Rechargeable batteries and their manufacturing methods
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-14
Smart Images
Figure CN122576535A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to rechargeable batteries and methods for manufacturing the same. Background Technology
[0002] A rechargeable battery is a device that converts external electrical energy into chemical energy, stores it, and allows the stored chemical energy to be used again as electrical energy.
[0003] A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly that stores electrical energy as chemical energy and a casing that houses the electrode assembly and forms the appearance of the rechargeable battery.
[0004] The housing needs to have an internal space formed to accommodate the electrode assembly, and the housing with the internal space can be manufactured in a variety of ways. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The embodiment includes a rechargeable battery comprising: an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator; a housing housing therein containing the electrode assembly; a linear welded portion extending across a first surface of a plurality of surfaces of the housing along a first direction, the linear welded portion having two sides in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a protruding extension at at least one side of the two sides of the linear welded portion, the protruding extension protruding from the first surface and extending along the first direction.
[0006] The protruding extension may be formed by the remaining portion of the compensation protrusion protruding from the first surface after the welding melting of the linear welding portion, which is a part of the compensation protrusion.
[0007] The first surface may include a first portion on one side of the linear weld portion and a second portion on the other side of the linear weld portion, and the linear weld portion may be formed by butt welding of the first portion and the second portion.
[0008] The protruding extension may include a first protruding extension on the first portion and a second protruding extension on the second portion.
[0009] The first surface may include a first portion on one side of the linear weld portion and a second portion on the other side of the linear weld portion. The protruding extension may include a first protruding extension on the first portion and a second protruding extension on the second portion. The distance between the outer ends of the first protruding extension and the outer ends of the second protruding extension along the second direction may be greater than the width of the linear weld portion.
[0010] The distance along the second direction between the inner end of the first protruding extension and the inner end of the second protruding extension can correspond to the width of the linear welded portion.
[0011] The welding depth of the linear welded portion can be less than the thickness of the first surface.
[0012] The welded portion extending along the first direction is only on the first surface of the housing.
[0013] At least a portion of the shell may be a curved plate-shaped base material, and a pair of ends of the base material may be butt-welded at a linear weld section.
[0014] The multiple edges of the shell extending along the first direction may correspond to the curved portions in which the plate-shaped matrix material is bent.
[0015] The linear welded portion can extend across the entire first surface along the first direction.
[0016] The rechargeable battery may further include a tail weld portion extending at one end of the linear weld portion in a direction intersecting the first direction.
[0017] The side surfaces located on both sides of the housing in the first direction can be connected to the first surface by welding.
[0018] The housing may include: a main body portion including a first surface, the main body portion extending along a first direction and having a side surface of the main body portion open in the first direction; a side portion closing the side surface of the main body portion; and a side weld portion extending along the periphery of the side portion, the side weld portion being located between the main body portion and the side portion.
[0019] The end of the linear welded section can contact the side welded section.
[0020] The side surface of the housing in the first direction may include terminal portions connected to the electrode assembly.
[0021] The rechargeable battery may further include a venting portion on a second surface of the housing, the second surface being opposite to the first surface of the housing, the venting portion being openable due to an increase in internal pressure of the housing to release gas from inside the housing to the outside of the housing.
[0022] The implementation includes a method of manufacturing a rechargeable battery, the method comprising: welding a first surface of a housing to form a linear welded portion extending across the first surface along a first direction; and accommodating an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator inside the housing, wherein the linear welded portion is formed adjacent to at least one protruding extension protruding from the first surface in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the protruding extension extending along the first direction.
[0023] The first surface may be provided with a compensating protrusion protruding from the first surface and extending along a first direction, and the method may further include melting a portion of the compensating protrusion by welding to form at least a portion of a linear weld portion, and the remaining portion of the compensating protrusion forming at least one protruding extension.
[0024] The method of manufacturing a rechargeable battery may further include: cutting a metal plate extending along a second direction to form a plate-shaped substrate material; and bending the substrate material such that both ends of the substrate material are located on a first surface to form a main body portion of the casing, wherein a linear weld portion is formed by welding the two ends of the substrate material located on the first surface, and a compensation protrusion is formed at both ends of the substrate material by cutting the metal plate. Attached Figure Description
[0025] Features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0026] Figure 1 A perspective view of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0027] Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0028] Figure 3 An internal cross-sectional view of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0029] Figure 4 A perspective view of the main body portion of the casing in a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0030] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view showing a linearly welded portion of the main body portion in a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0031] Figure 6 A linear weld portion is shown where welding is performed without a compensating protrusion provided on the first surface of the housing;
[0032] Figure 7 The process of compensating for protrusion melting and forming linear weld portions in a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0033] Figure 8A and Figure 8B A finishing welding portion is shown in the casing of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0034] Figure 9 A perspective view is shown of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with the venting component detached from the housing.
[0035] Figure 10 A perspective view is shown of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with the side portion of the casing removed.
[0036] Figure 11 A side-welded portion of a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;
[0037] Figure 12 This illustration schematically shows a case where the base material is prepared by cutting a metal plate in an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0038] Figure 13 The illustration schematically shows a case where a matrix material with compensating protrusions is formed in an embodiment of this disclosure;
[0039] Figure 14 The process of forming the main body portion by bending the substrate material is illustrated in an embodiment of this disclosure; and
[0040] Figure 15 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery according to an embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation
[0041] Example embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, they may be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey exemplary implementations to those skilled in the art.
