Tray for conveying battery cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a tray for conveying battery cells, which adopts a double-layer hollow wall structure for minimizing a left-right gap in a manner of fastening an upper-layer battery cell and a lower-layer battery cell when the tray for conveying the battery cells is loaded in multiple layers. And a rib structure for preventing foreign matters generated when the tray for conveying the battery core is fastened up and down from entering the battery core placing part is adopted, so that the safety, reliability and the like in the carrying process can be improved by preventing the foreign matters from entering and the battery core from being damaged when the secondary battery is transported.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a battery cell transport tray, and more specifically, to a battery cell transport tray that can improve the safety and reliability of the handling process by preventing foreign objects from entering and battery cells from being damaged when transporting secondary batteries. Background Technology

[0002] Rechargeable batteries are widely used not only in small mobile devices but also in medium to large-sized devices such as electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and energy storage devices. To increase capacity and power, rechargeable batteries are used by connecting multiple battery cells, such as pouch-type rechargeable batteries that are easy to load and lightweight. When transporting rechargeable batteries in large quantities, battery cell transport trays with spaces formed to accommodate multiple batteries can be used. These battery cells are stored in the trays, and the trays containing the battery cells are transported by multi-layer loading within transport containers.

[0003] In existing battery cell transport trays, when battery cells are loaded in multiple layers, the following method is used: multiple cylindrical protrusions are provided at a predetermined interval on the edge or middle of the tray, and recesses are provided on the bottom surface of the tray in a shape corresponding to the protrusions to accommodate the protrusions, thereby fixing the tray by fastening the protrusions and recesses.

[0004] However, in battery cell transport trays with this structure, the protrusions may break due to friction during battery cell placement, allowing foreign objects to fall into the battery cell placement area, or foreign objects from the outside may enter the placement area. In this case, the battery cells may develop dents, scratches, cracks, etc. This damage to the battery cells leads to a decrease in quality and may cause equipment malfunction.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: KR 1981-0001136 Y1

[0008] Patent Document 2: JP 1998-273145 A Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues

[0010] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art as described above. One object of the present invention is to provide a battery cell transport tray that can be stably secured by preventing lateral swaying when battery cells are loaded in multiple layers.

[0011] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a battery cell transport tray that can prevent foreign objects generated by friction from entering the battery cell placement part when fastening the upper battery cell transport tray and the lower battery cell transport tray, thereby preventing surface damage such as scratches, creases, dents, and abrasions on the surface of the battery cell transport tray, and ultimately ensuring good transport safety.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery cell transport tray that can prevent product damage by minimizing contact and friction between the upper battery cell transport tray and the lower battery cell transport tray in a multi-layer loading, thereby maintaining battery performance and ensuring reliability.

[0013] Technical solution

[0014] One embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problems relates to a battery cell tray.

[0015] The aforementioned battery cell transport tray is plate-shaped and consists of a main body and an edge portion forming the periphery of the main body. The main body includes: one or more battery cell placement portions, which are groove-shaped, for accommodating battery cells; and lead wire storage portions for storing the leads of the battery cells extending from both sides along the long side direction of the battery cell placement portions. The battery cell transport tray is characterized in that...

[0016] The aforementioned edge portion is formed as a double-layer hollow wall structure, which consists of an upper surface, an inner wall and an outer wall extending downward from the upper surface and facing each other, and a pair of curved portions formed between the upper surface and the inner and outer walls. The position of the inner wall of the tray for placing the upper battery cell is formed as a recess for accommodating the inner wall, and the inner end of the recess is formed as a rib with a specified height. The rib is used to prevent foreign objects from entering the battery cell placement portion.

[0017] The aforementioned battery cell transport tray includes a plurality of cylindrical support portions formed in the middle of the main body portion for supporting the battery cell transport tray when the battery cell transport tray is loaded in multiple layers. The cylindrical support portions are configured to include edge protrusions that protrude upward at a predetermined height on the surface of the tray and legs formed on the bottom surface of the battery cell transport tray, such that the legs of the upper battery cell transport tray are placed within the edge protrusions of the lower battery cell transport tray.

[0018] The battery cell transport tray of the present invention may further include an anti-sagging structure, wherein the anti-sagging structure is formed with straight ribs that intersect in a cross shape around the legs.

[0019] The aforementioned battery cell transport tray is configured such that the surfaces of the upper battery cell transport tray and the lower battery cell transport tray do not contact each other except for the aforementioned edge portion and the aforementioned cylindrical support portion.

[0020] A through hole for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells is formed in the middle part of the battery cell placement section of the battery cell transport tray of the present invention. It can be used to visually confirm whether the battery cells are stored in the lower layer along the loading direction of the battery cell transport tray. A height difference is provided in the through hole for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells on the inner side along the loading direction of the battery cell transport tray.

