Battery welding system and control method

Abstract

A battery welding system and a control method The battery welding system comprises a first conveying module (200) and a first welding module (100). The first conveying module (200) is configured to convey an incoming battery. The incoming battery comprises a casing and a top cover, the extension direction of a long side of the incoming battery being parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module (200). The first welding module (100) is arranged beside the first conveying module (200) and is configured to weld the joint of a long side of the casing and a long side of the top cover. During a long side welding process, the incoming battery continuously moves under the conveying of the first conveying module (200), and the first welding module (100) remains fixed.

Description

Battery welding system and control method

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410009789.0, filed on January 2, 2024, entitled “Battery Welding System and Control Method,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to a battery welding system and control method. Background Art

[0004] Power batteries, with their high voltage, high capacity, low power consumption, no memory effect, pollution-free operation, compact size, low internal resistance, low self-discharge, and high cycle life, are currently the world's best green batteries. During power battery production, the battery casing and cover are typically welded together, and improving welding efficiency directly impacts production efficiency.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a battery welding system and control method to improve welding efficiency.

[0007] The first aspect of the present application provides a battery welding system, which includes a first conveying module and a first welding module. The first conveying module is configured to convey incoming batteries. The incoming batteries include a shell and a top cover. The extension direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module. The first welding module is arranged beside the first conveying module and is configured to weld the junction of the long side of the shell and the long side of the top cover. During the long side welding process, the incoming battery continues to move under the conveyance of the first conveying module, and the first welding module remains fixed. Based on this approach, while ensuring the welding quality, the incoming battery can also be kept in a conveying state during the welding process, thereby increasing the flow speed, reducing control costs and production costs, simplifying the production strategy, and thus improving production efficiency. Compared with the solution in the related art that keeps the battery stationary during welding and controls the welder to move relative to the battery to perform welding, it can save the space reserved for the movement of the welder, making the space of the entire production environment more abundant.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first conveying module is configured to reduce the conveying speed from an initial first speed to a second speed at least when the first welding module begins welding the first long side of the incoming battery cell that arrives first at the first end of the first welding module, and to increase the conveying speed from the second speed to the first speed when the last long side of the incoming battery cell arrives at the second end of the first welding module to complete welding. Reducing the conveying speed can ensure welding quality.

[0009] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a first rolling device, located adjacent to the first conveyor module and downstream of the first welding module in the conveying direction of the first conveyor module. The first rolling device is configured to roll the weld seam of the long side of the incoming battery after welding the long side. Rolling the long side weld seam can improve the strength and reliability of the weld seam, ensuring production quality.

[0010] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a second conveyor module and a second welding module. The second welding module is positioned adjacent to the second conveyor module and is configured to weld the junction between the short sides of the housing and the short sides of the top cover. The short sides of the housing and the top cover match in size, and the process of welding the short sides of the housing and the top cover together is referred to as short-side welding. Welding both the long and short sides improves the weld integrity of incoming batteries.

[0011] In some embodiments, the battery welding system includes a transfer device, with a first conveyor module and a second conveyor module spaced apart. The transfer device is disposed between the first conveyor module and the second conveyor module and is configured to transfer the incoming battery to the second conveyor module after the long sides of the incoming battery are welded. The transfer device allows for convenient and efficient transfer of incoming batteries.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first conveying module and the second conveying module are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the conveying direction of the first conveying module is opposite to the conveying direction of the second conveying module. This can effectively save occupied space and improve space utilization.

[0013] In some embodiments, the transfer device includes a gripping assembly configured to grip the incoming battery and rotate the incoming battery so that when the incoming battery is placed on the second conveyor module, the direction in which the short side of the incoming battery extends is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveyor module. During the transfer process of the incoming battery, the gripping assembly also adjusts the orientation of the incoming battery, thereby improving efficiency. This allows the incoming battery to be placed on the second conveyor module without adjusting the angle of the incoming battery, and can be directly welded on the short side, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0014] In some embodiments, the grabbing assembly is rotatably arranged along its own axis to drive the incoming battery to rotate when grabbing it. Specifically, the transfer device has a rotating cylinder, and the grabbing assembly is mounted on the rotating cylinder. The rotating cylinder drives the grabbing assembly to rotate to adjust the orientation of the grabbed incoming battery.

