tab bending device and battery

Abstract

This application relates to a tab bending device and a battery. The tab bending device includes a housing with a receiving cavity; a support platform disposed within the receiving cavity, the support platform supporting an electrode assembly connected to a tab; a restraint member disposed on the support platform and used to restrain the tab to limit the movement of a portion of the tab away from the support platform; and a rotating seat rotatably connected to the side wall of the housing, the rotating seat having a support surface for supporting the portion of the tab connected to the electrode assembly; the rotating seat is configured to rotate until the support surface abuts against the restraint member. Compared to manual bending, this tab bending device can complete the bending of the tab by rotating the rotating seat, resulting in good consistency in the tab bending, improving the quality of the tab bending, and the bending process is simpler, thus improving the efficiency of tab bending.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to a tab bending device and a battery. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, the bending of the tabs on pouch batteries mainly relies on manual operation. However, manual operation makes it difficult to ensure the consistency of the tab bending process, resulting in large fluctuations in the quality of the tabs. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a tab bending device and a battery to at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an electrode bending device, the electrode bending device comprising:

[0005] The shell has a receiving cavity;

[0006] A support platform is disposed within the receiving cavity, the support platform being used to support the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly being connected to the electrode tab;

[0007] A restraint member is disposed on the support platform and used to restrain the electrode tab to limit the movement of a portion of the electrode tab away from the support platform;

[0008] A rotating seat is rotatably connected to the side wall of the housing, and the rotating seat has a support surface for supporting the pole lug; the rotating seat is configured to rotate so that the support surface abuts against the restraint member.

[0009] Optionally, the restraint member has a guide portion protruding from one side surface facing the rotating seat. The guide portion is configured to abut against the tab and guide the tab to bend when the rotating seat rotates to the point where the support surface abuts against the restraint member.

[0010] Optionally, the rotating seat has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being rotatably connected to the housing, the second end being configured to rotate relative to the first end, and the end face of the first end forming the support surface.

[0011] Optionally, the second end is configured to be rotatable relative to the first end at an angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°.

[0012] Optionally, a sliding groove is provided on the side wall of the housing, and a sliding shaft is protruding on the side of the second end, the sliding shaft extending into the sliding groove and configured to slide along the sliding groove.

[0013] Optionally, the sidewall of the housing has an adjacent first region and a second region, wherein the first region corresponds to the support platform, the second region is offset from the support platform, the slide is located in the second region, and the slide includes at least an arcuate groove.

[0014] Optionally, the slide groove further includes a first straight groove and a second straight groove, the first straight groove and the second straight groove being connected to both ends of the arc-shaped groove, the first straight groove extending in a direction away from the first region, the extension direction of the second straight groove being perpendicular to the extension direction of the first straight groove, and the sliding shaft being configured to be movably disposed on the rotating seat in the direction from the first end to the second end to slide into the first straight groove or the second straight groove.

[0015] Optionally, a mounting groove is formed recessed on the side of the second end, the mounting groove extending from the second end toward the first end; the sliding shaft has a first sliding section and a second sliding section opposite to each other, the first sliding section is configured to protrude from the side of the second end and slide within the groove, the second sliding section slides within the mounting groove, and an elastic element is also provided within the mounting groove, the elastic element being configured to push the second sliding section to move away from the first end, and both the first straight groove and the second straight groove protrude from the side of the arcuate groove away from the first end.

[0016] Optionally, the groove has a first groove wall away from the first end, and a portion of the first groove wall is formed as a first arc-shaped transition surface and a second arc-shaped transition surface. The first arc-shaped transition surface corresponds to the connection between the first straight groove and the arc-shaped groove, and the second arc-shaped transition surface corresponds to the connection between the second straight groove and the arc-shaped groove.

[0017] Optionally, a rotating shaft is provided on one of the first end and the side wall of the housing, and a rotating hole is provided on the other of the first end and the side wall of the housing, and the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed in the rotating hole.

[0018] Optionally, the end wall of the housing is connected to the side wall of the housing and spaced apart from the rotating seat. The rotating seat is located between the end wall of the housing and the support platform. The end wall of the housing is also provided with a support protrusion, which is located in the receiving cavity and configured to support the free end of the electrode tab away from the electrode assembly.

[0019] Optionally, the support protrusion is provided with a positioning groove, which is configured to receive the free end of the electrode tab and is adapted to the free end, and the position of the positioning groove corresponds to the position of the guide portion.

[0020] Optionally, the restraint member includes a cylindrical body with a cavity, the cylindrical body being configured to be mounted on the support platform, the cavity being used to accommodate the electrode assembly, the cylindrical body having a perforated portion for the electrode tab to pass through, the guide portion being disposed on the cylindrical body and located outside the cavity, the guide portion and the perforated portion being disposed in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0021] Optionally, the hollowed-out portion is a groove formed by the indentation of the side of the cylinder near the support platform, and the groove is adapted to the fixed end of the electrode assembly connected to the tab.

[0022] Optionally, the restraint member further includes a limiting structure, which includes a sliding strip and a limiting block. One end of the sliding strip is connected to the cylinder, and the other end is connected to the limiting block. The radial dimension of the sliding strip is smaller than the radial dimension of the limiting block. A limiting groove is formed on the support platform. The limiting groove includes a first sub-groove and a second sub-groove that are connected. The first sub-groove is used for the limiting block to pass through, and the second sub-groove is adapted to the sliding strip and used for slidingly installing the sliding strip.

