Welding apparatus and battery production line

Abstract

The application provides a welding device and a battery production line, and belongs to the field of welding devices. The welding device comprises a bearing table for bearing a to-be-welded piece, a protective cover provided with a containing cavity, the protective cover being arranged on the bearing table and being used for covering the to-be-welded piece, a vacuum generating assembly comprising a shell and a phase change material piece, the shell being provided with a containing cavity, the containing cavity being provided with an inlet, the inlet being in communication with the containing cavity, the phase change material piece being arranged in the containing cavity and being configured to be capable of converting between a solid state and a gaseous state, and a welding device arranged outside the protective cover and used for emitting laser to the to-be-welded piece to weld the to-be-welded piece. Through the technical scheme, the spatter of welding slag can be inhibited, and the problem that the product is prone to defects such as self-discharge due to the spatter of the welding slag into the product during laser welding can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of welding equipment technology, and more particularly to a welding equipment and a battery production line. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, laser welding equipment is typically used in battery production to weld product components. During laser welding, the vapor generated by the vaporization of metal in the molten pool creates a strong recoil force, causing metal droplets to detach from the molten pool and form a large amount of spatter. The spatter can easily penetrate into the product being welded, causing self-discharge problems and significantly reducing product quality and safety. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application aims to at least address one of the technical problems existing in the background art. Therefore, one objective of this application is to provide a welding equipment and battery production line to improve the problem that weld slag easily splashes into the product during laser welding, causing defects such as self-discharge.

[0004] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a welding apparatus, comprising: a support platform for supporting a workpiece to be welded; a protective cover having a receiving cavity, the protective cover being disposed on the support platform and used to cover the workpiece to be welded; a vacuum generating assembly including a housing and a phase change material component, the housing having a receiving cavity having an inlet communicating with the receiving cavity, the phase change material component being disposed within the receiving cavity and configured to be capable of switching between a solid and a gaseous state; and a welding device disposed outside the protective cover for emitting a laser to the workpiece to be welded to weld the workpiece.

[0005] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, a support platform is used to support the workpiece to be welded, and a protective cover is installed on the outside of the workpiece to be welded, which can cooperate with the support platform to form a closed receiving cavity. The receiving cavity of the vacuum generating component is connected to the receiving cavity through an inlet, and a phase change material component is disposed inside the receiving cavity. The laser emitted by the welding device can penetrate the protective cover and be directed at the workpiece to be welded to perform laser welding. During the laser welding operation, a large amount of heat is generated, which diffuses throughout the receiving cavity and is transferred to the inside of the receiving cavity through thermal radiation and thermal conduction. Affected by heat, the phase change material component can change from a solid state to a gaseous state. This phase change process continuously adsorbs gas molecules in the receiving cavity and inside the receiving cavity, causing the gas pressure inside the receiving cavity to gradually decrease, so as to form a vacuum or low-pressure environment in the welding area. The vacuum or low-pressure atmosphere can weaken the vapor backlash force generated by the vaporization of metal at the weld pool, thereby alleviating the tendency of metal droplets to detach from the weld pool, thus reducing the risk of spatter entering the inside of the product to be welded, and improving the situation of subsequent self-discharge phenomenon in the product. After the welding operation stops, the temperature inside the containment cavity and the receiving cavity gradually drops, and the gaseous phase change material gradually turns back to solid as the temperature decreases, completing the material reset and allowing it to participate in the gas extraction operation again in the next welding operation.

[0006] In some embodiments, the inlet is provided with a one-way valve, which is configured to allow the medium to flow unidirectionally from the receiving cavity to the receiving cavity.

[0007] By installing a one-way valve at the inlet of the containment chamber, the medium can only flow unidirectionally from the containment chamber of the protective cover to the containment chamber of the vacuum generating component. During the phase change material component's transition from solid to gas and the adsorption of gas, the gas in the containment chamber can smoothly enter the containment chamber through the inlet of the housing, ensuring normal evacuation operations. When welding stops and the temperature inside the containment chamber drops, causing the phase change material component to transition back to solid and release gas, the one-way valve prevents the gas in the containment chamber from flowing back into the containment chamber, thus slowing down the rate of vacuum decrease in the containment chamber and extending the duration of the low-pressure environment in the welding area.

[0008] In some embodiments, the vacuum generating assembly further includes a sensor and a controller, the controller being electrically connected to the check valve and the sensor, the sensor being disposed in the housing and used to detect the vacuum level within the containment cavity, and the controller being used to control the check valve to open or close based on the vacuum level.

