Current collector processing device and battery production system

Abstract

A current collector processing device and a battery production system. The processing device has integrated therein a first processing mechanism and a second processing mechanism; two first foils are respectively overlaid and welded on two surfaces of a current collector by using the first processing mechanism, at which point the two first foils may be located on the same side of the current collector in the width direction, or on different sides of the current collector in the width direction. Then, second foils are respectively overlaid and welded on the two surfaces of the current collector by using the second processing mechanism, so that no matter which surfaces the first foils and the second foils are located on the first foils and the second foils are respectively located on the two opposite sides of the current collector, and thus the double-surface and double-side welding of the current collector is completed. Therefore, compared with conventional modes of welding, the cooperation of the first processing mechanism and the second processing mechanism can effectively simplify the double-surface and double-side welding procedure, and improve processing efficiency.

Description

Current collector processing equipment and battery production system

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 2023230726021, filed on November 14, 2023, entitled “Current Collector Processing Equipment and Battery Production System,” the entire text of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to current collector processing equipment and a battery production system. Background Art

[0004] A current collector is a component that not only carries active material but also conducts current. To ensure uniform current output, some current collectors have metal foil welded to opposite sides of their surfaces, serving as tabs. For example, a composite current collector has metal foil welded to opposite sides. However, due to limitations in conventional processing equipment, double-sided welding is complex and inefficient.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a current collector processing equipment and a battery production system to simplify the double-sided welding process and improve processing efficiency.

[0007] In the first aspect, the present application provides a processing equipment for a current collector, comprising: a first processing mechanism, used to overlap and weld two first foils on two surfaces of the current collector along its own thickness direction, and respectively located on the same side or different sides of the current collector along its own width direction; a second processing mechanism, located at the downstream end of the first processing mechanism, used to overlap and weld two second foils on two surfaces of the current collector; wherein, on any surface of the current collector, the first foil and the second foil are respectively located on opposite sides of the current collector along the width direction.

[0008] The above-mentioned current collector processing equipment integrates a first processing mechanism and a second processing mechanism. The first processing mechanism is used to overlap and weld the two first foils to the two surfaces of the current collector. In this case, the two first foils can be located on the same side of the current collector along the width direction, or on different sides. The second processing mechanism is then used to overlap and weld the second foils to the two surfaces of the current collector. This ensures that, regardless of which surface, the first foil and the second foil are located on opposite sides of the current collector, completing the double-sided welding of the current collector. In this way, compared with traditional welding methods, the cooperation of the first and second processing mechanisms can effectively simplify the double-sided welding process and improve processing efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first processing mechanism includes a first unwinding assembly and a first welding assembly. The first unwinding assembly is used to laminate the two first foils onto the two surfaces of the current collector, either on the same side or on different sides of the current collector. The first welding assembly is used to weld the two first foils to the current collector. This design, combined with the introduction of the first unwinding assembly, ensures that the two first foils are stably laminated onto the current collector, allowing the first welding assembly to accurately complete the welding of the first foils.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first unwinding assembly includes a first unwinder, a second unwinder, and a third unwinder. The first unwinder is used to release the current collector, while the second and third unwinders are used to release the two first foils onto the two surfaces of the current collector, respectively. This design, through the first, second, and third unwinders, ensures that the two first foils are stably superimposed on the current collector, which helps improve the reliability of the current collector processing.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first unwinding assembly includes a first laminating roller and a second laminating roller, which are sequentially distributed along the current collector's tape path. The first laminating roller is used to press one surface of the current collector against the first foil released by the second unwinder, and the second laminating roller is used to press the other surface of the current collector against the first foil released by the third unwinder. This design facilitates lamination between the two first foils and the two surfaces of the current collector through the first and second laminating rollers, thereby improving processing efficiency. Furthermore, the first and second laminating rollers allow the two first foils and the current collector to be laminated at different locations, thereby improving lamination accuracy.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first welding assembly includes a first welding head and a first welding base. A current collector, overlaid with a first foil, passes between the first welding head and the first welding base. The first welding head is used to weld two first foils to the current collector. This facilitates continuous and stable welding of the first foils and the current collector using the first welding head and the first welding base, improving processing efficiency and quality.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first welding assembly further includes a first actuator configured to drive at least one of the first welding head and the first welding base to move toward or away from each other. This design, combined with the introduction of the first actuator, allows the first welding head or the first welding base to actively compress the current collector, thereby ensuring a certain contact force between the first welding head and the current collector, thereby improving welding quality.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first processing mechanism further includes a first rolling assembly, which is located between the first welding assembly and the second processing mechanism along the current collector's conveyor path and is used to press the weld marks on the current collector. This design, with the first rolling assembly positioned downstream of the first welding assembly, facilitates thinning of the weld marks formed by welding, thereby improving the processing quality of the current collector.

[0015] In some embodiments, the current collector processing equipment further includes a speed-adjustable roller located between the first and second processing mechanisms along the current collector's conveyor path and configured to roll against the current collector welded with the first foil. In this design, the speed-adjustable roller, positioned upstream of the second processing mechanism, regulates the speed at which the current collector enters the second processing mechanism, ensuring a consistent flow of the current collector and the second foil, thereby ensuring smooth processing of the current collector.

