A vacuum drying machine

Abstract

This utility model discloses an unwinding vacuum dryer, relating to the field of industrial drying technology. The equipment includes a support frame, a vacuum drying chamber mounted on the support frame, a vacuum device, and a winding mechanism located within the chamber. The vacuum drying chamber is equipped with a heat insulation layer and heating pipes, and has a sealed door on the outside. The winding mechanism includes a driving winding shaft and a driven unwinding shaft, both of which pass horizontally through the chamber wall via rotating shafts. Both the driving winding shaft and the driven unwinding shaft are equipped with radial adjustment components and adjustment handwheels, allowing the adjustment components to extend and retract radially by rotating the handwheels, thereby accommodating materials of different inner diameters and ensuring stable clamping. A drive motor drives the driving winding shaft to rotate via a transmission belt, which, in conjunction with the vacuum environment and heating system, achieves efficient and uniform drying of the material during the dynamic winding process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment, specifically relating to an unwinding vacuum dryer that can efficiently remove moisture from the positive and negative electrode coils of a battery through dynamic winding under vacuum negative pressure. Background Technology

[0002] In high-end manufacturing industries such as lithium-ion batteries, capacitors, and flexible electronic devices, the degree of dryness of materials directly affects the final performance of the product. For example, if the positive and negative electrodes of a lithium battery contain even trace amounts of moisture, it can lead to battery bulging, electrolyte decomposition, or even short circuits. Therefore, an efficient and thorough drying process is crucial.

[0003] Traditional drying equipment is mainly divided into forced-air drying ovens and ordinary vacuum drying ovens. Forced-air drying ovens utilize hot air convection, but this method easily leads to material oxidation and is not effective at removing deep moisture. Although ordinary vacuum drying ovens can lower the boiling point of water and prevent oxidation, most of them adopt a shelf structure and are only suitable for sheet or tray materials.

[0004] For rolled materials (such as rolled electrode foil), directly placing them in a conventional vacuum chamber only dries the outermost layer and sides of the roll, leaving the moisture between the inner layers difficult to escape. Unrolling the roll for drying requires a large footprint and high energy consumption in traditional tunnel drying ovens. Therefore, the industry needs equipment that combines "winding" with "vacuum drying," allowing the material to be wound and unwound in a vacuum environment, exposing each layer to heat during movement, thus achieving thorough drying.

[0005] Furthermore, existing methods for fixing the rolls mostly use air-expanding shafts with a fixed diameter. However, in a vacuum environment, the air bladder of the air-expanding shaft is prone to failure due to pressure differential changes, or requires complex rotating air circuit connectors, leading to sealing difficulties and a high risk of leakage. Moreover, the inner diameter of the raw material rolls varies depending on the specifications, making shaft head replacement cumbersome. Therefore, developing a purely mechanical structure with good sealing performance and adaptability to different roll diameters is particularly urgent. Utility Model Content

[0006] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide an unwinding vacuum dryer. This equipment simultaneously winds and unwinds the electrode roll within a vacuum chamber and dries it under vacuum, allowing each layer of the electrode sheet to be directly exposed to heat radiation and a vacuum environment, thus completely solving the problems of incomplete drying and low drying efficiency when drying entire rolls.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A vacuum drying machine for unwinding, characterized in that it comprises: a support frame; a vacuum drying chamber fixed on the support frame, the front side of the vacuum drying chamber having an opening and a sealing door connected by a hinge, and a vacuum device connected to the side wall of the vacuum drying chamber; a heating tube disposed inside the vacuum drying chamber; an active winding shaft and a passive unwinding shaft transversely inserted inside the vacuum drying chamber; and a drive motor disposed outside the vacuum drying chamber and drivingly connected to the active winding shaft; wherein, the active winding shaft includes a first rotating shaft, a first radial adjustment component sleeved on the first rotating shaft, and a first adjustment handwheel located at the shaft end; the passive unwinding shaft includes a second rotating shaft, a second radial adjustment component sleeved on the second rotating shaft, and a second adjustment handwheel located at the shaft end; by rotating the first adjustment handwheel and the second adjustment handwheel, the first radial adjustment component and the second radial adjustment component can be driven to expand radially outward or contract radially inward, so as to fix or release the rolled material.

