Battery cell inspection apparatus

Abstract

A battery cell inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a first conveying unit that conveys a battery cell, a visual inspection unit that acquires appearance information of the battery cell and inspects presence / absence of an abnormality, a second conveying unit that conveys the battery cell determined to have an abnormality according to the appearance information acquired from the visual inspection unit, a pickup unit that moves the battery cell conveyed by the second conveying unit, and a plasma inspection unit that inspects a surface of the battery cell conveyed by the pickup unit using a plasma arc to detect presence / absence of a surface defect of the battery cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0185134, filed on December 12, 2024, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0195538, filed on December 10, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] This disclosure relates to a battery cell inspection device, and more specifically to a battery cell inspection device that performs inspections on battery cells in a non-contact manner and is capable of automatic and continuous operation. Background Technology

[0004] In modern society, with the widespread use of portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, camcorders, and digital cameras, as well as energy storage systems (ESS), the development of related technologies has been spurred. Furthermore, rechargeable / dischargeable secondary batteries are being used as power sources for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs) in an attempt to address air pollution caused by the use of fossil fuels in existing gasoline vehicles. Therefore, the necessity for the development of secondary batteries is growing.

[0005] Currently, commercially available rechargeable batteries include nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-zinc (NiZn), and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries have attracted considerable attention due to their advantages such as free charging / discharging, very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0006] Such lithium-ion secondary batteries primarily use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively. A lithium-ion secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly, wherein positive and negative electrode plates, respectively coated with positive and negative electrode active materials, are separated by a separator; and an outer casing, i.e., the battery housing, which seals and houses the electrode assembly and the electrolyte together.

[0007] Small mobile devices use one or more battery cells per device, while medium or large devices such as automobiles and energy storage systems (ESS) require high power and large capacity. Therefore, medium or large battery modules with multiple battery cells electrically connected to each other are used.

[0008] Medium or large battery modules are preferably manufactured to have the smallest possible size and weight. For this reason, prismatic cells, pouch cells, etc., are typically used as individual cells in medium or large battery modules. Prismatic cells, pouch cells, etc., can be stacked with high integration and have low weight relative to capacity.

[0009] Because such battery modules comprise multiple individual cells, a thermal event occurring in one cell can easily propagate to other adjacent cells via the cell's electrode leads. Therefore, managing both normal and defective cells is crucial during the manufacturing process.

[0010] However, currently, when identifying surface defects in battery cells, operators use an insulation resistance tester to visually confirm the defects and damage to the insulation layer on the cell's surface, directly verifying the presence of current flow by bringing the defective portion into contact with the metal layer at the cell's end. This visual inspection by the operator can lead to over- or under-inspection, and increases the risk of damaging the battery cell during the process of confirming damage to the insulation layer. Furthermore, operator biases arise based on their experience level, making it difficult to establish a database of inspection information. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Technical issues

[0012] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a battery cell inspection device that performs battery cell inspection in a non-contact manner and can operate automatically and continuously.

[0013] However, the technical objectives to be addressed by the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and various extensions can be made within the scope of the technical concepts included in this disclosure.

[0014] Technical solution

[0015] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a battery cell inspection device is provided, comprising: a first conveying unit for conveying battery cells; a visual inspection unit for acquiring appearance information of the battery cells and checking for the presence or absence of abnormalities; a second conveying unit for conveying battery cells determined to have abnormalities based on the appearance information acquired from the visual inspection unit; a pickup unit for moving the battery cells conveyed by the second conveying unit; and a plasma inspection unit for using a plasma arc to inspect the surface of the battery cells conveyed by the pickup unit to detect the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cells.

[0016] The battery cell inspection equipment may also include a third conveying unit that conveys battery cells identified as defective from the plasma inspection unit.

[0017] The pickup unit can move battery cells identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit to the third transport unit, and battery cells identified as normal by the plasma inspection unit to the first transport unit.

[0018] The first conveying unit and the second conveying unit can convey battery cells in directions orthogonal to each other, and the second conveying unit and the third conveying unit can convey battery cells in directions orthogonal to each other.

[0019] The first and third conveying units can convey battery cells in opposite directions, and the pickup unit can be arranged between the first and third conveying units to enable access to the first, second, and third conveying units.

[0020] The battery cell inspection equipment may also include a defect determination unit, which determines the appearance abnormalities of the battery cell based on the visual inspection unit and the surface defects based on the plasma inspection unit.

[0021] The plasma inspection unit may include a plasma nozzle spaced at a predetermined distance from the surface of the battery cell and generating a plasma arc on the surface of the battery cell.

[0022] The plasma inspection unit may also include a vision camera that acquires images of the location of the plasma arc scanning on the battery cell, and the defect determination unit can determine the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cell based on the shape of the plasma arc acquired by the vision camera.

