Liquid injection device

Abstract

The utility model relates to battery preparation technical field especially, it relates to a kind of injection device, including injection pump, with the liquid outlet pipeline of injection pump intercommunication, and the injection head of being set in the liquid outlet pipeline terminal, further include: flowmeter, is connected in series on the liquid outlet pipeline, for detecting injection flow rate;Control module is with the flowmeter, injection pump respectively signal connection, is configured as: according to the injection flow rate data of the flowmeter to determine actual injection volume, and when the actual injection volume reaches preset injection volume range, control the injection pump stops working.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of lithium-ion battery manufacturing, and in particular to a liquid injection device. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of lithium batteries, electrolyte filling is a crucial step that directly affects the battery's performance, safety, and consistency. Currently, the industry commonly uses semi-automatic electrolyte filling equipment.

[0003] Current injection processes primarily rely on timed or pressure-controlled injection pumps, but this approach has significant limitations. In actual production, unstable injection volumes frequently occur due to pump jamming, air bubbles in the pipeline, or pump performance degradation, manifesting as missed injections, under-injections, or over-injections. Because of the lack of effective online monitoring methods, these defective injections are difficult to detect in a timely manner.

[0004] To address this issue, most battery manufacturers currently rely on weighing the cells before and after electrolyte injection, using the weight difference to indirectly calculate the electrolyte level and identify defective products. However, this method has significant drawbacks: First, it adds an independent inspection step, reducing production efficiency; second, integrating weighing equipment into a sealed glove box environment is difficult, costly, and requires limited space for modification; third, manual weighing and judgment are subjective and subject to fatigue, inevitably leading to the risk of missed detections. If cells with substandard electrolyte levels (especially those with insufficient electrolyte but still within the acceptable weight range) fail to be detected and proceed to subsequent formation and capacity testing processes, it will result in poor battery performance consistency and even safety hazards such as overheating due to insufficient electrolyte, causing mass scrapping of the final product. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the objectives of this utility model is to provide a liquid injection device that enables online monitoring of the actual liquid injection volume during the injection process.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid injection device, comprising an injection pump, an outlet pipe connected to the injection pump, and an injection head disposed at the end of the outlet pipe, and further comprising: A flow meter, connected in series with the liquid outlet pipe, is used to detect the liquid injection flow rate; The control module, which is signal-connected to the flow meter and the injection pump respectively, is configured as follows: The actual injection volume is determined based on the injection flow rate data from the flow meter, and, When the actual injection volume reaches the preset injection volume range, the injection pump is controlled to stop working.

[0007] Optionally, it also includes, The alarm is connected to the control module via a signal. The control module is also configured to: When an abnormality in the fluid injection is detected, the alarm device is controlled to issue an alarm signal. The determination of abnormal injection includes the case where the actual injection volume does not reach the preset injection volume range within a preset time.

[0008] Optionally, the alarm is an audible and visual buzzer.

[0009] Optionally, it also includes, The cell identification device, connected to the control module, is used to acquire the identity information of the cell to be injected with electrolyte before the electrolyte is injected. The control module is also configured to associate and store the identity information with the corresponding actual injection volume.

[0010] Optionally, it also includes, The storage module is signal-connected to the control module. The control module is configured to store the identity information and its associated actual injection volume in the storage module.

[0011] Optionally, the battery cell identification device is a barcode scanner. The injection device also includes, A drive mechanism, connected to the barcode scanner, is used to drive the barcode scanner to move between a reading position and an avoidance position.

[0012] As can be seen from the above, this solution directly and online measures the injection volume using a flow meter, achieving a fundamental shift from traditional indirect control methods such as timed / pressured control to precise quantitative control. This effectively overcomes the injection volume deviation caused by fluctuations in equipment performance and changes in process parameters. Applying this injection equipment, through a closed-loop control logic of "measurement-comparison-execution," the injection process is fully automated, eliminating the uncertainty of human operation and significantly improving the consistency of cell injection volume in mass production.

