Battery repair welding method, battery repair welding system, and battery production line

Abstract

The present application discloses a battery repair welding method, a battery repair welding system, and a battery production line. The battery repair welding method comprises the following steps: acquiring the length of a milling groove of a battery case, and on the basis of the length of the milling groove, acquiring a target length of a welding wire to be welded; and on the basis of the target length, providing said welding wire and using said welding wire to perform repair welding on the milling groove. According to the method, when occurring to the weld of a battery, a defect is subjected to milling to obtain a milling groove, repair welding is carried out on the milling groove, and the size of a provided welding wire is matched with the size of the milling groove, so that the repair welding efficiency is improved, the integrity of the weld of the finished battery can be guaranteed, and the reliability of the finished battery is improved, thereby improving the yield of battery production.

Description

Battery repair welding method, battery repair welding system and battery production line CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on the application with CN application number 202410184110.1 and application date February 19, 2024, and claims its priority. The disclosed content of the CN application is hereby introduced as a whole into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to a battery repair welding method, a battery repair welding system, and a battery production line. Background Art

[0003] Power batteries have become the green batteries with the best comprehensive performance in the world due to their high voltage, high capacity, low consumption, no memory effect, pollution-free, small size, low internal resistance, low self-discharge and many cycles.

[0004] During the production of power batteries, it is usually necessary to weld the shell and top cover of the power battery together. However, during the welding process, welding defects may exist at the weld. These defects may affect the yield of the battery and bring more inconvenience to battery production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a battery repair welding method, a battery repair welding system and a battery production line to improve the yield rate of battery production.

[0006] The first aspect of the present application provides a battery repair welding method, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Obtaining the length of the milling groove of the battery housing, and obtaining the target length of the welding wire to be welded according to the length of the milling groove; and

[0008] A welding wire to be welded is provided according to a target length, and the welding wire to be welded is used to repair the milling groove.

[0009] By using this method, when defects occur in the weld of the battery, a milling groove is obtained by milling the defective part and the milling groove is repaired by welding. The welding wire provided matches the size of the milling groove, thereby improving the efficiency of the repair welding, ensuring the integrity of the weld of the finished battery, improving the reliability of the finished battery, and improving the yield rate of battery production.

[0010] In some embodiments, acquiring the length of the milling groove of the battery housing includes acquiring an image of a weld of the battery housing, and acquiring the length of the milling groove based on the image of the weld.

[0011] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method further includes: outputting a first welding wire and detecting an actual length of the first welding wire; if the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and a target length is within a preset range, repair welding the milled groove using the first welding wire. The weld image is recognized to accurately determine the length of the milled groove, thereby improving the reliability of the repair welding.

[0012] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method further includes: if the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and the target length is not within a preset range, cutting the first welding wire, re-supplying a second welding wire, and testing the actual length of the second welding wire until the difference between the actual length of the re-supplying welding wire and the target length is within the preset range, and repair welding the milled groove using the re-supplying welding wire. By testing the actual length of the welding wire to be welded, the possibility of the actual length not meeting expectations is reduced, thereby improving reliability and ensuring repair welding efficiency.

[0013] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method further includes: supplying a first welding wire and detecting whether an extension direction of the first welding wire is consistent with a length direction of the milled slot; if so, repair welding the milled slot using the first welding wire. In addition to ensuring that the actual length of the welding wire meets the requirements, the extension direction of the welding wire must also be consistent with the length direction of the milled slot to improve repair welding quality.

[0014] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method further includes: if there is any inconsistency, cutting the first welding wire, re-supplying a second welding wire, and testing the extension direction of the second welding wire until the extension direction of the re-supplying welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milled slot, and repair welding the milled slot using the re-supplying welding wire. This ensures that the extension direction of the welding wire meets the requirements during the actual repair welding process, thereby improving the repair welding quality.

[0015] In some embodiments, a battery repair welding method includes obtaining the lengths of at least two milling grooves of a battery casing, and determining target lengths of at least two welding wires based on the lengths of the at least two milling grooves. This allows repair welding of the at least two milling grooves to be performed continuously, improving repair welding efficiency.

[0016] In some embodiments, a battery repair welding method includes sequentially providing at least two welding wires according to target lengths of the at least two welding wires, and sequentially repair welding at least two milled slots using the at least two welding wires. This ensures that when repair welding multiple milled slots continuously, each provided welding wire is properly matched to each milled slot, thereby ensuring repair welding quality and efficiency.

[0017] In some embodiments, providing at least two welding wires sequentially based on target lengths of the at least two welding wires, and sequentially repair-welding at least two milled grooves using the at least two welding wires includes: obtaining the distribution positions of the at least two milled grooves on the battery housing, obtaining a repair welding sequence based on the distribution positions, and adjusting the battery posture according to the repair welding sequence to repair-weld each milled groove in sequence. During the repair welding process, the battery posture is adjusted so that milled grooves at different positions can all correspond to the laser emission head, ensuring that each milled groove can be repair-welded, improving repair welding efficiency, and ensuring the integrity of the finished battery.

[0018] The second aspect of the present application provides a battery repair welding system, including a repair welding assembly, a clamping assembly, a wire feeding assembly and a controller. The repair welding assembly is arranged at the welding station, and is used to repair the milling groove on the battery shell of the incoming battery. The clamping assembly is arranged next to the welding station, and is used to clamp the incoming battery and drive the incoming battery to move to the welding station. The wire feeding assembly is arranged next to the welding station, and is used to provide welding wire to the repair welding assembly for welding. The controller is used to obtain the length of the milling groove, obtain the target length of the welding wire to be welded according to the length of the milling groove, and control the wire feeding assembly to provide the welding wire to be welded according to the target length.

