Particle embedding device, particle embedding system and battery production line

Abstract

The present application relates to a particle embedding device, a particle embedding system and a battery production line. The particle embedding device (100) comprises a film feeding mechanism (10), embedding mechanisms (20) and a feeding mechanism (30). The film feeding mechanism (10) is used for conveying a film to be treated (400); the embedding mechanisms (20) are rotatably arranged around a set axis, the set axis is perpendicular to the traveling direction of said film (400), and the surface of each embedding mechanism (20) is provided with suction portions (21) that can be arranged close to said film (400), and can also be arranged away from said film (400); the feeding mechanism (30) is communicated with the embedding mechanisms (20), and is used for providing objects to be embedded (40) to the suction portions (21); and when the suction portions (21) are close to said film (400), said objects (40) located at the suction portions (21) can be embedded into said film (400). When said film (400) passes through the embedding mechanisms (20) during traveling, said objects (40) can be embedded into the surface of said film (400), so that the properties of said film (400) are changed. The strength, the elastic modulus, the surface roughness and other properties of the treated film (400) are improved, and therefore the strength, the elastic modulus, the surface roughness and other properties of a finally obtained composite current collector are also improved.

Description

Particle embedding device, particle embedding system and battery production line

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application refers to Chinese Patent Application No. 202420614668.4 filed on March 28, 2024, entitled “Particle Embedding Device, Particle Embedding System and Battery Production Line”, which is incorporated into this application in its entirety by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to a particle embedding device, a particle embedding system and a battery production line. Background Art

[0004] Composite current collectors are a new type of current collector material that is a composite of polymer and metal. They play an important role in the field of secondary batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries. Composite current collectors typically have a sandwich structure, with a flexible organic film (such as a polymer material like PP, PE, PET, PPS, or PI) as the middle layer, and metal conductive layers at the top and bottom, or an adhesive layer between the metal conductive layer and the organic film layer. In some cases, the elastic modulus of the middle film or adhesive layer of the composite current collector is relatively low, resulting in a lower elastic modulus for the composite current collector than that of current collectors made of copper or aluminum foil.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present application provides a particle embedding device, a particle embedding system and a battery production line.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a particle embedding device, comprising a film feeding mechanism, an embedding mechanism, and a material feeding mechanism. The film feeding mechanism is used to transport a film to be processed; the embedding mechanism is rotatable about a set axis, the set axis being perpendicular to the direction of travel of the film to be processed; the embedding mechanism is provided with an adsorption portion on its surface, which can be positioned close to or away from the film to be processed; the material feeding mechanism is connected to the embedding mechanism and is used to provide an object to be embedded to the adsorption portion; when the adsorption portion is close to the film to be processed, the object to be embedded located in the adsorption portion can be embedded in the film to be processed.

[0008] In the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, after the film to be treated passes through the embedding mechanism, an insert can be embedded into the surface of the film to be treated, thereby modifying the properties of the film to be treated. For example, uniformly embedding the insert onto the surface of the film to be treated can improve the strength and elastic modulus of the film to be treated. Increasing the surface roughness of the film to be treated can also improve the surface roughness of the bonding between the film to be treated and other film layers, such as the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the material used to make the insert can be adjusted to improve the properties of the film to be treated. For example, doping the material used to make the insert with a flame retardant can improve the flame retardancy of the film to be treated.

[0009] Since the strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the treated film are improved after treatment, the strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the composite current collector finally obtained are also improved accordingly.

[0010] In some embodiments, the embedding mechanism includes a roller that rotates around a set axis, and a suction portion is provided on the surface of the roller.

[0011] The use of a roller can not only minimize the contact area between the roller and the film to be processed, thereby reducing the probability that the film to be processed sticks to the roller and cannot continue to move, but also simplify the structure of the embedding mechanism and reduce the difficulty of preparing the embedding mechanism.

[0012] In some embodiments, there are multiple rollers, and at least two rollers are relatively spaced apart to form a gap for the film to be processed to pass through, wherein the distance between the at least two relatively spaced apart rollers is adjustable to change the size of the gap.

[0013] In this way, by changing the size of the gap, different thicknesses of the films to be treated can be transported, and the depth of the embedded object in the film to be treated can be adjusted. The embedded object can also be embedded in both surfaces of the film to be treated at the same time to further improve the performance of the film to be treated.

[0014] In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism includes a plurality of feeding members, each of which is disposed corresponding to a roller, and the feeding member is used to provide the object to be embedded to the adsorption portion of the roller.

[0015] The rollers and feed pieces are arranged in a one-to-one manner, and objects to be embedded made of different materials can be placed in different feed pieces, and different objects to be embedded can be embedded in the film to be processed, so that the performance of the film to be processed is more diverse.

