JP7375020B2 - Continuous welding device and continuous welding method - Google Patents

Description

One aspect of the present invention relates to a continuous welding device and a continuous welding method.

Lead-acid batteries are widely used as secondary batteries for industrial or consumer use, and are particularly used as lead-acid batteries (so-called batteries) for electric vehicles, UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), disaster prevention (emergency) radios, telephones, etc. Demand for backup lead-acid batteries is high.

The electrode of a lead-acid battery is made of, for example, a plurality of cylindrical bodies, a core inserted into each of the cylindrical bodies, lead powder filled inside the plurality of cylindrical bodies, and a plurality of cylindrical bodies. and a connecting seat attached to the end of the. Regarding such electrodes, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of inserting joints into each of the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies and thermally welding them.

Patent No. 4305196

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, for example, as the demand for lead-acid batteries increases in recent years, it is required to increase the welding strength between the cylindrical body and the connecting seat.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a continuous welding device and a continuous welding method that can increase the welding strength between a cylindrical body and a continuous seat.

A continuous welding device according to one aspect of the present invention is a device that thermally welds continuous seats to the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies used for electrodes, and the continuous seats are inserted into the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. The mold includes a mold that heats the ends while pressurizing them, and a contact surface of the mold that comes into contact with the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies has a curved surface along the outer surface of the plurality of cylindrical bodies.

This continuous welding device can pressurize and heat the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies using a mold. The abutment surface of the mold has a curved surface along the outer surfaces of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. Therefore, for example, the end portion of the cylindrical body can be heated and pressurized in a manner suitable for the cylindrical body, while suppressing uneven heating and pressure on the end of the cylindrical body. It is possible to appropriately thermally weld the connecting seats to each of the plurality of cylindrical bodies, and it becomes possible to increase the welding strength between the cylindrical body and the connecting seats.

In the continuous welding device according to one aspect of the present invention, the cylindrical body has a cylindrical shape, and when viewed from the axial direction of the cylindrical body, the shape of the curved surface of the contact surface in the mold is circular or arcuate. The radius of the circular or arcuate curved surface may be equal to or less than the outer radius of the cylindrical body. Thereby, the end portion of the cylindrical body can be heated and pressurized in a manner more suitable for the cylindrical body.

In the continuous welding device according to one aspect of the present invention, the continuous seats may be formed of a material containing polystyrene. Thereby, the connecting seats can be reliably heat-welded to the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies.

In the continuous welding device according to one aspect of the present invention, the continuous seats include a bottomed box-shaped base having an elongated opening, and are inserted into each of the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies provided on the bottom surface of the base. and a plurality of cylinder parts, and may further include a gripping member that grips the base of the connecting seat. In this case, the gripping member can grip the base, which is a portion of the joint other than the portion that is pressurized and heated. It becomes possible to suppress the influence of the pressurization and heating on the grip of the joint seat.

In the interlocking welding device according to one aspect of the present invention, the gripping member includes a pair of arms, and the pair of arms move apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the base and attach the inner surface of the base in the longitudinal direction of the base. The base may be grasped by hitting the base along the . According to this configuration, it is possible to concretely realize the gripping of the base by the gripping member.

In the continuous welding device according to one aspect of the present invention, the molds are provided in at least one of the upper mold and the lower mold that cooperate to sandwich the plurality of cylindrical bodies, and the upper mold and the lower mold. the lower mold side surface of the upper mold and the upper mold side surface of the lower mold have contact surfaces, and the upper mold and the lower mold are brought close to each other and It may further include a drive section that drives the device apart. According to this configuration, the above-described effect of heating and pressurizing the end of the cylindrical body in a manner suitable for the cylindrical body can be specifically achieved.

A continuous welding method according to one aspect of the present invention is a method of thermally welding continuous seats to the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies used for electrodes, the insertion step of inserting the continuous seats into the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. and a pressurizing and heating step of heating the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies while pressurizing them with a mold while inserting the connecting seats into the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. The abutment surface that abuts has a curved surface along the outer surface of the plurality of cylindrical bodies.

In this continuous welding method, the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies can be pressurized and heated using a mold. The abutment surface of the mold has a curved surface along the outer surfaces of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. Therefore, for example, the end portion of the cylindrical body can be heated and pressurized in a manner suitable for the cylindrical body, while suppressing uneven heating and pressure on the end of the cylindrical body. It is possible to appropriately thermally weld the connecting seats to each of the plurality of cylindrical bodies, and it becomes possible to increase the welding strength between the cylindrical body and the connecting seats.

