Sealing tool for pouch-type secondary battery and sealing method for pouch-type secondary battery

Abstract

A sealing tool according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first sealing block and a second sealing block facing each other, in which the first sealing block includes a first fixed member and a first replacement member configured to be coupled to and detachable from the first fixed member; the second sealing block comprises a second fixing part and a second replacement part which is configured to be coupled to the second fixing part and can be detached from the second fixing part; wherein at least one of the first replacement part and the second replacement part is provided with a groove for placing the electrode lead at a position corresponding to the electrode lead.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0115920, filed on September 1, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a sealing tool and a sealing method for a pouch secondary battery, and more particularly, to a sealing tool and a sealing method that can reduce the time and cost of manufacturing a new sealing tool in response to a change in the size of an electrode lead. Background Art

[0003] Lithium secondary batteries can be classified according to the structure of the positive electrode / separator / negative electrode assembly. Representative electrode assemblies include: a jelly roll type (wound type) electrode assembly having a structure in which a long strip-shaped positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator inserted therebetween are wound, a stacked type electrode assembly having a plurality of positive electrodes and negative electrodes cut into a predetermined size and sequentially stacked with a separator inserted therebetween, a stacked / folded type electrode assembly having a structure in which a bi-cell or mono-cell formed by stacking a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a predetermined size with a separator inserted therebetween is wound with a separator, and the like.

[0004] Lithium secondary batteries can be classified into cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, pouch batteries, etc. according to their shape. Among them, pouch batteries have the advantage of significantly reducing the weight of the battery because they use a multilayer film pouch outer material including a metal layer (foil) and synthetic resin layers coated on the upper and lower surfaces of the metal layer. Therefore, the battery can be made lighter and can be formed into various shapes.

[0005] The pouch outer material generally includes a lower outer material in which the electrode assembly is accommodated and an upper outer material that seals the upper part of the lower outer material. The secondary battery is pre-assembled by accommodating the electrode assembly in the accommodation part of the lower outer material, then adhering the edges around the accommodation part of the lower outer material and the corresponding edges of the upper outer material, heat-sealing the adhered part, adding an electrolyte, and sealing the remaining part.

[0006] A sealing tool is used to seal the pouch outer material. A typical sealing tool includes a first sealing block for pressing the upper part of the sealing part of the pouch outer material and a second sealing block for pressing the lower part of the sealing part.

[0007] Meanwhile, the sizes of the electrode leads, the types of the outer bag materials, etc. have also become diversified. In order to optimize the sealing process, the design of the sealing tool should be changed in response to changes in the sizes of the electrode leads and the types of the outer bag materials, etc. However, due to time and cost limitations for manufacturing new sealing tools, currently the sealing process is carried out using sealing tools of the same size, which can affect the sealing quality. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a technology that can optimize the sealing tool while reducing costs and time. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical Problem

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a sealing tool that can be optimized in response to changes in the sizes of the electrode leads and the lead film, while saving costs and time.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a sealing tool for a pouch secondary battery that seals an outer bag material in which an electrode assembly is embedded. The sealing tool includes a first sealing block and a second sealing block facing each other, wherein the first sealing block includes a first fixing member and a first replacement member configured to be coupled to the first fixing member and detachable from the first fixing member; the second sealing block includes a second fixing member and a second replacement member configured to be coupled to the second fixing member and detachable from the second fixing member; wherein at least one of the first replacement member and the second replacement member is formed with a groove for accommodating the electrode lead at a position corresponding to the electrode lead.

[0012] In one embodiment, the groove has a size corresponding to the length of the electrode lead in the horizontal direction (x-direction) to be accommodated in the groove, and a size corresponding to the length of the electrode lead in the thickness direction (z-direction).

[0013] In one embodiment, the groove has a size corresponding to the length of the lead film in the horizontal direction (x-direction) to be accommodated in the groove, and a size corresponding to the sum of the lengths of the electrode lead and the lead film in the thickness direction (z-direction).

[0014] In one embodiment, the first sealing block and the second sealing block are configured to apply pressure to a sealing portion of the pouch secondary battery disposed between the first sealing block and the second sealing block.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first replacement member and the second replacement member respectively include a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface for applying pressure to the sealing portion of the pouch secondary battery.

