Kneading device and kneading equipment

Abstract

This invention provides a flattening device and a flattening equipment. The flattening device includes a flattening section, which is conical or frustum-shaped, for flattening the tabs of a battery cell. The flattening section is made of a wear-resistant material, and / or, its surface is provided with a protective layer. By using a wear-resistant material for the flattening section and / or providing a protective layer on its surface, this invention improves the mechanical properties of the flattening section. This ensures that the surface of the flattening section maintains good flatness even after prolonged use, thereby guaranteeing a good flattening effect on the tabs and ensuring a high battery production yield.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a kneading device and kneading equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The tab forming process is one of the key processes in cylindrical battery manufacturing. The tabs are important components that conduct current and connect the electrodes, busbars, and external structural parts. The quality of the tab forming process directly affects the battery's electrical performance, safety, and reliability.

[0003] Flattening rollers are typically used to flatten or press the tabs. However, the flattening rollers provided in related technologies have low strength and poor durability. After a certain period of use, the surface of the flattening roller is prone to becoming uneven, which affects the flattening effect on the tabs and increases the replacement and maintenance costs of the flattening roller. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present invention provides a kneading device that can improve the technical problem of poor durability of kneading rollers in related technologies.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a flattening device, which includes a flattening part that is conical or frustum-shaped, for flattening the tabs of the battery cell.

[0006] The flattening part is made of a wear-resistant material, and / or the surface of the flattening part is provided with a protective layer.

[0007] This invention improves the mechanical properties of the flattening part by using a wear-resistant material and / or providing a protective layer on its surface. This ensures that the surface of the flattening part maintains good flatness even after long-term use, thereby guaranteeing a good flattening effect on the tabs and ensuring a high battery production yield.

[0008] In one embodiment, the protective layer includes a wear-resistant layer.

[0009] The wear-resistant layer forms a high-hardness barrier on the surface of the flattening section, directly bearing the friction when in contact with the battery cell tabs, resisting the wear caused by friction between the tabs and the flattening section, thereby extending the service life of the flattening section.

[0010] In one embodiment, the wear-resistant layer includes at least one of a hard chrome plating layer, a nickel layer, a titanium nitride coating, a diamond-like carbon coating, a tungsten carbide coating, and a ceramic coating.

[0011] By selecting a suitable wear-resistant layer, the flattening effect of the tabs can be optimized, while the service life of the flattened part can be improved, meeting the battery industry's demand for efficient and reliable manufacturing processes.

[0012] In one embodiment, the wear-resistant material part includes at least one of an alloy part, a ceramic part, and a polyvinyl chloride part.

[0013] Both alloys and ceramics have high hardness and wear resistance, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has certain wear resistance and good corrosion resistance, is easy to process and has low cost, making it suitable for large-scale production applications.

[0014] In one embodiment, the diameter of the largest part of the kneading portion is greater than or equal to 20 mm and less than or equal to 150 mm.

[0015] By setting the diameter of the largest part of the kneading section within a suitable range, it is possible to ensure that the kneading section has sufficient structural strength and working efficiency, while preventing energy consumption, volume and operability problems caused by excessive size, thus making the application scenarios more extensive.

[0016] In one embodiment, the included angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening portion is greater than or equal to 20° and less than or equal to 80°.

[0017] By setting the included angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening section within a suitable range, the probability of flattening the middle part of the electrode tab during the pre-flattening process is reduced while ensuring that the flattening section has good structural strength. This also prevents energy consumption, volume and maneuverability issues caused by excessive size, making the application scenarios of the flattening section more extensive.

[0018] In one embodiment, there are two kneading portions, with the thinner end of each kneading portion facing the other kneading portion.

[0019] By setting two smoothing sections, both sides of the electrode tab can be smoothed simultaneously, thereby shortening the time required for the smoothing process and improving the smoothing efficiency.

[0020] In one embodiment, the kneading device further includes a driving member, which is connected to the kneading section for driving such that the rotational speed of the kneading section is greater than or equal to 100° / s and less than or equal to 3000° / s.

[0021] By setting the rotation speed of the flattening section within a suitable range, the flattening section can not only perform the flattening operation of the tabs well, but also reduce the probability of tearing the tabs due to excessive shearing force.

[0022] In one embodiment, the driving component includes a motor and a transmission component, the output end of the motor is connected to the transmission component, and the end of the transmission component away from the motor is connected to the kneading section, so as to enable the motor to drive the kneading section to rotate.