[0015] In some embodiments, the grabbing assembly is configured to grab two incoming batteries. Grabbing two incoming batteries at once, adjusting the orientation of the two incoming batteries, and placing the two incoming batteries on the second conveying module can improve transfer efficiency and thus improve production efficiency.

[0016] In some embodiments, the transfer device includes a central rotating shaft and multiple grabbing assemblies connected to the central rotating shaft. The multiple grabbing assemblies are symmetrically arranged around the central rotating shaft. The central rotating shaft is configured to drive the multiple grabbing assemblies to perform circular motion around the central rotating shaft. During each rotation of the central rotating shaft, the multiple grabbing assemblies sequentially grab incoming batteries from the first conveyor module. By controlling the central rotating shaft to rotate in a certain direction, the incoming batteries from the first conveyor module can be continuously transferred to the second conveyor module, simplifying the transfer control strategy.

[0017] In some embodiments, the transfer device includes four gripping assemblies, with adjacent gripping assemblies spaced 90 degrees apart in the direction of their circular motion. This simplifies the transfer device, allowing the four gripping assemblies to sequentially grasp incoming batteries during one rotation of the central shaft, thereby improving efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the transfer device further includes a lifting member, on which the gripping assembly is disposed. The lifting member is movable in a height direction to drive the gripping assembly to move in the height direction, thereby adjusting the height distance between the gripping assembly and the second conveying module. The lifting member allows for convenient adjustment of the gripping assembly's height, thereby reducing control costs.

[0019] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a second rolling device, located adjacent to the second conveyor module and downstream of the second welding module in the conveying direction of the second conveyor module. The second rolling device is configured to roll the short-side weld seams of the incoming battery cells. Rolling the short-side weld seams after welding can improve the strength and reliability of the welds, ensuring production quality.

[0020] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a blanking module, which is disposed in correspondence with the second conveying module and is configured to unload the incoming battery after the short sides of the incoming battery are welded. After both the long and short sides of the incoming battery are welded, the battery is unloaded by the blanking module to facilitate subsequent production processing, thereby improving the smoothness of the entire production process.

[0021] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a press-fitting device, which is positioned adjacent to the first conveyor module and upstream of the first welding module in the conveying direction of the first conveyor module. The press-fitting device is configured to press-fit the incoming batteries before welding their long sides. Press-fitting before welding the long sides can improve the reliability of the finished battery.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first welding module includes two first laser welders, which are spaced apart and configured to weld the two long sides of the incoming battery. The two first laser welders are located on either side of the incoming battery, allowing both long sides to be welded, improving welding efficiency.

[0023] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a loading module, which is disposed corresponding to the first conveying module and is configured to load the batteries onto the first conveying module. The loading module can improve loading efficiency and increase production speed.

[0024] A second aspect of the present application provides a control method based on the battery welding system described above, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0025] The incoming battery is conveyed to the first welding module through the first conveying module. During the conveying process of the incoming battery, the extension direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module; when one end of the long side of the incoming battery close to the first welding module reaches the position of the first welding module, the first welding module is started, and when the other end of the long side of the incoming battery reaches the position of the first welding module, the first welding module is turned off.

[0026] In some embodiments, the control method of the battery welding system also includes: at least when the first welding module starts welding the long side of the incoming battery that arrives first at the first end of the first welding module, the conveying speed of the first conveying module is reduced from the initial first speed to the second speed, and when the long side of the incoming battery arrives later at the second end of the first welding module to complete welding, the conveying speed is increased from the second speed to the first speed.

[0027] In some embodiments, the control method of the battery welding system also includes: detecting the quality of the long side weld of the incoming battery after welding the long side, and if the quality of the long side weld does not meet the requirements, removing the incoming battery from the first conveying module; if the quality of the long side weld meets the requirements, continuing to weld the short side of the incoming battery.

[0028] In some embodiments, when the quality of the long side weld meets the requirements, the control method of the battery welding system includes: first rolling the long side weld, and then welding the short side of the incoming battery.

[0029] In some embodiments, the battery welding system also includes a second conveying module, a second welding module and a transfer device. The second welding module is arranged next to the second conveying module. The second welding module is configured to weld the joint between the short side of the shell and the short side of the top cover. The first conveying module and the second conveying module are arranged at intervals. The transfer device is arranged between the first conveying module and the second conveying module. The control method of the battery welding system includes: after completing the welding of the long side of the incoming battery, the transfer device transfers the incoming battery to the second conveying module to weld the short side of the incoming battery.

