Curing device, current collector processing apparatus and battery production system

Abstract

The present application relates to a curing device, a current collector processing apparatus and a battery production system. The curing device comprises a baking oven, a compression mechanism and a negative pressure mechanism. The baking oven is used for baking a composite current collector; the compression mechanism is located in the baking oven, and is used for compressing the composite current collector in the direction of thickness thereof; and the negative pressure mechanism is used for creating a negative-pressure environment inside the baking oven. In the curing device, the compression mechanism is arranged in the baking oven, and the negative pressure mechanism is used to vacuumize the baking oven, such that the composite current collector is also synchronously subjected to a negative-pressure action inside the baking oven while being compressed. In this way, during a baking and curing process, residual gas in the composite current collector can be more easily released under the synchronous action of compression and negative pressure, such that the internal porosity is reduced, the internal structure of the composite current collector is more compact, and the binding force of the internal structure is improved, thus facilitating improvement in the use performance of a battery.

Description

Aging equipment, current collector processing equipment and battery production system

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 2024200341787, filed on January 8, 2024, entitled “Curing equipment, current collector processing device 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 production technology, and in particular to aging equipment, current collector processing equipment and battery production systems. Background Art

[0004] During battery production, composite current collectors are used to prepare electrodes to improve performance. This process requires curing the materials within the composite current collector, such as by baking and curing the glue within the composite current collector. However, limitations in the structural design of conventional curing equipment can lead to abnormal bonding strength within the composite current collector, reducing battery performance.

[0005] The above statements are only used to provide background information related to the present application and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a curing device, a current collector processing device and a battery production system to address the problem of abnormal bonding force during the curing process of the composite current collector.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present application provides a curing device for processing a composite current collector, the curing device comprising: an oven for baking the composite current collector; an extrusion mechanism located in the oven for extruding the composite current collector along its thickness direction; wherein the curing device also comprises a negative pressure mechanism for forming a negative pressure environment in the oven.

[0009] The aforementioned curing equipment places an extrusion mechanism within an oven and utilizes a negative pressure mechanism to evacuate the oven. This allows the composite current collector to be simultaneously compressed and subjected to negative pressure within the oven. This allows residual gas within the composite current collector to be released more easily during the curing process, reducing internal porosity and making the composite current collector's internal structure more compact. This enhances the bonding strength within the internal structure and improves battery performance.

[0010] In some embodiments, the extrusion mechanism includes two first pressing rollers that cooperate with each other to squeeze the composite current collector. Thus, the two first pressing rollers squeeze the composite current collector, compressing the glue in the composite current collector and thus stably bonding the conductive layer to the substrate. Simultaneously, the cooperation of the two first pressing rollers facilitates the expulsion of gas from the composite current collector, further enhancing the structural bonding strength.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​at least one of the two first pressing rollers, perpendicular to its axis, gradually increases and then gradually decreases from one end of the first pressing roller to the other end. Thus, the first pressing roller is designed with a variable cross-sectional structure, thicker in the middle and thinner at both ends. This applies greater force to the middle portion of the composite current collector during compression, facilitating diffusion of gas from the composite current collector from the middle to the sides, thereby accelerating gas release.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cross-section of each first pressing roller is configured as a circular surface. In first pressing rollers designed with different cross-sections, the diameter of the first pressing roller gradually increases and then gradually decreases from one end of the first pressing roller to the other end. Thus, by gradually increasing and then gradually decreasing the diameter of the first pressing roller from one end to the other, the central region of the first pressing roller is relatively thick, facilitating the discharge of residual gas to both sides of the composite current collector during extrusion, thereby improving the exhaust effect.

[0013] In some embodiments, the maximum diameter of the first roller is denoted as D0, and the diameters of the opposite ends of the first roller are denoted as D1 and D2, respectively, where 10 mm ≤ D0-D1 ≤ 1000 mm, and 10 mm ≤ D0-D2 ≤ 1000 mm. Thus, by controlling the values ​​of D0-D1 and D0-D2 within the range of 10 mm to 1000 mm, respectively, the difference between the center and the ends of the first roller is kept within a reasonable range. While achieving effective venting on both sides, the extrusion difference between the center and the sides of the composite current collector is reduced, thereby improving the processing quality of the composite current collector.