[0019] The battery repair welding system automatically completes steps such as battery loading, detecting the length of the milling groove, providing welding wire of corresponding size, and repair welding processing, reducing manual intervention, improving repair welding efficiency, and reducing battery scrap rate.

[0020] In some embodiments, a visual camera is further included, signal-connected to the controller and configured to capture an image of the battery housing weld. The controller is configured to determine the length of the milling slot based on the weld image. By utilizing the visual camera and machine vision technology, the milling slot image information can be accurately captured, thereby determining the milling slot length, improving accuracy and work efficiency.

[0021] In some embodiments, the repair welding assembly includes a laser emitter head for emitting laser light for welding. The controller is configured to obtain the distribution position of the milling groove on the battery housing based on the image of the weld seam, and control the laser emitter head and the welding wire to be welded to correspond to the position of the milling groove based on the distribution position. Laser welding technology is used to improve the efficiency of repair welding. After the clamping assembly delivers the incoming battery to the welding station, the laser emitter head and wire feeding assembly are controlled to move to the milling groove position based on the position of the milling groove obtained by machine vision, eliminating the need to further adjust the position of the incoming battery, thereby improving processing efficiency.

[0022] In some embodiments, the wire feed assembly includes a wire delivery device. The wire delivery device is used to provide welding wire according to a target length and is movable toward or away from the welding station. The wire delivery device is movable in a first direction to facilitate alignment of the welding wire with the milled slot, thereby improving repair welding efficiency.

[0023] In some embodiments, the wire delivery device includes a wire delivery driver and a wire delivery head. The wire delivery driver is configured to provide the wire to be welded to the wire delivery head. This allows for more accurate control of the wire length at the wire delivery head, ensuring that the wire length matches the milling slot length. This reduces the time wasted in replacing the wire due to unsatisfactory wire length, thereby improving repair welding efficiency.

[0024] In some embodiments, the wire feed assembly further includes a detection device. The detection device is used to detect the actual length of the welding wire to be welded. When the difference between the target length and the actual length is within a preset range, the controller controls the wire feed device to move to the welding station for repair welding. The detection device can accurately detect the actual length of the welding wire at the wire feed end, reducing a series of problems caused by a large difference between the actual length of the welding wire and the target length, thereby improving the efficiency of repair welding.

[0025] In some embodiments, the wire feed assembly further includes a cutting device spaced apart from the wire outlet. The cutting device is used to cut the welding wire provided by the wire outlet. Both the wire outlet and cutting devices are connected to a controller signal. The controller is configured to control the operation of the wire outlet and cutting devices so that the difference between the actual length of the welding wire and the target length is within a preset range. This improves the automation rate of the battery repair welding system. Even if the output welding wire does not meet the requirements, a new welding wire can be replaced in a timely manner, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0026] In some embodiments, the detection device is further configured to detect whether the extension direction of the welding wire to be welded is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove. This can ensure the quality of the repair welding and improve the reliability of the finished battery.

[0027] In some embodiments, the wire feed assembly further includes a cutting device spaced apart from the wire outlet. The cutting device is used to cut the welding wire provided by the wire outlet. Both the wire outlet and cutting devices are connected to a controller signal, which is configured to control the operation of the wire outlet and cutting devices so that the extension direction of the welding wire aligns with the length of the milling slot. If the wire offset does not meet the requirements, the output wire is cut off and a new section of wire is output. The offset is continuously tested until it meets the requirements before repair welding is performed, thereby ensuring the quality of the repair welding.

[0028] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to obtain the lengths of at least two milling grooves of the battery housing, obtain target lengths of at least two welding wires based on the lengths of the at least two milling grooves, sequentially provide at least two welding wires based on the target lengths of the at least two welding wires, and sequentially perform repair welding on the at least two milling grooves using the at least two welding wires. Repair welding each milling groove can improve processing efficiency and continuously complete repair welding operations on multiple milling grooves on a battery housing.

[0029] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly includes a fixture and a moving mechanism. The fixture is used to clamp incoming batteries. The fixture is connected to the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism is used to drive the fixture to move the incoming batteries to the welding station. This allows for simple and efficient clamping and transport of incoming batteries, improving repair welding efficiency. Furthermore, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, which optimizes the spatial layout of the various components of the battery repair welding system, making the layout more compact and saving space.

[0030] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly further includes a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism is mounted on the movable mechanism. The movable mechanism is used to drive the clamp and the lifting mechanism to move. The lifting mechanism is used to lift the incoming battery in the vertical direction. The lifting mechanism adjusts the height distance between the upper end surface of the incoming battery and the laser emission head, thereby improving the quality of the repair welding.

[0031] In some embodiments, a press assembly is further included. The press assembly is movably positioned adjacent to the welding station. When the clamping assembly moves the incoming battery to the welding station, the press assembly moves to the welding station to apply vertical pressure to the incoming battery, thereby adjusting the vertical position of the milled groove surface of the incoming battery. Prior to repair welding, the press head applies pressure to the battery to ensure that the height difference between the end face of the battery where the weld seam is located and the laser emitter is within a desired range, thereby improving the quality of the repair weld.