[0023] The defect determination unit can extract a light detection area with a predetermined light intensity or greater based on the light intensity at the location of the plasma arc scan, and determine that a surface defect has appeared in the battery cell when the light detection area is larger than the predetermined area.

[0024] The defect determination unit can extract the brightness of each pixel in the image acquired by the vision camera, and extract pixels with brightness equal to or greater than a predetermined value as light detection areas. Furthermore, the area of ​​the light detection area on the surface of the battery cell when it is defective can be greater than the area of ​​the light detection area on the surface of the battery cell when it is normal.

[0025] When the area of ​​the light detection region is 0, the defect determination unit can determine that the surface of the battery cell is normal.

[0026] The plasma inspection unit may also include an illumination unit that flashes repeatedly at a predetermined period while the plasma arc scans the cell.

[0027] The plasma inspection unit can acquire the shape information of the battery cell when the illumination unit is on, and acquire the shape and position information of the plasma arc when the illumination unit is off. The defect determination unit can determine the generation position of the plasma arc relative to the battery cell, and determine the presence / absence of defects on the surface of the battery cell at the generation position of the plasma arc.

[0028] The vision camera can be positioned to point to the same area as the surface region of the battery cell pointed to by the plasma nozzle, and the direction in which the vision camera points can be tilted relative to the direction in which the plasma nozzle points to the surface of the battery cell.

[0029] The direction in which the plasma nozzle points can be the direction that forms the shortest distance between the plasma nozzle and the surface of the battery cell.

[0030] The plasma inspection unit may also include a conductive component arranged on a surface opposite to the surface of the battery cell scanned by the plasma arc, and the defect determination unit may determine the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cell based on the amount of voltage change measured at the conductive component during plasma arc scanning.

[0031] If the voltage change measured at the conductive component falls outside the predetermined reference value, the defect determination unit can determine that a surface defect has occurred in the battery cell.

[0032] The defect determination unit can first detect appearance abnormalities of the battery cells based on the appearance information of the battery cells obtained by the visual inspection unit, and obtain the location coordinates of the area on the surface of the battery cell with appearance abnormalities.

[0033] The plasma nozzle can be moved to generate a plasma arc corresponding to the location coordinates of the area where the appearance anomaly occurs.

[0034] The picking unit can be a multi-jointed robot capable of gripping individual battery cells.

[0035] The pickup unit can rotate while holding the battery cell, so that when the surface of the battery cell is inspected by the plasma inspection unit, the plasma arc generated by the plasma nozzle scans the entire surface of the battery cell.

[0036] A battery cell may include an electrode assembly and a pouch-shaped housing that houses the electrode assembly. The pouch-shaped housing may have a structure in which an inner metal layer is exposed through an outer peripheral side, and the outer peripheral side is joined and sealed while the electrode assembly is housed therein. A defect determination unit may determine, with the pouch-shaped housing sealed, that the area of ​​the metal layer exposed through the outer peripheral side does not cause surface defects in the battery cell.

[0037] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a battery cell inspection device is provided, comprising: a main conveying unit for conveying battery cells; a visual inspection unit for acquiring appearance information of the battery cells and checking for the presence or absence of abnormalities; a first loading unit for conveying and loading battery cells identified as having abnormalities based on the appearance information acquired by the visual inspection unit; a pickup unit for moving the battery cells loaded by the first loading unit; and a plasma inspection unit for using a plasma arc to inspect the surface of the battery cells conveyed by the pickup unit to detect the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cells.

[0038] The battery cell inspection equipment may also include a second loading unit, on which battery cells identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit are transported and loaded.

[0039] The pickup unit can move battery cells identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit to the second loading unit, and battery cells identified as normal by the plasma inspection unit to the main delivery unit.

[0040] Beneficial effects

[0041] The battery cell inspection apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure can automate the inspection of battery cells and thus perform the inspection of the battery cell surface based on predetermined standards rather than operator determination, thereby improving inspection accuracy.

[0042] Furthermore, the battery cell inspection device according to embodiments of this disclosure can perform battery cell inspection in a non-contact manner, thereby preventing the risk of damaging the battery cells during the inspection process.

[0043] Furthermore, the battery cell inspection apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure can sequentially and continuously execute each process for inspecting battery cells, thereby enabling the inspection of a large number of battery cells and achieving increased productivity.

[0044] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the description of the appended claims any additional effects not described above. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery cell inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 2 The battery cell is shown from Figure 1 The second delivery unit of the battery cell inspection device shown is moved to the plasma inspection unit.

