Device for manufacturing battery cell capable of removing gas trap by vibration

Abstract

The present invention provides a device for removing gas trap in a spare battery cell generated in a formation process during a process of manufacturing the battery cell, wherein the device is a gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell, including: a battery cell receiving unit into which the spare battery cell is received; and a vibration applying unit for applying vibration to the battery cell receiving unit, in a state where the spare battery cell is received into the battery cell receiving unit.

Claims

1. A device for removing gas trap in a spare battery cell generated in a formation process during a process of manufacturing the battery cell, wherein the device is a device for manufacturing a battery cell capable of removing gas trap during the formation process, comprising: a battery cell receiving unit into which the spare battery cell is received; and a vibration applying unit for applying vibration to the battery cell receiving unit, in a state where the spare battery cell is received into the battery cell receiving unit, wherein the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell in which an electrode assembly is built in a battery case, wherein the electrode assembly has a structure in which a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes are wound around a center pin, and wherein the center in is vertically oriented when the vibration is applied to the battery cell by the vibration applying unit to cause the gas trap to be released through the center pin.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the vibration is applied by physical stimulation from the vibration applying unit.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the physical stimulation is performed by a physical impact being directly applied to the battery cell receiving unit from the vibration applying unit, or the physical stimulation is performed by a repetitive flow of the vibration applying unit which is in contact with the battery cell receiving unit.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the physical stimulation is performed by an ultrasonic wave, and the ultrasonic wave has a frequency of 20 kHz to 100 kHz and an amplitude of 2 m to 30 m.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery cell receiving unit, in a state that one surface is opened, is formed in a recessed shape in the opposite direction from the open area.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the spare battery cell is supported in a liquid medium, in a state where the spare battery cell is received into a receiving unit of the battery cell.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the spare battery cell is supported in a liquid medium of water at least 50% based on the outer surface area.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the spare battery cell is received into the battery cell receiving unit after being charged in the range of 15 state of charge (SOC) to 20 SOC.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view schematically showing the structure of a conventional cylindrical battery cell;

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic view schematically showing the structure of a gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views schematically showing the structure of a gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell according to another embodiment of the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

(4) Hereinafter, the present invention is further described with reference to the drawings according to the embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

(5) Disclosed in FIG. 2 is a schematic view schematically showing the structure of a gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) Referring to FIG. 2, the gas trap removing device 200 for manufacturing a battery cell includes a battery cell receiving unit 220 and a vibration applying unit 230.

(7) The battery cell receiving unit 220 has an open top surface and is formed in a shape concavely recessed in the downward direction.

(8) Accordingly, the spare battery cell 210 can be more easily stored and removed through the open top surface of the battery cell receiving unit 220, and the sidewall 221 of the battery cell receiving unit 220 formed according to the recessed shape can prevent the flow and damage of the spare battery cell 210 due to vibration applied from the vibration applying unit 230 by stably supporting the spare battery cell 210.

(9) The spare battery cell 210 is stored in the battery cell receiving unit 220 in a state being charged in the range of 15 SOC to 20 SOC.

(10) The spare battery cell 210 is supported in a liquid medium about 90% based on the outer surface area in a state where the spare battery cell 210 is received in the battery cell receiving unit 220.

(11) Accordingly, the vibration from the vibration applying unit 230 can be more effectively transmitted to the spare battery cell 210 through the liquid medium 240 while minimizing the loss.

(12) Additionally, the vibration from the vibration applying unit 230 can be uniformly transmitted to most parts of the spare battery cell 210 supported in the liquid medium 240, and thus, It is possible to effectively prevent problems such as short-circuiting of the electrode assembly, which may occur when vibrations are concentrated on a specific area, such as an area adjacent to the vibration applying unit 230, with the battery cell receiving unit 220 interposed therebetween.

(13) The vibration applying unit 230 is formed of an ultrasonic wave horn having a circular cylindrical shape and is disposed being in contact with the lower surface 222 of the battery cell receiving unit 220.