[0042] In the accompanying drawings, for clarity, the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated. It will also be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being "on" another layer or substrate, it may be directly on the other layer or substrate, or there may be intermediate layers. Furthermore, it will be understood that when a layer is referred to as being "below" another layer, it may be directly below, and one or more intermediate layers may be present. Additionally, it will be understood that when a layer is referred to as being "between" two layers, the layer may be the only layer between the two layers, or one or more intermediate layers may be present. The same reference numerals always denote the same elements.
[0043] As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, portions of the drawings unrelated to the detailed description have been omitted to ensure clarity of this disclosure.
[0044] In this specification, repeated descriptions of the same components will be omitted.
[0045] Furthermore, it should be understood in this specification that when an element is described as being "joined" or "connected" to another element, the element may be "directly joined" or "directly connected" to the other element, or may be "joined" or "connected" to the other element through a third element. Conversely, it should be understood in this specification that when an element is described as being "directly joined" or "directly connected" to another element, there is no element between the element and the other element.
[0046] Furthermore, the terminology used in this specification is only for describing specific implementations and is not intended to limit this disclosure.
[0047] The singular expressions used in this article include plural expressions, unless they have a clearly opposite meaning in the context.
[0048] Furthermore, it should be understood in this specification that the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” or “configuration” indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.
[0049] In this specification, the term "and / or" includes any combination of the listed items or any one of the listed items. In this specification, "A or B" may include one of "A" and "B", or "both A and B".
[0050] Figure 1 The appearance of a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the rechargeable battery 1 includes a housing 100, which can form the appearance of the rechargeable battery 1.
[0051] The housing 100 can have various shapes. For example, the housing 100 can have the following shapes: Figure 1 The hexahedral shape shown can be various shapes, such as cylindrical, as needed. In the following description, for better understanding and ease of description, a shell 100 with a hexahedral shape will be described by reference.
[0052] The housing 100 can be made of various materials. For example, the housing 100 can be made of various metals such as aluminum, aluminum alloys and nickel-plated steel.
[0053] The rechargeable battery 1 may include an venting portion 170 provided in the housing 100, and may include a terminal portion 165 connected to the electrode assembly 10 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 2 A detailed description of the exhaust section 170 and the terminal section 165 will be provided later.
[0054] In this embodiment, the length direction of the housing 100 can be... Figure 1 As shown in the X direction, the width direction of the housing 100 can be... Figure 1 As shown in the Y direction, the height direction of the housing 100 can be... Figure 1 The Z direction is shown in the diagram.
[0055] Figure 2 The disassembled state of the various components of the rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment is shown.
[0056] According to an embodiment, the rechargeable battery 1 includes a housing 100 and an electrode assembly 10 to be housed in the housing 100. The housing 100 may include a body portion 150 in which at least one of two side surfaces 130 along the length direction is open.
[0057] The main body portion 150 may include multiple surfaces and may be in the form of a tube (e.g., a hexahedral tube) extending along a first direction. The first direction may be the longitudinal direction or the X-direction of the housing 100. The main body portion 150 may be a hexahedron with a rectangular cross-section, and at least one of the side surfaces 130 (at least one of the side surfaces 130) of the main body portion 150 located in the first direction is open.
[0058] Additionally, the housing 100 may include a side portion 160, which is coupled to the body portion 150 to close the (open) side surface 130 of the body portion 150. The body portion 150 may close its internal space by the coupling of the side portion 160, and the electrode assembly 10 is inserted into its internal space.
[0059] The rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment may include a terminal portion 165 provided in a housing 100. The terminal portion 165 may be electrically connected (e.g., on a side portion 160) to an electrode assembly 10 housed in the housing 100, and at least a portion of the terminal portion 165 may be exposed to the outside of the housing 100.
[0060] In this embodiment, the terminal portion 165 can be provided at various locations. For example, the terminal portion 165 can be provided on a side surface 130 (e.g., an open side surface) in a first direction among a plurality of surfaces of the housing 100, and can be connected to the electrode assembly 10.
[0061] In other words, terminal portion 165 can provide, for example, Figure 1 The terminal portion 165 is shown on the side portion 160. Although the position of the terminal portion 165 may vary, for better understanding and ease of description, the following description is based on the structure provided on the side portion 160 for the terminal portion 165.
[0062] The housing 100 may include the aforementioned exhaust portion 170. The housing 100 may be provided with an exhaust opening 175 for communication between its interior and exterior, and the exhaust portion 170 may include an exhaust member 171 coupled to the housing 100 to close the exhaust opening 175 (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 9 ).
[0063] The exhaust portion 170 can be provided at various locations on the housing 100. For example, the housing 100 may include multiple surfaces, and the exhaust portion 170 may be located on one of the multiple surfaces.
[0064] For example, the multiple surfaces of the housing 100 may include a first surface 110 and a second surface 120 positioned opposite to the first surface 110, and the vent portion 170 may be located on the second surface 120. In this embodiment, the first surface 110 may be the lower surface of the housing 100, and the second surface 120 may be the upper surface of the housing 100 (in the illustrated orientation).
[0065] The exhaust section 170 can be opened due to an increase in the internal pressure of the housing 100 to discharge gas from inside the housing 100 to the outside of the housing 100.
[0066] At the same time, Figure 3 The interior of a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment is shown in the figure.
[0067] An enclosed space can be defined inside the housing 100. The electrode assembly 10 can be housed within the internal space of the housing 100, and the electrode assembly 10 may include a positive electrode 11, a negative electrode 12, and a diaphragm 13.
