Tool, battery processing device, and battery

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of battery processing, in particular to a cutter, a battery processing device and a battery. The cutter is used for cutting a battery, the battery comprises a battery piece body and a welding strip, the welding strip is connected to the battery piece body; on the same welding strip, the welding strip has a first section and a second section, the first section serves as a processing position; the cutter can conduct electricity, and the cutter comprises a cutter body and a cutter head; the cutter head is fixedly connected to the cutter body, the cutter head is used for contacting the first section or keeping a preset distance, so that the cutter head can electric spark cut the first section when the cutter is connected to an anode of a power supply and the second section is connected to a cathode of the power supply. The cutter cuts the welding strip in the electric spark cutting mode, and the technical effect of reducing damage in battery piece cutting processing is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery processing technology, and in particular to cutting tools, battery processing apparatus and batteries. Background Technology

[0002] Photovoltaic cells are the core devices that convert sunlight into electrical energy. Their working principle is based on the photovoltaic effect: when sunlight shines on a semiconductor PN junction, photon energy excites electron-hole pairs, which separate under the action of a built-in electric field and form a photocurrent, which is then discharged through electrodes to generate electricity.

[0003] In existing technologies, in order to meet process or battery structure requirements, the solder strips on the battery cells need to be cut, which is generally achieved by laser cutting and mechanical cutting. However, both mechanical cutting and laser cutting methods cause damage to the battery cells and solder strips to a certain extent, thereby reducing the quality of the battery cells.

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem with the existing technology is that the cutting and processing of battery cells causes significant damage to the battery cells. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application provides a cutting tool, a battery processing device, and a battery. The cutting tool cuts the welding strip using an electrical discharge machining method, thereby reducing damage during the cutting and processing of battery cells.

[0006] Firstly, the cutting tool provided in this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A cutting tool is used to cut a battery, the battery including a battery cell body and a welding strip, the welding strip being connected to the battery cell body; on the same welding strip, the welding strip has a first section and a second section, the first section serving as a position to be processed; the cutting tool is conductive, the cutting tool including: a cutting tool body; a cutting head, the cutting head being fixedly connected to the cutting tool body, the cutting head being used to contact or maintain a preset distance with the first section, so that when the cutting tool is connected to the anode of a power supply and the second section is connected to the cathode of a power supply, the cutting head can perform electrical discharge cutting on the first section.

[0008] Preferably, multiple cutter heads are provided, and the multiple cutter heads are arranged side by side.

[0009] Preferably, the multiple cutting heads are arranged in the same straight line.

[0010] Preferably, the plurality of cutter heads are arranged at equal intervals.

[0011] Preferably, the battery cell body is connected to multiple welding strips, which are parallel to each other and equally spaced; the distance between two adjacent welding strips is defined as n.

[0012] The distance between two adjacent cutting heads is defined as N; where N = n.

[0013] Preferably, the battery cell body is connected to multiple welding strips, which are parallel to each other and equally spaced; the distance between two adjacent welding strips is defined as n.

[0014] The distance between two adjacent cutting heads is defined as N; where N = 2n.

[0015] Secondly, the battery processing apparatus provided in this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0016] A battery processing apparatus, comprising:

[0017] A platform for supporting a battery, the platform having an adsorption capacity to adsorb the battery;

[0018] The cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool is the cutting tool described above; and

[0019] A power supply having an anode and a cathode, the anode being electrically connected to the cutting tool and the cathode being electrically connected to a second section of the welding strip.

[0020] As a preferred option, it also includes:

[0021] A pressure block, which is conductive, is connected to the cathode and is used for electrical connection or contact with a second section of the solder strip.

[0022] Preferably, there are two pressure blocks, which are electrically connected or in contact with the second sections located at both ends of the battery.

[0023] Thirdly, the battery provided in this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0024] A battery includes a cell body and a solder strip, the solder strip being connected to the cell body and cut by the battery processing apparatus.

[0025] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0026] This application proposes to make the cutting head of the tool contact or maintain a preset distance with the first section of the welding strip to form a stable current circuit, and to achieve cutting through electrical discharge machining; the current is conducted only through the welding strip and will not damage the battery cell, thus preventing damage to the battery cell body during the cutting process and improving battery quality. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the first state of the battery processing method described in this application;

[0028] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the second state of the battery processing method described in this application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first spacing region of the battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a side view of the first spacing region of the battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second spacing region of the battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a side view of the second spacing region of the battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cutting tool used in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a tool cutting a TOPCON battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the movement of the cutting tool in the battery processing method described in this application when cutting the TOPCON battery;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a tool cutting a BC battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the movement of the cutting tool in the battery processing method described in this application when cutting a BC battery;

[0038] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a cutting tool moving in the battery processing method described in this application to cut a BC battery;

[0039] Figure 13 This is another schematic diagram of the movement of the tool cutting a BC battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0040] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the bidirectional movement of the tool cutting the TOPCON battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0041] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the bidirectional movement of the cutting tool when cutting a BC battery in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0042] Figure 16 This is a first schematic diagram of the position of the pressing block in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0043] Figure 17This is a second schematic diagram of the position of the pressing block in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0044] Figure 18 This is a third schematic diagram of the position of the pressing block in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0045] Figure 19 This is a fourth schematic diagram of the position of the pressing block in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0046] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the pressure block and the cutting tool in the battery processing method described in this application;

[0047] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the battery processing apparatus described in this application;

[0048] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the battery described in this application.

