Welding inspection device and battery production apparatus

Abstract

A welding inspection device and a battery production apparatus. The welding inspection device is used for inspecting the welding strength between a bent portion and a cap of a battery, and comprises a frame, a clamping assembly and a limiting assembly. The clamping assembly is movably arranged on the frame in a first direction and is configured to grip the cap; and the limiting assembly is configured to limit the relative movement of a body portion and a battery cell.

Description

Welding inspection equipment and battery production equipment

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202423062495.9, filed on December 12, 2024, entitled "Welding Inspection Device and Battery Production Equipment", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to a welding inspection device and a battery production equipment. Background Technology

[0003] During battery welding, in order to verify the welding quality and prevent insufficient welding strength from causing abnormal current output by the battery, which would affect the normal use of electrical devices, it is necessary to test the welding strength of the welded battery. However, the welding testing equipment used to inspect the welding quality of the bent parts and caps of the battery connectors can affect the connection quality between the connector body and the battery cell, thus impacting the overall battery quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a welding inspection device that improves upon the aforementioned defects, addressing the issue that welding inspection devices in related technologies can affect the connection quality between the connector body and the battery cell.

[0005] This disclosure provides a welding inspection device for detecting the welding strength between a battery connector and a cap, wherein the connector includes a bent portion welded to the cap and a body portion welded to the battery cell, and the welding inspection device includes:

[0006] frame;

[0007] A clamping assembly is movably disposed on the frame along a first direction. The clamping assembly is used to clamp the cap so that the cap moves away from the connector along the first direction, thereby testing the welding strength between the bent portion and the cap.

[0008] A limiting component is provided to restrict the relative movement of the body and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

[0009] The cap and the battery cell are clamped and limited by a clamping assembly and a limiting assembly. During the testing of the weld strength between the bent portion of the connector and the cap, the clamping assembly clamps the cap and moves away from the connector in a first direction. This causes relative movement between the bent portion of the connector and the cap, tearing the weld between them to test the weld quality. Simultaneously, because the limiting assembly restricts the relative movement between the connector body and the battery cell, it prevents relative movement between the body and the battery cell from pulling on the connection point and affecting the connection quality between the body and the battery cell during the weld quality testing.

[0010] In some embodiments, the limiting component is a clamping member for clamping the connector to limit the relative movement of the body and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the limiting component is a clamping component that abuts against the body portion to restrict relative movement between the body portion and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

[0012] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly is disposed in contact with the side of the body portion near the bend to restrict relative movement between the body portion and the battery cell as the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

[0013] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly includes;

[0014] Second mounting component;

[0015] A clamping element is movably disposed on the second mounting element along a preset direction, the preset direction being inclined downwards; and

[0016] The second driving member is driven to connect with the clamping member to drive the clamping member to move closer to or away from the body part.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second driving element includes:

[0018] A drive rod is positioned along the preset direction on the side of the clamping member opposite to the battery;

[0019] A drive source is fixedly mounted on the second mounting component, and the output end of the drive source is connected to the drive rod to drive the drive rod to move along the preset direction.

[0020] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly includes:

[0021] A gripper, movably disposed on the frame along the first direction, the gripper including a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion adjustable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

[0022] A first driving member is driven and connected to the gripper to adjust the distance between the first clamping part and the second clamping part along the second direction.

[0023] In some embodiments, the first clamping portion and / or the second clamping portion are provided with a clearance portion for clearance of the clamping component and / or the bending portion.

[0024] In some embodiments, the welding inspection device further includes a positioning component, which is disposed along the first direction corresponding to the clamping component, for fixing the battery.

[0025] In some embodiments, the positioning component includes:

[0026] The first positioning part and the second positioning part are arranged at intervals along the second direction; and

[0027] A third driving member is driven to connect with the first positioning part and / or the second positioning part to adjust the distance between them along the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0028] In some embodiments, the positioning component further includes:

[0029] A third mounting component is movably disposed on the frame along the second direction, a second positioning part is disposed on the third mounting component, and a third driving part is drivenly connected to the third mounting component.