[0016] In some embodiments, the current collector processing equipment further includes a first deflection correction assembly, located between the first processing mechanism and the second processing mechanism along the current collector's conveyor path, and configured to correct the position of the current collector welded with the first foil. This design, in which the first deflection correction assembly is introduced between the first processing mechanism and the second processing mechanism, corrects the deflection of the current collector welded with the first foil to a predetermined position, thereby ensuring accurate alignment of the second foil and the current collector, and thereby improving the processing quality of the current collector.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second processing mechanism includes a second unwinding assembly and a second welding assembly. The second unwinding assembly is used to laminate the two second foils onto the two surfaces of the current collector, and the second welding assembly is used to weld the two second foils to the current collector. This design, with the introduction of the second unwinding assembly, ensures that the two second foils are stably laminated onto the current collector, allowing the second welding assembly to accurately complete the welding of the second foils.

[0018] In some embodiments, the second unwinding assembly includes a fourth unwinder and a fifth unwinder, which are used to release the two second foils onto the two surfaces of the current collector after being welded by the first processing mechanism. This design, through the fourth and fifth unwinders, ensures that the two second foils are stably superimposed on the current collector, which helps improve the reliability of the current collector processing.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second unwinding assembly includes a third and fourth laminating rollers, each located between the first processing mechanism and the second welding assembly on the current collector's tape path. The third laminating roller is used to press one surface of the current collector against the second foil released by the fourth unwinder, and the fourth laminating roller is used to press the other surface of the current collector against the second foil released by the fifth unwinder. This design facilitates lamination between the two second foils and the two surfaces of the current collector through the third and fourth laminating rollers, thereby improving processing efficiency. Furthermore, the third and fourth laminating rollers allow the two second foils and the current collector to be laminated at different locations, thereby improving lamination accuracy.

[0020] In some embodiments, the current collector processing equipment further includes a second roller pressing assembly, located downstream of the second welding assembly along the current collector's conveyor path, and configured to press weld marks on the current collector. This design, with the second roller pressing assembly downstream of the second welding assembly, facilitates thinning of weld marks formed by welding, thereby improving the processing quality of the current collector.

[0021] In some embodiments, the current collector processing equipment further includes a detector located downstream of the second processing mechanism for detecting the appearance of at least one surface of the current collector. This design, by including the detector, allows the overlap of the first and second foils on the current collector to be determined by observing the current collector's appearance, thereby facilitating quality control of the current collector.

[0022] In some embodiments, the current collector processing equipment further includes a winding assembly for winding the current collector welded with the first foil and the second foil. With this design, the introduction of the winding assembly facilitates winding and storage of the welded current collector.

[0023] In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery production system, which includes any of the above current collector processing equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative work.

[0025] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the processing equipment for the current collector described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0026] FIG2 is a schematic diagram 1 of the current collector structure described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0027] FIG3 is a second schematic diagram of the current collector structure described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0028] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of the first processing mechanism described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0029] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second processing mechanism described in some embodiments of the present application. 100, processing equipment; 10, first processing mechanism; 11, first unwinding assembly; 111, first unwinder; 112, second unwinder; 113, third unwinder; 114, first laminating roller; 115, second laminating roller; 12, first welding assembly; 121, first welding head; 122, first welding seat; 123, first driver; 13, first rolling assembly; 131, first pressure wheel; 132, first base; 14, second deviation correction assembly; 15, first tension assembly; 20, second processing mechanism; 21, second unwinding assembly; 211, fourth unwinder; 212, fifth unwinder; 213, third laminating roller; 214, fourth laminating roller; 2 2. Second welding assembly; 221. Second welding head; 222. Second welding seat; 223. Second driver; 23. Second rolling assembly; 231. Second pressure wheel; 232. Second base; 24. Third deviation-correcting assembly; 25. Second tension assembly; 30. First deviation-correcting assembly; 40. Speed-regulating roller; 50. Detector; 51. First detection component; 52. Second detection component; 60. Winding assembly; 70. Roller; 200. Current collector; 300. First foil; 400. Second foil; X, thickness direction; Y, width direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth many specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0032] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connected," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, these terms may refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, if a first feature is described as being "above" or "below" a second feature, or similar descriptions, this may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is described as being "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is described as being "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0035] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiment.

[0036] Currently, market developments indicate that power batteries are becoming increasingly widely used. They are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal, wind, and solar power plants, but are also widely used in electric vehicles like electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric vehicles, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. As power battery applications continue to expand, market demand is also growing.

[0037] The current collector is a crucial component in batteries, not only carrying the active material but also collecting and discharging the current generated by the electrode active material. Typically, the current collector is provided with tabs, which allow the current on the current collector to be uniformly dissipated outwards. During tab welding, some current collectors require tabs to be welded on either side of their width to complete double-sided tab welding.

[0038] For double-sided tab welding, step-by-step welding is usually used. That is, welding is first performed on one side of one surface; then welding is performed on the other side of the same surface; then welding is performed on one side of the other surface; and finally welding is performed on the other side of the same surface. This step-by-step welding process is complex and inefficient.

[0039] Based on this, in order to address the problems of complex process and low efficiency in the above double-sided double-layer welding, the present application provides a current collector processing equipment, which integrates a first processing mechanism and a second processing mechanism. The first processing mechanism is used to overlap and weld the two first foils on the two surfaces of the current collector. At this time, the two first foils can be located on the same side of the current collector along the width direction, or on different sides. The second processing mechanism is then used to overlap and weld the second foils on the two surfaces of the current collector, so that no matter which surface they are on, the first foil and the second foil are located on opposite sides of the current collector to complete the double-sided and double-sided welding of the current collector. In this way, compared with the traditional welding method, the cooperation of the first processing mechanism and the second processing mechanism can effectively simplify the double-sided and double-sided welding process and improve processing efficiency.