[0016] In one embodiment, the groove has a trapezoidal shape such that the length of the entrance of the groove in the horizontal direction (x-direction) is greater than the horizontal length of the inside of the groove.

[0017] In one embodiment, the groove includes two or more stepped portions.

[0018] The sealing tool according to one embodiment further includes a heating member coupled to each of the first fixing member and the second fixing member and configured to heat the first fixing member and the second fixing member.

[0019] In the sealing tool according to one embodiment, the heating member is embedded in each of the first fixing member and the second fixing member.

[0020] The sealing tool according to one embodiment further includes: a first lifting member coupled to the first sealing block and a second lifting member coupled to the second sealing block for moving the first sealing block and the second sealing block in the pressing direction and the opposite direction.

[0021] In one embodiment, the first fixing member and the first replacement member are coupled and fixed by bolt-nut engagement, and the second fixing member and the second replacement member are coupled and fixed by bolt-nut engagement.

[0022] In one embodiment, the first fixing member and the first replacement member are configured to be slidably coupled, and the second fixing member and the second replacement member are configured to be slidably coupled.

[0023] In one embodiment, the first replacement member and / or the second replacement member are provided in several types with different positions and sizes of the grooves.

[0024] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a sealing method for a pouch-type secondary battery for sealing an outer material of a pouch in which an electrode assembly is embedded.

[0025] The sealing method of the pouch-type secondary battery includes: a replacement member selection process of selecting a first replacement member and a second replacement member each having a groove corresponding to the position and size of the electrode lead; a sealing block preparation process of preparing a first sealing block by coupling the selected first replacement member to the first fixing member and preparing a second sealing block by coupling the selected second replacement member to the second fixing member; an arrangement process of arranging a sealing portion of the pouch-type secondary battery between the first sealing block and the second sealing block; and a process of applying pressure to the sealing portion by contact of the first sealing block and the second sealing block.

[0026] In one embodiment, the sealing method uses a sealing tool, wherein the sealing tool includes:

[0027] a first sealing block and a second sealing block facing each other,

[0028] Among them, the first sealing block includes a first fixing member and a first replacement member configured to be coupled to the first fixing member and detachable from the first fixing member;

[0029] The second sealing block includes a second fixing member and a second replacement member configured to be coupled to the second fixing member and detachable from the second fixing member.

[0030] Among them, at least one of the first replacement member and the second replacement member is formed with a groove for placing the electrode lead at a position corresponding to the electrode lead.

[0031] In one embodiment, in the replacement member selection process, the first replacement member and / or the second replacement member are provided in several types with different positions and sizes of the grooves.

[0032] In one embodiment, the groove has a size corresponding to the length in the horizontal direction (x-direction) of the electrode lead to be placed in the groove, and a size corresponding to the length in the thickness direction (z-direction) of the electrode lead.

[0033] In one embodiment, the groove has a size corresponding to the length in the horizontal direction (x-direction) of the lead film to be placed in the groove, and a size corresponding to the sum of the lengths in the thickness direction (z-direction) of the electrode lead and the lead film.

[0034] Advantageous Effects

[0035] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a sealing tool can be manufactured by pre-producing several types of replacement members having grooves with various positions and sizes for placing electrode leads, and when the position and / or size of the electrode lead changes, the corresponding replacement member is assembled to the fixing member, thereby providing a sealing tool that can optimize the sealing performance, reduce costs, and avoid the possibility of die errors. Description of the Drawings

[0036] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the sealing process of a pouch secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 2 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a pouch secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 3 is a front view of a sealing tool according to an embodiment.

[0039] Figures 4 to 5 is a diagram showing the effects of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 6 is a diagram showing various embodiments of the sealing block of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the sealing process of a pouch secondary battery according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 8 is a top view and a cross-sectional view showing a pouch secondary battery according to another embodiment.