[0030] In some embodiments, the third mounting component includes:

[0031] A floating component is movably disposed on the frame along the second direction, and a second positioning part is disposed on the floating component;

[0032] A connecting rod, extending along the second direction, is disposed on the floating member;

[0033] The drive unit is movably inserted through the connecting rod; and

[0034] An elastic element is inserted through the connecting rod, with one end of the elastic element abutting against the floating element and the other end abutting against the driving part;

[0035] The third driving member is driven to connect with the driving part to drive the driving part to compress the elastic member, thereby pushing the floating member to move, and thus realizing the floating setting of the second clamping part.

[0036] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a battery manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

[0037] Welding apparatus for welding the bent portion and the cap; and

[0038] The aforementioned welding inspection device, located downstream of the welding device, is used to inspect the welding strength between the bent portion and the cap. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the welding inspection device at one angle in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0040] Figure 2 is a magnified view of a portion of position A in Figure 1;

[0041] Figure 3 is a magnified view of a portion of position B in Figure 1;

[0042] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the battery structure in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0043] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the welding inspection device from another angle in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0044] Figure 6 is a magnified view of a portion of position C in Figure 5;

[0045] Figure 7 is a left view of Figure 1;

[0046] Figure 8 is a magnified view of position D in Figure 7;

[0047] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the welding inspection device before inspection in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0048] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the welding inspection device in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0049] Figure 11 is a magnified view of a portion of position E in Figure 10.

[0050] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0051] 1 Welding inspection device; 11 Frame; 12 Clamping assembly, 121 First mounting part, 122 Gripper, 1221 First clamping part, 1222 Second clamping part, 1223 Clearance part, 123 First driving member; 13 Limiting assembly (clamping assembly), 131 Second mounting part, 132 Clamping part, 133 Second driving member, 1331 Driving rod, 1332 Driving source; 14 Positioning assembly, 141 First positioning part, 142 Second positioning part, 143 Third driving member, 144 Third mounting part, 1441 Floating member, 1442 Connecting rod, 1443 Driving part, 1444 Elastic member;

[0052] 2. Battery, 21. Connector, 211. Body, 212. Bending part, 22. Cap, 23. Cell, 24. Housing;

[0053] S is the preset direction;

[0054] X is the first direction;

[0055] Y second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0056] To make the above-described objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, this disclosure can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0057] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure 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 this disclosure.

[0058] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0059] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., 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, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0060] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0061] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0062] To provide a clearer understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure, the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 11.

[0063] As shown in Figures 1 to 11, this disclosure provides a welding inspection device 1 for detecting the welding strength between a connector 21 and a cap 22 of a battery 2. The connector 21 includes a bent portion 212 welded to the cap 22 and a body portion 211 connected to a battery cell. The welding inspection device 1 includes a frame 11, a clamping assembly 12, and a limiting assembly 13. The clamping assembly 12 is movably disposed on the frame 11 along a first direction X and is used to clamp the cap 22 so that the cap 22 moves away from the connector 21 along the first direction X, thereby testing the welding strength between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22. The limiting assembly 13 is used to limit the relative movement of the body portion 211 and the battery cell 23 when the cap 21 moves away from the connector 21 along the first direction X.

[0064] As shown in Figure 4, the battery 2 includes a connector 21, a cap 22, a cell 23, and a casing 24. The cell 24 refers to a component formed by stacking or winding positive and negative electrode plates and a separator. The battery 2 can be a lithium-ion battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery, or a magnesium-ion battery, etc., and this embodiment does not limit its type. The shape of the battery 2 can be cylindrical, flat, cuboid, or other shapes, and this embodiment also does not limit its shape.