[0009] By installing sensors on the housing, the vacuum level inside the containment cavity can be detected in real time, and the detection signal is transmitted to the controller. The controller controls the opening and closing of the one-way valve based on the vacuum level value. If the vacuum level of the containment cavity drops below a set threshold, the controller controls the one-way valve to open, using the heat generated during welding to cause the phase change material component to change from a solid to a gaseous state and adsorb gas, replenishing the gas extracted from the containment cavity. When the vacuum level rises back to the set threshold, the controller controls the one-way valve to close, thus dynamically adjusting the workflow according to the actual gas pressure inside the containment cavity, maintaining the vacuum level of the containment cavity within a relatively stable range.

[0010] In some embodiments, the receiving cavity has an outlet, the side of the housing with the outlet is connected to the inner wall of the protective cover, the protective cover has an opening, the opening and the outlet are correspondingly arranged and communicate with each other, and the outer wall of the protective cover has an observation window, which is slidably connected to the protective cover and is used to open or close the opening.

[0011] The vacuum generating assembly's containment chamber is connected to the opening of a protective cover via an outlet. The outer wall of the protective cover is equipped with a sliding observation window. Under normal circumstances, the observation window is closed to ensure the overall airtightness of the containment chamber, creating a sealed environment for the phase change material component to adsorb gas during the solid-to-gas phase change process. Operators can observe the working status of the phase change material inside the containment chamber through the observation window. When maintenance or replacement of the phase change material component is required, the observation window can be slid open to allow operation of the internal components, improving equipment maintenance convenience.

[0012] In some embodiments, the protective cover includes a cover body and an end cap, the cover body having a first opening and a second opening disposed opposite to each other, the end cap covering the first opening, and the support platform covering the second opening; wherein, the welding device is disposed on the side of the end cap away from the cover body.

[0013] The enclosure has a first opening and a second opening at each end. An end cap covers the first opening, and a support platform covers the second opening, together forming a closed cavity. A welding device is located on the outside of the end cap, and the housing of the vacuum generator is connected to the inner wall of the enclosure. The laser emitted by the welding device can penetrate the end cap and enter the cavity to complete the welding. The closed cavity reduces interference from external gases, facilitating the solid-to-gas phase transition of the phase change material and the adsorption of gases.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cover includes a first sub-cover, a second sub-cover, and a third sub-cover connected in sequence. The first sub-cover has a first opening on the side away from the second sub-cover, and the third sub-cover has a second opening on the side away from the second sub-cover. The shell is disposed on the inner wall surface of the second sub-cover.

[0015] The vacuum generating components are centrally located in the second sub-cover area in the middle, which shortens the gas flow path from the containment cavity to the receiving cavity. After the heat generated by laser welding is conducted to the receiving cavity, the phase change material changes from a solid state to a gaseous state and adsorbs the gas. The shorter airflow path allows the adsorption process to proceed more smoothly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the diameter of the second sub-cover gradually decreases along the arrangement direction from the first sub-cover to the second sub-cover.

[0017] The second sub-cover adopts a gradually decreasing cross-sectional structure with a smaller diameter, which allows for the formation of a smooth flow channel within the containment cavity. During the flow of gas from the containment cavity to the receiving cavity, the gradually decreasing cross-sectional structure guides the airflow smoothly, weakens airflow turbulence, and makes the gas distribution within the containment cavity more uniform, thus maintaining a stable efficiency in the phase change material component's gas adsorption as it transitions from a solid to a gaseous state.

[0018] In some embodiments, the welding equipment further includes a sealing assembly disposed inside and at the bottom of a protective cover, for sealing the gap between the protective cover and the support platform.

[0019] By installing a sealing component at the connection point between the protective cover and the support platform, the sealing component can seal the assembly gap between the protective cover and the support platform, thereby reducing the risk of external gas flowing into the protective cover, reducing the impact of external gas on the gas pressure inside the cavity, and facilitating the maintenance of a vacuum or low-pressure state inside the cavity during the welding process.

[0020] In some embodiments, the sealing assembly includes a first seal and an elastic member, the elastic member surrounding the inner periphery of the first seal and abutting the first seal against the inner wall surface of the protective cover.

[0021] By surrounding the inner circumference of the first seal, when the protective cover is pressed down to fit the support platform, it can cover the outside of the elastic element, and the elastic element will undergo elastic deformation under pressure. This allows the elastic element to continuously apply elastic force to the first seal and rely on the elastic holding action to make the first seal fit against the inner wall surface of the protective cover, so that the first seal keeps in contact and sealing with the inner wall surface of the protective cover. This reduces the infiltration of external gas into the protective cover and stabilizes the gas pressure in the cavity.

[0022] In some embodiments, the sealing assembly further includes a second seal disposed at one end of the protective cover facing the support platform and abutting against the first seal.

[0023] By assembling the second seal on the end of the protective cover facing the support platform, the second seal abuts against the first seal, forming a double-layer sealing structure. This double-layer sealing structure extends the permeation path of external gas, slows down the rate at which external gas seeps in, thereby further improving the sealing effect and reducing the interference of external air pressure on the gas inside the containment cavity.