[0043] Figure 9 is a front view of a sealing tool according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 10 is a diagram showing a coupling method of a fixing member and a replacement member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 11 is a front view of a replacement member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 12 is a front view of a replacement member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 13 is a flowchart for describing a sealing method of a pouch secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] [Description of Reference Numerals]

[0049] 10: Pouch secondary battery

[0050] 13: Electrode lead

[0051] 14a: Sealing member

[0052] 15a, 15b: Outer pouch materials

[0053] 17: Lead film

[0054] 20, 30, 40: Sealing tools

[0055] 21, 31: First sealing blocks

[0056] 21a, 31a, 41a: First replacement members

[0057] 21b, 31b: First fixing members

[0058] 22, 32: Second sealing blocks

[0059] 22a, 32a: Second replacement members

[0060] 22b, 32b: Second fixing members

[0061] 21c, 22c, 31c, 32c, 41c, 42c: Grooves Detailed implementation manners

[0062] In the following, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before that, the terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to general or dictionary terms, but should be interpreted based on the principle that the inventor appropriately defines the term concepts in order to best explain the present disclosure, and their meanings and concepts should be interpreted according to the technical concept of the present disclosure.

[0063] Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to represent all the technical concepts of the present disclosure, and there may be various equivalents and modifications to replace them when submitting an application.

[0064] In addition, when describing the present disclosure, if the specific description of the related disclosed configuration or function would obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, such description is omitted.

[0065] The present disclosure is shown in the embodiments to more fully explain the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, for clarity, the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown. Therefore, the size or ratio of each component does not necessarily represent its actual size or ratio.

[0066] (First Embodiment)

[0067] As a first embodiment, the present disclosure provides a sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery.

[0068] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the sealing process of a pouch-type secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of a pouch-type secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 3 is a front view of a sealing tool according to an embodiment, Figures 4 to 5 is a diagram showing the effect of the present disclosure.

[0069] Referring to these drawings, a sealing tool 20 for a pouch-type secondary battery according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is used to seal the outer pouch materials 15a, 15b in which an electrode assembly (not shown) is embedded. The sealing tool 20 includes a first sealing block 21 and a second sealing block 22 facing each other. The first sealing block 21 includes a first fixing member 21b and a first replacement member 21a, and the second sealing block 22 includes a second fixing member 22b and a second replacement member 22a. At least one of the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a may be formed with grooves 21c, 22c at positions corresponding to the electrode leads 13, respectively.

[0070] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first replacement member 21a and / or the second replacement member 22a in which the grooves 21c and 22c are formed are provided in several types with different positions and / or sizes of the grooves 21c and 22c. When the position and / or size of the electrode lead 13 are changed, among the several types of the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a, the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a having grooves corresponding to the changed position and / or size of the electrode lead 13 can be selected, and the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a can be configured to be coupled to the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b, respectively.

[0071] The sealing block of the conventional sealing tool is composed of a single piece, and in the case where any one of the position of the electrode lead, the thickness of the electrode lead, and the horizontal direction length of the electrode lead is changed, this design method requires manufacturing a new sealing block to optimize the sealing.

[0072] The sealing block of the present disclosure includes a fixing member and a replacement member configured to be detachably attached to the fixing member, wherein the replacement member is provided in several types with different positions and sizes of the grooves, so that when the position and / or size of the electrode lead are changed, a sealing tool can be manufactured by selecting a suitable replacement member and assembling the selected replacement member to the fixing member. Therefore, a sealing tool optimized for the sealing object can be provided, the sealing quality can be improved and the cost can be saved, and the possibility of die error can be prevented.

[0073] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the pouch secondary battery 10 sealed by the sealing tool of the present disclosure includes an electrode assembly (not shown), an electrode lead 13 coupled to the electrode assembly, and pouch exterior materials 15a and 15b. The electrode assembly is accommodated in the pouch exterior materials 15a and 15b, and the front end of the electrode lead 13 is pulled out to the outside. The pouch exterior materials 15a and 15b may include an accommodating portion 12 for accommodating the electrode assembly and a sealing portion formed along the edge surface of the accommodating portion 12 and sealing the accommodating portion 12. At this time, the electrode lead 13 is pulled out to the outside through the sealing portion 14a of any one of the sealing portions formed along the edge surface of the accommodating portion. Here, the sealing portion is a concept including a portion to be sealed.

[0074] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 5 , in order to prevent the electric power generated from the electrode assembly from flowing to the pouch exterior materials 15a and 15b via the electrode lead 13, a part of the electrode lead 13 may be surrounded by a lead film 17. In other words, the sealing may be performed with the lead film 17 interposed between the electrode lead 13 and the pouch exterior materials 15a and 15b.