[0023] Optionally, the rotating seat is a welding station; and / or, the guide is configured such that when the rotating seat rotates to the point where the support surface faces the restraint, the distance between the guide and the rotating seat is greater than or equal to the thickness of the tab and less than the distance between the free end of the tab and the support surface.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a battery, including an electrode assembly and a tab, wherein the tab is connected to the electrode assembly; the tab includes a body portion and a first bent portion connected to one end of the body portion, the first bent portion is also connected to the electrode assembly, and the body portion is disposed close to the electrode assembly.

[0025] Optionally, the electrode tab further includes a second bend, which is connected to the other end of the body portion, and the free end of the second bend extends away from the electrode assembly.

[0026] Optionally, the electrode tab includes a first sub-electrode tab and a second sub-electrode tab, a portion of the first sub-electrode tab overlaps with a portion of the second sub-electrode tab and is welded to form the body portion, the first bending portion is formed on the first sub-electrode tab, and the second bending portion is formed on the second sub-electrode tab.

[0027] Optionally, the first sub-tab includes multiple layers of metal foil stacked together; the second sub-tab is a metal sheet, wherein the thickness of a single metal sheet is greater than the thickness of a single layer of metal foil.

[0028] Optionally, the electrode assembly includes multiple layers of electrode sheets and multiple layers of separator films, with the electrode sheets and separator films alternately stacked; the electrode sheet includes a current collector and an active material layer disposed on the current collector, and the current collector is connected to the metal foil.

[0029] Optionally, the battery includes a pouch cell.

[0030] When using the electrode bending device provided in this application embodiment, the electrode assembly is placed on the support platform, the electrode assembly is connected to the electrode tab, the electrode tab is supported on the support surface of the rotating seat, and the electrode tab is restrained and limited by the restraint member. The rotating seat is rotated so that the support surface of the rotating seat abuts against the restraint member. Since the electrode tab is supported on the support surface, the electrode tab will be clamped between the support surface of the rotating seat and the restraint member. And since the electrode tab is limited by the restraint member, the position of the electrode tab near the restraint member will be bent once.

[0031] Compared to manual bending, this tab bending device can bend the tab by rotating the rotating seat. The bending of the tab is more consistent, which improves the quality of the tab bending. Moreover, the bending process is simpler, which helps to improve the efficiency of the tab bending.

[0032] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying 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.

[0034] To gain a more complete understanding of this application and its beneficial effects, the following description will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals in the following description denote the same parts.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a top view of the tab bending device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a top view of the tab bending device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 The restraints are omitted in the diagram;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a top view of the restraint member in the tab bending device provided in this application embodiment;

[0038] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the restraint member in the tab bending device provided in this application embodiment;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a side view of the restraint member in the tab bending device provided in this application embodiment;

[0040] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of section C;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the rotating seat in the tab bending device provided in this application embodiment;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a side view of the rotating seat in the tab bending device provided in this application embodiment;

[0043] Figures 9 to 12 This is a schematic diagram of the process of bending the electrode tab using the electrode tab bending device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0045] A. Electrode assembly; B. Electrode tab; b1. Free end; b2. Fixed end; B1. First sub-electrode tab; B2. Second sub-electrode tab;

[0046] 10. Electrode bending device;

[0047] 1. Shell;

[0048] 101. Receiving cavity;

[0049] 11. Side wall; 111. First region; 112. Second region;

[0050] 12. Slide groove; 121. Arc-shaped groove; 122. First straight groove; 123. Second straight groove; 124. First groove wall; 1241. First arc-shaped transition surface; 1242. Second arc-shaped transition surface; 125. Second groove wall;

[0051] 13. End wall;

[0052] 14. Support protrusion; 141. Positioning groove;

[0053] 2. Support platform; 21. Limiting groove; 211. First sub-groove; 212. Second sub-groove;

[0054] 3. Rotating seat; 301. Support surface;

[0055] 31. First end;

[0056] 32. Rotating shaft;

[0057] 33. Second end; 331. Mounting groove; 332. Groove opening; 333. Stop protrusion;

[0058] 34. Sliding shaft; 341. First sliding segment; 342. Second sliding segment;

[0059] 35. Elastic components;

[0060] 4. Restraints;

[0061] 41. Cylinder body; 411. Cylinder cavity; 412. Hollowed-out section;

[0062] 42. Limiting structure; 421. Sliding bar; 422. Limiting block;

[0063] 5. Guiding section. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0065] Firstly, please see Figures 1 to 12 This application provides an electrode tab bending device 10, which includes a housing 1, a support platform 2, a rotating seat 3, and a restraining member 4. The housing 1 has a receiving cavity 101. The support platform 2 is disposed within the receiving cavity 101 and is used to support an electrode assembly A, wherein the electrode assembly A is connected to an electrode tab B. The rotating seat 3 is rotatably connected to the side wall 11 of the housing 1, and a support surface 301 for supporting the electrode tab B is formed on the rotating seat 3. The restraining member 4 is disposed on the support platform 2 and is used to restrain the electrode tab B to limit the movement of a portion of the electrode tab B away from the support platform 2. The rotating seat 3 is further configured to rotate until the support surface 301 abuts against the restraining member 4.

[0066] Here, the tab bending device 10 refers to the tooling equipment used to bend the tabs. Electrode assembly A is an important component of the battery cell. Electrode assembly A includes electrode sheets and a separator. The electrode sheets include a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet arranged opposite each other. The separator is located between the positive and negative electrode sheets to prevent short circuits caused by contact between the positive and negative electrode sheets. Electrode assembly A is usually also called a cell pack, and the battery cell is also called a single battery cell. Tab B refers to a conductor connected to the electrode sheets to connect electrode assembly A to an external circuit. As an example, tab B is a metal part. Here, tab B includes at least one of a positive tab and a negative tab. The positive tab is connected to the positive electrode sheet, and the negative tab is connected to the negative electrode sheet.

