A square case cell horizontal stacking device

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of battery production equipment, concretely relates to a square shell electric core horizontal stacking device. The device includes: rack base, linear execution mechanism set up on the rack base, stacking positioning seat set up on the rack base, the stacking space for containing square shell electric core is formed between stacking positioning seat and linear execution mechanism, and at least four groups of bundling positioning blocks are set up on the rack base and located around the stacking space, first bundling belt is around the outside of at least four groups of bundling positioning blocks and is close to the positioning face of bundling positioning block towards the outside of stacking space, and forms the bundling shape of the stacking outer contour of the square shell electric core. After the electric core is extruded and stacked by linear execution mechanism, the worker can directly carry out steel band bundling in situ, saves the workshop station, eliminates the demand for module transfer equipment simultaneously, reduces the risk of damage due to collision or falling in the transfer process of module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of battery production equipment technology, specifically relating to an improved prismatic cell stacking device. Background Technology

[0002] The square energy storage module requires cell stacking during processing, which involves stacking multiple cells and end-plate assemblies that have undergone preliminary processing and testing into a module. The stacked module is then bundled and shaped using steel straps and PET cable ties. In the prior art, patent CN222233689U proposes a battery cell stacking and clamping fixture. This device includes a base frame, on which a base is mounted. A side-mounted push cylinder is fixedly connected to the base, and a side-mounted clamping block is fixedly connected to the output end of the side-mounted push cylinder. A top-mounted push cylinder is fixedly connected to the base, and a rocker mechanism is fixedly connected to the output end of the top-mounted push cylinder. An end-mounted positioning block is mounted on the base, and an end-plate positioning pin is slidably connected within the end-mounted positioning block. A top-mounted clamping block is also mounted on the base. A module length scale is mounted on the base. A front-end push screw is threadedly connected to the base, and one end of the front-end push screw is rotatably connected to the end-mounted clamping block, which slides on the base. A pressure sensor is mounted on the base. A side-mounted limiting block is mounted on the base, and a side-mounted limiting pin is slidably connected to the side-mounted limiting block. The drawback of this solution is that the device has multiple alignment devices in various directions, so it is not possible to directly perform steel strapping after the stacking operation is completed. Instead, the semi-finished modules must be transferred to another dedicated workstation. This results in the stacking and strapping operations occupying two separate workstations and requiring additional transfer devices, which greatly reduces production efficiency and space utilization. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide an improved horizontal stacking device for square-shell battery cells, which solves the problem that the existing technology requires station transfer and additional equipment for battery cell stacking and steel strip bundling.

[0004] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: A horizontal stacking device for square-shell battery cells, wherein the horizontally stacked square-shell battery cells are equipped with a first binding strap and a second binding strap, the first binding strap being disposed at the lower part of the square-shell battery cells, and the second binding strap being disposed at the upper part of the square-shell battery cells, the square-shell battery cell stacking device comprising: Rack base; Linear actuator mounted on the frame base; A stacking positioning seat is disposed on the frame base, and a stacking space for accommodating prismatic battery cells is formed between the stacking positioning seat and the linear actuator; and At least four sets of strapping and positioning blocks are disposed on the rack base and located around the stacking space; The first strapping band surrounds the outside of the at least four sets of strapping positioning blocks and is in close contact with the positioning surface of the strapping positioning blocks facing the outside of the stacking space, forming a strapping shape that defines the stacked outer contour of the square-shell battery cell.

[0005] This invention proposes a horizontal stacking device for square-shell battery cells. By setting at least four sets of binding and positioning blocks around the stacking space, the battery cells are compressed and stacked by a linear actuator, allowing workers to directly bind them with steel straps in place. This device eliminates the module transfer process, improving overall production efficiency. Simultaneously, the space previously requiring two workstations and one transfer device can now be replaced by a compact device, significantly saving workshop workstations. It also eliminates the need for module transfer equipment, reducing equipment procurement costs and corresponding maintenance and power consumption operating costs. Furthermore, it reduces handling steps and the risk of module damage due to collisions or drops during transfer, thereby ensuring product quality and yield.