[0040] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to FIG1 . The present application provides a current collector processing device 100, which includes a first processing mechanism 10 and a second processing mechanism 20. The first processing mechanism 10 is used to overlap and weld two first foils 300 on two surfaces of the current collector 200 along its own thickness direction X, and respectively located on the same side or different sides of the current collector 200 along its own width direction Y. The second processing mechanism 20 is located at the downstream end of the first processing mechanism 10, and is used to overlap and weld two second foils 400 on two surfaces of the current collector 200. Among them, on any surface of the current collector 200, the first foil 300 and the second foil 400 are respectively located on opposite sides of the current collector 200 along the width direction Y.

[0041] The first processing mechanism 10 is a device capable of stacking and welding two first foils 300 onto the two surfaces of the current collector 200 along its thickness direction X. When the two first foils 300 are stacked onto the two surfaces of the current collector 200 by the first processing mechanism 10, the two first foils 300 can be simultaneously located on the same side of the current collector 200 along the width direction Y, or respectively located on opposite sides of the current collector 200.

[0042] Referring to Figure 2 , if the two first foils 300 are located on the same side, then during the subsequent welding of the second foils 400, the two second foils 400 should also be located on the same side of the current collector 200. Referring to Figure 3 , if the two first foils 300 are located on different sides, the two second foils 400 should be located on different sides of the current collector 200. The width direction Y of the current collector 200 can be understood as the direction intersecting the running direction or length direction of the current collector 200.

[0043] The second processing mechanism 20 is a device capable of stacking and welding two second foils 400 onto the two surfaces of the current collector 200. The second processing mechanism 20 is located at the downstream end of the first processing mechanism 10. This means that after the first processing mechanism 10 completes processing, the current collector 200 welded with the first foil 300 enters the second processing mechanism 20. The "downstream end" can be understood as the end of the first processing mechanism 10 from which the current collector 200 welded with the two first foils 300 is discharged.

[0044] In addition, it should be noted that the current collector 200 refers to a component that can not only carry active materials, but also collect and output the current generated by the electrode active materials. For some current collectors 200, foil materials need to be welded on both sides of its two surfaces at the same time to form a pole ear structure. For example: in the composite current collector 200, since the middle is a polymer layer, the two sides of the polymer layer are metal layers respectively. In order to achieve conduction on both sides, corresponding foil materials need to be welded on both sides of each metal layer, so that the foil materials on the same side of each metal layer can be connected to each other to achieve mutual conduction. Specifically in some embodiments, the current collector 200 is a composite current collector 200.

[0045] The current collector 200 in this embodiment may be a structure not coated with an active material, or a structure coated with an active material, i.e., a pole piece. Furthermore, the first foil 300 and the second foil 400 may be made of a variety of materials, for example, aluminum foil, copper foil, etc.

[0046] Thus, compared with the traditional welding method, the cooperation between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second processing mechanism 20 can effectively simplify the double-sided and double-side welding process and improve the processing efficiency.

[0047] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , a first processing mechanism 10 includes a first unwinding assembly 11 and a first welding assembly 12. The first unwinding assembly 11 is used to stack two first foils 300 on two surfaces of a current collector 200, and the two foils 300 are located on the same side or different sides of the current collector 200. The first welding assembly 12 is used to weld the two first foils 300 to the current collector 200.

[0048] The first unwinding assembly 11 is a structure capable of laminating two first foils 300 onto two surfaces of the current collector 200. For example, during processing, the two first foils 300 can be pulled onto two surfaces of the current collector 200. In this case, the two first foils 300 can be on the same side of the current collector 200 along the width direction Y, or on opposite sides. Subsequently, a conveying device, such as a roller 70, is used to drive the two first foils 300 and the current collector 200 forward together.

[0049] The first welding assembly 12 is a device capable of welding the first foil 300 to the current collector 200. It may be, but is not limited to, ultrasonic welding equipment, laser welding equipment, or the like. When two first foils 300 are stacked on opposite surfaces of the current collector 200, if the two first foils 300 are located on the same side, the first welding assembly 12 can simultaneously weld both first foils 300. For example, ultrasonic welding can be used to simultaneously weld the two first foils 300, leveraging the penetrating properties of ultrasound. If the two first foils 300 are located on different sides, the first welding assembly 12 may be equipped with a flipping mechanism. For example, after welding the first foil 300 on one surface, the first welding assembly 12 can flip and move to the other surface to continue welding the other first foil 300. Of course, multiple first welding assemblies 12 may also be provided, with at least one first welding assembly 12 positioned on each surface.

[0050] With such a design, the first unwinding assembly 11 is introduced, so that the two first foils 300 are stably superimposed on the current collector 200 , respectively, so that the first welding assembly 12 can accurately complete the welding of the first foils 300 .

[0051] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG4 , the first unwinding assembly 11 includes a first unwinder 111, a second unwinder 112, and a third unwinder 113. The first unwinder 111 is used to release the current collector 200, and the second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113 are used to release two first foils 300 onto the two surfaces of the current collector 200, respectively.