[0024] In some embodiments, the welding equipment further includes a photoheater disposed outside the protective cover for providing illumination to the phase change material.

[0025] By adding a photothermal element to the outside of the protective cover, light can be directed into the containment cavity before welding, providing heat to the phase change material component through photothermal effect. The heat generated by the light helps trigger the phase change material component to change from a solid to a gaseous state. This phase change process allows for the adsorption of gas within the containment cavity before welding, further reducing the risk of spatter entering the product being welded. After the light exposure stops, the temperature of the phase change material component gradually decreases, changing from a gaseous state back to a solid state and releasing gas, completing the state reset and enabling the vacuum generating component to circulate and perform evacuation operations.

[0026] In some embodiments, the number of vacuum generating components is two, and the two vacuum generating components are arranged at a circumferential distance along the protective cover.

[0027] By setting the number of vacuum generating components to two, arranged at intervals around the protective cover, gas can be simultaneously extracted from different positions within the containment cavity. Furthermore, the phase change material components within both containment cavities can simultaneously transform from solid to gas and adsorb gas. This multi-point synchronous operation accelerates the gas extraction speed within the containment cavity and shortens the time required to establish a vacuum or low-pressure environment. In addition, the two vacuum generating components can share the workload; if the operating condition of one component fluctuates, the other can compensate, resulting in a more balanced overall pumping process.

[0028] In some embodiments, the ratio of the sum of the volumes of the two receiving cavities to the volume of the receiving cavity is not less than 1 / 3.

[0029] The total volume of the two receiving cavities accounts for no less than 1 / 3 of the total volume of the receiving cavity, and the receiving cavity can hold a sufficient amount of phase change material components. When the phase change material components change from solid to gas and adsorb a large amount of gas, the large-volume receiving cavity can buffer the instantaneous fluctuations in gas pressure and vacuum, reduce the amplitude of sudden changes in gas pressure inside the receiving cavity, and allow the vacuum level inside the receiving cavity to change smoothly during the welding process.

[0030] In some embodiments, the protective cover is a glass cover.

[0031] The glass shield has excellent laser transmission capability, allowing the welding laser to penetrate the glass shield and irradiate the surface of the workpiece to be welded, ensuring the normal progress of the welding process; at the same time, the glass shield has good airtightness, making it easy to form a sealed cavity.

[0032] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-reflective film; and / or, the inner surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-stick coating.

[0033] By setting an antireflection film on the outer surface of the glass shield, the antireflection film can reduce the reflection phenomenon generated when the laser passes through the glass interface, improve the laser transmission ratio, and reduce the energy loss during laser transmission.

[0034] The inner surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-stick coating. When welding slag and metal dust come into contact with the inner wall, the interfacial adhesion force is weakened. Welding slag and dust are less likely to adhere and accumulate on the inner wall of the protective cover, which can reduce the impact of the deposits on the optical path conduction and the internal space of the cavity.

[0035] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a battery production line that includes the welding equipment described in the above embodiments.

[0036] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0037] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the welding equipment according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a welding device according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram of section B in the middle; Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the welding equipment according to some embodiments of this application from another perspective; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the CC direction.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100. Welding equipment; 200. Parts to be welded; 10. Support platform; 20. Protective cover; 21. Cover body; 211. First sub-cover body; 212. Second sub-cover body; 2121. Opening; 213. Third sub-cover body; 22. End cap; 23. Observation window; 24. Receiving cavity; 30. Vacuum generating assembly; 31. Housing; 311. Receiving cavity; 312. Inlet; 313. Outlet; 32. Phase change material component; 33. Check valve; 34. Sensor; 40. Sealing assembly; 41. Elastic element; 42. First seal; 43. Second seal; 50. Light-heating components; 60. Welding equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0043] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" 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. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] Currently, the application of rechargeable batteries is becoming increasingly widespread, judging from market trends. They are not only used in energy storage systems for hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively in various electronic devices, such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As the application areas of rechargeable batteries continue to expand, the market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0049] In the production process of rechargeable batteries, laser welding equipment is usually used to laser weld product parts. During laser welding, the vapor generated by the vaporization of metal in the molten pool will form a strong recoil force, causing the metal droplets to detach from the molten pool and form a large amount of spatter. The spatter can easily penetrate into the interior of the product to be welded, causing the product to have self-discharge problems, which greatly reduces the product quality and safety.

