Electrolyte injection device and battery production system

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are an electrolyte injection device and a battery production system. The electrolyte injection device comprises: an electrolyte injection mechanism, comprising an electrolyte injection cavity and electrolyte injection cups, wherein the interior of the electrolyte injection cavity is suitable for holding battery casings, the electrolyte injection cups are suitable for containing an electrolyte, the electrolyte injection cups are connected to the electrolyte injection cavity, each electrolyte injection cup is provided with an electrolyte outlet, and each electrolyte outlet is communicated with the electrolyte injection cavity and is opposite to the corresponding battery casing; and electrolyte pushing mechanisms, each comprising a first rod and a second rod, wherein each second rod is movably arranged in the corresponding first rod, each first rod can move in the corresponding electrolyte injection cup so as to push the electrolyte in the electrolyte injection cup into the electrolyte injection cavity from the corresponding electrolyte outlet, and each second rod can move relative to the corresponding first rod and can block or open the corresponding electrolyte outlet. Each second rod can intermittently block or open the corresponding electrolyte outlet, enabling multiple injections of the electrolyte into the corresponding battery casing, thereby increasing the speed at which the electrolyte wets the interior of the battery casing and improving the battery production efficiency, and the electrolyte uniformly wets the interior of the battery casing, ensuring the performance of batteries.

Description

Liquid injection device and battery production system

[0001] This patent application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202422910854.5, filed on November 27, 2024, entitled "Liquid Injection Device and Battery Production System", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of battery production equipment technology, and more specifically, to a liquid injection device and a battery production system. Background Technology

[0003] In related technologies, during battery production, electrolyte needs to be injected into the battery through injection holes opened on the battery using an injection device. Current injection devices generally include an injection chamber and an injection cup. The battery is placed in the injection chamber, and the electrolyte is first injected into the injection cup. Then, by aligning the injection cup with the injection chamber, all the electrolyte in the injection cup is injected into the battery casing. The injection chamber is then subjected to vacuum and pressurization to allow the electrolyte to slowly permeate the interior of the battery casing. However, this injection method is time-consuming, has low production efficiency, and results in uneven electrolyte permeation within the battery casing, affecting battery performance.

[0004] Therefore, a new technical solution is needed to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to provide a new technical solution for a liquid injection device.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a liquid injection device is provided. The liquid injection device includes:

[0007] The electrolyte injection mechanism includes an injection cavity and an injection cup. The interior of the injection cavity is suitable for housing a battery casing, and the injection cup is suitable for holding electrolyte. The injection cup is connected to the injection cavity and has an outlet that communicates with the injection cavity and is opposite to the battery casing.

[0008] The liquid pushing mechanism includes a first rod and a second rod. The second rod is movably disposed within the first rod. The first rod can move within the liquid injection cup to push the electrolyte in the liquid injection cup from the liquid outlet into the liquid injection cavity. The second rod can move relative to the first rod and can block or open the liquid outlet.

[0009] Optionally, the injection cup includes a cup body and an injection tube, with a first end of the injection tube passing through the bottom of the cup body and a second end of the injection tube extending into the injection cavity, and the second rod body capable of blocking or opening the first end.

[0010] Optionally, a first sealing element is provided on the outer periphery of the first rod, and the first sealing element can abut against the inner wall of the cup.

[0011] Optionally, the outer wall of the injection tube is provided with a connector, one end of which is connected to the bottom wall of the cup body, and the other end of which is away from the cup body is connected to the injection cavity.

[0012] Optionally, a second seal is provided between the first rod and the second rod.

[0013] Optionally, the liquid pushing mechanism further includes a first mounting member, and the second rod is elastically connected to the first mounting member. The first mounting member can drive the second rod to move toward or away from the liquid outlet.

[0014] Optionally, the injection chamber includes a tray and a housing, the tray being sealably disposed at the open end of the housing, the tray being adapted to carry the battery housing, and the injection cup being connected to the housing.

[0015] Optionally, it also includes a first driving member, which is capable of moving the housing along a first direction to disengage or connect the housing to the tray.

[0016] Optionally, it also includes a second drive member adapted to move the tray along a second direction.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a battery production system is provided. This battery production system includes the electrolyte injection device described in the above embodiments.

[0018] One technical advantage of this application is that the injection cup is used to hold the electrolyte, the first rod can extend into the injection cup and move within the cup to push the electrolyte from the outlet into the injection cavity, thereby injecting electrolyte into the battery casing. The second rod can move relative to the first rod, thereby intermittently blocking or opening the outlet, allowing for multiple injections into the battery casing. This improves the speed at which the electrolyte wets the inside of the battery casing, increases battery production efficiency, and ensures uniform electrolyte wetting inside the battery casing, thus guaranteeing battery performance.

