Battery string manufacturing apparatus and method

By designing a battery string production device with a turntable and multiple processing positions, the problems of low equipment utilization and low production efficiency in traditional technology are solved, and automated pasting and efficient production are achieved.

WO2025035612A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-02-20SUZHOU WISDOM VALLEY LASER INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2023/128756
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-08-14
Filing Date
2023-10-31
Publication Date
2025-02-20

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In traditional battery cell series technology, the problems of low equipment utilization and low production efficiency are mainly caused by the long return distance of the robot and the waiting state of the station.

Method used

A battery string production device is designed, using a rotary dial and multiple processing positions. The rotary dial is rotated and the processing positions are processed through different workstations in turn, so as to automatically paste the battery cells and welding tapes and remove the finished product.

Benefits of technology

It improves the utilization rate and production efficiency of the equipment, reduces the return distance of the robot, avoids the waiting state of the station, and improves the yield rate of the battery string.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A battery string manufacturing apparatus and method. In the battery string manufacturing apparatus, a rotary disc (200) is rotatably arranged on a workbench (100), and at least four processing positions are provided on the rotary disc (200); in the rotation process of the rotary disc (200), the processing positions successively pass through a first station, a second station, a third station, and a fourth station; positioning members (400) are provided at the processing positions of the rotary disc (200), and are configured to accommodate cells (1000) and ribbons (2000); when the positioning members (400) are located at the first station, the cells (1000) are placed on the positioning members (400); when the positioning members (400) are located at the second station, the ribbons (2000) are placed on the upper surfaces of the cells (1000); when the positioning members (400) are located at the third station, adhesive tapes are adhered to the ribbons (2000) and the cells (1000) to form semi-finished products; and when the positioning members (400) are located at the fourth station, conveying members move the semi-finished products out of the rotary disc (200).
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Description

Battery string manufacturing device and method

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on August 14, 2023, with application number 202311014581.X. The entire contents of this application are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of photovoltaic module production, for example, to a device and method for manufacturing a battery string. Background Art

[0003] In the field of battery cell stringing technology, the method of using tape to stick the soldering tape to the battery cell is more popular. The soldering tape pasted on the front of one of the battery cells needs to be pasted on the back of another adjacent battery cell. For each battery cell, tape needs to be pasted on its upper and lower sides respectively. The workflow is, for example: the turntable rotates to drive the processing position on the turntable to move to the upper battery station, the battery cell is transferred to the processing position, the battery cell is moved to the soldering tape station, the soldering tape is placed on the battery cell, the battery cell and the soldering tape are moved to the pasting station, and the tape is pasted on the battery cell and the soldering tape. When the processing position moves to each station, a process can be processed separately, which is conducive to improving the processing accuracy. However, the stations other than the station being processed are in a waiting state. Secondly, the traditional linear assembly line requires the corresponding robot to coordinate the grasping action and the reciprocating action, which also leads to the phenomenon of long return distance of the robot, resulting in low equipment utilization and low production efficiency.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a battery string manufacturing device and method to solve the problem of low production efficiency.

[0006] In one aspect, the present application provides a battery string manufacturing device, the battery string manufacturing device comprising:

[0007] A workbench, wherein the workbench is provided with a first workstation, a second workstation, a third workstation and a fourth workstation;

[0008] a turntable rotatably mounted on the workbench, wherein at least four processing positions are provided on the turntable, and the four processing positions can respectively correspond to the first working position, the second working position, the third working position and the fourth working position at the same time;

[0009] A positioning member, the positioning member is provided at the processing position of the turntable, and is configured to hold the battery cell and the solder ribbon. The positioning member is also configured to position the battery cell and ensure that the solder ribbon placed on the battery cell remains aligned;

[0010] During the rotation of the turntable, a positioning member passes through the first station, the second station, the third station and the fourth station in sequence; when the positioning member is located at the first station, the battery cell is placed on the positioning member; when the positioning member is located at the second station, the soldering tape is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell; when the positioning member is located at the third station, the tape is adhered to the soldering tape and the battery cell to form a semi-finished product; when the positioning member is located at the fourth station, the conveying member moves the semi-finished product out of the turntable.

[0011] In some embodiments, the battery string manufacturing device also includes a support assembly, which is arranged on the workbench. The support assembly includes an input end and an output end. The output end of the support assembly can move between a supporting position and a yield position. The output end of the support assembly located at the supporting position can support the bottom surface of the turntable at the third workstation.

[0012] In some embodiments,

[0013] The support assembly further includes: a base, which is provided on the workbench and located below the turntable;

[0014] The output end includes a supporting member, which is provided on the base. The supporting member located at the supporting position can support the bottom surface of the turntable at the third station; a gap is formed between the supporting member located at the yield position and the turntable;

[0015] The input end includes a first driving member, which is provided on the base and is configured to drive the supporting member to move between the supporting position and the yielding position.

[0016] In some embodiments, the base is provided with a first inclined surface, and the supporting member is provided with a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface gradually approaches the turntable along the direction approaching the processing position. The first inclined surface is parallel to the second inclined surface. The base and the supporting member are slidably fitted through the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.

[0017] In some embodiments, the friction coefficient between the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface is μ, and the angle between the first inclined surface and the horizontal plane is α, μ≥tanα.