[0032] The third aspect of the present application provides a battery production line, comprising a battery milling device and the battery repair welding system as described above. The battery milling device is used to mill welding defects of welds on battery housings to form milling grooves.

[0033] In some embodiments, the battery milling device includes a vision module and a milling module, the vision module obtains image information of the weld and identifies the location of the welding defect, and the milling module performs milling according to the location of the welding defect to form a milling groove.

[0034] 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

[0035] 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.

[0036] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a battery repair welding system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] FIG2 is a front view of a battery repair welding system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0038] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a repair welding assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0039] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a clamping assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0040] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a press-fitting assembly for press-fitting a battery according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0041] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a battery repair welding method according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0042] The accompanying drawings in the specific implementation manner are as follows:

[0043] Repair welding assembly 1, clamping assembly 2, wire feeding assembly 3, press-fitting assembly 4, gantry 5, mobile module 6, base 7, waste bucket 8, controller 9;

[0044] Laser emitting head 11, dust collecting cover 12, clamp 21, moving mechanism 22, lifting mechanism 23, rotating platform 24, wire discharging device 31, detecting device 32, cutting device 33, mounting frame 34, pressing head moving part 41, pressing head 42;

[0045] Wire delivery driver 311, wire delivery head 312, translation component 41a, longitudinal movement component 41b;

[0046] A first wire output driver 311a and a second wire output driver 311b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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).

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] The inventors have noted that, in the prior art, during the production of power batteries, welding defects may occur at the weld seam when welding the top cover of the power battery. These defects can lead to the immediate scrapping of the battery, causing significant inconvenience in the production process. Furthermore, in the prior art, repair welding of weld defects typically involves manually filling the milled groove with welding wire. This not only results in low work efficiency but also may pollute the external environment, resulting in low repair quality.

[0056] Based on the above technical problems, the applicant has found that if the welds of the battery are inspected during the production process, and if welding defects are detected, the defective parts are milled and repaired by welding, the finished battery obtained in this way can still be used normally and has a certain reliability, which reduces the scrap rate of the battery during the production process.

[0057] With reference to FIG1 , the present application provides a battery repair welding system, comprising a repair welding assembly 1, a clamping assembly 2, a wire feeding assembly 3, and a controller 9. The repair welding assembly 1 is arranged next to the welding station, and is used to repair the milled groove on the battery shell of the incoming battery; the clamping assembly 2 is arranged next to the welding station, and is used to clamp the incoming battery and drive the incoming battery to move to the welding station; the wire feeding assembly 3 is arranged next to the welding station, and is used to provide welding wire to the repair welding assembly 1 for welding. The controller 9 is used to obtain the length of the milled groove, obtain the target length of the welding wire to be welded based on the length of the milled groove, and control the wire feeding assembly 3 to provide the welding wire to be welded based on the target length.

[0058] Specifically, during the battery production process, it is usually necessary to weld the battery cell and the top cover together. The battery shell in this application includes a shell body and a top cover. The shell body includes a bottom wall and a side wall arranged around the circumference of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall enclose a cavity for accommodating the battery cell. The top cover is arranged at the upper end of the side wall and welded to the inner wall surface of the side wall to seal the cavity. The junction between the top cover and the side wall forms a weld located on the upper end face of the battery shell. In the process of welding the battery cell and the top cover together, there may be welding defects at the weld. Therefore, it is necessary to mill the defective parts. The groove body after milling is called a milling groove. Repair welding of the milling groove can ensure the integrity of the weld and improve the reliability of the finished battery. In addition, the length of the milling groove mentioned in this application refers to the size of the milling groove in the extension direction of the weld.

[0059] The battery repair welding system automatically completes steps such as battery loading, detecting the length of the milling groove, providing welding wire of corresponding size, and repair welding processing, reducing manual intervention, improving repair welding efficiency, and increasing the yield rate of battery production.

[0060] Continuing to refer to Figure 1, the battery repair welding system also includes a gantry 5, a mobile module 6 and a base 7. The gantry 5 is arranged beside the welding station, the mobile module 6 is arranged on the gantry 5, the mobile module 6 extends in the first direction X, and the base 7 is movably arranged on the mobile module 6. The repair welding assembly 1 and the wire feeding assembly 3 are arranged on the base 7. The clamping assembly 2 drives the incoming battery to move to the position shown in Figure 1, which is called the welding station. When repair welding the incoming battery, the incoming battery is located at the welding station, and the base 7 drives the repair welding assembly 1 to move to correspond to the welding station. At this time, the incoming battery is located directly below the repair welding assembly 1, so that the welding head in the repair welding assembly 1 can act on the milling groove on the upper end face of the incoming battery.

[0061] In some embodiments, a visual camera is further included. The visual camera is connected to the controller 9 by signal and is used to obtain an image of the weld of the battery shell. The controller 9 is configured to obtain the length of the milling groove based on the image of the weld.

[0062] Through visual cameras and machine vision technology, the image information of the milling slot can be obtained more accurately, and then the length of the milling slot can be obtained, thereby improving accuracy and work efficiency.

[0063] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the repair welding assembly 1 has a laser emission head 11, which is used to emit laser for welding. The controller 9 is configured to obtain the distribution position of the milling groove on the battery shell based on the image of the weld, and control the laser emission head 11 and the welding wire to be welded to correspond to the position of the milling groove according to the distribution position.