[0075] Hereinafter, embodiments of the sealing tool of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0076] As Figures 1 to 5 shown, the sealing tool 20 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is a sealing tool for sealing a pouch secondary battery in which the front ends of a pair of electrode leads 13 are pulled out in opposite directions. The sealing tool 20 includes a first sealing block 21 and a second sealing block 22 that face each other. The first sealing block 21 and the second sealing block 22 serve as the main bodies for performing sealing and may be made of a metal material.

[0077] The first sealing block 21 includes a first fixing member 21b and a first replacement member 21a configured to be coupled to the first fixing member 21b and detachable from the first fixing member 21b; the second sealing block 22 includes a second fixing member 22b and a second replacement member 22a configured to be coupled to the second fixing member 22b and detachable from the second fixing member 22b.

[0078] The first sealing block 21 and the second sealing block 22 are configured to apply pressure to the sealing portion 14a of the pouch secondary battery disposed therebetween. As the mutual separation distance between the first sealing block 21 and the second sealing block 22 becomes closer, they respectively contact the upper surface and the lower surface of the sealing portion 14a, thereby sealing the sealing portion 14a.

[0079] The first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a respectively include a first pressing surface 21e and a second pressing surface 22e for pressing the sealing portion 14a of the pouch secondary battery. The first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a may respectively include the first pressing surface 21e and the second pressing surface 22e on the side opposite to the portion where the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b are coupled. When the first sealing block 21 moves downward, the first pressing surface 21e contacts the sealing portion 14a, and when the second sealing block 22 moves upward, the second pressing surface 22e contacts the sealing portion 14a.

[0080] The sealing tool 20 according to an aspect of the present disclosure may further include a first lifting member 21d coupled to the first sealing block 21 and a second lifting member 22d coupled to the second sealing block 22 for moving the first sealing block 21 and the second sealing block 22 in the pressing direction and the opposite direction. Here, the lifting members 21d, 22d may be provided by a common air cylinder or the like, but are not necessarily limited thereto, and include any device capable of lifting the sealing block.

[0081] In at least one of the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a, grooves 21c, 22c for accommodating the electrode lead 13 are formed at positions corresponding to the electrode lead 13. The grooves 21c, 22c are configured such that the electrode lead 13 or the stack of the electrode lead 13 and the lead film 17 is accommodated, and portions other than the electrode lead 13 are sufficiently pressed and sealed. Further, the electrode lead 13 or the stack of the electrode lead 13 and the lead film 17 is sealed with the thickness thereof compensated by the grooves 21c, 22c. Accordingly, although there are steps due to the difference in thickness in the portion where only the two-layer outer material of the bag is sealed and in the portion where the outer material of the bag / lead film / electrode lead / lead film / outer material of the bag are sealed together, pressure can be uniformly applied to these portions.

[0082] However, since the electrode lead 13 is not always positioned in the grooves 21c, 22c constantly in the current sealing process, it is preferable that, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 shown, the grooves 21c, 22c have a margin in consideration of the tolerance of the cross-sectional shape of the conventional electrode lead 13. Specifically, the length of the grooves 21c, 22c in the horizontal direction (x-axis direction) can be formed to be about 1% to 15%, 3% to 15%, 5% to 15% wider than the length of the electrode lead 13 in the horizontal direction (x-axis direction). However, the length of the grooves in the horizontal direction is not limited thereto.

[0083] The grooves may be formed in the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a, or may be formed in any one of the first replacement member and the second replacement member. In this case, the grooves may be formed in the second replacement member 22a located below the electrode lead 13.

[0084] Depending on the material, the sales company, the capacity of the electrode assembly, and the design of the secondary battery, the pulling-out position of the electrode lead 13, the length of the electrode lead in the horizontal direction (x-direction), the length in the longitudinal direction (y-direction), and the length in the thickness direction (z-direction) may vary, and the lead film 17 may also vary accordingly. In order to respond to such variations, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sealing tool 20, the first replacement member 21a and / or the second replacement member 22a in which the grooves are formed are formed into several types with different positions and sizes of the grooves, and the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a are replaced according to the position and size of the electrode lead 13.

[0085] Hereinafter, the operation of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 4 and Figure 5 description.

