Pole piece transfer mechanism and system

Abstract

This application relates to an electrode transfer mechanism and system. The electrode transfer mechanism includes a rotating shaft, a first driving member, and a second driving member. The rotating shaft is used to connect to an electrode gripping mechanism. The rotating shaft has a first transmission engagement portion and a second transmission engagement portion in its axial direction. The first driving member engages with the first transmission engagement portion to drive the rotating shaft to rotate via the first transmission engagement portion. The second driving member engages with the second transmission engagement portion to drive the rotating shaft to move up and down via the second transmission engagement portion. The first and second driving members independently control and directly drive the rotating shaft. The solution provided by this application can improve the single electrode handling speed and stacking efficiency; in addition, it can avoid motion interference in traditional rotating and lifting series structures, simplifying the structure and reducing weight.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of new energy technology, and in particular to electrode transfer mechanisms and systems. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component in the new energy field, the precise transfer and efficient stacking of electrode sheets in the manufacturing process of lithium-ion batteries are crucial factors affecting battery performance and production efficiency. Improving the electrode stacking speed depends not only on the electrode adsorption speed but also on the transfer speed after electrode removal.

[0003] In related technologies, the devices used to drive the rotation and lifting of the adsorption components during the adsorption and transport process of the electrode have structural redundancy, large weight, and high motor load, which limits the acceleration of the electrode during the transport process, resulting in slow electrode transport speed and low stacking efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address or partially address the problems existing in the related technologies, this application provides an electrode transfer mechanism and system. This electrode transfer mechanism can improve the electrode handling speed, thereby improving the stacking efficiency, while also simplifying the structure and reducing weight.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides an electrode transfer mechanism, including: A rotating shaft is used to connect an electrode gripping mechanism, and the rotating shaft is provided with a first transmission engagement part and a second transmission engagement part in the axial direction; The first driving member cooperates with the first transmission engagement part and is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate through the first transmission engagement part; The second driving component cooperates with the second transmission engagement part and is used to drive the rotating shaft to rise and fall through the second transmission engagement part; The first and second driving components independently control and directly drive the rotating shaft.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first driving member is a rotary driving member, which is disposed around the first transmission mating part. The rotary driving member is connected to the first transmission mating part through a mechanical transmission member, and drives the rotating shaft to rotate through the mechanical transmission member.

[0007] In one embodiment, the second driving member is a linear driving member, which is disposed around the second transmission engagement part. The linear driving member includes a moving member, the moving member moving in the direction of the movement along the axial direction of the rotating shaft. The moving member is connected to the second transmission engagement part and is used to drive the rotating shaft to rise and fall.

[0008] In one embodiment, the device further includes a rotating connector fixed between the first driving member and the second driving member; the rotating shaft includes an axial limiting portion disposed between the first transmission engagement portion and the second transmission engagement portion, and the rotating connector is rotatably engaged with the axial limiting portion in the axial direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first driving element is a motor; The coil assembly of the motor is located on the periphery of the rotating shaft, and the rotor of the motor is connected to the first transmission mating part through a mechanical transmission component.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second driving element is a voice coil motor; The moving part is the mover or stator of the voice coil motor.

[0011] In one embodiment, the rotating connector is an angular contact bearing, and the moving component has a mounting groove on the side facing the first driving component; The angular contact bearing is installed in the mounting groove. The inner ring of the angular contact bearing is connected to the rotating shaft, and the outer ring is connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove away from the rotating shaft. The side of the angular contact bearing closest to the first driving member contacts the axial limiting part.

[0012] In one embodiment, the diameter of the rotating shaft at the second transmission mating part is smaller than the diameter of the first transmission mating part, and the axial limiting part is a stepped structure formed between the first transmission mating part and the second transmission mating part; The stepped structure includes an axial contact surface facing the second drive member, and the angular contact bearing contacts the axial contact surface on the side closer to the first drive member.