[0016] In some embodiments, there are multiple adsorption parts, and the multiple adsorption parts are distributed around the set axis. The multiple adsorption parts are also distributed at intervals on the surface of the roller.

[0017] The roller is provided with multiple adsorption parts, which can not only embed multiple objects to be embedded on the surface of the film to be processed, but also speed up the embedding speed of the objects to be embedded in the film to be processed, thereby improving the working efficiency of the particle embedding device.

[0018] In some embodiments, the embedding mechanism further includes an air suction member, the adsorption portion includes an adsorption hole, and the adsorption hole is connected to the air suction member.

[0019] This arrangement allows the suction pressure of the suction element to be adjusted according to the size and characteristics of the object to be embedded, thereby varying the suction force of the suction holes on the object to be embedded, thus adapting to different types of membranes to be treated. This reduces the probability of the object failing to embed quickly into the membrane, which could result in scratches on the membrane's surface.

[0020] In some embodiments, a plurality of grooves are provided on the surface of the embedding mechanism, and adsorption holes are provided on the wall of each groove.

[0021] The groove can position the object to be embedded. During the process of embedding the object to be embedded into the film to be treated, the probability of the object to be embedded deviating from the preset position and not embedding into the preset embedding position of the film to be treated can be reduced, and the probability of the object to be embedded into the film to be treated can be increased.

[0022] In some embodiments, the depth of the groove is H, 50 nm ≤ H ≤ 2000 nm.

[0023] When the size of the object to be embedded remains unchanged, as the depth of the groove changes, the size of the object to be embedded changes, and the depth of the object embedded in the film to be processed also changes. The above arrangement can expand the scope of use of the particle embedding device to obtain different films to be processed.

[0024] In some embodiments, the embedding mechanism is provided with a heating portion, and the heating portion is used to heat the object to be embedded located in the adsorption portion.

[0025] When the film to be processed is conveyed to the working area of ​​the roller, the film to be processed can contact the roller and be softened. The softened film to be processed and the object to be embedded can be more easily combined together, thereby reducing the difficulty of embedding the object to be embedded into the film to be processed.

[0026] In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism has a storage cavity for storing objects to be embedded, and an outlet of the storage cavity is connected to the adsorption portion.

[0027] After all the objects to be embedded that entered the adsorption part in the previous round are embedded in the membrane to be processed, the remaining objects to be embedded in the storage chamber can be transferred to the adsorption part to prepare for the next round of embedding of objects to be embedded. This can reduce the temporary closure of the embedding mechanism due to the transfer of the objects to be embedded to the adsorption part, resulting in low efficiency of the particle embedding device, and can transfer the objects to be embedded to the adsorption part in time.

[0028] In some embodiments, part of the embedding mechanism enters the storage cavity through the discharge port, thereby simplifying the way in which the adsorption portion adsorbs the object to be embedded in the storage cavity.

[0029] In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism further includes a baffle, which is movable relative to the storage cavity. The baffle can cover the discharge port, and the baffle can also expose the discharge port.

[0030] Such an arrangement not only simplifies the manner in which the object to be embedded in the storage cavity is adsorbed by the adsorption portion, but also simplifies the structure of the feeding mechanism, thereby reducing the difficulty of preparing the feeding mechanism.

[0031] In a second aspect, the present application provides a particle embedding system, which includes the particle embedding device in the above embodiment, and the film feeding mechanism includes a first unwinding member, and the first unwinding member is used to unwind the film to be processed.

[0032] When the film being processed by the particle embedding system passes through the embedding mechanism, the material can be embedded into the surface of the film, thereby modifying its properties. For example, uniformly embedding the material can improve the strength and elastic modulus of the film. Increasing the surface roughness of the film can also improve the surface roughness of the bond between the film and the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the material used to embed the material can be modified to improve the film's properties. For example, doping the material with a flame retardant can enhance the film's flame retardancy.

[0033] Since the strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the treated film are improved after treatment, the strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the composite current collector finally obtained are also improved accordingly.

[0034] In some embodiments, the particle embedding system also includes a winding device, which includes a second unwinding member and a winding member. The second unwinding member is used to unwind the protective film. The protective film and the film to be processed for embedding the object to be embedded can be conveyed to the winding member together and wound into a whole by the winding member.

[0035] The protective film unwound by the second unwinding member can protect the film to be processed to reduce the height of the bumps formed on the surface of the film to be processed due to the embedding of the object to be embedded. When the film is rolled together, the bumps may break the remaining parts to be processed.

[0036] In some embodiments, the particle embedding system further includes a glue coating device, which is used to coat glue on the film to be processed after the particle embedding device operates.