[0050] Based on the above considerations, to address the problem of weld spatter easily forming during laser welding and entering the product to be welded, causing quality defects such as self-discharge, a welding device is designed. The welding device includes a support platform, a protective cover, a vacuum generating assembly, and a welding device. The support platform supports the workpiece to be welded; the protective cover has a receiving cavity and is located on the support platform, covering the workpiece to be welded; the vacuum generating assembly includes a shell and a phase change material component. The shell has a receiving cavity with an inlet connected to the receiving cavity. The phase change material component is located within the receiving cavity and is configured to switch between solid and gaseous states; the welding device is located outside the protective cover and is used to emit laser light to weld the workpiece. In the welding device provided by this application, the heat generated during laser welding enters the receiving cavity, causing the phase change material component to heat up and change from a solid to a gaseous state. During the phase change process, it continuously adsorbs gas molecules from the receiving cavity and the receiving cavity, causing the gas pressure inside the receiving cavity to gradually decrease, thus creating a vacuum or low-pressure environment in the welding area. Vacuum or low-pressure atmospheres can weaken the vapor back pressure generated by metal vaporization at the weld pool, thereby mitigating the tendency of molten metal droplets to detach from the weld pool. This reduces the risk of spatter entering the product being welded and improves the situation where the product subsequently exhibits self-discharge.

[0051] The welding equipment disclosed in this application can be used, but is not limited to, in battery production lines. Laser welding of battery device components can be performed using the welding equipment disclosed in this application, which helps improve welding quality and reduce the risk of self-discharge in the product.

[0052] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the welding equipment according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a welding device according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA. This application provides a welding device 100, including a support platform 10, a protective cover 20, a vacuum generating assembly 30, and a welding device 60. The support platform 10 supports a workpiece 200 to be welded; the protective cover 20 has a receiving cavity 24, is disposed on the support platform 10, and is used to cover the workpiece 200 to be welded; the vacuum generating assembly 30 includes a housing 31 and a phase change material component 32, the housing 31 having a receiving cavity 311 with an inlet 312 communicating with the receiving cavity 24, the phase change material component 32 being disposed within the receiving cavity 311, and configured to be capable of switching between solid and gaseous states; the welding device 60 is disposed outside the protective cover 20 and is used to emit a laser to weld the workpiece 200.

[0053] As an example, the support platform 10 is generally flat and can be made of stainless steel plate, carbon steel plate, ceramic plate, etc.

[0054] As an example, the protective cover 20 is a transparent part. The protective cover 20 is placed above the support platform 10 and has an internal cavity 24. It covers the outside of the part to be welded 200 and is used to cooperate with the support platform 10 to form a closed working space.

[0055] As an example, the housing 31 can be made of glass or metal. The shape of the receiving cavity 311 defined by the housing 31 can be any shape, such as rectangular or spherical.

[0056] As an example, the phase change material component 32 can be a zirconium cobalt hydride, a lanthanum nickel hydride, or a composite of titanium iron hydride and amino-modified metal-organic framework materials, etc.

[0057] As an example, the welding apparatus 60 can be a fiber laser emitter, a pulsed laser emitter, or a continuous laser welding apparatus, etc.

[0058] The workpiece 200 to be welded is placed on the support platform 10, and a protective cover 20 is installed on the outside of the workpiece 200, which can cooperate with the support platform to form a closed receiving cavity 24. The receiving cavity 311 of the vacuum generating assembly 30 is connected to the receiving cavity 24 through the inlet 312, and a phase change material component 32 is disposed inside the receiving cavity 311. The laser emitted by the welding device 60 can penetrate the protective cover 20 and be directed at the workpiece 200 to perform laser welding. During the laser welding operation, a large amount of heat is generated, which diffuses throughout the receiving cavity 24 through thermal radiation and thermal conduction, and is transferred to the interior of the receiving cavity 311. Under the influence of heat, the phase change material component 32 can change from a solid state to a gaseous state. This phase change process continuously adsorbs gas molecules inside the receiving cavity 311 and the receiving cavity 24, causing the gas pressure inside the receiving cavity 24 to gradually decrease, so as to form a vacuum or low-pressure environment in the welding area. A vacuum or low-pressure atmosphere can weaken the vapor backlash force generated by metal vaporization at the weld pool, thus mitigating the tendency of molten metal droplets to detach from the weld pool. This reduces the risk of spatter entering the product being welded and improves the situation of subsequent self-discharge. After welding stops, the internal temperature of the containment cavity 24 and the containment cavity 311 gradually decreases, and the gaseous phase change material 32 gradually returns to a solid state as the temperature decreases, completing material reset and allowing it to participate in the evacuation operation again in the next welding operation.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the inlet 312 of the receiving cavity 311 is provided with a one-way valve 33, which is configured to allow the medium to flow unidirectionally from the receiving cavity 24 to the receiving cavity 311.

[0060] The one-way valve 33 is installed at the inlet 312 of the receiving cavity 311 and serves as a medium flow control component. It allows media such as gas to flow into the receiving cavity 311 from the receiving cavity 24 in one direction only, preventing the media from flowing back in the opposite direction. As an example, the one-way valve 33 can be a miniature vacuum one-way valve 33, a stainless steel vacuum check valve, etc.

