Tab detection method and device

Abstract

A tab detection method and device includes a step (S301) of determining that a first tab of a first polar sheet among a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area, and a step (S302) of collecting image information of the first tab, wherein the plurality of polar sheets move along a vertical direction into the image collection area, and the image information of the first tab is used to determine the state of the first tab. The provided tab detection method can completely detect the dimensions and shape of the tab, while avoiding adverse effects on the state of the tab during the detection process, thereby improving the detection effect and the detection efficiency at the same time.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to the field of batteries, and more particularly to tab detection methods and apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key points in the sustainable development of the automotive industry. In this context, electric vehicles have become an important component in the sustainable development of the automotive industry due to their advantages of energy saving and environmental friendliness. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a key element in their development.

[0003] In power batteries, electrode assemblies are generally processed by a lamination process. Before lamination, tabs are usually detected and corresponding data is stored to avoid a situation where, after lamination is completed and a battery cell is constructed, if an abnormality occurs in the battery cell, it is impossible to identify which tab has the abnormality and therefore the entire battery cell needs to be replaced. Therefore, how to efficiently and highly accurately detect tabs before lamination is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a tab detection method and device that can completely detect the dimensions and shape of a tab while avoiding adverse effects on the state of the tab during the detection process, thereby improving the detection effect and increasing the detection efficiency.

[0005] According to a first aspect, there is provided a tab detection method including the steps of determining that a first tab of a first polar sheet among a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area, the plurality of polar sheets moving along a vertical direction into the image collection area, and collecting image information of the first tab, the image information of the first tab being used to determine a state of the first tab.

[0006] In the embodiments of the present application, image information of the tab moving along the vertical direction is collected. On the one hand, by collecting image information of the tab, characteristics such as the dimensions and shape of the tab can be completely detected. Compared to solutions that use optical sensors to detect tabs, collecting image information of the tab can accurately detect and identify whether the tab is folded over, missing, or broken, improving the tab detection effect. On the other hand, image information of the tab is collected when the tab moves along the vertical direction to a first position, which avoids unevenness such as dents caused by gravity when the tab moves horizontally, thereby avoiding the impact of gravity on detection accuracy. In addition, image information is collected when the tab reaches the first position, which does not require the tab to remain in the image collection area and allows image information of multiple tabs to be collected continuously, greatly improving tab detection efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, the step of determining that a first tab of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position includes the steps of determining that the first tab has reached a second position, the second position being a start position of the image collection area in the vertical direction, and determining that the first tab has reached the first position when the first tab has moved a first distance along the vertical direction after reaching the second position.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present application, image collection is performed on the first tab when it is determined that a first distance has passed since the first tab entered the image collection area, ensuring that the image collection area completely covers the first tab, helping to avoid a situation in which the first tab is not completely within the image collection area or is partially separated from the image collection area, resulting in incomplete collection of image information, and further improving detection quality and detection efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments, the plurality of polar sheets pass a first detection mechanism and move along the vertical direction into the image collection area, and the step of determining that the first tab has reached the second position includes the step of determining that the first tab has passed the first detection mechanism, and the step of determining that the first tab has reached the second position when the first tab has moved a second distance along the vertical direction after passing the first detection mechanism.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, a first detection mechanism monitors whether the first tab has reached the second position, and determines that the first tab has reached the second position when the first tab has moved a second distance after passing through the first detection mechanism, thereby easily and accurately determining the timing at which the first tab has reached the image collection area, ensuring that the first tab reaches the first position at the correct timing, and that image information is collected completely and accurately.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes counting tabs that pass the first position, and if the number of tabs that pass the first position is equal to the number of tabs, verifying that image information for all of the plurality of tabs has been collected.

[0012] In the embodiment of the present application, by counting the tabs that pass through the image collection area, it is possible to determine whether image information of all of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly has been collected, and if the count number does not reach the number of the multiple tabs, it is possible to ensure that image information of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly is continuously collected, thereby helping to improve the tab detection efficiency.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first tab is a first tab of the first electrode assembly, and after determining that the first tab has reached the second position, the method further includes resetting the tab count of a second electrode assembly to 0, the second electrode assembly being an electrode assembly detected before the first electrode assembly.

[0014] In the embodiment of the present application, when the first tab of the first electrode assembly reaches the second position, the count of the tab of the second electrode assembly is set to 0, i.e., the count of the tab of the electrode assembly detected before the first electrode assembly is set to 0, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the count when detecting multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly and helping to improve detection efficiency.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving a detection result of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly after image information of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly has all been collected.

