Transfer apparatus, drying device, and battery production system

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of battery manufacturing, and provides a transfer apparatus, a drying device, and a battery production system. The transfer apparatus comprises a support frame, a rotating assembly, a bearing assembly and a translation assembly; the support frame extends in a vertical direction; the rotating assembly is used for driving the support frame to rotate around a vertical central axis; the bearing assembly comprises a bearing table and a push-pull unit; the bearing table is used for bearing a target workpiece; the push-pull unit is used for driving the bearing table and the target workpiece to enter and exit a drying oven together in a horizontal first direction; and the translation assembly is separately connected to the support frame and the bearing assembly, and is used for driving the bearing assembly to move to an entrance / exit of the drying oven in a horizontal second direction; the second direction intersects the first direction. The transfer apparatus of the present application can work in conjunction with a plurality of drying ovens at the same time, thereby improving the production efficiency, occupying smaller area and increasing the space utilization rate.

Description

Transfer devices, drying equipment and battery production systems Cross-referencing

[0001] This application incorporates Chinese Patent Application No. 202422561493.8, filed on October 23, 2024, entitled “Transfer Device, Drying Equipment and Battery Production System”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of battery manufacturing technology, and in particular to a transfer device, drying equipment and battery production system. Background Technology

[0003] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry, and electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of this sustainable development. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a crucial factor in their development.

[0004] During the manufacturing process, the batteries, after being encased, need to be clamped by fixtures and sent to drying equipment for drying and dehydration. The existing fixture conveying system occupies a large area, has low space utilization, slow production cycle, and low production efficiency, and urgently needs to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to at least address one of the technical problems existing in the background art. Therefore, one objective of this application is to provide a transfer device, a drying equipment, and a battery production system to improve the space utilization rate of the equipment.

[0006] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a transfer device for a drying equipment. The drying equipment includes a plurality of drying chambers arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device. The transfer device includes: a support frame, a rotating assembly, a carrying assembly, and a translational assembly. The support frame extends in a vertical direction. The rotating assembly is used to drive the support frame to rotate about a vertical central axis. The carrying assembly includes a carrying platform and a push-pull unit. The carrying platform is used to carry a target workpiece. The push-pull unit is used to drive the carrying platform and the target workpiece together to enter and exit the drying chamber in a horizontal first direction. The translational assembly is connected to the support frame and the carrying assembly respectively, and is used to drive the carrying assembly to move in a horizontal second direction to the inlet and outlet of the drying chamber. The second direction intersects with the first direction.

[0007] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the transfer device can adapt to various different forms of drying box arrangement, improve the efficiency and convenience of transfer, reduce the equipment footprint, and greatly improve space utilization.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rotating assembly includes a rotary table, a first drive unit, and a first transmission unit. The rotary table is fixedly connected to the bottom of the support frame. The first transmission unit is drively connected to both the first drive unit and the rotary table, enabling the first drive unit to drive the rotary table to rotate the support frame together. By providing a rotary table connected to the bottom of the support frame, the rotating assembly can be arranged at the bottom of the support frame, which is more conducive to simplifying the drive arrangement structure and reducing the number of components and manufacturing costs.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first transmission unit includes a first gear and a second gear that mesh with each other; the first gear is fixedly connected to the rotary output shaft of the first drive unit, and the second gear is fixedly connected to the rotary table. The gear connection has more accurate rotational precision, which is beneficial to improving the accuracy control of loading or unloading of the transfer device. Moreover, the gear structure has a strong axial load-bearing capacity, which can better support the upper support frame and improve the stability and reliability of the structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the translation assembly includes a first connector, a second connector, and a linear module; the first connector is connected to a support frame; the second connector is connected to a load-bearing assembly; and the linear module is used to drive the second connector and the load-bearing assembly to move together along a second direction. By setting a translation module with a linear module, the translation of the load-bearing assembly along the second direction can be achieved simply and at low cost, thereby improving the flexibility and applicability of the transfer.

[0011] In some embodiments, the translation assembly further includes an angle adjustment member. The first connecting member is connected to the support frame via the angle adjustment member, which is used to adjust the installation angle between the first connecting member and the support frame in the horizontal direction. By providing the angle adjustment member, the rotational accuracy of the rotating assembly can be supplemented, thereby improving the motion accuracy of the rotating feeding of the transfer device, thus achieving more accurate and efficient loading and unloading of dried materials and improving production efficiency.