[0067] The housing 1 has a receiving cavity 101 formed inside. The housing 1 includes at least a side wall 11 and an end wall 13, which define the receiving cavity 101. The housing 1 has at least one opening communicating with the receiving cavity 101. As an example, the housing 1 also includes a bottom wall, and the housing 1 has an opening opposite the bottom wall that communicates with the receiving cavity 101. As an example, the housing 1 includes only the side wall 11 and the end wall 13, such that two openings are formed at opposite ends of the housing 1, and both openings communicate with the receiving cavity 101.

[0068] The support platform 2 is located within the receiving cavity 101 and is used to support the electrode assembly A. When using the tab bending device 10, the electrode assembly A is placed on the surface of the support platform 2. As an example, the support platform 2 is a support plate connected to the housing 1, specifically to the side wall 11 of the housing 1. As an example, the support platform 2 includes a support plate and support legs, the support legs being connected to the support plate to support the support plate on the ground; neither the support plate nor the support legs are connected to the housing 1.

[0069] The rotating seat 3 is connected to the housing 1, specifically rotatably connected to the side wall 11 of the housing 1. This means the rotating seat 3 can move relative to the side wall 11 of the housing 1 around an axis, i.e., the rotating seat 3 rotates relative to the side wall 11 of the housing 1. The rotating seat 3 has a support surface 301, which supports the electrode tab B, which is used to connect to the electrode assembly A. As an example, the support surface 301 is the end face of the rotating seat 3. Of course, in other examples, the support surface 301 can also be the side of the rotating seat 3, or the surface of other structures fixed to the rotating seat 3.

[0070] The restraint member 4 is disposed on the support platform 2. When the electrode assembly A is placed on the support platform 2, the electrode tab B is connected to the electrode assembly A. The restraint member 4 is used to restrain the electrode tab B to restrict the movement of a portion of the electrode tab B away from the support platform 2. As an example, the restraint member 4 abuts against and presses the electrode tab B. It can be understood that the part of the electrode tab B pressed by the restraint member 4 cannot move away from the support platform 2. It should be noted that the restraint member 4 can be integrally disposed on the support platform 2 or can be mounted on the support platform 2.

[0071] In summary, when using the electrode bending device 10, the electrode assembly A is placed on the support platform 2, and the electrode assembly A is connected to the electrode tab B. The electrode tab B is supported on the support surface 301 of the rotating seat 3. The restraint member 4 is used to restrain and limit the electrode tab B. The rotating seat 3 is rotated so that the support surface 301 of the rotating seat 3 abuts against the restraint member 4. Since the electrode tab B is supported on the support surface 301, the electrode tab B will be clamped between the support surface 301 of the rotating seat 3 and the restraint member 4, and the electrode tab B is limited by the restraint member 4. In this way, the electrode tab B will be bent once near the restraint member 4. At the same time, the rotating seat 3 and the restraint member 4 can not only flatten the clamped part of the electrode tab B, but also repair the burrs or flashes on the outer surface of the clamped part of the electrode tab B, thereby improving the quality of the electrode tab B. In other words, when the support surface 301 of the rotating seat 3 abuts against the restraint member 4, it means that there is a squeezing force between the support surface 301 of the rotating seat 3 and the restraint member 4. This can be a direct interaction between the two, or an indirect interaction between the rotating seat 3 and the restraint member 4 through the tab B, etc.

[0072] Compared to manual bending, the tab bending device 10 provided in this application embodiment can complete the bending of the tab B by rotating the rotating seat 3. The bending of the tab B has good consistency, which improves the quality of the bending of the tab B. Moreover, the bending process is simple and easy to operate, which helps to improve the efficiency of the bending of the tab B.

[0073] In some implementations, please refer to Figures 1 to 6 ,as well as Figures 9 to 12 The restraint member 4 has a guide portion 5 protruding on the side surface facing the rotating seat 3. The guide portion 5 is configured to abut against the tab B and guide the tab B to bend when the rotating seat 3 rotates to the point where the support surface 301 abuts against the restraint member 4.

[0074] The restraint member 4 is provided with a guide portion 5, specifically, the guide portion 5 protrudes from the side surface of the restraint member 4 facing the rotating seat 3. When the rotating seat 3 rotates relative to the housing 1, the rotating seat 3 can rotate at least until the support surface 301 on the rotating seat 3 faces the restraint member 4 and abuts against the restraint member 4. As an example, the rotating seat 3 rotates until the support surface 301 is face-to-face with and parallel to the surface of the restraint member 4. It can be understood that when tab B is supported on support surface 301, the support surface 301 is used to support part of tab B, that is, part of tab B is supported on support surface 301, and the other part of tab B extends out of support surface 301. When the rotating seat 3 rotates to the point where support surface 301 faces restraint 4, tab B will also be driven to move towards restraint 4. Finally, the part of tab B supported on support surface 301 is clamped between support surface 301 of rotating seat 3 and restraint 4, while the part of tab B extending out of support surface 301 will interfere with guide part 5 protruding on the side surface of restraint 4 facing rotating seat 3. Thus, guide part 5 abuts against tab B, and tab B bends under the guidance of guide part 5. That is to say, guide part 5 is configured to abut against tab B and guide tab B to bend, especially when rotating seat 3 rotates to the point where support surface 301 faces and abuts against restraint 4, thereby realizing the bending of tab B. The portion of tab B extending out of the support surface 301 comes into contact with the guide portion 5 protruding from the side surface of the restraint member 4 facing the rotating seat 3 and bends again. That is, the portion of tab B near the guide portion 5 bends, and tab B completes a second bend.