In the continuous welding method according to one aspect of the present invention, the cylindrical body has a cylindrical shape, and when viewed from the axial direction of the cylindrical body, the shape of the curved surface of the contact surface in the mold is circular or arcuate. The radius of the circular or arcuate curved surface may be equal to or less than the outer radius of the cylindrical body. Thereby, the end portion of the cylindrical body can be heated and pressurized in a manner more suitable for the cylindrical body.

In the continuous welding method according to one aspect of the present invention, the continuous seats may be formed of a material containing polystyrene. Thereby, the connecting seats can be reliably heat-welded to the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies.

In the continuous welding method according to one aspect of the present invention, the continuous seats are inserted into a bottomed box-shaped base having an elongated opening and each end of a plurality of cylindrical bodies provided on the bottom surface of the base. The method further includes a gripping step of gripping the base of the combination seat with a grip member before the insertion step, and in the insertion step, the grip member gripping the base of the combination seat is moved to A connecting seat may be inserted into the end of the cylindrical body, and in the pressurizing and heating step, the end portion may be heated while being pressed with a mold while the base of the connecting seat is held by a gripping member. In this case, the gripping member can grip the base, which is a portion of the joint other than the portion that is pressurized and heated. It becomes possible to suppress the influence of the pressurization and heating on the grip of the joint seat. Further, since the end portion of the cylindrical body can be heated and pressurized while the base portion is held by the gripping member, it is possible to heat and pressurize the end portion of the cylindrical body with high accuracy.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a continuous welding device and a continuous welding method that can increase the welding strength between a cylindrical body and a continuous seat.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a lead acid battery according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the positive electrode of FIG. 1. FIG. 4(a) is a plan view showing the upper connecting seat of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 4(b) is a front view showing the upper coupling seat of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part of a cross section taken along the line VV in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the continuous welding device according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the pallet of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing the chucker of FIG. 6. 9 is a schematic plan view showing an arm of the chucker of FIG. 6. FIG. 10(a) is a schematic front view showing the mold of FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 10(b) is a schematic plan view showing the mold of FIG. 6. 11(a) is a front view showing the contact surface of the mold shown in FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 11(b) is a diagram when the cylindrical body of FIG. 1 is viewed from the axial direction. 12 is a schematic plan view showing the peripheral structure of the mold shown in FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which the cylindrical body is placed on the pallet in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which the cylindrical body is pushed in by the restrainer in FIG. 13. FIG. 15(a) is a diagram illustrating an example of gripping the upper connecting seat with the chucker of FIG. 6. FIG. 15(b) is a diagram illustrating a continuation of FIG. 15(a). FIG. 16(a) is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example in which the upper end of a cylindrical body is heated while being pressurized using the mold shown in FIG. FIG. 16(b) is a sectional view continuing from FIG. 16(a). FIG. 17(a) is a sectional view continuing from FIG. 16(b). FIG. 17(b) is a sectional view continuing from FIG. 17(a).

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation will be omitted. The sizes of the components in each figure are conceptual, and the relative size relationships between the components are not limited to those shown in each figure.

The continuous welding device and the continuous welding method according to the embodiment thermally weld an upper continuous seat (continuous seat) to the upper ends (ends) of a plurality of cylindrical bodies used as electrodes in a lead-acid battery. Therefore, first, the lead acid battery will be explained, and then the upper connection will be explained.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a lead-acid battery 100. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the positive electrode 10. In FIG. 1, positive electrodes 10 and negative electrodes 20 are alternately arranged with separators 30 in between from the front side to the back side of the drawing. In FIG. 1, a part of the positive electrode 10 is shown in cross section. FIG. 2 shows the stacked structure of the positive electrode 10, negative electrode 20, and separator 30 when the lead-acid battery 100 is viewed from above. Note that the words "upper" and "lower" correspond to upward and downward in the vertical direction (the same applies hereinafter). The Z direction corresponds to the vertical direction, the X direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the Z direction, and the Y direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the Z direction and perpendicular to the X direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lead-acid battery 100 according to the embodiment includes an electrode group 110, a battery case 120 that accommodates the electrode group 110, and connection members 130a and 130b connected to the electrode group 110. It includes pole posts 140a and 140b connected to connecting members 130a and 130b, a liquid inlet stopper 150 that closes a liquid inlet of battery case 120, and a support member 160 connected to battery case 120.

The electrode group 110 includes a plurality of positive electrodes 10 , a plurality of negative electrodes 20 , and a plurality of separators 30 . The positive electrodes 10 and the negative electrodes 20 are alternately arranged with separators 30 in between. The space around the positive electrode 10 between the separators 30 is filled with an electrolytic solution 40 . As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the positive electrode 10 is, for example, a plate-shaped electrode. The positive electrode 10 includes a plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a, a plurality of core metals (current collectors) 14, a positive electrode material (electrode material) 16, a lower connecting seat 12c, an upper connecting seat (connecting seat) 1, and an ear portion 12d. , has.

The plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a are arranged adjacent to each other in a line along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (hereinafter also simply referred to as "axial direction") of the cylindrical bodies 12a. Here, a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a are arranged in parallel. The plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a constitute a group of active material holding tubes (clad tubes). The outer shape of the cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylindrical body 12a is circular, but may be elliptical, square with rounded corners, or the like. The cylindrical body 12a is made of a porous material. The cylindrical body 12a may be made of, for example, a base material such as woven fabric or nonwoven fabric. As the material of the base material, a material having acid resistance can be used. Base materials include polyolefin (polypropylene, polyethylene, etc.), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polycarbonate (PC). ), glass fiber, silicon carbide, alumina, and other inorganic materials. From the viewpoint of easily improving cycle characteristics, the cylindrical body 12a preferably contains a thermoplastic resin, and more preferably contains a polyolefin.

In the cylindrical body 12a, resin may be held on the base material. Examples of the resin include acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenol resin, melamine resin, and styrene resin. The resin may be carried on the inner or outer surface of the substrate, or on the surface within the pores of the substrate, or may be attached to the substrate. The resin may be held on a part of the base material, or may be held on the entire base material. In the cylindrical body 12a, a styrene polymer is held on a base material at the upper end where the upper connecting seat 1 is inserted.

The core metal 14 is inserted into each cylindrical body 12a. The core metal 14 has a rod shape. The core metal 14 extends along the axial direction inside the cylindrical body 12a. The material of the core bar 14 may be any conductive material, and examples thereof include lead alloys such as lead-calcium-tin alloys and lead-antimony-arsenic alloys. The lead alloy may contain selenium, silver, bismuth, etc.

The cathode material 16 is filled inside the cylindrical body 12a. The positive electrode material 16 includes an active material. The cylindrical body 12a, the core metal 14, and the positive electrode material 16 constitute a cylindrical electrode (rod-shaped electrode). The cylindrical electrode of the positive electrode 10 is electrically connected to the pole column 140a via the upper connecting seat 1, the ear portion 12d, and the connecting member 130a.

The lower connecting seat 12c is attached to a lower end of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a, which is an end on the bottom side of the battery case 120 (an end portion on one end side of the cylindrical body 12a). The lower connecting seats 12c seal the lower ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. The lower connecting seats 12c are fitted to the lower ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. Note that the lower connecting seats 12c may be fixed to the lower ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a using a thermosetting adhesive or the like.

The upper connecting seat 1 is attached to the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a, which is the end on the top side of the battery case 120 (the end portion on the other end side of the cylindrical body 12a). The upper connecting seat 1 is fixed to the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a by welding. When welding the upper connecting seat 1 and the cylindrical body 12a, their boundary portions may be integrated. Details of welding will be described later.

The lower connecting seat 12c and the upper connecting seat 1 are in contact with the cylindrical body 12a, and the core metal 14 and the positive electrode material 16 arranged inside the cylindrical body 12a. The lower connecting seat 12c and the upper connecting seat 1 hold the cylindrical body 12a, the core bar 14, and the positive electrode material 16. One end of the ear portion 12d is connected to the upper connecting seat 1. The other end of the ear portion 12d is connected to the connecting member 130a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the negative electrode 20 is, for example, a plate-shaped electrode. The negative electrode 20 is, for example, a paste type negative electrode plate. The negative electrode 20 is electrically connected to the pole column 140b via the connecting member 130b. The negative electrode 20 includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode material that is an electrode material held by the negative electrode current collector. A plate-shaped current collector can be used as the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode material includes an active material.

The support member 160 is disposed on the bottom surface of the battery case 120 and supports the lower connecting seat 12c. The support member 160 has a plurality of protrusions 160a that protrude upward. The protrusion 160a abuts on the lower connecting seat 12c (see FIG. 1). That is, the support member 160 supports a portion of the lower connecting seat 12c on the bottom surface side of the battery case 120 by each protrusion 160a.

FIG. 4(a) is a plan view showing the upper connecting seat 1. FIG. FIG. 4(b) is a front view showing the upper connecting seat 1. FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part of a cross section taken along the line VV in FIG. 4(a). As shown in FIGS. 4(a), 4(b), and 5, the upper connecting seat 1 includes a bottomed box-shaped base 2 having an elongated opening 2a, and a bottom surface 2b of the base 2. A plurality of cylindrical portions 3 are included.