[0049] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, cell body; 200, welding strip; 210, first section; 220, second section; 300, spacing area; 310, first spacing area; 320, second spacing area; 400, cutting tool; 420, first cutting tool; 410, second cutting tool; 401, cutting tool body; 402, cutting head; 500, pressure block; 510, support; 600, power supply; 610, anode; 620, cathode; 700, platform. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The serial numbers assigned to components in this document, such as "first" and "second," are used solely to distinguish the described objects and have no sequential or technical meaning. The terms "connection" and "linkage" used in this application, unless otherwise specified, include both direct and indirect connections (linkages). It should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used solely for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0051] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0052] This application provides a battery processing method, a cutting tool 400, an apparatus, and a battery. The welding strip 200 is cut by electrical discharge machining, thereby reducing damage during the cutting and processing of battery cells.

[0053] To better understand the above technical solutions, a detailed description of the technical solutions will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0054] Currently in the photovoltaic field, TOPCON (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) cells employ a front and back electrode design, with the positive and negative electrodes located on opposite surfaces of the cell. Current is conducted via grid lines and solder ribbons 200. During cell production, multiple TOPCON cells are initially connected via solder ribbons 200 to form a string. To ensure electrical continuity between adjacent cells, the strings are cut at inter-cell locations using solder ribbons 200, separating the cells into individual units. After cutting, the positive electrode of the previous cell is re-welded with solder ribbons 200 to sequentially connect the negative electrode of the next cell, forming a complete current path. This ensures normal power generation while preventing short circuits between cells and guaranteeing stable module electrical performance. Therefore, cutting TOPCON cells is necessary.

[0055] For BC (Back Contact) cells, the design differs from traditional crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. The electrodes of BC cells are located on the back of the cell, meaning that the front is fully exposed to sunlight, which improves light absorption efficiency. This reduces the current transmission path, lowers resistance, and improves cell performance. At the same time, by increasing the number of main grids, resistance loss can be reduced, and module efficiency can be improved. However, the positive and negative electrodes of BC cells are located on the back of the cell to prevent short circuits caused by connecting the positive and negative electrodes. Therefore, the solder ribbons 200 that are welded to the grid lines need to be broken at intervals.

[0056] For other types of batteries, there is a requirement to break the solder ribbon 200. For example, in IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) batteries, the back electrodes are arranged in an alternating interdigital pattern. When connecting the solder ribbon 200, the redundant solder ribbon 200 in the crossing areas needs to be precisely broken to avoid short circuits between electrodes and ensure orderly current collection. In HJT (Heterojunction Technology) batteries, which use a symmetrical front and back electrode design, when multiple cells are connected in series to form a battery, the original solder ribbon 200 needs to be broken between cells to achieve electrical connection between adjacent cells. Then, the positive and negative electrodes are connected through cross-cell solder ribbon 200 to avoid short circuits between cells. PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear) batteries also require this. Cell (emitter and back passivated cell) upgraded cells: Some high-efficiency PERC derivative structures (such as bifacial PERC+) adopt a multi-busbar (MBB) design. The solder ribbons 200 are dense and need to be connected in segments to optimize current collection. The solder ribbons 200 need to be broken at certain locations to reduce invalid current paths and reduce resistance loss. In the stacked structure of perovskite / crystalline silicon tandem cells, the upper and lower cells are connected by an intermediate interconnect layer. The solder ribbons 200 need to be selectively broken and re-welded at the interconnect nodes to ensure efficient current transmission between the two cells and avoid interlayer electrical interference.

[0057] The aforementioned battery types all require precise cutting of the 200mm solder strip due to electrode layout, series connection requirements, or current regulation requirements. However, with the continuous development of photovoltaic technology, the requirements for battery performance, efficiency, and compactness are increasing, and the spacing between battery cells is gradually decreasing, even leading to negative spacing (i.e., adjacent battery cells are partially stacked). The traditional 200mm solder strip processing method is gradually revealing many defects when facing ultra-small spacing or negative spacing batteries.

[0058] Traditional methods for breaking the solder strip 200 mainly include mechanical cutting and laser cutting. Mechanical cutting, whether using a pressure cutter or a saw wheel, requires applying external force to the solder strip 200. This can easily lead to loosening or even detachment of the weld between the solder strip 200 and the cell grid lines, affecting the battery's conductivity. Simultaneously, mechanical cutting can cause bending and deformation of the solder strip 200, adversely affecting subsequent processes such as lamination and increasing the defect rate during production. Moreover, in batteries with ultra-small or negative spacing, the risk of the mechanical cutting tool 400 contacting the cell increases significantly, easily causing microcracks or even fragmentation of the cell, seriously affecting the battery's quality and lifespan. Laser cutting employs a non-contact processing method, which to some extent avoids the external force damage caused by mechanical cutting. However, laser cutting has extremely high requirements for the defocusing amount of the laser focus. If the parameters are not properly controlled during the processing, it is very easy to cause molten balls to appear at the end of the solder strip 200. These molten balls may cause the cell to break due to uneven stress in the subsequent lamination process. In addition, with the diversification of cell types and the increasingly smaller cell spacing, there is still a risk of damaging adjacent cells when the laser beam cuts the solder strip 200, making it difficult to adapt to the new process requirements.

[0059] Therefore, traditional processing methods have limitations, low processing efficiency, and are prone to damaging battery cells, necessitating a new method for cutting the solder strip 200 to overcome these technical bottlenecks. The electrical discharge machining (EDM) method of this application can be adapted to different solder strip 200 structures and processing scenarios, providing technical support for the large-scale production of various high-efficiency batteries. The purpose of this application is to overcome the limitations, low efficiency, and easy damage to battery cells inherent in existing traditional solder strip 200 processing methods, and to provide a battery processing method that uses EDM technology to achieve precise, efficient, and damage-free processing of the battery solder strip 200.