[0012] In some embodiments, the transfer device further includes a lifting assembly, which is connected to both the carrying assembly and the support frame, and is used to drive the carrying assembly to move vertically. Combined with the function of the lifting assembly, the transfer device can move the carrying assembly along a first horizontal direction, a second horizontal direction, and a vertical direction, thereby increasing the flexibility of the transfer operation, better adapting to drying boxes with different layouts, and improving operational efficiency.

[0013] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly includes a second drive unit and a second transmission unit. The second drive unit is connected to the support frame; the second transmission unit is connected to both the second drive unit and the load-bearing assembly. The second transmission unit includes one or more of a drive belt, a drive gear, a drive rack, and a ball screw. The lifting movement of the load-bearing assembly is achieved through the cooperation of the second drive unit and the second transmission unit, making it suitable for drying ovens of different heights and expanding its applicability.

[0014] In some embodiments, the transfer device further includes a top support assembly, which includes at least one support mast, with its two ends connected to the top of the drying chamber and the top of the support frame, respectively. Providing a top support assembly at the top of the support frame can provide support force to the support frame, improve the stability of the support frame's movement and structural reliability, and extend the service life of the transfer device.

[0015] In some embodiments, the top support assembly further includes a support plate, which is movably connected to the top of the support frame; there are multiple support masts, one end of each of the multiple support masts is fixedly connected to the support plate, and the multiple support masts are spaced apart circumferentially along the support plate. By connecting the support plate to the top of the support frame, the top of the support frame can be constrained, thereby reducing the risk of shaking or swaying during the movement of the support frame, which is beneficial to improving the accuracy and efficiency of the transfer of the target workpiece.

[0016] In some embodiments, the top support assembly further includes a limiting member connected to the side surface of the support plate facing the support frame. The limiting member is used to restrict the horizontal displacement of the top of the support frame. By providing the limiting member, a horizontal constraint can be applied to the top of the support frame, thereby limiting the horizontal displacement of the top of the support frame and improving the reliability and accuracy of the transfer.

[0017] In some embodiments, the top of the support frame is provided with a rotating shaft, the axis of which coincides with the central axis of rotation of the support frame; the limiting member includes a plurality of limiting rollers, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the rotating shaft and are in rolling contact with the surface of the rotating shaft. By setting the limiting rollers in rolling contact with the rotating shaft, wear during limiting contact can be reduced, and the service life of the transfer device can be improved.

[0018] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a drying device, including the aforementioned transfer device and a plurality of drying chambers arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device. The plurality of drying chambers in the drying device of this application embodiment can be arranged in a ring around the outer periphery of the transfer device, thereby saving floor space and improving space utilization. The transfer device can achieve multiple degrees of freedom of movement, such as rotation and translation, enabling more flexible and efficient loading and unloading of drying equipment, thus improving production efficiency.

[0019] In some embodiments, multiple drying chambers are divided into multiple drying chamber groups arranged circumferentially along the transfer device, and at least one drying chamber group includes several drying chambers arranged side by side in a horizontal direction. The side-by-side arrangement of multiple drying chambers within a single drying chamber group simplifies the arrangement of the chamber doors and, in conjunction with the translation components of the transfer device, achieves more efficient and accurate feeding and discharging, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0020] An embodiment of the third aspect of this application provides a battery production system, including the drying equipment described above.

[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout multiple drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this application. To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a transfer device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 is a front view of a transfer device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 3 is a side view of a transfer device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 4 is a top view of a transfer device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the carrier component in some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rotating component according to some embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 7 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a rotating component according to some embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the translation component in some embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the connection of the load-bearing component, translation component, and support frame in some embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 10 is a magnified view of a portion of region A in Figure 4;