[0065] The housing 24 refers to an open accommodating member that can house the battery cell 23 and the electrolyte, thereby enabling the exchange of ions on the positive and negative electrode plates in the battery cell 23 and generating current. The housing 24 can be made of aluminum, copper, etc., and this embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this. The shape of the housing 24 is also not limited in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] The connector 21 is a component that connects the battery cell 23 and the cap 22 in the battery 2. Specifically, the connector 21 includes a body portion 211 and a bending portion 222. The body portion 221 is connected to the battery cell 2, while the bending portion 212 is welded to the cap 22, thereby transmitting the current generated on the battery cell 23 to the cap 22, thus realizing the output of the internal current of the battery 2. Specifically, the current is formed by ion exchange on the positive and negative electrode plates of the battery cell 23. The current formed on the battery cell 23 passes sequentially through the body portion 211, the bending portion 212, and the cap 22 of the connector 21 before being output to the outside of the battery 2.

[0067] The main body 221 is connected to the battery cell 2. Specifically, the two can be connected by welding, riveting, bolting, or bonding with conductive adhesive, etc. This disclosure does not limit the connection.

[0068] To ensure the effective output of the internal current of battery 2, the welding strength between the bent part 212 and the cap 22 must be guaranteed. This is to prevent insufficient welding strength from causing the bent part 212 and the cap 22 of battery 2 to not have enough current-passing area, thus reducing the intensity of the output current. Alternatively, during use, vibration may cause the bent part 212 and the cap 22 of connector 21 to detach, resulting in the inability to output current effectively and affecting the service life of battery 2.

[0069] The clamping component 12 refers to the component used to clamp the cap 22. Specifically, the clamping component 12 can be a gripper, a robotic arm, or other component that clamps the cap 22 by generating a clamping force. The clamping component 12 can also be an adsorption component such as a negative pressure mechanism or a magnetic attraction mechanism that attracts the cap 22 by generating an adsorption force.

[0070] The clamping assembly 12 is movably disposed on the frame 11 along the first direction X. Specifically, a slide rail extending along the first direction X can be provided on one of the clamping assembly 12 and the frame 11, and a slider can be provided on the other. The movement of the clamping assembly 12 relative to the frame 11 is achieved by the movement of the slider on the guide rail.

[0071] By movably mounting the clamping assembly 12 on the frame 11 along a first direction, after the clamping assembly 12 clamps and fixes the cap 22, it can move away from the battery 2 along the first direction, thereby causing relative movement between the cap 22 and the bent portion 212. This allows the welding quality between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22 to be detected. Specifically, when the clamping assembly 12 moves a preset distance and / or the movement of the clamping assembly 12 causes the tearing force between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22 to reach a preset value, if the welding position between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22 is not damaged, the welding quality between the two can be measured to meet the requirements; otherwise, it indicates that the welding strength between the two is insufficient.

[0072] The limiting component 13 is used to restrict the relative movement of the body portion 211 and the cell 23 when the cap 21 moves away from the connector 21 in the first direction X. Specifically, when testing the welding strength between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22, the limiting component 13 can prevent relative movement between the body portion 211 and the cell 23 caused by the clamping component 12 moving away from the battery 2 in the first direction X. This relative movement could tear the connection between the body portion 211 and the cell 23, resulting in a decrease in the connection strength and affecting the performance and lifespan of the battery 2.

[0073] Specifically, in some embodiments, a clamping member may be provided to abut against the body portion 211, thereby preventing relative movement between the body portion 211 and the battery cell. In other embodiments, a clamping member may be provided to clamp the fixing connector, thereby preventing relative movement between the body portion 211 and the battery cell.

[0074] The clamping assembly 12 and the limiting assembly 13 are used to clamp the cap 22 and restrict the relative movement of the body 211 and the battery cell 24. During the testing of the weld strength between the bent portion 212 of the connector 21 and the cap 22, the clamping assembly 12 clamps the cap 22 and moves away from the connector 21 along the first direction X, causing relative movement between the bent portion 21 and the cap 22 to tear the welded area, thus testing the weld quality. Simultaneously, because the limiting assembly 13 restricts the relative movement between the body 211 of the connector 21 and the battery cell 23, it prevents relative movement between the body 211 and the battery cell 24 from pulling on the connection position and affecting the connection quality when testing the weld quality between the bent portion 211 and the cap 22.