[0060] This application provides a battery processing method, such as... Figure 1 , 2 As shown, for battery processing, the battery includes a battery cell body 100 and a welding strip 200, the welding strip 200 being connected to the battery cell body 100; on the same welding strip 200, the welding strip 200 has a first section 210 and a second section 220, the first section 210 being the position to be processed;

[0061] Processing methods include:

[0062] A power supply 600 is provided, which has an anode 610 and a cathode 620;

[0063] A cutting tool 400 is provided, the cutting tool 400 is conductive, the cutting tool 400 has a cutting head 402, and the cutting tool 400 is electrically connected to an anode 610;

[0064] Connect the second section 220 to the cathode 620;

[0065] Make the cutting head 402 contact with or maintain a preset distance from the first section 210, so that the anode 610, the cutting head 402, the first section 210, the second section 220 and the cathode 620 form a current circuit, so that the cutting head 402 can perform electric spark cutting on the first section 210.

[0066] The above processing method aims to achieve the most basic electrical discharge machining of the battery welding strip 200. A battery to be processed is prepared, comprising a battery cell body 100 and a welding strip 200 connected to the battery cell body 100. The battery consists of the battery cell body 100 and the welding strip 200, where the welding strip 200 connects to the battery cell body 100 and plays a crucial role in current transmission between the battery cells. On the same welding strip 200, a first section 210 and a second section 220 are clearly defined, connected and belonging to the same welding strip 200. The first section 210 is the processing location, i.e., the part that needs to be cut; the second section 220 serves as a conductive path, playing a conductive role during the cutting process.

[0067] A power supply 600 with an anode 610 and a cathode 620 is provided, and a cutting tool 400 with a cutting head 402 is provided. The cutting tool 400 is electrically connected to the anode 610 of the power supply 600. The second section 220 of the welding strip 200 is electrically connected to the cathode 620 of the power supply 600 through a corresponding connection method, for example, the second section 220 can be clamped by a conductive clamp to achieve the electrical connection.

[0068] The cutting head 402 of the control tool 400 contacts or maintains a preset distance from the first section 210 of the welding strip 200. At this time, the anode 610 of the power supply 600, the tool 400, the first section 210 of the welding strip 200, the second section 220 of the welding strip 200, and the cathode 620 of the power supply 600 form a complete current loop. The power supply 600 provides a pulse current to generate an electric spark between the cutting head 402 and the first section 210. The high-temperature erosion effect of the electric spark is used to cut the first section 210, thereby breaking the welding strip 200.

[0069] Electrical discharge machining (EDM) involves either directly contacting the solder strip 200 to cause it to break due to high temperature, or maintaining a preset distance (non-contact) to allow the electrical discharge to penetrate the medium (air, shielding gas, etc.) and break the solder strip 200. The preset distance can be adjusted based on the voltage and current of the power supply 600 and the breakage width of the solder strip 200, which will not be elaborated in this embodiment. Using EDM avoids the external force of traditional mechanical cutting, preventing the solder strip 200 from loosening or detaching from the battery cell grid lines, and also preventing the solder strip 200 from bending or deforming. Furthermore, compared to laser cutting, EDM has relatively lower requirements for processing parameters, is less prone to ball-melting phenomena, and effectively improves the quality and stability of the solder strip 200 processing.

[0070] Furthermore, such as Figure 3-6 As shown, the battery includes at least two battery cell bodies 100, which are arranged side by side to form a gap region 300 between adjacent battery cell bodies 100; second segments 220 on adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are connected by first segments 210 located on the gap region 300, so that the cutting head 402 performs electrical discharge cutting on the first segments 210 located in the gap region 300.

[0071] This process is applied to a battery composed of multiple cells. The battery includes at least two parallel cell bodies 100, with a spacing region 300 between adjacent cell bodies 100. A second segment 220 is located on the surface of the cell body 100 and is fixedly connected to the grid lines of the cell body by welding or other means. A first segment 210 is located within the spacing region 300 between adjacent cell bodies 100, and the first segment 210 is the middle part connecting the second segments 220 on both sides of the cell body. The second segments 220 of the solder strips 200 on adjacent cell bodies 100 are connected by the first segment 210 located in the spacing region 300. That is, the first segment 210 is the connecting part of the solder strips 200 between adjacent cell bodies, and serves as the spacing region 300 that needs to be cut and broken.

[0072] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 , 4 As shown, at least a portion of two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are stacked to form a first spacing region 310 between the two adjacent battery cell bodies 100. The second segments 220 on the two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are connected through the first segments 210 located on the first spacing region 310, so that the cutting head 402 performs electrical discharge cutting on the first segments 210 located in the first spacing region 310.

[0073] Or, such as Figure 5 , 6As shown, two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are separated to form a second spacing region 320 between the two adjacent battery cell bodies 100. The second segment 220 on the two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 is connected by a first segment 210 located on the second spacing region 320, so that the cutter head 402 performs electrical discharge cutting on the first segment 210 located in the second spacing region 320.

[0074] The spacing region 300 is divided into two types, including a first spacing region 310 and a second spacing region 320. For example... Figure 3 , 4 As shown, when two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are at least partially stacked, a first spacing region 310 (negative spacing) is formed; as Figure 5 , 6 As shown, when two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are separated, a second spacing region 320 (positive spacing) is formed; the processing method of this application is applicable to the cutting of the solder strip 200 of these two spacing regions 300.