[0068] The electrode assembly 10 may be provided in a stacked form in which the positive electrode 11, the negative electrode 12 and the diaphragm 13 are simply stacked into a plate shape, or in a wound form in which the positive electrode 11, the negative electrode 12 and the diaphragm 13 are wound around a winding mandrel in a stacked state.
[0069] The positive electrode 11 may include a positive electrode composite layer in which a positive electrode active material (e.g., transition metal oxides (LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMn2O4, etc.)) is coated on the positive electrode current collector. Similarly, the negative electrode 12 may include a negative electrode composite layer in which a negative electrode active material (e.g., graphite, carbon, etc.) is coated on the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode current collector may be a copper (Cu) foil, and the positive electrode current collector may be an aluminum (Al) foil; however, the material of each current collector may vary.
[0070] A diaphragm 13 can be inserted between the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode 12 to prevent physical contact between them. The diaphragm 13 prevents short circuits and allows only the movement of ions (e.g., lithium (Li) ions). The diaphragm 13 can be made of polyethylene (PE) film, polypropylene (PP) film, etc.
[0071] The internal space of the housing 100 can be filled with an electrolyte, and at least a portion of the electrode assembly 10 can be immersed in the electrolyte, which can be used as a medium for the movement of ions.
[0072] Meanwhile, each of the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode 12 may include a coated area where an active material is coated and an uncoated area where the current collector is exposed without being coated with an active material.
[0073] Additionally, a current collector 168 may be provided inside the housing 100. The current collector 168 may be electrically connected to the uncoated areas of the positive electrode 11 and the negative electrode 12, and may be made of a conductive material such as metal to provide a path for current flow.
[0074] The current collector 168 can be provided in pairs. One of the current collectors 168 can be connected to the positive electrode 11, and the other of the current collectors 168 can be connected to the negative electrode 12.
[0075] Additionally, the terminal portion 165 provided in the housing 100 may include a terminal plate 166 exposed to the outside of the housing 100. The terminal plate 166 may have various shapes, such as a cylindrical shape or a plate shape, and may be disposed on the outer surface of the housing 100.
[0076] For example, in one embodiment, the terminal plate 166 may be formed in the shape of a plate and disposed on the outer surface of the side surface 130 of the housing 100, that is, on the outer surface of the aforementioned side portion 160.
[0077] However, the insulating portion 167 may be disposed between the surface of the terminal plate 166 and the surface of the housing 100. The insulating portion 167 may be made of rubber or the like and is inserted between the terminal plate 166 and the housing 100, thereby preventing the terminal plate 166 and the housing 100 from directly contacting each other and conducting electricity.
[0078] The current collector 168 can penetrate the housing 100 and be electrically connected to the terminal block 166. Therefore, the terminal block 166 can be electrically connected to the positive electrode 11 or the negative electrode 12 of the electrode assembly 10.
[0079] In this embodiment, the terminal portion 165 can be one or two. When... Figure 3When there are two terminal portions 165, the terminal plate 166 of one of the terminal portions 165 can be connected to the current collector 168 connected to the positive electrode 11 of the electrode assembly 10, and the terminal plate 166 of the other terminal portion 165 can be connected to the current collector 168 connected to the negative electrode 12 of the electrode assembly 10.
[0080] Figure 4 The main body portion 150 of the housing according to an embodiment is shown.
[0081] As described above, the main body portion 150 may have a quadrangular prism shape extending in the longitudinal direction, the X direction, or the first direction of the housing 100, and may have a shape in which both side surfaces 130 located in the first direction are open.
[0082] The main body portion 150 may include multiple surfaces, and in addition to the two open side surfaces 130, it may also include a first surface 110. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the linear weld portion 210 may be located on the first surface 110.
[0083] The linear weld portion 210 may extend along a first direction across a first surface 110 of a plurality of surfaces of the housing 100, and may be formed by welding the first surface 110.
[0084] The first direction can be the length direction of the first surface 110. Figure 4 An example is shown in which the first direction and the X direction are the same and the linear welded portion 210 and the first surface 110 extend along the X direction.
[0085] The linear weld portion 210 can be formed on the first surface 110 by a welding process. For example, the first surface 110 may include a first portion 111 located on one side of the linear weld portion 210 (e.g., in the Y direction) and a second portion 112 located on the other side of the linear weld portion 210, and the linear weld portion 210 can be formed by butt welding of the first portion 111 and the second portion 112.
[0086] The first surface 110 can be formed into a closed surface by welding, which is used to form the linear weld portion 210, while the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 are in contact with each other. The linear weld portion 210 can be formed along the entire first surface 110 in a first direction (e.g., along).
[0087] The first surface 110 may be provided with a protruding extension 300. The protruding extension 300 may be located on at least one side of the linear weld portion 210 in a second direction intersecting the first direction.
[0088] The second direction can be the width direction of the housing 100 or the first surface 110. When the first direction corresponds to the X direction, the second direction can correspond to the Y direction. The protruding extension 300 can be integrally formed with the first surface 110, or it can be manufactured separately and attached to the first surface 110.
[0089] The protruding extension 300 may be located on only one side of the linear weld portion 210, or it may be located on both sides. For example, the protruding extension 300 may include a first protruding extension 301 located on the first portion 111 and a second protruding extension 302 located on the second portion 112. The linear weld portion 210 may be located between a pair of protruding extensions 300.