(14) The vibration applicator 230 applies an ultrasonic wave having a frequency of 20 kHz to 100 kHz and an amplitude of 2 m to 30 m. Accordingly, the ultrasonic wave vibrates the liquid medium 240, and this vibration is applied to the spare battery cell 210 received in the battery cell receiving unit 220, so that the gas trap at the center of the electrode assembly can be removed.

(15) The physical stimulation performed by the ultrasonic wave of the vibration applying unit 230 may be applied once or at least twice periodically or aperiodically. Additionally, it is obvious that the vibration applying unit 230 may apply vibration through the ultrasonic wave in a state where the vibration applying unit 230 is in close contact with the battery cell receiving unit 220 in one or various directions of at least two, according to the number of the spare battery cells 210 received in the battery cell receiving unit 220, the size of the battery cell receiving unit 220, etc.

(16) Disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views schematically showing the structure of a gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(17) First, referring to FIG. 3, the gas trap removing device 300 for manufacturing a battery cell has the same constitution as that of the gas trap removing device 300 shown in FIG. 2 (200 of FIG. 2) of the gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell, with regard to the remaining constitution except for the vibration applying unit 330.

(18) Specifically, the vibration applying unit 330 is a sheet-shaped structure, and is in contact with the lower surface 322 of the battery cell receiving unit 320.

(19) The vibration applying unit 330 flows finely and rapidly in the left and right direction repeatedly within a short time. Accordingly, the vibration is applied to the spare battery cell 310 received in the battery cell receiving unit 320 through the liquid medium 340, so that the gas trap at the center of the electrode assembly can be removed.

(20) The vibration of the vibration applying unit 330 may be applied once or at least twice periodically or aperiodically, and it is obvious that the vibration applying unit 330 may apply vibration through the ultrasonic wave in a state where the vibration applying unit 330 is in close contact with the battery cell receiving unit 320 in one or various directions of at least two, according to the number of the spare battery cells 310 received in the battery cell receiving unit 320, the size of the battery cell receiving unit 320, etc.

(21) Referring to FIG. 4, the gas trap removing device 400 for manufacturing a battery cell has the same constitution as that of the gas trap removing device 400 shown in FIG. 2 (200 of FIG. 2) of the gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell, with regard to the remaining constitution except for the vibration applying unit 430.

(22) Specifically, the vibration applying unit 430 is located in the sidewall 421 direction of the battery cell receiving unit 420, and vibration is applied to the spare battery cell 410 received in the battery cell receiving unit 420 through the liquid medium 440 by directly applying a physical impact to the sidewall 421 of the battery cell receiving unit 420, and accordingly, the gas trap present at the center of the electrode assembly can be removed.

(23) The physical impact may be applied once or at least twice periodically or aperiodically, and it is obvious that the vibration applying unit 430 may apply vibration through the ultrasonic wave in a state where the vibration applying unit 430 is in close contact with the battery cell receiving unit 420 in one or various directions of at least two, according to the number of the spare battery cells 410 received in the battery cell receiving unit 420, the size of the battery cell receiving unit 420, etc.

(24) Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs will be able to make various applications and modifications within the scope of the present invention.

(25) As described above, the gas trap removing device for manufacturing a battery cell according to the present invention, by being configured to apply vibration to the battery cell receiving unit in a state where the spare battery cell is received in the battery cell receiving unit, it is possible to more easily remove the gas trap formed at the center of the electrode assembly in the formation process of the battery cell within a short period of time, and as a result, the time required for manufacturing the battery cell can be saved, the process reliability can be improved by minimizing the possibility that the gas trap may remain, the loss of vibration transmitted to the spare battery cell can be minimized by being received into the battery cell receiving unit with the spare battery cell being supported in the liquid medium, and by uniformly transmitting to all parts of the spare battery cell, it is possible to effectively prevent problems such as short-circuiting of the electrode assembly, etc., which may occur due to vibration concentrated at a specific region such as a region adjacent to the vibration applying unit with the battery cell receiving unit interposed therebetween.