[0086] With reference to Figure 4, in one embodiment, the electrode lead 13 is inserted between two layers of the outer bag material 15a, 15b, and the sealed portion of the portion where the electrode lead 13 is located is sealed. The electrode lead 13 may have a horizontal direction (x-direction) length EW and a thickness direction (z-direction) length ET, and when the horizontal direction length EW and / or the thickness direction length ET of the electrode lead 13 changes, it is necessary to correspondingly change the horizontal direction length SW and / or the thickness direction length ST of the grooves 21c, 22c for placing the electrode lead in the sealing block. According to the present disclosure, the grooves 21c, 22c have dimensions corresponding to the horizontal direction (x-direction) length EW of the electrode lead to be placed in the grooves and dimensions corresponding to the thickness direction (z-direction) length ET of the electrode lead. In other words, by selecting a replacement part having a groove with dimensions corresponding to the thickness direction (z-direction) length of the electrode lead and coupling the replacement part to the fixing part, a sealing tool optimized for the changed dimensions of the electrode lead can be provided. In addition, even if the position of the electrode lead changes, by selecting, among several types of replacement parts having grooves at various positions, a replacement part having a groove at a position suitable for the position of the electrode lead to be placed and coupling the replacement part to the fixing part, a sealing tool optimized for the change in the position of the electrode lead can also be provided.

[0087] In addition, referring to Figure 5, in another embodiment, the sealing portion of the portion where the electrode lead 13 is located can be sealed when the lead film 17 is inserted between the electrode lead 13 and the outer materials 15a, 15b of the bag. When the horizontal direction (x-direction) length FW of the lead film 17 changes, it is necessary to correspondingly change the horizontal direction (x-direction) length SW of the groove in the sealing block for placing the electrode lead 13 and the lead film 17. In addition, when the thickness of the lead film 17 and / or the thickness of the electrode lead 13 change, it is necessary to correspondingly change the thickness-direction length ST of the grooves 21c, 22c for placing the electrode lead in the sealing block. According to the present disclosure, the grooves 21c, 22c have dimensions corresponding to the horizontal direction (x-direction) length FW of the lead film to be placed in the grooves. In addition, the grooves 21c, 22c have dimensions corresponding to the total thickness-direction (z-direction) length ELT of the electrode lead and the lead film to be placed in the grooves. In other words, by selecting a replacement part of the groove having dimensions corresponding to the thickness-direction (z-direction) length of the electrode lead and the lead film to be placed in the groove, and coupling the replacement part to the fixing part, a sealing tool optimized for the changed dimensions of the lead film and / or the changed dimensions of the electrode lead can be provided. In addition, even when the positions of the electrode lead and the lead film change, by selecting, among several types of replacement parts having grooves at various positions, a replacement part having a groove formed at a position suitable for the positions of the electrode lead and the lead film to be placed, and coupling the replacement part to the fixing part, a sealing tool optimized for the change in the position of the electrode lead can be provided. Figure 5 An embodiment is shown in which the horizontal direction length of the lead film is greater than the horizontal direction length of the electrode lead. However, in the case where the horizontal direction length of the lead film is equal to or less than the horizontal direction length of the electrode lead, the groove can have dimensions corresponding to the horizontal direction length of the electrode lead instead of having dimensions corresponding to the horizontal direction length of the lead film.

[0088] The present disclosure prepares several types of replacement parts having grooves with different positions and dimensions, selects a replacement part having a groove corresponding to the change in the position and dimensions of the electrode lead, and couples the replacement part to the fixing part to form a sealing block.

[0089] When selecting a replacement part, select a replacement part having a groove formed at a position corresponding to the electrode lead and the groove dimensions corresponding to the electrode lead dimensions. The groove can have dimensions corresponding to the horizontal direction (x-direction) length and the thickness-direction (z-direction) length of the electrode lead to be placed in the groove. The groove can have dimensions corresponding to the horizontal direction (x-direction) length of the lead film to be placed in the groove and the sum of the thickness-direction lengths of the electrode lead and the lead film. The groove is formed at a position corresponding to the position of the electrode lead and / or the position of the lead film in the replacement part.

[0090] Accordingly, the sealing tool 20 according to one aspect of the present disclosure has a structure such that when the position and size of the electrode lead are changed, an optimally designed replacement part can be selected and the replacement part can be coupled to the fixed part, so that a pouch secondary battery having various designs and sizes can be sealed without manufacturing a new sealing tool, thereby saving costs.