[0037] When performing the process of obtaining a composite current collector containing an adhesive layer, the second unwinding member does not need to operate, and the film to be processed for embedding the object to be embedded can be directly coated with adhesive, which expands the application range of the particle embedding system.

[0038] In a third aspect, the present application provides a battery production line, which includes the particle embedding system in the above embodiment.

[0039] When the film being processed on a battery production line passes through an embedding mechanism, an insert can be embedded into the surface of the film, thereby modifying its properties. For example, evenly embedding the insert onto the surface of the film can improve its strength and elastic modulus. Increasing the surface roughness of the film can also improve the surface roughness of the bond between the film and other layers, such as the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the material used to create the insert can be adjusted to improve the film's properties. For example, doping the material with a flame retardant can enhance the film's flame retardancy.

[0040] Since the strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the treated film are improved after treatment, the strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the composite current collector finally obtained are also improved accordingly.

[0041] 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

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces 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 those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without inventive work. In the drawings:

[0043] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of the distribution of embedding mechanisms of a particle embedding system along a third direction according to one or more embodiments.

[0044] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of the distribution of embedding mechanisms of a particle embedding system along a first direction according to one or more embodiments.

[0045] FIG3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a roller of a particle embedding system according to one or more embodiments.

[0046] The accompanying drawings in the specific implementation manner are as follows:

[0047] 1000, particle embedding system;

[0048] 100. Particle embedding device;

[0049] 10. Film feeding mechanism; 11. First unwinding member; 20. Embedding mechanism; 21. Adsorption unit; 22. Roller; 23. Groove; 30. Feeding mechanism; 31. Feeding member; 32. Storage chamber; 33. Baffle; 40. Object to be embedded; 50. Roller;

[0050] 200, winding device; 210, second unwinding member; 220, winding member; 230, flattening roller; 240, deviation-correcting roller; 250, pressure roller; 400, film to be processed; X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0052] 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.

[0053] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the use of technical terms such as "first" and "second" is solely for distinguishing different objects and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the technical features indicated. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0054] 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.

[0055] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, if the term "plurality" appears, it means more than two (including two).

[0056] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, if any, the technical terms "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "top", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They 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. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present application.

[0057] 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.

[0058] During the elastic deformation stage of a material, its stress and strain are in direct proportion, and its proportional coefficient is the elastic modulus, which is a measure of an object's ability to resist elastic deformation. Generally speaking, materials with a small elastic modulus are easily affected by stress, and the material is prone to deformation or cracking at locations where stress is applied. The structure of a composite current collector is usually a sandwich structure. In addition to composite current collectors with ordinary sandwich structures, there are also composite current collectors with an adhesive layer added between the film layer and the metal layer. A low elastic modulus of the adhesive layer will result in a low elastic modulus of the composite current collector containing the adhesive layer, which will cause the obtained composite current collector to be easily damaged during use.

[0059] To improve the elastic modulus of the composite current collector, the particle embedding apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present application utilizes a film feeding mechanism to transport the film to be processed. When the film to be processed is brought to the working area of ​​the embedding mechanism, and the adsorption portion of the embedding mechanism approaches the film to be processed, the particle to be embedded adsorbed by the adsorption portion can be embedded into the film to be processed, thereby increasing the elastic modulus of the film to be processed. When the film to be processed undergoes subsequent processing to obtain a composite current collector, the elastic modulus of the resulting composite current collector is further improved.

[0060] The particle embedding device 100 disclosed in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to various processes that require processing of a film layer, such as a coating process.

[0061] Referring to FIG1 , an embodiment of the present application provides a particle embedding device 100. The particle embedding device 100 includes a film feeding mechanism 10, an embedding mechanism 20, and a feeding mechanism 30. The film feeding mechanism 10 is used to transport a film to be processed 400; the embedding mechanism 20 is rotatably arranged around a set axis, and the set axis is perpendicular to the running direction of the film to be processed 400. The surface of the embedding mechanism 20 is provided with an adsorption portion 21, and the adsorption portion 21 can be arranged close to the film to be processed 400, and the adsorption portion 21 can also be arranged away from the film to be processed 400; the feeding mechanism 30 is connected to the embedding mechanism 20, and the feeding mechanism 30 is used to provide an object to be embedded 40 to the adsorption portion 21; when the adsorption portion 21 is close to the film to be processed 400, the object to be embedded 40 located at the adsorption portion 21 can be embedded in the film to be processed 400.