[0014] In some embodiments, the conditions between D0, D1, and D2 are: 50 mm ≤ D0-D1 ≤ 300 mm, and 50 mm ≤ D0-D2 ≤ 300 mm. Thus, by further controlling the values ​​of D0-D1 and D0-D2 within the range of 50 mm to 300 mm, the extrusion difference between the center and the sides of the composite current collector can be further reduced while achieving effective air venting on both sides, thereby improving the processing quality of the composite current collector.

[0015] In some embodiments, the aging apparatus further includes an auxiliary pressing assembly, which is disposed on at least one side of the pressing mechanism along the conveying direction of the composite current collector and is used to press the composite current collector. Thus, the introduction of the auxiliary pressing assembly increases the pressure on the composite current collector, thereby improving the compression and degassing effects of the composite current collector.

[0016] In some embodiments, the auxiliary pressing assembly includes two second pressing rollers that cooperate with each other to squeeze the composite current collector. This compresses the composite current collector using the two second pressing rollers, compressing the glue in the composite current collector and thus ensuring a stable bond between the conductive layer and the substrate. Furthermore, the cooperation of the two second pressing rollers facilitates the expulsion of gas from the composite current collector, further enhancing the structural bonding strength.

[0017] In some embodiments, each second pressing roller is constructed as a cylindrical structure, and the diameter of the second pressing roller remains consistent from one end of the second pressing roller to the other end of the second pressing roller. In this way, the second pressing rollers are designed as a uniform diameter pressing roller structure, so that the force on the composite current collector is more uniform, thereby improving the pressing effect of the composite current collector.

[0018] In some embodiments, the extrusion mechanism has a first gap for the composite current collector to pass through, and auxiliary pressing assemblies are provided on opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism. Each auxiliary pressing assembly has a second gap for the composite current collector to pass through. In the conveying direction, the second gap at the upstream end of the extrusion mechanism is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the first gap, while the second gap at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism is less than or equal to the minimum value of the first gap. This design allows the composite current collector to be squeezed more gradually in the conveying direction, improving the pressing effect.

[0019] In some embodiments, the aging apparatus further includes a first retractable roller and a second retractable roller, both located within the oven. The first retractable roller and the second retractable roller are located on opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism, with one of the first retractable roller and the other retractable roller being used to release the composite current collector and the other being used to rewind the composite current collector. The introduction of the first and second retractable rollers allows the composite current collector to reciprocate within the extrusion mechanism, increasing the number of repeated extrusions and improving both the pressing and degassing effects.

[0020] In a second aspect, the present application provides a current collector processing device, which includes any of the above-mentioned aging devices.

[0021] In a third aspect, the present application provides a battery production system, which includes the above current collector processing device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] 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.

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aging equipment described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0024] FIG2 is a cross-sectional view of the first pressing roller structure described in some embodiments of the present application.

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the composite current collector described in some embodiments of the present application when passing through two auxiliary pressing assemblies and an extrusion mechanism.

[0026] 100. Curing equipment; 10. Oven; 20. Extrusion mechanism; 21. First pressure roller; 211. Axis; 22. First gap; 30. Negative pressure mechanism; 40. Auxiliary pressure assembly; 41. Second pressure roller; 42. Second gap; 50. First retractable roller; 51. Second retractable roller; 200. Composite current collector; X, conveying direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] Currently, market developments indicate that power batteries are becoming increasingly widely used. Power batteries 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.

[0034] During battery production, active materials are typically coated onto current collectors to create the desired positive and negative electrodes. Current collectors can be conventional metal foils, such as aluminum or copper foil, or composite current collectors, consisting of a conductive layer on a substrate. If the conductive layer is bonded to the substrate using glue, the composite current collector must be cured to allow the glue to bake and set.

[0035] Traditional curing equipment typically incorporates a roller structure within the oven to compress and bake the composite current collector to complete the curing process. However, residual gas in the glue is difficult to release during the curing process, resulting in a high porosity between the conductive layer and the substrate, weakening the bonding between the structures and thus affecting battery performance.