[0064] Laser welding technology is used to improve repair welding efficiency. After the clamping assembly 2 delivers the incoming material battery to the welding station, the position of the milling groove obtained by machine vision is controlled to move the laser emission head 11 and wire feeding assembly 3 to the milling groove position, eliminating the need to further adjust the position of the incoming material battery, thereby improving processing efficiency.

[0065] In some embodiments, the laser emission head 11 is located above the welding station to facilitate the repair welding of the milled groove on the upper end surface of the incoming battery.

[0066] 3 , in some embodiments, the repair welding assembly 1 further includes a dust hood 12 , which is disposed adjacent to the laser emission head 11 and is used to absorb dust generated during the repair welding process, thereby keeping the working environment clean and improving the repair welding quality.

[0067] 1 , in some embodiments, the wire feeding assembly 3 includes a wire outlet device 31 , which is used to provide welding wire according to a target length, and the wire outlet device 31 is movably arranged to be close to or away from the welding station.

[0068] The wire outlet device 31 is movable in the first direction X, so as to make the welding wire correspond to the position of the milling groove and improve the repair welding efficiency.

[0069] 2 , in some embodiments, the wire delivery device 31 includes a wire delivery driver 311 and a wire delivery head 312 . The wire delivery driver 311 is used to provide the wire delivery head 312 with welding wire to be welded.

[0070] Specifically, the wire output driver 311 may include a first wire output driver 311a and a second wire output driver 311b. The first wire output driver 311a stores a coil of welding wire, and the second wire output driver 311b is disposed adjacent to the first wire output driver 311a. The first wire output driver 311a is capable of outputting welding wire to the second wire output driver 311b. The second wire output driver 311b precisely controls the output of welding wire based on the welding wire provided by the first wire output driver 311a, and delivers a certain length of welding wire to the wire output head 312. This allows for more accurate control of the length of the welding wire at the wire output head 312, ensuring that the welding wire length matches the length of the milling slot, reducing the time wasted in replacing the welding wire due to unsatisfactory welding wire length, and thereby improving repair welding efficiency.

[0071] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, the wire feeding assembly 3 further includes a detection device 32, which is used to detect the actual length of the welding wire to be welded, and when the difference between the target length and the actual length is within a preset range, the controller 9 controls the wire outlet device 31 to move to the welding station for repair welding.

[0072] Specifically, the detection device 32 is arranged next to the welding station in the first direction X. After the wire output driver 311 provides welding wire to the wire output head 312, the movable module 6 drives the wire output driver 311 and the wire output head 312 to move to the detection device 32 in the first direction X. The detection device 32 can accurately detect the actual length of the welding wire at the wire output head 312, thereby reducing a series of problems caused by the large gap between the actual length of the welding wire and the target length, and improving the efficiency of repair welding.

[0073] Optionally, the detection device 32 includes a detection camera, which can obtain the actual length of the welding wire.

[0074] 1 and 2 , in some embodiments, the wire feeding assembly 3 further includes a cutting device 33 spaced apart from the wire outlet device 31. The controller 9 is configured to control the wire outlet device 31 to move to the cutting device 33 to cut off the welding wire to be welded when the detection device 32 measures that the difference between the target length and the actual length is outside a preset range, and to enable the wire outlet device 31 to re-supply the welding wire. The controller 9 is also configured to control the detection device 32 to detect the re-provided welding wire. When the difference between the actual length of the re-output welding wire and the target length is within a preset range, the controller 9 enables the wire outlet device 31 to move to the welding station for repair welding.

[0075] For example, the wire-out device 31 first outputs the first welding wire, and the detection device 33 detects the actual length of the first welding wire. If the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and the target length is outside the preset range, the controller 9 controls the wire-out device 31 to move to the cutting device 33 to cut off the first welding wire, and then the wire-out device 31 re-outputs the second welding wire, and the detection device 33 continues to detect the actual length of the second welding wire. If the difference between the actual length of the second welding wire and the target length is within the preset range, it means that the second welding wire meets the requirements and can be used as the welding wire to be welded. At this time, the controller 9 moves the wire-out device 31 to the welding station for repair welding.

[0076] It is understandable that if the second welding wire still does not meet the requirements, the third welding wire will continue to be output and the actual length of the third welding wire will be detected until the output welding wire meets the requirements, wherein the welding wire to be welded is defined as the welding wire whose actual length meets the requirements.

[0077] In the first direction X, the cutting device 33 is arranged beside the detection device 32, and the detection device 32 is located between the welding station and the cutting device 33. When the detection device 32 detects that the length of the welding wire does not meet the requirements, the wire-out device 31 continues to move to the cutting device 33 to cut the welding wire. The cutting device 33 cuts off the welding wire at the wire-out head 312, and then the first wire-out driver 311a and the second wire-out driver 311b cooperate to re-supply a section of welding wire to the wire-out head 312 (also provided according to the target length). The detection device 32 re-detects the actual length of the section of welding wire. If it still does not meet the requirements, it cuts off and re-outputs the welding wire until it meets the requirements, and then repair welding is performed. Through the above process, the automation rate of the battery repair welding system is improved. Even if the output welding wire does not meet the requirements, it can be replaced with a new welding wire in time, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0078] In some embodiments, the wire feeding assembly 3 further includes a mounting frame 34. The mounting frame 34 is disposed on one side of the gantry 5 and extends in the height direction Z, and the cutting device 33 is disposed on the mounting frame 34. The battery repair welding system further includes a waste bucket 8. The waste bucket 8 is disposed below the cutting device 33. The mounting frame 34 can be used to adjust the position of the cutting device 33 in the height direction Z so that the cutting device 33 and the wire outlet device 31 are at the same height, making it easier for the cutting device 33 to cut the welding wire that does not meet the requirements output by the wire outlet device, and the cut waste wire falls into the waste bucket 8, thereby realizing the collection of the waste wire.