[0047] Figure 3 It shows that from Figure 2 The image shows the movement of a battery cell after the plasma inspection unit of the battery cell inspection device performs the inspection.

[0048] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 A schematic side view of an exemplary plasma inspection unit of the battery cell inspection device shown.

[0049] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the cross-section of the pouch-shaped casing used for a battery cell.

[0050] Figure 6 It is shown in passing Figure 4 The diagram shows the behavior of the plasma arc and an example of its detection when the surface of a battery cell is normal during the inspection of the presence / absence of defects by the plasma inspection unit.

[0051] Figure 7 It is shown in passing Figure 4 The diagram shows the behavior of the plasma arc and an example of its detection when the surface of a battery cell is defective during the inspection of the presence / absence of defects by the plasma inspection unit.

[0052] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing an image of a plasma arc captured by a vision camera while the illumination unit of the plasma inspection unit is flashing.

[0053] Figure 9 It is shown that... Figure 4 The diagram shows a side view of different exemplary plasma inspection units.

[0054] Figure 10 It is shown in passing Figure 9 The graph shown depicts the voltage measured at the conductive component during the inspection of a cell surface for defects by a plasma inspection unit.

[0055] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the inspection and exclusion areas in a single battery cell.

[0056] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery cell inspection apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Figure 13 The battery cell is shown from Figure 12 The first loading unit of the battery cell inspection device shown is moved to the plasma inspection unit.

[0058] Figure 14 It shows that from Figure 13The image shows the movement of a battery cell after the plasma inspection unit of the battery cell inspection device performs the inspection. Detailed Implementation

[0059] In the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, various embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail to the extent that those skilled in the art can readily practice the claimed invention. This disclosure may be implemented in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0060] For the sake of clarity in describing this disclosure, parts that are not relevant to the description will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will designate the same or similar elements throughout the specification.

[0061] Furthermore, the dimensions and thicknesses of each element are arbitrarily shown in the accompanying drawings for ease of description, and this disclosure is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. The thicknesses of layers, regions, etc., are enlarged in the drawings for clarity. The thicknesses of parts and regions are enlarged in the drawings for ease of description.

[0062] Furthermore, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, membrane, region, or plate is referred to as being "on" or "above" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or there may be intermediate elements present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, it means that there are no other intermediate elements present. Additionally, a specific component located "above" or "on" a reference portion means that the specific component is located above or below the reference portion, and does not specifically mean that the specific component is "above" or "on" in the opposite direction of gravity.

[0063] Furthermore, this embodiment has used terms to indicate directions such as front, back, left, right, top, and bottom. However, the terms used are provided only for ease of description and may vary depending on the position of the object, the position of the observer, etc.

[0064] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a section is referred to as "comprising" or "containing" a component, it means that the section may also include other components, without excluding other components, unless otherwise stated.

[0065] Furthermore, throughout the instruction manual, when referred to as a "plane," it means when viewing the target portion from above, and when referred to as a "cross section," it means when viewing the target portion from one side of a vertically cut cross section.

[0066] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery cell inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2The battery cell is shown from Figure 1 The second delivery unit of the battery cell inspection device shown is moved to the plasma inspection unit. Figure 3 It shows that from Figure 2 The image shows the movement of a battery cell after the plasma inspection unit of the battery cell inspection device performs the inspection. Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 A schematic side view of an exemplary plasma inspection unit of the battery cell inspection device shown.

[0068] refer to Figures 1 to 4 A battery cell inspection device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first conveying unit 110 for conveying battery cells 10; a visual inspection unit 120 for acquiring appearance information of the battery cells 10 during conveying and checking for the presence / absence of anomalies; a second conveying unit 130 for conveying battery cells 10 whose appearance information acquired from the visual inspection unit 120 is determined to have anomalies; a plasma inspection unit 140 for using a plasma arc to inspect the surface of the battery cells 10 conveyed by the second conveying unit 130 to detect the presence / absence of surface defects in the battery cells 10; a pickup unit 150 for moving the battery cells 10 from the second conveying unit 130 to the plasma inspection unit 140; and a third conveying unit 160 for conveying battery cells 10 determined to be defective from the plasma inspection unit 140.

[0069] First, the battery cell 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be a pouch-type battery, wherein an electrode assembly having electrode leads protruding in one or both directions is housed in a pouch-type housing 20. However, this is merely an example, and the battery cell according to another embodiment of the present disclosure can be a prismatic battery. For ease of explanation, the battery cell 10 as a pouch-type battery will be described primarily.