[0013] In addition, this solution only requires adding a flow meter to the existing injection pipeline and upgrading the control logic, without making major changes to the production line layout. It is particularly suitable for technical transformation in space-constrained closed environments and has the advantages of low cost and high integration. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are provided to further illustrate the present invention and form part of this application, do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of a liquid injection device provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0016] Figure label: 1: Injection pump; 2: Discharge pipe; 3: Injection head; 4: Flow meter; 5: Control module; 6: Alarm; 7: Battery cell identification device; 8: Storage module; 9: Drive mechanism; 10: Battery cell. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the present invention are used to explain the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0018] Examples of embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in a detailed description below, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout.

[0019] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that terms such as "length," "width," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0020] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] See Figure 1 The liquid injection device includes a liquid injection pump 1, a liquid outlet pipe 2, a liquid injection head 3, a flow meter 4, and a control module 5. The flow meter 4 is directly installed in series in the liquid outlet pipe 2 downstream of the liquid injection pump 1. The control module 5 can be implemented using a programmable logic controller or an industrial microcontroller, and establishes a communication connection with both the flow meter 4 and the liquid injection pump 1 through signal lines.

[0023] Its working principle is as follows: the control module 5 has a pre-stored standard injection volume range set according to process requirements. After the injection process starts, the injection pump 1 pumps out the electrolyte, which flows through the flow meter 4; the flow meter 4 detects the instantaneous flow rate in real time and generates a corresponding electrical signal, which is transmitted to the control module 5; the control module 5 processes and integrates the received flow data to calculate the cumulative actual injection volume in real time; the control module 5 continuously compares the actual injection volume with the preset range, and once it determines that the actual injection volume meets the requirements, it immediately sends a stop command to the injection pump 1 to terminate the injection.

[0024] As can be seen from the above, this solution directly and online measures the injection volume using flow meter 4, achieving a fundamental shift from traditional indirect control methods such as timed / pressured control to precise quantitative control. This effectively overcomes the injection volume deviation caused by fluctuations in equipment performance and changes in process parameters. Applying this injection equipment, through a closed-loop control logic of "measurement-comparison-execution," the injection process is fully automated, eliminating the uncertainty of human operation and significantly improving the consistency of cell injection volume in mass production.

[0025] It should be noted that this solution only requires adding a flow meter 4 to the existing liquid injection pipeline and upgrading the control logic. No major changes to the production line layout are required. It is particularly suitable for technical transformation in confined environments with limited space and has the advantages of low cost and high integration.

[0026] As an illustration of this embodiment, an alarm 6 can be further added, which is signal-connected to the control module 5. The alarm 6 can be, but is not limited to, an audible and visual buzzer with both sound and light signal prompts. The working principle is as follows: In addition to a preset injection volume standard, the control module 5 also sets a reasonable upper limit for the injection process time. After injection starts, the control module 5 simultaneously monitors the actual injection volume and injection time. If, within the preset time range, the actual injection volume still does not reach the preset lower limit, the control module 5 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the injection process. Once an abnormality is determined, the control module 5 will perform two operations: first, immediately stop the injection pump 1; second, trigger the alarm 6 to issue a clear audible and visual alarm signal to notify the operator to handle the situation. This solution upgrades the system's response from simple "completion control" to "status monitoring and fault early warning," enabling real-time exposure of potential faults such as pump jamming, pipeline blockage, or the presence of large air bubbles, identifying quality problems in advance and preventing the continuous generation of defective products. Furthermore, clear alarm signals enable equipment maintenance personnel to quickly locate fault points, significantly reducing unplanned downtime on the production line caused by troubleshooting, thereby improving overall equipment efficiency and capacity.

[0027] As an illustration of this embodiment, a cell identification device 7, such as a barcode scanner or RFID reader, can be further added to the front end of the liquid injection station on the basis of the above-mentioned liquid injection equipment. This device establishes a communication connection with the control module 5. When the cell 10 arrives at the liquid injection station through the conveying system, the cell identification device 7 first reads the unique identification information code carried on it. The control module 5 accurately binds the identification information of this cell 10 with the key data of its entire subsequent liquid injection process (including the final confirmed actual liquid injection volume, liquid injection time, and whether an alarm has been triggered, etc.) in its memory, forming a one-to-one data relationship. By adopting this scheme, a unique "process file" is created for each cell 10 through identification binding, realizing a data closed loop from raw materials to finished products. When abnormal battery performance is found in subsequent testing or at the user end, its liquid injection history data can be accurately traced back through this identification information, providing a decisive basis for root cause analysis. In addition, when an abnormal liquid injection occurs, the system can accurately locate the specific problematic cell 10. This allows automated sorting equipment to accurately remove the battery cell 10 after it flows out of the liquid injection station based on this identification information, effectively preventing defective products from entering the good product warehouse and flowing into subsequent high-value processes, thus avoiding greater losses.