[0075] In some embodiments, the rotating base 3 is a welding station. Typically, the electrode tab B includes a first sub-tab B1 and a second sub-tab B2. One end of the first sub-tab B1 is connected to the electrode assembly A, and the other end of the first sub-tab B1 is welded to the second sub-tab B2. When the electrode tab bending device 10 is used, one end of the second sub-tab B2 and the other end of the first sub-tab B1 are stacked on the welding station, specifically on the support surface 301, and then one end of the second sub-tab B2 is welded to the other end of the first sub-tab B1. That is, the electrode tab bending device 10 can also be used to weld the electrode tab B, enriching the function of the electrode tab bending device 10. Optionally, the hardness of the first sub-tab B1 is less than the hardness of the second sub-tab B2. As an example, the first sub-tab B1 is a soft electrode tab, integrally formed with the current collector in the electrode sheet. Understandably, when the electrode tab B includes a first sub-electrode tab B1 and a second sub-electrode tab B2, the two bends performed by the electrode tab bending device 10 on the electrode tab B are one bend on the first sub-electrode tab B1 and one bend on the second sub-electrode tab B2. During the welding process between the first sub-electrode tab B1 and the second sub-electrode tab B2, the restraint member 4 is used to restrain and limit the second sub-electrode tab B2, which can improve the welding effect between the first sub-electrode tab B1 and the second sub-electrode tab B2.

[0076] In some embodiments, the first tab B1 is a soft tab, which includes multiple layers of metal foil stacked together. During the bending process of tab B, the soft tab can be clamped by the rotating seat 3 and the restraint member 4, so that the gas between the layers of metal foil in the soft tab is squeezed out, the metal foils are better bonded together, the risk of springback expansion is reduced, and the metal foils are further flattened, ultimately improving the quality of the soft tab.

[0077] In some embodiments, the guide portion 5 is configured such that when the rotating seat 3 rotates to the point where the support surface 301 faces the restraint member 4, the distance between the guide portion 5 and the rotating seat 3 is greater than or equal to the thickness of the tab B and less than the distance between the free end b1 of the tab B and the support surface 301. As an example, when the rotating seat 3 rotates to the point where the support surface 301 faces the restraint member 4, the guide portion 5 is spaced apart from the rotating seat 3, and the guide portion 5 is located above the rotating seat 3, specifically above the side surface of the rotating seat 3. The distance between the guide portion 5 and the side surface of the rotating seat 3 is greater than or equal to the thickness of the tab B. This reduces the difficulty of bending the tab B. After the tab B is bent, a portion of the tab B is located between the guide portion 5 and the rotating seat 3. The distance between the free end b1 of the tab B and the support surface 301 is the length of the portion of the tab B with the free end b1 extending beyond the support surface 301. By controlling the length of the portion of tab B with its free end b1 extending beyond the support surface 301 to be greater than the distance between the guide portion 5 and the rotating seat 3 when the rotating seat 3 rotates to face the restraint member 4, it is ensured that tab B can interfere with the guide portion 5 and bend when the rotating seat 3 rotates to face the restraint member 4. In other words, by using the above-described configuration, when the rotating seat 3 rotates to face the restraint member 4, the guide portion 5 can abut against tab B and guide tab B to bend.

[0078] In some embodiments, the rotating seat 3 has a first end 31 and a second end 33 opposite to each other. The first end 31 is rotatably connected to the housing 1, and the second end 33 is configured to rotate relative to the first end 31. The end face of the first end 31 is formed as a support surface 301. That is, one end of the rotating seat 3 is rotatably connected to the housing 1, and the rotating seat 3 can be rotated by pushing the other end of the rotating seat 3. This reduces the difficulty of rotating the rotating seat 3 and makes the tab bending device 10 more labor-saving during use. In addition, the support surface 301 is located on the end of the rotating seat 3 that is rotatably connected to the housing 1. This makes it easier to control the displacement of the support surface 301 when the rotating seat 3 rotates, thereby improving the consistency of the tab B bending and improving the quality of the tab B bending.

[0079] In some embodiments, the second end 33 is configured to rotate relative to the first end 31 by an angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°. As an example, the second end 33 may rotate relative to the first end 31 by 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, or 90°.

[0080] In some embodiments, the rotating seat 3 is located on one side of the support platform 2, and the first end 31 of the rotating seat 3 is close to the end of the support platform 2. The portion of the first end 31 close to the support platform 2 is rotatably connected to the housing 1. This facilitates further reduction of the displacement of the support surface 301 when the rotating seat 3 rotates, thereby improving the bending quality of the tab B.

[0081] In some embodiments, the housing 1 includes a side wall 11, on which a groove 12 is formed. A sliding shaft 34 protrudes from the side of the second end 33, extending into the groove 12 and configured to slide along the groove 12. It can be understood that the second end 33 is slidably connected to the side wall 11 of the housing 1 via the sliding shaft 34. Simultaneously, by providing the groove 12 to cooperate with the sliding shaft 34, the sliding trajectory of the sliding shaft 34 is controlled, thereby controlling the rotation angle of the rotating seat 3, further improving the consistency of the tab B bending and reducing the control difficulty during tab B bending.

[0082] In some embodiments, the groove 12 is a through hole that extends through the side wall 11 of the housing 1. Of course, in other embodiments, the groove 12 may also be a groove formed by recessing the inner surface of the side wall 11 of the housing 1.

[0083] In some embodiments, a first mounting through hole is provided on the second end 33, and the sliding shaft 34 passes through the first mounting through hole on the second end 33, with the end of the sliding shaft 34 protruding from the side of the second end 33 and extending into the slide groove 12. Of course, in other embodiments, one end of the sliding shaft 34 is fixed to the side of the second end 33, and the other end of the sliding shaft 34 extends into the slide groove 12. It should be noted that the sliding shaft 34 can be fixedly mounted on the rotating seat 3 or movably mounted on the rotating seat 3.