[0016] In the embodiment of the present application, after determining that the image information of the multiple tabs of the multiple polar sheets of the first electrode assembly has all been completely collected, the detection result of the tabs of the entire electrode assembly is received, thereby avoiding the influence of frequent data transmission on the tab detection, and enabling the image information of the multiple tabs in the electrode assembly to be collected quickly and continuously, thereby improving the detection efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments, the plurality of polar sheets enter a stacking area after passing through the image collection area and are stacked in the stacking area.

[0018] In the embodiment of the present application, the multiple polar sheets of the first electrode assembly move along the vertical direction and pass through the image collection area before entering the stacking area to be stacked, which reduces the risk of the tabs being folded back during the movement process after passing through the image collection area and before entering the stacking area, prevents the defective state of the tabs from affecting the detection results after tab detection, and improves the accuracy of the tab detection results.

[0019] In some embodiments, image information of the plurality of tabs is collected by at least one CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera.

[0020] In the embodiment of the present application, image information of the tabs is collected by a CCD camera, which can take high-speed and continuous images of the tabs that continuously pass through the image collection area, ensuring the efficiency and quality of tab detection.

[0021] In some embodiments, when the first tab reaches the first position, the center of the first tab overlaps with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera.

[0022] In the embodiment of the present application, the first position is set to a position overlapping with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera, which can further improve the completeness and resolution of the image information of the tab, and is helpful in improving the detection quality.

[0023] According to a second aspect, there is provided a tab detection device, the device including: a processing unit adapted to determine when a first tab of a first polar sheet of a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area, the plurality of polar sheets moving along a vertical direction to the image collection area; and a collection unit adapted to collect image information of the first tab, the image information of the first tab determining a state of the first tab.

[0024] In some embodiments, the processing unit is further used to determine that the first tab has reached a second position, the second position being a start position of the image collection area in the vertical direction, and to determine that the first tab has reached the first position when the first tab has moved a first distance along the vertical direction after reaching the second position.

[0025] In some embodiments, the plurality of polar sheets pass a first detection mechanism and move along the vertical direction into the image collection area, and the processing unit is further used for determining that the first tab has passed the first detection mechanism and determining that the first tab has reached a second position when the first tab has moved a second distance along the vertical direction after passing the first detection mechanism.

[0026] In some embodiments, the device includes a counting unit used to count the tabs that have passed the first position, and the processing unit is used to confirm that image information of all of the plurality of tabs has been collected when the number of tabs that have passed the first position is equal to the number of the plurality of tabs.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first tab is the first tab of the first electrode assembly, and after determining that the first tab has reached the second position, the counting unit is further used to reset the count of the tabs of the second electrode assembly to 0, and the second electrode assembly is the electrode assembly detected before the first electrode assembly.

[0028] In some embodiments, the device further includes a receiving unit used to receive detection results of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly after all image information of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly has been collected.

[0029] In some embodiments, the plurality of polar sheets enter a stacking area after passing through the image collection area and are stacked in the stacking area.

[0030] In some embodiments, the collection unit includes at least one CCD camera.

[0031] In some embodiments, when the first tab reaches the first position, the center of the first tab overlaps with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly describes the drawings required for the embodiments of the present application. It should be understood that the drawings shown below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can further obtain other drawings based on the drawings without any creative efforts.

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a power consumption device of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic flow chart of a tab detection method of the present application. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of the detection area of ​​the tab of the present application. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic flowchart of another tab detection method of the present application. [Figure 6a] 1 is a schematic diagram of the state of the tab of the present application. [Figure 6b] 10 is a schematic diagram of another tab state of the present application. FIG. [Figure 6c] 10 is a schematic diagram of another tab state of the present application. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a detection device of a tab of the present application; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is another schematic structural diagram of the detection device of the tab of the present application. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a detection device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following examples and the drawings are used to exemplify the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, and the present application is not limited to the described examples.

[0035] It should be noted that in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more, and the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "inside," and "outside" are merely for ease of explanation and simplification of the description, and do not indicate or imply that the subject devices or elements have a particular orientation or should be configured and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the application. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. "Perpendicular" does not mean perpendicular in the strict sense, but is within a tolerance range. "Parallel" does not mean parallel in the strict sense, but is within a tolerance range.

[0036] Any directional expressions appearing in the following description refer to the directions shown in the drawings and do not limit the specific structure of the present application. It should be further explained that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "attached," "connected," and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. They may be directly connected or indirectly connected via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application according to specific circumstances.