[0052] The first unwinder 111 is a structure for releasing the current collector 200. It can be a roller structure, releasing the wound current collector 200 outward to allow the welding operation to continue. The second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113 are respectively structures for releasing the first foil 300. At the same time, the second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113 can both be designed as roller structures, each of which is wound with the first foil 300. To facilitate the second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113 to release their respective first foil 300 onto the current collector 200, the first unwinder 111 can be located between the second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113.

[0053] With this design, the two first foils 300 are stably stacked on the current collector 200 through the first unwinder 111 , the second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113 , which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the processing of the current collector 200 .

[0054] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG4 , the first unwinding assembly 11 includes a first laminating roller 114 and a second laminating roller 115 sequentially distributed along the conveying path of the current collector 200. The first laminating roller 114 is used to press one surface of the current collector 200 against the first foil 300 released by the second unwinder 112, and the second laminating roller 115 is used to press the other surface of the current collector 200 against the first foil 300 released by the third unwinder 113.

[0055] The first laminating roller 114 is a structure that laminarly overlaps the first foil 300 on the second unwinder 112 and a surface of the current collector 200. During the laminating process, the first laminating roller 114 can press a surface of the current collector 200 onto the first foil 300, in which case the first laminating roller 114 and the current collector 200 are in contact. Alternatively, the first laminating roller 114 can press the first foil 300 onto a surface of the current collector 200, in which case the first laminating roller 114 and the first foil 300 are in contact.

[0056] The second laminating roller 115 also refers to a structure that can achieve lamination of the first foil 300 on the third unwinder 113 and the other surface of the current collector 200 through lamination. During the lamination process, the second laminating roller 115 can press the other surface of the current collector 200 onto the first foil 300, in which case the second laminating roller 115 contacts the current collector 200 or the first foil 300 released by the second unwinder 112; it can also press the first foil 300 onto the other surface of the current collector 200, in which case the second laminating roller 115 contacts the first foil 300.

[0057] In addition, in order to facilitate the first unwinder 111, the second unwinder 112, and the third unwinder 113 to stably release their respective current collectors 200 and the first foil 300 onto the first stacking roller 114 or the second stacking roller 115, the first winding assembly may include a plurality of rollers 70, and a plurality of rollers 70 are arranged between the first unwinder 111 and the first stacking roller 114, between the second unwinder 112 and the first stacking roller 114, and between the third unwinder 113 and the second stacking roller 115. At this time, the current collector 200 can be passed around the corresponding roller 70 and pulled to the upper surface of the first stacking roller 114; then, the first foil 300 of the second unwinder 112 can be passed around the corresponding roller 70 and pulled to the surface of the current collector 200 located on the first stacking roller 114 for stacking. After lamination, the current collector 200 and the first foil 300 are pulled together as a whole onto the lower surface of the second lamination roller 115. At this point, the first foil 300 of the second unwinder 112 is located between the current collector 200 and the second lamination roller 115. The first foil 300 of the third unwinder 113 then passes over the corresponding roller 70 and is pulled onto the surface of the current collector 200 facing away from the second lamination roller 115, completing the lamination between the two first foils 300 and the current collector 200.

[0058] Of course, in other embodiments, the two first foils 300 and the current collector 200 can be completed on the same lamination roller, for example: the first foil 300 of the second unwinder 112 is wound on the lamination roller, and the current collector 200 is placed on the first foil 300 of the second unwinder 112, and then, the second foil 400 of the third unwinder 113 is wound on the current collector 200.

[0059] With such a design, the two surfaces of the two first foils 300 and the current collector 200 can be conveniently overlapped through the first overlapping roller 114 and the second overlapping roller 115, which is beneficial to improving processing efficiency; at the same time, the two first foils 300 and the current collector 200 are overlapped at different positions respectively through the first overlapping roller 114 and the second overlapping roller 115, which is convenient for improving overlapping accuracy.

[0060] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG4 , the first welding assembly 12 includes a first welding head 121 and a first welding seat 122 . A current collector 200 laminated with a first foil 300 passes between the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122 . The first welding head 121 is used to weld two first foils 300 to the current collector 200.

[0061] The first welding head 121 is a component capable of welding the first foil 300 and the current collector 200 between the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122. There are various options for the first welding head 121, such as, but not limited to, a laser welding head, an ultrasonic welding head, etc. When the first welding head 121 is an ultrasonic welding head, the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122 can be configured as a cylinder so that they can rotate relative to each other and achieve rolling contact. In this way, during the welding process, the foil and the composite current collector 200 can be continuously transported between the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122, and continuous ultrasonic welding can be performed on the first foil 300 and the composite current collector 200.

[0062] In this way, the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122 facilitate continuous and stable welding of the first foil 300 and the current collector 200, thereby improving processing efficiency and quality.

[0063] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 4 , the first welding assembly 12 further includes a first driver 123 , which is configured to drive at least one of the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122 to move so as to move the two closer to or further away from each other.

[0064] The first driver 123 refers to a device that can drive at least one of the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122 to move. It can be but is not limited to a cylinder, an electric cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc., or it can be a combination structure of a motor and a transmission mechanism, such as: a combination of a motor, a gear and a rack, a combination of a motor, a screw slider, etc.

[0065] During welding, the first welding head 121 needs to have a certain contact force with the first foil 300 or the current collector 200. To this end, the first driver 123 is used to drive the first welding head 121 or the first welding seat 122 closer to the current collector 200, so that the current collector 200 is clamped between the first welding head 121 and the first welding seat 122 to achieve the contact force required for welding.