[0075] During the processing, the cutting tool 400 is connected to the anode 610, and the second section 220 of the welding strip 200 is connected to the cathode 620, so that the cutting head 402 is aligned with the first section 210 on the spacing area 300, and an electric spark cut is performed after forming a current loop. Since the cutting position is located on the spacing area 300 of the adjacent cells, rather than on the cell body 100, damage to the cell body 100 during the cutting process is effectively avoided. It is compatible with the mainstream structure of multi-cell series connection in photovoltaic modules, and cells with positive or negative spacing can be precisely processed.

[0076] like Figure 3 , 4 As shown, the first spacing region 310 is formed by arranging the cell bodies 100 in a negative spacing manner. When two adjacent cell bodies 100 are arranged in a partially stacked manner, the first spacing region 310 (negative spacing) is formed. This design is the mainstream trend of photovoltaic modules to improve area utilization. By overlapping the edges of the cell bodies, the ineffective gaps are reduced. Since the first section 210 is still located in the stacking gap outside the cell bodies 100, the cutter 400 can accurately aim at the spacing region 300 for cutting, avoiding contact with the stacked cell bodies 100, thus solving the problem that traditional mechanical cutting is prone to damaging the cell bodies under negative spacing.

[0077] More specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, taking battery cell body 100 A and battery cell body 100 as an example: when battery cell body 100 A and battery cell body 100 B are arranged with a negative spacing, the edge of battery cell body 100 A overlaps the surface of battery cell body 100 B (that is, battery cell body 100 A is located above battery cell body 100 B, and there is a partial vertical overlap between the two); at this time, the first spacing region 310 does not refer to the overlapping part of the two cells itself, but refers to "the region between the edge of battery cell body 100 A and the exposed surface of battery cell body 100 B", which is the transition space for the solder ribbon 200 to connect the two cells; in this region, the distribution pattern of the solder ribbon 200 is: second segment 22 0 are located on the upper surface of the A-cell body 100 (the side away from the B-cell body 100) and the exposed surface of the B-cell body 100 (the area not covered by the A-cell body 100), respectively, and are welded and fixed to the grid lines of their respective cell bodies 100, forming a stable section for current conduction; the first section 210 is located within the first spacing region 310, and is inclinedly connected to the second section 220 of the A-cell body 100 and the second section 220 of the B-cell body 100, forming a transitional connection structure that "inclins downward from the edge of the A-cell body 100 to the surface of the B-cell body 100". The first section 210 located within the first spacing region 310 is the section to be cut and broken.

[0078] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the second spacing region 320 is formed by arranging the battery cell bodies 100 in a positive spacing manner. When two adjacent battery cell bodies 100 are completely separated, the second spacing region 320 (positive spacing) is formed, which is the traditional battery arrangement method. At this time, the first section 210 is the part of the welding strip 200 that spans the separation gap and directly connects the second section 220 of the battery cells on both sides. The spacing region 300 has relatively spacious space, making it easier to position the cutting tool 400. It can achieve efficient processing through synchronous cutting by multiple cutting heads 402, and it will not contact the battery cell body 100, ensuring processing safety.

[0079] It should be noted that in the technical solution of this application, the division between the first segment 210 and the second segment 220 is dynamic and needs to be determined in conjunction with the current cutting process, rather than a fixed definition of a certain area of ​​the solder strip 200 as the first segment 210 or the second segment 220; specifically:

[0080] The first segment 210 refers to the portion of the solder strip 200 within the i-th spacing region 300 to be cut. When processing the i-th spacing region 300, the solder strip 200 within that spacing region 300 becomes the object to be processed, and is defined as the first segment 210. Once the cutting is completed, this portion of the solder strip 200 is cut off and will no longer be used as a "processing position" in subsequent processes.

[0081] The second section 220 refers to all remaining portions of the solder ribbon 200 except for the current first section 210, and may include: solder ribbon 200 portions connected to the surface of the cell body 100; solder ribbon 200 portions located in other spacing regions 300 (i.e., solder ribbon 200 in spacing regions 300 that are not currently cut, such as the i+1th and i+3th spacing regions, which are not cut in the current process and still maintain conductivity); and solder ribbon 200 portions extending beyond the end of the cell (redundant solder ribbon 200 extending beyond the cell body 100, which can serve as temporary conductive paths).

[0082] The first segment 210 is the "current cutting target," and the second segment 220 is the "currently uncut conductive part." The two dynamically switch as the cutting process progresses. For example, when cutting the first spacing region 300, the solder strip 200 of the first spacing region 300 is the first segment 210, and the solder strips 200 of the second, third, and so on spacing regions 300 and the cell body 100 are all the second segment 220; when cutting the second spacing region 300, the solder strip 200 of the second spacing region 300 becomes the first segment 210, and the remaining uncut parts remain the second segment 220.

[0083] The solder strips 200 on the battery cell body 100 are typically multiple parallel solder strips 200 arranged at equal intervals. The cutting requirements for these solder strips 200 are high, and they can be cut sequentially using a cutting head 402. In one embodiment, the cutting tool 400 has a cutting head 402; in the spacing region 300, the cutting tool 400 cuts each first segment 210; that is, each first segment 210 is sequentially cut by electrical discharge machining using a single cutting head 402. To improve cutting efficiency, multiple cutting tools 400 can be provided, each with a cutting head 402, and each cutting tool 400 is connected to a separate power supply 600.

[0084] The solder strips 200 on the battery cell body 100 are typically multiple parallel solder strips 200 arranged at equal intervals. The cutting requirements for these solder strips 200 are high, necessitating the simultaneous cutting of all solder strips 200 within the same spacing area 300. For example... Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment uses a multi-head tool 400 for machining. Specifically, the tool 400 has multiple heads 402, which are arranged side by side, in the same straight line, and at equal intervals.