[0062] As shown in Figures 1 and 3 , the film 400 to be processed, transported by the film feeding mechanism 10, can be fed along a first direction X. The set axis around which the embedding mechanism 20 rotates can extend along a second direction Y (as shown in Figure 3 ), which is perpendicular to the first direction X. As the film 400 to be processed is continuously fed into the operating area of ​​the embedding mechanism 20 and the embedding mechanism 20 rotates about the set axis, the suction portion 21 of the embedding mechanism 20 can reciprocate between approaching and moving away from the film 400 to be processed.

[0063] The feeding mechanism 30 can store objects 40 to be embedded. The objects 40 to be embedded can be inorganic particles. The preparation material and particle size of the particles can be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0064] The working principle of the particle embedding device 100 is described below with reference to the example shown in FIG. 1 .

[0065] The feeding mechanism 30 is activated, and the object to be embedded 40 conveyed by the feeding mechanism 30 can enter the adsorption portion 21 of the embedding mechanism 20. The film feeding mechanism 10 conveys the film to be processed 400 along the first direction X. The embedding mechanism 20 can operate simultaneously with the film feeding mechanism 10, or later than the film feeding mechanism 10. When the film to be processed 400 is transported to the embedding mechanism 20, the adsorption portion 21 of the embedding mechanism 20 is precisely oriented toward the film to be processed 400. Because the embedding mechanism 20 rotates about a set axis extending along the second direction Y, the film to be processed 400 is transported along the first direction X, which is perpendicular to the second direction Y. Furthermore, the film to be processed 400 has a certain degree of adhesiveness. Therefore, once the object to be embedded 400 is embedded in the film to be processed 400, the film to be processed 400 simultaneously absorbs the object to be embedded 400, allowing the object to be embedded 400 to separate from the adsorption portion 21 and then move along with the film to be processed 400.

[0066] After the film 400 to be processed passes through the embedding mechanism 20 while being transported, the object 40 to be embedded can be embedded onto the surface of the film 400 to modify its properties. For example, evenly embedding the object 40 on the surface of the film 400 can improve its strength and elastic modulus. Increasing the surface roughness of the film 400 can also improve the surface roughness of the bonding between the film 400 and other film layers, such as the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the material used to make the object 40 can be adjusted to improve its properties. For example, doping the material of the object 400 with a flame retardant can enhance its flame retardancy.

[0067] Since the strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness and other properties of the treated film 400 are improved after treatment, the strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness and other properties of the composite current collector finally obtained are also improved accordingly.

[0068] Continuing with FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the particle embedding device 100 further includes a roller 50 , which can be positioned along the path of the film 400 to be processed as it passes through the embedding mechanism 20 . The roller 50 can be coated with materials such as rubber or sponge. When the film 400 to be processed passes over the roller 50 , the roller 50 can position, or tighten, the film 400 to be processed, allowing the film 400 to enter the embedding mechanism 20 in a predetermined position and be embedded therein.

[0069] It is understandable that the rotating surface of the embedding mechanism 20 may be provided with a plurality of adsorption portions 21 spaced apart from each other, and one adsorption portion 21 may adsorb one object 40 to be embedded, or one adsorption portion 21 may adsorb multiple objects 40 to be embedded at the same time.

[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the embedding mechanism 20 includes a roller 22 , which rotates around a set axis, and a suction portion 21 is provided on a surface of the roller 22 .

[0071] The roller 22 can be made of steel and contains a hollow channel inside it, allowing the insert 40 to enter and reach the adsorption portion 21. The use of the roller 22 not only minimizes the contact area between the roller 22 and the film 400 to be processed, thereby reducing the probability of the film 400 adhering to the roller 22 and being unable to continue to move, but also simplifies the structure of the embedding mechanism 20 and reduces the difficulty of its manufacture.

[0072] Specifically, in some embodiments, there are multiple rollers 22, and at least two rollers 22 are relatively spaced apart to form a gap for the film 400 to be processed to pass through, wherein the spacing between the at least two relatively spaced rollers 22 is adjustable to change the size of the gap.

[0073] For example, as shown in FIG1 , there are two rollers 22 spaced apart along a third direction Z. The third direction Z is parallel to the direction of gravity. The gap formed between the two rollers 22 spaced apart along the third direction Z allows the film 400 to be processed to be transported. By adjusting the spacing between the two rollers 22, the size of the gap can be varied to accommodate films 400 of varying thicknesses. Because the object 40 to be embedded carried by the rollers 22 is positioned protruding relative to the surface of the rollers 22, as the spacing between the two rollers 22 changes (e.g., decreases), the depth to which the object 40 to be embedded is embedded in the film 400 also increases. Therefore, the depth to which the object 40 to be embedded is embedded in the film 400 can also be varied by changing the spacing between the two rollers 22.