[0023] By setting up transmission components to transmit the motor's motion, the installation position limitations of the motor and the kneading section are overcome, allowing the motor or the kneading section to be installed at more flexible angles. This enables structural optimization of the kneading device based on the installation environment.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a battery, comprising:

[0025] shell;

[0026] The battery cell, wherein the battery cell is disposed within the housing; and,

[0027] As described in the foregoing embodiments, the top cover assembly is welded to the housing to enclose the housing.

[0028] By setting a drive device to drive the battery cell to rotate, the flattening device can flatten the rotating tabs, thereby achieving full flattening of the sides of the tabs.

[0029] In one embodiment, the battery cell includes an end face facing the flattened portion, the flattened portion including a first busbar adjacent to the end face, and the angle between the end face and the first busbar being greater than or equal to 5° and less than or equal to 40°.

[0030] By setting the rotational speed of the angle between the end face and the first busbar within a suitable range, it is possible to reduce the probability of the flattening part flattening the middle part of the electrode tab, and also to ensure that the flattening part flattens the electrode tab without damaging the diaphragm or electrode sheet.

[0031] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of this utility model are as follows:

[0032] This invention improves the mechanical properties of the flattening part by using a wear-resistant material and / or providing a protective layer on its surface. This ensures that the surface of the flattening part maintains good flatness even after long-term use, thereby guaranteeing a good flattening effect on the tabs and ensuring a high battery production yield. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the kneading and smoothing device provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0035] Figure 2This is a cross-sectional view of the kneading section provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the kneading device before it comes into contact with the electrode tab, according to an embodiment of this utility model;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the kneading device after it comes into contact with the electrode tab, according to an embodiment of this utility model;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of another flattened portion provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a top view of the battery cell provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0040] The labels in the diagram are as follows:

[0041] 1. Kneading device;

[0042] 11. Flatten the part; 111. First mother line;

[0043] 12. Protective layer;

[0044] 2. Battery cells;

[0045] 21. Pole ear; 22. End face. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustration and explanation of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model. In the present utility model, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" generally refer to the upper and lower positions of the device in actual use or operation, specifically the drawing directions in the accompanying drawings; while "inner" and "outer" refer to the outline of the device.

[0047] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The first aspect of this utility model provides a flattening device 1, which includes a flattening part 11, which is conical or frustum-shaped, for flattening the tabs 21 of the battery cell 2; wherein the flattening part 11 is made of wear-resistant material, and / or the surface of the flattening part 11 is provided with a protective layer 12.

[0048] When pre-kneading the earlobe 21, refer to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 ,in Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the flattened part 11 before it comes into contact with the tab 21. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure after the flattening part 11 has flattened the tab 21. First, the flattening part 11 is driven to rotate and continuously move closer to the tab 21. Since the conical or frustum-shaped flattening part 11 includes a side surface inclined at a certain angle, external force is applied to the tab 21 through this side surface to flatten the tab 21. Because the flattening part 11 typically moves closer to the tab 21 from the side, it first flattens the edge portion of the tab 21. As the contact area between the flattening part 11 and the tab 21 continuously increases, the entire tab 21 is gradually flattened until it is transformed from a square shape into a triangle or cone shape with a higher center and lower edges.

[0049] In order to improve the durability of the flattening part 11, this embodiment of the utility model can be made of wear-resistant material, thereby improving the wear resistance of the flattening part 11, ensuring that the surface of the flattening part 11 can still maintain good flatness under long-term use, ensuring the accuracy of the flattening device 1, and thus improving the production yield of the battery.

[0050] Alternatively, a protective layer 12 can be provided on the surface of the leveling section 11. The leveling section 11 contacts the tab 21 through the protective layer 12 and levels the tab 21. In this case, only a protective material is needed to make the protective layer 12, which can protect the leveling section 11 and thus improve the service life of the leveling device 1. For example, the protective layer 12 can be an anti-corrosion layer, an oxidation-resistant layer, an antistatic layer, etc., and this embodiment of the present invention does not limit it.

[0051] There are several ways to set the protective layer 12. For example, if a metal material is used to prepare the protective layer 12, metal ions can be deposited onto the substrate surface through an electrolytic reaction, or metal ions can be automatically deposited onto the surface of the smoothing part 11 using a redox reaction and a reducing agent (such as hypophosphite), thereby forming a coating of uniform thickness. Alternatively, a vapor phase deposition method can be used to allow gaseous reactants to chemically react on the substrate surface to deposit a solid coating, or high-energy particles can bombard a target material to deposit atoms / molecules onto the substrate surface, thereby forming a protective layer 12 with high purity and density, such as an aluminum titanium nitride (AlTiN) coating. Liquid or powdered coatings can also be applied to the surface of the smoothing part 11 and cured (e.g., by heating or ultraviolet light irradiation) to form the protective layer 12. In this case, since the protective layer 12 can provide good protection for the smoothing part 11, other parts of the smoothing part 11 can be made of materials such as plastic or rubber, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the smoothing part 11.