[0079] In some embodiments, the detection device 32 is also configured to detect whether the extension direction of the welding wire to be welded is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove. If consistent, the controller 9 controls the wire outlet device 31 to move to the welding station for repair welding.

[0080] Specifically, in addition to checking whether the length of the welding wire meets the requirements, it is also necessary to check whether the extension direction of the welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove (that is, to check whether the offset of the welding wire relative to the milling groove meets the requirements). This can ensure the quality of the repair welding and improve the reliability of the finished battery.

[0081] In some embodiments, the controller 9 is configured to control the wire outlet device 31 to move to the cutting device 33 to cut off the welding wire to be welded when the detection device 32 measures that the extension direction of the welding wire to be welded is inconsistent with the length direction of the milling groove, and to enable the wire outlet device 31 to re-supply the welding wire. The controller 9 is also configured to control the detection device 32 to detect the re-provided welding wire. When the extension direction of the re-output welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove, the controller 9 controls the wire outlet device 31 to move to the welding station for repair welding.

[0082] When the wire offset does not meet the requirements, the output wire is cut off and a new section of wire is output. The offset is continuously tested until it meets the requirements before repair welding is performed to ensure the quality of the repair welding.

[0083] In some embodiments, the controller 9 is configured to obtain the lengths of at least two milling grooves of the battery shell, obtain the target lengths of at least two welding wires to be welded based on the lengths of the at least two milling grooves, provide at least two welding wires to be welded in sequence based on the target lengths of the at least two welding wires to be welded, and use the at least two welding wires to be welded in sequence to repair the at least two milling grooves.

[0084] Specifically, there may be multiple milling grooves on the battery shell. The visual camera obtains the length of the milling groove as well as the number and position of the milling grooves. Then the controller 9 processes them in sequence to repair weld each milling groove. This can improve the processing efficiency and continuously complete the repair welding operation of multiple milling grooves on a battery shell.

[0085] 4 , in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 2 includes a clamp 21 and a moving mechanism 22 . The clamp 21 is used to clamp the incoming battery. The clamp 21 is connected to the moving mechanism 22 . The moving mechanism 22 is used to drive the clamp 21 to move the incoming battery to the welding station.

[0086] Specifically, the battery repair welding system also has a loading station, which is arranged corresponding to the clamping assembly 2. When the incoming battery arrives at the loading station, the clamping assembly 2 extracts the incoming battery from the loading station and moves the incoming battery to the welding station for repair welding. The fixture 21 includes two clamping parts that can move toward each other. When the incoming battery arrives at the loading station, the two clamping parts move toward each other, approach the shell body of the incoming battery from the side of the incoming battery, and abut against the shell of the incoming battery to clamp the incoming battery. Then, the moving mechanism 22 drives the fixture 21 to move in the second direction Y to move the incoming battery to the welding station. Based on this scheme, the clamping of the incoming battery and the transportation of the incoming battery can be achieved simply and efficiently, thereby improving the repair welding efficiency. In addition, the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X, so that the spatial arrangement of the various components in the battery repair welding system can be optimized, making the spatial arrangement more compact and saving space.

[0087] Optionally, the moving mechanism 22 includes a guide rail or slide rail structure.

[0088] 4 , in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 2 further includes a lifting mechanism 23 , which is disposed on a moving mechanism 22 . The moving mechanism 22 is used to drive the clamp 21 and the lifting mechanism 23 to move, and the lifting mechanism 23 is used to lift the incoming battery in the height direction Z.

[0089] Specifically, the fixture 21 also includes a base plate for supporting the incoming battery from its bottom. When the clamping assembly 2 extracts the incoming battery from the loading station, the incoming battery is placed on the base plate. The two clamping parts then secure the incoming battery, and the base plate supports the incoming battery from its bottom to improve stability. The lifting mechanism 23 is connected to the base plate. After the incoming battery arrives at the welding station, the lifting mechanism 23 is activated, causing the base plate to move in the height direction Z relative to the clamping parts to adjust the distance in the height direction Z between the upper end face of the incoming battery and the laser transmitter 11, thereby improving the quality of the repair welding.

[0090] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism 23 includes a lifting cylinder, the output end of which is connected to the base plate to drive the base plate to move in the height direction Z. The position of the incoming battery in the height direction Z is adjusted by the lifting cylinder, which is simple and low in cost.

[0091] Referring to Figure 4, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 2 also includes a rotating platform 24, which is arranged on the moving mechanism 22, and the clamp 21 and the lifting mechanism 23 are arranged on the rotating platform 24. The rotating platform 24 is rotatably arranged along its own axis to drive the battery to rotate, thereby facilitating the repair welding of the milling grooves distributed on the long and short sides of the battery, improving the integrity of the repair welding, and improving the efficiency of the repair welding.

[0092] For example, there are milling grooves on a long side and a short side adjacent to the long side of the battery. If the milling groove on the long side is repaired by welding first, then after the repair welding is completed, the rotating platform 24 is rotated ninety degrees so that the milling groove on the short side corresponds to the laser emitting head 11, so that the milling groove on the short side is also repaired by welding.