[0030] In some embodiments, causing the transfer device to transfer the incoming battery to the second conveying module includes: during the transfer process, turning the direction of the incoming battery so that the extension direction of the short side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveying module.

[0031] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are listed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] 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.

[0033] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a workstation layout of a battery welding system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0034] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a transfer device of a battery welding system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0035] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a first welding module in some embodiments of the present application starting to weld the long side of an incoming battery;

[0036] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a first welding module completing welding of a long side of an incoming battery according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a second welding module in some embodiments of the present application starting to weld the short sides of two incoming batteries.

[0038] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the second welding module completing welding of the short sides of two incoming batteries in some embodiments of the present application.

[0039] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a control method for a battery welding system according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0040] The figure numbers in the specific implementation manner are as follows: first welding module 100, first conveying module 200, second welding module 300, second conveying module 400, transfer device 500, unloading module 600, loading module 700, first rolling device 800, second rolling device 900, pressing device 1000, first post-weld inspection module 1100, first appearance inspection module 1200, second post-weld inspection module 1300, second appearance inspection module 1400, rejection module 1500; first laser welder 101, second laser welder 301, grabbing assembly 501, central rotating shaft 502, lifting part 503. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned figure descriptions are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

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

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "multiple" refers to more than two (including two). Similarly, "multiple groups" refers to more than two groups (including two groups), and "multiple pieces" refers to more than two pieces (including two pieces).

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the technical 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., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do 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 the embodiments of the present application.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0048] 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.

[0049] Researchers noted that in the related technology, during the production of power batteries, when welding the top cover of the power battery, the battery is usually transported to the welding station, the battery is stopped, and the welding machine is driven to move relative to the battery to complete the welding. This is relatively inefficient. This leads to limited equipment processing capacity and low production efficiency.

[0050] Based on the above technical problems, the applicant has found that if the battery can be continuously transported during the welding process, the production rhythm can be optimized to a great extent and the production efficiency can be improved.

[0051] With reference to Figure 1, the present application provides a battery welding system, comprising a first conveying module 200 and a first welding module 100. The first conveying module 200 is configured to convey incoming batteries. The incoming batteries include a shell and a top cover. The extension direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module 200. The first welding module 100 is arranged beside the first conveying module 200 and is configured to weld the junction of the long side of the shell and the long side of the top cover. During the long side welding process, the incoming battery continues to move under the conveyance of the first conveying module 200, and the first welding module 100 remains fixed.

[0052] Specifically, the incoming battery delivered by the first conveying module 200 is in a state where the battery cell has been placed in the shell, and the adapter is connected between the battery cell and the pole on the top cover by welding. The long side of the shell and the long side of the top cover match in size. The long side welding process is the process of welding the long side of the shell and the long side of the top cover together. During the long side welding process, the first welding module 100 remains fixed, and when the end of the long side of the incoming battery close to the first welding module 100 reaches the position of the first welding module 100, the first welding module 100 starts and begins welding. When the other end of the long side of the incoming battery reaches the position of the first welding module 100, the long side welding is completed and the first welding module 100 is turned off. In other words, during the entire long side welding process, the point of action of the first welding module 100 configured to weld the long side remains fixed, and the welding of the entire long side is completed by moving the incoming battery.

[0053] This approach ensures welding quality while keeping incoming batteries in a continuous flow throughout the welding process, increasing throughput, reducing control and production costs, simplifying production strategies, and ultimately improving production efficiency. Compared to related techniques that keep the batteries stationary while the welder is moved relative to them, this approach eliminates the need for space reserved for the welder's movement, freeing up space throughout the production environment.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first conveyor module 100 is configured to reduce the conveying speed from an initial first speed to a second speed, at least when the first welding module 100 begins welding the first long side of the incoming battery that arrives at the first end of the first welding module 100, and to increase the conveying speed from the second speed to the first speed when the last long side of the incoming battery arrives at the second end of the first welding module 100 to complete welding. Reducing the conveying speed can ensure welding quality. In some embodiments, the first conveyor module 100 can reduce the conveying speed before the first long side of the incoming battery arrives at the first end of the first welding module 100 to begin welding, and resume the conveying speed after a certain time interval after the last long side of the incoming battery arrives at the second end of the first welding module 100 to complete welding. In other words, unlike the above-mentioned embodiment, having the first conveyor module 100 reduce the conveying speed earlier and resume the conveying speed later can improve the smoothness of system operation to a certain extent.