The base 2 contacts the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a. The base 2 has a pair of side walls 2c facing each other in the longitudinal direction and a pair of side walls 2d facing each other in the lateral direction. The pair of side walls 2c are bent in a circular arc shape that swells outward in the longitudinal direction when viewed from above. The pair of side walls 2d extend in a straight line parallel to each other in plan view.

A predetermined number of cylindrical portions 3 are provided corresponding to the number of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. The cylindrical portion 3 has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 12a. The cylindrical portion 3 is inserted into each of the upper end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. The cylindrical portion 3 communicates with the inside of the base 2 through its cylindrical hole 3a. The outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 3 is inclined so that its diameter increases as it moves away from the base 2, and then tapers at the tip.

The upper connecting seat 1 is made of a material containing polystyrene. Note that the material for the upper connecting seat 1 is not particularly limited. For example, as the material of the upper connecting seat 1, an acid-resistant material can be used. Examples of the material for the upper connecting seat 1 include resins such as polyolefin (polypropylene, polyethylene, etc.), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polycarbonate (PC), and the like.

Next, a continuous welding device according to an embodiment will be described.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the continuous welding device 50. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the continuous welding device 50 is a device that thermally welds the upper continuous seat 1 to the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a. The continuous welding device 50 includes a pallet 51, a cylindrical body accumulation part 52, an upper continuous body accumulation part 53, a cylindrical body supply device 54, a chucker (gripping member) 55, a mold 60, a mold drive mechanism (drive part) 56, It includes a restraint tool 57, a restraint tool drive mechanism 58, and a controller 59.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the pallet 51. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pallet 51 is a mounting table on which a plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a are mounted. A plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a whose axial direction is the X direction are placed on the pallet 51 in a state where they are aligned in the Y direction. In the illustrated example, a predetermined number of shallow U-shaped grooves 51a are provided on the upper surface of the pallet 51 along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a. The pallet 51 is fixed to a frame, for example. The pallet 51 is not particularly limited, and various known pallets can be used as long as the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a can be arranged and placed thereon.

Returning to FIG. 6, the cylindrical body accumulation section 52 accumulates a plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a supplied from the outside. The cylindrical body accumulation section 52 is not particularly limited, and various known accumulation sections such as an accumulation box can be used, for example.

The upper connecting seat accumulation section 53 accumulates a plurality of upper connecting seats 1 supplied from the outside. In the upper joint accumulation section 53 here, a plurality of upper joint seats 1 are stacked in the Z direction with the longitudinal direction in the Y direction. Further, in the upper connecting seat accumulation section 53, a plurality of upper connecting seats 1 are stacked with the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 3 in the X direction. Furthermore, in the upper connecting seat accumulation section 53, the position of the upper connecting seat 1 when the upper connecting seat 1 is attached to the upper end portion of a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a placed on the pallet 51 (hereinafter simply referred to as "installation position") is determined. A plurality of upper connecting seats 1 are stacked so that the positions in the Y direction are equal to the upper connecting seats 1 (also referred to as ")", that is, the upper connecting seats 1 accumulated in the upper connecting seat accumulation section 53 do not move in the Y direction. It can be moved to the mounting position. The upper joint stacking section 53 is not particularly limited, and various known stacking sections such as stacking shelves can be used.

The cylindrical body supply device 54 is a device that supplies a plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a from the cylindrical body accumulation section 52 to the pallet 51. The cylindrical body supply device 54 aligns and places a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a among the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a accumulated in the cylindrical body accumulation section 52 on the pallet 51. The cylindrical body supply device 54 is not particularly limited, and various known supply devices can be used. For example, the cylindrical body supplying device 54 may include at least one of a robot arm and a conveyor for supplying a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a from the cylindrical body accumulation section 52 to the pallet 51. The cylindrical body supply device 54 is connected to a controller 59, and its operation is controlled by the controller 59.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing the chucker 55. FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing the arm 55a of the chucker 55. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the chucker 55 grips the base 2 of the upper connecting seat 1. As shown in FIGS. Further, the chucker 55 moves the gripped upper connecting seat 1 to the mounting position, and inserts the upper connecting seat 1 into the upper end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. The chucker 55 has a pair of arms 55a, an arm holder 55b, a Z-axis rail 55c, and an X-axis rail 55d.