[0036] Based on this, in order to effectively solve the problem of abnormal bonding during the curing process of the composite current collector, this application has designed a curing device. The extrusion mechanism is set in the oven, and the negative pressure mechanism is used to evacuate the oven. This makes the composite current collector simultaneously squeezed and subjected to the negative pressure inside the oven. In this way, during the baking and curing process, the gas remaining in the composite current collector is more easily released under the simultaneous action of extrusion and negative pressure, reducing the internal porosity, making the internal structure of the composite current collector more compact, and improving the bonding strength between the internal structures, which is beneficial to improving the performance of the battery.

[0037] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG1 , a curing apparatus 100 is provided for processing a composite current collector 200. The curing apparatus 100 includes an oven 10, an extrusion mechanism 20, and a negative pressure mechanism 30. The oven 10 is used to bake the composite current collector 200. The extrusion mechanism 20 is located within the oven 10 and is used to extrude the composite current collector 200 along its thickness. The negative pressure mechanism 30 is used to create a negative pressure environment within the oven 10.

[0038] The curing device 100 is a device that can at least press and bake the composite current collector 200 , so that the material in the composite current collector 200 is solidified, thereby stably combining the conductive layer and the substrate in the composite current collector 200 .

[0039] The oven 10 is a structure having a baking space therein. When the composite current collector 200 is being cured, the oven 10 bakes the composite current collector 200 to solidify the materials within the composite current collector 200, such as the glue within the composite current collector 200. The oven 10 can employ various heating methods, including, but not limited to, resistance heating and infrared heating.

[0040] The pressing mechanism 20 is a component that can press the composite current collector 200 along the thickness direction. For example, the pressing mechanism 20 presses the conductive layer onto the substrate.

[0041] Negative pressure mechanism 30 is a device capable of evacuating the interior of oven 10, such as, but not limited to, a vacuum pump. The baking temperature and pressure within oven 10 can be determined based on actual operation requirements. For example, the baking temperature within oven 10 can be set to no more than 200 degrees Celsius (°C); the pressure can be controlled within a range of 10 Pa to 1000 Pa, or alternatively, 100 Pa to 150 Pa.

[0042] In addition, the distribution position of the negative pressure mechanism 30 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 1 , and the distribution position can also be other positions. For example, the negative pressure mechanism 30 can also be fixed on the oven 10 .

[0043] With this design, during the baking and curing process, the gas remaining in the composite current collector 200 is more easily released under the simultaneous action of extrusion and negative pressure, reducing the internal porosity, making the structure inside the composite current collector 200 more compact, and improving the bonding strength between the internal structures, which is beneficial to improving the performance of the battery.

[0044] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 1 , the pressing mechanism 20 includes two first pressing rollers 21 that cooperate with each other, and the two first pressing rollers 21 are used to press the composite current collector 200 passing through.

[0045] The first pressing roller 21 is a structure that can rotate about its own axis 211. When the two first pressing rollers 21 rotate relative to each other, they can pass through the composite current collector 200 while squeezing the composite current collector 200. The gap between the two first pressing rollers 21 can be designed to be non-adjustable or adjustable, for example, by using a pneumatic cylinder, electric cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or other device to drive at least one of the two first pressing rollers 21 to move closer to or farther away from each other.

[0046] In this way, the composite current collector 200 is squeezed by the two first pressing rollers 21, so that the glue in the composite current collector 200 is compressed, thereby stably combining the conductive layer and the substrate; at the same time, the squeezing cooperation of the two first pressing rollers 21 is conducive to squeezing out the gas in the composite current collector 200, further enhancing the bonding strength of the structure.

[0047] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 2, among the two first pressing rollers 21, the cross-sectional area of ​​at least one in the direction perpendicular to its own axis 211 gradually increases from one end of the first pressing roller 21 to the other end of the first pressing roller 21, and then gradually decreases.

[0048] The cross section of the first pressing roller 21 should be understood as: the first pressing roller 21 is cut with a plane perpendicular to the axis 211, and the obtained cross section is the cross section of the first pressing roller 21. For ease of understanding, Figure 2 is used as an example for explanation. The cross section of the first pressing roller 21 is the plane indicated by S in Figure 2.