[0009] Preferably, both the first radial adjustment component and the second radial adjustment component include a plurality of arc-shaped support plates evenly distributed along the circumferential direction, and the arc-shaped support plates are provided with a tapered opening mechanism that is threadedly connected to the adjustment handwheel.

[0010] Preferably, the active winding shaft is further provided with a first stop, and the driven unwinding shaft is further provided with a second stop. The first stop and the second stop are respectively located on the side of the first shaft and the second shaft near the rear wall of the bin, and are used to limit the axial position of the material.

[0011] Preferably, the drive motor includes a drive motor fixed on a support frame, a drive wheel connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, a driven wheel connected to one end of the first rotating shaft extending out of the chamber, and a transmission belt connecting the drive wheel and the driven wheel.

[0012] Preferably, there are multiple heating tubes, which are arranged vertically at intervals and fixed on the inner wall of the vacuum drying chamber, and located on one side of the active winding shaft and the driven unwinding shaft.

[0013] Preferably, the inner wall of the vacuum drying chamber is lined with a heat insulation layer, which is made of high-temperature resistant heat insulation cotton or aerogel felt.

[0014] Preferably, the edge of the sealed door is provided with a sealing strip, and the door frame of the vacuum drying chamber is provided with several latches, which are used to press and fix the sealed door to the vacuum drying chamber.

[0015] Preferably, the active winding shaft and the driven unwinding shaft are arranged vertically in parallel within the vacuum drying chamber.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0017] 1. Vacuum negative pressure drying is adopted, and dynamic winding is used to heat the electrode in an "open" manner, which results in a shorter moisture evaporation path and a faster evaporation speed.

[0018] 2. Extremely high thermal uniformity: The array of heating tubes inside the chamber provides a uniform heating temperature zone. Combined with the constant speed winding and unwinding of the electrode sheets, the moisture content error of the entire roll of electrode sheets can be precisely controlled.

[0019] 3. The sealing door has a large opening, and the roller adopts a cantilever structure or a simple support structure, which facilitates manual loading and unloading of materials and cleaning of dust inside the silo.

[0020] 4. The innovative use of handwheel adjustment achieves mechanical radial adjustment without the need for a compressed air source, solving the problem of unreliability of pneumatic clamps in a vacuum environment. It also has a wide range of roll diameter adaptability and is easy to operate. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the wound vacuum drying equipment with radial adjustment function provided by this utility model (front view, door open state).

[0022] Figure 2 This is a side-rear perspective view of the device of this utility model, mainly showing the drive motor 12.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the independent structure of the core winding assembly (active winding shaft and driven unwinding shaft) and drive system of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the device of this utility model (front view, door closed).

[0025] The meanings of the labels in the attached figures are as follows:

[0026] 1. Vacuum drying chamber; 2. Insulation layer; 3. Active winding shaft; 301. First rotating shaft; 302. First side guard; 303. First radial adjustment assembly; 304. First adjustment handwheel; 4. Driven unwinding shaft; 401. Second rotating shaft; 402. Second side guard; 403. Second radial adjustment assembly; 404. Second adjustment handwheel; 5. Support frame; 6. Sealing door; 7. Heating tube; 8. Lock; 9. Driven wheel; 10. Drive wheel; 11. Vacuum device; 12. Drive motor; 13. Transmission belt. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0028] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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 a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the uncoil vacuum dryer provided by this utility model has an overall box-type structure. The main body of the equipment is the support frame 5, which is welded from rectangular square steel and has a stable bottom to support the vacuum drying chamber 1 above. The vacuum drying chamber 1 is welded from stainless steel plates and has sufficient thickness and reinforcing ribs to withstand the huge negative pressure generated during vacuuming.

[0032] To facilitate loading and unloading of materials, the vacuum drying chamber 1 has a large rectangular opening on the front and is equipped with a sealing door 6. The sealing door 6 is hinged to one side of the chamber, and the door frame contact surface is fitted with a U-shaped sealing strip made of high-temperature resistant silicone or fluororubber. Several latches 8 are located around the door (e.g.,...). Figure 1 As shown (two on the top and two on the sides), these latches typically employ a spiral clamping or quick-clamping design to ensure a tight seal between the door and the chamber before vacuuming.

