-blocking portion 12 extend along the first direction to connect with the two adjacent side plates 13. Optionally, the flow-blocking portion 12 can be integrally formed with the plate 11 and the two side plates 13 or be a separate connection structure.

[0057] This design increases the obstruction of the slurry flowing out of the mold cavity 21 along the direction of the inlet 22, forcing the slurry in the middle area of ​​the mold cavity 21 to flow to both sides, thereby increasing the outflow in the two sides and improving the consistency of the coating weight.

[0058] Please see Figure 3 In one embodiment of this application, the flow-blocking portion 12 is located at the middle of the slurry flow channel area 101 along the first direction of the plate 11.

[0059] This embodiment illustrates the structure of a coating pad 1 with a slurry flow channel area 101, wherein the first direction is the length direction of the plate 11. At this time, the slurry flow channel area 101 extends along the length direction of the plate 11, and the first region is located at the middle position of the slurry flow channel area 101 along the first direction. Then, the flow blocking part 12 is located at the middle position of the slurry flow channel area 101 along the first direction of the plate 11.

[0060] This design can block the slurry from flowing out of the mold cavity 21 along the feed port 22, forcing the slurry in the middle area of ​​the mold cavity 21 to flow to both sides, thereby increasing the outflow in the two sides and improving the consistency of coating weight.

[0061] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment of this application, the slurry flow channel area 101 is provided with a slurry outlet on the side away from the plate body 11, and the flow blocking part 12 protrudes from the plate body 11 toward the slurry outlet.

[0062] In this embodiment, one end of the flow-blocking part 12 is connected to the plate body 11, and the other end protrudes towards the slurry outlet.

[0063] This design can, on the one hand, improve the structural strength of the baffle 12 to prevent deformation, and on the other hand, block the slurry in the mold cavity 21 from flowing out along the feed port 22, thereby improving the consistency of coating weight.

[0064] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, the size D of the baffle portion 12 protruding from the plate 11 in the direction from the plate 11 to the slurry outlet satisfies: 4mm≤D≤15mm.

[0065] Understandably, the size of the flow-blocking portion 12 protruding from the plate 11 should not be too small or too large. If it is too small, it may not be able to block the flow and thus fail to improve the uneven coating weight. If it is too large, it may cause excessive resistance, resulting in uneven coating output. Based on this, this embodiment sets the size D of the flow-blocking portion 12 protruding from the plate 11 to satisfy 4mm≤D≤15mm, which can both ensure smooth coating output and effectively improve the uniformity of coating weight.

[0066] Optionally, the size D of the baffle 12 protruding from the plate 11 can be 4mm, 4.3mm, 4.5mm, 4.7mm, 5mm, 5.2mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm, 8mm, 8.5mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm or 15mm, etc.

[0067] In one embodiment of this application, the flow-blocking part 12 and the plate body 11 are integrally formed.

[0068] This design simplifies the molding process and improves production efficiency. Alternatively, it can be manufactured using a one-piece molding process such as mold making or 3D printing.

[0069] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment of this application, thinning members 14 are provided on opposite sides of the slurry flow channel region 101, and the thinning members 14 are provided at the slurry outlet of the slurry flow channel region 101.

[0070] In this embodiment, the thickness of the thinning part 14 is less than the thickness of the plate 11. When the slurry passes through the thinning part 14, it can be thinned, so that when the slurry is coated on the electrode through the slurry flow channel area 101, the edge of the slurry can form a thinning area.

[0071] This utility model also proposes a coating die head, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 The coating die head includes an upper die head, a lower die head 2, and a coating pad 1. The specific structure of the coating pad 1 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this coating die head adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0072] The coating pad 1 is sandwiched between the upper die head and the lower die head 2; the lower die head 2 is provided with a mold cavity 21 and a feed inlet 22 connected to the mold cavity 21, the slurry flow channel area 101 is connected to the mold cavity 21, and the flow blocking part 12 is provided corresponding to the feed inlet 22.