[0061] By installing a one-way valve 33 at the inlet 312 of the receiving cavity 311, the one-way valve 33 ensures that the medium can only flow unidirectionally from the receiving cavity 24 of the protective cover 20 to the receiving cavity 311 of the vacuum generating component 30. When the phase change material component 32 changes from a solid to a gaseous state and adsorbs gas, the gas in the receiving cavity 24 can smoothly enter the receiving cavity 311 through the inlet 312 of the housing 31, ensuring that the evacuation operation can proceed normally. When the temperature in the receiving cavity 311 drops after welding stops, and the phase change material component 32 changes from a gaseous state back to a solid state and releases gas, the one-way valve 33 can prevent the gas in the receiving cavity 311 from flowing back to the receiving cavity 24, thereby slowing down the rate of vacuum decrease in the receiving cavity 24 and prolonging the duration of the low-pressure environment in the welding area.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 3According to some embodiments of this application, the vacuum generating assembly 30 further includes a sensor 34 and a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the one-way valve 33 and the sensor 34. The sensor 34 is disposed in the housing 31 and is used to detect the vacuum level in the receiving cavity 24. The controller is used to control the one-way valve 33 to open or close according to the vacuum level.

[0063] As an example, sensor 34 can be a resistive vacuum sensor 34, a capacitive vacuum sensor 34, etc.

[0064] Understandably, the controller can receive the vacuum signal collected by sensor 34 and control the opening or closing of the one-way valve 33 according to the detected value. As an example, the controller is a programmable logic controller. The controller can be fixedly installed inside the protective chamber or installed outside the protective chamber.

[0065] By installing a sensor 34 on the housing 31, the sensor 34 can detect the vacuum level inside the containment cavity 24 in real time and transmit the detection signal to the controller. The controller controls the opening and closing of the one-way valve 33 based on the vacuum level value. If the vacuum level of the containment cavity 24 drops below a set threshold, the controller controls the one-way valve 33 to open. The heat generated during welding causes the phase change material component 32 to change from a solid to a gaseous state and adsorb gas, replenishing the gas extracted from the containment cavity 24. When the vacuum level rises back to a level not lower than the set threshold, the controller controls the one-way valve 33 to close. Thus, the workflow can be dynamically adjusted according to the actual gas pressure inside the containment cavity 24, keeping the vacuum level of the containment cavity 24 within a relatively stable range. The set threshold can be 8 Pa, 10 Pa, or 12 Pa.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the receiving cavity 311 is provided with an outlet 313, the side of the housing 31 with the outlet 313 is connected to the inner wall of the protective cover 20, the protective cover 20 is provided with an opening 2121, the opening 2121 is correspondingly provided with the outlet 313 and communicates with each other, the outer wall of the protective cover 20 is provided with an observation window 23, the observation window 23 is slidably connected with the protective cover 20 and is used to open or close the opening 2121.

[0067] As an example, the outlet 313 can be a square or round opening. The side of the housing 31 with the opening 2121 is connected to the protective compartment and sealed.

[0068] As an example, the outer wall of the protective cabin can be provided with two sliding tracks at intervals, and the observation windows 23 are embedded in the tracks on opposite sides and slidably connected to the tracks. The observation windows 23 can be quartz glass windows, tempered glass windows, etc.

[0069] The receiving cavity 311 of the vacuum generating assembly 30 is connected to the opening 2121 of the protective cover 20 via the outlet 313. A sliding observation window 23 is provided on the outer wall of the protective cover 20. Under normal circumstances, the observation window 23 is in the closed opening 2121 state, ensuring the overall sealing of the receiving cavity 24 and creating a sealed environment for the phase change material component 32 to adsorb gas during the phase change from solid to gaseous state during welding. Operators can observe the working status of the phase change material inside the receiving cavity 311 through the observation window 23. When it is necessary to inspect or replace the phase change material component 32, the observation window 23 can be slid open to allow operation of the internal components of the receiving cavity 311, improving the convenience of equipment maintenance.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the protective cover 20 includes a cover body 21 and an end cap 22. The cover body 21 has a first opening and a second opening that are disposed opposite to each other. The end cap 22 is disposed on the first opening, and the support platform 10 is disposed on the second opening. The welding device 60 is disposed on the side of the end cap 22 away from the cover body 21.

[0071] Understandably, the cover 21 is the main structure of the protective cover 20, and the center of the end cap 22 can be reserved for laser penetration, or the end cap 22 can be a glass part, so that the laser emitted by the welding device 60 can penetrate the end cap 22 and irradiate the workpiece 200 to be welded.