[0018] In some embodiments, the sliding direction F2 of the supporting member sliding to the yield position is a tangential direction of the rotation direction F1 of the turntable. During the rotation of the turntable, the turntable can drag the supporting member from the supporting position to a safe position, and the safe position is located between the supporting position and the yield position.

[0019] In some embodiments, the positioning member includes a first positioning groove and a plurality of second positioning grooves arranged at intervals, the first positioning groove is configured to accommodate the battery cell, the second positioning groove is configured to accommodate the upper side of the battery cell and extend beyond the welding strip of the battery cell, and the distance between the bottom of the first positioning groove and the bottom of the second positioning groove is adapted to the thickness of the battery cell.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first positioning groove passes through one side of the positioning member along the extension direction of the welding strip, and the bottom of the first positioning groove is provided with a plurality of longitudinal limiting protrusions at both ends of the first positioning groove, and the longitudinal limiting protrusions are configured to limit the displacement of the battery cell in the length direction of the battery cell, the height of the longitudinal limiting protrusions is higher than the upper surface of the battery cell, and the gap between any two of the longitudinal limiting protrusions is used for passing the welding strip; and / or

[0021] The positioning member is provided with a hollow channel, the hollow channel extends along the arrangement direction of the plurality of second positioning grooves and passes through the entire positioning member; and / or

[0022] The battery string manufacturing device also includes an alignment member and a second drive assembly, the second drive assembly is arranged on the workbench, and the alignment member is arranged on the turntable, and the second drive assembly is configured to move the alignment member to an alignment position close to the positioning member and an avoidance position away from the positioning member, and the alignment member is provided with a plurality of guide grooves, and the extension direction of the guide grooves is consistent with the extension direction of the second positioning grooves.

[0023] In some embodiments, the alignment member is provided with a plurality of alignment grooves, and the plurality of alignment grooves and the plurality of guide grooves are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. The alignment groove is provided at one end of the guide groove close to the positioning member. The alignment groove includes an alignment surface, and the alignment surface is perpendicular to the extension direction of the welding strip. When the alignment member is located in the alignment position, the plurality of welding strips abut and align with the plurality of alignment surfaces under the action of the inertia generated during the rotation of the turntable, so as to be fixed relative to the battery cell.

[0024] On the other hand, the present application provides a battery string manufacturing method, which is applied to the battery string manufacturing device in any of the above solutions, and the battery string manufacturing method includes:

[0025] The turntable rotates so that the processing position is located at the first position of the workbench, and the battery cell is placed at the processing position;

[0026] The turntable rotates so that the processing position is located at the second station of the workbench, and the solder ribbon is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell;

[0027] The turntable rotates so that the processing position is located at the third position of the workbench;

[0028] Move the output end of the support assembly to a supporting position to support the bottom surface of the turntable;

[0029] Adhere the tape to the solder ribbon and the battery cell to form a semi-finished product;

[0030] The turntable rotates so that the processing position is located at the fourth station of the workbench, and the conveyor moves the semi-finished product out of the turntable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery string manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of point A in Figure 1;

[0033] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of point B in Figure 1;

[0034] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery string manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of point C in Figure 4;

[0036] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a cross-section of a battery string manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG7 is an enlarged view of point D in FIG6;

[0038] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a positioning member provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG9 is an enlarged view of point E in FIG8 ;

[0040] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a turntable rotation direction and a direction of a supporting member from a supporting position to a yielding position provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of another battery string manufacturing device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] In the picture:

[0043] 1000, battery cell; 2000, solder ribbon;

[0044] 100. Workbench;

[0045] 200, turntable; 210, hollow motor;

[0046] 300, support assembly; 310, base; 311, first inclined surface; 320, supporting member; 330, first driving member;

[0047] 400, positioning member; 410, first positioning groove; 411, longitudinal limiting protrusion; 412, adsorption hole; 420, second positioning groove; 421, hollow channel; 430, first magnetic member;

[0048] 510, vacuum supply pipe; 511, negative pressure pipe; 520, collar; 521, air outlet pipe; 530, ventilation slip ring; 540, ventilation pipe;

[0049] 610. Alignment member; 611. Guide groove; 612. Alignment groove; 6121. Alignment surface; 6122. Widening portion; 613. Toggle member; 614. Guide strip; 6141. Avoidance guide notch; 615. Iron block; 620. Second drive assembly; 621. Second drive member; 622. Drive plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The technical solution of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application.

[0051] In the description of this application, the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting this application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. Among them, the terms "first position" and "second position" are two different positions, and the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0052] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand the meaning of these terms in this application in a variety of contexts.

[0053] The following describes embodiments of the present application, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application.