[0075] In some embodiments, the limiting component 13 is a clamping member for clamping the connector 21 to limit the relative movement of the body portion 211 and the cell 23 when the cap moves away from the connector 21 along the first direction X.

[0076] A clamping component refers to a component used to clamp and fix the connecting component 21. Specifically, the clamping component can be a gripper, a robotic arm, or other component that clamps and fixes the connecting component 21 by generating a clamping force; the clamping assembly can also be an adsorption component such as a negative pressure mechanism or a magnetic attraction mechanism that adsorbs and fixes the connecting component 21 by generating an adsorption force.

[0077] When inspecting the welding quality between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22, the clamping member can be used to clamp and fix the connector 21 to prevent relative movement between the body portion 211 of the connector 21 and the battery cell 23, thereby protecting the connection quality between the two.

[0078] As shown in Figures 7 to 11, in some embodiments, the limiting component 13 is a pressing component 13, which is disposed in contact with the body portion 211 to limit the relative movement of the body portion 211 and the battery cell 23 when the cap 22 moves away from the connector 21 in the first direction X.

[0079] Specifically, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 13 can be disposed in abutment against the body portion 211 of the connector 21 in the battery 2 along the first direction X, so that the force provided by the clamping assembly 13 can be used entirely to clamp the body portion 211 and the cell 23, thereby increasing the clamping force on the body portion 211 and the cell 23. In other embodiments, the clamping assembly 13 can also be disposed in abutment against the body portion 211 of the connector 21 in the battery 2 along an inclined direction, using the component force of the clamping assembly 13 along the first direction X to clamp the body portion 211 and the cell 23. In this case, the clamping assembly 13 can avoid the clamping assembly 12 to prevent interference between the two.

[0080] The clamping assembly 13 is abutted against the body portion 211 of the connector 21. That is, when testing the welding strength between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22, the clamping assembly 13 presses down on the body portion 211, so that the body portion 211 is in close contact with the upper surface of the cell 23. This prevents relative movement between the body portion 211 and the cell 23 caused by the clamping assembly 12 moving away from the battery 2 in the first direction X, which would tear the connection between the body portion 211 and the cell 24, causing a decrease in the connection strength and affecting the performance and lifespan of the battery 2.

[0081] As shown in FIG4, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 13 is disposed in contact with the side of the body portion 211 near the bend portion 212 to restrict the relative movement of the body portion 211 and the battery cell 23 when the cap 22 moves away from the connector 21 in the first direction X.

[0082] The clamping assembly 13 is disposed in contact with the side of the main body 211 near the bend 212, that is, the clamping position of the clamping assembly 13 is the bend root of the bend 212, which is the position on the main body 211 where it transitions to the bend 212.

[0083] Since the cap 22 and the bend 212 are welded together, when the cap 22 moves away from the connector 21 in the first direction X, the cap 22 will pull the bend 212 to move together in the first direction X, thereby pulling the body 211 to move in the first direction X. By abutting the clamping assembly 13 against the side of the body 211 near the bend 212, the pulling force of the bend 212 in the first direction X can be blocked from being transmitted to the body 211, thereby effectively protecting the connection quality between the body 211 and the cell 23.

[0084] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 13 includes a second mounting member 131, a clamping member 132, and a second driving member 133. The clamping member 132 is movably disposed on the second mounting member 131 along a preset direction S, which is inclined downwards. The second driving member 133 is drivenly connected to the clamping member 132 to drive the clamping member 132 closer to or further away from the main body 211.

[0085] The clamping member 132 is movably disposed on the second mounting member 131 along a preset direction S. That is, the clamping member 132 can move along the preset direction S to move closer to or further away from the main body 211, thereby achieving the clamping and loosening of the main body 211 of the connecting member 21.