[0052] It is understandable that while the flattening part 11 is made of wear-resistant material, a protective layer 12 can be added to the surface of the flattening part 11 to achieve more comprehensive protection for the flattening part 11 and further improve the service life of the flattening part 11.

[0053] This invention improves the mechanical properties of the flattening part 11 by using a wear-resistant material and / or by providing a protective layer 12 on the surface of the flattening part 11. This ensures that the surface of the flattening part 11 can maintain good flatness even after long-term use, thereby ensuring that the flattening part 11 has a good flattening effect on the tab 21 and ensuring a high production yield of the battery.

[0054] In one embodiment, the protective layer 12 includes a wear-resistant layer. The wear-resistant layer forms a high-hardness barrier on the surface of the flattened portion 11, directly bearing the frictional action when in contact with the tab 21 of the battery cell 2, resisting the wear caused by friction between the tab 21 and the flattened portion 11, thereby extending the service life of the flattened portion 11. The wear-resistant layer is typically made of a material with a hardness higher than that of the tab 21, resisting the shearing force and plowing action generated during the flattening operation through intermolecular forces or crystal structure, thus protecting other parts of the flattened portion 11.

[0055] In one embodiment, the wear-resistant layer includes at least one of a hard chrome plating, a nickel layer, a titanium nitride coating, a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating, a tungsten carbide coating, and a ceramic coating. The hard chrome plating, while providing high wear resistance, also isolates the substrate inside the smoothing section 11 from humid air or electrolyte, thereby reducing the probability of rust on the smoothing section 11; furthermore, the worn surface can be repaired by re-chrome plating. The nickel layer blocks electrolyte penetration and acts as an intermediate layer, improving the adhesion of subsequent plating layers. The cubic crystal structure of the titanium nitride coating gives it extremely high hardness, and its strong bond with the substrate allows it to withstand higher frequency smoothing operations. The DLC coating possesses a dense amorphous carbon structure, exhibiting excellent acid and alkali resistance, maintaining surface properties even in high humidity or electrolyte residue environments, and its hardness is close to that of diamond, significantly improving the service life of the smoothing section 11. The tungsten carbide coating has high hardness and strong fatigue resistance, greatly improving the wear resistance of the smoothing section 11. Ceramic coatings, including alumina and silicon carbide coatings, not only offer excellent wear resistance but also good insulation and corrosion resistance, improving safety during the kneading process. (This is understandable; please refer to...) Figure 5 The wear-resistant layer may include a multi-layer structure.

[0056] By selecting a suitable wear-resistant layer, the flattening effect of the tab 21 can be optimized, while the service life of the flattened part 11 can be improved, thus meeting the battery industry's demand for efficient and reliable manufacturing processes.

[0057] In one embodiment, the wear-resistant material component includes at least one of an alloy component, a ceramic component, and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) component. Alloys and ceramics both possess high hardness and wear resistance, while PVC, in addition to having certain wear resistance and good corrosion resistance, is easy to process and has a low cost, making it suitable for large-scale production applications.

[0058] In one embodiment, the diameter of the largest part of the kneading portion 11 is greater than or equal to 20 mm and less than or equal to 150 mm.

[0059] Specifically, if the diameter of the largest part of the flattening section 11 is less than 20mm, the overall size of the flattening section 11 is too small, requiring repeated operations to flatten the tab 21, resulting in low work efficiency. Furthermore, the small-sized flattening section 11 is prone to bending or breaking during continuous operation, leading to a higher probability of wear. If the diameter of the largest part of the flattening section 11 is greater than 150mm, the size of the flattening section 11 is too large, requiring greater driving torque to rotate, potentially causing motor overload and increased energy consumption. Additionally, the large-sized flattening section 11 occupies more installation space and may interfere with other structures.

[0060] Therefore, in this embodiment of the utility model, the diameter of the largest part of the kneading section 11 is set to be greater than or equal to 20mm and less than or equal to 150mm. For example, it can be 20mm, 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 70mm, 80mm, 90mm, 100mm, 110mm, 120mm, 130mm, 140mm, 150mm, etc. This ensures that the kneading section 11 has sufficient structural strength and working efficiency, and also prevents energy consumption, volume and operability problems caused by excessive size, making the application scenarios more extensive.