[0013] In one embodiment, at least one limiting guide rail is further embedded in the moving member; The length direction of the limiting guide rail is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft; the moving part is limited by the limiting guide rail in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft, and the moving part can slide along the limiting guide rail in the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0014] A second aspect of this application provides an electrode transfer system, comprising: Drive mechanism; and As described in the first aspect above, the driving mechanism is connected to the electrode transfer mechanism and is used to drive the electrode transfer mechanism to move along a preset direction.

[0015] The technical solution provided in this application may include the following beneficial effects: The solution provided in this application integrates a first driving component and a second driving component into the rotating shaft of the transfer mechanism. The first and second driving components independently control and directly drive the rotating shaft. Through the independent driving of the first and second driving components, parallel control and synchronous execution of the rotating shaft's rotation and lifting actions are achieved, thereby increasing the single-cycle electrode handling speed and stacking efficiency. Furthermore, the integrated design avoids motion interference and structural redundancy inherent in traditional series-connected rotation and lifting structures, simplifying the structure and reducing weight.

[0016] Furthermore, the first driving component is a motor, and the second driving component can be a voice coil motor. By integrating the motor and the voice coil motor into the transfer mechanism, this application can effectively solve the problem in related technologies where the series structure of rotation and lifting motion leads to excessive weight of the transfer mechanism mounting frame and limits the increase of transfer acceleration. The integrated design can significantly reduce the weight of the electrode transfer mechanism, significantly improve the operating speed, and further improve the stacking efficiency.

[0017] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electrode transfer mechanism according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Cross-sectional view at point AA along the middle.

[0020] Reference numerals: 100, electrode transfer mechanism; 110, first driving component; 111, motor; 112, mechanical transmission component; 120, second driving component; 121, voice coil motor; 122, moving component; 1221, mounting groove; 1222, limiting groove; 1223, limiting guide rail; 130, rotating shaft; 131, first transmission mating part; 132, second transmission mating part; 133, axial limiting part; 134, platform; 135, rotating connecting component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art.

[0022] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0023] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0024] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

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

[0026] In related technologies, the devices used to drive the rotation and lifting of the adsorption assembly during the adsorption and transfer process of the electrode exhibit structural redundancy, heavy weight, and high motor load, thus limiting the acceleration increase of the electrode during transfer, resulting in slow electrode transfer speed and low stacking efficiency. To address these issues, this application provides an electrode transfer mechanism and system that enables parallel control and synchronous execution of shaft rotation and lifting actions, thereby increasing the single electrode handling speed and stacking efficiency. Furthermore, it avoids motion interference in traditional series-connected rotation and lifting structures, simplifying the structure and reducing weight.

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the electrode transfer mechanism shown in one embodiment of this application.

[0029] See Figure 1 This application provides an electrode transfer mechanism 100, which includes a rotating shaft 130, a first driving member 110, and a second driving member 120. The rotating shaft 130 is used to connect to an electrode gripping mechanism (not shown). The rotating shaft 130 is provided with a first transmission engagement portion 131 and a second transmission engagement portion 132 in the axial direction. The first driving member 110 cooperates with the first transmission engagement portion 131 to drive the rotating shaft 130 to rotate through the first transmission engagement portion 131. The second driving member 120 cooperates with the second transmission engagement portion 132 to drive the rotating shaft 130 to rise and fall through the second transmission engagement portion 132. The first driving member 110 and the second driving member 120 independently control and directly drive the rotating shaft 130.

[0030] The electrode transfer mechanism provided in this application integrates the first driving component and the second driving component into the rotating shaft of the transfer mechanism. By independently driving the rotating shaft with the first driving component and the second driving component, the parallel control and synchronous execution of the rotating and lifting actions of the rotating shaft can be realized, thereby improving the single electrode transfer speed and stacking efficiency. In addition, it can avoid motion interference of traditional rotation and lifting series structures, and can simplify the structure and reduce weight.

[0031] In this application, the first drive component 110 and the second drive component 120 are independently controlled, that is, the first drive component 110 and the second drive component 120 are electrically connected to the control system respectively. The control system can send independent control signals to the first drive component 110 and the second drive component 120 to independently control the operation of the first drive component 110 and the second drive component 120. This can avoid motion interference and increase the acceleration of the rotating shaft 130.