[0072] The cover 21 has a first opening and a second opening at each end. The end cap 22 covers the first opening, and the support platform 10 covers the second opening, together forming a closed receiving cavity 24. The welding device 60 is located on the outside of the end cap 22, and the housing 31 of the vacuum generating assembly 30 is connected to the inner wall of the cover 21. The laser emitted by the welding device 60 can penetrate the end cap 22 and enter the receiving cavity 24 to complete the welding. The closed receiving cavity 24 can reduce the interference of external gases, which facilitates the solid-to-gas phase change of the phase change material component 32 and the adsorption of gases.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the cover 21 includes a first sub-cover 211, a second sub-cover 212 and a third sub-cover 213 connected in sequence. The first sub-cover 211 has a first opening on the side away from the second sub-cover 212, and the third sub-cover 213 has a second opening on the side away from the second sub-cover 212. The shell 31 is disposed on the inner wall surface of the second sub-cover 212.

[0074] As an example, the first sub-cover 211, the second sub-cover 212, and the third sub-cover 213 can be spliced ​​together or connected as a whole.

[0075] By concentrating the vacuum generating components 30 in the central area of ​​the second sub-cover 212 region, the gas flow path from the containment cavity 24 to the containment cavity 311 can be shortened. After the heat generated by laser welding is conducted to the containment cavity 311, the phase change material component 32 changes from solid to gas and adsorbs the gas. The shorter airflow path allows the adsorption process to proceed more smoothly.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the diameter of the second sub-cover 212 gradually decreases along the arrangement direction from the first sub-cover 211 to the second sub-cover 212.

[0077] As an example, along the arrangement direction from the first sub-cover 211 to the second sub-cover 212, the projections of the first sub-cover 211, the second sub-cover 212, and the third sub-cover 213 on the support platform 10 are all annular.

[0078] As an example, both the first sub-cover 211 and the third sub-cover 213 are barrel-shaped structures with a fixed diameter. The diameter of the first sub-cover 211 is larger than the diameter of the third sub-cover 213.

[0079] The second sub-cover 212 adopts a gradually decreasing cross-sectional structure with a smaller diameter, which allows for a smooth flow channel to be formed within the receiving cavity 24. During the flow of gas from the receiving cavity 24 to the receiving cavity 311, the gradually decreasing cross-sectional structure guides the airflow smoothly, weakens airflow turbulence, and makes the gas distribution within the receiving cavity 24 more uniform, thus maintaining a stable efficiency in the phase change material component 32 for adsorbing gas by transitioning from a solid to a gaseous state.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram of section B in the middle; Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the welding equipment according to some embodiments of this application from another perspective; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the CC direction. According to some embodiments of this application, the welding equipment 100 further includes a sealing assembly 40, which is disposed inside the protective cover 20 and located at the bottom of the protective cover 20, for sealing the gap between the protective cover 20 and the support platform 10.

[0081] As an example, the sealing assembly 40 may be an integral annular sealing kit or a split combination sealing ring, the outline of which is adapted to the bottom of the protective cover 20.

[0082] By providing a sealing component 40 at the connection position between the protective cover 20 and the support platform 10, the sealing component 40 can seal the assembly gap between the protective cover 20 and the support platform 10, thereby reducing the risk of external gas flowing into the protective cover 20, reducing the impact of external gas on the gas pressure inside the receiving cavity 24, and facilitating the maintenance of a vacuum or low-pressure state inside the receiving cavity 24 during the welding process.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 4 According to some embodiments of this application, the sealing assembly 40 includes a first sealing member 42 and an elastic member 41. The elastic member 41 surrounds the inner periphery of the first sealing member 42 and abuts the first sealing member 42 against the inner wall surface of the protective cover 20.

[0084] As an example, the elastic element 41 can be a ring-shaped spring. In the assembled state, the elastic element 41 is pressed against the inner circumference of the protective cover 20, and is in a state of compression deformation and storing elastic potential energy. The elastic element 41 generates a pressing force by its own elastic deformation, so that the first sealing element 42 always abuts against the inner wall surface of the protective cover 20, thereby achieving a continuous seal.

[0085] As an example, the first seal 42 can be a graphite seal ring or a fluororubber seal ring.

[0086] As an example, the support platform 10 is provided with an annular mounting groove, and the first seal 42 is partially embedded in the mounting groove.

[0087] By surrounding the first seal 42 with the elastic element 41, when the protective cover 20 presses down to fit the support platform 10, it can cover the outside of the elastic element 41, and cause the elastic element 41 to undergo elastic deformation under pressure. This allows the elastic element 41 to continuously apply elastic force to the first seal 42, and the first seal 42 to fit against the inner wall of the protective cover 20 by relying on the elastic holding action. This keeps the first seal 42 in continuous contact and sealing with the inner wall of the protective cover 20, thereby reducing the infiltration of external gas into the protective cover 20 and stabilizing the air pressure in the receiving cavity 24.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 4 According to some embodiments of this application, the sealing assembly 40 further includes a second seal 43, which is disposed at one end of the protective cover 20 facing the support platform 10 and abuts against the first seal 42.