[0090] The protruding extension 300 may protrude from the first surface 110 and extend along a first direction. On the first surface 110, the linear weld portion 210 and the protruding extension 300 may be arranged adjacent to each other along a second direction (e.g., the Y direction) and extend parallel to each other along the first direction.
[0091] The housing 100, which houses the electrode assembly 10 and the electrolyte within its internal space, can be manufactured using a welding process to form and simultaneously seal the internal space.
[0092] The welded sections correspond to the parts where different components are joined, and therefore, they may be damaged or deformed due to welding quality or external impact. If even a part of the welded section is cut or separated due to damage or deformation, the electrolyte inside the housing 100 may leak or the electrode assembly 10 may be damaged.
[0093] Therefore, the rechargeable battery 1 according to the embodiment can effectively improve the rigidity of the first surface 110 and the welded portion by providing a protruding extension 300 in a protruding shape on the first surface 110 where welding is performed, thereby suppressing damage and deformation.
[0094] Furthermore, in the case where a linear weld portion 210 extending across the first surface 110 in the first direction, as in this embodiment, is provided on the first surface 110, the protruding extension 300 extends along the first direction and is disposed adjacent to the linear weld portion 210, thereby effectively suppressing the breakage and deformation of the linear weld portion 210.
[0095] Figure 5The cross-section of the linear welded portion 210 and the protruding extension 300 formed on the first surface 110 according to the embodiment is shown.
[0096] In this embodiment, the linear weld portion 210 may be located between a pair of protruding extensions 300. As described above, the pair of protruding extensions 300 may include a first protruding extension 301 and a second protruding extension 302, and the distance W2 between the inner end of the first protruding extension 301 and the inner end of the second protruding extension 302 along the second direction (Y direction) may correspond to the width W1 of the linear weld portion 210.
[0097] The distance W2 between the inner end of the first protruding extension 301 and the inner end of the second protruding extension 302 can be the shortest distance between the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302.
[0098] The distance W3 between the outer ends of the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302 along the second direction can be greater than the width W1 of the linear welded portion 210. The distance W3 between the outer ends of the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302 can be the longest distance between the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302.
[0099] In this embodiment, the welding depth H3 of the linear weld portion 210 may be less than the thickness H4 of the first surface 110. Therefore, although the linear weld portion 210 exists on the outer surface 116 facing the exterior of the housing 100 or the main body portion 150, the linear weld portion 210 may not exist on the inner surface 115 facing the interior of the housing 100.
[0100] Specifically, in this embodiment, due to the welding process of the linear weld portion 210 (and due to the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302), the first surface 110 may have an irregular shape, such as a variation in surface height or an uneven shape.
[0101] Various conductive structures, such as electrode assembly 10 including electrodes and current collector 168, may exist inside housing 100.
[0102] When the inner surface 115 of the first surface 110 has an irregular shape due to the linear welded portion 210, situations that may be detrimental to the safety of the rechargeable battery 1 may occur, such as short circuits or damage due to accidental contact with other components on the inner surface 115.
[0103] With this in mind, in this embodiment, welding for the linear weld portion 210 is performed on the outer surface 116 of the first surface 110, and the welding depth H3 of the linear weld portion 210 is formed to be less than the thickness H4 of the first surface 110, thereby minimizing the impact of the welding of the linear weld portion 210 on the inner surface 115 of the first surface 110.
[0104] Meanwhile, the protrusion height H1 of the linear weld portion 210 relative to the first surface 110 can be equal to or greater than zero. That is, the surface of the linear weld portion 210 can be flush with or protrude from the first surface 110.
[0105] The protrusion height H2 of the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302 relative to the first surface 110 can be equal to or greater than the protrusion height H1 of the linear weld portion 210. For example, the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302 can protrude from the first surface 110 and can have the same height as the linear weld portion 210 or protrude further than the linear weld portion 210.
[0106] In this embodiment, the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302 can be formed in various ways. For example, the first protruding extension 301 and the second protruding extension 302 can be formed by a compensating protrusion 310 for improving the welding quality of the linear weld portion 210 (see...). Figure 7 )form.
[0107] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 6 and Figure 7 A method is described for forming a first protruding extension 301 and a second protruding extension 302 by means of a compensating protrusion 310.
[0108] Figure 6 This illustrates a case where a linear welded portion 210 is formed by welding without a compensating protrusion 310 on the first surface 110 of the housing 100.
[0109] Typically, welding processes can reduce the volume of the welded object at the weld section due to partial evaporation of the welded object, partial filling of the gaps between the welded objects by molten material, or chemical changes within the welded object.
[0110] In this case, such as Figure 6 As shown, a decrease in the surface height of the welded area can occur. That is, a depression can occur in the welded area.
[0111] If the surface of the welded part is concave, the appearance quality of the welded result will deteriorate, and due to the reduced thickness, it may become more susceptible to deformation or breakage due to external impact.
[0112] on the other hand, Figure 7 The diagram illustrates a state in which welding is performed to form a linear weld portion 210, according to an embodiment, with a compensation protrusion 310 provided on the first surface 110.
[0113] exist Figure 7 In the middle, the left side shows the compensation protrusion 310 located on the first surface 110 before the formation of the linear weld portion 210, and the right side shows the state in which the linear weld portion 210 and the protruding extension 300 are formed by performing a weld including a portion of the compensation protrusion 310.