[0084] In some embodiments, the sidewall 11 of the housing 1 has adjacent first region 111 and second region 112, wherein the first region 111 corresponds to the support platform 2, and the second region 112 is offset from the support platform 2. A sliding groove 12 is located within the second region 112, and the sliding groove 12 includes at least an arcuate groove 121. When the rotating seat 3 rotates, the rotating seat 3 moves within the space corresponding to the second region 112 in the receiving cavity 101. This reduces the risk of interference between the rotating seat 3 and the support platform 2, and the sliding shaft 34 slides within the arcuate groove 121, thereby ensuring the smoothness of the rotation of the rotating seat 3 and ultimately improving the bending quality of the tab B. As an example, the arcuate groove 121 is arc-shaped.

[0085] In some embodiments, the slide groove 12 further includes a first straight groove 122 and a second straight groove 123, which are respectively connected to the two ends of the arcuate groove 121. The first straight groove 122 extends in a direction away from the first region 111, and the extension direction of the second straight groove 123 is perpendicular to the extension direction of the first straight groove 122. The sliding shaft 34 is configured to be movably disposed on the rotating seat 3 in the direction from the first end 31 to the second end 33 so as to slide into the first straight groove 122 or the second straight groove 123. It can be understood that the first straight groove 122, the arcuate groove 121 and the second straight groove 123 are connected in sequence, and the angle between the extension direction of the first straight groove 122 and the extension direction of the second straight groove 123 is 90°. Thus, when the sliding shaft 34 slides in the slide groove 12, the rotating seat 3 can rotate a maximum of 90°. As an example, the sliding shaft 34 slides from the first straight groove 122 through the arc groove 121 to the second straight groove 123. At this time, the rotating seat 3 rotates 90°, and the supporting surface 301 is perpendicular to the surface of the restraint member 4 facing the rotating seat 3. At this time, the supporting surface 301 can support the tab B. The sliding shaft 34 slides from the second straight groove 123 through the arc groove 121 to the first straight groove 122. The rotating seat 3 also rotates 90°. At this time, the supporting surface 301 is parallel to the surface of the restraint member 4 facing the rotating seat 3. The part of the tab B corresponding to the supporting surface 301 is clamped between the rotating seat 3 and the restraint member 4. The part of the tab B extending out of the supporting surface 301 is bent at an angle of 90°. Since the sliding shaft 34 is movably disposed in the rotating seat 3, specifically, the sliding shaft 34 can move in the direction from the first end 31 to the second end 33. For example, the sliding shaft 34 can move closer to the first end 31 or closer to the second end 33. As an example, the sliding shaft 34 is located near the second end 33 and within the first straight groove 122. The first straight groove 122 can be used to limit the sliding shaft 34 and reduce the risk of the sliding shaft 34 sliding. When it is necessary to slide the sliding shaft 34, push the sliding shaft 34 to move towards the first end 31, and then rotate the seat 3 to make the sliding shaft 34 slide within the arc groove 121. When the sliding shaft 34 slides to the second straight groove 123, push the sliding shaft 34 towards the second end 33 so that the sliding shaft 34 slides into the second straight groove 123. The second straight groove 123 can also be used to limit the sliding shaft 34.

[0086] In some embodiments, a mounting groove 331 is formed recessed on the side of the second end 33, and the mounting groove 331 extends from the second end 33 to the first end 31; the sliding shaft 34 has a first sliding section 341 and a second sliding section 342 opposite to each other, the first sliding section 341 is configured to protrude from the side of the second end 33 and be slidably disposed in the sliding groove 12, the second sliding section 342 is slidably disposed in the mounting groove 331, and an elastic member 35 is also provided in the mounting groove 331, the elastic member 35 is configured to push the second sliding section 342 to move away from the first end 31, and the first straight groove 122 and the second straight groove 123 are both located on the side of the arc groove 121 away from the first end 31. The sliding shaft 34 slides within the groove 12. When the sliding shaft 34 slides from the arc-shaped groove 121 into the first straight groove 122 or the second straight groove 123, the elastic member 35 can push the sliding shaft 34 into the first straight groove 122 or the second straight groove 123, preventing the sliding shaft 34 from sliding out of the first straight groove 122 or the second straight groove 123, thereby limiting the sliding shaft 34. When it is necessary to slide the sliding shaft 34 out of the first straight groove 122 or the second straight groove 123, it is only necessary to apply a pushing force towards the first end 31 to the sliding shaft 34, so that the pushing force overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 35. The operation is simple. As an example, the elastic member 35 includes at least one of a spring and a silicone block.

[0087] In some embodiments, the elastic element 35 is a spring, which is configured to be compressed between the second sliding section 342 and the groove wall of the mounting groove 331 near the first end 31. Of course, in other embodiments, the spring may also be configured to be stretched between the second sliding section 342 and the groove wall of the mounting groove 331 near the second end 33.

[0088] In some embodiments, a stop protrusion 333 is provided at the edge of the groove 332 of the mounting groove 331. This stop protrusion 333 can prevent the elastic member 35 from dislodging from the mounting groove 331. As an example, the specific stop protrusion 333 is conical, and there are two stop protrusions 333. The two stop protrusions 333 are symmetrically arranged at the edge of the groove 332, so that the groove 332 presents a gourd shape. The mounting groove 331 is cut along the direction perpendicular to the depth of the mounting groove 331, and the cross-section of the mounting groove 331 is square. The area of ​​the cross-section of the mounting groove 331 is larger than the area of ​​the gourd-shaped groove 332.