[0085] It should be noted that the cutting head 402 refers to an operating component that can conduct electricity and discharge onto the weld strip 200 to achieve electric discharge cutting of the weld strip 200. The shape or form of the cutting head 402 can adopt a probe, a fine needle, a triangular tip, a rounded tip, a rectangular flat tip, a trapezoidal flat tip, or other structures that are conducive to energy concentration and arc discharge. Specifically, the shape of the cutting head 402 gradually narrows. The cutting head 402 adopts structures such as probe, triangular tip, and rounded tip to achieve energy concentration by reducing the area of ​​the discharge tip, which is the core of electric discharge cutting of weld strips. Energy concentration can precisely limit the erosion range, making the cut narrow and flat, without burrs or molten balls, improving cutting efficiency, adapting to weld strips of different thicknesses, avoiding damage to the battery cells, and ensuring the performance of the battery string and the needs of mass production.

[0086] In one embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, multiple solder strips 200 are connected to the battery cell body 100. The solder strips 200 are parallel to each other and equally spaced. The distance between two adjacent solder strips 200 is defined as n. The cutting heads 402 are arranged perpendicular to the solder strips 200 and equally spaced. The distance between two adjacent cutting heads 402 is defined as N. N = n.

[0087] The battery cell body 100 is connected to multiple welding strips 200, and the distance between two adjacent welding strips 200 is n; the cutting tool 400 has multiple cutting heads 402 arranged in parallel. Preferably, the multiple cutting heads 402 are arranged in the same straight line. More specifically, the cutting heads 402 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the welding strips 200 and are equally spaced. The distance between two adjacent cutting heads 402 is N = n, so as to achieve a one-to-one correspondence between the cutting head 402 and the welding strip 200.

[0088] Furthermore, such as Figure 9 As shown, the direction in which the tool 400 moves relative to the battery is defined as the cutting direction; the second segment 220 is positioned in the cutting direction of the first segment 210; the tool 400 cuts the first segment 210 on the spacing region 300 sequentially along the cutting direction.

[0089] The cutting direction is defined as the direction in which the cutter 400 moves relative to the battery. This ensures that the second segment 220 of the solder ribbon 200 is positioned along the cutting direction of the first segment 210, allowing current to flow smoothly through the second segment 220. The cutter 400 moves sequentially along the cutting direction, cutting the first segment 210 in each spacing region 300. Since the spacing between the cutter heads 402 is equal to the spacing between the solder ribbons 200, a single cut can simultaneously complete the processing of all first segments 210 of the solder ribbons 200 within the same spacing region 300. This multi-cutter head 402 synchronous cutting method significantly improves processing efficiency compared to single-cutter head 402 cutting one by one, meeting the needs of mass production in the photovoltaic industry. Simultaneously, the one-to-one correspondence between the cutter heads 402 and the solder ribbons 200 ensures cutting synchronization, avoids errors caused by multiple positioning steps, and improves processing accuracy, making it suitable for the processing requirements of solder ribbons 200 in batteries such as Topcon.

[0090] In another embodiment, such as Figure 10 As shown, multiple solder strips 200 are connected to the battery cell body 100. The solder strips 200 are parallel to each other and equally spaced. The distance between two adjacent solder strips 200 is defined as n. The cutting heads 402 are arranged perpendicular to the solder strips 200 and equally spaced. The distance between two adjacent cutting heads 402 is defined as N. N = 2n.

[0091] Understandably, the structure of the BC battery's solder ribbon 200 is quite special, requiring alternating cutting for processing; multiple parallel solder ribbons 200 are connected to the battery cell body 100, with a spacing of n between two adjacent solder ribbons 200; multiple cutting heads 402 of the tool 400 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the solder ribbons 200 and are equally spaced, with a spacing of N = 2n between two adjacent cutting heads 402, meaning that the cutting heads 402 are spaced apart relative to the solder ribbons 200.

[0092] Furthermore, such as Figure 11 , 12 As shown, the direction in which the tool 400 moves relative to the battery is defined as the cutting direction; the second segment 220 is positioned in the cutting direction of the first segment 210; the tool 400 sequentially cuts the first segment 210 on the spacing region 300 along the cutting direction; wherein, after completing the first segment 210 in the i-th spacing region 300 and before starting to cut the first segment 210 in the (i+1)-th spacing region 300, the tool 400 moves a distance n relative to the battery in a direction perpendicular to the solder strip 200, where i is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0093] like Figure 11 , 12As shown, the cutting direction is defined as the direction of movement of the tool 400 relative to the battery, and the second segment 220 of the solder ribbon 200 is located in the cutting direction of the first segment 210. The tool 400 cuts the first segment 210 on the spacing region 300 sequentially along the cutting direction. After completing the cutting of the first segment 210 in the i-th spacing region 300, and before starting to cut the first segment 210 in the (i+1)-th spacing region 300, the tool 400 moves a distance n relative to the battery in a direction perpendicular to the solder ribbon 200. For example, in the initial state, the cutter head 402 is aligned with the first segment 210 of the 1st, 3rd, 5th... solder strips 200. After cutting, the cutter head 402 moves vertically a distance n, and the cutter head 402 is aligned with the first segment 210 of the 2nd, 4th, 6th... solder strips 200 to continue cutting the next spacing area 300. Through this alternating shifting cutting method, the cutting requirements of all solder strips 200 can be covered while reducing the number of cutter heads 402, avoiding the interference problem caused by too many cutter heads 402, and adapting to the structural characteristics of the solder strips 200 of BC batteries.