The pair of arms 55a are members extending in an L-shape in a plan view, and extend in the Y direction so as to be separated from each other after extending in the X direction. The pair of arms 55a move away from each other and abut against (stretch) the inner surface of the side wall 2c of the base 2 of the upper connecting seat 1 along the longitudinal direction of the base 2, thereby gripping the base 2 (Fig. 15, details will be described later). The arm holder 55b holds the pair of arms 55a movably in the Y direction. The Z-axis rail 55c includes a rail extending in the Z direction. The Z-axis rail 55c supports the arm holder 55b movably in the Z direction. The X-axis rail 55d includes a rail extending in the X direction. The X-axis rail 55d supports the Z-axis rail 55c movably in the X direction.

In such a chucker 55, a pair of arms 55a grips the base 2 of one upper joint seat 1 from the upper joint accumulation section 53, and the pair of arms 55a is moved to a mounting position by a Z-axis rail 55c and an X-axis rail 55d. and insert the cylindrical portion 3 of the upper connecting seat 1 into the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a. The chucker 55 is connected to a controller 59, and its operation is controlled by the controller 59.

FIG. 10(a) is a schematic front view showing the mold 60. FIG. 10(b) is a schematic plan view showing the mold 60. FIG. 11A is a front view showing contact surfaces 61a and 62a of the mold 60. FIG. 11(b) is a diagram when the cylindrical body 12a is viewed from the axial direction. As shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), the mold 60 heats the upper end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a while pressurizing the upper end portions with the upper connecting seats 1 inserted into the upper end portions. It is a member. The mold 60 includes an upper mold 61, a lower mold 62, and a heater 63.

The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 cooperate to sandwich the upper ends of a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a. The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 have an elongated shape with the Y direction as the longitudinal direction, and here, have a rectangular bar shape. The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are arranged to face each other in the Z direction. The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are arranged adjacent to one side of the pallet 51 in the X direction (see FIG. 12). The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are made of brass, for example.

The surface of the upper mold 61 on the lower mold 62 side has a contact surface 61a that contacts the upper end portions of a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a. The surface of the lower mold 62 on the upper mold 61 side has a contact surface 62a that contacts the upper end portions of a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a. The contact surfaces 61a and 62a are curved surfaces that follow (imitate) the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a. For example, the contact surfaces 61a and 62a are provided at positions corresponding to the grooves 51a of the pallet 51 in the Y direction (see FIG. 12). The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are configured to move toward and away from each other (opening/closing operation) by driving the mold drive mechanism 56.

The heater 63 is provided inside each of the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62. The heater 63 heats the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62. The heater 63 is connected to the controller 59, and the heating temperature and ON/OFF are controlled by the controller 59. The heater 63 is not particularly limited, and various known heaters can be used.

In such a mold 60, for example, the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a into which the upper connecting seat 1 is inserted is placed on the contact surface 62a of the lower mold 62, and the mold drive mechanism 56 The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are moved in the Z direction so as to approach each other. At this time, the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 63. As a result, the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a into which the upper connecting seat 1 is inserted is strongly sandwiched (tightened) between the contact surfaces 61a and 62a while being heated. Note that the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 do not approach each other in the Z direction until they come into contact with each other, and when the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are closest to each other in the Z direction, there is a A gap is formed in the

As shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), when viewed from the X direction, the shape of the curved surface of the contact surface 61a of the upper mold 61 is a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a. It has an arc shape. When viewed from the X direction, the shape of the curved surface of the contact surface 62a of the lower mold 62 is a shape along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a, and is an arc shape that is equal to the shape of the curved surface of the contact surface 61a. . The radius rd of the circular arc shape of the curved surface of the abutment surface 61a is equal to or less than the outer radius rt of the cylindrical body. The radius of the circular arc shape of the curved surface of the contact surface 62a is also equal to or less than the outer radius rt.

The mold drive mechanism 56 is a mechanism that drives the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 so that they approach and separate from each other. The mold drive mechanism 56 includes, for example, an air cylinder. The mold drive mechanism 56 is connected to a controller 59, and its operation is controlled by the controller 59. The mold drive mechanism 56 is not particularly limited, and various known drive mechanisms can be used.

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view showing the peripheral structure of the mold 60. FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which the cylindrical body 12a is placed on the pallet 51 in FIG. FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which the cylindrical body 12a is pushed in by the restrainer 57 in FIG. In the cylindrical body 12a shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the left side in the figure corresponds to the upper end side, and the right side in the figure corresponds to the lower end side.

As shown in FIGS. 6, 12, 13, and 14, the restrainer 57 is disposed on the other side of the pallet 51 in the X direction (opposite the mold 60). The holding tool 57 is in contact with the lower end surface of the cylindrical body 12a placed on the pallet 51, and the cylindrical body is held in such a way that the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a is inserted between the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62. The lower end surface of 12a is pushed in the X direction, and the pushed cylindrical body 12a is restrained from returning. The restrainer 57 is configured to move toward and away from the pallet 51 in the X direction by driving a restrainer drive mechanism 58. The restrainer 57 is not particularly limited, and various known devices can be used.