[0037] The term "and / or" in this application merely describes the relationship between related objects and indicates that three types of relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can indicate three situations: A exists, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists. Note that in this application, the symbol " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship.

[0038] 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. The terms used in the specification of the present application are intended merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. The terms "comprise" and "have" and their equivalents in the specification and claims of the present application and the description of the drawings are intended to be non-exclusive. The terms "first," "second," etc. in the specification and claims of the present application or the drawings are used to distinguish between different objects and are not used to describe a particular order or hierarchy.

[0039] References to "embodiments" in this application mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. Appearances of the term "embodiment" in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor do they refer to embodiments that are mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative to other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, both explicitly and implicitly, that embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0040] As used herein, "plurality" refers to two or more (including two); similarly, "sets" refers to two or more (including two sets); "multiple sheets" refers to two or more (including two sheets); and "rows" refers to two or more (including two rows).

[0041] In the environment of the automobile industry powered by traditional energy, the problem of environmental pollution is becoming increasingly serious, so the active development of new energy vehicles can reduce environmental harm, and battery technology is a key factor in the development of new energy vehicles.

[0042] Currently, there are two main methods for manufacturing battery cells: winding and stacking. In the winding method, positive and negative electrode sheets are formed into a continuous long strip, separated by a separator, and then wound up to manufacture a battery cell. Batteries made from this type of battery cell have the problem of stress concentration at the curved points of the polar sheets. The expansion and contraction of the polar sheets due to charging and discharging can accumulate over the long term, causing deformation of the polar sheets and affecting battery performance.

[0043] In the stacked type, the positive and negative electrode sheets are typically cut into single sheets, and the separator is wrapped around them in a Z-shape. The positive and negative electrode sheets are then stacked alternately, separated by a separator. The metal foil material left on the positive and negative electrode sheets beforehand and not covered by the electrode material is called the tab. Batteries formed in this way have advantages such as low internal resistance, low cycle characteristics, and the ability to charge and discharge at high rates, making them suitable for power energy and therefore attracting increasing attention.

[0044] However, before stacking, the metal foil material used for the tabs is generally very thin and has low mechanical strength, making it prone to folding, breakage, or shedding during transportation, leading to problems such as short circuits and low capacity in assembled battery cells. If a subsequent abnormality occurs in a battery cell after stacking is completed and the battery cells are assembled, such as a folded tab, it is necessary to identify which tab has the problem. If this is not possible, the entire battery cell will need to be replaced, which could result in a high rate of battery cell waste. Therefore, generally, detecting the tabs before stacking allows for determining whether each parameter of the tab meets requirements, and at the same time, it is easy to replace the polarity sheet where the tab causing the abnormality in the subsequent battery cell is located.

[0045] Currently, optical sensors are generally used to detect tabs, and the width or length of the tab is calculated based on the time the tab blocks the optical sensor. The detection accuracy of this method is affected by the accuracy of the sensor and processor, and it cannot accurately detect tabs whose width changes gradually, nor can it identify situations where the tab is missing.

[0046] In view of this, the present application provides a tab detection method and device that can completely detect the dimensions and shape of a tab while avoiding adverse effects on the state of the tab during the detection process, thereby improving the detection effect and improving the detection efficiency.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1 of the present application. The vehicle 1 may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. The new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a range-extender vehicle, or the like. A motor 11, a controller 12, and a battery 10 may be installed inside the vehicle 1. The controller 12 is used to control the battery 10 and supply power to the motor 11. For example, the battery 10 may be installed at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1. The battery 10 is used to supply power to the vehicle 1. For example, the battery 10 may be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1 and for the circuit system of the vehicle 1, for example, to meet the operating power needs of the vehicle 1 during startup, navigation, and driving. In another embodiment of the present application, the battery 10 may not only serve as an operating power source for the vehicle 1, but also as a driving power source for the vehicle 1, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power to the vehicle 1.

[0048] Although the present application uses a vehicle as an example of a power consuming device, the power consuming device may also be a mobile phone, a portable device, a laptop computer, a boat, a spacecraft, an electric toy, a power tool, etc. The vehicle may be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a range-extender vehicle, etc. The spacecraft may include an aircraft, a rocket, a spaceplane, a spaceship, etc. The electric toys may include a game console, an electric car toy, an electric boat toy, an electric aircraft toy, or other stationary or mobile electric toys. The power tools may include metal cutting power tools such as an electric drill, an electric grinder, an electric wrench, an electric screwdriver, an electric hammer, an electric impact driver, a concrete vibrator, an electric planer, a polishing power tool, an assembly power tool, and a railroad power tool. The embodiments of the present application are not particularly limited to the above power consuming device.