[0089] In some embodiments, the slide 12 has a first groove wall 124 away from the first end 31. The first groove wall 124 has a first arcuate transition surface 1241 and a second arcuate transition surface 1242. The first arcuate transition surface 1241 corresponds to the connection between the first straight groove 122 and the arcuate groove 121, and the second arcuate transition surface 1242 corresponds to the connection between the second straight groove 123 and the arcuate groove 121. The slide 12 has opposing first groove walls 124 and second groove walls 125, wherein the second groove wall 125 is closer to the first end 31, and the first groove wall 124 is away from the first end 31. By forming a portion of the first groove wall 124 as a first arcuate transition surface 1241 corresponding to the connection between the first straight groove 122 and the arcuate groove 121, the first arcuate transition surface 1241 can guide the sliding shaft 34 when it slides into or out of the first straight groove 122, reducing the difficulty of sliding the sliding shaft 34. Similarly, by forming a portion of the first groove wall 124 as a second arcuate transition surface 1242 corresponding to the connection between the second straight groove 123 and the arcuate groove 121, the second arcuate transition surface 1242 can guide the sliding shaft 34 when it slides into or out of the second straight groove 123, reducing the difficulty of sliding the sliding shaft 34, thereby ensuring the consistency of the tab B bending and improving the quality of the tab B bending.

[0090] In some embodiments, a rotating shaft 32 is provided on one of the first end 31 and the side wall 11 of the housing 1, and a rotating hole is provided on the other of the first end 31 and the side wall 11 of the housing 1. The rotating shaft 32 is rotatably disposed in the rotating hole. By setting the rotating shaft 32 to cooperate with the rotating hole, the first end 31 and the side wall 11 of the housing 1 are rotatably connected. As an example, the rotating shaft 32 protrudes from the side of the first end 31, and the rotating hole is formed in the side wall 11 of the housing 1.

[0091] In some embodiments, the housing 1 further includes an end wall 13, which is connected to the side wall 11 of the housing 1 and spaced apart from the rotating seat 3. The rotating seat 3 is located between the end wall 13 of the housing 1 and the support platform 2. A support protrusion 14 is also provided on the end wall 13 of the housing 1. The support protrusion 14 is located in the receiving cavity 101 and is configured to support the free end b1 of the tab B away from the electrode assembly A. Before bending the tab B, part of the tab B is supported on the support surface 301. By providing the support protrusion 1 to support the free end b1 of the tab B, the stability of the tab B is ensured.

[0092] In some embodiments, the surface of the support protrusion 1 for supporting the free end b1 of the tab B is coplanar or substantially coplanar with the support surface 301.

[0093] In some embodiments, the support protrusion 14 is provided with a positioning groove 141, which is configured to receive and fit the free end b1 of the tab B. The position of the positioning groove 141 corresponds to the position of the guide portion 5. When placing the tab B, the positioning groove 141 can be used to position the tab B and make the tab B automatically correspond to the guide portion 5, reducing the difficulty of aligning the tab B with the guide portion 5.

[0094] In some embodiments, the restraint member 4 includes a cylindrical body 41 with a cavity 411, which is configured to rest on the support platform 2. The cavity 411 is used to accommodate the electrode assembly A. A perforated portion 412 is provided on the cylindrical body 41 for the tab B to pass through. A guide portion 5 is disposed on the cylindrical body 41 and located outside the cavity 411, with each guide portion 5 corresponding to one of the perforated portions 412. That is, the number of guide portions 5 and perforated portions 412 is equal, and the position of one guide portion 5 corresponds to the position of one perforated portion 412. It can be understood that when using the tab bending device 10, the electrode assembly A is placed inside the cylindrical body 41, and one end of the tab B can extend into the cylindrical body 41 through the perforated portion 412 and connect to the electrode assembly A, automatically aligning the tab B with the guide portion 5.

[0095] In some embodiments, the cylinder 41 is rectangular. Of course, in other embodiments, the cylinder 41 may also be square or circular.

[0096] In some embodiments, the hollow portion 412 is a groove formed by the inward indentation of the side of the cylindrical body 41 near the support platform 2, and the groove is adapted to the fixed end b2 of the electrode assembly A connected to the tab B. This hollow portion 412 can restrain the fixed end b2 of the tab B, thus reducing the risk of displacement of the tab B when it is bent. Furthermore, since the hollow portion 412 is a groove formed by the inward indentation of the side of the cylindrical body 41, combined with the cylindrical body 41 being placed on the support platform 2, the electrode assembly A can be placed on the support platform 2 first, connected to the tab B, and then the cylindrical body 41 can be placed on the support platform 2. After the tab B is bent, the cylindrical body 41 can be unloaded first, and then the electrode assembly A connected to the tab B can be removed, reducing the difficulty of placing and removing the electrode assembly A.

[0097] In some embodiments, the restraint member 4 further includes a limiting structure 42, which includes a sliding strip 421 and a limiting block 422. One end of the sliding strip 421 is connected to the cylinder 41, and the other end is connected to the limiting block 422. The radial dimension of the sliding strip 421 is smaller than the radial dimension of the limiting block 422. A limiting groove 21 is formed on the support platform 2. The limiting groove 21 includes a first sub-groove 211 and a second sub-groove 212 that are connected. The first sub-groove 211 is used for the limiting block 422 to pass through, and the second sub-groove 212 is adapted to the sliding strip 421 and is used for slidingly installing the sliding strip 421. With the above configuration, the restraint member 4 and the support platform 2 can be installed together. Specifically, the limiting block 422 is first passed through the first sub-slot 211 from one side of the support platform 2 and exposed on the other side of the support platform 2. The sliding bar 421 is at least partially located within the first sub-slot 211. The limiting structure 42 is pushed, allowing the sliding bar 421 to enter the second sub-slot 212 from the first sub-slot 211 and slide within the second sub-slot 212. When the sliding bar 421 is located within the second sub-slot 212, the limiting block 422 can prevent the sliding bar 421 from detaching from the second sub-slot 212 from one side of the support platform 2, reducing the risk of the restraint member 4 separating from the support platform 2. Since the sliding bar 421 can slide within the second sub-slot 212, the restraint member 4 can better cooperate with electrode assemblies A of different heights.