[0021] The aforementioned lead storage section may consist of an electrode plate resting section formed at a predetermined height d2 from the bottom surface of the battery cell placement section and a groove section connected to the aforementioned electrode plate resting section.

[0022] The aforementioned battery cell transport tray may include three or more of the aforementioned cylindrical support portions between the battery cell placement portions arranged side by side in the middle of the aforementioned main body.

[0023] The effects of the invention

[0024] In the battery cell transport tray of the present invention, the edge portion of the battery cell transport tray is composed of a double-layer hollow wall structure, which is a double-layer wall structure. Therefore, when battery cells are loaded in multiple layers, the entire inclined surface of the plate-shaped battery cell remains stationary, thereby enabling more stable fastening.

[0025] According to the present invention, the cylindrical support portion formed on the surface of the battery cell transport tray has the following effect: when the battery cell transport tray is loaded in multiple layers, the cylindrical support portion of the battery cell transport tray located in the lower layer along the loading direction is placed inside the cylindrical support portion of the battery cell transport tray located in the upper layer, thereby preventing sagging and preventing foreign objects from entering through the edge protrusions to protect the battery cell transport tray, thereby minimizing problems such as product defects.

[0026] Moreover, according to the present invention, the battery cell transport tray will not crack or be damaged, the surface of the battery cell transport tray is free from scratches, creases, dents, scratches and other cosmetic damage, and the battery cells can be effectively prevented from detaching when loading them. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a simplified perspective view of a battery cell transport tray according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A simplified perspective view of the bottom surface of the battery cell transport tray shown.

[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 1The sectional view shown is along line A-A'.

[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The sectional view shown is along line B-B'.

[0031] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of the tray used for transporting battery cells. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The preferred embodiment of the battery cell transport tray of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] In the process of describing the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding structural elements will be given the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions of them will be omitted.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a simplified perspective view of a battery cell transport tray according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 for Figure 1 The sectional view shown is along line A-A'. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A simplified perspective view of the bottom surface of the battery cell transport tray shown. Figure 4 for Figure 1 The sectional view shown is along line B-B'.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a simplified perspective view illustrating a battery cell transport tray according to an embodiment of the present invention. The battery cell transport tray of the present invention is a device for transporting or storing battery cells by accommodating secondary batteries within it. The battery cells stored in the tray can be integrally shaped as a rectangular plate.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 According to one embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell transport tray 100 is a battery cell transport tray consisting of a body portion 10 and an edge portion 11 forming the periphery of the body portion 10. The body portion 10 includes: one or more battery cell placement portions 12, which are groove-shaped and used to accommodate battery cells; and lead wire storage portions 13, which are used to store the leads of the battery cells that extend from the two sides of the battery cell placement portions 12 along the long side direction.

[0037] The aforementioned main body 10 defines the shape of the battery cell transport tray 100, and a plurality of battery cell placement portions 12 are formed on the main body 10 to house battery cells internally. The battery cell placement portions 12 formed on the main body are formed into generally rectangular grooves to accommodate battery cells. The aforementioned battery cell placement portions 12 are composed of a bottom surface for placing battery cells and a plurality of side walls for supporting the sides of battery cells.

[0038] Reference Figure 3 The aforementioned edge portion 11 is formed as a double-layer hollow wall structure, which consists of an upper surface 111, an inner wall 112 and an outer wall 113 extending downward from the upper surface and facing each other, and a pair of bends 114 formed between the upper surface and the inner and outer walls. The bends 114 are bent inward so that the inner wall 112 or the outer wall 113 of the upper battery cell transport tray is located therein, and the inner bend 114 is formed as a recess 115 with a width greater than that of the inner wall 112. The inner end of the recess 115 is formed as a rib 116 of a predetermined height, which is used to prevent foreign objects from entering the battery cell placement area.

[0039] The aforementioned double-layer hollow wall structure is used to prevent lateral movement when the battery cell transport tray is loaded in multiple layers, and it is a structure to prevent the tray body from detaching. On the other hand, the rib 116 prevents foreign objects from entering when the battery cell transport tray is loaded vertically, thereby protecting the battery cells from external damage such as scratches, dents, and abrasions.

[0040] Reference Figure 4 The battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention includes a cylindrical support portion 40, which is formed in the middle of the main body portion 10 to prevent the battery cell transport tray from sagging when the battery cell transport tray is loaded in multiple layers. The cylindrical support portion 40 is positioned in a state where it is inserted into the cylindrical support portion of the upper tray. This cylindrical support portion 40 is the portion used to support and hold the lower surface of the battery cell.