[0086] The preset direction S is tilted downwards. By setting the preset direction S to tilt downwards, on the one hand, the clamping component 13 and the clamping component 12 can be staggered in the first direction X, which can reduce space and prevent the two from interfering with each other. On the other hand, when the connection position between the main body 211 and the battery cell 24 is located inside the housing 24, setting the preset direction S to tilt downwards instead of horizontally can ensure that the clamping component 131 can extend into the housing 24 along the preset direction S, thereby achieving accurate contact with the main body 211. This ensures the detection quality between the bent part 212 and the cap 22 while protecting the welding quality between the main body 211 and the battery cell 23.

[0087] The second driving component 133 can be a motor, or a component such as an electric cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, or hydraulic cylinder. By driving the second driving component 133 to the clamping component 132, the clamping component 132 can be driven to move along a preset direction S to achieve contact and release of the main body 211.

[0088] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, in some embodiments, the second driving member 133 includes a driving rod 1331 and a driving source 1332. The driving rod 1331 is disposed along a preset direction S on the side of the clamping member 132 opposite to the battery 2; the driving source 1332 is fixedly disposed on the second mounting member 131, and the output end of the driving source 1332 is connected to the driving rod 1331 to drive the driving rod 1331 to move along the preset direction S.

[0089] By setting the drive source 1332 and the drive rod 1332, the driving distance of the second drive component 133 can be increased, thereby ensuring that the clamping component 132 can effectively abut against the welding position between the current collector 23 and the battery cell 24.

[0090] As shown in Figures 2 to 3 and 8 to 10, in some embodiments, the clamping assembly 12 includes a gripper 122 and a first drive member 123. The gripper 122 is movably disposed on the frame 11 along a first direction X, and the gripper 122 includes a first clamping portion 1221 and a second clamping portion 1222 disposed at an adjustable distance along a second direction Y, where the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X. The first drive member 123 is drivenly connected to the gripper 122 to adjust the distance between the first clamping portion 1221 and the second clamping portion 1222 along the second direction Y.

[0091] The gripper 122 is movably mounted on the frame 11 along the first direction X. Specifically, a slide rail extending along the first direction X can be provided on one of the gripper 122 and the frame 11, and a slider can be provided on the other. The movement of the gripper 122 relative to the frame 11 is achieved by the movement of the slider on the guide rail.

[0092] The gripper 122 includes a first gripping portion 1221 and a second gripping portion 1222 that are adjustable along the second direction Y. On one hand, the gripper 122 includes the first gripping portion 1221 and the second gripping portion 1222 spaced apart along the second direction Y; on the other hand, the distance between the first gripping portion 1221 and the second gripping portion 1222 along the second direction Y can be adjusted, thereby achieving the gripping and releasing of the cap 22. By using the gripper 122 to hold and fix the cap 22, compared with the negative pressure mechanism and the magnetic mechanism, the gripper 122 can provide a greater clamping force, preventing relative movement between the gripper holding assembly 12 and the cap 22 during the detection process, which would reduce the detection accuracy.

[0093] In some embodiments, a rubber structure can be provided on the surfaces of the first clamping part 1221 and / or the second clamping part 1222 that are close to each other. This can serve as an anti-slip function and a buffer function to prevent excessive clamping force from damaging the cap 22.

[0094] The first driving component 123 can be a power component such as an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder. The first driving component 123 is driven to connect with the gripper 122. The driving force provided by the first driving component 123 can adjust the distance between the first clamping part 1221 and the second clamping part 1222 along the second direction Y, thereby realizing the functions of adjusting the clamping force of the gripper 122 on the cap 22, clamping and releasing.

[0095] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly 12 further includes a first mounting member 121 movably disposed on the frame 11 along a first direction X, and a gripper 122 disposed on the first mounting member 121.