As shown in FIG. 6, the restraint tool drive mechanism 58 is a mechanism that drives the restraint tool 57 along the X direction. The restrainer drive mechanism 58 includes, for example, an air cylinder. The restrainer drive mechanism 58 is connected to a controller 59, and its operation is controlled by the controller 59. The restrainer drive mechanism 58 is not particularly limited, and various known drive mechanisms can be used.

The controller 59 is an electronic control unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The controller 59 can be configured, for example, as software in which a program stored in a ROM is loaded onto a RAM and executed by a CPU. The controller 59 may be configured as hardware such as an electronic circuit. The controller 59 may be composed of one device or a plurality of devices. When the controller 59 is composed of a plurality of devices, one logical controller 59 is constructed by connecting these devices via a communication network such as the Internet or an intranet.

The controller 59 controls various operations of the continuous welding device 50. The controller 59 controls the cylindrical body supply device 54 , the chucker 55 , the mold drive mechanism 56 , the presser drive mechanism 58 , and the heater 63 . The controller 59 may include, for example, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) that is an interface for inputting and outputting information with a worker. The controller 59 may communicate with at least one of a smart device and a server (cloud server).

Next, a continuous welding method according to an embodiment will be described.

The continuous welding method is a method in which the upper continuous seats 1 are thermally welded to the ends of a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a. The continuous welding method is realized by the above-described continuous welding device 50. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, first, a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a are placed on the pallet 51 in an aligned state from the cylindrical body accumulating section 52 by the cylindrical body supplying device 54. .

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 14, the suppressor 57 is driven by the suppressor drive mechanism 58, and the suppressor 57 is moved in the X direction so as to approach the mold 60. Thereby, the upper ends (ends on the mold 60 side) of the predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a on the pallet 51 are inserted between the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62, so that the cylindrical bodies 12a are Push the lower end surface in the X direction with the restrainer 57. Further, the pressed cylindrical body 12a is held down in the X direction so as not to move away from the mold 60. Note that the upper end edge of the pushed-in cylindrical body 12a may be located at the same position as the edge of the mold 60 (see FIG. It may be located between the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 on the side away from the pallet 51.

Subsequently, in the chucker 55, the pair of arms 55a are brought close to each other in the Y direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 15(a), in the Y direction, the length from the tip of one arm 55a of the pair of arms 55a to the tip of the other arm 55a is longer than the opening 2a of the upper connecting seat 1. Keep it small. The pair of arms 55a are appropriately moved along the Z-axis rail 55c and the X-axis rail 55d, and the pair of arms 55a enter the base 2 of the upper joint seat 1 accumulated in the upper joint seat accumulation section 53 through the opening 2a. . Then, as shown in FIG. 15(b), the pair of arms 55a are moved apart from each other, and the pair of arms 55a butt (pull) against the inner surface of the side wall 2c of the base 2 along the Y direction. ). Thereby, the base portion 2 of the upper connecting seat 1 is gripped (gripping step).

Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b), while the base 2 of the upper connecting seat 1 is held by the pair of arms 55a, it is moved as appropriate along the Z-axis rail 55c and the X-axis rail 55d. Then, the pair of arms 55a are moved to move the gripped upper seat 1 to the mounting position, and the cylindrical portion 3 of the upper seat 1 is inserted into the upper end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a (insertion step).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 17A, the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are moved in the Z direction by the mold drive mechanism 56 so as to approach each other. At this time, the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 63. The cylindrical body 12a is in contact with the contact surface 61a of the upper mold 61, and the cylindrical body 12a is in contact with the contact surface 62a of the lower mold 62, but the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 The upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are closest to each other in the Z direction, but a gap is formed between them.

As a result, the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a into which the upper connecting seat 1 has been inserted is firmly but not too tightly sandwiched between the contact surfaces 61a and 62a while being heated. That is, with the base 2 of the upper connecting seat 1 gripped by the chucker 55 and with the cylindrical portions 3 of the upper connecting seat 1 being inserted into the upper end portions of a predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a, the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a is is heated while being pressurized by the mold 60 (pressure heating step). As a result, the cylindrical portion 3 of the upper connecting seat 1 and the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a are fixed by welding.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 17(b), the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are moved in the Z direction by the mold driving mechanism 56 so as to be separated from each other. Thereafter, the cylindrical body 12a to which the upper connecting seat 1 is welded is extracted from the mold 60 by, for example, a robot arm (not shown), and is supplied to a subsequent device.