[0070] The battery cell 10 can be in the shape of a rectangular sheet. The battery cell 10 can be formed by housing an electrode assembly within a pouch-shaped housing 20 made of a laminate comprising resin and metal layers, and then attaching the outer periphery of the pouch-shaped housing 20. In one example, the battery cell 10 can have a structure in which two electrode leads face each other and protrude from both ends of the cell body. In another example, a structure in which all electrode leads of the battery cell 10 protrude in one direction is also possible. One of its electrode leads is a positive electrode lead, and the other is a negative electrode lead.

[0071] The battery cell 10 can be manufactured by attaching a peripheral portion of the pouch-shaped housing 20 while the electrode assembly (not shown) is housed within the pouch-shaped housing 20. In another example, the battery cell 10 may have a structure in which one side of the pouch-shaped housing 20, in which the electrode assembly is housed, is folded and the remaining sides are sealed. Reference will be made later. Figure 5 Describe the details of the bag-shaped housing 20.

[0072] The first conveying unit 110 is a device for conveying battery cells 10 in one direction and may take the form of, for example, a conveyor. The conveyor is driven by a drive device (not shown), and the battery cells 10 are conveyed according to the progress of the conveyor. However, the type of the first conveying unit 110 is not limited to those described above, and any device for conveying battery cells 10 may be applied in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented. For example, the first conveying unit 110 may take the form of a P&P device, a shuttle, etc. Meanwhile, the second conveying unit 130 and the third conveying unit 160, which will be described later, are also devices for conveying battery cells 10, similar to the first conveying unit 110, and therefore can be applied with the same configuration as the first conveying unit 110, and their detailed description will be omitted.

[0073] The visual inspection unit 120 can acquire appearance information of the battery cell 10. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the battery cell 10, whose appearance information has been acquired by the visual inspection unit 120, can be transported through the first transport unit 110. However, the arrangement of the visual inspection unit 120 is not limited to those described above. For example, the visual inspection unit 120 can acquire the appearance information of the battery cell 10 during transport through the first transport unit 110.

[0074] The visual inspection unit 120 may include an image sensor (not shown) capable of acquiring images of the battery cell 10. For example, the visual inspection unit 120 may acquire an image of the entire surface of the battery cell 10 via the image sensor, thereby obtaining appearance information of the battery cell 10. The appearance information of the battery cell 10 acquired by the visual inspection unit 120 may be sent to a defect determination unit, which will be described later, and the defect determination unit may determine whether there are any abnormalities on the surface of the battery cell 10 based on the appearance information of the battery cell 10.

[0075] The second conveying unit 130 can convey battery cells 10 that have been identified as having abnormalities by appearance information obtained from the visual inspection unit 120, among those conveyed by the first conveying unit 110. For this purpose, although in Figure 1Although not shown, the battery cell inspection device 100 may include a moving unit that moves the battery cells 10 that have been conveyed from the first conveying unit 110 to the second conveying unit 130. For example, the moving unit may clamp the battery cells 10 onto the first conveying unit 110 and move them to the second conveying unit 130. Meanwhile, the method by which the moving unit moves the battery cells 10 is not limited to those described above and can be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which the invention is implemented. For example, the moving unit may push the battery cells 10 on the first conveying unit 110 toward the second conveying unit and move them to the second conveying unit 130.

[0076] The plasma inspection unit 140 first re-inspects the battery cells 10 that are identified as having anomalies based on the appearance information obtained from the visual inspection unit 120, and finally determines whether there are defects on the surface of the battery cells 10.

[0077] refer to Figure 4 The plasma inspection unit 140 may include: a plasma nozzle 141 spaced at a predetermined distance from the surface of the battery cell 10 and generating a plasma arc on the surface of the battery cell 10; a vision camera 142 that acquires an image of the position of the plasma arc scanning on the battery cell; a support unit 143 that supports the plasma nozzle 141 and the vision camera 142; an illumination unit 144 that flashes repeatedly at a predetermined period while the plasma arc scans on the battery cell 10; and a holding unit 145 that supports the battery cell 10.

[0078] The plasma nozzle 141 can extend toward the surface of the battery cell 10 to generate a plasma arc on the surface of the battery cell 10. The plasma generated from the plasma nozzle 141 refers to an ionized gas, and the ions and electrons within the plasma are charged particles and have electrical conductivity. When a plasma arc is generated on the surface of the battery cell 10, the shape of the plasma arc appearing at the damaged and undamaged portions of the surface of the battery cell 10 can be different. Various gases such as Ar, He, Ne, air, and N2 can be used as the plasma reactant gas, and preferably, Ar can be used.