[0093] Referring to Figures 1 to 2 and 5, in some embodiments, a pressing assembly 4 is also included. The pressing assembly 4 is movably arranged next to the welding station. When the clamping assembly 2 drives the incoming battery to move to the welding station, the pressing assembly 4 moves to the welding station to apply pressure to the incoming battery in the height direction Z to adjust the position of the surface where the milling groove of the incoming battery is located in the height direction Z.

[0094] The press assembly 4 includes a pressing head moving member 41 and a pressing head 42. The pressing head 42 is mounted on the pressing head moving member 41. The pressing head moving member 41 is movable in both the first direction X and the height direction Z to move the pressing head 42 toward or away from the welding station, and in the height direction Z to move the pressing head 42 toward or away from the end face of the battery where the weld is located. The pressing head 42 is used to apply pressure to the incoming battery in the height direction Z. Before performing the repair welding, the pressing head 42 applies pressure to the battery to ensure that the distance difference between the end face of the battery where the weld is located and the laser transmitter 11 in the height direction Z is within the desired range, thereby improving the quality of the repair welding.

[0095] More specifically, the ram moving member 41 includes a translation member 41a and a longitudinal movement member 41b. The longitudinal movement member 41b is disposed on the translation member 41a, and the ram 42 is disposed on the longitudinal movement member 41b. The translation member 41a is configured to be movable in a first direction X, and the longitudinal movement member 41b is configured to be movable in a height direction Z.

[0096] Optionally, the translation component 41a and the longitudinal movement component 41b include guide rail or slide rail structural components.

[0097] Referring to FIG6 , the present application also provides a battery repair welding method, comprising the following steps:

[0098] S1, obtaining the length of the milling groove of the battery housing, and obtaining the target length of the welding wire to be welded according to the length of the milling groove; and

[0099] S2, providing a welding wire to be welded according to a target length, and using the welding wire to be welded to repair the milling groove.

[0100] By using this method, when defects occur in the weld of the battery, a milling groove is obtained by milling the defective part and the milling groove is repaired by welding. The welding wire provided matches the size of the milling groove, thereby improving the efficiency of the repair welding, ensuring the integrity of the weld of the finished battery, improving the reliability of the finished battery, and reducing the scrap rate of the battery.

[0101] In some embodiments, acquiring the length of the milling groove of the battery housing includes acquiring an image of a weld of the battery housing, and acquiring the length of the milling groove based on the image of the weld.

[0102] The weld image is identified to accurately obtain the length of the milling groove and improve the reliability of the repair welding.

[0103] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method further includes: outputting a first welding wire and detecting the actual length of the first welding wire. If the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and the target length is within a preset range, the milling groove is repaired using the first welding wire.

[0104] By testing the actual length of the welding wire, the possibility of the actual length not meeting expectations is reduced, thereby improving reliability and ensuring the efficiency of repair welding.

[0105] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method also includes: if the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and the target length is not within a preset range, the first welding wire is cut off, the second welding wire is re-output and the actual length of the second welding wire is detected, until the difference between the actual length of the re-output welding wire and the target length is within the preset range, and the milling groove is repaired using the re-output welding wire.

[0106] This allows the length of the welding wire to correspond to the size of the milled groove during actual repair welding.

[0107] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method further includes: outputting a first welding wire and detecting whether an extension direction of the first welding wire is consistent with a length direction of the milling groove; if consistent, repair welding the milling groove using the first welding wire.

[0108] On the basis that the actual length of the welding wire meets the requirements, it is also necessary to ensure that the extension direction of the welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove, so as to improve the quality of the repair welding.

[0109] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method also includes: if there is inconsistency, cutting off the first welding wire, re-outputting the second welding wire and detecting the extension direction of the second welding wire until the extension direction of the re-output welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove, and using the re-output welding wire to repair the milling groove.

[0110] In this way, during the actual repair welding process, the extension direction of the welding wire can meet the requirements and the quality of the repair welding can be improved.

[0111] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method includes: obtaining the lengths of at least two milling grooves of the battery housing, and obtaining target lengths of at least two welding wires to be welded based on the lengths of the at least two milling grooves.

[0112] In this way, at least two milling grooves can be repaired and welded continuously, thereby improving the repair welding efficiency.

[0113] In some embodiments, the battery repair welding method includes: sequentially providing at least two welding wires to be welded according to target lengths of the at least two welding wires to be welded, and sequentially repair welding at least two milling grooves using the at least two welding wires to be welded.

[0114] This ensures that when multiple milling grooves are repaired continuously, each welding wire provided matches each milling groove, thereby ensuring the quality and efficiency of the repair welding.

[0115] In some embodiments, at least two welding wires to be welded are provided in sequence according to the target lengths of the at least two welding wires to be welded, and at least two milling grooves are repaired by using the at least two welding wires to be welded in sequence, including: obtaining the distribution positions of the at least two milling grooves on the battery shell, obtaining a repair welding order according to the distribution positions, and adjusting the posture of the battery according to the repair welding order to repair each milling groove in sequence.

[0116] During the repair welding process, the posture of the battery is adjusted so that the milling grooves at different positions can correspond to the laser emission head 11, ensuring that each milling groove can be repaired, improving the repair welding efficiency, and ensuring the integrity of the finished battery.

[0117] The present application also provides a battery production line, comprising a battery milling device and the battery repair welding system as described above. The battery milling device is used to mill the welding defects of the weld on the battery shell to form the milling groove.