[0033] like Figure 1As shown, the inner wall of the vacuum drying chamber 1 is lined with a heat insulation layer 2. In specific implementations, the heat insulation layer 2 can adopt a multi-layer structure, with the inner layer being a mirrored stainless steel reflector and the middle layer filled with aluminum silicate fiber cotton or aerogel felt, which can effectively block heat conduction, ensure that the outer wall of the chamber is not hot to the touch, and reduce energy consumption.

[0034] The heat source comes from heating tubes 7 installed on the inner side wall of the chamber. Multiple heating tubes 7 are arranged horizontally and at equal intervals along the vertical direction on the right side wall. That is, the heating tubes are located on the sides of the active winding shaft 3 and the driven unwinding shaft 4, which can form a uniform heat radiation field that directly acts on the surface of the sheet-like material being transported between the two shafts. The heating tubes can be far-infrared radiation heating tubes or stainless steel electric heating tubes.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the vacuum drying chamber 1 has an active winding shaft 3 and a driven unwinding shaft 4 arranged vertically and parallel to each other inside the chamber. The active winding shaft 3 is located at the top and consists of a first rotating shaft 301, a first flange 302, a first radial adjustment assembly 303, and a first adjustment handwheel 304. The first rotating shaft 301 is the power transmitter; one end passes through the rear wall of the chamber and is connected to an external drive system, while the other end cantilevered into the chamber. The driven unwinding shaft 4 is located at the bottom and has a similar structure to the active shaft, including a second rotating shaft 401, a second flange 402, a second radial adjustment assembly 403, and a second adjustment handwheel 404.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, the first radial adjustment assembly 303 and the second radial adjustment assembly 403 are composed of multiple arc-shaped metal plates, which cover the outside of the rotating shaft body. A lead screw mechanism is provided inside the center of the rotating shaft, and the lead screw is connected to the first adjustment handwheel 304 and the second adjustment handwheel 404 at the shaft end.

[0037] When the operator rotates the handwheel clockwise, the lead screw rotates, causing the conical wedge or linkage mechanism inside the drive shaft to move axially. This pushes up the wedge, forcing the outer arc-shaped plate to expand radially outward. The expanded assembly tightly supports the inner wall of the material roll (paper tube or rubber tube), achieving centering and clamping. Rotating the handwheel in the opposite direction retracts the assembly, allowing the roll to be easily removed.

[0038] The first flange 302 and the second flange 402 are disc-shaped flanges fixed at the root of the shaft, used to provide an axial positioning reference for the material roll and prevent the material from deviating during the winding process.

[0039] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the drive system is located at the rear of the vacuum drying chamber 1, with the drive motor 12 fixed to a motor mount extending from the support frame 5. The motor can be a variable frequency motor or a servo motor for precise speed control. The motor's output shaft is connected to a drive wheel 10; a driven wheel 9 is mounted on the end of the active winding shaft 3 extending out of the chamber; the diameter of the drive wheel 10 is smaller than the diameter of the driven wheel 9. The two are connected by a transmission belt 13. This large-wheel-driven-small-wheel reduction design effectively increases the winding torque, ensuring smooth winding. Furthermore, the belt drive also provides overload slippage protection and shock absorption.

[0040] Furthermore, Figure 2 The interface location of the vacuum device 11 is also shown. The vacuum device 11 consists of a high vacuum baffle valve, a Roots pump or a rotary vane pump assembly, which is used to evacuate the chamber to the required vacuum level (such as below -0.098 MPa).

[0041] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the sealing door 6 of the uncoil vacuum dryer of this utility model when it is closed.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will understand that since the shaft needs to rotate and pass through the chamber wall, dynamic sealing is crucial. In this embodiment, a combined sealing structure of double-layer skeleton oil seal and vacuum grease is used at the location where the first shaft 301 and the second shaft 401 pass through the rear wall of the chamber (not shown in the attached drawings). This design allows the shaft to rotate at high speed while effectively preventing external atmosphere from entering the vacuum chamber.

[0043] The unwinding vacuum dryer involved in this utility model has the following working process:

[0044] Step 1, Loading: Open the sealing door 6, rotate the second adjusting handwheel 404 to retract the second radial adjusting component 403, load the raw material roll to be dried, and rotate the handwheel in the opposite direction to tighten it. Pull the material to the upper active winding shaft 3, fix it on the take-up drum core, and tighten the take-up drum by the first adjusting handwheel 304.