[0074] Furthermore, when the film 400 to be processed is conveyed through the gap between the two rollers 22, the two rollers 22 face opposite surfaces of the film 400 to be processed. The suction portion 21 of each roller 22 can embed the object 40 to be embedded into the corresponding surface of the film 400 to be processed. This allows the object 40 to be embedded simultaneously on both surfaces of the film 400 to be processed, further improving the performance of the film 400 to be processed.

[0075] In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism 30 includes a plurality of feeding members 31 , each feeding member 31 being disposed corresponding to a roller 22 , and the feeding member 31 being used to provide the object 40 to be embedded to the adsorption portion 21 of the roller 22 .

[0076] For example, in the example shown in FIG1 , two rollers 22 and two feeders 31 are provided, one roller 22 corresponding to and communicating with one feeder 31. By using a one-to-one arrangement of rollers 22 and feeders 31, objects 40 to be embedded, made of different materials, can be placed in different feeders 31. These different objects 40 to be embedded can then be embedded in the film to be processed 400, thereby achieving more diverse properties in the film to be processed 400.

[0077] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, there are multiple adsorption parts 21 , and the multiple adsorption parts 21 are distributed around a set axis. The multiple adsorption parts 21 are also distributed at intervals on the surface of the roller 22 .

[0078] The two adjacent adsorption parts 21 can be distributed at equal intervals, or the intervals between the two adjacent adsorption parts 21 can be gradually increased. The specific number and location of the adsorption parts 21 can also be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0079] The roller 22 is provided with a plurality of adsorption parts 21 , which can not only embed a plurality of objects 40 to be embedded on the surface of the film 400 to be processed, but also accelerate the speed of embedding the objects 40 to be embedded in the film 400 to be processed, thereby improving the working efficiency of the particle embedding device 100 .

[0080] In some embodiments, the embedding mechanism 20 further includes an air suction member (not shown in the figure), and the adsorption portion 21 includes an adsorption hole, which is connected to the air suction member.

[0081] The suction member can be a variable frequency suction pump with adjustable suction pressure. An air path is provided in the roller shaft 22, one end of the air path is connected to the adsorption hole, and the other end is connected to the suction member. The connection between the suction member and the roller shaft 22 is connected by a seal, such as an oil seal.

[0082] This arrangement allows the suction pressure of the suction element to be adjusted according to the size and characteristics of the object 40 to be embedded, thereby varying the adsorption force of the adsorption holes on the object to be embedded, thereby adapting to different types of film 400 to be processed. This reduces the probability of the object 40 failing to embed quickly into the film 400, thereby reducing the probability of scratches on the surface of the film 400 to be processed.

[0083] In some embodiments, all adsorption holes are connected to the same suction element. In other embodiments, all adsorption holes are connected to different suction elements. This allows different suction elements to be activated as needed. When different adsorption holes need to adsorb the object 40 to be embedded, the corresponding suction element provides adsorption force for them. This arrangement increases the flexibility of the particle embedding device 100.

[0084] Specifically, please continue to refer to FIG. 3 . In some embodiments, a plurality of grooves 23 are formed on the surface of the embedding mechanism 20 , and adsorption holes are formed on the wall of each groove 23 .

[0085] The shape of the groove 23 can be, but is not limited to, circular or square. When the object 40 is absorbed into the groove 23 by the adsorption holes, a portion of the object 40 is located within the groove 23, while the remaining portion is exposed. The groove 23 positions the object 40, reducing the probability of the object 40 deviating from its predetermined position and failing to penetrate the film 400 during insertion. This improves the probability of the object 40 being embedded within the film 400.

[0086] In addition, when these objects to be embedded 40 are driven by the roller 22 to come near the film to be processed 400, the exposed parts of the objects to be embedded 40 can be embedded in the film to be processed 400, and the surface roughness of the resulting film to be processed 400 is improved compared to the surface roughness of the film to be processed 400 without the objects to be embedded 40.

[0087] More specifically, in some embodiments, the depth of the groove 23 is H, 50 nm ≤ H ≤ 2000 nm. For example, the value range of H can be 50 nm, 60 nm, 100 nm, 1500 nm, 2000 nm, and any value between two adjacent values.

[0088] Because groove 23 is used to accommodate the object 40 to be embedded, when the size of the object 40 to be embedded remains unchanged, as the depth of groove 23 changes, the size of the object 40 exposed to the outside world changes accordingly, and the depth of the object 40 embedded in the film 400 to be processed also changes. This configuration can expand the scope of use of particle embedding device 100 to obtain different films 400 to be processed.

[0089] In some embodiments, the embedding mechanism 20 is provided with a heating portion for heating the object to be embedded 40 located at the adsorption portion 21 .