[0055] Referring to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a first rolling device 800 . The first rolling device 800 is positioned adjacent to the first conveyor module 200 and downstream of the first welding module 200 in the conveying direction of the first conveyor module 200 . The first rolling device 800 is configured to roll the weld seam of the long sides of the incoming battery cells after welding them. Rolling the weld seam of the long sides can improve the strength and reliability of the weld, ensuring production quality.

[0056] Referring to Figure 1, in some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a second conveyor module 400 and a second welding module 300. The second welding module 300 is disposed adjacent to the second conveyor module 400 and is configured to weld the junction between the short sides of the housing and the short sides of the top cover. The short sides of the housing and the short sides of the top cover match in size, and the process of welding the short sides of the housing and the short sides of the top cover together is referred to as the short side welding process. Welding both the long and short sides improves the weld integrity of the incoming battery.

[0057] Referring to FIG1 , in some embodiments, a battery welding system includes a transfer device 500 . A first conveyor module 200 and a second conveyor module 400 are spaced apart. The transfer device 500 is disposed between the first conveyor module 200 and the second conveyor module 400 and is configured to transfer incoming batteries to the second conveyor module 400 after their long sides are welded. Using the transfer device 500 , incoming batteries can be transferred conveniently and efficiently.

[0058] In some embodiments, the first conveying module 200 and the second conveying module 400 are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the conveying direction of the first conveying module 200 is opposite to the conveying direction of the second conveying module 400. This can effectively save occupied space and improve space utilization.

[0059] 2 , in some embodiments, the transfer device 500 includes a gripping assembly 501 configured to grip incoming batteries and rotate them so that, when the incoming batteries are placed on the second conveyor module 400, the direction in which the short sides of the incoming batteries extend is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveyor module 400. During the transfer process of the incoming batteries by the transfer device 500, the gripping assembly 501 also adjusts the orientation of the incoming batteries, thereby improving efficiency. This allows the incoming batteries to be placed on the second conveyor module 400 without having to adjust their angle, allowing for direct welding of the short sides, thereby increasing production efficiency.

[0060] Referring to Figure 2 , in some embodiments, the gripping assembly 501 is rotatably arranged along its own axis to drive the incoming battery to rotate when grasping it. Specifically, the transfer device 500 includes a rotating cylinder, and the gripping assembly 501 is mounted on the rotating cylinder. The rotating cylinder drives the gripping assembly 501 to rotate to adjust the orientation of the grasped incoming battery.

[0061] In some embodiments, the grabbing assembly 501 is configured to grab two incoming batteries, grab two incoming batteries at a time, adjust the orientation of the two incoming batteries, and place the two incoming batteries on the second conveying module 400, thereby improving transfer efficiency and thus production efficiency.

[0062] With reference to FIG2 , in some embodiments, the transfer device 500 includes a central rotating shaft 502 and a plurality of gripping assemblies 501 connected to the central rotating shaft 502. The plurality of gripping assemblies 501 are arranged symmetrically around the central rotating shaft 502. The central rotating shaft 502 is configured to drive the plurality of gripping assemblies 501 to perform circular motion with the central rotating shaft 502 as the center, so that during one rotation of the central rotating shaft 502, the plurality of gripping assemblies 501 sequentially grip the incoming batteries on the first conveying module 200. Specifically, the first conveying module 200 has a transfer loading station. After the long sides of the incoming batteries are welded, they arrive at the transfer loading station to be transferred by the transfer device 500. The second conveying module 400 has a transfer unloading station. The transfer device 500 places the incoming batteries obtained from the transfer loading station at the transfer unloading station, thereby completing the transfer action. The transfer loading and unloading stations are located at different locations along the motion path of the gripper assembly 501. During each circular motion of the gripper assembly 501, the gripper 501 passes through each of these two stations. In other words, by controlling the central shaft 502 to rotate in a specific direction, incoming batteries from the first conveyor module 200 can be continuously transferred to the second conveyor module 400, simplifying the transfer control strategy.