[0033] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drying device according to some embodiments of this application.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: Drying equipment 1000; Transfer device 100, Drying box assembly 200, Drying box 210; Support frame 110, Rotating assembly 120, Bearing assembly 130, Translation assembly 140, Lifting assembly 150, Top support assembly 160; Rotating shaft 111, Rotating table 121, First transmission unit 122, Second gear 1221, Base 123, Bearing platform 131, Push-pull unit 132, First connector 141, Second connector 142, Linear module 143, Angle adjustment component 144, Second drive unit 151, Second transmission unit 152, Support mast 161, Support plate 162, Limiting component 163. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0038] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0039] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0041] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] Currently, judging from market trends, the application of power batteries is becoming increasingly widespread. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. With the continuous expansion of power battery applications, market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0044] Batteries undergo a drying process during manufacturing, where the battery cells, after being packaged, are placed in a drying chamber to remove moisture. To improve production efficiency, multiple drying chambers are typically arranged side-by-side in a straight line, with conveyor lines transporting the battery cells to the openings of the drying chambers, thus achieving simultaneous drying of multiple cells. However, this setup requires a large area, and each drying chamber needs its own transfer device to move the battery cells from the conveyor line to the corresponding opening. This not only increases equipment costs but also impacts production efficiency.

[0045] To address the above problems, this application proposes a transfer device for a drying equipment. The drying equipment includes multiple drying chambers arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device. The transfer device includes: a support frame, a rotating assembly, a carrying assembly, and a translational assembly. The support frame extends vertically. The rotating assembly drives the support frame to rotate around a vertical central axis. The carrying assembly includes a carrying platform and a push-pull unit. The carrying platform carries a target workpiece. The push-pull unit drives the carrying platform and the target workpiece together to enter and exit the drying chamber along a horizontal first direction. The translational assembly is connected to the support frame and the carrying assembly respectively, and drives the carrying assembly to move along a horizontal second direction to the inlet and outlet of the drying chamber. The second direction intersects with the first direction.

[0046] The transfer device of this application can work in conjunction with multiple drying boxes at the same time, improving production efficiency, and has a small footprint and high space utilization.

[0047] The battery cells disclosed in this application can be used, but are not limited to, in electrical devices such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft. Battery cells can be produced using the transfer device, drying equipment, and battery production system disclosed in this application, which helps to improve production efficiency and space utilization.

[0048] This application provides an electrical device that uses a battery as a power source. The electrical device can be, but is not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0049] This application provides a transfer device 100 for a drying equipment, as shown in Figures 1-5. The transfer device 100 includes a support frame 110, a rotating component 120, a carrying component 130, and a translation component 140. The support frame 110 extends vertically. The rotating component 120 drives the support frame 110 to rotate around a vertical central axis P. The carrying component 130 includes a carrying platform 131 and a push-pull unit 132. The carrying platform 131 carries a target workpiece. The push-pull unit 132 drives the carrying platform 131 and the target workpiece together to enter and exit the drying chamber along a horizontal first direction X. The translation component 140 is connected to the support frame 110 and the carrying component 130 respectively, and drives the carrying component 130 to move along a horizontal second direction Y to the inlet and outlet of the drying chamber. The second direction Y intersects with the first direction X.

[0050] The drying equipment includes multiple drying chambers, which can be arranged around the outer periphery of the transfer device 100. Each drying chamber has a vacuum drying cavity inside, which can perform vacuum drying on the target workpiece placed inside. The target workpiece can be a battery cell after it has been assembled into its casing; the type of battery cell can be any material system, and this application does not limit this.

[0051] The support frame 110 is a support structure that extends in the vertical direction. Specifically, it can be a truss structure, a pipe frame structure, or a hollow tube structure. This application does not limit it in this regard, as long as it can meet the load-bearing strength requirements.

[0052] The rotating component 120 can be any rotating drive component, connected to the support frame 110 to drive the support frame 110 to rotate around a specific central axis P. The position of the central axis P can be set as needed. In some embodiments, the projection of the central axis P onto the horizontal plane can fall within the projection range of the support frame 110 onto the horizontal plane, in which case the support frame 110 is driven to rotate. In other embodiments, the projection of the central axis P onto the horizontal plane can be located outside the projection range of the support frame 110 onto the horizontal plane, in which case the support frame 110 revolves around the central axis P.