[0019] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid injection device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of point A shown in Figure 1.

[0023] Figure 3 is a partial structural diagram of the liquid injection mechanism and the liquid pushing mechanism cooperating in one embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 4 is a partial structural diagram of the liquid injection mechanism and the liquid pushing mechanism cooperating in another embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 5 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the liquid injection mechanism according to an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Reference numerals: 1. Injection mechanism; 11. Injection cavity; 111. Tray; 112. Outer shell; 12. Injection cup; 121. Outlet; 122. Cup body; 123. Injection tube; 1231. Connector; 13. First seal; 14. Second seal; 15. Third seal; 16. Fourth seal; 2. Pushing mechanism; 21. First rod; 22. Second rod; 24. First mounting component; 25. Elastic component; 26. Second mounting component; 3. First driving component; 4. Third driving component; 5. Battery casing; 6. Base. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0028] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0029] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0030] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0031] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0032] According to one embodiment of this application, a liquid injection device is provided. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the liquid injection device includes an injection mechanism 1 and a pushing mechanism 2. The injection mechanism 1 includes an injection cavity 11 and an injection cup 12. The interior of the injection cavity 11 is suitable for housing a battery casing 5. The injection cup 12 is suitable for holding electrolyte and is connected to the injection cavity 11. The injection cup 12 is provided with an outlet 121, which communicates with the injection cavity 11 and is opposite to the battery casing 5. The pushing mechanism 2 includes a first rod 21 and a second rod 22. The second rod 22 is movably disposed within the first rod 21. The first rod 21 can move within the injection cup 12 to push the electrolyte in the injection cup 12 from the outlet 121 into the injection cavity 11. The second rod 22 can move relative to the first rod 21 and can block or open the outlet 121.

[0033] In this example, the injection cup 12 is used to hold the electrolyte. The first rod 21 can extend into the injection cup 12 and move within it to push the electrolyte from the outlet 121 into the injection cavity 11, thereby injecting electrolyte into the battery casing 5. The second rod 22 can move relative to the first rod 21, thereby intermittently blocking or opening the outlet 121, which allows for multiple injections into the battery casing 5. This improves the speed at which the electrolyte wets the inside of the battery casing 5, increases battery production efficiency, and ensures uniform electrolyte wetting inside the battery casing 5, thus guaranteeing battery performance.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, in this example, a measured amount of electrolyte is added to the injection cup 12 via the injection needle. Then, the first push rod extends into the injection cup 12 and moves downwards to pressurize the electrolyte, allowing some electrolyte to be forced into the outlet 121, thus flowing into the battery casing 5 inside the injection cavity 11. The second rod 22 then moves towards the outlet 121 to seal it, effectively sealing the injection cavity 11. Multiple positive and negative pressure operations are then performed on the injection cavity 11 to ensure the electrolyte is evenly absorbed into the battery casing 5. The second rod 22 then moves away from the outlet 121 to open it, allowing the electrolyte to flow from the outlet 121 into the injection cavity 11 under negative pressure. Through multiple cycles, the electrolyte in the injection cup 12 is evenly absorbed into the battery casing 5. Because the amount of electrolyte injected each time is small, the wetting is more thorough each time, which helps to improve the performance of the battery.

[0035] In this example, multiple battery housings 5 ​​can be simultaneously arranged inside the injection chamber 11, for example, multiple battery housings 5 ​​can be arranged in an array. Multiple injection cups 12 are provided, and multiple injection cups 12 are correspondingly distributed in the injection chamber 11. Each injection cup 12 is also correspondingly provided with a liquid pushing mechanism 2.

[0036] In one example, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the injection cup 12 includes a cup body 122 and an injection tube 123. The first end of the injection tube 123 passes through the bottom of the cup body 122, and the second end of the injection tube 123 extends into the injection cavity 11. The second rod 22 can block or open the first end.

[0037] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in this example, the injection needle can first inject a fixed amount of electrolyte into the inner cavity of the cup body 122. The injection tube 123 includes a first end and a second end. The first end can pass through the bottom of the cup body 122 and extend into the inner cavity of the cup body 122. The opening of the first end can be an outlet 121. The second rod 22 can block or open the first end, that is, the second rod 22 can block or open the outlet 121. The second end can extend into the injection cavity 11. The second end has an opening, and the electrolyte in the cup body 122 can flow from the first end into the injection tube 123 and from the second end into the battery casing 5.