[0114] The compensation protrusion 310 may be provided on the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 of the first surface 110, and may be located at the portion where the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 meet each other. For example, the compensation protrusion 310 may include a first compensation protrusion 311 located at the end of the first portion 111 facing the second portion 112 and a second compensation protrusion 312 located at the end of the second portion 112 facing the first portion 111.
[0115] The compensation protrusion 310 may extend along a first direction. The compensation protrusion 310 may extend along the length direction of the first surface 110. The compensation protrusion 310 may extend along the X direction. The compensation protrusion 310 may be configured to extend across the first surface 110.
[0116] The cross-sectional shape of the compensation protrusion 310 can be varied. For example, the compensation protrusion 310 can have a semi-circular or arc-shaped shape, a rectangular shape, or something similar. Figure 7 The triangular shape shown. In the following text, for better understanding and ease of description, the cross-sectional shape of the compensation protrusion 310 will be described as having the shape shown. Figure 7 The structure shown is a triangle.
[0117] The height of the compensating protrusion 310, i.e., the amount of protrusion of the compensating protrusion 310, can be based on, for example... Figure 6 The amount of depression created by welding is shown without the compensation protrusion 310.
[0118] For example, by performing welding on the first surface 110, including the compensating protrusion 310, through several experiments, the height of the compensating protrusion 310 can be determined at which the surface of the linear weld portion 210 does not become recessed. The surface of the linear weld portion 210 may be flush with the surface of the first surface 110, or it may protrude from the surface of the first surface 110.
[0119] Based on the second direction (e.g., based on) Figure 4The width of the compensation protrusion 310 (measured in the Y direction) can be greater than or equal to the width W1 of the linear weld portion 210. For example, the width of the compensation protrusion 310 can be determined by considering the width W1 of the linear weld portion 210 formed by welding the first surface 110 including the compensation protrusion 310 through several experiments.
[0120] In this embodiment, the width of the compensation protrusion 310 can be greater than the width W1 of the linear weld portion 210. Therefore, a portion of the compensation protrusion 310 can be welded to form the linear weld portion 210, and the remaining portion of the compensation protrusion 310 can form the aforementioned protruding extension 300.
[0121] In other words, the protruding extension 300 can be formed by the portion of the compensating protrusion 310 that protrudes from the first surface 110 after being melted by welding.
[0122] exist Figure 7 In the middle, the right side shows the compensation protrusion 310 that disappeared due to welding, indicated by the dashed line, and shows the state of the protruding extension 300 that forms a part corresponding to the compensation protrusion 310.
[0123] One embodiment can suppress the depression of the linear weld portion 210 and improve the weld quality by forming the linear weld portion 210 with the compensation protrusion 310. In addition, by appropriately setting the width, height, etc. of the compensation protrusion 310, after the linear weld portion 210 is formed, the end of the compensation protrusion 310 remains on the first surface 110, thereby forming a protruding extension 300, thus effectively improving the rigidity of the first surface 110 and the linear weld portion 210.
[0124] Figure 8A and Figure 8B A finishing weld portion 220, which is connected to the end 211 of the linear weld portion 210 according to an embodiment, is shown.
[0125] Figure 8A The diagram shows the state in which the finishing weld portion 220 extends from the end 211 of the linear weld portion 210 along the second direction. Figure 8B The state of the finishing weld portion 220 extending in an inclined direction relative to the first direction is shown.
[0126] One embodiment may further include a finishing weld portion 220. The finishing weld portion 220 can be formed by welding the first surface 110. The finishing weld portion 220 can be formed by welding at one end of the linear weld portion 210 in a direction intersecting the first direction.
[0127] The finishing weld portion 220 can be formed together with the welding process used to form the linear weld portion 210. The finishing weld portion 220 can be formed by changing the welding direction at the end 211 of the linear weld portion 210 and continuing welding during the welding process along the first direction used to form the linear weld portion 210.
[0128] In this embodiment, the welding quality of the linear welded portion 210 can be improved by the finishing welded portion 220.
[0129] Specifically, the weld quality at the endpoint of the weld completion point may deteriorate due to various reasons during the welding process. For example, during the process of stopping the movement of the welding machine, the welding time for the endpoint may be shortened or lengthened, and the distance between the welding machine and the first surface 110 may change. Unlike other parts being welded, these changes may deteriorate the weld quality at the endpoint.
[0130] In this embodiment, welding is performed by mating the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 of the first surface 110 at the linear weld portion 210. Therefore, if welding is completed at the end 211 of the linear weld portion 210 and the weld quality deteriorates, it may cause significant damage to the housing 100, such as separation of the first portion 111 and the second portion 112.
[0131] With this in mind, in this embodiment, when the welding process for forming the linear weld portion 210 is reached, the welding direction is changed instead of the welding is terminated, so that the welding can be completed on the first surface 110, rather than on the mating portion of the first portion 111 and the second portion 112.
[0132] The finishing weld portion 220 may have a shape that connects to the linear weld portion 210. The ends of the finishing weld portion 220 may be spaced apart from the linear weld portion 210. The finishing weld portion 220 may be formed across the protruding extension 300. Through the finishing weld portion 220, a portion of the protruding extension 300 may be welded and removed.
[0133] Figure 8A and Figure 8B The welding direction of the finishing weld portion 220 shown corresponds to the example used to describe the implementation method, and the welding direction of the finishing weld portion 220 can be various other directions, and the extension shape of the finishing weld portion 220 can also be various shapes other than a straight line.