[0098] Secondly, please see Figures 9 to 12 This application also provides a battery, including an electrode assembly A and a tab B, with the tab B connected to the electrode assembly A; the tab B includes a body portion and a first bent portion connected to one end of the body portion, the first bent portion also being connected to the electrode assembly A, and the body portion being disposed close to the electrode assembly A.

[0099] Electrode assembly A is a crucial component of the battery cell. It primarily consists of electrodes and a separator. The electrodes include a positive electrode and a negative electrode arranged opposite each other. The separator is located between the positive and negative electrodes to prevent short circuits caused by contact between them. Electrode assembly A is often also referred to as the cell pack, and the battery cell is also called a single battery cell.

[0100] Tab B refers to a conductor connected to the electrode plate to connect electrode assembly A to an external circuit. As an example, tab B is a metal component. Tab B includes at least one of a positive tab and a negative tab. The positive tab is connected to the positive electrode plate, and the negative tab is connected to the negative electrode plate.

[0101] The electrode B includes a body and a first bent portion, meaning that the electrode B itself is bent at least once to form the first bent portion. The electrode B is connected to the electrode assembly A through the first bent portion.

[0102] The main body is positioned close to the electrode assembly A to minimize the distance between them, thereby making the battery structure more compact and increasing its volumetric energy density. As an example, the main body is attached to the electrode assembly A. Optionally, the battery also includes a casing, in which the electrode assembly A is housed. One end of the first bent portion of the tab B passes through a clearance hole in the casing and connects to the electrode assembly A. The main body is located outside the casing and attached to it.

[0103] The battery provided in this application embodiment includes an electrode assembly A and a tab B, wherein the tab B is bent, which makes the battery structure more compact and helps to improve the volumetric energy density of the battery.

[0104] In some embodiments, the battery is prepared using the tab bending device 10 described above.

[0105] In some embodiments, the tab B further includes a second bend that is connected to the other end of the body portion, and the free end of the second bend extends away from the electrode assembly A.

[0106] The electrode B also includes a second bend, meaning that the electrode B itself is bent at least twice, thus forming a first bend and a second bend. The free end of the second bend extends away from the electrode assembly A, which facilitates the connection of the electrode B to an external circuit.

[0107] In some implementations, please refer to Figure 10 The electrode tab B includes a first sub-electrode tab B1 and a second sub-electrode tab B2. A portion of the first sub-electrode tab B1 overlaps with a portion of the second sub-electrode tab B2 and is welded to form a body portion. A first bending portion is formed on the first sub-electrode tab B1 and a second bending portion is formed on the second sub-electrode tab B2.

[0108] In other words, tab B is formed by welding two sub-parts (first sub-tab B1 and second sub-tab B2), which helps reduce the manufacturing difficulty of tab B. When manufacturing this battery using the tab bending device 10 described above, the first sub-tab B1 and the second sub-tab B2 can be welded using the tab bending device 10. During the welding process, the overlapping parts of the first sub-tab B1 and the second sub-tab B2 will melt at high temperature and re-solidify together. Optionally, the first sub-tab B1 and the second sub-tab B2 are made of the same material, which helps to ensure that they melt synchronously and improve the welding quality. As an example, ultrasonic welding or laser welding can be used to weld the first sub-tab B1 and the second sub-tab B2 together.

[0109] In some embodiments, the first sub-tab B1 includes multiple layers of metal foil stacked together; the second sub-tab B2 is a metal sheet, the thickness of a single metal sheet being greater than the thickness of a single layer of metal foil.

[0110] Since the thickness of a single layer of metal foil is less than the thickness of a single metal sheet, it can be understood that the mechanical strength of the metal foil is less than that of the metal sheet, and the metal foil is more easily deformed than the metal sheet. Therefore, the first sub-tab B1, composed of metal foil, is usually called a soft tab, and the second sub-tab B2, composed of metal sheet, is called a hard tab. By connecting the soft tab to electrode assembly A, the difficulty of connecting tab B to electrode assembly A can be reduced. Furthermore, welding the hard tab to the soft tab together helps to improve the mechanical strength of tab B.

[0111] It should be noted that the thickness of the first sub-tab B1 is the sum of the thicknesses of all the metal foils. Although the thickness of a single layer of metal foil is less than the thickness of a single metal sheet, the thickness of the first sub-tab B1 can be less than the thickness of the metal sheet or greater than or equal to the thickness of the metal sheet.

[0112] In some embodiments, the electrode assembly includes multiple layers of electrodes and multiple layers of separators, with the electrodes and separators alternately stacked; the electrodes include a current collector and an active material layer disposed on the current collector, and the current collector is connected to a metal foil. Optionally, the current collector and the metal foil are integrally formed.

[0113] In some implementations, the battery includes a pouch cell.

[0114] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0115] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0116] The embodiments, implementation methods, and related technical features of this application can be combined and substituted for each other without conflict.

[0117] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application in any way. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A tab bending device, characterized in that, include: The shell has a receiving cavity; A support platform is disposed within the receiving cavity, the support platform being used to support the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly being connected to the electrode tab; A restraint member is disposed on the support platform and used to restrain the electrode tab to limit the movement of a portion of the electrode tab away from the support platform; A rotating base, which is rotatably connected to the side wall of the housing, and the rotating base has a support surface for supporting the electrode tab; The rotating seat is configured to rotate until the support surface abuts against the restraint member.