[0038] In this example, the first end of the injection tube 123 can pass through the bottom of the cup body 122 and extend into the inner cavity of the cup body 122. The injection needle can first inject a fixed amount of electrolyte into the inner cavity of the cup body 122, and the electrolyte level can be lower than the outlet 121. The first rod 21 is hollow, and a second rod 22 is movably disposed inside the first rod 21. The first rod 21 extends into the cup body 122 and presses down on the electrolyte. The first rod 21 can be sleeved on the outside of part of the injection tube 123, and the electrolyte can flow into the outlet 121 from the gap between the first rod 21 and the injection tube 123.

[0039] In this example, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, a first sealing element 13 is fitted around the outer periphery of the first rod 21, and the first sealing element 13 can abut against the inner wall of the cup 122. When the first rod 21 extends into the inner cavity of the cup 122, the outer ring of the first sealing element 13 can abut against the inner wall of the cup 122, thereby achieving a sealing effect to prevent the electrolyte from flowing out from the gap between the first rod 21 and the inner wall of the cup 122 when the first rod 21 is pressed down.

[0040] In this example, a limiting groove is provided circumferentially on the outer wall of the first rod 21, and the first sealing element 13 can be a flexible sealing ring, which is disposed in the limiting groove. The first sealing element 13 can be made of materials such as silicone or rubber. Those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate material based on the actual situation, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0041] In one example, as shown in Figure 3, a second seal 14 is provided between the first rod 21 and the second rod 22.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, a second sealing element 14 is sleeved on the outside of the second rod 22. The outer ring of the second sealing element 14 can abut against the inner wall of the first rod 21 to achieve a sealing effect. That is, when the first rod 21 is pressed down, it is beneficial for the electrolyte in the cup 122 to be forced into the injection tube 123 by positive pressure, which can prevent the electrolyte from entering the interior of the first rod 21.

[0043] In this example, a limiting groove is provided circumferentially on the outer wall of the second rod 22, and the second sealing element 14 can be a flexible sealing ring, which is disposed in the limiting groove. The second sealing element 14 can be a flexible sealing ring, for example, it can be made of silicone or rubber. Those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate material based on the actual situation, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0044] In this example, the cup body 122 can be a cylindrical structure, the first rod 21 can be a hollow cylindrical rod, and the second rod 22 can also be a cylindrical rod. Of course, the specific shapes of the cup body 122, the first rod 21, and the second rod 22 can be determined by those skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and are not specifically limited here.

[0045] In one example, as shown in Figure 5, the outer wall of the injection tube 123 is provided with a connector 1231. One end of the connector 1231 is connected to the bottom wall of the cup body 122, and the other end of the connector 1231 away from the cup body 122 is connected to the injection cavity 11.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, in this example, the outer wall of the injection tube 123 is integrally formed with a protrusion, which is arranged circumferentially along the injection tube 123 to form a connector 1231. One end of the connector 1231 is connected to the bottom wall of the cup body 122. The bottom wall of the cup body 122 is provided with a through hole to avoid the injection tube 123, that is, the first end of the injection tube 123 can pass through the through hole and extend into the inner cavity of the cup body 122. A fourth sealing element 16 is also provided between the connector 1231 and the cup body 122, and the fourth sealing element 16 is disposed on the outer periphery of the through hole. One end of the fourth sealing element 16 abuts against the connector 1231, and the other end abuts against the bottom wall of the cup body 122, thereby sealing the through hole. The fourth sealing element 16 can be a flexible sealing ring, and the through hole is located inside the flexible sealing ring. For example, the fourth sealing element 16 can be made of silicone or rubber. Those skilled in the art can determine the material according to the actual situation, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0047] In this example, the end of connector 1231 facing away from cup body 122 is connected to the outer shell 112 of injection cavity 11. The outer shell 112 has a through hole to allow passage of injection tube 123; that is, the second end of injection tube 123 can pass through the through hole and extend into injection cavity 11 to inject electrolyte into battery casing 5. A third sealing element 15 is also fitted onto the outside of injection tube 123. The outer wall of injection tube 123 has a limiting groove, and the third sealing element 15 is disposed within the limiting groove. The outer ring of the third sealing element 15 abuts against the inner wall of the through hole on the outer shell 112 to provide a seal, thereby facilitating pressurization and negative pressure operations inside injection cavity 11. The third sealing element 15 can be a flexible sealing ring. For example, the third sealing element 15 can be made of silicone or rubber. Those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate material based on the specific circumstances, and no specific limitations are made here.