[0091] As Figure 3 shown, the grooves 21c, 22c may be trapezoidal in shape such that the horizontal direction (x - direction) length of the inlet of the grooves 21c, 22c is greater than the horizontal direction length of the inside of the grooves. In this case, compared with the case where the grooves are rectangular, the risk of damaging the outer material of the pouch can be reduced.

[0092] Figure 12 is a front view of a replacement part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 12 , the grooves 41c, 42c formed in the replacement parts 41a, 42a may include a first step portion SP1 and a second step portion SP2. Although Figure 12 shows an embodiment having two step portions, it is not limited thereto and may include three or more step portions. When there are two or more step portions, the electrode lead 13 and the outer materials 15a, 15b of the pouch can adhere more firmly, thereby improving the sealing performance and reducing unsealed portions. Although Figure 12 the lead film is not shown in , those skilled in the art will understand that when sealing is performed in the case of having a lead film around the electrode lead, the grooves of the replacement part can be modified to include two or more step portions.

[0093] Figure 6 is a diagram showing various embodiments of the sealing block of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 6 , the fixed part 22b and the replacement part 22a can be designed and configured to be coupled in various forms such as (a) to (c).

[0094] In one embodiment, the first fixed part 21b and the first replacement part 21a can be coupled and fixed by bolt - nut engagement, and the second fixed part 22b and the second replacement part 22a can be coupled and fixed by bolt - nut engagement.

[0095] Figure 10 is a diagram showing a coupling method of a fixed part and a replacement part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 11 is a front view of a replacement part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] Referring to Figure 10 and Figure 11, the first fixing member 21b and the first replacement member 21a may be configured to be slidably coupled, and the second fixing member 22b and the second replacement member 22a may be configured to be slidably coupled. The first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b may include sliding grooves (not shown), and the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a may be slidably and movably coupled in the sliding grooves. The first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a may include at least one coupling member H, and the coupling member H may be a hook. If there are two or more hooks H, the coupling members H may be arranged at a predetermined interval along the horizontal direction (x-direction) of the first replacement member 21a and the second replacement member 22a. The hook is hook-shaped and serves to fix the replacement member coupled to the fixing member. When the fixing member and the replacement member are coupled by the method of a sliding hook, it may be easier to couple and disassemble the fixing member and the replacement member.

[0097] The sealing tool 20 according to an embodiment may further include a heating member (not shown) for heating the first sealing block 21 and the second sealing block 22 to perform hot pressing on the sealing portion. The heating member may be respectively coupled to the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b and is configured to heat the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b.

[0098] The sealing tool 20 according to another embodiment may include a heating member (not shown) embedded in the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b to perform hot pressing on the sealing portion. The heating member may be located at the inner central portion of the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b. The heating member may include a main heating element and an auxiliary heating element to perform hot pressing on the sealing portion at a uniform temperature. The main heating element may be arranged at the inner central portion of the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b, and the auxiliary heating element may be arranged at the inner peripheral portion of the first fixing member 21b and the second fixing member 22b.

[0099] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the sealing process of a pouch secondary battery according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 8 is a top view and a cross-sectional view showing a pouch secondary battery according to another embodiment, Figure 9 is a front view of a sealing tool according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0100] Referring to these drawings, the sealing tool 30 according to the second embodiment is a sealing tool for sealing a pouch secondary battery in which the front ends of a pair of electrode leads 13 are pulled out in the same direction. The sealing tool 30 includes a first sealing block 31 and a second sealing block 32 facing each other.

[0101] The first sealing block 31 includes a first fixing member 31b and a first replacement member 31a configured to be coupled to the first fixing member 31b and detachable from the first fixing member 31b; the second sealing block 32 includes a second fixing member 32b and a second replacement member 32a configured to be coupled to the second fixing member 32b and detachable from the second fixing member 32b.

[0102] In at least one of the first replacement member 31a and the second replacement member 32a, grooves 31c, 32c for accommodating the electrode leads are formed corresponding to the positions and numbers of the electrode leads 13.

[0103] According to Figures 7 to 9 The sealing tool 30 of the embodiment shown is different from the sealing tool of the first embodiment above in terms of the positions and numbers of the grooves 31c, 32c formed in one replacement member. Except for this, the rest of the technical description has been described above, so redundant explanations are omitted.