[0118] In some embodiments, the battery milling device includes a vision module and a milling module, the vision module obtains image information of the weld and identifies the location of the welding defect, and the milling module performs milling according to the location of the welding defect to form a milling groove.

[0119] The above-mentioned welding defects include at least one of forming defects and connection defects. Among them, forming defects include burst point defects, pinhole defects, pit defects and shrinkage defects. Connection defects include cracks and / or undercuts, wherein the burst point defects are caused by spatter (explosion) problems. There are many factors that cause spatter, such as the cleanliness of the shell body or the top cover, or the surface of the shell body or the top cover has protrusions, pores or internal bubbles, etc., which may cause burst point defects. In other words, the battery repair welding system and battery repair welding method provided in the embodiment of the present application can perform milling for the above welding defects to complete the repair of defective batteries.

[0120] A battery repair welding system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 .

[0121] The battery repair welding system includes a repair welding assembly 1, a clamping assembly 2, a wire feeding assembly 3, a controller 9, and a visual camera. The repair welding assembly 1 is located at the welding station and includes a laser emitter 11 and a dust hood 12. The laser emitter 11 is used to emit laser light to repair the milled grooves, and the dust hood 12 is used to absorb dust generated during the welding process. The clamping assembly 2 includes a clamp 21, a moving mechanism 22, a lifting mechanism 23, and a rotating platform 24. The clamp 21 and lifting mechanism 23 are located on the rotating platform 24, which is in turn located on the moving mechanism 22. The clamp 21 is used to clamp the incoming battery. The moving mechanism 22 is used to move the battery in a second direction Y toward the welding station. The lifting mechanism 23 is used to move the incoming battery in a height direction Z to adjust the distance between the end face of the battery where the weld seam is located and the laser emitter 11. The rotating platform 24 can rotate the battery to repair the milled grooves on each side of the battery. The wire feed assembly 3 includes a wire delivery device 31, a detection device 32, and a cutting device 33, spaced apart in a first direction X. The wire delivery device 31 includes a wire delivery driver 311 and a wire delivery head 312. The wire delivery driver 311 is configured to provide the wire to be welded to the wire delivery head 312. The wire delivery driver 311 includes a first wire delivery driver 311a and a second wire delivery driver 311b. The first wire delivery driver 311a stores a wire roll, while the second wire delivery driver 311b is adjacent to the first wire delivery driver 311a. The first wire delivery driver 311a is configured to deliver wire to the second wire delivery driver 311b. The second wire delivery driver 311b precisely controls the amount of wire delivered based on the wire supplied by the first wire delivery driver 311a and delivers a predetermined length of wire to the wire delivery head 312. The detection device 32 is configured to detect the actual length of the wire to be welded. When the difference between the target length and the actual length is within a preset range, the controller 9 controls the wire delivery device 31 to move to a welding station for repair welding. The controller 9 is configured to control the wire outlet device 31 to move to the cutting device 33 to cut off the wire to be welded and to cause the wire outlet device 31 to resupply the welding wire when the detection device 32 detects that the extension direction of the welding wire to be welded is inconsistent with the length direction of the milling groove. The controller 9 is also configured to control the detection device 32 to detect the resupply welding wire. When the extension direction of the resupply welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove, the controller 9 controls the wire outlet device 31 to move to the welding station for repair welding. In the above process, the visual camera can capture the image of the weld and analyze it to obtain the position and size of the milling groove. The controller 9 performs the repair welding based on the analysis results of the visual camera.

[0122] 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 repair welding method, comprising the following steps: Obtaining the length of the milling groove of the battery housing, and obtaining the target length of the welding wire to be welded according to the length of the milling groove; and A welding wire to be welded is provided according to the target length, and the milling groove is repaired by using the welding wire to be welded.

2. The battery repair welding method according to claim 1, wherein: Acquiring the length of the milling groove of the battery housing includes: acquiring an image of a weld of the battery housing, and acquiring the length of the milling groove based on the image of the weld.

3. The battery repair welding method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The battery repair welding method also includes: outputting a first welding wire and detecting an actual length of the first welding wire. If the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and the target length is within a preset range, repair welding the milling groove using the first welding wire.

4. The battery repair welding method according to claim 3, wherein: The battery repair welding method also includes: if the difference between the actual length of the first welding wire and the target length is not within a preset range, cutting the first welding wire, re-outputting the second welding wire and detecting the actual length of the second welding wire until the difference between the actual length of the re-outputting welding wire and the target length is within the preset range, and using the re-outputting welding wire to repair the milling groove.

5. The battery repair welding method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The battery repair welding method further includes: outputting a first welding wire and detecting whether an extension direction of the first welding wire is consistent with a length direction of the milling groove; if consistent, repair welding the milling groove using the first welding wire.

6. The battery repair welding method according to claim 5, wherein: The battery repair welding method also includes: if there is inconsistency, cutting off the first welding wire, re-outputting the second welding wire and detecting the extension direction of the second welding wire until the extension direction of the re-output welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove, and using the re-output welding wire to repair the milling groove.

7. The battery repair welding method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The battery repair welding method includes: obtaining the lengths of at least two milling grooves of the battery shell, and obtaining the target lengths of at least two welding wires to be welded according to the lengths of the at least two milling grooves.

8. The battery repair welding method according to claim 7, wherein: The battery repair welding method includes: sequentially providing at least two welding wires to be welded according to target lengths of the at least two welding wires to be welded, and sequentially repair welding the at least two milling grooves using the at least two welding wires to be welded.