[0048] Multiple third sealing elements 15 can be spaced apart along the length of the through hole to further improve the sealing effect. For example, two or three third sealing elements 15 can be spaced apart, which can be determined by those skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0049] In one example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid pushing mechanism 2 further includes a first mounting member 24, to which the second rod 22 is elastically connected. The first mounting member 24 can drive the second rod 22 to move toward or away from the liquid outlet 121. By elastically connecting the second rod 22 to the first mounting member 24, a buffering effect is achieved when the first mounting member 24 drives the second rod 22 toward the liquid outlet 121 and abuts against the liquid injection tube 123, thus preventing damage to the liquid injection tube 123 or the second rod 22.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in this example, the liquid pushing mechanism 2 further includes a second mounting member 26, which is located on one side of the first mounting member 24. A first rod 21 is connected to the second mounting member, and the second mounting member 26 can drive the first rod 21 to move towards or away from the cup 122. One end of the first rod 21 can pass through the second mounting member 26 and then be connected to the first mounting member 24. An elastic member 25 (e.g., a spring) is sleeved on the portion of the second rod 22 located between the first mounting member 24 and the second mounting member 26. One end of the elastic member 25 can be connected to the first mounting member 24, and the other end can be connected to the second mounting member 26. After the second mounting member 26 drives the first rod 21 to push some electrolyte into the battery casing 5, the second mounting member 26 is fixed. Then, the first mounting member 24 can drive the second rod 22 to move towards the outlet 121. The elastic member 25 can be compressed to a certain extent, thus providing a certain buffering effect.

[0051] Alternatively, the second rod 22 can be configured to slide a certain distance relative to the first mounting member 24, with an elastic member 25 sleeved on the second rod 22. One end of the elastic member 25 is connected to the first mounting member 24, and the other end is connected to the first rod 21. Of course, the specific connection structure between the second rod 22 and the first mounting member 24 can be determined by those skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0052] In this example, the first mounting member 24 and the second mounting member 26 can be a mounting plate structure, and multiple sets of the first rod 21 and the second rod 22 can be arranged in an array on the mounting plate.

[0053] In this example, the injection device also includes a base 6 and a third driving member 4. The first mounting member 24 is slidably connected to the base 6 via a slide rail, and the third driving member 4 is mounted on the base 6. The third driving member 4 can drive the first mounting member 24 to move, thereby driving the second rod 22 to move. The third driving member 4 can be a drive mechanism such as a pneumatic cylinder or an electric cylinder. The second mounting member 26 is slidably connected to the base 6 via a slide rail, and the second mounting member 26 can also be driven to move via a drive mechanism such as a pneumatic cylinder or an electric cylinder, thereby driving the first rod 21 to move.

[0054] In one example, the injection chamber 11 includes a tray 111 and a housing 112. The tray 111 is capable of being sealed at the open end of the housing 112. The tray 111 is adapted to carry the battery housing 5. The injection cup 12 is connected to the housing 112.

[0055] In this example, the outer casing 112 has an open end, and the tray 111 corresponds to the open end; that is, the battery casing 5 is placed on the tray 111. The outer casing 112 is driven to move toward the tray 111 so that the tray 111 can seal the open end of the outer casing 112. The injection cup 12 is disposed on the side of the outer casing 112 opposite to the open end, and the upper end of the injection cup 12 is provided with an injection tube 123 for injecting a fixed amount of electrolyte into the cup body 122. By integrating the injection cup 12 with the outer casing 112, it is possible to avoid transferring the injection cup 12 from other workstations to the outer casing 112, which helps to save on the operation process.

[0056] In one example, as shown in Figure 1, the liquid injection device further includes a first drive member 3, which is capable of moving the housing 112 along a first direction so that the housing 112 is disengaged from or connected to the tray 111.

[0057] As shown in Figure 1, in this example, the outer casing 112 can be slidably connected to the base 6 via a slide rail and can move along a first direction, for example, the first direction can be vertical. The first driving member 3 can drive the outer casing 112 to move upward to disengage from the tray 111. The first driving member 3 can also drive the outer casing 112 to move downward so that the tray 111 can cover the open end of the outer casing 112.

[0058] The first driving component 3 can be a cylinder or electric cylinder, or other driving mechanism. Multiple first driving components 3 can be provided to improve the stability and reliability of moving the housing 112. For example, two or three first driving components 3 can be provided. Of course, the specific configuration of the first driving components 3 can be determined by those skilled in the art based on actual conditions, and is not specifically limited here.