[0054] Example 1

[0055] As shown in Figures 1 to 11, this embodiment provides a battery string manufacturing device, which includes a workbench 100, a turntable 200, and a support assembly 300. The workbench 100 is provided with a first station, a second station, a third station, and a fourth station. The turntable 200 is directly driven and rotated by a hollow motor 210 and is provided on the workbench 100. The turntable 200 is provided with multiple processing stations. During the rotation of the turntable 200, a processing station passes through the first station, the second station, the third station, and the fourth station in sequence. When the processing station is at the first station, the battery cell 1000 is placed at the processing station. When the processing station is at the second station, the soldering tape 2000 is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell 1000. When the processing station is at the third station, the adhesive tape is attached to the soldering tape 2000 and the battery cell 1000 to form a semi-finished product. When the processing station is at the fourth station, the conveyor moves the semi-finished product off the turntable 200. The support assembly 300 is provided on the workbench 100 , and the output end of the support assembly 300 can move between a supporting position and a yielding position. The output end of the support assembly 300 located at the supporting position can support the bottom surface of the turntable 200 at the third station.

[0056] With the help of the above-mentioned arrangement, the tape pasting process is carried out when the output end of the support assembly 300 is in the supporting position. At this time, even if there is roller rolling, when the turntable 200 under pressure has a tendency to deflect downward, it is supported by the support assembly 300 and will not be deformed. This can not only ensure the firm pasting of the tape, but also avoid the deflection of the side of the turntable 200 due to excessive torque, thereby avoiding affecting the transmission of the turntable 200 and the related direct drive mechanism, and at the same time prevent the battery cell 1000 from tilting as a whole after being pressurized, effectively ensuring the position accuracy of the battery cell 1000 in subsequent processing steps and improving the yield rate of the battery string.

[0057] In some embodiments, the output end of the support assembly 300 includes a supporting member 320, and the input end of the support assembly 300 includes a first driving member 330. The support assembly 300 also includes a base 310, which is disposed on the workbench 100 and below the turntable 200. The supporting member 320 is disposed on the base 310. When in the supporting position, the supporting member 320 supports the bottom surface of the turntable 200 at the third working position. When in the clear position, a gap is provided between the supporting member 320 and the turntable 200. The first driving member 330 is disposed on the base 310 and is configured to drive the supporting member 320 between the supporting position and the clear position. This arrangement enables the supporting member 320 to move between two positions, thereby improving the automation level of the device. Furthermore, the location of the base 310 below the turntable 200 effectively utilizes the gap between the turntable 200 and the workbench 100, saving space in the entire device. After the processing position of the turntable 200 moves to the third working position, the supporting member 320 moves to the supporting position.

[0058] Regarding the connection between the base 310 and the supporting member 320, in some embodiments, the base 310 has a first inclined surface 311, and the supporting member 320 has a second inclined surface. When the processing position of the turntable 200 is located at the third working position, the first inclined surface 311 gradually approaches the turntable 200 in the direction approaching the processing position, and the second inclined surface gradually approaches the turntable 200 in the direction approaching the processing position. The first inclined surface 311 and the second inclined surface have the same inclination. The base 310 and the supporting member 320 slide together via the first inclined surface 311 and the second inclined surface. When the supporting member 320 slides along the first inclined surface 311, its top surface can be parallel to the plane of the turntable 200. The inclined sliding arrangement allows the height of the supporting member 320 to be adjusted by adjusting the sliding distance, thereby facilitating adjustment of the supporting position of the supporting member 320. Furthermore, the inclined surface allows the supporting member 320 to decompose the force when subjected to pressure, thereby preventing excessive impact force on the first driving member 330.

[0059] The turntable 200 is connected to the workbench 100 via a hollow motor 210. When the rollers press the tape, greater pressure, within the tolerance of the cell 1000, helps securely adhere the tape to the cell 1000 at the third station. However, greater pressure can also cause the suspended turntable 200 to tilt. This can cause the cell 1000 to shift position during subsequent processing steps and prevent the tape from being securely adhered when the processing station on the turntable 200 returns to the third station.

[0060] The friction coefficient between the first inclined surface 311 and the second inclined surface is μ, and the angle between the first inclined surface 311 and the horizontal plane is α, μ≥tanα. With the above arrangement, on the one hand, no matter how much pressure is applied from top to bottom to the supporting member 320 in the supporting position, the component of the pressure that causes the supporting member 320 to move along the inclined surface to the yield position is less than or equal to the maximum static friction between the supporting member 320 and the base 310, so that the supporting member 320 will not automatically move to the yield position under pressure, thereby improving the stability of the supporting member 320 in the supporting position and thus improving the firmness of the tape adhesion; on the other hand, during the tape adhesion process, the first driving member 330 does not need to work and there is no need to set a self-locking function, thereby minimizing costs and preventing damage to the first driving member 330.

[0061] In addition, the provision of the support assembly 300 can enable the turntable 200 to bear a greater pressure without affecting the driving mechanism of the turntable 200 .

[0062] After the tape is pasted, the turntable 200 needs to rotate to the next workstation. At this time, when an accident occurs to the first driving member 330, causing the supporting member 320 to be in the supporting position and unable to return to the yielding position, the turntable 200 is forced to rotate, which may cause friction between the supporting member 320 and the turntable 200, thereby affecting the turntable 200.