2. The electrode bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The restraint member has a guide portion protruding from one side surface facing the rotating seat. The guide portion is configured to abut against the electrode tab and guide the electrode tab to bend when the rotating seat rotates to the point where the support surface abuts against the restraint member.

3. The electrode bending device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating seat has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The first end is rotatably connected to the housing, and the second end is configured to rotate relative to the first end. The end face of the first end forms the support surface.

4. The electrode bending device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second end is configured to rotate relative to the first end by an angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°.

5. The electrode bending device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The side wall of the housing is provided with a sliding groove, and a sliding shaft is protruding from the side of the second end. The sliding shaft extends into the sliding groove and is configured to slide along the sliding groove.

6. The electrode bending device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sidewall of the housing has an adjacent first region and a second region, wherein the first region corresponds to the support platform, the second region is offset from the support platform, the slide is located in the second region, and the slide includes at least an arc-shaped groove.

7. The electrode bending device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The slide groove further includes a first straight groove and a second straight groove, the first straight groove and the second straight groove being connected to both ends of the arc-shaped groove respectively. The first straight groove extends in a direction away from the first region, and the extension direction of the second straight groove is perpendicular to the extension direction of the first straight groove. The sliding shaft is configured to be movably disposed on the rotating seat in the direction from the first end to the second end so as to slide into the first straight groove or the second straight groove.

8. The electrode bending device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second end has a recessed mounting groove on its side, which extends from the second end toward the first end. The sliding shaft has a first sliding section and a second sliding section opposite to each other. The first sliding section is configured to protrude from the side of the second end and slide within the groove. The second sliding section slides within the mounting groove. An elastic element is also provided within the mounting groove. The elastic element is configured to push the second sliding section to move away from the first end. Both the first straight groove and the second straight groove protrude from the side of the arcuate groove away from the first end.

9. The electrode bending device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The chute has a first chute wall away from the first end, and a portion of the first chute wall is formed as a first arc-shaped transition surface and a second arc-shaped transition surface. The first arc-shaped transition surface corresponds to the connection between the first straight chute and the arc-shaped chute, and the second arc-shaped transition surface corresponds to the connection between the second straight chute and the arc-shaped chute.

10. The electrode bending device according to claim 5, characterized in that, A rotating shaft is provided on one of the first end and the side wall of the housing, and a rotating hole is provided on the other of the first end and the side wall of the housing, and the rotating shaft is rotatably disposed in the rotating hole.

11. The electrode bending device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The end wall of the housing is connected to the side wall of the housing and spaced apart from the rotating seat. The rotating seat is located between the end wall of the housing and the support platform. A support protrusion is also provided on the end wall of the housing. The support protrusion is located in the receiving cavity and is configured to support the free end of the electrode tab away from the electrode assembly.

12. The electrode bending device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The support protrusion is provided with a positioning groove, which is configured to receive the free end of the electrode tab and is adapted to the free end. The position of the positioning groove corresponds to the position of the guide portion.

13. The electrode bending device according to any one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that, The restraint member includes a cylindrical body with a cavity, the cylindrical body being configured to be mounted on the support platform, the cavity being used to accommodate the electrode assembly, the cylindrical body having a perforated portion for the electrode tab to pass through, and a guide portion being disposed on the cylindrical body and located outside the cavity, the guide portion and the perforated portion being disposed in a one-to-one correspondence.

14. The electrode bending device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The hollowed-out portion is a groove formed by the indentation of the side of the cylinder near the support platform, and the groove is adapted to the fixed end of the electrode assembly connected to the tab.

15. The electrode bending device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The restraint member further includes a limiting structure, which includes a sliding strip and a limiting block. One end of the sliding strip is connected to the cylinder, and the other end is connected to the limiting block. The radial dimension of the sliding strip is smaller than the radial dimension of the limiting block. A limiting groove is formed on the support platform. The limiting groove includes a first sub-groove and a second sub-groove that are connected. The first sub-groove is used for the limiting block to pass through, and the second sub-groove is adapted to the sliding strip and used for slidingly installing the sliding strip.

16. The electrode bending device according to any one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that, The rotating base is a welding station; and / or, the guide is configured such that when the rotating base rotates to the point where the support surface faces the restraint, the distance between the guide and the rotating base is greater than or equal to the thickness of the tab and less than the distance between the free end of the tab and the support surface.

17. A battery, characterized in that, It includes an electrode assembly and a tab, the tab being connected to the electrode assembly; the tab includes a body portion and a first bent portion connected to one end of the body portion, the first bent portion also being connected to the electrode assembly, and the body portion being disposed close to the electrode assembly.

18. The battery according to claim 17, characterized in that, The electrode tab also includes a second bend, which is connected to the other end of the body portion, and the free end of the second bend extends away from the electrode assembly.

19. The battery according to claim 18, characterized in that, The electrode tab includes a first sub-electrode and a second sub-electrode. A portion of the first sub-electrode overlaps with a portion of the second sub-electrode and is welded to form the body portion. A first bent portion is formed on the first sub-electrode and a second bent portion is formed on the second sub-electrode.

20. The battery according to claim 19, characterized in that, The first sub-tab comprises multiple layers of metal foil stacked together; the second sub-tab is a metal sheet, wherein the thickness of a single metal sheet is greater than the thickness of a single layer of metal foil.

21. The battery according to claim 20, characterized in that, The electrode assembly includes multiple layers of electrode sheets and multiple layers of separator films, with the electrode sheets and separator films alternately stacked; the electrode sheet includes a current collector and an active material layer disposed on the current collector, and the current collector is connected to the metal foil.

22. The battery according to any one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that, The battery includes a pouch cell.

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