[0134] Figure 9 An exhaust component 171, which is separate from the main body portion 150 of the housing 100, is shown in the embodiment.
[0135] An exhaust opening 175 for attaching the exhaust member 171 may be provided in the housing 100 or the main body portion 150, and the exhaust member 171 may be attached to the main body portion 150 to close the exhaust opening 175.
[0136] A rupture induction line 172 for inducing rupture of the exhaust member 171 when the internal pressure inside the housing 100 increases may be formed in the exhaust member 171. The rupture induction line 172 may not be in the form of a complete cut through the exhaust member 171, but may be a linear groove formed on the surface of the exhaust member 171, such that the rupture induction line 172 can be completely cut off by pressure fluctuations.
[0137] In this embodiment, the exhaust portion 170 may be provided on a second surface 120 positioned opposite to the first surface 110. The first surface 110 may be the lower surface of the housing 100, and the second surface 120 may be the upper surface of the housing 100 (in... Figure 9 (as shown in the orientation).
[0138] The exhaust component 171 can be integrated into the main body portion 150 in various ways. For example, the periphery of the exhaust component 171 can be welded to the periphery of the exhaust opening 175 in the second surface 120 of the housing 100.
[0139] Figure 10 An exploded view of the main body portion 150 and side portions 160 (in this case, two side portions) of the housing 100 in the embodiment is shown.
[0140] As described above, in this embodiment, the two side surfaces 130 of the main body portion 150 in the first direction (see...) Figure 1 The side portions 160 may be open, and the side portions 160 may be coupled to the body portion 150 to close the two open side surfaces 130 of the body portion 150. Each of the side portions 160 may include a terminal portion 165 connected to the electrode assembly 10.
[0141] The side portion 160 can be joined to the main body portion 150 in various ways. For example, the side portion 160 can be joined to the main body portion 150 by welding. In this case, two side surfaces 130 located on both sides of the housing 100 in a first direction can be formed by the side portion 160, and the two side surfaces 130 can be connected to the first surface 110 by welding.
[0142] Figure 11 A side welded portion 230 is shown, formed by welding between the side portion 160 and the main body portion 150.
[0143] The rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment may include a side weld portion 230. The side weld portion 230 may extend along the periphery of the side portion 160 and may be formed by welding between the body portion 150 and the side portion 160.
[0144] The side weld portion 230 can be formed to surround the side portion 160. The side weld portion 230 can extend to surround the two side surfaces 130 of the housing 100. The end 211 of the linear weld portion 210 can contact the side weld portion 230.
[0145] In this embodiment, by welding and combining the side portion 160 and the main body portion 150 with the side welding portion 230, a housing 100 with an enclosed internal space or a housing 100 with an enclosed side surface 130 (initially open) can be provided.
[0146] In the following, a method for manufacturing the main body portion 150 of the casing 100 of the rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment will be described.
[0147] Figure 12 The substrate material 50, which is cut from the metal plate 40 to form the main body portion 150, is shown (see [reference]). Figure 13 ) state.
[0148] The main body portion 150 of this embodiment can be formed by processing the base material 50. The metal plate 40 can be provided to the base material cutting machine 400 in a form extending in a second direction, and the base material cutting machine 400 can cut the metal plate 40 to form the base material 50 for forming the main body portion 150.
[0149] The substrate material cutting machine 400 can form the substrate material 50 by cutting the metal plate 40 in various ways. For example, the substrate material cutting machine 400 may include a lower die 420 and an upper die 410, through which the metal plate 40 passes, and the upper die 410 moves toward the metal plate 40 disposed on the lower die 420 in a state spaced apart from the lower die 420 to cut the metal plate 40.
[0150] Figure 13 The substrate material 50 cut from the metal plate 40 according to an embodiment is shown.
[0151] In this embodiment, the substrate material cutting machine 400 can cut the substrate material 50 from the metal plate 40, such that compensating protrusions 310 are formed on both ends 51 of the substrate material 50 during the cutting process.
[0152] The two compensating protrusions 310 can be formed by inducing deformation at both ends 51 of the base material 50 during the process of cutting the metal sheet 40 by the upper die 410. In other embodiments, the two compensating protrusions 310 can be formed by grooves pre-formed in the upper die 410 and / or the lower die 420 during the cutting process of the metal sheet 40.
[0153] The height and width of each of the compensating protrusions 310 can be determined by the cutting force or cutting speed of the substrate material cutting machine 400. Furthermore, when each of the compensating protrusions 310 is formed by a groove pre-formed in the substrate material cutting machine 400, the shape of the two compensating protrusions 310 can be changed by adjusting the shape of the groove.
[0154] Figure 14 The process of forming the main body portion 150 by bending the base material 50 according to an embodiment is shown.
[0155] exist Figure 14 In the figure, part (a) shows the initial state of the substrate material 50 before folding the substrate material 50, part (b) shows the state in which the first bent portion 108 of the substrate material 50 is bent, part (c) shows the state in which the second bent portion 109 of the substrate material 50 is bent, and part (d) shows the body portion 150 in which the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 contact to form the first surface 110.
[0156] refer to Figure 14 In part (a), in the base material 50 prepared by cutting the aforementioned metal plate 40 to have compensating protrusions 310, a curved portion 107 for folding the base material 50 to form the main body portion 150 can be defined.