[0094] Furthermore, such as Figure 13 As shown, two sets of cutting tools 400 are provided, each including a first cutting tool 420 and a second cutting tool 410. The first cutting tool 420 sequentially cuts the first segment 210 of the j-th, j+2-th, j+4-th... welding strips 200 on the spacing region 300. The second cutting tool 410 sequentially cuts the first segment 210 of the j+1-th, j+3-th, j+5-th... welding strips 200 on the spacing region 300. j is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0095] To further improve the processing efficiency of the BC battery solder strip 200, this embodiment uses two sets of cutting tools 400 for parallel and alternating cutting. For example... Figure 13 As shown, two sets of cutting tools 400 are provided: a first cutting tool 420 and a second cutting tool 410. The first cutting tool 420 sequentially cuts the first segment 210 of the j-th, j+2, j+4... welding strips 200 on the spacing region 300. The second cutting tool 410 sequentially cuts the first segment 210 of the j+1, j+3, j+5... welding strips 200 on the spacing region 300, where j is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0096] Two sets of cutting tools 400 work simultaneously. The first cutting tool 420 is responsible for cutting the odd-numbered solder strips 200, and the second cutting tool 410 is responsible for cutting the even-numbered solder strips 200, realizing parallel and alternating processing. This method further shortens the processing time and increases the processing volume per unit time, which is suitable for the efficient production of BC batteries.

[0097] In other embodiments, such as Figure 14 , 15As shown, two sets of cutting tools 400 are provided, and the two sets of cutting tools 400 are arranged corresponding to adjacent spacing regions 300 respectively; the two sets of cutting tools 400 cut the first segment 210 on the spacing region 300 in sequence along the first cutting direction and the second cutting direction, respectively, with the first cutting direction and the second cutting direction being opposite.

[0098] For the processing of long batteries, to reduce the idle travel distance of the cutting tools 400 and improve equipment utilization, this embodiment adopts a reverse cutting method using two sets of cutting tools 400. The two sets of cutting tools 400 are arranged in the middle of the battery and correspond to adjacent spacing areas 300. One set of cutting tools 400 cuts along a first cutting direction (e.g., from left to right), and the other set of cutting tools 400 cuts along a second cutting direction opposite to the first cutting direction (e.g., from right to left), meaning the two sets of cutting tools 400 move in directions away from each other. It is understood that the second segment of the weld strip in the cutting direction of both sets of cutting tools is electrically connected to the cathode, so that the two sets of cutting tools can form a conductive circuit. The reverse cutting method significantly shortens the overall processing path, reduces energy consumption, and improves the processing efficiency of long batteries. It is understood that in this embodiment, by adjusting the spacing of the cutting tool heads 402, when N=n, it can adapt to the synchronous cutting of equidistant weld strips 200 of Topcon batteries; when N=2n, it can meet the alternating cutting requirements of BC batteries, achieving compatible processing of different types of batteries.

[0099] like Figure 16-20 As shown, this application also provides a pressure block 500, which is conductive; the pressure block 500 is electrically connected to the cathode 620; the pressure block 500 is electrically connected to or in contact with the second section 220. To ensure the stable formation of the current loop, this application provides a conductive pressure block 500; the pressure block 500 is electrically connected to the cathode 620 of the power supply 600, and the second section 220 is electrically connected to the cathode 620 through the connection or contact between the pressure block 500 and the second section 220 of the welding strip 200.

[0100] Based on the dynamic and positional diversity of the second segment 220, the placement of the pressing block 500 does not need to be fixed to the battery cell body 100 or a specific spacing area 300; it only needs to satisfy the requirement of "forming a stable conductive connection with the second segment 220 in the current process." Specifically:

[0101] like Figure 16As shown, the pressure block 500 is located in the second section 220 on the cell body 100; the pressure block 500 contacts the solder strip 200 (second section 220) on the surface of the cell body 100 through mechanical pressure, and forms a conductive circuit by utilizing its stable connection with the cell grid lines; for example, when cutting the first section 210 within any spacing region 300, the pressure block 500 can always press the solder strip 200 on the cell body 100, and conduct current through the path of "cutter head 402 → current first section 210 → second section 220 on cell body 100 → pressure block 500 → cathode 620".

[0102] like Figure 17 As shown, the pressure block 500 is located in the second segment 220 of other spacing regions 300. When the spacing regions 300 of the battery are dense (such as negative spacing design), or when it is inconvenient to place the pressure block 500 on the surface of the battery cell body 100, the pressure block 500 can be selected to contact the solder strip 200 (second segment 220) in a spacing region 300 that is not currently being cut. For example, when cutting the i-th spacing region 300, in the cutting direction, the pressure block 500 can be placed on the solder strip 200 of the (i+1)-th spacing region 300 to form a path of "cutter head 402 → first segment 210 of the i-th spacing region 300 → second segment 220 in the (i+1)-th spacing region 300 → pressure block 500 → cathode 620".

[0103] like Figure 18 As shown, the pressure block 500 is located in the second section 220 outside the battery end; for batteries with redundant solder strips 200 (such as extended solder strips 200 reserved during processing), the pressure block 500 can be directly connected to the solder strips 200 (second section 220) outside the battery end; for example, when processing long batteries, 5-10mm extended solder strips 200 are reserved at both ends of the battery, and the pressure block 500 clamps this part of the solder strip 200 to form a conductive circuit. The current path is "cutter head 402 → current first section 210 → extended solder strip 200 (second section 220) → pressure block 500 → cathode 620".