[0079] The vision camera 142 can acquire images of the location of the plasma arc scanning on the battery cell 10. For this purpose, the vision camera 142 may include an image sensor (not shown). That is, the plasma inspection unit 140 can acquire the shape of the plasma arc scanning on the battery cell 10 via the vision camera 142. The shape information of the plasma arc scanning on the battery cell 10 acquired by the vision camera 142 can be sent to a defect determination unit, which will be described later, and the defect determination unit can determine the presence / absence of surface defects in the battery cell 10 from the shape information of the plasma arc. Meanwhile, the shape of the plasma arc has been described as a factor in determining the presence / absence of surface defects in the battery cell 10, but is not limited to those described above. That is, various physical and electrical factors can be used to determine the presence / absence of surface defects in the battery cell 10. For example, thermal changes, acoustic changes, and electrical changes caused by the generation of the plasma arc can be used. More specifically, as an example of electrical changes, the presence / absence of surface defects in the battery cell 10 can be determined based on the amount of change in the current that generates the plasma arc in the plasma nozzle 141.

[0080] The vision camera 142 can be arranged to point at the same area as the surface region of the battery cell 10 pointed to by the plasma nozzle 141. In this case, the direction d1 pointed to by the plasma nozzle 141 can be the direction in which the plasma nozzle 141 forms the shortest distance with the surface of the battery cell 10. That is, the direction d1 pointed to by the plasma nozzle 141 can be a direction orthogonal to the surface of the battery cell 10. Furthermore, the direction d2 pointed to by the vision camera 142 can be tilted relative to the direction d1 pointed to by the plasma nozzle 141. That is, the direction d2 pointed to by the vision camera 142 can form a predetermined angle θ with the direction d1 pointed to by the plasma nozzle 141. Because the direction d2 pointed to by the vision camera 142 is tilted relative to the direction d1 pointed to by the plasma nozzle 141, the vision camera 142 can acquire an image of the battery cell 10 with a wider area.

[0081] The support unit 143 is a component that supports the plasma nozzle 141 and the vision camera 142. The support unit 143 can be... Figure 4 The drive device, not shown, moves. For example, the support unit 143 can move in the horizontal and / or vertical directions. Therefore, the plasma inspection unit 140 can move to a position corresponding to the location of an area on the surface of the battery cell 10 where an appearance abnormality occurs, while the support unit 143 supports the plasma nozzle 141 and the vision camera 142, thereby performing an inspection of the battery cell 10.

[0082] When a plasma arc is scanned on the battery cell 10, the illumination unit 144 can flash repeatedly at a predetermined period. For example, while scanning the plasma arc on the battery cell 10, the illumination unit 144 can flash at least several or dozens of times in a short period. When the illumination unit 144 is in the on state, the overall shape of the battery cell 10 is clearly revealed by light. When the illumination unit 144 is in the off state, the shape of the plasma arc scanned on the battery cell 10 is clearly revealed due to the absence of light. Reference will be made below. Figure 7 A method for determining surface defects in a single battery cell 10 using an illumination unit 144 is described. Meanwhile, Figure 4 The arrangement of the illumination unit 144 in the plasma inspection unit 140 is merely exemplary and is not limited to the shape shown in the figures. That is, the position of the illumination unit 144 can be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented, so as not to affect the plasma arc generated by the plasma nozzle 141 and the image acquired from the vision camera 142.

[0083] The holding unit 145 is a component that supports the battery cell 10. The battery cell 10 can be fixed by the holding unit 145 so that its position does not change while being inspected by the plasma inspection unit 140. The battery cell 10 is moved from the second transport unit 130 to the holding unit 145 by the pick-up unit 150, which will be described later, and surface defects of the battery cell 10 can be identified while the battery cell 10 is being installed into the holding unit 145.

[0084] Refer again Figure 2 The pickup unit 150 can move the battery cell 10 from the second transport unit 130 to the plasma inspection unit 140. Furthermore, refer to... Figure 3 The picking unit 150 can move the battery cells 10 identified as defective to the third conveying unit 160 through the plasma inspection unit 140, and the battery cells 10 identified as normal can be moved to the first conveying unit 110 through the plasma inspection unit 140.

[0085] The picking unit 150 may be a multi-jointed robot capable of gripping the battery cell 10. The picking unit 150 may include a suction cup capable of holding and gripping the battery cell 10. However, the method by which the picking unit 150 grips the battery cell 10 is not limited to the methods described above, and may be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented. For example, the picking unit 150 may grip the battery cell 10 by physically pressing it.

[0086] like Figure 4As shown, when the surface inspection of the battery cell 10 is performed by the plasma inspection unit 140, the pickup unit 150 can rotate while holding the battery cell 10, so that the plasma arc generated by the plasma nozzle 141 scans the entire surface of the battery cell 10. For example, the pickup unit 150 can hold and move the battery cell 10 such that one surface of the battery cell 10 faces the plasma nozzle 141. After the plasma inspection unit 140 inspects one surface of the battery cell 10, the pickup unit 150 can rotate the battery cell 10, and the plasma inspection unit 140 can inspect the other surface of the battery cell 10 and can also inspect the corners of the battery cell 10, such as platform portions.