[0059] In one example, the injection device further includes a second drive element adapted to move the tray 111 in a second direction.

[0060] In this example, tray 111 is used for loading, for example, by a robotic arm placing the battery casing 5 onto tray 111. Then, a second drive unit moves tray 111 along a second direction to the underside of casing 112, for example, the second direction can be horizontal. Then, a first drive unit 3 moves casing 112 downward so that tray 111 can cover the opening of casing 112, and then the electrolyte filling operation of battery casing 5 is performed.

[0061] The second driving component can be a conveyor belt or a robotic arm, or other transfer mechanism. Those skilled in the art can determine the appropriate component based on the specific circumstances; no specific limitations are made here.

[0062] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a battery production system is provided. This battery production system includes the electrolyte injection device described in the above embodiment. The electrolyte injection device includes an electrolyte injection mechanism 1 and a electrolyte pushing mechanism 2. The electrolyte injection mechanism 1 includes an electrolyte injection cavity 11 and an electrolyte injection cup 12. The interior of the electrolyte injection cavity 11 is adapted to accommodate a battery casing 5. The electrolyte injection cup 12 is connected to the electrolyte injection cavity 11 and has an outlet 121 that communicates with the electrolyte injection cavity 11 and is opposite to the battery casing 5. The electrolyte pushing mechanism 2 includes a first rod 21 and a second rod 22. The second rod 22 is movably disposed within the first rod 21. The first rod 21 can move within the electrolyte injection cup 12 to push the electrolyte in the electrolyte injection cup 12 from the outlet 121 into the electrolyte injection cavity 11. The second rod 22 can move relative to the first rod 21 and can block or open the outlet 121. The injection cup 12 is used to hold the electrolyte. The first rod 21 can press the electrolyte in the injection cup 12 from the outlet 121 into the injection cavity 11, thereby injecting electrolyte into the battery casing 5. The second rod 22 can intermittently block or open the outlet 121, thereby injecting electrolyte into the battery casing 5 multiple times. This helps to increase the speed at which the electrolyte wets the inside of the battery casing 5, improve battery production efficiency, and ensure that the electrolyte is evenly wetted inside the battery casing 5 to guarantee battery performance.

[0063] In this example, unfilled battery casings can be loaded onto a pallet using automated devices such as industrial robots, and after the battery is filled with electrolyte by the electrolyte filling device, the filled battery casings can be transported to the next workstation, thereby achieving full automation of the battery production process.

[0064] The above embodiments mainly describe the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form a better embodiment. For the sake of brevity, they will not be elaborated here.

[0065] While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid injection device, characterized in that, include: The electrolyte injection mechanism includes an injection cavity and an injection cup. The interior of the injection cavity is suitable for housing a battery casing, and the injection cup is suitable for holding electrolyte. The injection cup is connected to the injection cavity and has an outlet that communicates with the injection cavity and is opposite to the battery casing. The liquid pushing mechanism includes a first rod and a second rod. The second rod is movably disposed within the first rod. The first rod can move within the liquid injection cup to push the electrolyte in the liquid injection cup from the liquid outlet into the liquid injection cavity. The second rod can move relative to the first rod and can block or open the liquid outlet.

2. The liquid injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The injection cup includes a cup body and an injection tube. The first end of the injection tube passes through the bottom of the cup body, and the second end of the injection tube extends into the injection cavity. The second tube can block or open the first end.

3. The liquid injection device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the first rod is fitted with a first sealing element, which can abut against the inner wall of the cup.

4. The liquid injection device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer wall of the injection tube is provided with a connector. One end of the connector is connected to the bottom wall of the cup body, and the other end of the connector away from the cup body is connected to the injection cavity.

5. The liquid injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A second seal is provided between the first rod and the second rod.

6. The liquid injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid pushing mechanism further includes a first mounting component, and the second rod is elastically connected to the first mounting component. The first mounting component can drive the second rod to move toward or away from the liquid outlet.

7. The liquid injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid injection chamber includes a tray and a housing. The tray is capable of being sealed at the open end of the housing and is suitable for supporting the battery housing. The liquid injection cup is connected to the housing.

8. The liquid injection device according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a first driving member, which is capable of moving the housing along a first direction to detach the housing from or connect it to the tray.

9. The liquid injection device according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a second drive unit, which is adapted to move the tray along a second direction.

10. A battery production system, characterized in that, Includes the liquid injection device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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