[0049] In this application, a battery refers to a physical module that includes one or more battery cells to provide electrical energy. For example, the battery referred to in this application may include a battery module or a battery pack. A battery generally includes a housing for packaging one or more battery cells. The housing prevents liquids or other foreign objects from affecting the charging and discharging of the battery cells.

[0050] To meet different power needs, a battery can include multiple battery cells, which can be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel, with the series-parallel connection referring to a combination of series and parallel connections. A battery is also called a battery pack. Alternatively, multiple battery cells can be first connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery module, and multiple battery modules can then be further connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel to form a battery. That is, multiple battery cells can directly form a battery, or first form a battery module, which then forms a battery.

[0051] For example, Fig. 2 shows a structural schematic diagram of the battery 10 of the present application, which may include a plurality of battery cells 20. The number of battery cells 20 may be set to any number. The plurality of battery cells 20 may be connected in series, parallel, or series-parallel connection to achieve greater capacity or output.

[0052] Alternatively, the battery cell 20 may include a lithium ion secondary battery, a lithium ion primary battery, a lithium sulfur battery, a sodium lithium ion battery, a sodium ion battery, or a magnesium ion battery, etc., but examples of the present application are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the battery cell 20 may also be referred to as a cell.

[0053] The battery cell 20 includes an electrode assembly and an electrolyte. The electrode assembly is composed of a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator. The battery cell operates primarily through the movement of metal ions between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet. The positive electrode sheet includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the positive electrode current collector, and the current collector without the positive electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector with the positive electrode active material layer coated thereon. The current collector without the positive electrode active material layer is called the positive electrode tab. For example, in a lithium-ion battery, the positive electrode current collector may be made of aluminum, and the positive electrode active material may be lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium, lithium manganese oxide, etc. The negative electrode sheet includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer is coated on the surface of the negative electrode current collector, and the current collector without the negative electrode active material layer protrudes from the current collector coated with the negative electrode active material layer. The current collector without the negative electrode active material layer is called a negative electrode tab. The material of the negative electrode current collector may be copper, and the negative electrode active material may be carbon or silicon, etc. To ensure that melting does not occur due to a large current, multiple positive electrode tabs are stacked together, and multiple negative electrode tabs are stacked together. The material of the separator may be polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), etc. The electrode assembly may have a wound structure or a stacked structure, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0054] The battery box according to the embodiment of the present application is based on the battery 10 and further includes a housing, a battery management system, and associated mounting structures.

[0055] Next, a description will be given of a tab detection method 300. Fig. 3 is a schematic flowchart of the tab detection method according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the tab detection method 300 includes steps S301 to S302.

[0056] In step S301, it is determined that a first tab of a first polar sheet of a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area.

[0057] In step S302, image information of the first tab is collected.

[0058] Here, multiple polar sheets are It is arranged vertically, which is the vertical direction, and The image acquisition area is moved along the vertical direction, and the image information of the first tab is used to determine the state of the first tab.

[0059] Specifically, when it is determined that the first tab has reached the first position, image information of the first tab is collected, and the image information can be processed and stored by a host computer, and the host computer processes the image information of the first tab and generates a detection result based thereon. The state of the first tab includes the degree of folding of the first tab, the size of the first tab, the integrity of the first tab, etc.

[0060] 4 is a schematic diagram of the detection area of ​​a tab in an embodiment of the present invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an electrode assembly includes multiple polar sheets 401, each having multiple tabs, and a first tab refers to any one of the multiple tabs of the electrode assembly. When the negative electrode tab 40 of the electrode assembly reaches a first position P1 along the vertical direction, image information of the negative electrode tab 40 is collected, and the first position P1 is located within the image collection area S1.

[0061] 6a to 6c are schematic diagrams of the states of several tabs in the embodiments of the present application. FIG. 6a shows the normal state of the tab, which is not folded over or damaged in any way. FIG. 6b shows the state of the tab partially folded over. A partially folded tab has a fold but is not folded over to the opposite polarity side. In this case, even if the tab is folded over, the folding has little effect on the subsequently assembled battery cell and does not cause a short circuit of the battery cell. FIG. 6c shows the state of the tab fully folded over. A fully folded tab is folded over to the opposite polarity side. In this case, after the battery cell is assembled, some positive electrodes will be short-circuited with negative electrodes, resulting in a short circuit of the battery cell and posing a safety hazard.