[0063] In conjunction with Figure 10 , to avoid the above situation, in some embodiments, the first driving member 330 can be configured as a pneumatic cylinder, and the sliding direction F2 of the support member 320 to the yield position is tangential to the rotational direction F1 of the turntable 200. Because the thrust of the pneumatic cylinder has a certain elastic fluctuation, the rotation of the turntable 200 can drag the support member 320 from the supporting position to a safe position, which is located between the supporting position and the yield position. In other words, during the rotation of the turntable 200, the turntable 200 can exert a frictional force on the support member 320. This frictional force is directed in the same direction as the support member 320 sliding to the yield position and is greater than the frictional force between the support member 320 and the base 310. At this point, the tape is bonded, the roller no longer applies pressure, and the frictional force between the support member 320 and the base 310 is low. Furthermore, as the support member 320 slides back and forth in the first direction, the distance between the support member 320 and the turntable 200 continuously increases or decreases. In other embodiments, the sliding direction F2 of the support member 320 sliding to the yield position may not be the tangent direction of the rotation direction F1 of the turntable 200. The solution of the present application can also be implemented if there is a certain angle between the sliding direction F2 and the tangent direction of the rotation direction F1. Theoretically, as long as the angle between the two does not exceed 90°, it can be sufficient.

[0064] The above arrangement has a greater fault tolerance for the support assembly 300. Even if there is a control error, the supporting member 320 can move with the rotation of the turntable 200, avoiding adverse factors such as wear of the structural parts caused by forced driving under rigid contact.

[0065] The battery string manufacturing device also includes a positioning member 400, which is provided at the processing position of the turntable 200. The positioning member 400 is configured to position the battery cell 1000 and ensure that the soldering ribbon 2000 placed on the battery cell 1000 remains aligned. The above-mentioned setting can position the battery cell 1000 and ensure that the soldering ribbon 2000 placed on the battery cell 1000 remains aligned, so that after the tape is pasted, the position of the soldering ribbon 2000 on the battery cell 1000 is neat, which helps to improve the yield of the battery string. In addition, the setting of the positioning member 400 makes it possible to replace different positioning members 400 to adapt to the structure of different battery cells 1000. If the model of the battery cell 1000 changes, only the positioning member 400 needs to be replaced, thereby reducing the production cost of the battery string.

[0066] The positioning member 400 includes a first positioning groove 410 and a plurality of spaced-apart second positioning grooves 420. The first positioning groove 410 is configured to accommodate the battery cell 1000, while the second positioning groove 420 is configured to accommodate the solder ribbon 2000 that extends from the upper side of the battery cell 1000 and extends beyond the battery cell 1000 in the longitudinal direction. The distance between the bottom of the first positioning groove 410 and the bottom of the second positioning groove 420 is adapted to the thickness of the battery cell 1000 to ensure that the solder ribbon can be covered on the battery cell 1000 and then positioned stably in the second positioning groove 420. In this embodiment, the number of second positioning grooves 420 can be set to 10-30. The number of second positioning grooves 420 can be based on the number of solder ribbons 2000, but is not limited thereto. This arrangement ensures that the top surface of the battery cell 1000 and the bottom of the second positioning groove 420 are at the same level, thereby ensuring that the solder ribbon 2000 is at the same level and improving the convenience and firmness of the adhesive tape bonding. The positioning member 400 is configured to ensure the relative accuracy of the positions of the battery cell 1000 and the solder ribbon 2000 when the turntable 200 rotates.

[0067] In this embodiment, the battery cell 1000 is placed on the positioning member 400 at the first station.

[0068] The bottom of the first positioning groove 410 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 at both ends of the first positioning groove 410. The longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 are configured to limit the displacement of the battery cell 1000 in its longitudinal direction and provide an oblique guide for the placement of the battery cell 1000. The height of the longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 can be higher than the upper surface of the battery cell 1000, and the gap between any two longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 can be configured to pass through the solder ribbon 2000. There are 2N longitudinal limiting protrusions 411, with N located at one end of the first positioning groove 410 and N located at the other end. The N longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 at one end of the first positioning groove 410 correspond to the N longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 at the other end of the first positioning groove 410. A gap is formed between any two adjacent longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 among the N longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 at the same end of the first positioning groove 410 to avoid the solder ribbon 2000. The above arrangement also allows for reliable positioning of the cell 1000. The cell 1000 is held in place on both sides of its width by the two sidewalls of the first positioning groove 410. The cell 1000 is held in place on both sides of its length by the longitudinal limiting protrusions 411 located at both ends of the first positioning groove 410. The length of the cell 1000 is aligned with the direction in which the solder ribbon 2000 extends.

[0069] The height of the longitudinal limiting protrusion 411 is higher than the upper surface of the battery cell 1000 , which can prevent the longitudinal limiting protrusion 411 from being located in the middle of the battery cell 1000 in the thickness direction.

[0070] In some embodiments, an adsorption hole 412 is provided at the bottom of the first positioning groove 410, and the adsorption hole 412 is configured to adsorb the battery cell 1000 so that the battery cell 1000 is firmly fixed at the bottom of the first positioning groove 410, thereby preventing the battery cell 1000 from being displaced during the rotation of the turntable 200.

[0071] The positioning member 400 is provided with a hollow channel 421, which extends along the arrangement direction of the plurality of second positioning grooves 420 and penetrates the entire positioning member 400. In other words, the hollow channel 421 extends along the width direction of the cell 1000. This arrangement facilitates the clamping of the solder ribbon 2000, preventing the solder ribbon 2000 from being significantly offset relative to the cell 1000 during the subsequent flipping process.