[0032] The first driving member 110 and the second driving member 120 directly drive the rotating shaft 130, meaning there is no intermediate transmission mechanism (e.g., a reduction mechanism) between the first driving member 110, the second driving member 120 and the rotating shaft 130. This simplifies the structure and reduces the weight.

[0033] In this application, the rotating shaft 130 can be the central shaft of the electrode transfer mechanism 100. The rotating shaft 130 is arranged vertically, and a flange-type connecting platform 134 is provided at the lower end of the rotating shaft 130. The connecting platform 134 is used to detachably install the electrode gripping mechanism, so that the gripping mechanism can be quickly replaced and the changeover time can be reduced.

[0034] In some embodiments, the electrode gripping mechanism can be a suction cup assembly for adsorbing the electrode. The suction cup assembly can include multiple sets of matrix-distributed vacuum suction cups and negative pressure sensors. The vacuum suction cups are connected to an external vacuum generator through the internal air passage of the rotating shaft 130. The negative pressure sensor can monitor the adsorption pressure in real time and feed it back to the electrode transfer control system.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first driving member 110 is a rotary driving member, which is located around the first transmission engagement part 131. The rotary driving member is connected to the first transmission engagement part 131 through a mechanical transmission member 112, and drives the rotating shaft 130 to rotate through the mechanical transmission member 112.

[0036] See also Figure 1 In one specific implementation, the first driving component 110 can be a motor 111, such as a DD motor (Direct Driver). The coil assembly of the DD motor 111 is located on the periphery of the rotating shaft 130, and the rotor of the DD motor 111 is connected to the first transmission mating part 131 through a mechanical transmission component 112. The DD motor of this application adopts a direct drive method, that is, the DD motor 111 directly drives the rotating shaft 130 to rotate (without a reduction mechanism). By directly connecting the direct drive motor to the load, mechanical transmission components such as ball screw pairs, racks and pinions in related technologies can be avoided, thereby reducing problems such as backlash and flexibility caused by mechanical transmission.

[0037] The mechanical transmission component 112 can be a splined bushing. The outer splined bushing mates with the stator keyway of the DD motor 111, and the inner splined bushing is interference-fitted with the first transmission mating part 131 of the rotating shaft 130. The DD motor 111 can directly drive the splined connection, improving torque capacity and meeting the load requirements under high-speed rotation. In addition, the backlash-free rotary transmission achieved by the splined bushing can improve the rotational accuracy of the rotating shaft 130, preventing electrode position misalignment during electrode transfer.

[0038] In some embodiments, the second driving member 120 is a linear driving member, which is located around the second transmission engagement part 132. The linear driving member includes a moving member 122, which moves along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 130. The moving member 122 is connected to the second transmission engagement part 132 and is used to drive the rotating shaft 130 to rise and fall.

[0039] See also Figure 1 In one specific implementation, the second driving component 120 can be a voice coil motor 121. A voice coil motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. It has the characteristics of high precision, high speed, and fast response. Since the moving parts of the voice coil motor are relatively lightweight and the electromagnetic force acts directly on the moving parts, it can achieve rapid acceleration and deceleration and has very high speed and acceleration performance.

[0040] In this application, the moving part 122 is the mover or stator of the voice coil motor 121. The voice coil motor 121 of this application can directly drive the shaft 130 to lift and lower, and the lifting stroke can be completed in a short time, thereby increasing the acceleration of the shaft 130 during the lifting and lowering process. Moreover, the direct drive of the voice coil motor 121 to lift and lower the shaft 130 reduces intermediate transmission structural components, thereby reducing redundant structures and effectively reducing the overall weight.

[0041] The solution provided in this application, by integrating a DD motor and a voice coil motor into the transfer mechanism, can effectively solve the problem in related technologies where the series structure of rotation and lifting motion leads to excessive weight of the transfer mechanism mounting frame and limits the increase of transfer acceleration. This integrated design can significantly reduce the weight of the transfer equipment, significantly improve the operating speed, and thus effectively improve the stacking efficiency.