[0049] At least one of the two first rollers 21 can be designed with a variable cross-section structure. For example, the upper first roller 21 can be designed with a variable cross-section structure, or the lower first roller 21 can be designed with a variable cross-section structure. When the first roller 21 is designed with a variable cross-section structure, its cross-sectional area gradually increases and then gradually decreases from one end to the other. This means that the middle portion of the first roller 21 is thicker than the ends. This results in greater force being applied to the middle portion of the composite current collector 200 during compression, causing the gas in the glue to diffuse from the middle to the sides and be discharged from the two edges.

[0050] Thus, the first pressing roller 21 is designed to have a variable cross-section structure with a thick middle and thin ends, so that the middle part of the composite current collector 200 is subjected to greater force during squeezing, which is beneficial for the gas in the composite current collector 200 to diffuse from the middle to both sides, thereby accelerating gas release.

[0051] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG2 , the cross-section of each first pressing roller 21 is configured as a circular surface. In the first pressing rollers 21 designed with different cross-sections, the diameter of the first pressing roller 21 gradually increases from one end of the first pressing roller 21 to the other end, and then gradually decreases.

[0052] The diameter of the first pressing roller 21 gradually increases from one end to the other and then gradually decreases, indicating that the first pressing roller 21 is thicker in the middle and thinner at both ends. The diameters at both ends of the first pressing roller 21 may be equal or different. Specifically, in some embodiments, the diameter of each first pressing roller 21 gradually decreases from the middle toward both ends, and the diameters at opposite ends of the first pressing roller 21 are equal.

[0053] In this way, the diameter of the first pressing roller 21 is gradually increased from one end to the other and then gradually decreased, so that the middle area of ​​the first pressing roller 21 is relatively thick, which facilitates the discharge of residual gas to both sides of the composite current collector 200 during extrusion, thereby improving the exhaust effect.

[0054] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 2, the maximum diameter of the first pressing roller 21 is recorded as D0, and the diameters of the opposite ends of the first pressing roller 21 are recorded as D1 and D2, respectively, wherein 10 millimeters (mm) ≤ D0-D1 ≤ 1000 mm, and 10 mm ≤ D0-D2 ≤ 1000 mm.

[0055] The maximum diameter of the first pressing roller 21 may occur at the center of the first pressing roller 21 along the axis 211 or at a position offset from the center. In some embodiments, the maximum diameter of the first pressing roller 21 is the diameter at the center of the first pressing roller 21 along the axis 211.

[0056] The difference between D0 and D1 can be between 10 mm and 1000 mm, for example, D0-D1 can be, but not limited to, 10 mm, 100 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 500 mm, 800 mm, and 1000 mm. Similarly, the difference between D0 and D2 can be between 10 mm and 1000 mm, for example, D0-D2 can be, but not limited to, 10 mm, 100 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 500 mm, 800 mm, and 1000 mm.

[0057] In this way, the values ​​of D0-D1 and D0-D2 are controlled within the range of 10 mm to 1000 mm, respectively, so that the difference between the middle and both ends of the first pressing roller 21 is controlled within a reasonable range. On the premise of achieving effective exhaust on both sides, the extrusion difference between the middle and both sides of the composite current collector 200 is reduced, thereby improving the processing quality of the composite current collector 200.

[0058] According to some embodiments of the present application, the conditions satisfied between D0 and D1 and D2 respectively are: 50 mm ≤ D0 - D1 ≤ 300 mm, and 50 mm ≤ D0 - D2 ≤ 300 mm.

[0059] The difference between D0 and D1 may affect the effect of the first pressing roller 21 in discharging gas from the middle of the composite current collector 200 to both sides, and also affect the squeezing effect of the composite current collector 200. For example, when the first pressing roller 21 is designed as a variable cross-section structure, there will be differences in the squeezing of the composite current collector 200 in the direction of the axis 211, such as the middle part being subjected to greater force.