[0072] The hollow motor 210 is disposed on the workbench 100, and the turntable 200 is disposed at the output end of the hollow motor 210. The rotating shaft is the output end of the hollow motor 210.

[0073] Since the turntable 200 is rotating, regarding the transmission of the vacuum gas of the adsorption hole 412, in this embodiment, the battery string manufacturing device also includes a vacuum component, which includes a vacuum supply pipe 510, a collar 520 and a ventilation slip ring 530, wherein the vacuum supply pipe 510 passes through the cavity of the hollow motor 210, and the upper end portion of the vacuum supply pipe 510 passes through the middle channel of the turntable 200 and is located on the upper side of the turntable 200, and the side wall of the vacuum supply pipe 510 is evenly spaced around the axis of the vacuum supply pipe 510 with a plurality of negative pressure pipes 511, the lower end of the negative pressure pipe 511 is connected to the exhaust device, the collar 520 is fixed to the turntable 200, and the collar 5 The vent ring 530 is provided with multiple outlet pipes 521, which are arranged to communicate with the adsorption holes 412 of the positioning member 400. The vent ring 530 is provided with multiple transfer channels that pass through the sidewall of the vent ring 530. The transfer channels are elongated and extend around the outer circumference of the vent ring 530. The vent ring 530 is sleeved around the outer circumference of the vacuum supply pipe 510 and fixed relative to the turntable 200. As the turntable 200 rotates, the transfer channels can maintain communication with the upper end of at least one negative pressure pipe 511. The other end of the transfer channel is connected to one end of the outlet pipe 521, and the other end of the outlet pipe 521 is connected to the adsorption holes 412 via the vent pipe 540. The collar 520 is sleeved on the outside of the vacuum supply pipe 510, and a bearing is provided between the collar 520 and the vacuum supply pipe 510.

[0074] The vacuum assembly can maintain negative pressure in the adsorption holes 412 on the positioning member 400 when the turntable 200 rotates, and the adsorption effect is stable so that the battery cell 1000 can maintain a relatively stable position when rotating.

[0075] In other embodiments, a vacuum rotary joint in the related art can be directly used, as long as the positioning member 400 at each station has a vacuum adsorption capability during the rotation of the turntable 200.

[0076] The battery string fabrication apparatus also includes an alignment member 610 and a second drive assembly 620. The second drive assembly 620 is mounted on the workbench 100, and the alignment member 610 is mounted on the turntable 200. The second drive assembly 620 is configured to move the alignment member 610 between an alignment position and a relief position. The alignment member 610 is provided with multiple guide slots 611, which extend in the same direction as the second positioning slots 420. Two second drive assemblies 620 are mounted on the base 310. One second drive assembly 620 is located between the first and second stations and is configured to move the alignment member 610 to the alignment position. After the solder ribbon 2000 is positioned at the second station, inertia can cause the solder ribbon 2000 to contact the alignment member 610 during movement to the third station, ensuring alignment of the ends of the solder ribbon 2000. The other second drive assembly 620, located at the third station, is configured to move the alignment member 610 to the relief position, exposing the protected battery cell 1000 for easier tape application.

[0077] At the fourth station, since the alignment member 610 is in the avoidance position, interference with the conveying member for transferring the semi-finished product is avoided, and collision during the transfer of the semi-finished product is avoided.

[0078] The alignment member 610 is slidably disposed on the positioning member 400 or the turntable 200 via a slide rail and a slider structure.

[0079] The second drive assembly 620 includes a second drive member 621 and a drive plate 622. The second drive member 621 is located on the workbench 100, and the drive plate 622 is located at the output end of the second drive member 621. The alignment member 610 is provided with a toggle member 613. The drive plate 622 of the second drive assembly 620, which is located between the first and second workstations, is located on the side of the toggle member 613 away from the positioning member 400. The drive plate 622 of the second drive assembly 620, which is located at the third workstation, is located between the toggle member 613 and the positioning member 400. The second drive member 621 can be a pneumatic cylinder.

[0080] The alignment member 610 is provided with a plurality of alignment slots 612, which correspond one-to-one with the plurality of guide slots 611. The alignment slots 612 are located at the end of the guide slots 611 near the positioning member 400. The alignment slots 612 include alignment surfaces 6121, which are perpendicular to the extension direction of the solder ribbons 2000. When the alignment member 610 is in the alignment position, the plurality of solder ribbons 2000 abut and align with the alignment surfaces 6121 due to the inertia generated by the rotation of the turntable 200, thereby fixing their positions relative to the cell 1000 and aligning the ends of the plurality of solder ribbons 2000. This arrangement ensures that the relative positions of the solder ribbons 2000 and the cell 1000 are fixed, and that each solder ribbon 2000 extends beyond the cell 1000 by the same length, which helps ensure structural consistency and accurate tape application. When the alignment member 610 is in the alignment position, the alignment surfaces 6121 are aligned with one end of the cell 1000.

[0081] The width of the guide groove 611 remains unchanged at first and then increases in the direction away from the groove bottom, that is, a bell mouth is provided at the opening of the guide groove 611 to facilitate the welding strip 2000 to enter the guide groove 611 from the opening of the guide groove 611.