[0104] Furthermore, such as Figure 19 As shown, two pressure blocks 500 are provided, with each pressure block 500 positioned at one end of the battery. The two pressure blocks 500 are electrically connected to or in contact with the second section 220 at both ends of the battery. To optimize the current transmission path, the two pressure blocks 500 are located at both ends of the battery, and are connected to or in contact with the second section 220 at both ends of the battery, forming a bidirectional cathode 620 path. The current can choose the shortest path to conduct through the pressure blocks 500, reducing current transmission loss and improving the utilization rate of electrical discharge energy. This is especially suitable for processing long batteries and avoids the current attenuation problem that may occur with single-ended power supply.

[0105] Understandably, during the Topcon battery cutting process, the spacing N of the cutter head 402 is equal to the spacing n of the solder ribbons 200 (N = n). A single cut can simultaneously sever all the first segments 210 of the solder ribbons 200 within the same spacing region 300. This ensures that once all the first segments 210 of the solder ribbons 200 in the first spacing region 300 are cut, the conductive path between the battery's beginning end (the end closest to the first spacing region 300) and the second segments 220 of the solder ribbons 200 in subsequent spacing regions 300 is completely blocked. The pressure block 500 at the battery's beginning end can only provide cathode 620 conduction for the cutting of the first spacing region 300; the second segments 220 of the solder ribbons 200 in subsequent spacing regions 300 can no longer form a circuit through the pressure block 500 at the battery's beginning end. When the first spacing region 300 is cut, the pressure block 500 at the beginning of the battery contacts the second section 220 at the beginning of the battery. The current path is "cutter head 402 → first section 210 → second section 220 at the beginning of the battery → pressure block 500 at the beginning of the battery → cathode 620". The pressure block 500 at the beginning of the battery is the main conductor. When the second and subsequent spacing regions 300 are cut, the solder strip 200 of the first spacing region 300 has been completely cut off. The current path at the beginning of the battery is interrupted. The current needs to be conducted through the path "cutter head 402 → current first section 210 → second section 220 at the end of the battery → pressure block 500 at the end of the battery → cathode 620". The pressure block 500 at the end of the battery becomes the only conductor.

[0106] During the BC battery cutting process, the spacing N of the cutter head 402 is twice the spacing n of the solder ribbons 200 (N = 2n). Each cut only severs the first segment 210 of some solder ribbons 200 within the spacing region 300 (such as odd-numbered solder ribbons 200 or even-numbered solder ribbons 200), not all of them. This ensures that after the first spacing region 300 is cut, only the path of odd-numbered solder ribbons 200 is interrupted, while the even-numbered solder ribbons 200 maintain continuity between their beginning and subsequent spacing regions 300. After the second spacing region 300 is cut, only the path of even-numbered solder ribbons 200 is interrupted, and only then are all the paths of solder ribbons 200 between their beginning and subsequent spacing regions 300 completely blocked. Therefore, the pressure block 500 located at the beginning of the battery can provide cathode 620 continuity for the cutting of the first two spacing regions 300 through the incompletely severed path, while the third and subsequent spacing regions 300 rely on the pressure block 500 located at the end of the battery.

[0107] The term "pressure block 500 located at the first end of the battery" means that the pressure block 500 presses on the first battery cell body 100 or on the portion of the welding strip 200 of the first battery cell body 100 that extends beyond the end of the battery. The term "pressure block 500 located at the last end of the battery" means that the pressure block 500 presses on the last battery cell body 100 or on the portion of the welding strip 200 of the last battery cell body 100 that extends beyond the end of the battery.

[0108] Furthermore, the direction in which the cutter 400 moves relative to the battery is defined as the cutting direction; the pressure block 500 is movable relative to the battery; during the process of the cutter 400 sequentially cutting the first segment 210 on the spacing region 300 along the cutting direction, the pressure block 500 is positioned on the next spacing region 300 in the cutting direction, and the pressure block 500 is electrically connected or in contact with the second segment 220 on the next spacing region 300.

[0109] Furthermore, the pressure block 500 and the cutter 400 are fixedly connected so that the pressure block 500 can move synchronously with the cutter 400; the distance between the pressure block 500 and the cutter 400 is the distance between two adjacent spacing regions 300.

[0110] The pressure block 500 is configured to be movable relative to the battery. During the process of the cutter 400 sequentially cutting the first segment 210 on the spacing region 300 along the cutting direction, the pressure block 500 is always located at the next spacing region 300 in the cutting direction and is connected or in contact with the second segment 220 on the next spacing region 300, thereby establishing a cathode 620 circuit.

[0111] Furthermore, such as Figure 20 As shown, the pressure block 500 is fixedly connected to the cutter 400, allowing the pressure block 500 to move synchronously with the cutter 400. The distance between the pressure block 500 and the cutter 400 is set to the distance between two adjacent spacing regions 300. Thus, when the cutter 400 cuts the current spacing region 300, the pressure block 500 is precisely aligned with and contacts the second segment 220 of the next spacing region 300. This mechanical synchronization ensures positioning accuracy, avoids relative displacement errors between the pressure block 500 and the cutter 400, ensures smooth continuous cutting, and improves production cycle time.