[0062] In this embodiment, the tab of the first electrode assembly first enters the vertically arranged image collection area along the vertical direction. If the tab moves horizontally or in other directions, it may become uneven due to gravity, which can cause deviations in tab parameters during detection, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection results. Second, the state of the first tab is determined by collecting image information. Compared to solutions that use optical sensors to detect tabs, the image information can more accurately reflect parameters such as the tab's size, shape, and whether it is folded over. Therefore, whether the tab is folded over, missing, or broken can be quickly and accurately detected and identified, improving the effectiveness of tab detection. Finally, image information is collected when the first tab reaches the first position. Therefore, the first tab does not need to remain in the image collection area. The process of collecting image information for multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly can be performed continuously, improving detection efficiency.

[0063] FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart of another tab detection method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0064] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 5, the method 300 further includes a step S303 of receiving detection results of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly after the image information of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly has all been collected.

[0065] Specifically, after determining that all images of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly have been collected, the host computer receives the detection results of the tabs of the entire first electrode assembly sent by the host computer, and then determines the status of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly based on the detection results, and determines whether further action is currently required, such as stopping the detection or adjusting the tabs of the first electrode assembly.

[0066] For example, continuing to refer to FIG. 4 , an electrode assembly includes N polar sheets 401, and the N polar sheets 401 include N negative electrode tabs 40 and N positive electrode tabs 41. For example, when images of all N negative electrode tabs 40 of the electrode assembly are collected, detection results for the N negative electrode tabs 40 of the electrode assembly can be received. Furthermore, when images of all N positive electrode tabs 41 of the electrode assembly are collected, detection results for the N positive electrode tabs 41 of the electrode assembly can be received. Furthermore, when images of all N positive electrode tabs 41 and N negative electrode tabs 40 of the electrode assembly are collected, detection results for the N positive electrode tabs 41 and N negative electrode tabs 40 of the electrode assembly can be received, where N is a positive integer.

[0067] In this embodiment, the method of detecting multiple tabs on the entire electrode assembly and then receiving the detection results of the multiple tabs on the entire electrode assembly eliminates the need to transmit data each time a tab is detected and then detect the next tab after receiving the detection results, thereby effectively avoiding the frequent data transmission from affecting the tab detection efficiency, and enabling the image information of multiple tabs on one electrode assembly to be collected quickly and continuously, thereby improving the tab detection efficiency.

[0068] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 5 , in step S301, determining that the first tab of the first electrode assembly has reached the first position may include: Step S3011, determining that the first tab has reached a second position, the second position being the start of an image collection area in the vertical direction; and a step S3012 of determining that the first tab has reached the first position when the first tab has moved a first distance along the vertical direction after reaching the second position.

[0069] Specifically, when the first tab reaches the start position of the image collection area, i.e., the second position, feedback on the movement distance of the first tab begins, and when the first tab moves a first distance after passing the second position, the first tab has reached the first position, and at this time, image information of the first tab is collected.

[0070] Continuing to refer to FIG. 4, when the negative electrode tab 40 of the electrode assembly reaches a second position P2 along the vertical direction, the movement distance of the negative electrode tab 40 is monitored, and when the negative electrode tab 40 moves a first distance L1 along the vertical direction, it is determined that the negative electrode tab 40 has reached a first position P1, and at this time, image information of the negative electrode tab 40 is collected.

[0071] In this embodiment, by monitoring the distance traveled after the first tab enters the image collection area, it is possible to determine whether the first tab has reached the first position, which helps to fully collect image information of the first tab, and allows the image collection area to fully cover the first tab, avoiding the situation where the first tab does not fully enter the image collection area or is partially separated from it, resulting in incomplete collection of image information, and further improving the detection quality and detection efficiency of the tab.

[0072] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 5 , in step S3011, determining that the first tab has reached the second position includes: a step S3013 of determining that the first tab has passed the first detection mechanism; and step S3014 of determining that the first tab has reached a second position when the first tab has moved a second distance along the vertical direction after passing the first detection mechanism.

[0073] Specifically, when the plurality of polar sheets of the first electrode assembly move vertically in the tab detection area, they first pass through a first detection mechanism, which can detect the position of the tab in real time. After determining that the first tab has passed through the first detection mechanism, the position of the first tab is monitored, and when the first tab moves a second distance after passing through the first detection mechanism, it can be determined that the first tab has reached a second position.