[0006] Preferably, the frame base is provided with a slide groove extending in the stacking direction, and at least one pair of the binding and positioning blocks have an adjustment trajectory for moving along the slide groove.

[0007] With the movable strapping and positioning block, this invention can quickly adapt to modules of different sizes and models, especially modules with different stacking lengths, to ensure the positioning accuracy of the first strapping and enhance device compatibility.

[0008] Preferably, the linear actuator is an electric cylinder. Compared to traditional pneumatic cylinders or manual lead screws, electric cylinders can provide more precise and stable extrusion force output and accurately control the propulsion stroke; the stacking parameters of each module can be highly uniform, reducing reliance on operator skills, thereby ensuring high product quality and reliability.

[0009] Preferably, the system also includes an interaction unit and a pressure sensing unit. The pressure sensing unit is located at the output end of the linear actuator and sends a pressure sensing signal to the interaction unit. This invention can monitor the magnitude of the extrusion pressure in real time during the stacking process and feed it back to the interaction unit for display and control. Real-time pressure data can be bound to module information and uploaded to the factory management system to achieve process data traceability.

[0010] Preferably, the interaction unit is electrically connected to the linear actuator, and the interaction unit sends extrusion parameter signals to the linear actuator. The interaction unit's ability to send extrusion parameter signals to the linear actuator forms a closed-loop control circuit, achieving precise automated extrusion and greatly simplifying the operation process.

[0011] Preferably, a side positioning plate is detachably connected to the rack base, the side positioning plate including a lateral alignment surface extending along the stacking direction. The lateral positioning surface of the side positioning plate provides a reliable alignment reference for the battery cells, which need to be aligned with the lateral alignment surface along their inner surfaces during stacking. This ensures that all battery cells are arranged on the same plane, avoiding lateral skew, ensuring the flatness and dimensional accuracy of the stacked module, and providing a good foundation for subsequent welding, packaging, and other processes.

[0012] Preferably, the space below the side positioning plate forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the first strapping tape, and the space above the side positioning plate forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the second strapping tape.

[0013] This invention solves the problem of spatial interference between the side positioning plate and the strapping. The bottom and top of the side positioning plate avoid the strapping operation area, so that the strapping can pass through and be fixed smoothly without affecting the cell stacking and lateral positioning functions, without removing the side positioning plate.

[0014] Preferably, an end limiting plate is detachably connected to the stacking positioning seat, and the width of the end limiting plate is adapted to the stacking width of the battery cells.

[0015] Preferably, the space below the end limiting plate forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the first strapping tape, and the space above the end limiting plate forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the second strapping tape.

[0016] Preferably, the system also includes an insulating platform mounted on the rack base, the insulating platform having a horizontal support surface for supporting the prismatic battery cells. During stacking operations, direct contact between charged battery cells and the metal rack could lead to a short circuit. The presence of the insulating platform effectively isolates the battery cells from the metal frame, eliminating the potential short-circuit risk and ensuring the personal safety of operators and the safety of the battery cells themselves. The insulating platform provides an insulating, horizontal support surface for placing the battery cells, ensuring that the stacking reference surface is completely flat, providing a stable and reliable physical basis for the precise stacking of the battery cells, and further improving the dimensional accuracy and quality of the final module.

[0017] This utility model has the following beneficial effects: 1. Improving production efficiency and space utilization: This invention successfully eliminates the transfer step of semi-finished modules by integrating the cell stacking and bundling functions into a single workstation. This innovation replaces the production process that originally required two separate workstations and a transfer device with a compact device. This integrated design greatly improves overall production efficiency and significantly saves workshop space, providing enterprises with higher production density and more flexible production line layouts.