[0053] The carrying assembly 130 includes a carrying platform 131 and a push-pull unit 132. The carrying platform 131 may include clamps for holding multiple target workpieces. The number of clamps can be one or more, and the clamps can be mounted on a pallet or box structure. The push-pull unit 132 is a power unit that outputs power to drive the carrying platform 131 to reciprocate along a first direction X, carrying the target workpieces, thereby sending the target workpieces into or out of the drying chamber. It is understood that the first direction X is not fixed. In some examples, multiple drying chambers are arranged in a ring around the outer periphery of the transfer device 100, and for each drying chamber, the first direction X is perpendicular to the plane of the inlet and outlet of that drying chamber. The push-pull unit 132 may employ a magnetic push-pull component to drive the carrying platform 131 to move along the first direction X magnetically; it may also employ a ball screw structure.

[0054] The translation component 140 drives the bearing component 130 to translate along the second direction Y. In some embodiments, the second direction Y may be perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0055] In some embodiments, the arrangement of multiple drying ovens is not limited to a simple ring, but is divided into several drying oven groups arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device 100. Each drying oven group may include two or more drying ovens arranged side by side. This arrangement not only helps to improve space utilization and production efficiency, but also simplifies the arrangement of the doors of multiple drying ovens arranged side by side. That is, the doors of each drying oven group can be arranged side by side. When opening, one of the doors can overlap with the adjacent door. This not only saves space, but also makes it easier to control the precision of door opening and closing, and the arrangement is simpler without increasing costs. In contrast, in a ring arrangement of multiple drying ovens, any two adjacent drying ovens will have a certain angle between them. The existence of this angle makes it difficult to arrange the drying oven doors, which can easily cause mutual interference and affect the opening angle of the doors. If they are to be moved, a ring slide rail is required, which significantly increases costs.

[0056] When loading or unloading materials, the transfer device 100 of this application can first rotate the bearing component 130 to the front of the corresponding drying chamber group by the rotating component 120, and then drive the bearing component 130 to translate by the translation component 140. In this way, the bearing platform and the target workpiece can be sent into or removed from any drying chamber in the drying chamber group.

[0057] The transfer device 100 of this application can adapt to various forms of drying box arrangements, improve the efficiency and convenience of transfer, reduce the equipment footprint, and significantly improve space utilization.

[0058] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the rotating assembly 120 includes a rotating platform 121, a first driving unit (not shown in the figures), and a first transmission unit 122. The rotating platform 121 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the support frame 110. The first transmission unit 122 is connected to the first driving unit and the rotating platform 121 respectively, so that the first driving unit can drive the rotating platform 121 to rotate together with the support frame 110.

[0059] The rotary table 121 is a structural component connected to the support frame 110. The rotary table 121 and the bottom of the support frame 110 can be connected by any connection method, such as welding, riveting or fastener connection.

[0060] The first drive unit can be a motor or other feasible drive element, and this application does not limit this. The first transmission unit 122 can be any feasible transmission component, such as a gear, rack or lead screw, belt, etc.

[0061] The rotating assembly 120 also includes a base 123, which can be placed on or connected to the ground or other supporting surface. A first drive unit can be mounted on the base 123 and driven by a first transmission unit 122. The top surface of the rotary table 121 is connected to the support frame 110, and the bottom surface of the rotary table 121 is connected to the first transmission unit 122, which can be a bolted connection.

[0062] By setting a rotary table connected to the bottom of the support frame 110, the rotating component 120 can be arranged at the bottom of the support frame 110, which is more conducive to simplifying the drive arrangement structure and reducing the number of components and manufacturing costs.

[0063] According to some embodiments of this application, the first transmission unit 122 includes a first gear (not shown in the figure) and a second gear 1221 that mesh with each other; the first gear is fixedly connected to the rotary output shaft of the first drive unit, and the second gear 1221 is fixedly connected to the rotary table 121.

[0064] The first gear and the second gear can be meshing spur gears. The second gear 1221 has meshing teeth on its circumferential side and multiple mounting holes on its end face for connection with the bottom surface of the rotary table 121. The first drive unit can be an electric motor, and the first gear can be fixed to the output shaft of the first drive unit by a key connection.

[0065] The gear connection has a more accurate rotational precision, which is beneficial to improve the accuracy control of loading or unloading of the transfer device. Moreover, the gear structure has a strong axial load-bearing capacity, which can better support the upper support frame 110 and improve the stability and reliability of the structure.