[0066] With this design, the first driver 123 is introduced, so that the first welding head 121 or the first welding seat 122 can actively squeeze the current collector 200, so that a certain contact force is satisfied between the first welding head 121 and the current collector 200, which is beneficial to improving welding quality.

[0067] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , the first processing mechanism 10 further includes a first rolling assembly 13. The first rolling assembly 13 is located between the first welding assembly 12 and the second processing mechanism 20 on the conveying path of the current collector 200 and is used to press the weld marks on the current collector 200.

[0068] The first rolling assembly 13 is a device that compresses the weld marks on the current collector 200 and is located downstream of the first welding assembly 12. After the first foil 300 and the current collector 200 are welded, the weld marks between the first foil 300 and the current collector 200 may be relatively thick, which may affect the quality of the current collector 200. To this end, the first rolling assembly 13 can be used to squeeze and thin the weld marks, reducing their impact on the quality of the current collector 200.

[0069] Specifically, in some embodiments, referring to FIG1 , the first rolling assembly 13 may include a first pressing wheel 131 and a first base 132 . The first pressing wheel 131 and the first base 132 cooperate to compress the weld between the first foil 300 and the current collector 200 . Furthermore, to facilitate continuous operation, the first pressing wheel 131 and the first base 132 may both be designed as cylindrical structures, and each may be rotatable about its own axis.

[0070] With such a design, the first rolling assembly 13 is provided at the downstream end of the first welding assembly 12 , so as to facilitate thinning of the weld marks formed by welding and improve the processing quality of the current collector 200 .

[0071] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , the current collector processing apparatus 100 further includes a speed regulating roller 40. The speed regulating roller 40 is located between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second processing mechanism 20 on the conveying path of the current collector 200 and is configured to roll against the current collector 200 welded with the first foil 300.

[0072] The speed regulating roller 40 is a component that can change the conveying speed of the current collector 200 by varying its own rotational speed. The speed regulating roller 40 is located between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second processing mechanism 20, indicating that the speed regulating roller 40 is located upstream of the second processing mechanism 20. It can adjust the speed of the current collector 200 entering the second processing mechanism 20 so that it is roughly consistent with the release speed of the second foil 400.

[0073] In some examples, the speed regulating roller 40 may be movably provided. For example, the speed regulating roller 40 may be moved to different positions under the drive of a power device, thereby adjusting the tension of the current collector 200 .

[0074] In this design, a speed regulating roller 40 is provided at the upstream end of the second processing mechanism 20 to adjust the speed at which the current collector 200 enters the second processing mechanism 20 so that the speeds of the current collector 200 and the second foil 400 remain adapted, thereby ensuring smooth processing of the current collector 200.

[0075] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , the current collector processing apparatus 100 further includes a first deviation correction assembly 30. The first deviation correction assembly 30 is located between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second processing mechanism 20 on the conveying path of the current collector 200 and is used to correct the position of the current collector 200 to which the first foil 300 is welded.

[0076] The first deviation-correcting component 30 refers to a component that adjusts the position of the current collector 200 so that it is in the desired position. After the current collector 200 completes the welding of the first foil 300, it will continue to enter the second processing mechanism 20 and be overlapped with the second foil 400. If the position of the current collector 200 deviates, it will cause the overlapping position of the second foil 400 on the current collector 200 to deviate, thereby causing risks such as welding deviation. To this end, the first deviation-correcting component 30 is located between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second processing mechanism 20, for example: between the first rolling component 13 and the second processing mechanism 20, so that the current collector 200 is effectively corrected before entering the second processing mechanism 20.

[0077] The structure of the first correcting component 30 can have various designs, for example: it can be set as a correcting roller, and the current collector 200 is wrapped around the correcting roller during transportation. The correcting roller can be controlled by a program to drive the current collector 200 to move slightly in a direction different from the conveying direction to correct the offset of the current collector 200 during transportation.

[0078] To ensure precise overlap between the first foil 300 and the current collector 200, a second deflection correction assembly 14 can be installed at the downstream end of each of the first unwinder 111, the second unwinder 112, and the third unwinder 113. For example, at least one second deflection correction assembly 14 can be installed between the first unwinder 111 and the first laminating roller 114 to promptly correct the deflection of the current collector 200. Simultaneously, at least one second deflection correction assembly 14 can be installed between the second unwinder 112 and the first laminating roller 114. Furthermore, at least one second deflection correction assembly 14 can be installed between the third unwinder 113 and the second laminating roller 115.

[0079] Furthermore, to ensure smoother conveyance of the current collector 200 and the first foil 300, a first tensioning assembly 15 can be installed at the downstream ends of the first unwinder 111, the second unwinder 112, and the third unwinder 113. This ensures that the current collector 200 and the first foil 300 are under tension during conveyance. The first tensioning assembly 15 can be designed as a roller structure that rotates about its own axis. This rotation drives the current collector 200, creating a certain speed difference between the front and rear ends, thereby achieving tension.

[0080] In this design, a first correction component 30 is introduced between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second processing mechanism 20 to correct the current collector 200 welded with the first foil 300 so that it is in a set position, thereby allowing the second foil 400 and the current collector 200 to be accurately overlapped, thereby improving the processing quality of the current collector 200.

[0081] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , the second processing mechanism 20 includes a second unwinding assembly 21 and a second welding assembly 22. The second unwinding assembly 21 is used to stack two second foils 400 on two surfaces of the current collector 200, and the second welding assembly 22 is used to weld the two second foils 400 to the current collector 200.