[0061] In one embodiment, the included angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening portion 11 is greater than or equal to 20° and less than or equal to 80°.

[0062] Specifically, if the angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening section 11 is less than 20°, the flattening section 11 tends to be slender, resulting in lower structural strength and making it prone to damage during the flattening process. Furthermore, in this case, the flattening section 11 tends to flatten the middle part of the pre-flattened tab 21. Due to the greater curvature of the middle part of the tab 21, the friction between the flattening wheel and the tab 21 during the flattening process is greater, making the tab 21 easily crushed and thus reducing the safety performance of the battery cell 2. If the angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening section 11 is greater than 80°, the size of the flattening section 11 is too large, requiring a greater driving torque to rotate, which may lead to motor overload, increased energy consumption, and the larger flattening section 11 occupies more installation space, potentially interfering with other structures.

[0063] Therefore, in this embodiment of the utility model, the included angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening part 11 is set to be greater than or equal to 20° and less than or equal to 80°. For example, it can be 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, 60°, 65°, 70°, 75°, or 80°. This ensures that the flattening part 11 has good structural strength, reduces the probability of flattening the middle part of the electrode 21 during the pre-kneading process, and prevents energy consumption, volume, and maneuverability problems caused by excessive size, making the application scenarios of the flattening part 11 more extensive.

[0064] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 4 There are two kneading sections 11, with the thinner end of each kneading section 11 facing the other kneading section 11.

[0065] The simultaneous operation of the two kneading sections 11 improves the efficiency of pre-kneading the electrode tab 21. Specifically, the two kneading sections 11 are controlled at an appropriate height, and then driven to move closer together, completing the kneading of the electrode tab 21 during this process. Since the thinner ends of the two kneading sections 11 are opposite each other, when the pre-kneading of the electrode tab 21 is complete, both thinner ends are located in the middle of the electrode tab 21, thus avoiding kneading the middle part of the electrode tab 21 and reducing the probability of damage to the middle part of the electrode tab 21.

[0066] This embodiment of the utility model provides two kneading sections 11, which allows both sides of the tab 21 to be kneaded simultaneously, thereby shortening the time required for the kneading process of the tab 21 and improving the kneading efficiency.

[0067] In one embodiment, the kneading device 1 further includes a driving member, which is connected to the kneading section 11 for driving so that the rotational speed of the kneading section 11 is greater than or equal to 100° / s and less than or equal to 3000° / s.

[0068] Specifically, if the rotation speed of the kneading section 11 is less than 100° / s, the rotation speed of the kneading section 11 is too low, and the kneading section 11 needs to stay in the same position for a longer time to achieve a better kneading effect, resulting in a decrease in kneading efficiency; if the rotation speed of the kneading section 11 is greater than 3000° / s, the rotation speed of the kneading section 11 is too high, and the shear force generated at the contact point between the kneading section 11 and the tab 21 increases sharply, causing the tab 21 to be easily torn or broken. In addition, the excessive rotation speed will also increase the difficulty of controlling the kneading section 11 and reduce the accuracy of kneading. Therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, the rotation speed of the kneading section 11 is controlled to be greater than or equal to 100° / s and less than or equal to 3000° / s. For example, it can be 100° / s, 300° / s, 500° / s, 700° / s, 900° / s, 1000° / s, 1200° / s, 1400° / s, 1600° / s, 1800° / s, 2000° / s, 2200° / s, 2400° / s, 2600° / s, 2800° / s, 3000° / s, etc., so that the rotation speed of the kneading section 11 is within a suitable range, which can not only complete the kneading operation of the tab 21 well, but also reduce the probability of tearing the tab 21 due to excessive shearing force.

[0069] In one embodiment, the driving component includes a motor and a transmission component. The output end of the motor is connected to the transmission component, and the end of the transmission component away from the motor is connected to the kneading section 11 so that the motor can drive the kneading section 11 to rotate.

[0070] The transmission component, used to transmit the motor's motion, can be a coupling, which offers high transmission efficiency. Furthermore, a flexible coupling can compensate for axial and radial deviations, reducing the installation accuracy requirements of the motor and the kneading section 11. The transmission component can also be a conveyor belt, chain, or other structure, allowing the motor's motion to be transmitted to a more distant location, making the installation of the kneading section 11 more convenient and achieving structural optimization of the kneading device 1.