[0018] 2. Ensuring Product Quality and Consistency. The device preferably uses an electric cylinder as a linear actuator, providing precise and stable extrusion pressure and stroke control. Combined with a closed-loop control system comprised of a pressure sensing unit and an interaction unit, the device ensures consistent stacking parameters for each module. Furthermore, side positioning plates and an insulating platform physically guarantee the flatness and dimensional accuracy of the stacked cells. This high quality and consistency effectively reduces reliance on operator skills, making the production process more standardized and reliable.

[0019] 3. Reduced operating and procurement costs in the cell stacking process. By completing stacking and bundling operations at the same station, the device eliminates the need for additional module transfer equipment. This directly reduces equipment procurement costs, corresponding maintenance costs, and energy consumption. Simultaneously, the reduced handling steps also lower the scrap rate due to module damage, further saving production costs.

[0020] 4. Ensuring data traceability and safety in the cell stacking process. This device integrates a pressure sensing unit, enabling real-time monitoring and recording of critical data during stacking. This data can be linked to module information and uploaded to the factory management system, providing crucial data support for subsequent quality control, fault diagnosis, and product recalls, thus achieving traceability in the production process. Furthermore, the design of the insulation platform fundamentally eliminates the risk of short circuits that may result from contact between charged cells and the metal frame, ensuring the safety of operators and the cells themselves. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a first-view schematic diagram of the stacked modules of this device; Figure 2 This is a second-view schematic diagram of the stacked modules of this device; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first-person view of the device after the modules have been removed.

[0022] Legend: 1 rack base, 101 slide, 2. Linear actuator, 201 output terminal; 3 interactive units; 4 pressure sensing units; 5 stacking positioning bases; 6. End limiting plates; 7. Bundling and positioning blocks; 701 positioning surface; 8 side positioning plates, 801 lateral alignment surface; 9. Insulated platform, 901. Horizontal loading surface.

[0023] 10 Linear actuator mounting base, 11 First binding strap, 12 Second binding strap, 13 Square-shell battery cell. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can implement the present invention based on these descriptions. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention described below are generally only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Therefore, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example

[0025] This embodiment provides a device for horizontally stacking prismatic battery cells.

[0026] In this embodiment, the prismatic battery cells 13 are stacked horizontally, and the stacked prismatic battery cells 13 form a module. Each module is fixed by two sets of strapping straps, namely a first strapping strap 11 attached to the lower part of the battery cell and a second strapping strap 12 attached to the upper part of the battery cell.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 The basic supporting component of this device is the frame base 1. The frame base 1 has a rectangular flat plate structure, with its length direction consistent with the stacking direction of the square-shell battery cells 13, and its width designed according to the common stacking width of battery cells to ensure stable support for all components and the stacked battery cell modules. The upper surface of the frame base 1 has two parallel strip-shaped grooves 101 along its length direction, providing a moving track for the subsequently adjustable components. At the same time, an insulating platform 9 is detachably connected to the upper surface of the frame base 1 by bolts. This platform is made of high-temperature resistant insulating resin, and its surface has been precision polished to form a flat horizontal carrying surface 901. The area of ​​the carrying surface is large enough to support the square-shell battery cells 13 to be stacked, which not only avoids direct contact between the battery cells and the metal frame, thus preventing short circuits, but also provides a stable horizontal reference for battery cell stacking.

[0028] A linear actuator mounting base 10 for fixing the linear actuator 2 is installed at one end of the frame base 1 along its length. In this embodiment, the linear actuator 2 is an electric cylinder, whose axis is parallel to the length direction of the frame base 1, and the output end 201 of the electric cylinder faces the middle of the frame base 1; a pressure sensing unit 4 is bolted to the center of the end face of the electric cylinder output end 201, which can detect the squeezing force of the electric cylinder on the battery cell in real time.

[0029] A stacking positioning seat 5 is fixedly installed at the other end of the frame base 1 along its length. The stacking positioning seat 5 has an "L"-shaped block structure, with its vertical surface facing the linear actuator 2. The area between the stacking positioning seat 5 and the linear actuator 2 forms a stacking space, in which the square-shell battery cells 13 to be stacked can be placed and stacked by the push of the electric cylinder.