[0112] Specifically, such as Figure 20As shown, taking a battery (TOPCON battery) arranged in the form of the second spacing region 320 as an example, the pressure block 500 is fixedly connected to the cutter 400 through a rigid bracket 510. Before processing, the distance between the pressure block 500 and the cutter 400 is set to the center distance of adjacent spacing regions 300 (e.g., 20mm). When the cutter 400 cuts the i-th spacing region 300, the pressure block 500 is exactly aligned with the welding strip 200 in the (i+1)-th spacing region 300 (at this time, the second segment 220) and establishes contact. After the cutter 400 completes the current cut, it moves, and the pressure block 500 moves synchronously, always maintaining the establishment of a conductive circuit for the next spacing region 300. Mechanical synchronization ensures the positioning error of the pressure block 500, eliminates the delay problem of traditional independent drive, shortens the processing time, avoids the delay caused by the failure to establish the circuit at the moment of cutting, and achieves the high-efficiency production requirements of the battery. In other embodiments, the distance between the cutter 400 and the pressure block 500 may be less than or greater than the width of the battery cell body 100, such that when the cutter 400 cuts the i-th spacing region 300, the pressure block 500 presses on the second segment 220 on the battery cell body 100.

[0113] This application also proposes a cutting tool 400, such as Figure 7-11 As shown, applicable to the above-mentioned battery processing method, the tool 400 includes a tool body 401 and a cutting head 402. The tool body 401 serves as the main body of the tool 400, and the cutting head 402 is fixedly connected to the tool body 401 or integrally formed with the tool body 401. There are multiple cutting heads 402, which are arranged in parallel. The cutting heads 402 are used to contact or at a preset distance with the first section 210 of the solder ribbon 200, so that the cutting head 402 can perform electrical discharge cutting on the first section 210 of the solder ribbon 200. The number and spacing of the cutting heads 402 can be adjusted according to the specific structure of the solder ribbon 200. For example, for Topcon batteries, a cutting head 402 spacing of N=n is used, and for BC batteries, a cutting head 402 spacing of N=2n is used, where n is the solder ribbon 200 spacing and N is the cutting head 402 spacing.

[0114] This application also proposes a processing apparatus, such as Figure 21 As shown, the device includes a platform, a cutting tool 400, a pressure block 500, and a power supply 600. The platform is used to support the battery and has an adsorption function, which can adsorb the battery to stabilize its position during the cutting process. The cutting tool 400 is the same as described above. The cutting tool 400 has multiple cutting heads 402 arranged in parallel. The cutting heads 402 are used to contact or maintain a preset distance with the first section 210 of the welding strip 200 for electrical discharge cutting. The pressure block 500 is used to be electrically connected to or in contact with the second section 220 of the welding strip 200. The power supply 600 has an anode 610 and a cathode 620. The anode 610 is electrically connected to the cutting tool 400, and the cathode 620 is electrically connected to the pressure block 500.

[0115] This application also proposes a battery, including a battery cell body 100 and a solder strip 200, manufactured by the aforementioned electrical discharge machining method, such as... Figure 22 As shown, it can be a BC battery arranged in a first spacing region 310, a BC battery arranged in a second spacing region 320, and a TOPCON battery.

[0116] Although preferred embodiments of this application have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this application.

[0117] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A cutting tool (400), characterized in that, For cutting a battery, the battery includes a battery cell body (100) and a welding strip (200), the welding strip (200) being connected to the battery cell body (100); on the same welding strip (200), the welding strip (200) has a first section (210) and a second section (220), the first section (210) serving as the position to be processed; the cutting tool (400) is conductive, the cutting tool (400) comprising: Tool body (401); The cutting head (402) is fixedly connected to the tool body (401). The cutting head (402) is used to contact or maintain a preset distance with the first section (210) so that when the tool (400) is connected to the anode (610) of the power supply (600) and the second section (220) is connected to the cathode (620) of the power supply (600), the cutting head (402) can perform electric spark cutting on the first section (210).

2. The cutting tool (400) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple cutter heads (402) are provided, and the multiple cutter heads (402) are arranged side by side; Alternatively, the cutter head (402) may be configured as a single unit.

3. The cutting tool (400) according to claim 2, characterized in that, When multiple cutter heads (402) are provided, the multiple cutter heads (402) are arranged in the same straight line.

4. A cutting tool (400) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, When multiple cutter heads (402) are provided, the multiple cutter heads (402) are arranged at equal intervals.

5. The cutting tool (400) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery cell body (100) is connected to multiple solder strips (200), which are parallel to each other and equally spaced; the distance between two adjacent solder strips (200) is defined as n; The distance between two adjacent cutting heads (402) is defined as N; where N = n; Alternatively, multiple solder strips (200) are connected to the battery cell body (100), and the multiple solder strips (200) are parallel to each other and equally spaced; the distance between two adjacent solder strips (200) is defined as n; The distance between two adjacent cutting heads (402) is defined as N; where N = 2n.

6. The cutting tool (400) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cutting head (402) can be a probe, a fine needle, a triangular tip, a rounded tip, a rectangular flat tip, or a trapezoidal flat tip.

7. A battery processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: A platform for supporting a battery, the platform having an adsorption capacity to adsorb the battery; The cutting tool (400) is the cutting tool (400) according to any one of claims 1-6; as well as A power supply (600) having an anode (610) and a cathode (620), the anode (610) being electrically connected to the cutting tool (400) and the cathode (620) being electrically connected to a second section (220) of the welding strip (200).

8. The battery processing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A pressure block (500) is conductive and connected to the cathode (620). The pressure block (500) is used for electrical connection or contact with the second section (220) of the solder strip (200).

9. A battery processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The pressure block (500) has two parts, and the two pressure blocks (500) are electrically connected or in contact with the second section (220) located at both ends of the battery.

10. A battery, characterized in that, It includes a battery cell body (100) and a welding strip (200), the welding strip (200) being connected to the battery cell body (100), and the welding strip (200) being cut by the battery processing apparatus according to any one of claims 7-9.

Images