[0082] The second unwinding assembly 21 is a structure capable of laminating two second foils 400 onto two surfaces of the current collector 200. For example, during processing, the two second foils 400 can be pulled onto two surfaces of the current collector 200. In this case, the two second foils 400 can be on the same side of the current collector 200 along the width direction Y, or on opposite sides. Then, a conveying device, such as a roller 70, is used to drive the two second foils 400 and the current collector 200 forward together.

[0083] The second welding assembly 22 is a device capable of welding the second foil 400 to the current collector 200. It may be, but is not limited to, ultrasonic welding equipment, laser welding equipment, or the like. When two second foils 400 are stacked on opposite surfaces of the current collector 200, if the two second foils 400 are located on the same side, the second welding assembly 22 can simultaneously weld both second foils 400. For example, ultrasonic welding can be used to simultaneously weld the two second foils 400, leveraging the penetrating properties of ultrasound. If the two second foils 400 are located on different sides, the second welding assembly 22 may be equipped with a flipping mechanism. For example, after welding the second foil 400 on one surface, the second welding assembly 22 can flip and move to the other surface to continue welding the second foil 400. Of course, multiple second welding assemblies 22 may also be provided, with at least one second welding assembly 22 positioned on each surface.

[0084] To achieve effective welding, the second welding assembly 22 may include a second welding head 221 and a second welding seat 222. The current collector 200, which is superimposed with the second foil 400, passes between the second welding head 221 and the second welding seat 222. The second welding head 221 is used to weld the two second foils 400 to the current collector 200. The second welding head 221 can be selected from a variety of options, such as, but not limited to, a laser welding head, an ultrasonic welding head, etc. When the second welding head 221 is an ultrasonic welding head, the second welding head 221 and the second welding seat 222 can be configured as a cylinder so that they can rotate relative to each other to achieve rolling contact. In this way, during the welding process, the foil and the composite current collector 200 can be continuously transported between the second welding head 221 and the second welding seat 222, and continuous ultrasonic welding can be performed on the second foil 400 and the composite current collector 200.

[0085] Furthermore, to ensure a certain contact force between the second welding head 221 and the second foil 400 or the current collector 200, a second driver 223 may be provided. The second driver 223 drives the second welding head 221 or the second welding base 222 toward the current collector 200, clamping the current collector 200 between the second welding head 221 and the second welding base 222 to achieve the required contact force for welding. The second driver 223 may be, but is not limited to, a pneumatic cylinder, an electric cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or the like. It may also be a combination of a motor and a transmission mechanism, such as a motor, gear, and rack combination, or a motor, lead screw, and slider combination.

[0086] With this design, the second unwinding assembly 21 is introduced, so that the two second foils 400 are stably superimposed on the current collector 200 , respectively, so that the second welding assembly 22 can accurately complete the welding of the second foils 400 .

[0087] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG5 , the second unwinding assembly 21 includes a fourth unwinder 211 and a fifth unwinder 212 . The fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 are used to release the two second foils 400 onto the two surfaces of the current collector 200 after being welded by the first processing mechanism 10 .

[0088] The fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 are respectively used to release the second foil 400. Both the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 can be designed as roller structures, each of which is wound with the second foil 400. To facilitate the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 in releasing their respective second foils 400 onto the current collector 200, the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 can be located on both sides of the current collector 200 along its thickness direction X.

[0089] With this design, the two second foils 400 are stably stacked on the current collector 200 through the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 , which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the processing of the current collector 200 .

[0090] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG5 , the second unwinding assembly 21 includes a third laminating roller 213 and a fourth laminating roller 214, respectively located between the first processing mechanism 10 and the second welding assembly 22 on the conveying path of the current collector 200. The third laminating roller 213 is used to press one surface of the current collector 200 with the second foil 400 released by the fourth unwinder 211, and the fourth laminating roller 214 is used to press the other surface of the current collector 200 with the second foil 400 released by the fifth unwinder 212.

[0091] The third laminating roller 213 is a structure that laminarly overlaps the second foil 400 on the fourth unwinder 211 with a surface of the current collector 200. During the laminating process, the third laminating roller 213 can press a surface of the current collector 200 onto the second foil 400, in which case the third laminating roller 213 and the current collector 200 are in contact. Alternatively, the third laminating roller 213 can press the second foil 400 onto a surface of the current collector 200, in which case the third laminating roller 213 and the second foil 400 are in contact.

[0092] The fourth laminating roller 214 also refers to a structure that can achieve lamination of the second foil 400 on the fifth unwinder 212 and the other surface of the current collector 200 through lamination. During the lamination process, the fourth laminating roller 214 can press the other surface of the current collector 200 onto the second foil 400, in which case the fourth laminating roller 214 contacts the current collector 200 or the second foil 400 released by the fifth unwinder 212; it can also press the second foil 400 onto the other surface of the current collector 200, in which case the fourth laminating roller 214 contacts the second foil 400.