[0060] To this end, the difference between D0 and D1 can be controlled to be within the range of 50 mm to 300 mm, for example, D0-D1 can be, but not limited to, 50 mm, 80 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm, 250 mm, 300 mm, etc. Similarly, the difference between D0 and D2 can be controlled to be within the range of 50 mm to 300 mm, for example, D0-D2 can be, but not limited to, 50 mm, 80 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, 200 mm, 250 mm, 300 mm, etc.

[0061] In this way, the values ​​of D0-D1 and D0-D2 are further controlled within the range of 50 mm to 300 mm, respectively. On the premise of achieving effective exhaust on both sides, the extrusion difference between the middle and both sides of the composite current collector 200 is further reduced, which is beneficial to improving the processing quality of the composite current collector 200.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 3 , the aging device 100 further includes an auxiliary pressing assembly 40 , which is disposed on at least one side of the extrusion mechanism 20 along the conveying direction X of the composite current collector 200 and is used to extrude the composite current collector 200 .

[0063] The auxiliary pressing assembly 40 is a device that, in conjunction with the extrusion mechanism 20, can perform at least two stages of extrusion on the composite current collector 200. The auxiliary pressing assembly 40 can be positioned on at least one side of the extrusion mechanism 20. For example, the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 can be positioned at the upstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20, so that the composite current collector 200 is first extruded by the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 and then by the extrusion mechanism 20. Alternatively, the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 can be positioned at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20. Alternatively, the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 can be positioned at both the upstream and downstream ends of the extrusion mechanism 20.

[0064] In this way, the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 is introduced to increase the squeezing of the composite current collector 200 , thereby improving the pressing and exhausting effects of the composite current collector 200 .

[0065] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 3 , the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 includes two second pressing rollers 41 that cooperate with each other, and the two second pressing rollers 41 are used to press the composite current collector 200 passing through.

[0066] The second pressing roller 41 is a structure that can rotate about its own axis 211. When the two second pressing rollers 41 rotate relative to each other, they can pass through the composite current collector 200 while squeezing the composite current collector 200. At the same time, the second pressing rollers 41 can be designed with a variable cross-section structure or a uniform cross-section structure.

[0067] In this way, the composite current collector 200 is squeezed by the two second pressing rollers 41, so that the glue in the composite current collector 200 is compressed, thereby stably combining the conductive layer and the substrate; at the same time, the squeezing cooperation of the two second pressing rollers 41 is conducive to squeezing out the gas in the composite current collector 200, further enhancing the bonding strength of the structure.

[0068] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 3 , each second pressing roller 41 is constructed as a cylindrical structure, and the diameter of the second pressing roller 41 remains consistent from one end of the second pressing roller 41 to the other end of the second pressing roller 41 .

[0069] The second pressing rollers 41 are of the same diameter. When the composite current collector 200 passes between the two second pressing rollers 41, the force on the composite current collector 200 is evenly distributed. When the auxiliary pressing assembly 40 is located at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20, and the extrusion mechanism 20 has a variable cross-section structure, after passing through the extrusion mechanism 20, the composite current collector 200 enters between the two second pressing rollers 41. This not only improves the pressing effect, but also reduces the thickness difference on the composite current collector 200 caused by uneven extrusion by the extrusion mechanism 20.

[0070] In some embodiments, two auxiliary pressing assemblies 40 are located on opposite sides of the pressing mechanism 20. The pressing mechanism 20 includes two first pressing rollers 21, whose diameters gradually decrease from the center toward the ends. This not only enhances the pressing effect but also helps reduce the thickness difference of the composite current collector 200 caused by pressing.

[0071] Thus, the second pressing roller 41 is designed as a pressing roller structure with the same diameter, so that the force on the composite current collector 200 is more uniform, thereby improving the pressing effect of the composite current collector 200.

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG3 , the extrusion mechanism 20 has a first gap 22 for passage of the composite current collector 200. Auxiliary pressing assemblies 40 are provided on opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism 20. The auxiliary pressing assemblies 40 have second gaps 42 for passage of the composite current collector 200. In the conveying direction X, the second gap 42 at the upstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20 is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the first gap 22; the second gap 42 at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20 is less than or equal to the minimum value of the first gap 22.