[0063] Referring to Figure 2 , in some embodiments, the transfer device 500 includes four gripping assemblies 501, with adjacent gripping assemblies 501 spaced 90 degrees apart in the direction of the gripping assemblies' circular motion. This arrangement simplifies the transfer device 500, allowing the four gripping assemblies 501 to sequentially grasp incoming batteries during one rotation of the central shaft 502, improving efficiency.

[0064] Specifically, the central rotating shaft 502 is configured to realize the movement of a certain grabbing component 501 from the transfer loading station to the transfer unloading station every half a circle (i.e., 180 degrees). In other words, it completes the transfer of the incoming battery from the transfer loading station to the transfer unloading station. Furthermore, for example, the central rotating shaft 502 rotates counterclockwise, and in the counterclockwise direction, the four grabbing components 501 are positioned as the first grabbing component to the fourth grabbing component respectively. When the first grabbing component matches the transfer loading station, the grabbing action is performed, and the third grabbing component matches the transfer unloading station and performs the lowering action. After the central rotating shaft 502 rotates 90 degrees, the fourth grabbing component matches the transfer loading station and performs the grabbing action, and the second grabbing component matches the transfer unloading station and performs the lowering action. When the central shaft 502 continues to rotate 90 degrees, the first grabbing assembly matches with the transfer unloading station and performs a lowering action, and the third grabbing assembly matches with the transfer loading station and performs a grabbing action.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the transfer device 500 further includes a lifting member 503 , on which the grabbing assembly 501 is mounted. The lifting member 503 is movably disposed in the height direction Z to drive the grabbing assembly 501 to move in the height direction Z, thereby adjusting the distance between the grabbing assembly 501 and the second conveying module 400 in the height direction Z. When the grabbing assembly 501 is performing a grabbing operation, the lifting member 503 drives the grabbing assembly 501 downward to grab, and then drives the grabbing assembly 501 upward after grabbing. When the grabbing assembly 501 is lowering, the lifting member 503 drives the grabbing assembly 501 downward to lower, and then drives the grabbing assembly 501 upward after lowering. The lifting member 503 allows for convenient adjustment of the height of the grabbing assembly 501, reducing control costs.

[0066] Referring to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a second rolling device 900 . This second rolling device 900 is positioned adjacent to the second conveyor module 400 and downstream of the second welding module 300 in the conveying direction of the second conveyor module 400. The second rolling device 900 is configured to roll the short-side weld seams of incoming batteries. Rolling the short-side weld seams after welding can improve the strength and reliability of the welds, ensuring production quality.

[0067] Referring to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a blanking module 600 , which is disposed in correspondence with the second conveyor module 200 and is configured to unload incoming batteries after the short sides of the incoming batteries are welded. After both the long and short sides of the incoming batteries are welded, the batteries are unloaded by blanking module 600 to facilitate subsequent production processing, improving the overall smoothness of the production process.

[0068] Referring to FIG1 , in some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a press-fitting device 1000 . The press-fitting device 1000 is positioned adjacent to the first conveyor module 200 and upstream of the first welding module 200 in the conveying direction of the first conveyor module 200 . The press-fitting device 1000 is configured to press-fit the incoming battery cells before welding their long sides. Press-fitting before welding the long sides can improve the reliability of the finished battery cells.

[0069] 3 and 4 , in some embodiments, the first welding module 100 includes two first laser welders 101 , which are spaced apart and configured to weld the two long sides of the incoming battery, respectively. The two first laser welders 101 are located on either side of the incoming battery, so that both long sides can be welded, improving welding efficiency. During the long side welding process, when the end of the long side of the incoming battery close to the first welding module 100 reaches the position of the first welding module 100, the two first laser welders 101 emit lasers for welding. At this time, the incoming battery is still moving in the direction indicated by the gray arrow. When the other end of the long side of the incoming battery reaches the position of the first welding module 100, the long side welding is completed, and the two first laser welders 101 stop emitting lasers. Furthermore, as the first conveying module 200 continues to convey, one end of the second incoming battery adjacent to the incoming battery whose long side welding has been completed reaches the position of the first welding module 100, and the two first laser welders 101 weld the long side of the second incoming battery with reference to the above process, and the details are not repeated here.