[0090] A heated roller can be used as roller 22, thus forming a heated portion on the surface of roller 22. Because the surface of roller 22 is heated, the object 40 to be embedded adsorbed by roller 22 is heated and softened. When the film 400 to be processed is conveyed to the working area of ​​roller 22, it comes into contact with roller 22 and is softened. The softened film 400 to be processed and the object 40 to be embedded are more easily bonded together, thereby reducing the difficulty of embedding the object 40 to be embedded into the film 400 to be processed.

[0091] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the heating range of the heating portion is a, where 100 degrees Celsius (°C) ≤ a ≤ 400 degrees Celsius (°C). For example, the value range of H can be 100°C, 180°C, 260°C, 300°C, 400°C, and any value between two adjacent values. Because the heating range of the heating portion is limited, the final temperature of the object to be inserted 40 heated by the heating portion is naturally between 100°C and 400°C.

[0092] In this way, the particle embedding device 100 can process the object to be embedded 40 and the film to be processed 400 made of different materials, thereby broadening the scope of use of the particle embedding device 100.

[0093] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 , the feeding mechanism 30 has a storage chamber 32 , which is used to store the object 40 to be embedded. An outlet of the storage chamber 32 is in communication with the adsorption portion 21 .

[0094] The storage chamber 32 can be, but is not limited to, a rectangular parallelepiped or cylindrical shape. Objects 40 to be embedded in the film 400 to be processed can be pre-stored in the storage chamber 32 and subsequently transferred to the adsorption unit 21. After all objects 40 entering the adsorption unit 21 in the previous round have been embedded in the film 400 to be processed, the remaining objects 40 in the storage chamber 32 can be transferred to the adsorption unit 21 to prepare for the next round of embedding. This can reduce the inefficiency of the particle embedding device 100 caused by temporarily shutting down the embedding mechanism 20 to transfer the objects 40 to the adsorption unit 21, thereby ensuring timely delivery of objects 40 to the adsorption unit 21.

[0095] It can be understood that the feed port of the storage chamber 32 and the discharge port of the storage chamber 32 are different openings, the discharge port of the storage chamber 32 is connected to the adsorption part 21, the feed port of the storage chamber 32 can be connected to the outside world and used as a channel for transferring input objects, so that the user can transfer the object 40 to be embedded into the storage chamber 32 in a timely manner.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, a portion of the embedding mechanism 20 enters the storage cavity 32 through the discharge port.

[0097] For example, a portion of the surface of the roller 22 can be located within the storage cavity 32. When the roller 22 rotates, the adsorption portion 21 of the roller 22, which enters the storage cavity 32, can adsorb the object 40 to be embedded within the storage cavity 32. As the roller 22 continues to rotate, the adsorption portion 21, with the object 40 adsorbed thereon, gradually approaches the film 400 to be processed. Subsequently, the object 40 to be embedded carried by the adsorption portion 21 can be embedded within the film 400 to be processed. This simplifies the method by which the adsorption portion 21 adsorbs the object 40 to be embedded within the storage cavity 32.

[0098] 1 , in some embodiments, the feeding mechanism 30 further includes a baffle 33 , which is movable relative to the storage cavity 32 . The baffle 33 can block the discharge port or expose the discharge port.

[0099] In the example shown in FIG1 , the two feeding mechanisms 30 may be distributed along the third direction Z, and each feeding mechanism 30 and the corresponding roller 22 may be distributed along the first direction X. The baffle 33 disposed in the storage chamber 32 and the cavity wall of the storage chamber 32 may be connected by, but is not limited to, a sliding connection or a snap connection.

[0100] When the storage chamber 32 is loaded with a large number of objects 40 to be inserted, if the suction portion 21 is required to absorb the objects 40, the baffle 33 can be opened to expose the discharge port. The accumulated objects 40 can then move toward the discharge port under the influence of their own gravity. Because the discharge port is connected to the suction portion 21, some of the objects 40 moving toward the discharge port can pass through the discharge port and enter the suction portion 21.

[0101] When the adsorption portion 21 does not need to adsorb the object to be embedded 40 , the baffle 33 can be pushed to block the discharge port, thereby blocking the passage between the discharge port and the adsorption portion 21 .

[0102] Such a configuration not only simplifies the manner in which the object to be embedded 40 in the storage cavity 32 is adsorbed by the adsorption portion 21 , but also simplifies the structure of the feeding mechanism 30 , thereby reducing the difficulty in preparing the feeding mechanism 30 .