As described above, in the continuous welding device 50 and the continuous welding method, the mold 60 can be used to pressurize and heat the upper ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. The contact surfaces 61a and 62a of the mold 60 have curved surfaces along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a. Therefore, for example, the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a can be heated and pressurized in a manner suitable for the cylindrical body 12a while suppressing the bias in heating and pressurizing the upper end of the cylindrical body 12. The upper connecting seat 1 can be appropriately thermally welded to each of the predetermined number of cylindrical bodies 12a, and the welding strength between the cylindrical body 12a and the upper connecting seat 1 can be increased.

In the continuous welding device 50 and the continuous welding method, the cylindrical body 12a has a cylindrical shape. When viewed from the X direction, the curved surfaces of the contact surfaces 61a and 62a in the mold 60 have a circular arc shape, and the radius rd of the circular arc shape is equal to or less than the outer radius rt of the cylindrical body 12a. Thereby, the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a can be heated and pressurized in a manner more suitable for the cylindrical body 12a.

In the continuous welding device 50 and the continuous welding method, the upper continuous seat 1 is formed of a material containing polystyrene. Thereby, the upper connecting seat 1 can be reliably heat-welded to the upper end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a.

The continuous welding device 50 further includes a chucker 55 that grips the base 2 of the upper continuous seat 1. The chucker 55 can grip the base 2, which is a portion of the upper seat 1 other than the portion that is pressurized and heated. It becomes possible to suppress the influence of pressurization and heating on the grip of the upper connecting seat 1.

In the continuous welding device 50, the chucker 55 includes a pair of arms 55a. The pair of arms 55a grip the base 2 by moving away from each other along the longitudinal direction of the base 2 and abutting against the inner surface of the base 2 along the longitudinal direction. According to this configuration, gripping of the base 2 by the chucker 55 can be realized concretely and effectively.

In the continuous welding device 50, the mold 60 includes an upper mold 61, a lower mold 62, and a heater 63. The surface of the upper mold 61 on the lower mold 62 side has an abutment surface 61a, and the surface of the lower mold 62 on the upper mold 61 side has an abutment surface 62a. The mold drive mechanism 56 drives the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 so that they approach and separate from each other. According to this configuration, the above-described effect of heating and pressurizing the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a in a manner suitable for the cylindrical body 12a can be specifically and effectively achieved.

In the continuous welding method, in the insertion step, the pair of arms 55a of the chucker 55 gripping the base 2 of the upper continuous seats 1 are moved to insert the upper continuous seats 1 into the upper end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies 12a. In the pressurizing and heating step, the base 2 of the upper connecting seat 1 is held by the chucker 55 and the upper end thereof is heated while being pressurized by the mold 60. The chucker 55 can grip the base 2, which is a portion of the upper seat 1 other than the portion that is pressurized and heated. It becomes possible to suppress the influence of pressurization and heating on the grip of the upper connecting seat 1. Furthermore, since the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a can be heated and pressurized while the base 2 is gripped by the chucker 55, it is possible to heat and pressurize the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a with high accuracy.

Although the embodiments have been described above, one aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

In one aspect of the present invention, the heater 63 is provided in both the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62, but the heater 63 may be provided in at least one of these molds. Although one aspect of the present invention is applied to the upper end portion of the cylindrical body 12a of the upper connecting seat 1, the present invention is not limited thereto. One aspect of the present invention can be applied to welding of the lower connecting seat 12c as long as the lower connecting seat 12c is attached to the lower end portion of the cylindrical body 12a by welding.

In one aspect of the present invention, the shape of the cylindrical body 12a is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be of various cylindrical shapes. In this case, the contact surfaces 61a and 62a may be formed along the outer surface of the various cylindrical shapes. It suffices if it has a curved surface. In one aspect of the present invention, the number (predetermined number) of cylindrical bodies 12a is not particularly limited. In one form of the present invention, the entire surfaces of the contact surfaces 61a and 62a of the mold 60 are curved surfaces along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a, but at least a portion of the contact surfaces 61a and 62a In other words, the contact surface of the mold may have a curved surface along the outer surface of the cylindrical body. In one aspect of the present invention, both the upper mold 61 and the lower mold 62 are driven in order to move them closer to and away from each other, but only one of them may be driven.

In one aspect of the present invention, the mold 60 is configured to be divided into an upper mold 61 and a lower mold 62, but the mold 60 is not limited to such a structure divided into a plurality of parts. For example, the mold 60 may have a structure in which an upper mold 61 and a lower mold 62 are integrally connected. In this case, the contact surface of the mold 60 that comes into contact with the upper end of the cylindrical body 12a may have a circular curved surface along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12a when viewed from the X direction. In one aspect of the present invention, the shape of the mold 60 is not limited, and may have various shapes.