[0082] The alignment groove 612 extends through the alignment member 610 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the battery cell 1000, and the bottom of the alignment groove 612 forms an alignment surface 6121. When the alignment member 610 is in the alignment position, the opening of the alignment groove 612 is located directly above the battery cell 1000. This arrangement avoids any gap between the alignment groove 612 and the battery cell 1000 along the length of the battery cell 1000, thereby ensuring that the solder ribbon 2000 can smoothly enter the alignment groove 612 and abut against the alignment surface 6121. The aforementioned opening position of the alignment groove 612 allows the end of the solder ribbon 2000 on the battery cell 1000 that is away from the second positioning groove 420 to precisely enter the alignment groove 612.

[0083] The upper end surface of the alignment member 610 is provided with a plurality of guide bars 614. The guide bars 614 partially extend out of the alignment member 610 toward the positioning member 400. A guide groove 611 and an alignment groove 612 are formed between any two adjacent guide bars 614. The alignment surface 6121 is located between the guide groove 611 and the positioning member 400. Because the opening of the alignment groove 612 is located directly above the battery cell 1000, a predetermined gap must be maintained between the bottom surface of the guide bar 614 and the battery cell 1000 to prevent the guide bar 614 from crushing the battery cell 1000 when the alignment member 610 moves to the alignment position.

[0084] Since a longitudinal limiting protrusion 411 is provided at the bottom of the first positioning groove 410, in order to avoid interference between the guide bar 614 and the longitudinal limiting protrusion 411 when the alignment member 610 moves to the alignment position, an avoidance guide notch 6141 is provided on the guide bar 614 so that when the alignment member 610 moves to the alignment position, the longitudinal limiting protrusion 411 is located in the avoidance guide notch 6141.

[0085] The width of the alignment groove 612 first remains constant and then increases in the direction away from the bottom of the groove. This arrangement facilitates the end of the welding ribbon 2000 that extends beyond the battery cell 1000 to enter the alignment groove 612. The minimum width of the alignment groove 612 is greater than the minimum width of the guide groove 611. A widening portion 6122 is provided on the sidewall of the alignment groove 612 at the bottom of the groove. The width of the alignment groove 612 at the widening portion 6122 is approximately twice the width of the middle portion of the alignment groove 612. Widening portions 6122 are provided on both sides of the alignment groove 612. The cross-sectional shape of the widening portions 6122 on both sides along the plane where the battery cell 1000 is located is semicircular. The provision of the widening portion 6122 can, on the one hand, reduce the difficulty of machining the alignment groove 612. On the other hand, it can also facilitate entry into the alignment groove 612 from the end of the guide groove 611 closer to the alignment groove 612.

[0086] One of the positioning member 400 and the alignment member 610 is equipped with a first magnetic member 430, while the other is equipped with a second magnetic member or can be attracted by the first magnetic member 430. The alignment member 610 and the positioning member 400 in the aligned position are fixedly connected by magnetic force. The positioning member 400 is equipped with the first magnetic member 430, and the alignment member 610 is equipped with an iron block 615. This magnetic attraction ensures that the positioning member 400 and the alignment member 610 are locked in position, allowing for precise positioning. The first magnetic member 430 can be an electromagnet or a permanent magnet.

[0087] In some embodiments, there are four processing stations, each of which can correspond to the first, second, third, and fourth stations. This arrangement allows different processes to be performed simultaneously, eliminating the need to wait for the corresponding process to complete before executing the back-end process, effectively shortening process time and increasing production capacity.

[0088] In some embodiments, there are eight processing stations, with the first, second, third, and fourth stations defining a processing station group. Two processing station groups are provided, namely, the first, second, third, and fourth stations, and the first, second, third, and fourth stations are arranged in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction on the workbench 100. With each 45° rotation of the turntable 200, one processing station moves to the next station. This arrangement is equivalent to two production lines, improving production efficiency. A detection sensor is provided at the first station on the workbench 100. The detection sensor can be a laser diffuse reflection sensor, configured to detect whether a cell 1000 is placed on the first station and provide corresponding feedback information for the rotation of the turntable 200. Since the cell 1000 is placed on the positioning member 400, even when the cell 1000 is not on the positioning member 400, the irradiated laser can still generate corresponding diffuse reflection. In this case, a corresponding detection threshold is set to confirm whether the intensity of the diffusely reflected light is within the normal range of reflection from the cell 1000.

[0089] In this embodiment, the battery cell 1000 can be placed at the processing station on the first station by a robot. The soldering ribbon 2000 can be drawn out by the pull-tab assembly and pulled onto the battery cell 1000 at the second station. The conveyor at the fourth station can be a conveyor belt. The aforementioned robot, pull-tab assembly, conveyor belt, and tape application equipment are well known to those skilled in the art. Their structure and usage are relatively conventional, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0090] Example 2

[0091] This embodiment further provides a battery string manufacturing method, which is applied to the battery string manufacturing device in the above solution, comprising the following steps:

[0092] The turntable 200 rotates so that the processing position is located at the first position of the workbench 100, and the battery cell 1000 is placed at the processing position.

[0093] The turntable 200 rotates so that the processing position is located at the second station of the workbench 100 , and the solder ribbon 2000 is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell 1000 .