[0089] As an example, the second seal 43 can be nested outside the end of the protective cover 20 facing the support platform 10, and the second seal 43 can be a fluororubber part, a graphite sealing ring, etc.

[0090] By assembling the second seal 43 at the end of the protective cover 20 facing the support platform 10, the second seal 43 and the first seal 42 abut against each other to form a double-layer sealing structure. The double-layer sealing structure can extend the permeation path of external gas and slow down the rate at which external gas permeates inward, thereby further improving the sealing effect and reducing the interference of external air pressure on the gas in the receiving cavity 24.

[0091] Please refer to Figure 1 According to some embodiments of this application, the vacuum generating assembly 30 further includes a light heating element 50, which is disposed outside the protective cover 20 and is used to provide light to the phase change material.

[0092] As an example, the light heating element 50 can be a light heating lamp, a laser-assisted light source, a near-infrared light irradiator, etc., and the light heating element 50 can be independently started and stopped.

[0093] By adding a photoheater 50 to the outside of the protective cover 20, light can be emitted directionally into the housing cavity 311 before welding, providing heat to the phase change material component 32 through photothermal effect. The heat generated by the light can help trigger the phase change material component 32 to change from solid to gaseous state, thereby achieving the adsorption of gas in the housing cavity 24 before welding, which helps to further reduce the risk of spatter entering the product to be welded; after the light is stopped, the temperature of the phase change material component 32 gradually decreases, changes from gaseous state back to solid state and releases gas, completing the state reset, so that the vacuum generating component 30 can cycle to perform the gas extraction operation.

[0094] Please refer to Figure 3 According to some embodiments of this application, the number of vacuum generating components 30 is two, and the two vacuum generating components 30 are arranged at circumferential intervals along the protective cover 20.

[0095] As an example, two vacuum generating components 30 are symmetrically arranged on the inner wall of the protective chamber.

[0096] By setting the number of vacuum generating components 30 to two, and arranging the two vacuum generating components 30 circumferentially spaced around the protective cover 20, gas can be simultaneously extracted from different positions in the receiving cavity 24. Furthermore, the phase change material components 32 within the two receiving cavities 311 can simultaneously transform from solid to gas and adsorb gas. Multi-point synchronous operation can accelerate the gas extraction speed inside the receiving cavity 24 and shorten the time required to establish a vacuum or low-pressure environment within the receiving cavity 24. In addition, the two vacuum generating components 30 can share the workload; if the operating condition of one vacuum generating component 30 fluctuates, the other can compensate, making the overall pumping process more balanced.

[0097] According to some embodiments of this application, the ratio of the sum of the volumes of the two receiving cavities 311 to the volume of the receiving cavity 24 is not less than 1 / 3.

[0098] As an example, the ratio of the sum of the volumes of the two receiving cavities 311 to the volume of the receiving cavity 24 can be 1 / 3, 1 / 2, 2 / 3, 1, etc.

[0099] The total volume of the two receiving cavities 311 accounts for no less than 1 / 3 of the volume of the receiving cavity 24, and the receiving cavity 311 can accommodate a sufficient amount of phase change material component 32. When the phase change material component 32 changes from solid to gas and adsorbs a large amount of gas, the large-volume receiving cavity 311 can buffer the instantaneous fluctuations in gas pressure and vacuum, reduce the amplitude of sudden changes in gas pressure inside the receiving cavity 24, and allow the vacuum level inside the receiving cavity 24 to change smoothly during the welding process.

[0100] According to some embodiments of this application, the protective cover 20 is a glass cover.

[0101] As an example, the protective cover 20 can be made of quartz glass.

[0102] The glass shield has excellent laser transmission capability, allowing the welding laser to penetrate the glass shield and irradiate the surface of the workpiece to be welded 200, ensuring the normal progress of the welding process; at the same time, the glass shield has good airtightness, making it easy to form a sealed cavity.

[0103] According to some embodiments of this application, the outer surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-reflective film; the inner surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-stick coating.

[0104] Antireflective coatings are optical functional films used to reduce laser reflection and improve light transmittance; for example, antireflective coatings are anti-reflection coatings.

[0105] As an example, the anti-stick coating can be a diamond-like carbon film, a carbon coating, etc., which has the characteristics of anti-sticking, wear resistance, and high temperature resistance.

[0106] By setting an antireflection film on the outer surface of the glass shield, the antireflection film can reduce the reflection phenomenon generated when the laser passes through the glass interface, improve the laser transmission ratio, and reduce the energy loss during laser transmission.

[0107] An anti-stick coating is provided on the inner surface of the glass cover. When welding slag and metal dust generated during welding come into contact with the inner wall, the interfacial adhesion force is weakened. Welding slag and dust are not easy to adhere and accumulate on the inner wall of the protective cover 20, which can reduce the impact of the deposits on the optical path conduction and the internal space of the cavity 24.