[0073] The minimum value of the first gap 22 should be understood as follows: when the first press roller 21 is a variable-section press roller, the minimum value of the first gap 22 is the distance between the thicker portions of the two first press rollers 21. The first gap 22 is less than or equal to the second gap 42 at the upstream end and greater than or equal to the second gap 42 at the downstream end. This indicates that along the conveying direction X, the gaps between the auxiliary press assembly 40 and the extrusion mechanism 20 on one side and the auxiliary press assembly 40 on the other side sequentially decrease, thereby gradually increasing the amount of extrusion applied to the composite current collector 200. The first gap 22 can be the gap between the two first press rollers 21, and the second gap 42 is the gap between the two second press rollers 41.

[0074] Specifically in some embodiments, in the conveying direction X, the second gap 42 located at the upstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20 is larger than the minimum value of the first gap 22 ; the second gap 42 located at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism 20 is smaller than the minimum value of the first gap 22 .

[0075] Such a design allows the extrusion amount of the composite current collector 200 to gradually increase in the conveying direction X, thereby improving the pressing effect.

[0076] According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 1, the aging equipment 100 also includes a first retracting roller 50 and a second retracting roller 51, both of which are located in the oven 10. The first retracting roller 50 and the second retracting roller 51 are respectively located on opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism 20, and one of the first retracting roller 50 and the second retracting roller 51 is used to release the composite current collector 200, and the other is used to roll up the composite current collector 200.

[0077] The first retractable roller 50 and the second retractable roller 51 respectively refer to structures that have the functions of releasing and winding the composite current collector 200. For example: please refer to Figure 1. When the first retractable roller 50 and the second retractable roller 51 both rotate clockwise, the composite current collector 200 is wound at the first retractable roller 50 and released at the second retractable roller 51. At this time, the conveying direction X of the composite current collector 200 is from the second retractable roller 51 to the first retractable roller 50; when the first retractable roller 50 and the second retractable roller 51 both rotate counterclockwise, the composite current collector 200 is wound at the second retractable roller 51 and released at the first retractable roller 50. At this time, the conveying direction X of the composite current collector 200 is from the first retractable roller 50 to the second retractable roller 51.

[0078] Of course, during the actual aging process, the rotation directions of the first and second take-up and take-up rollers 50, 51 can be controlled so that the composite current collector 200 is transported back and forth between the first and second take-up and take-up rollers 50, 51, and the composite current collector 200 is repeatedly squeezed. The number of back-and-forth squeezing cycles of the composite current collector 200 can be controlled to be 1 to 10 times, or 1 to 3 times.

[0079] In addition, the gap between the two first pressing rollers 21 is the first gap 22, and the gap between the two second pressing rollers 41 is the second gap 42. When the conveying direction X of the composite current collector 200 is reversed, the second gap 42 between the second pressing rollers 41 on both sides is also adjusted accordingly, so that the second gap 42 at the upstream end of the squeezing mechanism 20 is larger than the minimum value of the first gap 22; and the second gap 42 at the downstream end of the squeezing mechanism 20 is smaller than the minimum value of the first gap 22.

[0080] In this way, the first take-up roller 50 and the second take-up roller 51 are introduced, so that the composite current collector 200 can move back and forth in the extrusion mechanism 20 , increasing the number of repeated extrusions, which is beneficial to improving the pressing and degassing effects.

[0081] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application provides a current collector processing device, which includes any one of the above curing devices 100.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application provides a battery production system, which includes the above current collector processing device.

[0083] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to Figures 1 to 3 , a aging apparatus 100 is provided. The aging apparatus 100 includes an oven 10, as well as an internal extrusion mechanism 20, an auxiliary pressure assembly 40, and first and second retracting rollers 50 and 51. The oven 10 primarily provides a high-temperature, uniform temperature field and negative pressure environment for the composite current collector 200. The extrusion mechanism 20 and auxiliary pressure assembly 40 respectively enhance the aging uniformity of the composite current collector 200, roll and exhaust the current collector, and uniformly thin the current collector. Simultaneously, the first and second retracting rollers 50 and 51 enable back-and-forth extrusion of the composite current collector 200, achieving a rewinding effect.