[0103] In the example shown in FIG1 , the two feeding mechanisms 30 have different structures and thus convey the objects to be embedded 40 in different ways. Of course, the structures of the feeding mechanisms 30 corresponding to the rollers 22 can also be identical. For example, in the example shown in FIG2 , the two rollers 22 can be distributed along the first direction X, and the two feeding mechanisms 30 can also be distributed along the first direction X. The feeding mechanisms 30 corresponding to the two rollers 22 convey the objects to be embedded 40 in exactly the same manner.

[0104] Some embodiments of the present application also provide a particle embedding system 1000. The particle embedding system 1000 includes the particle embedding device 100 described in any of the above embodiments. The film feeding mechanism 10 includes a first unwinding member 11 for unwinding a film to be processed 400. The particle embedding system 1000 also includes a rewinding device 200. For details regarding the particle embedding device 100, please refer to the relevant information described above and will not be repeated here.

[0105] After the film 400 to be processed by the particle embedding system 1000 is unwound by the first unwinding member 11 and passed through the embedding mechanism 20, the object 40 to be embedded can be embedded on the surface of the film 400, thereby modifying the properties of the film 400. For example, uniformly embedding the object 40 on the surface of the film 400 can improve the strength and elastic modulus of the film 400. By increasing the surface roughness of the film 400, the surface roughness of the bonding between the film 400 and other film layers such as the adhesive layer can be improved. Alternatively, the material used to make the object 40 can be adjusted to improve the properties of the film 400. For example, doping the material of the object 40 with a flame retardant can improve the flame retardancy of the film 400.

[0106] Since the strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness and other properties of the treated film 400 are improved after treatment, the strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness and other properties of the composite current collector finally obtained are also improved accordingly.

[0107] Please refer to Figure 2. In some embodiments, the winding device 200 includes a second unwinding member 210 and a winding member 220. The second unwinding member 210 is used to unwind the protective film. The protective film and the film to be processed 400 embedded in the object to be embedded 40 can be conveyed together to the winding member 220 and wound into a whole by the winding member 220.

[0108] After the film 400 to be processed has been processed by the embedding mechanism 20, the film 400 to be processed, carrying the object 40 to be embedded, can be conveyed to the reel 220. The protective film unwound by the second unwinding member 210 is also conveyed to the reel 220. The protective film and the film 400 to be processed are rewound together by the reel 220. The protective film protects the film 400 to be processed, thereby reducing the height of bumps formed on the surface of the film 400 due to the embedding of the object 400. When the film 400 is rewound together, the bumps may break through the remaining surface of the film 400 to be processed.

[0109] The winding device 200 may further include a flattening roller 230, a deflection correction roller 240, and a pressure roller 250. The flattening roller 230 and the deflection correction roller 240 may be provided as the film 400 to be processed travels from the roller 22 to the winding element 220, so that the film 400 to be processed can be processed accordingly. Similarly, the flattening roller 230 and the deflection correction roller 240 may also be provided as the protective film travels from the second unwinding element 210 to the winding element 220, so that the flattening roller 230 and the deflection correction roller 240 can be used to process the protective film accordingly.

[0110] The winding element 220 is also provided with a pressure roller 250, which applies pressure via a cylinder. When the film to be processed 400 and the protective film are wound by the winding element 220, they are first acted upon by the pressure roller 250. The pressure roller 250 can expel the air formed by the pressure between the film to be processed 400 and the protective film, thereby making the final wound component smoother.

[0111] In some embodiments, the film to be processed after embedding and winding can enter the next vacuum coating process to form a composite current collector.

[0112] In some embodiments, the particle embedding system 1000 further includes a glue coating device, which is used to coat glue on the film to be processed 400 after the particle embedding device 100 operates.

[0113] After the film to be processed 400 is processed by the embedding mechanism 20, it can be directly coated with glue by the glue coating device, and then subjected to a series of operations such as drying, composite metal foil, and winding, so as to obtain a composite current collector containing a glue layer.

[0114] In some embodiments, the film to be processed after embedding and glue coating can enter the next vacuum coating process to form a composite current collector containing a glue layer.

[0115] When performing the process of obtaining a composite current collector containing an adhesive layer, the second unwinding member 210 does not need to operate and can directly apply adhesive to the film to be processed 400 embedded with the object to be embedded 40, thereby expanding the scope of use of the particle embedding system 1000.

[0116] In addition, some embodiments of the present application provide a battery production line. The battery production line includes the particle embedding system 1000 of any of the above embodiments. For details about the particle embedding system 1000, please refer to the relevant content described above and will not be repeated here.

[0117] When the film 400 being processed on the battery production line passes through the embedding mechanism 20, the object 40 to be embedded can be embedded onto the surface of the film 400, thereby modifying the properties of the film 400. For example, uniformly embedding the object 40 onto the surface of the film 400 can improve the strength and elastic modulus of the film 400. Increasing the surface roughness of the film 400 can improve the surface roughness of the bonding between the film 400 and other film layers, such as the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the material used to make the object 40 can be adjusted to improve the properties of the film 400. For example, doping the material of the object 400 with a flame retardant can improve the flame retardancy of the film 400.