[0108] This application provides a battery production line, which includes the welding equipment 100 described in the above embodiments.

[0109] The battery production line provided in this application includes the welding equipment 100 described in any of the above embodiments. The welding equipment 100 is used to weld components of the battery device, and therefore has the technical effects of any of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0110] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 According to some embodiments of this application, this application provides a welding device 100, including a support platform 10, a protective cover 20, a vacuum generating assembly 30, a light heating element 50, a sealing assembly 40, and a welding device 60. The support platform 10 is used to support the workpiece 200 to be welded; the protective cover 20 has a receiving cavity 24, is disposed on the support platform 10, and is used to cover the workpiece 200 to be welded; the vacuum generating assembly 30 includes a housing 31, a phase change material element 32, a one-way valve 33, a sensor 34, and a controller. The housing 31 has a receiving cavity 311 with an inlet 312 communicating with the receiving cavity 24. The phase change material element 32 is disposed within the receiving cavity 311 and is configured to transition between a solid and a gaseous state. The one-way valve 33 is located at the inlet 312, and the controller is electrically connected to the sensor 34 and the one-way valve 33. The photoheating element 50 is located outside the protective cover 20 and is used to emit light to the phase change material 32 in the receiving cavity 311 to change the phase change material 32 from solid to gas. The sealing assembly 40 is located inside the protective cover 20 and at the bottom of the protective cover 20 and is used to seal the gap between the protective cover 20 and the support platform 10. The welding device 60 is located outside the protective cover 20 and is used to emit laser light to the workpiece 200 to weld the workpiece 200.

[0111] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A welding device, characterized in that, include: A support platform, used to support the parts to be welded; A protective cover, having a receiving cavity, is disposed on the support platform and is used to cover the workpiece to be welded; A vacuum generating assembly includes a housing and a phase change material component. The housing has a receiving cavity with an inlet that communicates with the receiving cavity. The phase change material component is disposed within the receiving cavity and is configured to be capable of switching between a solid and a gaseous state. A welding device, located outside the protective cover, is used to emit a laser to the workpiece to be welded in order to weld the workpiece.

2. The welding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet is provided with a one-way valve, which is configured to allow the medium to flow unidirectionally from the receiving cavity to the receiving cavity.

3. The welding equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The vacuum generating assembly also includes a sensor and a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the one-way valve and the sensor. The sensor is located in the housing and is used to detect the vacuum level in the receiving cavity. The controller is used to control the one-way valve to open or close according to the vacuum level.

4. The welding equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The receiving cavity has an outlet, and the side of the housing with the outlet is connected to the inner wall of the protective cover. The protective cover has an opening, which is correspondingly arranged with and communicates with the outlet. The outer wall of the protective cover has an observation window, which is slidably connected to the protective cover and is used to open or close the opening.

5. The welding equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The protective cover includes a cover body and an end cap. The cover body has a first opening and a second opening that are disposed opposite to each other. The end cap is disposed on the first opening, and the support platform is disposed on the second opening. The welding device is located on the side of the end cap away from the cover.

6. The welding equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cover includes a first sub-cover, a second sub-cover, and a third sub-cover connected in sequence. The first sub-cover has a first opening on the side away from the second sub-cover, and the third sub-cover has a second opening on the side away from the second sub-cover. The housing is located on the inner wall of the second sub-cover.

7. The welding equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, Along the arrangement direction from the first sub-cover to the second sub-cover, the diameter of the second sub-cover gradually decreases.

8. The welding equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The welding equipment also includes a sealing assembly, which is disposed inside the protective cover and located at the bottom of the protective cover, for sealing the gap between the protective cover and the support platform.

9. The welding equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The sealing assembly includes a first sealing element and an elastic element, the elastic element being disposed around the inner periphery of the first sealing element and causing the first sealing element to abut against the inner wall surface of the protective cover.

10. The welding equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The sealing assembly further includes a second seal, which is located at one end of the protective cover facing the support platform and abuts against the second seal.

11. The welding equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The welding equipment also includes a photoheating element, which is located outside the protective cover and is used to provide light to the phase change material.

12. The welding equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The number of vacuum generating components is two, and the two vacuum generating components are arranged at a circumferential interval along the protective cover.

13. The welding equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, The ratio of the sum of the volumes of the two receiving cavities to the volume of the receiving cavity is not less than 1 / 3.

14. The welding equipment according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The protective cover is a glass cover.

15. The welding equipment according to claim 14, characterized in that, The outer surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-reflective film. And / or, the inner surface of the glass cover is coated with an anti-stick coating.

16. A battery production line, characterized in that, The welding equipment included in any one of claims 1-15.

Images