[0042] In some embodiments, the moving element 122 is the mover of the voice coil motor 121, the stator of the voice coil motor 121 is fixed to the frame or the housing of the electrode transfer mechanism, and the mover is connected to the second transmission engagement portion 132 of the rotating shaft 130. Further, the electrode transfer mechanism 100 also includes a rotating connector 135 fixed between the first driving element 110 and the second driving element 120; the rotating shaft 130 includes an axial limiting portion 133 disposed between the first transmission engagement portion 131 and the second transmission engagement portion 132, and the rotating connector 135 rotatably engages with the axial limiting portion 133 in the axial direction.

[0043] See also Figure 1In some embodiments, the rotating connector 135 is an angular contact bearing, and the moving component 122 has a mounting groove 1221 on the side facing the first driving component 110. The angular contact bearing is installed in the mounting groove 1221. Specifically, the inner ring of the angular contact bearing is connected to the rotating shaft 130, and the outer ring is connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove 1221 away from the rotating shaft 130, so that the angular contact bearing is fixed in the mounting groove 1221. The side of the angular contact bearing closest to the first driving component 110 contacts the axial limiting part 133. The angular contact bearings can be installed in pairs in the mounting groove 1221 of the voice coil motor 121 mover, and the inner ring of the bearing is interference-fitted with the second transmission mating part 132 of the rotating shaft 130.

[0044] In some embodiments, the rotating shaft 130 is an integral stepped shaft structure. The diameter of the rotating shaft 130 in the second transmission mating part 132 is smaller than the diameter of the first transmission mating part 131. The axial limiting part 133 is a stepped structure formed between the first transmission mating part 131 and the second transmission mating part 132. The stepped structure includes an axial contact surface facing the second driving member 120. The side of the angular contact bearing near the first driving member 110 contacts the axial contact surface, bearing the axial load and rotational torque of the rotating shaft 130 during lifting and lowering, avoiding overload of the voice coil motor 121 mover. Moreover, the stepped structure restricts the axial displacement of the rotating shaft 130, preventing the voice coil motor 121 from overtraveling and reducing the safety travel error.

[0045] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the electrode transfer mechanism 100 of this application further includes at least one limiting guide rail 1223 embedded in the moving member 122. For example, the moving member 122 has a limiting groove 1222 at a position radially away from the rotating shaft 130, and the limiting guide rail 1223 is embedded in the limiting groove 1222. The length direction of the limiting guide rail 1223 is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 130; the moving member 122 is limited by the limiting guide rail 1223 in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 130, and the moving member 122 can slide along the limiting guide rail 1223 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 130. The limiting guide rail 1223 restricts the circumferential rotation of the voice coil motor 121 mover, thereby achieving mechanical decoupling of the rotating shaft rotation and lifting motion, and avoiding motion interference.

[0046] In some embodiments, the limiting guide rail 1223 can be a linear ball bearing guide rail. The linear ball bearing guide rail is embedded on both radial sides of the moving part 122 of the voice coil motor 121. The end of the limiting guide rail 1223 is fixed to the frame or the housing of the electrode transfer mechanism 100, restricting the moving part 122 to move only along the axial direction of the rotating shaft. That is, the limiting guide rail 1223 constrains the circumferential degree of freedom of the moving part of the voice coil motor 121, ensuring that the lifting motion has no rotational component, thereby improving the axial positioning accuracy of the electrode gripping process. Moreover, the rigid support of the limiting guide rail 1223 in this embodiment can withstand the torque generated by the rotation of the rotating shaft 130, preventing the stator of the voice coil motor 121 from loosening.

[0047] The electrode transfer mechanism of this application has been described above. Accordingly, this application also provides an electrode transfer system, which includes a drive mechanism and an electrode transfer mechanism 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The drive mechanism is connected to the electrode transfer mechanism and is used to drive the electrode transfer mechanism to move along a preset direction.