[0070] It can be understood that, based on the above embodiment, with reference to Figures 5 and 6, the second welding module 300 includes two second laser welders 301, which are spaced apart and configured to weld the two short sides of the incoming battery, respectively. After the long sides of two adjacent incoming batteries are welded, they are transferred to the second conveying module 400, and the orientation of the two adjacent incoming batteries is reversed so that the extension direction of the short sides is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveying module 400 (see gray arrow). Different from the long side welding process, the two second laser welders 301 in the second welding module 300 are staggered so that when two incoming batteries arrive at the position of the second welding module 300 as a group, in the conveying direction of the second conveying module 400 (refer to the gray arrow), one of the second laser welders 301 is located at the front end of the short side of the incoming battery on the front side, and the other second laser welder 301 is located at the rear end of the short side of the incoming battery on the rear side. At this time, the second conveying module 400 stops the conveying action, and the two second laser welders 301 move toward each other (refer to the black arrow) to weld the two short sides of the two incoming batteries on both sides.

[0071] Of course, the two second laser welders 301 can also refer to the arrangement of the two first laser welders 101 in the first welding module 100, that is, when the incoming battery arrives at the second welding module 300, the two second laser welders 301 are arranged on both sides of the incoming battery and are aligned in position.

[0072] In some embodiments, the battery welding system further includes a loading module 700, which is disposed corresponding to the first conveying module 200 and configured to load batteries onto the first conveying module 200. The loading module 700 can improve loading efficiency and production speed.

[0073] The present application also provides a control method based on the battery welding system as described above. As shown in FIG7 , the control method includes the following steps S1 to S2:

[0074] In step S1 , the incoming battery is conveyed to the first welding module 100 through the first conveying module 200 . During the conveying process of the incoming battery, the extending direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module 200 .

[0075] Step S2, when one end of the long side of the incoming battery close to the first welding module 100 reaches the position of the first welding module 100, start the first welding module 100, and when the other end of the long side of the incoming battery reaches the position of the first welding module 100, turn off the first welding module 100.

[0076] During the welding process, the incoming battery is still in the conveying state, thereby improving welding efficiency and production efficiency.

[0077] In some embodiments, the control method also includes: at least when the first welding module 100 starts welding the long side of the incoming battery that arrives first at the first end of the first welding module 100, the conveying speed of the first conveying module 200 is reduced from the initial first speed to the second speed, and when the long side of the incoming battery arrives later at the second end of the first welding module 100 to complete welding, the conveying speed is increased from the second speed to the first speed, thereby improving the welding efficiency.

[0078] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: inspecting the quality of the long side welds of the incoming battery after welding the long side. If the long side weld quality does not meet the requirements, the incoming battery is removed from the first conveyor module 200; if the long side weld quality meets the requirements, welding the short side of the incoming battery is continued. Defective products are removed to ensure the yield rate of the final finished battery.

[0079] In some embodiments, when the quality of the long side welds meets the requirements, the process includes: first rolling the long side welds and then welding the short sides of the incoming battery. Rolling the long side welds can improve production quality.

[0080] In some embodiments, the control method includes: after welding the long sides of the incoming batteries, the transfer device 500 transfers the incoming batteries to the second conveying module 400 to weld the short sides of the incoming batteries.

[0081] In some embodiments, the transfer device 500 transfers the incoming batteries to the second conveying module 400 including: during the transfer process, turning the orientation of the incoming batteries so that the extension direction of the short side of the incoming batteries is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveying module 400 .

[0082] The present application also provides a battery production line including the battery welding system described above. Through the battery production line, the production efficiency of the welding process can be improved during the battery production process, thereby improving the production efficiency of the entire battery.

[0083] A battery welding system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 .