9. The battery repair welding method according to claim 8, wherein: Providing at least two welding wires to be welded in sequence according to the target lengths of the at least two welding wires to be welded, and repair-welding the at least two milling grooves in sequence using the at least two welding wires to be welded includes: obtaining the distribution positions of the at least two milling grooves on the battery shell, obtaining a repair-welding sequence according to the distribution positions, and adjusting the posture of the battery according to the repair-welding sequence to repair-weld each of the milling grooves in sequence.

10. A battery repair welding system comprising: A repair welding assembly (1) is arranged beside the welding station and is used for repair welding the milled grooves on the battery shell of the incoming battery; A clamping assembly (2) is arranged beside the welding station and is used to clamp incoming batteries and drive the incoming batteries to move to the welding station; a wire feeding assembly (3), arranged beside the welding station, for providing welding wire to the repair welding assembly (1) for welding; and The controller (9) is used to obtain the length of the milling groove, obtain the target length of the welding wire to be welded according to the length of the milling groove, and control the wire feeding assembly (3) to provide the welding wire to be welded according to the target length.

11. The battery repair welding system according to claim 10, wherein: It also includes a visual camera, which is connected to the controller (9) by signal and is used to obtain an image of the weld of the battery shell. The controller (9) is configured to obtain the length of the milling groove based on the image of the weld.

12. The battery repair welding system according to claim 11, wherein: The repair welding assembly (1) includes a laser emitting head (11) for emitting laser light for welding. The controller (9) is configured to obtain the distribution position of the milling groove on the battery housing according to the image of the weld seam, and control the laser emitting head (11) and the welding wire to be welded to correspond to the position of the milling groove according to the distribution position.

13. The battery repair welding system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: The wire feeding assembly (3) comprises a wire outlet device (31), wherein the wire outlet device (31) is used to provide welding wire to be welded according to the target length, and the wire outlet device (31) is movably arranged to be close to or away from the welding station.

14. The battery repair welding system according to claim 13, wherein: The wire output device (31) comprises a wire output driver (311) and a wire output head (312), wherein the wire output driver (311) is used to provide the wire to be welded to the wire output head (312).

15. The battery repair welding system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: The wire feeding assembly (3) further comprises a detection device (32), wherein the detection device (32) is used to detect the actual length of the welding wire to be welded, and when the difference between the target length and the actual length is within a preset range, the controller (9) controls the wire outlet device (31) to move to the welding station for repair welding.

16. The battery repair welding system according to claim 15, wherein: The wire feeding assembly (3) further comprises a cutting device (33) spaced apart from the wire outlet device (31), the cutting device (33) being used to cut the welding wire provided by the wire outlet device (31), the wire outlet device (31) and the cutting device (33) both being connected to the controller (9) by signal, and the controller (9) being configured to control the actions of the wire outlet device (31) and the cutting device (33) so that the difference between the actual length of the welding wire and the target length is within a preset range.

17. The battery repair welding system according to claim 15, wherein: The detection device (32) is also configured to detect whether the extension direction of the welding wire to be welded is consistent with the length direction of the milling groove.

18. The battery repair welding system according to claim 17, wherein: The wire feeding assembly (3) further comprises a cutting device (33) spaced apart from the wire outlet device (31), the cutting device (33) being used to cut the welding wire provided by the wire outlet device (31), the wire outlet device (31) and the cutting device (33) both being connected to the controller (9) by signal, and the controller (9) being configured to control the actions of the wire outlet device (31) and the cutting device (33) so that the extension direction of the welding wire is consistent with the length direction of the milling slot.

19. The battery repair welding system according to any one of claims 10 to 18, wherein: The controller (9) is configured to obtain the lengths of at least two milling grooves of the battery housing, obtain target lengths of at least two welding wires to be welded according to the lengths of the at least two milling grooves, sequentially provide at least two welding wires to be welded according to the target lengths of the at least two welding wires to be welded, and sequentially use the at least two welding wires to be welded to repair the at least two milling grooves.

20. The battery repair welding system according to any one of claims 10 to 19, wherein: The clamping assembly (2) comprises a clamp (21) and a moving mechanism (22), wherein the clamp (21) is used to clamp the incoming battery, the clamp (21) is connected to the moving mechanism (22), and the moving mechanism (22) is used to drive the clamp (21) to move so that the incoming battery moves to the welding station.

21. The battery repair welding system according to claim 20, wherein: The clamping assembly (2) further includes a lifting mechanism (23), which is arranged on the moving mechanism (22). The moving mechanism (22) is used to drive the clamp (21) and the lifting mechanism (23) to move, and the lifting mechanism (23) is used to lift the incoming battery in the height direction (Z).

22. The battery repair welding system according to any one of claims 10 to 21, wherein: The invention also includes a pressing assembly (4), which is movably arranged beside the welding station. When the clamping assembly (2) drives the incoming battery to move to the welding station, the pressing assembly (4) moves to the welding station to apply pressure to the incoming battery in the height direction (Z) to adjust the position of the surface where the milling groove of the incoming battery is located in the height direction (Z).

23. A battery production line, comprising a battery milling device and a battery repair welding system according to any one of claims 10 to 22, wherein the battery milling device is used to mill welding defects of the weld on the battery shell to form the milling groove.

24. The battery production line according to claim 23, wherein: The battery milling equipment includes a vision module and a milling module. The vision module obtains image information of the weld and identifies the location of the welding defect. The milling module performs milling according to the location of the welding defect to form the milling groove.

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