[0094] The turntable 200 rotates so that the processing position is located at the third position of the workbench 100.

[0095] The output end of the supporting assembly 300 is moved to a supporting position to support the bottom surface of the turntable 200 .

[0096] The adhesive tape is attached to the solder ribbon 2000 and the battery cell 1000 to form a semi-finished product.

[0097] The turntable 200 rotates so that the processing position is located at the fourth working position of the workbench 100 , and the conveyor moves the semi-finished product out of the turntable 200 .

[0098] When the positioning member 400 is placed on the processing position of the turntable 200, the battery string manufacturing method includes the following steps:

[0099] The turntable 200 rotates so that the positioning member 400 is located at the first station of the workbench 100 , and the battery cell 1000 is placed on the positioning member 400 .

[0100] The turntable 200 rotates so that the positioning member 400 is located at the second station of the workbench 100 , and the soldering ribbon 2000 is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell 1000 .

[0101] The turntable 200 rotates so that the positioning member 400 is located at the third position of the workbench 100 .

[0102] The output end of the supporting assembly 300 is moved to a supporting position to support the bottom surface of the turntable 200 .

[0103] The adhesive tape is attached to the solder ribbon 2000 and the battery cell 1000 to form a semi-finished product.

[0104] The turntable 200 rotates so that the positioning member 400 is located at the fourth station of the workbench 100 , and the conveying member moves the semi-finished product out of the turntable 200 .

[0105] With the help of the above-mentioned arrangement, even if there is roller rolling, when the turntable 200 under pressure has a tendency to deflect downward, it is supported by the support assembly 300 and will not be deformed. This can not only ensure the firm adhesion of the tape, but also prevent the turntable 200 from deflecting, thereby avoiding affecting the position of the battery cell 1000, effectively ensuring the position accuracy of the battery cell 1000 in subsequent processing steps, and improving the yield rate of the battery string.

[0106] Since one of the second drive assemblies 620 is located between the first and second workstations and is configured to move the alignment member 610 to the alignment position, during the rotation of the turntable 200, when one of the processing stations is located between the first and second workstations, the second drive assembly 620 can be actuated to move the alignment member 610 located at that processing station to the alignment position. Since the alignment member 610 is slidably mounted on the turntable 200 via a slide rail and slider structure, the turntable 200 does not need to stop rotating. It only needs to activate the drive plate 622 when the toggle member 613 moves past the toggle member 613, causing the toggle member 613 to move toward the positioning member 400.

[0107] The second driving assembly 620 disposed between the first and second stations may also be directly disposed at the second station. When the turntable 200 stops rotating, the driving plate 622 is actuated to move the alignment member 610 to the alignment position via the toggle member 613 .

[0108] In an embodiment in which the first magnetic member 430 is an electromagnet, when the processing position is between the first workstation and the second workstation, the driving plate 622 is actuated, so that the first magnetic member 430 can be energized and obtain magnetic force, so that the alignment member 610 moved to the alignment position can be directly adsorbed with the positioning member 400.

[0109] When the processing position is at the third station and before the adhesive tape is applied, the first magnetic member 430 needs to be powered off and lose its magnetic force.

[0110] In the embodiment where the magnet is a permanent magnet, there is no need to consider the power-on and power-off actions, and the operation is simpler.

[0111] The present application provides a battery string manufacturing device and method. The battery string manufacturing device sets four processing positions on a turntable so that the four processing positions can correspond to the first, second, third and fourth positions on the workbench respectively at the same time; thereby, the four processing positions can complete the corresponding processes at the corresponding positions at the same time, without having to wait for the completion of the corresponding process before executing the back-end process, which can effectively shorten the process time, increase production capacity and improve production efficiency.

[0112] In addition, positioning parts are set on the processing position to position the battery cells and ensure that the soldering tapes placed on the battery cells remain aligned, so that after the tapes are pasted, the positions of the soldering tapes on the battery cells are neat, which helps to improve the yield of the battery string.

Claims

1. A battery string manufacturing device, comprising: A workbench (100), wherein the workbench (100) is provided with a first workstation, a second workstation, a third workstation and a fourth workstation; A turntable (200) is rotatably disposed on the workbench (100), wherein at least four processing positions are disposed on the turntable (200), and the four processing positions can respectively correspond to the first working position, the second working position, the third working position and the fourth working position at the same time; a positioning member (400), the positioning member (400) being arranged at a processing position of the rotating disk (200) and being configured to hold a battery cell (1000) and a welding strip (2000), the positioning member (400) being further configured to position the battery cell (1000) and ensure that the welding strip (2000) placed on the battery cell (1000) remains in an aligned state; During the rotation of the turntable (200), a positioning member (400) passes through the first station, the second station, the third station and the fourth station in sequence; when the positioning member (400) is located at the first station, the battery cell (1000) is placed on the positioning member (400); when the positioning member (400) is located at the second station, the soldering tape (2000) is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell (1000); when the positioning member (400) is located at the third station, an adhesive tape is adhered to the soldering tape (2000) and the battery cell (1000) to form a semi-finished product; when the positioning member (400) is located at the fourth station, the semi-finished product is moved out of the turntable (200) by a conveyor.

2. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 1 further comprises a support assembly (300), wherein the support assembly (300) is arranged on the workbench (100), and the support assembly (300) comprises an input end and an output end, and the output end of the support assembly (300) is arranged to move between a supporting position and a yielding position, and the output end of the support assembly (300) located at the supporting position is arranged to support the bottom surface of the turntable (200) at the third station.

3. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 2, wherein: The support assembly (300) further comprises a base (310), wherein the base (310) is disposed on the workbench (100) and is located below the turntable (200); The output end comprises a supporting member (320), the supporting member (320) being arranged on the base (310), the supporting member (320) being located at the supporting position and being capable of supporting the bottom surface of the turntable (200) at the third station; and a gap being provided between the supporting member (320) and the turntable (200) when located at the yielding position; The input end comprises a first driving member (330), wherein the first driving member (330) is disposed on the base (310) and is configured to drive the supporting member (320) to move between the supporting position and the yielding position.

4. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 3, wherein: The base (310) is provided with a first inclined surface (311), and the supporting member (320) is provided with a second inclined surface. The first inclined surface (311) gradually approaches the turntable (200) along the direction approaching the processing position. The first inclined surface (311) is parallel to the second inclined surface. The base (310) and the supporting member (320) are slidably matched through the first inclined surface (311) and the second inclined surface.

5. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 4, wherein: The friction coefficient between the first inclined surface (311) and the second inclined surface is μ, and the angle between the first inclined surface (311) and the horizontal plane is α, μ≥tanα.

6. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 4, wherein: The sliding direction F2 of the supporting member (320) sliding to the yielding position is a tangent direction to the rotation direction F1 of the turntable (200). During the rotation of the turntable (200), the turntable (200) is configured to drag the supporting member (320) from the supporting position to a safe position, and the safe position is located between the supporting position and the yielding position.

7. The battery string manufacturing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The positioning member (400) comprises a first positioning groove (410) and a plurality of second positioning grooves (420) arranged at intervals, the first positioning groove (410) being arranged to accommodate the battery cell (1000), and the second positioning groove (420) being arranged to accommodate the welding strip (2000) on the upper side of the battery cell (1000) and extending beyond the battery cell (1000), the distance between the groove bottom of the first positioning groove (410) and the groove bottom of the second positioning groove (420) being adapted to the thickness of the battery cell (1000).

8. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 7, wherein: Satisfy at least one of the following: The first positioning groove (410) passes through one side of the positioning member (400) along the extension direction of the welding strip (2000); a plurality of longitudinal limiting protrusions (411) are provided at the bottom of the first positioning groove (410) and at both ends of the first positioning groove (410); the longitudinal limiting protrusions (411) are arranged to limit the displacement of the battery cell (1000) in the length direction of the battery cell (1000); the height of the longitudinal limiting protrusions (411) is higher than the upper surface of the battery cell (1000); and the gap between the two longitudinal limiting protrusions (411) is arranged to pass through the welding strip (2000); The positioning member (400) is provided with a hollow channel (421), and the hollow channel (421) extends along the arrangement direction of the plurality of second positioning grooves (420) and passes through the entire positioning member (400); The battery string manufacturing device further comprises an alignment member (610) and a second driving assembly (620), wherein the second driving assembly (620) is disposed on the workbench (100), and the alignment member (610) is disposed on the turntable (200), and the second driving assembly (620) is configured to move the alignment member (610) to an alignment position close to the positioning member (400) and to a avoidance position away from the positioning member (400), and the alignment member (610) is provided with a plurality of guide grooves (611), and the extension direction of the guide grooves (611) is the same as that of the second driving assembly (620). The two positioning grooves (420) extend in the same direction.

9. The battery string manufacturing device according to claim 8, wherein: The alignment member (610) is provided with a plurality of alignment grooves (612), and the plurality of alignment grooves (612) and the plurality of guide grooves (611) are arranged in one-to-one correspondence. The alignment groove (612) is arranged at one end of the guide groove (611) close to the positioning member (400). The alignment groove (612) includes an alignment surface (6121), and the alignment surface (6121) and the extension direction of the welding strip (2000) are perpendicular. When the alignment member (610) is located at the alignment position, the plurality of welding strips (2000) abut and align with the plurality of alignment surfaces (6121) under the action of inertia generated during the rotation of the rotating disk (200), so as to be fixed relative to the battery cell (1000).

10. A battery string manufacturing method, applied to the battery string manufacturing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the battery string manufacturing method comprising: The turntable (200) rotates so that the processing position is located at the first position of the workbench (100), and the battery sheet (1000) is placed at the processing position; The turntable (200) rotates so that the processing position is located at the second position of the workbench (100), and the welding strip (2000) is placed on the upper surface of the battery cell (1000); The turntable (200) rotates so that the processing position is located at the third working position of the workbench (100); Moving the output end of the support assembly (300) to a supporting position to support the bottom surface of the rotating disk (200); Adhere an adhesive tape to the welding tape (2000) and the battery cell (1000) to form a semi-finished product; The turntable (200) rotates so that the processing position is located at the fourth position of the workbench (100), and the conveyor moves the semi-finished product out of the turntable (200).

Citation Information

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