[0087] The first conveying unit 110 and the second conveying unit 130 can convey battery cells in directions orthogonal to each other, and the second conveying unit 130 and the third conveying unit 160 can also convey battery cells in directions orthogonal to each other. In this case, the first conveying unit 110 and the third conveying unit 160 can convey battery cells in directions opposite to each other. Thus, the first conveying unit 110, the second conveying unit 130, and the third conveying unit 160 can surround the pickup unit 150 with one side open. For example, the first conveying unit 110, the second conveying unit 130, and the third conveying unit 160 can be arranged to form a " The battery cell inspection equipment 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can effectively utilize space, thereby shortening the operation process line and improving productivity.

[0088] The pickup unit 150 is arranged between the first conveying unit 110 and the third conveying unit 160 so that it can be accessed by the first conveying unit 110, the second conveying unit 130, and the third conveying unit 160. The accessibility of the pickup unit 150 by the first conveying unit 110, the second conveying unit 130, and the third conveying unit 160 means, for example, that it can hold a battery cell 10 being conveyed to the second conveying unit 130, and that a battery cell 10 determined by the plasma inspection unit 140 to be defective or normal can be moved to the first conveying unit 110 or the third conveying unit 160.

[0089] The third delivery unit 160 can deliver the battery cell 10 that is ultimately determined to be defective through the plasma inspection unit 140.

[0090] Battery cells 10 that are determined by the visual inspection unit 120 to have no appearance abnormalities can be continuously conveyed through the first conveying unit 110. Even if a battery cell 10 is determined by the visual inspection unit 120 to have an appearance abnormality but is determined to be normal by the plasma inspection unit 140, it can be moved back to the first conveying unit 110 by the pick-up unit 150 and conveyed through the first conveying unit 110. Battery cells 10 that are finally determined to be defective by the plasma inspection unit 140 can be conveyed separately from normal battery cells 10 through the third conveying unit 160. In this way, the battery cell inspection equipment 100 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can sequentially and continuously perform each process for inspecting battery cells 10, thereby enabling the inspection of a large number of battery cells 10 and achieving increased productivity.

[0091] Although Figure 1 Although not shown, the battery cell inspection device 100 may include a defect determination unit. The defect determination unit may be in the form of a processor, which may include, for example, a microcontroller unit (MCU). The processor may be located inside the battery cell inspection device 100 or separately located outside the battery cell inspection device 100 for remote communication with the battery cell inspection device 100. The shape of the processor may be modified or changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented. The processor may control the overall operation of the battery cell inspection device 100. For example, the processor may control the operation of the first conveying unit 110, the second conveying unit 130, and the third conveying unit 160. Furthermore, the processor may control the operation of the pickup unit 150.

[0092] The defect determination unit can receive appearance information of the battery cell from the visual inspection unit 120 and determine any appearance abnormalities in the battery cell, and it can use the plasma arc generated by the plasma inspection unit 140, which will be described later, to determine surface defects in the battery cell 10.

[0093] Specifically, the defect determination unit can first detect appearance anomalies in the battery cell 10 from the appearance information obtained by the visual inspection unit 120, and obtain the position coordinates of the area on the surface of the battery cell 10 where appearance anomalies have appeared. When the plasma inspection unit 140 performs an inspection, the defect determination unit can move the support unit 143 so that the plasma nozzle 141 generates a plasma arc at the position obtained by the visual inspection unit 120 that corresponds to the position coordinates of the area in the battery cell 10 where appearance anomalies have appeared.

[0094] The defect determination unit can determine whether there are defects on the surface of the cell 10 based on at least one of the shape of the plasma arc and the amount of change in the current that generates the plasma arc, which are acquired by the vision camera 142.

[0095] For example, the defect determination unit can extract a predetermined amount of light or a larger light detection area based on the amount of light detected at the location scanned by the plasma arc, and determine that a surface defect has appeared in the battery cell 10 when the light detection area is larger than a predetermined area. Alternatively, if the change in the current that generates the plasma arc in the plasma nozzle 141 falls outside a predetermined reference value, the defect determination unit can determine that a surface defect has appeared in the battery cell 10.

[0096] Furthermore, the criteria used to determine whether the surface of the battery cell 10 is normal or defective, and the process used to determine whether the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective, will be described in more detail below.

[0097] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the cross-section of the pouch-shaped casing used for a battery cell.