[0118] Since the strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness and other properties of the treated film 400 are improved after treatment, the strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness and other properties of the composite current collector finally obtained are also improved accordingly.

[0119] Specifically, as shown in FIG1 , a particle embedding device 100 includes two feeding mechanisms 30 and rollers 22 distributed along a third direction Z. Each roller 22 has a plurality of grooves 23 formed on its surface, and each groove 23 has adsorption holes formed in its wall. Each roller 22 is connected to a feeding mechanism 30 in the first direction X. The feeding mechanism 30 is in communication with the adsorption holes and is capable of providing an object 40 to be embedded.

[0120] When the film to be processed 400 is conveyed to the roller 22 and the roller 22 rotates with its groove 23 facing the film to be processed 400, the object to be embedded 40 located in the groove 23 can be embedded in the film to be processed 400 and separated from the adsorption part 21, and finally conveyed along with the film to be processed 400.

[0121] After the object to be embedded 40 is embedded, the properties of the film to be processed 400 such as strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness are improved. Therefore, the properties of the composite current collector finally obtained such as strength, elastic modulus and surface roughness are also improved.

[0122] 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.

[0123] 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 particle embedding device, wherein: include: A film conveying mechanism, used for conveying the film to be processed; The embedding mechanism is rotatably arranged around a set axis, wherein the set axis is perpendicular to the running direction of the film to be processed, and an adsorption portion is provided on the surface of the embedding mechanism, wherein the adsorption portion can be arranged close to the film to be processed or away from the film to be processed; a feeding mechanism, connected to the embedding mechanism, and configured to provide the object to be embedded to the adsorption portion; When the adsorption portion is close to the film to be processed, the object to be embedded located in the adsorption portion can be embedded in the film to be processed.

2. The particle embedding device according to claim 1, wherein The embedding mechanism includes a roller shaft, the roller shaft rotates around the set axis, and the adsorption portion is provided on the surface of the roller shaft.

3. The particle embedding device according to claim 2, wherein: There are multiple rollers, and at least two of the rollers are relatively spaced apart to form a gap for the film to be processed to pass through. The spacing between the at least two relatively spaced apart rollers is adjustable to change the size of the gap.

4. The particle embedding device according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein The feeding mechanism includes a plurality of feeding members, each of which is arranged corresponding to one of the rollers, and the feeding members are used to provide the object to be embedded to the adsorption portion of the roller.

5. The particle embedding device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein There are multiple adsorption parts, and the multiple adsorption parts are distributed around the set axis. The multiple adsorption parts are also distributed at intervals on the surface of the roller.

6. The particle embedding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The embedding mechanism further includes an air suction member, the adsorption portion includes an adsorption hole, and the adsorption hole is communicated with the air suction member.

7. The particle embedding device according to claim 6, wherein: A plurality of grooves are provided on the surface of the embedding mechanism, and the adsorption holes are provided on the groove wall of each groove.

8. The particle embedding device according to claim 7, wherein: The depth of the groove is H, 50nm≤H≤2000nm.

9. The particle embedding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The embedding mechanism is provided with a heating portion, and the heating portion is used to heat the object to be embedded located at the adsorption portion.

10. The particle embedding device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein The feeding mechanism has a storage cavity, which is used to store the object to be embedded, and the discharge port of the storage cavity is communicated with the adsorption part.

11. The particle embedding device according to claim 10, wherein: The portion of the embedded mechanism enters the storage cavity through the discharge port.

12. The particle embedding device according to claim 11, wherein: The feeding mechanism further includes a baffle, which is movable relative to the storage cavity. The baffle can cover the discharge port, and the baffle can also expose the discharge port.

13. A particle embedding system, wherein: The particle embedding device comprises the particle embedding device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the film feeding mechanism comprises a first unwinding member, and the first unwinding member is used for unwinding the film to be processed.

14. The particle embedding system according to claim 13, wherein: The particle embedding system also includes a winding device, which includes a second unwinding member and a winding member. The second unwinding member is used to unwind the protective film. The protective film and the film to be processed embedded in the object to be embedded can be conveyed to the winding member together and wound into a whole by the winding member.

15. The particle embedding system according to claim 13, wherein: The particle embedding system further comprises a glue coating device, which is used to coat glue on the film to be processed after the particle embedding device has been operated.

16. A battery production line, wherein: The particle embedding system comprises the particle embedding system according to any one of claims 13 to 15.

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