[0074] 4 , when the negative electrode tab 40 of the electrode assembly passes through the first detection mechanism 402, it is detected by the first detection mechanism 402. When the negative electrode tab 40 is detected by the first detection mechanism 402, it is recognized that the negative electrode tab 40 has reached the vertical position of the first detection mechanism 402, i.e., the third position P3. When the negative electrode tab 40 moves a second distance L2 along the vertical direction after passing the third position P3, it is determined that the negative electrode tab 40 has reached the second position P2. Note that the first detection mechanism 402 may be a transmission mechanism with a detection function or a detection mechanism such as an optical sensor, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto.

[0075] In this embodiment, the position of the first tab is monitored by a first detection mechanism, and it is determined that the first tab has reached a second position when the first tab has moved a second distance after passing through the first detection mechanism, and the timing when the first tab has reached the start position of the image collection area can be accurately and efficiently determined, ensuring that an image of the first tab is clearly and completely collected when the first tab reaches the shooting position.

[0076] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 5, before determining that image information for all of the plurality of tabs has been collected, the method 300 further includes step S304 of counting the tabs that have passed the first position.

[0077] Specifically, by counting the tabs that have passed the first position, the number of tabs for which image information has already been collected can be determined, and when the tab count reaches the number of tabs in the first electrode assembly, it means that image information for all of the tabs in the first electrode assembly has been collected.

[0078] 4, for example, an electrode assembly includes N negative electrode tabs 40 and N positive electrode tabs 41, and the negative electrode tabs 40 or positive electrode tabs 41 that pass through the first position P1 are counted, and when the count reaches N, it is determined that all of the image information for the N negative electrode tabs 40 or N positive electrode tabs 41 of the electrode assembly has been collected. Also, for example, the negative electrode tabs 40 and positive electrode tabs 41 that pass through the first position P1 are counted, and when the count reaches 2N, it is determined that all of the image information for the N negative electrode tabs 40 and N positive electrode tabs 41 of the electrode assembly has been collected.

[0079] In this embodiment, by counting the tabs that pass through the first position, it is possible to determine whether all image information of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly has been collected, and to simply and efficiently determine whether image information collection for the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly has been completed; if the count has not reached the preset value, it is helpful to ensure continuous collection of image information of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly, thereby helping to improve tab detection efficiency.

[0080] Optionally, after determining that the first tab has reached the second position, the method 300 further includes the step S305 of resetting the count of the second electrode assembly to zero.

[0081] The first tab is the first tab of the first electrode assembly, and the second electrode assembly is the electrode assembly that entered the tab detection area before the first electrode assembly and was detected.

[0082] Specifically, after the detection of multiple tabs of one electrode assembly X1 is completed, when the first tab of the next electrode assembly X2 reaches the start position of the image collection area, the tab count of electrode assembly X1 is reset to 0.

[0083] In this embodiment, by setting it back to 0, when detection of the tabs of one electrode assembly starts, the tab count of the previously detected electrode assembly is reset to 0, which can ensure the accuracy of the tab count of the currently detected electrode assembly, avoid problems such as detection errors caused by counting errors, such as data identification errors, and thereby help improve the accuracy and efficiency of tab detection.

[0084] Optionally, the plurality of polar sheets enter the stacking area after passing through the image collection area and are stacked in the stacking area, in other words, the plurality of polar sheets of the first electrode assembly enter the stacking area and are stacked after detecting the tab, without going through any transfer or transportation process.

[0085] In this embodiment, the polarizing sheets that have undergone tab detection are directly laminated, eliminating the need for additional transfer or transportation processes after tab detection, thereby avoiding the risk of folding or breaking due to movement after tab detection, preventing any defects after tab detection from affecting the detection results, and effectively improving the accuracy of the tab detection results, which also helps to improve the quality of battery cells made of polarizing sheets after tab detection using this method.

[0086] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 4, image information of the plurality of tabs is collected by at least one CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera.

[0087] Specifically, there may be one CCD camera, which is installed on one side of the polar sheet 401 and collects image information of the negative electrode tab 40 or the positive electrode tab 41 of the polar sheet 401. There may be two CCD cameras, which are installed symmetrically on both sides of the polar sheet 401 and collect image information of the negative electrode tab 40 and the positive electrode tab 41 of the polar sheet 401, respectively. There may also be two or more CCD cameras, which are installed on both sides of the polar sheet 401 and at other positions, and collect image information of the negative electrode tab 40 and the positive electrode tab 41 of the polar sheet 401 and at other positions on the polar sheet 401.