[0066] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG8, the translation component 140 includes a first connector 141, a second connector 142, and a linear module 143; the first connector 141 is connected to the support frame 110; the second connector 142 is connected to the load-bearing component 130; the linear module 143 is used to drive the second connector 142 and the load-bearing component 130 to move together along the second direction Y.

[0067] The first connector 141 is disposed on the side surface of the translation component 140 facing away from the bearing component 130. The first connector 141 can be connected to the support frame 110 in a fixed or detachable manner.

[0068] The linear module 143 is a transmission device for achieving linear motion. It consists of a series of interconnected transmission components, driven by a motor or other power source to achieve precise linear motion. The linear module 143 may include a drive motor and a transmission unit connected to the drive motor. The transmission unit can convert the rotational motion of the drive motor into linear motion, such as a ball screw or bevel gear transmission. The second connecting member 142 may be a slider that moves along a linear guide rail, and the slider translates together with the bearing assembly 130 in the second direction Y.

[0069] In some embodiments, the travel length of the carrier component 130 along the second direction Y is at least greater than the sum of the widths of the two drying chambers, so that the carrier component 130 can be moved to the inlet / outlet of either drying chamber by the action of the translation component 140.

[0070] By setting up a translation module with linear modules, the translation of the carrier component 130 along the second direction Y can be achieved simply and at low cost, thereby improving the flexibility and applicability of the transfer.

[0071] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG9, the translation component 140 further includes an angle adjustment member 144. The first connector 1441 is connected to the support frame 110 through the angle adjustment member 144. The angle adjustment member 144 is used to adjust the installation angle between the first connector 141 and the support frame 110 in the horizontal direction.

[0072] The angle adjustment component 144 may include one or more adjustable components, which can adjust the horizontal mounting angle between the translation component 140 and the support frame 110, thereby adjusting the orientation of the second direction Y. This allows for secondary adjustment by the angle adjustment component 144 when the rotational accuracy is insufficient.

[0073] In some embodiments, the angle adjusting member 144 includes at least two connecting cylinders. These connecting cylinders can adjust the installation distance between the translation component 140 and the support frame 110 by extending or retracting their cylinder shafts. Thus, the plurality of connecting cylinders arranged along the second direction Y can adjust the horizontal installation angle between the translation component 140 and the support frame 110 by controlling the extension amount of the cylinder shafts. It is understood that the aforementioned connecting cylinders are merely examples of a specific implementation of the angle adjusting member and should not be construed as a specific limitation on the angle adjusting member 144 of this application. This application does not limit other feasible angle adjusting components.

[0074] By setting the angle adjustment component 144, the rotational accuracy of the rotating component 120 can be supplemented, thereby improving the motion accuracy of the rotating feeding of the transfer device 100, thus realizing the entry and exit of the dried material more accurately and efficiently, and improving production efficiency.

[0075] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG3, the transfer device 100 further includes a lifting assembly 150, which is connected to the bearing assembly 130 and the support frame 110 respectively, and is used to drive the bearing assembly 130 to move up and down in the vertical direction.

[0076] The lifting assembly 150 is a component used to adjust the height of the load-bearing assembly. In some examples, the lifting assembly 150 may not be directly connected to the load-bearing assembly 130, but may be indirectly connected to the load-bearing assembly 130 by connecting to the translation assembly 140, thereby adjusting the height position of the load-bearing assembly 130 through the translation assembly 140.

[0077] In conjunction with the lifting components, the transfer device 100 can move the carrying components along the first horizontal direction X, the second horizontal direction Y, and the vertical direction, thereby increasing the flexibility of the transfer action, better adapting to drying boxes with different layouts, and improving work efficiency.

[0078] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG3, the lifting assembly 150 includes a second drive unit 151 and a second transmission unit 152. The second drive unit 151 is connected to the support frame 110. The second transmission unit 152 is connected to the second drive unit 151 and the bearing assembly 130 respectively. The second transmission unit 152 includes one or more of the following: a transmission belt, a transmission gear, a transmission rack, and a ball screw.