[0084] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the battery welding system includes a first welding module 100, a first conveying module 200, a second welding module 300, a second conveying module 400, a transfer device 500, a blanking module 600, a loading module 700, a first rolling device 800, a second rolling device 900, a pressing device 1000, a positioning module, a defocus detection module, a first post-weld inspection module 1100, a first appearance inspection module 1200, a second post-weld inspection module 1300, a second appearance inspection module 1400, and a rejection module 1500. The first conveying module 200 is configured to convey incoming batteries, and during the conveying process, the extension direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction. The first welding module 100 includes two first laser welders 101, which are arranged at intervals. When the incoming battery arrives at the position of the first welding module 100, the two first laser welders 101 are respectively located on both sides of the incoming battery to weld the two long sides. The transfer device 500 includes a central rotating shaft 502, four grabbing components 501 connected to the central rotating shaft 502, and a lifting member. The central rotating shaft 502 is rotatably arranged. The four grabbing components 501 are connected to the central rotating shaft 502 and are evenly spaced around the central rotating shaft 502. The grabbing components 501 are configured to grab incoming batteries. The central rotating shaft 502 drives the grabbing components 501 to perform circular motion so that the four grabbing components 501 grab the incoming batteries from the first conveying module 200 in turn and transfer them to the second conveying module 400. During the transfer process, the grabbing components 501 rotate around their own axis to adjust the direction of the incoming batteries. The grabbing components 501 are set on the lifting member 503. When it is necessary for the grabbing components 501 to grab the incoming batteries, the lifting member 503 drives the grabbing components 501 to descend to approach the incoming batteries. The positioning module is configured to position the incoming battery when it is loaded onto the first conveying module 200, so that the incoming battery remains stable during transportation and the possibility of accidental shaking is reduced. The defocus detection module is configured to detect the defocus of the first laser welder 101 in the first welding module 100 before welding. The first post-weld inspection module 1100 is configured to detect the weld quality after the long side is welded. The first appearance inspection module 1200 is configured to detect the appearance condition after the long side weld is rolled. The positioning module is also configured to reposition the incoming battery after the long side of the incoming battery is welded and transferred to the second conveying module 400, so that the incoming battery remains stable during transportation and the possibility of accidental shaking is reduced. The second post-weld inspection module 1300 is configured to detect the weld quality after the short side is welded. The second appearance inspection module 1400 is configured to detect the appearance condition after the short side weld is rolled.The rejection module 1500 is configured to promptly reject incoming batteries from the first conveying module 200 or the second conveying module 400 when the inspection results of the first post-weld inspection module 1100, the first appearance inspection module 1200, the second post-weld inspection module 1300 and the second appearance inspection module 1400 do not meet the requirements, so as to ensure the yield of the finished batteries.

[0085] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and components may be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses all technical solutions within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery welding system, comprising: A first conveying module (200) configured to convey incoming batteries, wherein the incoming batteries include a housing and a top cover, and the extending direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module (200); and A first welding module (100) disposed beside the first conveying module (200) and configured to weld the joint between the long side of the housing and the long side of the top cover. During the long side welding process, the incoming battery continuously moves under the conveyance of the first conveying module (200), and the first welding module (100) remains fixed.

2. The battery welding system according to claim 1, wherein, The first conveying module is configured to reduce the conveying speed from an initial first speed to a second speed at least when the first welding module starts welding the first end of the long side of the incoming battery that first reaches the first welding module, and increase the conveying speed from the second speed to the first speed when the second end of the long side of the incoming battery that later reaches the first welding module finishes welding.

3. The battery welding system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a first rolling device (800), wherein the first rolling device (800) is disposed beside the first conveying module (200) and is located downstream of the first welding module (200) in the conveying direction of the first conveying module (200), and is configured to roll the long side weld seam after welding the long side of the incoming battery.

4. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a second conveying module (400) and a second welding module (300), wherein the second welding module (300) is disposed beside the second conveying module (400), and the second welding module (300) is configured to weld the joint between the short side of the housing and the short side of the top cover.

5. The battery welding system according to claim 4, further comprising a transfer device (500), wherein the first conveying module (200) and the second conveying module (400) are spaced apart, and the transfer device (500) is disposed between the first conveying module (200) and the second conveying module (400), and is configured to transfer the incoming battery to the second conveying module (400) after the long side of the incoming battery is welded.

6. The battery welding system according to claim 5, wherein, The first conveying module (200) and the second conveying module (400) are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the conveying direction of the first conveying module (200) is opposite to the conveying direction of the second conveying module (400).

7. The battery welding system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The transfer device (500) includes a grasping component (501) configured to grasp the incoming battery and reverse the orientation of the incoming battery so that when the incoming battery is placed on the second conveying module (400), the extending direction of the short side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveying module (400).

8. The battery welding system according to claim 7, wherein, The grasping component (501) is rotatably arranged along its own axis so as to drive the incoming battery to rotate when grasping the incoming battery.

9. The battery welding system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein The grasping component (501) is configured to grasp two of the incoming batteries.

10. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The transfer device (500) includes a central rotating shaft (502) and a plurality of the grasping components (501) connected to the central rotating shaft (502). The plurality of the grasping components (501) are arranged symmetrically about the center of the central rotating shaft (502). The central rotating shaft (502) is configured to drive the plurality of the grasping components (501) to perform a circular motion centered on the central rotating shaft (502), so that during one rotation of the central rotating shaft (502), the plurality of the grasping components (501) sequentially grasp the incoming batteries on the first conveying module (200).

11. The battery welding system according to claim 10, wherein, The transfer device (500) includes four of the grasping components (501). In the direction of the circular motion of the grasping component (501), the adjacent two of the grasping components (501) are spaced 90 degrees apart.

12. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein, The transfer device (500) further includes a lifting member (503). The grasping component (501) is arranged on the lifting member (503). The lifting member (503) is movably arranged in the height direction (Z) so as to drive the grasping component (501) to move in the height direction (Z) to adjust the distance between the grasping component (501) and the second conveying module (400) in the height direction (Z).

13. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 4 to 12, wherein the battery welding system further includes a second rolling device (900). The second rolling device (900) is arranged beside the second conveying module (400) and is located downstream of the second welding module (300) in the conveying direction of the second conveying module (400), and is configured to roll the short-side weld of the incoming battery.

14. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 4 to 13, wherein the battery welding system further includes a blanking module (600). The blanking module (600) is correspondingly arranged with the second conveying module (200) and is configured to blank the incoming battery after the short side of the incoming battery is welded.

15. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the battery welding system further includes a pressing device (1000). The pressing device (1000) is arranged beside the first conveying module (200) and is located upstream of the first welding module (200) in the conveying direction of the first conveying module (200), and is configured to perform a pressing process on the incoming battery before welding the long side of the incoming battery.

16. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, The first welding module (100) includes two first laser welders (101). The two first laser welders (101) are spaced apart and are configured to respectively weld the two long sides of the incoming battery.

17. The battery welding system according to any one of claims 1 to 16 further includes a loading module (700). The loading module (700) is correspondingly arranged with the first conveying module (200) and is configured to load the battery onto the first conveying module (200).

18. A control method for a battery welding system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, the control method comprising the following steps: Convey the incoming battery to the first welding module (100) through the first conveying module (200). During the conveying process of the incoming battery, the extending direction of the long side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveying module (200); and When one end of the long side of the incoming battery close to the first welding module (100) reaches the position of the first welding module (100), start the first welding module (100), and when the other end of the long side of the incoming battery reaches the position of the first welding module (100), turn off the first welding module (100).

19. The control method according to claim 18, wherein the control method further comprises: At least when the first welding module (100) starts welding the first end of the long side of the incoming battery that first reaches the first welding module (100), reduce the conveying speed of the first conveying module (200) from the initial first speed to the second speed, and when the second end of the long side of the incoming battery that later reaches the first welding module (100) finishes welding, increase the conveying speed from the second speed to the first speed.

20. The control method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the control method further comprises: Detect the quality of the long side weld after the long side of the incoming battery is welded. If the quality of the long side weld does not meet the requirements, remove the incoming battery from the first conveying module (200); if the quality of the long side weld meets the requirements, continue to weld the short side of the incoming battery.

21. According to the control method described in claim 20, when the quality of the long-side weld meets the requirements, the control method further includes: First perform a rolling treatment on the long side weld, and then weld the short side of the incoming battery.

22. The control method according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein, The battery welding system further includes a second conveying module (400), a second welding module (300), and a transfer device (500). The second welding module (300) is arranged beside the second conveying module (400). The second welding module (300) is configured to weld the joint of the short side of the housing and the short side of the top cover. The first conveying module (200) and the second conveying module (400) are arranged at intervals. The transfer device (500) is arranged between the first conveying module (200) and the second conveying module (400). The control method includes: after the long side of the incoming battery is welded, make the transfer device (500) transfer the incoming battery to the second conveying module (400) to weld the short side of the incoming battery.

23. The control method according to claim 22, wherein, Transporting the incoming battery to the second conveying module (400) by the transfer device (500) includes: during the transfer process, reversing the orientation of the incoming battery so that the extending direction of the short side of the incoming battery is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveying module (400).

Images