[0096] The first mounting component 121 is movably disposed on the frame 11 along the first direction X. Specifically, a slide rail extending along the first direction X can be provided on one of the first mounting component 121 and the frame 11, and a slider can be provided on the other. The movement of the slider on the guide rail realizes the movement of the first mounting component 121 relative to the frame 11, thereby realizing the movement of the clamping assembly 12 relative to the frame 11.

[0097] The gripper 122 is disposed on the first mounting member 121. Specifically, the gripper 122 and the first mounting member 121 can be connected by detachable connection methods such as bolt connection or snap-fit, or by non-detachable connection methods such as welding or bonding. By disposing the gripper 122 on the first mounting member 121, when the first mounting member 121 moves relative to the frame 11, it can drive the gripper 122 to move relative to the frame 11, thereby generating a pulling force that moves the bent part 212 and the cap 22 away from each other to detect the welding quality between them.

[0098] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, in some embodiments, the first clamping part 1221 and / or the second clamping part 1222 are provided with a clearance part 1223 to avoid the clamping assembly 13 and / or the bending part 212.

[0099] That is, in some embodiments, one of the first clamping part 1221 and the second clamping part 1222 is provided with a clearance part 1223; while in other embodiments, both the first clamping part 1221 and the second clamping part 1222 are provided with a clearance part 1223.

[0100] By providing the clearance part 1223, on the one hand, the clamping component 13 can be cleared, ensuring that the clamping component 13 can effectively abut against the body part 211 of the connector 2; on the other hand, the clearance part 1223 can also clear the bent part 211 of the connector 21, preventing the bent part 212 from being clamped in the clamping jaws 122 when the jaws 122 clamp the cap 22, which would prevent the bent part 212 and the cap 22 from moving away from each other, and thus make it impossible to test the welding strength between the bent part 212 and the cap 22.

[0101] As shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5 to 11, in some embodiments, the welding inspection device 1 further includes a positioning component 14, which is disposed in a first direction X corresponding to the clamping component 12, for fixing the battery 2.

[0102] The positioning component 14 is a component used to fix the battery 2. Specifically, the positioning component 14 can be a gripper, a robotic arm, or other components that clamp the battery 2 by generating a clamping force. The positioning component 14 can also be an adsorption component such as a negative pressure mechanism or a magnetic attraction mechanism that uses the generated adsorption force to pick up and fix the battery 2.

[0103] By setting the positioning component 14, on the one hand, the battery 2 can have an accurate relative position in the welding inspection device 1, which can ensure that the clamping component 12 accurately clamps the cap 22 and that the pressing component 13 can accurately abut against the body part 211 on the connector 21; on the other hand, by clamping and fixing the battery 2 with the positioning component 14, when the clamping component 12 moves relative to the frame 11, the positioning component 14 can ensure that the battery 2 is fixed on the frame 11, thereby enabling relative movement between the connector 21 and the cap 22 to detect the welding quality between them.

[0104] As shown in Figures 2, 3, 6, and 8 to 11, in some embodiments, the positioning component 14 includes a first positioning part 141, a second positioning part 142, and a third driving member 143. The first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 are spaced apart along a second direction Y; the third driving member 143 is drivenly connected to the first positioning part 141 and / or the second positioning part 142 to adjust the distance between them along the second direction Y, which is perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0105] The first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, thereby forming a clamping space between the first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 for clamping and fixing the battery 2.

[0106] Similarly, the third driving component 143 can be a motor, or it can be an electric cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or other components.

[0107] The third driving member 143 is driven to be connected to the first positioning part 141 and / or the second positioning part 142. That is, in some embodiments, the third driving member 143 is driven to be connected to one of the first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 to achieve clamping and releasing of the battery 2; while in other embodiments, the third driving member 143 is driven to be connected to both the first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 to improve the speed of distance adjustment between the first driving part 141 and the second driving part 142.

[0108] By providing a first driving part 141 and a second driving part 142, the battery 2 can be clamped and fixed when the first driving part 141 and the second driving part 142 are close to each other, and the battery 2 can be released when the first driving part 141 and the second driving part 142 are far apart. At the same time, compared with negative pressure mechanisms and magnetic mechanisms, providing a first positioning part 141 and a second positioning part 142 can provide a greater clamping force, preventing relative movement between the positioning component 14 and the battery 2 during the detection process and thus preventing a reduction in detection accuracy.