[0079] The second drive unit 151 may be a drive motor, and the second transmission unit 152 may include a conveyor belt and a conveyor roller fixed on the support frame 110. In some embodiments, one end of the conveyor belt is connected to the output shaft of the second drive unit 151, and the other end of the conveyor belt passes around the conveyor roller and is connected to the bearing assembly 130 or the translation assembly 140. In other embodiments, the conveyor belt passes around the conveyor roller and both ends are connected to the bearing assembly 130 or the translation assembly 140, and the second drive unit 151 drives the conveyor belt to achieve the lifting and lowering of the bearing assembly 130.

[0080] It is understood that the second transmission unit 152 can also be any structural form capable of achieving lifting, such as a transmission gear, transmission rack, or ball screw. In some embodiments, the second transmission unit 152 may simultaneously include two or more different transmission methods, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0081] The lifting and lowering motion of the bearing assembly 130 is realized through the cooperation of the second drive unit 151 and the second transmission unit 152, which can be used for drying ovens of different heights, thus improving the applicability range.

[0082] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 1-4, the transfer device 100 further includes a top support assembly 160, which includes at least one support mast 161, with both ends of the support mast 161 connected to the top of the drying box and the top of the support frame 110, respectively.

[0083] The two ends of the support mast 161 can be detachably connected to the top of the drying chamber and the top of the support frame 110, thereby providing structural support for the top of the support frame 110. The support mast 161 may also include auxiliary connecting rods to further enhance its support capacity.

[0084] In some embodiments, multiple drying boxes are arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device 100, and correspondingly, multiple support masts 161 can be arranged at circumferential intervals along the support frame 110 to provide a more balanced support force.

[0085] Since the rotating component 120 is located at the bottom of the support frame 110, and the top support component 160 is located at the top of the support frame 110, the support frame can be provided with a supporting force, which improves the stability of the movement of the support frame 110 and the structural reliability, and increases the service life of the transfer device.

[0086] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG10, the top support assembly 160 further includes a support plate 162, which is movably connected to the top of the support frame 110; there are multiple support masts 161, one end of each of the multiple support masts 161 is fixedly connected to the support plate 162, and the multiple support masts are spaced apart along the circumference of the support plate 162.

[0087] The support plate 162 can be a disc-shaped or plate-shaped component of any shape, and the support plate 162 can be detachably and movably connected to the top of the support frame 110. Multiple support masts 161 are connected to the support plate 162 in a radial pattern.

[0088] By connecting the support plate 162 to the top of the support frame 110, the top of the support frame 110 can be constrained, thereby reducing the risk of shaking or swaying during the movement of the support frame 110, which is beneficial to improving the accuracy and efficiency of the transfer of the target workpiece.

[0089] According to some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG10, the top support assembly 160 further includes a limiting member 163, which is connected to the side surface of the support plate 162 facing the support frame. The limiting member 163 is used to limit the displacement of the top end of the support frame 110 in the horizontal direction.

[0090] The limiting member 163 can be disposed on the support plate 162. There can be one or more limiting members 163. The limiting member 163 can provide a horizontal limit on the top end of the support frame 110. The limiting member 163 can be any feasible limiting structure, such as a limiting block, a limiting slider, or any component that can achieve a sliding connection.

[0091] By setting a limiting component, the top of the support frame 110 can be constrained in the horizontal direction, thereby limiting the horizontal displacement of the top of the support frame 110 and improving the reliability and accuracy of the transfer.

[0092] According to some embodiments of this application, the top of the support frame 110 is provided with a rotating shaft 111, the axis of the rotating shaft 111 coincides with the central axis P of the rotation of the support frame 110; the limiting member 163 includes a plurality of limiting rollers, the plurality of limiting rollers are evenly spaced along the circumference of the rotating shaft 111, and are rolledly connected to the surface of the rotating shaft 111.

[0093] The rotating shaft 111 is a cylindrical shaft, and its axis coincides with the central axis P of the support frame 110. This allows the support frame 110 to rotate on its own axis, saving floor space and improving space utilization. The end of the limiting roller is fixedly connected to the support plate 162, and the surface of the roller can roll in contact with the surface of the rotating shaft 111.

[0094] By setting a limit roller that is rolled to the rotating shaft 111, wear during limit contact can be reduced and the service life of the transfer device can be improved.

[0095] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a drying apparatus 1000, as shown in FIG11. The drying apparatus 1000 includes the aforementioned transfer device 100 and a plurality of drying chambers 210 arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device 100.