[0088] When collecting image information using a CCD camera, the process of determining that the first tab has reached the first position can be realized by the auxiliary imaging axis of the CCD camera. For example, when the first tab has reached the second position, the rotation angle of the auxiliary imaging axis of the CCD camera is set to 0, and when the auxiliary imaging axis of the CCD camera has rotated by a preset angle, the distance corresponding to the preset angle is L1. It should be understood that the auxiliary imaging axis of the CCD camera is a virtual axis, and the process of determining that the first tab has reached the first position can also be realized by other position detection mechanisms or distance detection mechanisms.

[0089] In this embodiment, the image information of the tabs is collected by a CCD camera, which can take high-speed and continuous images of the tabs that continuously pass through the image collection area, ensuring the efficiency and quality of tab detection.

[0090] Optionally, when the first tab reaches the first position, the center of the first tab overlaps with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera.

[0091] As will be understood, the center of the first tab refers to the geometric center of the first tab, and when the center of the first tab and the center of the field of view of the CCD camera overlap, the first tab is completely covered by the field of view of the CCD camera, which is the image collection area S1.

[0092] In this embodiment, the first position is set at the center of the field of view of the CCD camera, which ensures that the first tab is completely covered by the field of view of the camera, while improving the resolution of the image information, compared to other positions off the center of the field of view, thereby further improving the completeness and resolution of the image information of the tab, and improving the detection quality of the tab.

[0093] The present application further provides a tab detection device, and FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a tab detection device 700 of an embodiment of the present application.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 7, the tab detection device 700 includes a processing unit 701 and a collection unit 702, where the processing unit 701 is used to determine that a first tab of a first polar sheet among a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area.

[0095] Here, multiple polar sheets are It is arranged vertically, which is the vertical direction, and The image acquisition area is moved along the vertical direction, and the image information of the first tab is used to determine the state of the first tab.

[0096] FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of another tab detection device 800 of the present application.

[0097] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 8, the device 800 further includes a receiving unit 703, which is used to receive the detection results of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly after all the image information of the multiple tabs of the first electrode assembly has been collected.

[0098] Optionally, the processing unit 701 is further used to determine that the first tab has reached a second position, the second position being the start position of the image collection area in the vertical direction, and to determine that the first tab has reached the first position when the first tab has moved a first distance along the vertical direction after reaching the second position.

[0099] Optionally, the plurality of polarized sheets pass through the first detection mechanism and move along the vertical direction into the image collection area, and the processing unit 701 is further used to determine that the first tab has passed through the first detection mechanism and determine that the first tab has reached a second position when the first tab has moved a second distance along the vertical direction after passing through the first detection mechanism.

[0100] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 8, the device 700 further includes a counting unit 704, which is used to count the tabs passing through the first position, and the processing unit 701 is further used to confirm that the image information of the multiple tabs has all been collected when the number of tabs passing through the first position is equal to the number of the multiple tabs.

[0101] Optionally, after determining that the first tab has reached the second position, the counting unit 704 is further used to reset the count of the tab of the second electrode assembly to 0, where the first tab is the first tab of the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly is the electrode assembly detected before the first electrode assembly.

[0102] Optionally, the plurality of polar sheets pass through the image collection area and then enter a stacking area where they are stacked.

[0103] Optionally, the collection unit 702 includes at least one CCD camera.

[0104] Optionally, when the first tab reaches the first position, the center of the first tab overlaps with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera.

[0105] It is understood that the tab detection device 700 and the tab detection device 800 can realize the corresponding operations in the method 300, and accordingly can achieve the same technical effects as the above-mentioned method 300, and therefore, the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0106] 9 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a tab detection device 900 according to an embodiment of the present application. The device 900 includes a memory 901, a processor 902, a communication interface 903, and a bus 904. The memory 901, the processor 902, and the communication interface 903 are connected to each other via the bus 904.

[0107] The memory 901 may be a read-only memory (ROM), a static memory device, or a random access memory (RAM). The memory 901 can store a program, and when the program stored in the memory 901 is executed by the processor 902, the processor 902 and the communication interface 903 are used to execute each step in the tab detection method of the present embodiment.

[0108] The processor 902 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or one or more integrated circuits, and is used to execute associated programs, thereby realizing the functions to be performed by the units in the device of the embodiment of the present application, or to execute the tab detection method of the embodiment of the present application.

[0109] The processor 902 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the process of implementation, each step in the tab detection method of the present embodiment can be completed by a hardware integrated logic circuit in the processor 902 or a command in software form.