[0104] (Second Embodiment)

[0105] In the second embodiment, the present disclosure provides a sealing method for a pouch-type secondary battery that seals an outer material of a pouch in which an electrode assembly is embedded.

[0106] Figure 13 is a flowchart for describing a sealing method of a pouch-type secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 13 , a sealing method of a pouch-type secondary battery according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a replacement member selection process (P110) of selecting a first replacement member and a second replacement member having grooves with dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the electrode leads; a sealing block preparation process (P120) of preparing a first sealing block by coupling the selected first replacement member to a first fixing member and preparing a second sealing block by coupling the selected second replacement member to a second fixing member; an arrangement process (P130) of arranging a sealing portion of the pouch-type secondary battery between the first sealing block and the second sealing block; and a process (P140) of applying pressure to the sealing portion by contact of the first sealing block and the second sealing block.

[0107] The sealing method can use the above-mentioned sealing tools 20, 30. For example, the sealing tool may include a first sealing block and a second sealing block facing each other, wherein the first sealing block includes a first fixing member and a first replacement member configured to be coupled to the first fixing member and detachable from the first fixing member; the second sealing block includes a second fixing member and a second replacement member configured to be coupled to the second fixing member and detachable from the second fixing member; wherein, at least one of the first replacement member and the second replacement member may be formed with grooves for accommodating the electrode leads at positions corresponding to the electrode leads.

[0108] The replacement part selection process (P110) may be a process of selecting a replacement part having a groove formed with a position suitable for the electrode lead, a size of the electrode lead, and a size of the lead film. A sealing tool according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a sealing block including a fixing part and a replacement part, wherein the replacement part is provided in several types with different positions and sizes of the groove. In the replacement part selection process (P110), a replacement part having a groove optimized for the position of the electrode lead, the size of the electrode lead, and the size of the lead film is selected. When using the above sealing tool, in the replacement part selection process (P110), the first replacement parts 21a, 31a and / or the second replacement parts 22a, 32a may be provided in several types with different positions and sizes of the grooves 21c, 22c, 31c, 32c.

[0109] As Figure 4 shown, in an embodiment where sealing is performed in a case where the electrode lead 13 is embedded between the two-layer bag outer materials 15a, 15b, the grooves 21c, 22c, 31c, 32c may have a size corresponding to the length in the horizontal direction (x direction) of the electrode lead to be placed in the groove, and a size corresponding to the length in the thickness direction (z direction) of the electrode lead.

[0110] As Figure 5 shown, in an embodiment where sealing is performed in a case where the lead film 17 is placed between the electrode lead 13 and the bag outer materials 15a, 15b, the grooves 21c, 22c, 31c, 32c may have a size corresponding to the length in the horizontal direction (x direction) of the lead film to be placed in the groove, and a size corresponding to the sum of the lengths in the thickness direction (z direction) of the electrode lead and the lead film.

[0111] The sealing block preparation process (P120) may be a process of assembling the sealing block by coupling the selected replacement part to the fixing part. Since the coupling method of the fixing part and the replacement part has been described in detail previously, redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0112] The arrangement process (P130) may be a step of arranging the sealing portion of the pouch secondary battery between the first sealing block and the second sealing block. The first replacement part of the first sealing block and the second replacement part of the second sealing block may be respectively provided with a first pressing surface and a second pressing surface for pressing the sealing portion, and when the sealing portion is arranged, the first pressing surface and the second pressing surface may face the sealing portion.

[0113] The pressing process (P140) may be a process of applying pressure to the sealing portion by moving the first sealing block and the second sealing block respectively toward the sealing portion where the electrode lead is located and making contact.

[0114] The sealing method of the pouch secondary battery according to an aspect of the present disclosure can save time and cost of newly manufacturing a sealing tool because several types of replacement parts having grooves of various sizes for placing electrode leads can be prefabricated. When the positions and sizes of the electrode leads and the lead film change, a replacement part having an optimized groove can be selected, and the sealing part where the electrode leads are located can be sealed with a sealing block to which the selected replacement part is coupled. In addition, the sealing performance can be improved through the optimized design of the sealing tool.

[0115] As described above, the present disclosure has been described in more detail with reference to the drawings and embodiments. Therefore, the configurations described herein or shown in the drawings are only one embodiment of the present disclosure and do not represent all the technical spirits of the present disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace the embodiments and configurations at the time of filing this application.