[0098] Specifically, Figure 5 (a) shows a normal bag-shaped shell 20. Figure 5 (b) shows an example in which grooves have been formed in the outer resin layer 21 on the surface of the bag housing 20, but the bag housing is normal. Figure 5 (c) shows an example in which damage has occurred in the outer resin layer 21 on the surface of the bag-shaped housing 20.

[0099] refer to Figure 5 (a) The bag-shaped housing 20 may be formed of a laminate. Specifically, the bag-shaped housing 20 may include an inner resin layer 23 for sealing, a metal layer 22 for preventing material penetration, and an outermost resin layer 21. Based on the electrode assembly inside the bag-shaped housing 20, the inner resin layer 23 may be located on the innermost side, the outer resin layer 21 may be located on the outermost side, and the metal layer 22 may be located between the inner resin layer 23 and the outer resin layer 21.

[0100] The bag-type housing 20 may further include a first adhesive layer 24 between the outer resin layer 21 and the metal layer 22 to laminate the outer resin layer 21 and the metal layer 22. Additionally, the bag-type housing 20 may also include a second adhesive layer 25 between the metal layer 22 and the inner resin layer 23 to laminate the metal layer 22 and the inner resin layer 23.

[0101] The outer resin layer 21 may have excellent tensile strength and weather resistance relative to its thickness, and exhibit electrical insulation properties to protect the electrode assembly from external influences. The outer resin layer 21 may comprise polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin or nylon resin. The metal layer 22 may maintain the mechanical strength of the pouch-type housing 20 and prevent air, moisture, etc., from entering the pouch-type secondary battery. The metal layer 22 may comprise aluminum (Al). The inner resin layers 23 may be thermally welded together by heat and / or pressure applied during the embedding of the electrode assembly. The inner resin layer 23 may comprise cast polypropylene (CPP) or polypropylene (PP).

[0102] If the outer resin layer 21 of the pouch casing 20 is damaged, the metal layer 22 located beneath the outer resin layer 21 may be exposed to the outside. In this case, the battery cell 10 may cause safety problems, such as ignition or explosion.

[0103] refer to Figure 5 (b) In this case, the groove g1, where the metal layer 22 is not exposed, can be formed in the outer resin layer 21 of the bag-shaped housing 20. The metal layer (22) is covered by the outer resin layer 21 through the groove g1 and is therefore not exposed to the outside. As a result, the bag-shaped housing 20 with the groove g1 formed corresponds to the normal bag shape, where the metal layer 22 is not exposed to the outside.

[0104] However, using the aforementioned visual inspection unit 120, a bag-shaped housing 20 with a groove g1 formed where the metal layer 22 is not exposed to the outside can be identified as having an appearance abnormality in the battery cell 10. However, in the case of a groove g1 where the metal layer 22 is not exposed to the outside, since the metal layer 22 is unlikely to be exposed, the safety of the battery cell 10 is not compromised. A bag-shaped housing 20 with a groove g1 where the metal layer 22 is not exposed to the outside can be identified as having a normal surface by the plasma inspection unit 140. The process by which the surface of the battery cell 10 is confirmed to be normal by the plasma inspection unit 140 will be described in detail later.

[0105] refer to Figure 5 (c) A groove g2 exposing the metal layer 22 can be formed in the outer resin layer 21 of the bag-shaped housing 20. In this case, the metal layer 22 inside the outer resin layer 21 is exposed to the outside through the groove g2. As a result, the bag-shaped housing 20 with the groove g2 in which the metal layer 22 is exposed to the outside corresponds to a defective bag.

[0106] As in Figure 5In case (b), the bag-shaped housing 20 with a groove g2 in which the metal layer 22 is exposed to the outside can be identified as having an appearance abnormality by the visual inspection unit 120 described above. Furthermore, in the case of a groove g2 in which the metal layer 22 is exposed to the outside, there is a high risk of safety problems occurring in the battery cell 10 due to the exposure of the metal layer 22 to the outside. The bag-shaped housing 20 with a groove g2 in which the metal layer 22 is exposed to the outside can be identified as having surface defects by the plasma inspection unit 140. The process by which the surface of the battery cell 10 is identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit 140 will be described in detail later.

[0107] Figure 6 It is shown in passing Figure 4 The diagram shows an example of the behavior of the plasma arc and its detection when the cell surface is normal during the inspection of the presence / absence of defects by the plasma inspection unit. Figure 7 It is shown in passing Figure 4 The diagram shows an example of the behavior of the plasma arc and its detection when the surface of a battery cell is defective during the inspection of the presence / absence of defects by the plasma inspection unit.