[0110] The processor 902 may also be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component. Each method, step, and logical block diagram disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be realized or executed. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented and executed by a hardware processor, or may be executed and completed by a combination of hardware and software modules in a processor. The software modules may be located in a storage medium well-known in the art, such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, an erasable programmable memory, or a register. The storage medium is located in the memory 901, and the processor 902 reads information in the memory 901 and combines it with hardware to complete the functions to be performed by the units included in the device 900 of the embodiments of the present application, or to execute the tab detection method of the embodiments of the present application.

[0111] The communication interface 903 uses a transmitting / receiving device, such as, but not limited to, a transceiver, to facilitate communication between the device 900 and other devices or communication networks.

[0112] The bus 904 may include a path for transferring information between each element included in the device 900 (for example, the memory 901, the processor 902, and the communication interface 903).

[0113] Although the device 900 shown above only illustrates a memory, a processor, and a communication interface, in a specific implementation, the device 900 may further include other hardware devices for implementing additional functions as needed, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the device 900 may include only the devices necessary to implement an embodiment of the present application, and need not include all of the devices shown in FIG.

[0114] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for the elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the technical features recited in each embodiment may be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural contradiction. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions encompassed by the claims.

Claims

1. determining that a first tab of a first polar sheet of a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area, the plurality of polar sheets being arranged in a vertical direction and moving along the vertical direction into the image collection area; collecting image information of the first tab, wherein the image information of the first tab is used to determine a state of the first tab.

2. The step of determining that the first tab of the first electrode assembly has reached the first position comprises: determining when the first tab reaches a second position, the second position being a start position of the image collection area in the vertical direction; and determining that the first tab has reached the first position when the first tab has moved a first distance along the vertical direction after reaching the second position.

3. the plurality of polarized sheets move past a first sensing mechanism along the vertical direction into the image collection area; The step of determining that the first tab has reached the second position comprises: determining that the first tab has passed the first detection mechanism; and determining that the first tab has reached a second position when the first tab has moved a second distance along the vertical direction after passing the first sensing mechanism.

4. counting tabs that pass the first position; The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the step of: if the number of tabs passing the first position is equal to the number of tabs on the plurality of polar sheets, confirming that all image information of the plurality of tabs has been collected.

5. the first tab is a first tab of the first electrode assembly, and after determining that the first tab has reached a second position, the method includes:

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of resetting the tab count of a second electrode assembly to 0, the second electrode assembly being the electrode assembly detected before the first electrode assembly.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the step of receiving detection results of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly after all image information of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly is collected.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the plurality of polar sheets enter a stacking area after passing through the image collection area, and are stacked in the stacking area.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that image information of the plurality of tabs of the plurality of polar sheets is collected by at least one CCD camera.

9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein when the first tab reaches the first position, the center of the first tab overlaps with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera.

10. a processing unit used to determine that a first tab of a first polar sheet of a plurality of polar sheets of a first electrode assembly has reached a first position in an image collection area, the plurality of polar sheets being arranged in a vertical direction and moving along the vertical direction to the image collection area; a collecting unit used to collect image information of the first tab, the image information of the first tab being used to determine a state of the first tab; A tab detection device including:

11. The processing unit further comprises: determining that the first tab has reached a second position, the second position being a start position of the image collection area in the vertical direction; and determining that the first tab has reached the first position when the first tab has moved a first distance along the vertical direction after reaching the second position.

12. the plurality of polarized sheets move past a first sensing mechanism along the vertical direction into the image collection area; The processing unit further comprises: determining that the first tab has passed the first detection mechanism; and determining that the first tab has reached a second position when the first tab has moved a second distance along the vertical direction after passing the first detection mechanism.

13. a counting unit adapted to count tabs passing the first position; The apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the processing unit is used to confirm that all image information of the plurality of tabs has been collected when the number of tabs passing the first position is equal to the number of tabs of the plurality of polar sheets.

14. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first tab is a first tab of the first electrode assembly, and after determining that the first tab has reached the second position, the counting unit is further used to reset the count of tabs of a second electrode assembly to 0, and the second electrode assembly is an electrode assembly detected before the first electrode assembly.

15. The device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a receiving unit used to receive detection results of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly after all image information of the plurality of tabs of the first electrode assembly has been collected.

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the plurality of polar sheets enter a stacking area after passing through the image collection area and are stacked in the stacking area.

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the collection unit comprises at least one CCD camera.

18. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein when the first tab reaches the first position, the center of the first tab coincides with the center of the field of view of the CCD camera.

Images