[0045] Step 2, sealing: Close the sealing door 6 and tighten all latches 8.

[0046] Step 3, Vacuuming and Heating: Activate vacuum device 11 to evacuate the chamber to the preset vacuum level. Simultaneously turn on heating element 7 to bring the chamber to the set temperature.

[0047] Step 4, Drying: Start the drive motor 12 to rotate the active winding shaft 3. The material is slowly released from the unwinding shaft below, passes through the heating zone, is heated and releases moisture / solvent, and finally winds onto the take-up shaft above. The vacuum pump continues to work to extract the evaporated water vapor.

[0048] Step 5: Discharge: After drying is complete, stop heating and motor, wait for the temperature to cool down, fill with air to balance the pressure, open the door, retract the adjustment component, and remove the dried finished roll.

[0049] In summary, this utility model, through its unique mechanical radial adjustment roller design combined with vacuum drying technology, perfectly solves the problem of deep drying of roll materials and has extremely high industrial application value.

[0050] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the protection scope of this utility model. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. An uncoil vacuum dryer, characterized in that, include: A support frame (5) is fixed to a vacuum drying chamber (1). The front side of the vacuum drying chamber (1) is provided with an opening and a sealing door (6) is connected by a hinge. A vacuum device (11) is connected to the side wall of the vacuum drying chamber (1). Heating tubes (7) are installed inside the vacuum drying chamber (1); The active winding shaft (3) and the driven unwinding shaft (4) are transversely inserted inside the vacuum drying chamber (1); and, A drive motor (12) is located outside the vacuum drying chamber (1) and is connected to the active winding shaft (3) for transmission. The active winding shaft (3) includes a first rotating shaft (301), a first radial adjustment assembly (303) sleeved on the first rotating shaft, and a first adjustment handwheel (304) located at the end of the shaft. The driven unwinding shaft (4) includes a second rotating shaft (401), a second radial adjustment assembly (403) sleeved on the second rotating shaft, and a second adjustment handwheel (404) located at the end of the shaft. By rotating the first adjusting handwheel (304) and the second adjusting handwheel (404), the first radial adjusting component (303) and the second radial adjusting component (403) can be driven to expand outward or contract inward radially, respectively, to fix or release the rolled material.

2. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first radial adjustment component (303) and the second radial adjustment component (403) each include several arc-shaped support plates evenly distributed along the circumferential direction. The arc-shaped support plates are provided with a tapered opening mechanism that is threadedly connected to the adjustment handwheel.

3. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The active winding shaft (3) is also provided with a first stop (302), and the driven unwinding shaft (4) is also provided with a second stop (402). The first stop (302) and the second stop (402) are respectively located on the side of the first rotating shaft (301) and the second rotating shaft (401) near the rear wall of the silo, and are used to limit the axial position of the material.

4. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive motor (12) includes a drive motor (12) fixed on the support frame (5), a drive wheel (10) connected to the output shaft of the drive motor (12), a driven wheel (9) connected to the end of the first rotating shaft (301) extending out of the chamber, and a transmission belt (13) connecting the drive wheel (10) and the driven wheel (9).

5. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of heating tubes (7) is multiple. The heating tubes (7) are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction and fixed on the inner wall of the vacuum drying chamber (1), and located on one side of the active winding shaft (3) and the passive unwinding shaft (4).

6. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the vacuum drying chamber (1) is covered with a heat insulation layer (2), which is made of high-temperature heat-insulating cotton or aerogel felt.

7. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The edge of the sealing door (6) is provided with a sealing strip, and the door frame of the vacuum drying chamber (1) is provided with several latches (8). The latches (8) are used to press and fix the sealing door (6) onto the vacuum drying chamber (1).

8. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 7, characterized in that: The number of latches (8) is 8. Two latches (8) are respectively set on the upper, lower, left and right sides of the door frame of the vacuum drying chamber (1).

9. The uncoiling vacuum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The active winding shaft (3) and the passive unwinding shaft (4) are arranged vertically in parallel within the vacuum drying chamber (1).

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