[0030] To achieve in-situ bundling of the battery cells after stacking, four sets of bundling positioning blocks 7 are set around the stacking space. The four sets of positioning blocks are distributed at the four corners of the stacking space: two sets are located on both sides of the stacking space near the linear actuator 2, and the other two sets are located on both sides near the stacking positioning base 5. Each set of bundling positioning blocks 7 is a block structure with rounded corners on the side facing outwards from the stacking space to form a positioning surface 701. When the first bundling strap 11 closes around the outside of the four sets of bundling positioning blocks 7, it can fit tightly with the arc-shaped positioning surface 701 to form a rectangular bundling shape that matches the outer contour of the battery cell module, accurately defining the outer contour of the stacked battery cells.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the two sets of bundling and positioning blocks 7 near the linear actuator 2 is provided with locking holes and connected to the slide groove 101 on the frame base 1. They can move along the slide groove 101 in the stacking direction to adjust the length of the bundling area enclosed by the four sets of positioning blocks to adapt to battery cell modules with different stacking lengths. After adjustment, the position can be fixed by tightening the bolts.

[0032] The device is also equipped with a side positioning plate 8 and an end limiting plate 6 to further improve stacking accuracy.

[0033] The side positioning plates 8 are detachably connected to both sides of the frame base 1 in the width direction by bolts and extend along the stacking direction. The inner sidewall of each side positioning plate 8 forms a flat lateral alignment surface 801. When stacking battery cells, the side of the battery cell must be in contact with this lateral alignment surface 801 to ensure that all battery cells are aligned in the width direction and avoid lateral tilting. At the same time, the lower edge of the side positioning plate 8 is higher than the binding height of the first strapping strap 11, forming a clearance space to avoid the first strapping strap 11; the upper edge is lower than the binding height of the second strapping strap 12, forming a clearance space to avoid the second strapping strap 12. The two clearance areas cooperate to ensure that the strapping strap will not interfere with the side positioning plate 8 when passing through, and can be bound in place.

[0034] This device includes two sets of end limiting plates 6. One set is detachably connected to the vertical surface of the stacking positioning base 5 by bolts, and the other set is connected to the pressure sensing unit 4. The end limiting plate 6 has a rectangular plate structure, and the width of the plate is adapted to the stacking width of the battery cells to be stacked. When the battery cells are stacked in two rows, the wider end limiting plate 6 is selected, and when the battery cells are stacked in a single row, the narrower end limiting plate 6 is selected. Similar to the side positioning plate 8, the upper edge of the end limiting plate 6 avoids the binding height of the second strapping tape 12, and the lower edge avoids the binding height of the first strapping tape 11, which ensures that the end limiting plate 6 can limit the end of the battery cell without affecting the binding operation.

[0035] The device also includes an interactive unit 3, which is a control box with a touch screen. It is installed on the side of the frame base 1 closest to the operator and is electrically connected to the linear actuator 2 and the pressure sensing unit 4 via wires. The pressure sensing unit 4 converts the detected pressure signal into an electrical signal and sends it to the interactive unit 3, displaying the pressure value on the touch screen. The operator can set extrusion parameters, such as extrusion pressure threshold, pushing speed, and stacking stroke, via the touch screen. After receiving the parameters, the interactive unit 3 sends the extrusion parameter signal to the linear actuator 2, forming a closed-loop control circuit to achieve automated and precise extrusion.

[0036] Before stacking begins, the operator first replaces the end limiting plate 6 with a suitable one according to the size of the modules to be stacked. If the module length does not match the standard configuration, the position of the movable strapping positioning block 7 also needs to be adjusted to ensure that it matches the length of the strapping. Then, the bottom first strapping 11 is pre-wrapped around the outside of the strapping positioning block 7. Finally, one end limiting plate 6 is placed on the fixed side of the stacking table.