[0157] The curved portion 107 may be a virtual line that is not visible to the naked eye, and the two side surfaces 130 of the main body portion 150 can be created by bending the curved portion 107. The curved portion 107 may correspond to (e.g., may include) an edge 105 extending in a first direction in the main body portion 150.
[0158] Before bending, the base material 50 may be provided with compensating protrusions 310, and the aforementioned exhaust opening 175 may be formed by a stamping process or the like.
[0159] refer to Figure 14In part (b), the bent portion 107 may include a first bent portion 108 and a second bent portion 109, and a first portion 111 and a second portion 112 of the first surface 110 may be formed by bending the first bent portion 108 of the base material 50. The first portion 111 and the second portion 112 may each include an end 51 of the base material 50 and may include a compensating protrusion 310.
[0160] refer to Figure 14 Parts (c) and (d) can be formed into a main body portion 150 by bending a second bent portion 109 in the base material 50 while the first bent portion 108 is bent. The second surface 120 of the shell 100 or the main body portion 150 can be formed by bending the second bent portion 109.
[0161] Alternatively, the first surface 110 can be formed by setting (e.g., arranging) the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 of the first surface 110 to contact each other. The two ends 51 of the base material 50 facing each other on the first surface 110 can be formed into the aforementioned linear welded portion 210 by a welding process.
[0162] In this embodiment, at least a portion of the housing 100 is formed by bending the plate-shaped base material 50, thereby reducing the welding process required to manufacture the housing 100, and thus improving the internal sealing or durability of the housing 100.
[0163] The plurality of edges 105 extending along the first direction in the housing 100 may correspond to the curved portion 107 of the base material 50 (plate-shaped) bent therein.
[0164] A pair of ends 51 of the base material 50 can be butt-welded at a linear weld portion 210 to form a linear weld portion 210. The weld portion extending along the first direction can be formed only on the first surface 110 of the plurality of surfaces of the housing 100.
[0165] In this embodiment, only a single welding process can be performed in the formation of the main body portion 150 of the housing 100, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the housing 100 and improving the structural stability of the housing 100.
[0166] Figure 15 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment is shown.
[0167] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 15 A method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment is described, and redundant descriptions of the contents described in the rechargeable battery 1 will be omitted as much as possible.
[0168] The method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment may include a substrate material preparation step (S100). In the substrate material preparation step (S100), the substrate material 50 (plate shape) may be formed by cutting a metal plate 40 extending along a second direction.
[0169] In the substrate material preparation step (S100), compensation protrusions 310 can be formed at both ends of the substrate material 50 by cutting the metal plate 40.
[0170] The method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment may include a substrate material bending step (S200). In the substrate material bending step (S200), the main body portion 150 of the housing 100 can be formed by bending the two ends of the substrate material 50 prepared in the substrate material preparation step (S100) so that they are located on the first surface 110.
[0171] The method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment may include a first surface welding step (S300). In the first surface welding step (S300), a linear weld portion 210 extending across the first surface 110 along a first direction may be formed by welding the first surface 110 of the housing 100.
[0172] In the first surface welding step (S300), a linear welded portion 210 can be formed by welding the two ends of the base material 50 located on the first surface 110 of the main body portion 150 formed in the base material bending step (S200).
[0173] In the first surface welding step (S300), the linear weld portion 210 may be formed to be adjacent to at least one of the protruding extensions 300 that protrude from the first surface 110 and extend along the first direction in a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction.
[0174] In the first surface welding step (S300), the first surface 110 may be provided with a compensating protrusion 310 that protrudes from the first surface 110 and extends along a first direction.
[0175] In the first surface welding step (S300), a portion of the compensation protrusion 310 can be melted by welding to form at least a portion of the linear weld portion 210, and the remaining portion of the compensation protrusion 310 can form the protruding extension 300.
[0176] The method of manufacturing the rechargeable battery 1 according to the embodiment may include a second surface welding step (S400). In the second surface welding step (S400), the venting member 171 may be welded and bonded to the second surface 120, such that the venting opening 175 provided on the second surface 120 is closed.
[0177] The method for manufacturing a rechargeable battery 1 according to an embodiment may include an electrode assembly housing step (S500). In the electrode assembly housing step (S500), an electrode assembly 10 including a positive electrode 11, a negative electrode 12 and a separator 13 may be housed inside a housing 100.
[0178] The method of manufacturing the rechargeable battery 1 according to the embodiment may include a side portion welding step (S600). In the side portion welding step (S600), the side portion 160 may be welded and attached to the main body portion 150, such that the open side surface 130 of the housing 100 is closed by the side portion 160.
[0179] The side weld portion 230 can be formed by the periphery of the weld side portion 160 and the periphery of the (open) side surface 130 of the main body portion 150.
[0180] The electrode assembly 10 can be housed inside the housing 100, to which the side portion 160 is welded. That is, the interior of the housing 100 can be sealed by welding the side portion 160 to the side surface 130 of the housing 100 with the electrode assembly 10 inserted therein.
[0181] Meanwhile, when the two side surfaces 130 of the housing 100 are open, in the above-mentioned electrode assembly receiving step (S500), the side portion 160 can be first welded to one of the side surfaces 130 of the housing 100, and then the electrode assembly 10 can be received inside the housing 100.
[0182] When one of the two side surfaces 130 of the housing 100 is closed and the electrode assembly 10 is housed inside the housing 100, the interior of the housing 100 can be closed by welding the side portion 160 to the other of the two side surfaces 130 of the housing 100.