[0073] In this embodiment, the feed port 22 is used to connect with the feeding component, and the upper die head plays a sealing role. When the coating pad 1 is placed between the upper die head and the lower die head 2, it seals the gap between the upper die head and the lower die head 2 to prevent the slurry from leaking out.

[0074] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3In one embodiment of this application, the mold cavity 21 includes a first mold cavity 211 and a second mold cavity 212. The first mold cavity 211 is connected to the feed inlet 22, and the second mold cavity 212 is located on the side of the first mold cavity 211 away from the feed inlet 22. The flow blocking part 12 partially blocks the communication channel between the first mold cavity 211 and the slurry flow channel area 101.

[0075] In this embodiment, the mold cavity 21 includes a first mold cavity 211 and a second mold cavity 212, which makes the flow of the slurry smoother and reduces the occurrence of adverse phenomena such as eddies, dead zones, and flow separation. With this design, the slurry first enters the first mold cavity 211, and the flow-blocking part 12 partially blocks the communication channel between the first mold cavity 211 and the slurry flow channel area 101, which plays a blocking and buffering role, allowing the slurry to be distributed and adjusted within the first mold cavity 211, preventing the slurry from directly flowing into the second mold cavity 212. This helps to make the slurry more evenly distributed within the mold cavity 21, reducing the situation of too much or too little slurry in some areas, and improving the uniformity of coating weight.

[0076] This utility model also proposes a coating device, which includes a feeding assembly and a coating die. The specific structure of the coating die is as described in the above embodiments. Since this coating device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here. The feeding assembly is connected to the feed inlet 22 through a pipe.

[0077] Understandably, the feeding assembly is the slurry supply source, and the slurry output from the feeding assembly is introduced into the feed port 22 of the mold cavity 21 through the pipeline.

[0078] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present utility model using the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A coated gasket, characterized in that, It is used in a coating die head, the coating die head being provided with a feed inlet; the coating gasket includes: The plate body has a slurry flow channel area on one side, and a region in the slurry flow channel area corresponding to the feed inlet is designated as a first region; and The flow-blocking part is connected to the plate body and is located in the first region.

2. The coated gasket as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The coating pad also includes at least two side plates connected to the side of the plate body, and the at least two side plates are spaced apart along a first direction of the plate body to divide the slurry flow channel into multiple sub-flow channel areas; The sub-channel region located in the middle is the first region.

3. The coated gasket as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The flow-blocking part is connected to the two opposite edges of the sub-flow channel region it is located at both ends in the first direction.

4. The coated gasket as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flow-blocking part is located at the middle of the slurry flow channel area along the first direction of the plate.

5. The coated gasket as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The slurry flow channel area is provided with a slurry outlet on the side away from the plate body, and the flow-blocking part protrudes from the edge of the plate body toward the slurry outlet.

6. The coated gasket as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In the direction from the plate to the slurry outlet, the dimension D of the baffle protruding from the plate satisfies: 4mm≤D≤15mm.

7. The coated gasket as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The flow-blocking part and the plate body are integrally formed.

8. The coated gasket as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Thinning elements are provided on opposite sides of the slurry flow channel area, and the thinning elements are located at the slurry outlet of the slurry flow channel area.

9. A coating die head, characterized in that, It includes an upper die head, a lower die head, and a coating pad as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the coating pad is sandwiched between the upper die head and the lower die head; The lower die head is provided with a mold cavity and a feed inlet communicating with the mold cavity. The slurry flow channel area is communicating with the mold cavity, and the flow blocking part is provided corresponding to the feed inlet.

10. The coating die head as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The mold cavity includes a first mold cavity and a second mold cavity, the first mold cavity is connected to the feed port, and the second mold cavity is located on the side of the first mold cavity opposite to the feed port; The flow-blocking part partially obstructs the communication channel between the first mold cavity and the slurry flow channel area.

11. A coating apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a feeding assembly and a coating die as described in claim 9 or 10, wherein the feeding assembly is connected to the feed port via a pipe.

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