[0037] The operator places the pre-applied double-sided adhesive square-shell battery cells 13 one by one onto the insulating platform 9 according to the polarity sequence of the modules. During placement, it is essential to ensure that the inner surface of each battery cell is tightly aligned with the lateral alignment surface 801 of the side positioning plate 8 to guarantee the lateral alignment of all battery cells.

[0038] After all the battery cells have been placed, the operator places the movable end limit plate 6 on the other side into position. Then, the linear actuator 2 is activated via the electronic control button on the interactive unit 3. The linear actuator 2 begins to move forward, compressing the battery cell stack. During this process, the pressure sensing unit 4 monitors the compressive force in real time and feeds the data back to the interactive unit 3 for display and control. When the compressive force exceeds the set value, the interactive unit 3 will also issue an alarm. When the stacking compressive force reaches the preset parameter or the module length reaches the specified value, the compressive process will automatically stop, ensuring high parameter uniformity for each module. Furthermore, the module length and pressure value can be bound to the module code and uploaded to the factory's MES system for convenient subsequent information traceability.

[0039] Once the battery cells are stacked and compressed to the specified length, the first strapping 11 is pre-positioned, allowing the operator to directly transfer the first strapping 11 from the strapping positioning block 7 to the module for strapping without needing to move the module. After strapping is complete, pressing the reset button on the linear actuator 2 releases the compressive force applied to the module, thus completing the entire stacking and strapping process.

Claims

1. A horizontal stacking device for square-shell battery cells, wherein the horizontally stacked square-shell battery cells (13) are provided with a first binding strap (11) and a second binding strap (12), the first binding strap (11) being disposed at the lower part of the square-shell battery cells (13), and the second binding strap (12) being disposed at the upper part of the square-shell battery cells (13); characterized in that, The horizontal stacking device for square-shell battery cells includes: Rack base (1); Linear actuator (2) is mounted on the frame base (1); A stacking positioning seat (5) is disposed on the rack base (1), and a stacking space for accommodating the square-shell battery cell (13) is formed between the stacking positioning seat (5) and the linear actuator (2); and At least four strapping and positioning blocks (7) are disposed on the rack base (1) and located around the stacking space; The first strapping tape (11) surrounds the outside of the at least four strapping positioning blocks (7) and is in close contact with the positioning surface of the strapping positioning blocks (7) facing the outside of the stacking space. The first strapping tape (11) forms a strapping shape that defines the stacked outer contour of the square-shell battery cell (13).

2. The horizontal stacking device for square-shell battery cells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame base (1) is provided with a slide groove (101) extending in the stacking direction, and at least one pair of the binding positioning blocks (7) have an adjustment trajectory for moving along the slide groove (101).

3. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear actuator (2) is an electric cylinder.

4. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes an interaction unit (3) and a pressure sensing unit (4), wherein the pressure sensing unit (4) is located at the output end of the linear actuator (2) and sends a pressure sensing signal to the interaction unit (3).

5. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 4, characterized in that, The interaction unit (3) is electrically connected to the linear actuator (2), and the interaction unit (3) sends a squeezing parameter signal to the linear actuator (2).

6. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 1, characterized in that, A side positioning plate (8) is detachably connected to the rack base (1), the side positioning plate (8) including a lateral alignment surface (801) extending in the stacking direction.

7. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 6, characterized in that, The space below the side positioning plate (8) forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the first strapping strap (11), and the space above the side positioning plate (8) forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the second strapping strap (12).

8. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 1, characterized in that, An end limiting plate (6) is detachably connected to the stacking positioning seat (5), and the width of the end limiting plate (6) is adapted to the stacking width of the square-shell battery cell (13).

9. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 8, characterized in that, The space below the end limiting plate (6) forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the first strapping tape (11), and the space above the end limiting plate (6) forms a clearance area to avoid the binding position of the second strapping tape (12).

10. The horizontal stacking device for prismatic battery cells according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an insulating platform (9) mounted on the rack base (1), the insulating platform (9) having a horizontal loading surface (901) for carrying the square-shell cell (13).

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