[0093] To facilitate the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212 to stably release their respective second foils 400 onto the third stacking roller 213 or the fourth stacking roller 214, the second winding assembly may include a plurality of rollers 70, with multiple rollers 70 arranged between the fourth unwinder 211 and the third stacking roller 213, and between the fifth unwinder 212 and the fourth stacking roller 214. At this time, the current collector 200 welded with the first foil 300 can be passed around the corresponding rollers 70 and pulled onto the upper surface of the third stacking roller 213; then, the second foil 400 of the fourth unwinder 211 can be passed around the corresponding rollers 70 and pulled onto the surface of the current collector 200 located on the third stacking roller 213 for stacking. After lamination, the current collector 200 and the second foil 400 are pulled together as a whole onto the lower surface of the fourth lamination roller 214. At this point, the second foil 400 of the fourth unwinder 211 is located between the current collector 200 and the fourth lamination roller 214. The second foil 400 of the fifth unwinder 212 then passes over the corresponding roller 70 and is pulled onto the surface of the current collector 200 facing away from the fourth lamination roller 214, completing the lamination between the two second foils 400 and the current collector 200.

[0094] Of course, in other embodiments, the two second foils 400 and the current collector 200 can be completed on the same lamination roller, for example: the second foil 400 of the fourth unwinder 211 is wound on the lamination roller, and the current collector 200 is placed on the second foil 400 of the fourth unwinder 211, and then, the second foil 400 of the fifth unwinder 212 is wound on the current collector 200.

[0095] In addition, in order to ensure that the second foil 400 and the current collector 200 are accurately overlapped, a third correction component 24 can be set at the downstream end of the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212. For example, at least one third correction component 24 is set between the fourth unwinder 211 and the third overlapping roller 213 to correct the second foil 400 in time; at the same time, at least one third correction component 24 is set between the fifth unwinder 212 and the fourth overlapping roller 214.

[0096] To ensure smoother conveyance of the current collector 200 and the second foil 400, a second tensioning assembly 25 can be installed downstream of both the fourth unwinder 211 and the fifth unwinder 212. This ensures that the current collector 200 and the second foil 400 are under tension during conveyance. The second tensioning assembly 25 can be designed as a roller structure that rotates about its own axis. This rotation drives the current collector 200, creating a certain speed difference between the front and rear ends, thereby achieving tension.

[0097] With such a design, the two surfaces of the two second foils 400 and the current collector 200 can be conveniently overlapped through the third overlapping roller 213 and the fourth overlapping roller 214, which is beneficial to improving processing efficiency; at the same time, the two second foils 400 and the current collector 200 are overlapped at different positions respectively through the third overlapping roller 213 and the fourth overlapping roller 214, which is convenient for improving overlapping accuracy.

[0098] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 5, the current collector processing equipment 100 also includes a second rolling assembly 23, which is located at the downstream end of the second welding assembly 22 on the conveying path of the current collector 200 and is used to extrude the weld mark on the current collector 200.

[0099] The second rolling assembly 23 is a device that squeezes the weld marks on the current collector 200 and is located downstream of the second welding assembly 22. After the second foil 400 and the current collector 200 are welded, the weld marks between the second foil 400 and the current collector 200 may be thick, which may affect the quality of the current collector 200. To this end, the second rolling assembly 23 can squeeze and thin the weld marks, reducing their impact on the quality of the current collector 200.

[0100] Specifically, in some embodiments, referring to FIG5 , the second rolling assembly 23 may include a second pressing wheel 231 and a second base 232 . The second pressing wheel 231 and the second base 232 cooperate to compress the weld between the second foil 400 and the current collector 200 . Furthermore, to facilitate continuous operation, the second pressing wheel 231 and the second base 232 may both be designed as cylindrical structures, and each may be rotatable about its own axis.

[0101] With this design, a second rolling assembly 23 is provided at the downstream end of the second welding assembly 22 , so as to facilitate thinning of the weld marks formed by welding and improve the processing quality of the current collector 200 .

[0102] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , the current collector processing apparatus 100 further includes a detector 50 . The detector 50 is located at the downstream end of the second processing mechanism 20 and is used to detect the appearance of at least one surface of the current collector 200 .

[0103] The detector 50 is a device capable of observing the appearance of the surface of the current collector 200, such as, but not limited to, a detection camera or a CCD vision component. The appearance image information acquired by the detector 50 can be linked to the parameters of the first welding assembly 12 and the second welding assembly 22, as well as the control of the first, second, and third correcting assemblies 30, 14, and 24.

[0104] In addition, to facilitate observation of both surfaces of the current collector 200 , the detector 50 may include a first detection component 51 and a second detection component 52 , between which the current collector 200 welded with the first foil 300 and the second foil 400 passes.

[0105] With this design, the detector 50 is introduced to judge the overlapping conditions of the first foil 300 and the second foil 400 on the current collector 200 by observing the appearance of the current collector 200 , thereby facilitating quality control of the current collector 200 .

[0106] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 1 , the current collector processing equipment 100 further includes a winding assembly 60 , which is used to wind the current collector 200 welded with the first foil 300 and the second foil 400 .

[0107] The winding assembly 60 refers to a structure capable of winding the current collector 200 that has completed double-sided and double-side welding, and can be designed as a roller structure.

[0108] With such a design, the winding assembly 60 is introduced to facilitate winding and storing the welded current collector 200 .

[0109] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application provides a battery production system, which includes any one of the above current collector processing equipment 100.