The positive electrode 10 and the lead-acid battery 100 that are the objects of the continuous welding device 50 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used for electric vehicles. Examples of electric vehicles include forklifts, golf carts, and the like. In the present invention, each structure of the above embodiment and the above modification may be combined as appropriate. The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Upper connection seat (connection seat), 2... Base, 2a... Opening, 2b... Bottom surface, 3... Cylindrical part, 10... Positive electrode (electrode), 12a... Cylindrical body, 50... Connection welding device, 55... Chucker (gripping member) ), 55a...Arm, 60...Mold, 61...Upper die, 61a...Abutment surface, 62...Lower die, 62a...Abutment surface, 63...Heater, 56...Mold drive mechanism (drive part).

Claims (5)

A device for thermally welding joints to the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies used for electrodes, the device comprising:
A mold is provided that heats the end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies while pressurizing the end portions in a state in which the connecting seats are inserted,
A contact surface that contacts the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies in the mold has a curved surface along the outer surface of the plurality of cylindrical bodies,
The connecting seat includes a bottomed box-shaped base having an elongated opening, and a plurality of cylindrical parts provided on the bottom surface of the base and inserted into each of the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. Ori,
Further comprising a gripping member that grips the base of the connecting seat,
The gripping member includes a pair of arms,
The pair of arms move away from each other along the longitudinal direction of the base and abut against an inner surface of the base along the longitudinal direction of the base, thereby gripping the base. A device for thermally welding joints to the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies used for electrodes, the device comprising:
A mold is provided that heats the end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies while pressurizing the end portions in a state in which the connecting seats are inserted,
A contact surface that contacts the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies in the mold has a curved surface along the outer surface of the plurality of cylindrical bodies,
The mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold that cooperate to sandwich the plurality of cylindrical bodies, and a heater provided in at least one of the upper mold and the lower mold,
A surface of the upper mold on the lower mold side and a surface of the lower mold on the upper mold side have the contact surface,
further comprising a drive unit that drives the upper mold and the lower mold to approach and separate from each other,
A continuous welding device, wherein a gap is formed between the upper mold and the lower mold when the upper mold and the lower mold are closest to each other. The connecting seat includes a bottomed box-shaped base having an elongated opening, and a plurality of cylindrical parts provided on the bottom surface of the base and inserted into each of the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies. Ori,
Further comprising a gripping member that grips the base of the connecting seat,
The gripping member includes a pair of arms,
The gripping member grips the base of one of the linked seats from the linked seat accumulation part that accumulates a plurality of linked seats with the pair of arms, moves the pair of arms to a mounting position, and moves the cylindrical part of the linked seats to the mounting position. The continuous welding device according to claim 2, which is inserted into an end of a cylindrical body. a cylindrical body supply device that places a predetermined number of the cylindrical bodies in an aligned state on a pallet from a cylindrical body accumulating section that accumulates a plurality of the cylindrical bodies;
a restrainer configured to move toward and away from the pallet in the axial direction of the cylindrical body by driving a restrainer drive mechanism;
The presser is driven by the presser drive mechanism, the presser is moved in the axial direction of the cylindrical body so as to approach the mold, and one end of a predetermined number of the cylindrical bodies on the pallet is Pushing the other end surface of the cylindrical body in the axial direction with the presser so as to fit between the upper mold and the lower mold, and separating the pushed cylindrical body from the mold. The continuous welding device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the continuous welding device is restrained in the axial direction by the restraining tool so as not to return to the side . A method of thermally welding joints to the ends of a plurality of cylindrical bodies used for electrodes, the method comprising:
an insertion step of inserting the connecting seats into the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies;
a pressurizing and heating step of heating the end portions of the plurality of cylindrical bodies while pressurizing the end portions with a mold;
A contact surface that contacts the ends of the plurality of cylindrical bodies in the mold has a curved surface along the outer surface of the plurality of cylindrical bodies,
The mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold that cooperate to sandwich the plurality of cylindrical bodies, and a heater provided in at least one of the upper mold and the lower mold,
A surface of the upper mold on the lower mold side and a surface of the lower mold on the upper mold side have the contact surface,
In the pressure heating step,
Driving the upper mold and the lower mold by a drive unit so as to approach and separate them from each other,
A continuous welding method, wherein a gap is formed between the upper mold and the lower mold when the upper mold and the lower mold are closest to each other.

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