[0041] The aforementioned cylindrical support 40 is formed by an edge protrusion 41 that projects upward at a predetermined height on the surface of the tray. Legs 42 are formed on the bottom surface of the battery cell transport tray, such that the legs 42 of the upper battery cell transport tray are placed within the edge protrusion 41 of the lower battery cell transport tray. Although in Figure 4 The diagram shows that the edge protrusion 41 is annular and the leg 42 is cylindrical, but the shape is not particularly limited. The aforementioned cylindrical support 40 is formed on the side adjacent to the battery cell placement section 12 to prevent sagging in the middle and to prevent foreign objects from entering the battery cell placement section 12. Existing battery cell transport trays do not have a structure to prevent foreign objects from entering the battery cell placement section when the battery cell transport tray is tightened from top to bottom, which leads to damage to the surface of the battery cell transport tray.

[0042] The battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention can be configured such that the upper and lower battery cell transport trays do not contact each other except for the aforementioned edge portion 11 and the aforementioned cylindrical support portion 40. That is, the height difference in the stacking direction of the battery cell transport trays can act as a stop, thereby preventing the bottom of the upper battery cell transport tray from contacting the battery cells housed in the battery cell placement portion 12 of the lower battery cell transport tray. Existing battery cell transport trays have the problem that there are many wear marks caused by friction at the lower end of the battery cell placement surface, resulting in foreign matter, which can enter the battery cells. However, in the battery cell transport tray of the present invention, scratches or wear on the battery cell transport tray can be minimized by minimizing the friction points between the loaded upper and lower battery cell transport trays.

[0043] The battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention may include a polarity display portion 30 formed on the surface of the lead storage portion 13 by engraving or embossing. In conventional battery cell transport trays, the polarity display portion for displaying the positive or negative electrode is formed on the bottom surface of the battery cell placement portion by embossing. Therefore, it is difficult to confirm the polarity when placing the battery cell, and because it is formed by embossing, foreign objects may fall off during multi-layer loading, potentially damaging the battery cell. In contrast, in the battery cell transport tray of the present invention, the polarity display portion 30 is formed on the surface of the lead storage portion 13 by engraving, thereby minimizing friction. Furthermore, because it is formed on one side of the lead storage portion 13, the polarity can be confirmed even when a battery cell is placed. Placing the battery cell with the opposite polarity may damage the battery cell, thus preventing incorrect storage.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 In the battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention, a through hole 20 for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells is provided in the middle portion of the battery cell placement section 12. The presence or absence of battery cells can be visually confirmed through this through hole 20 to determine whether a battery cell is stored in the lower layer along the loading direction of the battery cell transport tray. A height difference is provided in the through hole 20 along the loading direction of the battery cell transport tray. This height difference is an annular portion extending around the bottom surface and protruding inward. In conventional battery cell transport trays, the through hole 20 for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells is formed in a manner that directly contacts the battery cell transport tray. However, in the battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention, the through hole 20 for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells is designed not to directly contact the battery cells, thereby minimizing friction on the product.

[0045] A battery cell 200 typically includes: a battery casing forming the exterior; an electrode assembly housed inside the battery casing; electrode leads 210 electrically connected to the electrode assembly and protruding outwards from the battery casing; and electrode sheets protruding from the electrode assembly to connect the electrode leads to the electrode assembly. Typically, battery cell transport trays lack a portion for placing electrode sheets, resulting in weak protection for these areas. The battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention includes an electrode sheet resting portion 131 for placing the electrode sheets of the battery cell.

[0046] The aforementioned lead-receiving portion 13 comprises an electrode sheet resting portion 131 formed from the bottom surface at a predetermined height d2 at the starting portion of the electrode sheet in the battery cell placement portion 12, and a groove portion 132 connected to the electrode sheet resting portion 131. The height d1 of the groove portion 132 from the bottom surface is greater than the height d2 from the bottom surface of the battery cell placement portion 12 to the electrode sheet resting portion 131 (d1>d2). Therefore, the electrode sheet does not need to contact the bottom surface of the groove portion 132, but is only rested on the electrode sheet resting portion 131, thereby preventing the electrode sheet from bending or moving left or right, and thus protecting the electrode sheet. In this invention, the battery cell placement portion 12 can be formed as a multi-layer structure with two or more layers.