[0028] As an illustration of this embodiment, an independent storage module 8, such as an industrial-grade solid-state drive or a high-capacity memory card, can be configured on the basis of the above-mentioned liquid injection equipment. This storage module 8 maintains a signal connection with the control module 5. The control module 5 binds and records the "identity information-process data" generated in the third level, transmits it in real time or in batches, and writes it into the storage module 8 for non-volatile long-term storage. Persistent storage of real-time data forms a stable and unalterable production record, which not only meets the needs of internal quality control but also complies with the audit requirements of external quality system certification. Furthermore, the massive amount of liquid injection data with identification constitutes a valuable process database. By deeply mining and analyzing this data, potential factors affecting the stability of liquid injection can be discovered, thereby providing scientific data support for continuously optimizing liquid injection parameters and improving overall production quality.

[0029] As an illustration of this embodiment, the battery cell identification device 7 is specifically an industrial-grade barcode scanner. To ensure its reliable operation, a drive mechanism 9 is specifically configured for it, such as a pneumatic lifting slide or a precision electric linear module. This drive mechanism 9 drives the barcode scanner to move between predetermined positions: when a code needs to be read, it drives it to descend to the optimal identification position pre-calibrated and at a suitable distance from the battery cell code; after the code reading action is completed, it immediately drives it to rise to a safe avoidance position, thereby leaving sufficient interference-free space for the subsequent descent of the injection head 3 and the injection operation. By applying this scheme, the active alignment mechanism can effectively compensate for the positional tolerance of the battery cell 10 on the production line, ensuring a near 100% identification success rate under high-speed continuous production conditions, laying a solid foundation for full-process quality traceability. In addition, each barcode scanner is equipped with a drive mechanism 9, which can, but is not limited to, implement the timing logic of "avoidance after code reading," cleverly solving the problem of motion interference between multiple execution units (barcode scanner and injection head 3) in a limited workstation space, realizing smooth, efficient, and fully automatic operation of the entire injection process.

[0030] In summary, the liquid injection equipment of this embodiment directly solves the precision problem in the liquid injection process; furthermore, through data-driven intelligent management, it provides core technical equipment support for lithium battery manufacturing to move towards a high-quality, highly consistent, and traceable future.

[0031] The embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this technical solution. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the above embodiments should be included within the scope of protection of this technical solution.

Claims

1. A liquid injection device, comprising an injection pump, an outlet pipe connected to the injection pump, and an injection head disposed at the end of the outlet pipe, characterized in that, Also includes: A flow meter, connected in series with the liquid outlet pipe, is used to detect the liquid injection flow rate; The control module, which is signal-connected to the flow meter and the injection pump respectively, is configured as follows: The actual injection volume is determined based on the injection flow rate data from the flow meter, and, When the actual injection volume reaches the preset injection volume range, the injection pump is controlled to stop working.

2. The liquid injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes, The alarm is connected to the control module via a signal. The control module is also configured to: When an abnormality in the fluid injection is detected, the alarm device is controlled to issue an alarm signal. The determination of abnormal injection includes the case where the actual injection volume does not reach the preset injection volume range within a preset time.

3. The liquid injection device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The alarm is an audible and visual buzzer.

4. The liquid injection device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that, It also includes, The cell identification device, connected to the control module, is used to acquire the identity information of the cell to be injected with electrolyte before the electrolyte is injected. The control module is also configured to associate and store the identity information with the corresponding actual injection volume.

5. The liquid injection device according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes, The storage module is signal-connected to the control module. The control module is configured to store the identity information and its associated actual injection volume in the storage module.

6. The liquid injection device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The battery cell identification device is a barcode scanner. The injection device also includes, A drive mechanism, connected to the barcode scanner, is used to drive the barcode scanner to move between a reading position and an avoidance position.

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