[0084] 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.

[0085] 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 curing device for processing a composite current collector (200), the curing device comprising: An oven (10) for baking the composite current collector (200); An extrusion mechanism (20) located inside the oven (10) for extruding the composite current collector (200) in its thickness direction; Wherein, the curing device further comprises a negative pressure mechanism (30), and the negative pressure mechanism (30) is used to create a negative pressure environment inside the oven (10).

2. The aging device according to claim 1, wherein, The extrusion mechanism (20) comprises two mutually cooperating first pressing rollers (21), and the two first pressing rollers (21) are used for extruding the passing composite current collector (200).

3. The aging device according to claim 2, wherein, Among the two first pressing rollers (21), the cross-sectional area of at least one of them in the direction perpendicular to its own axis (211) gradually increases first and then gradually decreases from one end of the first pressing roller (21) to the other end of the first pressing roller (21).

4. The aging device according to claim 3, wherein, The cross-section of each first pressing roller (21) is configured as a circular surface. Among the first pressing rollers (21) designed with different cross-sections, the diameter of the first pressing roller (21) gradually increases first and then gradually decreases from one end of the first pressing roller (21) to the other end of the first pressing roller (21).

5. The aging device according to claim 4, wherein, The maximum diameter of the first pressing roller (21) is denoted as D0, and the diameters of the opposite ends of the first pressing roller (21) are respectively denoted as D1 and D2. Wherein, 10mm ≤ D0 - D1 ≤ 1000mm, and 10mm ≤ D0 - D2 ≤ 1000mm.

6. The aging device according to claim 5, wherein, The conditions further satisfied between D0 and D1, D2 respectively are: 50mm ≤ D0 - D1 ≤ 300mm, and 50mm ≤ D0 - D2 ≤ 300mm.

7. The aging device according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The curing device further comprises an auxiliary pressing assembly (40), and the auxiliary pressing assembly (40) is arranged on at least one side of the extrusion mechanism (20) along the conveying direction (X) of the composite current collector (200) for extruding the composite current collector (200).

8. The aging device according to claim 7, wherein, The auxiliary pressing assembly (40) comprises two mutually cooperating second pressing rollers (41), and the two second pressing rollers (41) are used for extruding the passing composite current collector (200).

9. The aging device according to claim 8, wherein, Each of the second pressing rollers (41) is configured as a cylindrical structure, and the diameter of the second pressing roller (41) remains consistent from one end of the second pressing roller (41) to the other end of the second pressing roller (41).

10. The aging device according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, There are two auxiliary pressing assemblies (40), and the two auxiliary pressing assemblies (40) are respectively located on opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism (20).

11. The aging device according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein, The extrusion mechanism (20) has a first gap (22) for the composite current collector (200) to pass through. Both opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism (20) have the auxiliary pressing assembly (40), and the auxiliary pressing assembly (40) has a second gap (42) for the composite current collector (200) to pass through; Wherein, in the conveying direction (X), a second gap (42) located at the upstream end of the extrusion mechanism (20) is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the first gap (22); a second gap (42) located at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism (20) is less than or equal to the minimum value of the first gap (22).

12. The aging device according to claim 11, wherein, In the conveying direction (X), a second gap (42) located at the upstream end of the extrusion mechanism (20) is greater than the minimum value of the first gap (22); a second gap (42) located at the downstream end of the extrusion mechanism (20) is less than the minimum value of the first gap (22).

13. The aging device according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein, The curing device further includes a first winding and unwinding roller (50) and a second winding and unwinding roller (51) both located in the oven (10). The first winding and unwinding roller (50) and the second winding and unwinding roller (51) are respectively located on opposite sides of the extrusion mechanism (20), and among the first winding and unwinding roller (50) and the second winding and unwinding roller (51), one is used to release the composite current collector (200), and the other is used to wind up the composite current collector (200).

14. A current collector processing device, the current collector processing device includes the curing device according to any one of claims 1-13.

15. A battery production system, the battery production system includes the current collector processing device according to claim 14.

Images