[0096] Multiple drying chambers 210 can be of the same size and specifications. Multiple drying chambers 210 can be arranged in a ring around the outer periphery of the transfer device 100. In this way, the rotating component 120 of the transfer device 100 can move the target workpiece to the inlet or outlet of any drying chamber 210, and then the push-pull unit moves the carrier platform and the target workpiece together into or out of the drying chamber 210.

[0097] In some embodiments, the drying equipment 1000 may further include a feeding conveyor line, a discharging conveyor line, and a gripping device, which can grip a target workpiece (e.g., a battery cell) on the feeding conveyor line onto a support platform of a carrier assembly, or grip a target workpiece after drying from the support platform onto the discharging conveyor line.

[0098] In the drying equipment 1000 of this application embodiment, the multiple drying boxes 210 can be arranged in a ring around the outer periphery of the transfer device 100, thereby saving floor space and improving space utilization. The transfer device 100 can realize multiple degrees of freedom of movement such as rotation and translation, which can realize more flexible and efficient loading and unloading of drying materials and improve production efficiency.

[0099] According to some embodiments of this application, a plurality of drying chambers 210 are divided into a plurality of drying chamber groups 200 arranged circumferentially along the transfer device 100, and at least one drying chamber group 200 includes a plurality of drying chambers 210 arranged side by side in a horizontal direction.

[0100] Each drying chamber group 200 may include two or more drying chambers 210. The multiple drying chambers 210 in each drying chamber group 200 are arranged side by side. Here, side by side means that the multiple drying chambers 210 are arranged side by side and aligned along a horizontal straight line. The entrance and exit of the drying chamber are provided with sliding doors, so that when any drying chamber door is opened, it can overlap with the adjacent door.

[0101] Multiple drying chambers 210 within a single drying chamber group 200 are arranged side by side, which simplifies the arrangement of the chamber doors and works in conjunction with the translation components of the transfer device 100 to achieve more efficient and accurate feeding and discharging, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0102] An embodiment of the third aspect of this application provides a battery production system, including the drying equipment 1000 as described above.

[0103] Battery production systems may also include casing assembly equipment and electrode manufacturing equipment located upstream of the drying equipment, as well as liquid injection equipment and formation equipment located downstream of the drying equipment, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0104] The technical solution of this application will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0105] As shown in Figures 1-11, the drying equipment 1000 includes a transfer device 100 and a plurality of drying chamber groups 200 arranged in a ring around the outer periphery of the transfer device 100. Each drying chamber group 200 includes two drying chambers 210 arranged side by side and flush.

[0106] The transfer device 100 includes a support frame 110, a rotating assembly 120, a bearing assembly 130, a translation assembly 140, a lifting assembly 150, and a top support assembly 160.

[0107] The support frame 110 is a structural component that extends in the vertical direction.

[0108] The rotating assembly 120 includes a rotating platform 121, a first driving unit (not shown in the figure), and a first transmission unit 122. The rotating platform 121 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the support frame 110. The first transmission unit 122 is connected to the first driving unit and the rotating platform 121 respectively, so that the first driving unit can drive the rotating platform 121 to rotate the support frame 110 together around the vertical central axis P.

[0109] The support assembly 130 includes a support platform 131 and a push-pull unit 132. The support platform 131 is used to support the target workpiece; the push-pull unit 132 is used to drive the support platform 131 and the target workpiece together to enter and exit the drying oven 210 along the horizontal first direction X.

[0110] The translation assembly 140 includes a first connector 141, a second connector 142, and a linear module 143. The first connector 141 is connected to the support frame 110; the second connector 142 is connected to the load-bearing assembly 130; the linear module 143 is used to drive the second connector 142 and the load-bearing assembly 130 together to move along a second direction Y to the inlet / outlet of the drying chamber 210, where the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X. The translation assembly 140 also includes an angle adjustment member 144, through which the first connector 1441 is connected to the support frame 110, and the angle adjustment member 144 is used to adjust the horizontal mounting angle between the first connector 141 and the support frame 110.

[0111] The lifting assembly 150 includes a second drive unit 151 and a second transmission unit 152. The second drive unit 151 is connected to the support frame 110. The second transmission unit 152 is connected to the second drive unit 151 and the load-bearing assembly 130 respectively. The second transmission unit 152 includes one or more of the following: a transmission belt, a transmission gear, a transmission rack, and a ball screw.