[0109] As shown in FIG3, in some embodiments, the positioning component 14 further includes a third mounting member 144, which is movably disposed on the frame 11 along the second direction X, the second positioning part 142 is disposed on the third mounting member 144, and the third driving part 143 is drivenly connected to the third mounting member 144.

[0110] The third mounting component 144 is movably mounted on the frame 11 along the second direction X. Specifically, the movability of the third mounting component 144 relative to the frame 11 can be achieved through a guide rail slider mechanism. The second positioning part 142 and the third mounting component 144 can be connected by detachable connection methods such as bolt connection or snap-fit, or by non-detachable connection methods such as welding or bonding.

[0111] By setting a third mounting member 144 and placing the second positioning part 142 on the third mounting member 144, when the third mounting member 144 moves relative to the frame 11 in the second direction Y, it can drive the second positioning part 142 to move in the second direction, thereby realizing the adjustment of the relative position of the first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 in the second direction Y, and thus realizing the clamping and loosening of the battery 2.

[0112] As shown in Figure 3, in some embodiments, the third mounting member 144 includes a floating member 1441, a connecting rod 1442, a driving part 1443, and an elastic member 1444. The floating member 1441 is movably mounted on the frame 11 along the second direction Y, and the second positioning part 142 is mounted on the floating member 1441. The connecting rod 1442 extends along the second direction Y and is mounted on the floating member 1441. The driving part 1443 is movably inserted through the connecting rod 1442. The elastic member 1444 is inserted through the connecting rod 1442, with one end abutting against the floating member 1441 and the other end abutting against the driving part 1443. The third driving member 143 is drivenly connected to the driving part 1443 to drive the driving part 1443 to compress the elastic member 1444, thereby pushing the floating member 1441 to move, thus achieving the floating mounting of the second clamping part 142.

[0113] Specifically, when the third driving member 143 drives the driving part 1443 to move closer to the first positioning part 141, the driving part moves along the second direction Y and compresses the elastic member 1444, thereby pushing the floating member 1441 to move along the second direction Y. Finally, the second positioning part 142 moves closer to the first positioning part 141 along the second direction Y, thereby clamping and fixing the battery 2 located between the first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142.

[0114] By providing a third mounting member 144 with a floating function, the positioning component 14 can provide a buffering force when clamping and fixing the battery 2, preventing the battery 2 from being damaged due to rigid contact between the battery 2 and the positioning component 14. On the other hand, when it is necessary to release the battery 2, the driving force of the third driving member 143 can be removed, and the floating member 1441 can be driven by the elastic force of the elastic member 1444 to move the second positioning part 142 away from the first positioning part 141 along the second direction Y, so that the positioning component 14 can release the battery 2 without additional driving force.

[0115] This disclosure also provides a battery manufacturing apparatus, including a welding device and a welding inspection device 1. The welding device is used to weld a bent portion 212 and a cap 22; the welding inspection device 1 is located downstream of the welding device and is used to inspect the weld strength between the bent portion 212 and the cap 22.

[0116] The welding inspection device 1 is located downstream of the welding device. That is, during the production process of battery 2, battery 2 first passes through the welding device, where the welding connection between the bent part 212 and the cap 22 in the battery is completed. Then, battery 2 is transported to the welding inspection device 1, where the welding quality between the bent part 212 and the cap 22 is inspected.

[0117] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 11, before testing, the battery 2 is clamped between the first positioning part 141 and the second positioning part 142 to fix the relative position of the battery 2.