[0183] That is, in the electrode assembly receiving step (S500), after the first of the side welded portions 230 is formed by welding the first of the main body portion 150 and the first of the side portions 160, thereby closing the first of the side surfaces 130 of the housing 100, the electrode assembly 10 can be inserted into the housing 100 through the open second of the side surfaces 130 of the housing 100.
[0184] Subsequently, in the side welding step (S600), the second side welded portion 230 can be formed by welding the main body portion 150 to the second side portion 160, thereby closing the second side surface 130 of the housing 100.
[0185] The electrolyte used for moving ions can be filled into the secondary battery casing along with the electrode assembly, and even under small impacts or deformations, the electrode assembly may explode or catch fire due to short circuits or other reasons.
[0186] Therefore, effectively ensuring the safety of the internal space of the shell, effectively increasing the rigidity of the shell, and effectively manufacturing the shell are important tasks in this technical field.
[0187] The embodiments attempt to provide a rechargeable battery and a method for manufacturing the same that can effectively increase the strength of the casing.
[0188] The embodiments attempt to provide a rechargeable battery and a method for manufacturing the same, which can improve safety by reducing the welded area.
[0189] The embodiments attempt to provide a rechargeable battery and a method for manufacturing the same that can effectively improve the weld quality of the welded area.
[0190] While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with embodiments that are now considered feasible, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.
[0191] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specific terminology has been used, it is used and interpreted in a general and descriptive sense only and not for limiting purposes. In some instances, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art at the time of filing this application, unless otherwise specifically indicated, features, characteristics, and / or elements described in connection with particular embodiments may be used alone or in combination with features, characteristics, and / or elements described in connection with other embodiments. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
Claims
1. A rechargeable battery, comprising: Electrode assembly, including positive electrode, negative electrode and diaphragm; A housing that accommodates the electrode assembly; A linear welded portion extends along a first direction across a first surface of a plurality of surfaces of the housing, the linear welded portion having two sides in a second direction intersecting the first direction; as well as A protruding extension, on at least one of the two sides of the linear welded portion, protrudes from the first surface and extends along the first direction.
2. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the protruding extension is formed by a portion of the compensating protrusion being used for the remaining portion of the compensating protrusion protruding from the first surface after the welding melting of the linear weld portion.
3. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first surface includes a first portion on one side of the linear welded portion and a second portion on the other side of the linear welded portion. The linear welded portion is formed by butt welding of the first portion and the second portion.
4. The rechargeable battery of claim 3, wherein the protruding extension includes a first protruding extension on the first portion and a second protruding extension on the second portion.
5. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1, wherein: The first surface includes a first portion on one side of the linear welded portion and a second portion on the other side. The protruding extension includes a first protruding extension on the first portion and a second protruding extension on the second portion, and The distance between the outer end of the first protruding extension and the outer end of the second protruding extension along the second direction is greater than the width of the linear welded portion.
6. The rechargeable battery of claim 5, wherein the distance between the inner end of the first protruding extension and the inner end of the second protruding extension along the second direction corresponds to the width of the linear welded portion.
7. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1, wherein the welding depth of the linear welded portion is less than the thickness of the first surface.
8. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the welded portion extending along the first direction is only on the first surface of the housing.
9. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1, wherein: At least a portion of the shell is a curved, plate-shaped substrate material, and The two ends of the base material are butt-welded at the linear weld section.
10. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the plurality of edges of the housing extending along the first direction correspond to a curved portion in which the plate-shaped matrix material is bent.
11. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the linear welded portion extends across the entire first surface along the first direction.
12. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, further comprising a tail weld portion extending at one end of the linear weld portion in a direction intersecting the first direction.
13. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the side surfaces of the housing located on both sides in the first direction are connected to the first surface by welding.
14. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises: The main body portion includes the first surface, the main body portion extends along the first direction, and the side surfaces of the main body portion in the first direction are open. The side portion, the side surface that closes the main body portion, and A side weld portion extends along the periphery of the side portion, and the side weld portion is located between the main body portion and the side portion.
15. The rechargeable battery of claim 14, wherein the end of the linear weld portion contacts the side weld portion.
16. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the side surface of the housing in the first direction includes a terminal portion connected to the electrode assembly.
17. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, further comprising a venting portion on a second surface of the housing, the second surface being opposite to the first surface relative to the housing, the venting portion being openable due to an increase in internal pressure of the housing to discharge gas from inside the housing to the outside of the housing.
18. A method of manufacturing a rechargeable battery, the method comprising: The first surface of the welded housing is used to form a linear welded portion extending across the first surface along a first direction; as well as An electrode assembly, including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a diaphragm, is housed inside the housing. The linear weld portion is formed to be adjacent to at least one protruding extension protruding from the first surface in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the protruding extension extending along the first direction.
19. The method of manufacturing a rechargeable battery according to claim 18, wherein: The first surface is provided with a compensating protrusion that protrudes from the first surface and extends along the first direction, and The method further includes: A portion of the compensation protrusion is melted by welding to form at least a portion of the linear welded portion, and the remaining portion of the compensation protrusion forms the at least one protruding extension.
20. The method of manufacturing a rechargeable battery according to claim 19, further comprising: Cut a metal plate extending along the second direction to form a plate-shaped substrate material; as well as The base material is bent such that both ends of the base material lie on the first surface to form the main body portion of the shell, wherein: The linear weld portion is formed by welding the two ends of the base material located on the first surface, and The compensation protrusions are formed at both ends of the base material by cutting the metal plate.