[0071] This utility model embodiment breaks through the installation position limitations of the motor and the kneading part 11 by setting a transmission component to transmit the motor's motion, allowing the motor or the kneading part 11 to be installed at a more flexible angle, and thus the structure of the kneading device 1 can be optimized according to the installation environment.

[0072] According to a second aspect of this utility model, a kneading device is provided, comprising: a driving device connected to a battery cell 2 for driving the battery cell 2 to rotate; and the kneading device 1 in the foregoing embodiment, wherein a kneading part 11 is used to contact and knead the tabs 21 on the battery cell 2. This kneading device includes the aforementioned kneading device 1, and therefore possesses all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned kneading device 1. Further details of the embodiments of this utility model will not be elaborated here.

[0073] In this system, by setting a drive device to drive the battery cell 2 to rotate, the kneading device 1 can knead the rotating tab 21, thereby achieving full kneading of the sides of the tab 21. Even if the rotation speed of the drive device and the drive component is low, a high speed difference between the tab 21 and the kneading part 11 can be achieved by controlling the rotation direction. This results in high kneading efficiency with low output power of the drive device and the drive component, thereby improving the safety and adaptability of the kneading equipment.

[0074] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 4 and Figure 6 The battery cell 2 includes an end face 22 facing the flattening portion 11. The flattening portion 11 includes a first busbar 111 adjacent to the end face 22. The angle between the end face 22 and the first busbar 111 is greater than or equal to 5° and less than or equal to 40°.

[0075] If the angle between the first end face 22 and the first busbar 111 is less than 5°, the angle is too small. When the flattening part 11 flattens the tab 21, it is easy to come into contact with the middle part of the tab 21. Since the curvature of the middle part of the tab 21 is large, the force of friction between the flattening wheel and the tab 21 during the flattening process is large, making the tab 21 easy to break, thereby reducing the safety performance of the cell 2. If the angle between the first end face 22 and the first busbar 111 is greater than 40°, the angle is too large. The flattening part 11 needs to be closer to the tab 21 to complete the flattening of the tab 21. However, since the height of the tab 21 is limited, the flattening part 11 is easy to touch the diaphragm or even the electrode sheet, thereby damaging the cell 2 and the flattening part 11.

[0076] Therefore, in this embodiment of the utility model, the included angle between the first end face 22 and the first busbar 111 is set to be greater than or equal to 5° and less than or equal to 40°. For example, it can be 5°, 6°, 7°, 8°, 9°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, or 40°. This can reduce the probability of the flattening part 11 flattening the middle part of the tab 21, and also ensure that the flattening part 11 flattens the tab 21 without damaging the diaphragm or the electrode sheet.

[0077] The embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this utility model. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this utility model. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

Claims

1. A kneading and leveling device, characterized in that, The leveling device includes a leveling section, which is conical or frustum-shaped, for leveling the tabs of the battery cell; wherein, The flattening section is a wear-resistant material component, which includes one of an alloy component, a ceramic component, or a polyvinyl chloride component; and / or, The surface of the flattening part is provided with a protective layer, which includes a wear-resistant layer. The wear-resistant layer includes at least one of hard chrome plating, nickel layer, titanium nitride coating, diamond-like carbon coating, tungsten carbide coating, and ceramic coating.

2. The kneading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the largest part of the kneading section is greater than or equal to 20 mm and less than or equal to 150 mm.

3. The kneading and leveling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The included angle between the two opposing generatrices of the flattening section is greater than or equal to 20° and less than or equal to 80°.

4. The kneading and smoothing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, There are two kneading sections, with the thinner end of each kneading section facing the other kneading section.

5. The kneading and leveling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The kneading device further includes a driving component, which is connected to the kneading section for driving so that the rotational speed of the kneading section is greater than or equal to 100° / s and less than or equal to 3000° / s.

6. The kneading and leveling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The driving component includes a motor and a transmission component. The output end of the motor is connected to the transmission component, and the end of the transmission component away from the motor is connected to the kneading section so that the motor can drive the kneading section to rotate.

7. A kneading and leveling device, characterized in that, include: A drive device, which is connected to the battery cell, for driving the battery cell to rotate; The flattening device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flattening part is used to contact the tab on the battery cell and flatten the tab.

8. The kneading and leveling equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The battery cell includes an end face facing the flattened portion, the flattened portion includes a first busbar adjacent to the end face, and the angle between the end face and the first busbar is greater than or equal to 5° and less than or equal to 40°.

Images