[0118] During testing, the clamping assembly 12 approaches the battery 2 along the first direction. Then, the first driving member 123 drives the first clamping part 1221 and the second clamping part 1222 to clamp and fix the cap 22. At the same time, the pressing member 132, driven by the second driving member 133, abuts against the side of the body part 211 of the connector 2 near the bending part 212. Then, the clamping assembly 12 clamps the cap 22 and moves away from the battery 2 along the first direction X. Meanwhile, the pressing member 132 always presses the body part 211, so that there is relative movement between the cap 22 and the bending part 212, but no relative movement between the body part 211 and the cell 24. This allows the welding quality between the bending part 212 and the cap 22 to be tested without affecting the connection quality between the body part 211 and the cell 24.

[0119] After the inspection is completed, the gripper 122 and clamping part 132 are removed, and the battery 2 is taken out of the welding inspection device 1.

[0120] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above 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.

[0121] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this disclosure, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A welding inspection device for inspecting the welding strength between a battery connector and a cap, the connector comprising a bent portion welded to the cap and a body portion connected to the battery cell, the welding inspection device comprising: frame; A clamping assembly is movably disposed on the frame along a first direction. The clamping assembly is used to clamp the cap so that the cap moves away from the connector along the first direction, thereby testing the welding strength between the bent portion and the cap. A limiting component is used to restrict the relative movement of the body and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

2. The welding inspection device according to claim 1, wherein, The limiting component is a clamping member used to clamp the connector to limit the relative movement of the body and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

3. The welding inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The limiting component is a clamping component, which is disposed in abutment against the body portion to restrict the relative movement of the body portion and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

4. The welding inspection device according to claim 3, wherein, The clamping assembly is disposed in contact with the side of the body portion near the bend to restrict the relative movement of the body portion and the battery cell when the cap moves away from the connector in the first direction.

5. The welding inspection device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The clamping assembly includes; Second mounting component; A clamping element is movably disposed on the second mounting element in a preset direction, wherein the preset direction is inclined downward; and The second driving member is driven to connect with the clamping member to drive the clamping member to move closer to or away from the body part.

6. The welding inspection device according to claim 5, wherein, The second driving element includes: A drive rod is positioned along the preset direction on the side of the clamping member opposite to the battery; A drive source is fixedly mounted on the second mounting component, and the output end of the drive source is connected to the drive rod to drive the drive rod to move along the preset direction.

7. The welding inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The clamping assembly includes: A gripper, movably disposed on the frame along the first direction, the gripper including a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion adjustable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and A first driving member is driven and connected to the gripper to adjust the distance between the first clamping part and the second clamping part along the second direction.

8. The welding inspection device according to claim 7, wherein, The first clamping part and / or the second clamping part are provided with a clearance part for avoiding the clamping component and / or the bending part.

9. The welding inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The welding inspection device further includes a positioning component, which is arranged along the first direction corresponding to the clamping component, for fixing the battery.

10. The welding inspection device according to claim 9, wherein, The positioning component includes: The first positioning part and the second positioning part are arranged at intervals along the second direction; and A third driving member is driven to connect with the first positioning part and / or the second positioning part to adjust the distance between them along the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The welding inspection device according to claim 10, wherein, The positioning component also includes: A third mounting component is movably disposed on the frame along the second direction, a second positioning part is disposed on the third mounting component, and a third driving part is drivenly connected to the third mounting component.

12. The welding inspection device according to claim 11, wherein, The third mounting component includes: A floating component is movably disposed on the frame along the second direction, and a second positioning part is disposed on the floating component; A connecting rod, extending along the second direction, is disposed on the floating member; The drive unit is movably inserted through the connecting rod; and An elastic element is inserted through the connecting rod, with one end of the elastic element abutting against the floating element and the other end abutting against the driving part; The third driving member is driven to connect with the driving part to drive the driving part to compress the elastic member, thereby pushing the floating member to move, and thus realizing the floating setting of the second clamping part.

13. A battery manufacturing apparatus, the battery manufacturing apparatus comprising: A welding device for welding the bent portion and the cap; and The welding inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the welding inspection device is located downstream of the welding device and is used to inspect the welding strength between the bent portion and the cap.

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