[0110] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 1 to 5 , a current collector processing apparatus 100 is provided, comprising a first unwinder 111, a second unwinder 112, a third winder, a first welding assembly 12, a fourth winder, a fifth winder, and a second welding assembly 22. The first unwinder 111 is used to release the current collector 200. The second unwinder 112 and the third unwinder 113 are respectively used to release two first foils 300 onto opposite surfaces of the current collector 200. The two first foils 300 are located on the same side of the current collector 200 along its width. The first welding assembly 12 is used to weld the two first foils 300 located on the same side. The second welding assembly 22 is located downstream of the first welding assembly 12. The fourth winder and the fifth winder are used to release two second foils 400 onto the two surfaces of the current collector 200 to which the first foils 300 are welded. The second welding assembly 22 is used to weld the two second foils 400 located on the same side. The first welding assembly 12 and the second welding assembly 22 can both be ultrasonic welding devices.

[0111] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0112] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A current collector processing device, comprising: A first processing mechanism (10) is used to respectively overlap and weld two first foil materials (300) on two surfaces of the current collector (200) along its thickness direction (X), and respectively locate them on the same side or different sides of the current collector (200) along its width direction (Y); The second processing mechanism (20) is located at the downstream end of the first processing mechanism (10), and is used to overlap and weld two second foils (400) on two surfaces of the current collector (200); wherein, on any surface of the current collector (200), the first foil (300) and the second foil (400) are respectively located on opposite sides of the current collector (200) along the width direction (Y).

2. The current collector processing equipment according to claim 1, wherein: The first processing mechanism (10) comprises a first unwinding assembly (11) and a first welding assembly (12); the first unwinding assembly (11) is used to overlap two first foil materials (300) on two surfaces of the current collector (200) respectively, and the two first foil materials (300) are located on the same side or different sides of the current collector (200); and the first welding assembly (12) is used to weld the two first foil materials (300) to the current collector (200).

3. The current collector processing equipment according to claim 2, wherein: The first unwinding assembly (11) comprises a first unwinder (111), a second unwinder (112) and a third unwinder (113); the first unwinder (111) is used to release the current collector (200); the second unwinder (112) and the third unwinder (113) are used to release the two first foils (300) onto the two surfaces of the current collector (200), respectively.

4. The current collector processing equipment according to claim 3, wherein: The first unwinding assembly (11) comprises a first stacking roller (114) and a second stacking roller (115) which are sequentially distributed on the belt path of the current collector (200); the first stacking roller (114) is used to realize pressing of one surface of the current collector (200) with the first foil (300) released by the second unwinder (112); and the second stacking roller (115) is used to realize pressing of the other surface of the current collector (200) with the first foil (300) released by the third unwinder (113).

5. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The first welding assembly (12) comprises a first welding head (121) and a first welding seat (122); a current collector (200) superimposed with the first foil material (300) is passed between the first welding head (121) and the first welding seat (122); the first welding head (121) is used to weld two first foil materials (300) onto the current collector (200).

6. The current collector processing equipment according to claim 5, wherein: The first welding assembly (12) further comprises a first driver (123), wherein the first driver (123) is used to drive at least one of the first welding head (121) and the first welding seat (122) to move so as to move the two closer to or farther away from each other.

7. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein: The first processing mechanism (10) further comprises a first rolling assembly (13), wherein the first rolling assembly (13) is located between the first welding assembly (12) and the second processing mechanism (20) on the belt path of the current collector (200), and is used to extrude the weld mark on the current collector (200).

8. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The processing equipment for the current collector also includes a speed regulating roller (40), which is located between the first processing mechanism (10) and the second processing mechanism (20) on the conveying path of the current collector (200) and is used for rolling and abutting against the current collector (200) welded with the first foil (300).

9. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The processing equipment for the current collector further comprises a first deviation correction component (30), which is located between the first processing mechanism (10) and the second processing mechanism (20) on the belt path of the current collector (200) and is used to correct the position of the current collector (200) welded with the first foil (300).

10. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The second processing mechanism (20) comprises a second unwinding assembly (21) and a second welding assembly (22); the second unwinding assembly (21) is used to overlap two second foils (400) on two surfaces of the current collector (200) respectively; and the second welding assembly (22) is used to weld the two second foils (400) to the current collector (200).

11. The current collector processing equipment according to claim 10, wherein: The second unwinding assembly (21) comprises a fourth unwinder (211) and a fifth unwinder (212), and the fourth unwinder (211) and the fifth unwinder (212) are used to release the two second foils (400) respectively onto the two surfaces of the current collector (200) after being welded by the first processing mechanism (10).

12. The current collector processing equipment according to claim 11, wherein: The second unwinding assembly (21) comprises a third stacking roller (213) and a fourth stacking roller (214) respectively located between the first processing mechanism (10) and the second welding assembly (22) on the conveying path of the current collector (200); the third stacking roller (213) is used to realize pressing of one surface of the current collector (200) with the second foil (400) released by the fourth unwinder (211); and the fourth stacking roller (214) is used to realize pressing of the other surface of the current collector (200) with the second foil (400) released by the fifth unwinder (212).

13. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: The processing equipment for the current collector also includes a second rolling assembly (23), which is located at the downstream end of the second welding assembly (22) on the belt path of the current collector (200) and is used to extrude the weld mark on the current collector (200).

14. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein: The current collector processing equipment further comprises a detector (50), wherein the detector (50) is located at the downstream end of the second processing mechanism (20) and is used to detect the appearance of at least one surface of the current collector (200).

15. The current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein: The processing equipment for the current collector further comprises a winding assembly (60), wherein the winding assembly (60) is used to wind the current collector (200) to which the first foil material (300) and the second foil material (400) are welded.

16. A battery production system, comprising the current collector processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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