Claims

1. A sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery for sealing a pouch outer material in which an electrode assembly is embedded, The sealing tool of the pouch-type secondary battery comprises: The first sealing block and the second sealing block face each other, wherein the first sealing block comprises a first fixing component and a first replacement component configured to be coupled to the first fixing component and detachable from the first fixing component; The second sealing block includes a second fixing component and a second replacement component configured to be coupled to and detachable from the second fixing component; At least one of the first replacement component and the second replacement component is formed with a groove for accommodating the electrode lead at a position corresponding to the electrode lead.

2. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The groove has a dimension corresponding to a length of the electrode lead to be placed in the groove in a horizontal direction (x direction), and a dimension corresponding to a length of the electrode lead in a thickness direction (z direction).

3. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The groove has a dimension corresponding to a horizontal direction (x direction) length of a lead film to be placed in the groove, and a dimension corresponding to a sum of thickness direction (z direction) lengths of the electrode lead and the lead film.

4. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first sealing block and the second sealing block are configured to apply pressure to a sealing portion of the pouch type secondary battery disposed between the first sealing block and the second sealing block.

5. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first and second replacement parts include first and second pressing surfaces for applying pressure to a sealing portion of the pouch-type secondary battery, respectively.

6. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The groove has a trapezoidal shape such that a horizontal length (x direction) of an entrance of the groove is greater than a horizontal length of an inner portion of the groove.

7. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The groove includes two or more step portions. 8 . The sealing tool of the pouch type secondary battery according to claim 1 , further comprising a heating member coupled to each of the first fixing part and the second fixing part and configured to heat the first fixing part and the second fixing part.

9. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 8, wherein: The heating member is embedded in each of the first and second fixing parts. 10 . The sealing tool for a pouch type secondary battery according to claim 1 , further comprising a first lifting member coupled to the first sealing block and a second lifting member coupled to the second sealing block for moving the first sealing block and the second sealing block in a pressing direction and an opposite direction.

11. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first fixing component and the first replacement component are coupled and fixed by bolt-nut engagement, The second fixing member and the second replacement member are coupled and fixed by bolt-nut engagement.

12. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first fixing component and the first replacement component are configured to be slidably coupled, The second fixing component and the second replacement component are configured to be slidably coupled.

13. The sealing tool for a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first replacement part and / or the second replacement part are provided in several types having different positions and sizes of the grooves.

14. A method for sealing a pouch-type secondary battery having a pouch outer material in which an electrode assembly is embedded, The sealing method of the pouch-type secondary battery includes: a replacement part selection process of selecting a first replacement part and a second replacement part having grooves corresponding to the position of the electrode lead and the size of the electrode lead, respectively; a sealing block preparing process of preparing a first sealing block by coupling a selected first replacement component to a first fixing component, and preparing a second sealing block by coupling a selected second replacement component to a second fixing component; Arrangement process of arranging a sealing portion of the pouch type secondary battery between the first sealing block and the second sealing block; as well as A process of applying pressure to the sealing portion through contact between the first sealing block and the second sealing block.

15. The method for sealing a pouch type secondary battery according to claim 14, wherein The sealing method uses a sealing tool, in, The sealing tool comprises: The first sealing block and the second sealing block face each other, wherein the first sealing block comprises a first fixing component and a first replacement component configured to be coupled to the first fixing component and detachable from the first fixing component; The second sealing block includes a second fixing component and a second replacement component configured to be coupled to and detachable from the second fixing component. At least one of the first replacement component and the second replacement component is formed with a groove for accommodating the electrode lead at a position corresponding to the electrode lead.

16. The method for sealing a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 15, wherein: In the replacement component selection process, The first replacement part and / or the second replacement part are provided in several types having different positions and sizes of the grooves.

17. The method for sealing a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 14, wherein: The groove has a dimension corresponding to a length of the electrode lead to be placed in the groove in a horizontal direction (x direction), and a dimension corresponding to a length of the electrode lead in a thickness direction (z direction).

18. The method for sealing a pouch-type secondary battery according to claim 14, wherein: The groove has a dimension corresponding to a horizontal direction (x direction) length of a lead film to be placed in the groove, and a dimension corresponding to a sum of thickness direction (z direction) lengths of the electrode lead and the lead film.

Images