[0112] The top support assembly 160 includes multiple support masts 161, a support plate 162, and a limiting member 163. The support plate 162 is movably connected to the top of the support frame 110. There are multiple support masts 161, one end of each of the multiple support masts 161 is fixedly connected to the support plate 162, and the multiple support masts are spaced apart circumferentially along the support plate 162. The limiting member 163 includes multiple limiting rollers, which are evenly spaced circumferentially along the rotation axis 111 of the support frame 110 and are in rolling contact with the surface of the rotation axis 111.

[0113] The drying equipment 1000 in this embodiment can reduce the floor space, improve space utilization, and increase production efficiency by coordinating the transfer device 100 and the drying box assembly 200.

[0114] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A transfer device for a drying apparatus, the drying apparatus comprising a plurality of drying chambers arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device, the transfer device comprising: The support frame extends vertically. A rotating component is used to drive the support frame to rotate about a vertical central axis; The support assembly includes a support platform and a push-pull unit, wherein the support platform is used to support the target workpiece; The push-pull unit is used to drive the support platform and the target workpiece together to move in and out of the drying oven along a horizontal first direction; A translation component is connected to the support frame and the load-bearing component respectively, and is used to drive the load-bearing component to move along a horizontal second direction to the inlet and outlet of the drying oven, the second direction intersecting the first direction.

2. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein, The rotating component includes: A rotating platform is fixedly connected to the bottom of the support frame; First drive unit, and The first transmission unit is connected to the first drive unit and the rotary table respectively, so that the first drive unit can drive the rotary table to rotate together with the support frame.

3. The transfer device according to claim 2, wherein, The first transmission unit includes a first gear and a second gear that mesh with each other. The first gear is fixedly connected to the rotary output shaft of the first drive unit. The second gear is fixedly connected to the rotary table.

4. The transfer device according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The translation component includes: The first connector is connected to the support frame; The second connector is connected to the load-bearing component; A linear module for driving the second connector and the load-bearing assembly to move together along the second direction.

5. The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein, The translation component also includes: An angle adjustment component is provided, wherein the first connecting member is connected to the support frame via the angle adjustment component, and the angle adjustment component is used to adjust the installation angle between the first connecting member and the support frame in the horizontal direction.

6. The transfer device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The transfer device further includes: The lifting assembly is connected to both the bearing assembly and the support frame, and is used to drive the bearing assembly to move up and down in the vertical direction.

7. The transfer device according to claim 6, wherein, The lifting assembly includes: The second drive unit is connected to the support frame; and The second transmission unit is connected to the second drive unit and the load-bearing component respectively. The second transmission unit includes one or more of the following: a transmission belt, a transmission gear, a transmission rack, and a ball screw.

8. The transfer device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The transfer device further includes: The top support assembly includes at least one support mast, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the top of the drying box and the top of the support frame.

9. The transfer device according to claim 8, wherein, The top support component also includes: A support plate is movably connected to the top of the support frame; The number of supporting masts is multiple, and one end of each of the multiple supporting masts is fixedly connected to the supporting plate, and the multiple supporting masts are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the supporting plate.

10. The transfer device according to claim 9, wherein, The top support component also includes: A limiting member is connected to the side surface of the support plate facing the support frame, and the limiting member is used to limit the horizontal displacement of the top end of the support frame.

11. The transfer device according to claim 10, wherein, The top of the support frame is provided with a rotating shaft, and the axis of the rotating shaft coincides with the central axis of rotation of the support frame; The limiting component includes multiple limiting rollers, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the rotating shaft and are in rolling contact with the surface of the rotating shaft.

12. A drying apparatus, comprising: The transfer device as described in any one of claims 1-11; as well as Multiple drying chambers are arranged along the outer periphery of the transfer device.

13. The drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The plurality of drying chambers are divided into a plurality of drying chamber groups arranged circumferentially along the transfer device, and at least one of the drying chamber groups includes a plurality of drying chambers arranged side by side in a horizontal direction.

14. A battery production system comprising the drying equipment as described in claim 12 or 13.

Images