[0047] Reference Figure 2 On the bottom surface of the battery cell transport tray of the present invention, cylindrical support legs 42 are formed between the battery cell placement portions 12, and an anti-sagging structure can be formed therein. This anti-sagging structure is formed by straight ribs 411 intersecting in a cross shape around the legs 42. These straight ribs 411 extend to the lead wire storage portions arranged side-by-side and the adjacent legs 42. Existing battery cell transport trays only have a cross-shaped straight rib structure, which is often weak in supporting battery cell transport trays loaded in multiple layers. In the battery cell transport tray of the present invention, the cylindrical support legs 42 are formed in the center of the cross-shaped straight ribs 411, thus strengthening the rigidity and enhancing the anti-sagging function even when loaded in multiple layers. Typically, a two-pocket fixing structure is provided at the center of the battery cell transport tray, which is the central part used to support adjacent upper and lower battery cell transport trays when loaded in multiple layers, but sagging occurs due to the weight of the products. In order to improve this problem, in addition to designing the edge portion of the four sides of the battery cell transport tray as a double-layer hollow wall structure, three or more, preferably eight or more, cylindrical support portions 40 can be formed between the battery cell placement portions arranged side by side in the middle of the main body portion 10 to support the battery cell transport tray when loading.

[0048] Threaded holes 50 may be further formed in the battery cell transport tray of the present invention. The threaded holes 50 are used to fasten the battery cell transport tray loaded on the four corner portions of the body portion 10 by threads.

[0049] The battery cell transport tray 100 of the present invention can be manufactured by processing a plate-shaped component of synthetic resin material using a so-called injection molding method or vacuum forming method. According to one embodiment, the battery cell transport tray of the present invention can be made of at least one resin selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyester, styrene-butadiene copolymer, polystyrene, polyimide, polyamide, polysulfone, polycarbonate, polyacrylate, and polyvinyl chloride.

[0050] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and alterations can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the invention claims and their equivalents.

[0051] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0052] 100: Tray for transporting battery cells

[0053] 10: Body part 11: Edge part

[0054] 111: Upper surface; 112: Inner wall

[0055] 113: Outer wall; 114: Corner

[0056] 115: Depression 116: Rib

[0057] 12: Battery cell placement section 13: Lead wire storage section

[0058] 131: Electrode plate support section; 132: Groove section

[0059] 20: Whether there is a through hole for testing battery cells

[0060] 30: Polarity display section

[0061] 40: Cylindrical support part; 41: Edge protrusion.

[0062] 42: Legs 411: Straight tendons

[0063] 50: Threaded hole.

Claims

1. A tray for conveying battery cells, plate-shaped, comprising a body portion and an edge portion forming the periphery of the body portion, wherein the body portion includes: The battery cell transport tray is characterized by having one or more trough-shaped battery cell placement sections for accommodating battery cells, and lead wire storage sections for storing the leads of the battery cells extending from both sides along the long side of the aforementioned battery cell placement sections. The aforementioned edge portion is formed as a double-layer hollow wall structure, which consists of an upper surface, an inner wall and an outer wall extending downward from the upper surface and facing each other, and a pair of curved portions formed between the upper surface and the inner and outer walls. The position of the inner wall of the tray for placing the upper battery cell is formed as a recess for accommodating the inner wall, and the inner end of the recess is formed as a rib with a specified height. The rib is used to prevent foreign objects from entering the battery cell placement portion.

2. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned battery cell transport tray includes multiple cylindrical support portions formed between battery cell placement portions in the middle of the main body portion. These cylindrical support portions are used to prevent the battery cell transport tray from sagging when the battery cell transport tray is loaded in multiple layers. The cylindrical support portions are configured to include edge protrusions that project upwards at a predetermined height on the tray surface and legs formed on the bottom surface of the battery cell transport tray, such that the legs of the upper battery cell transport tray are placed within the edge protrusions of the lower battery cell transport tray.

3. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned battery cell transport tray also includes an anti-sagging structure, in which straight ribs are formed around the aforementioned legs in a cross shape.

4. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned battery cell transport tray is configured such that the surfaces of the upper battery cell transport tray and the lower battery cell transport tray do not contact each other except for the aforementioned edge portion and the aforementioned cylindrical support portion.

5. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a through hole for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells. This through hole is formed in the middle part of the battery cell placement section of the battery cell transport tray, and can be used to visually confirm whether the battery cells are stored in the lower layer along the loading direction of the battery cell transport tray. A height difference is provided inside the through hole for detecting the presence or absence of battery cells along the loading direction of the tray for transporting battery cells.

6. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned lead storage section consists of an electrode plate resting section formed at a predetermined height (d2) from the bottom surface of the battery cell placement section and a groove section connected to the aforementioned electrode plate resting section.

7. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 2, characterized in that, The aforementioned battery cell transport tray includes three or more of the aforementioned cylindrical support portions.

8. The battery cell conveying tray according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned battery cell transport tray also includes a polarity display section formed by engraving or relief on the surface of the aforementioned lead storage section.

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