[0048] In this embodiment, the preset direction can be the process position arrangement direction of the stacking, the process position can include the electrode material area and the stacking station, the driving mechanism can be a transverse driving mechanism, the driving mechanism can drive the electrode transfer mechanism 100 to reciprocate between the electrode material area and the stacking station; the electrode transfer mechanism 100 can include a shell or a frame, the driving mechanism is connected to the electrode transfer mechanism including the shell or frame, so as to drive the electrode transfer mechanism 100 as a whole to move along the stacking station arrangement direction.

[0049] The operation steps of the electrode transfer mechanism of this application are as follows: 1. Material picking stage: The drive mechanism moves the electrode transfer mechanism 100 above the electrode material area; the voice coil motor 121 drives the rotating shaft 130 to descend, and the suction cup of the suction cup assembly adsorbs the electrode; after the negative pressure sensor confirms that the adsorption is stable, the rotating shaft 130 rises to reset. 2. Transfer stage: The DD motor 111 drives the rotating shaft 130 to rotate by a set angle (e.g., 90°), and at the same time, the electrode transfer mechanism 100 is moved to the stacking station; the voice coil motor 121 drives the rotating shaft 130 to descend, releasing the electrode for electrode stacking. 3. Reset stage: The rotating shaft 130 rises and rotates in the opposite direction by a set angle (e.g., 90°), and the electrode transfer mechanism 100 is moved by the drive mechanism to the material picking origin. In the electrode transfer system of this application, the rotation and lifting actions are completed simultaneously during the lateral movement, which can reduce the single cycle time and thus improve the stacking efficiency.

[0050] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A pole piece transfer mechanism, characterized by, include: A rotating shaft is used to connect an electrode gripping mechanism, and the rotating shaft is provided with a first transmission engagement part and a second transmission engagement part in its axial direction. The first driving member cooperates with the first transmission engagement part and is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate through the first transmission engagement part; The second driving component cooperates with the second transmission engagement part and is used to drive the rotating shaft to rise and fall through the second transmission engagement part; The first and second driving components independently control and directly drive the rotating shaft.

2. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first driving component is a rotary driving component, which is located around the first transmission mating part. The rotary driving component is connected to the first transmission mating part through a mechanical transmission component, and drives the rotating shaft to rotate through the mechanical transmission component.

3. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second driving component is a linear driving component, which is located around the second transmission engagement part. The linear driving component includes a moving component, the moving component moves along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the moving component is connected to the second transmission engagement part, and the moving component is used to drive the rotating shaft to rise and fall.

4. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a rotating connector fixed between the first driving member and the second driving member; the rotating shaft includes an axial limiting part disposed between the first transmission engagement part and the second transmission engagement part, and the rotating connector is rotatably engaged with the axial limiting part in the axial direction.

5. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first driving component is a motor; The coil assembly of the motor is located on the periphery of the rotating shaft, and the rotor of the motor is connected to the first transmission mating part through a mechanical transmission component.

6. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second driving component is a voice coil motor; The moving part is the mover or stator of the voice coil motor.

7. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rotating connector is an angular contact bearing, and the moving part has a mounting groove on the side facing the first driving part; The angular contact bearing is installed in the mounting groove. The inner ring of the angular contact bearing is connected to the rotating shaft, and the outer ring is connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove away from the rotating shaft. The side of the angular contact bearing closest to the first driving member contacts the axial limiting part.

8. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The diameter of the rotating shaft in the second transmission mating part is smaller than the diameter of the first transmission mating part, and the axial limiting part is a stepped structure formed between the first transmission mating part and the second transmission mating part; The stepped structure includes an axial contact surface facing the second drive member, and the angular contact bearing contacts the axial contact surface on the side closer to the first drive member.

9. The electrode transfer mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes at least one limiting guide rail embedded in the moving part; The length direction of the limiting guide rail is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft; the moving part is limited by the limiting guide rail in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft, and the moving part can slide along the limiting guide rail in the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

10. A pole piece transfer system characterized by, include: Drive mechanism; as well as The electrode transfer mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the driving mechanism is connected to the electrode transfer mechanism and is used to drive the electrode transfer mechanism to move along a preset direction.

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