[0108] Specifically, Figure 6 (a) schematically illustrates the behavior of the plasma arc scanned from the plasma nozzle 141 of the plasma inspection unit 140 after the plasma arc reaches the surface of the battery cell 10 when the surface of the battery cell 10 is normal. Figure 6 (b) shows an image of the shape of the plasma arc when the surface of the cell 10 is normal. Figure 6 (c) shows the process of... Figure 6 (b) is the image of the result after performing plasma arc detection. Furthermore, Figure 7 (a) schematically illustrates the behavior of the plasma arc after the plasma arc scanned from the plasma nozzle 141 of the plasma inspection unit 140 reaches the surface of the battery cell 10 when the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective. Figure 7 (b) shows an image of the shape of the plasma arc when the surface of the cell 10 is defective. Figure 7 (c) shows the process of... Figure 7 (b) is the result after performing plasma arc detection.

[0109] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 Through plasma nozzle 141 in Figure 6 A plasma arc is scanned on the surface of the battery cell 10 shown in (a) and (b). If the surface of the battery cell 10 is as shown in (a) and (b), the plasma arc is scanned on the surface of the battery cell 10. Figure 6As shown in (a) and 6(b), if the conditions are normal, the metal layer 22 inside the bag-shaped housing 20 is not exposed to the outside, and therefore the plasma arc can be reflected from the surface of the outer resin layer 21 of the bag-shaped housing 20. On the other hand, if the surface of the battery cell 10 is as shown in (a) and (b), the metal layer 22 inside the bag-shaped housing 20 is not exposed to the outside, and therefore the plasma arc can be reflected from the surface of the outer resin layer 21 of the bag-shaped housing 20. Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) shows a defect, in which the metal layer 22 inside the bag-shaped housing 20 is exposed to the outside, and therefore, the plasma arc can be absorbed by the inner metal layer 22 instead of being reflected from the surface of the outer resin layer 21 of the bag-shaped housing 20.

[0110] When the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective in this manner, the plasma arc is absorbed by the surface of the battery cell 10. Therefore, compared to the shape of the plasma arc when the surface of the battery cell 10 is normal, the shape of the plasma arc can have a brighter form (i.e., a greater amount of light) because the plasma arc is concentrated in a localized area. Furthermore, compared to the shape of the plasma arc when the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective, the shape of the plasma arc when the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective can have a larger area (i.e., region) where the plasma arc is concentrated (i.e., a region with a light intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined value).

[0111] Based on these points, the defect determination unit can extract the light detection area based on the shape of the plasma arc acquired from the vision camera 142 of the plasma inspection unit 140. Specifically, based on the amount of light at the location scanned by the plasma arc, a light detection area with a predetermined amount or more of light detected compared to the surface of the battery cell 10 that was not scanned by the plasma arc can be extracted.

[0112] For example, the defect determination unit can extract Figure 6 (b) and Figure 7 (b) The brightness of each pixel in the image is calculated, and pixels whose brightness is equal to or greater than a predetermined value are extracted as light detection regions. More specifically, when extracting the brightness of each pixel in the image, the defect determination unit can determine the pixel brightness (G / L) by setting black to 0 and white to 255 as reference values. In this case, the defect determination unit can determine the light detection region as a case where the pixel brightness (G / L) is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (x). For example, the defect determination unit can determine the light detection region as a case where the pixel brightness (G / L) is 150 or higher, preferably 200 or higher. Meanwhile, the pixel brightness G / L is not limited to the above and can be modified and changed according to the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0113] The defect determination unit can calculate the area of ​​the light detection region after extracting it, and determine that a surface defect has occurred in the battery cell 10 if the light detection region is larger than a predetermined area. For example, the defect determination unit can extract... Figure 6 (b) and Figure 7 (b) shows the brightness of each pixel in the image, and processes the remaining areas (i.e., areas where pixel brightness G / L is less than the predetermined value x) except for areas where pixel brightness G / L is equal to or greater than the predetermined value x, as black (pixel brightness is 0), thereby obtaining Figure 6 (c) and Figure 7 The image shown in (c). More specifically, the defect determination unit extracts... Figure 6 (b) and Figure 7 (b) shows the brightness of each pixel in the image, and processes the brightness of areas with pixel brightness G / L less than 150, preferably less than 200, to zero, thereby obtaining Figure 6 (c) and Figure 7 Image (c) shows the defect determination unit. Figure 6 (c) and Figure 7 (c) The area of ​​the region other than the black-processed area is calculated on the image, and if the light-detected area is greater than the predetermined area, it can be determined that a surface defect has occurred in the cell.

[0114] For example, when comparisons are formed in having Figure 6 The light detection area on the normal surface of the battery cell 10 shown in (a) and (b) and the area with Figure 7 When the battery cell 10 with the defective surface shown in (a) and (b) has a defective surface, the area of ​​the light detection region formed on the battery cell 10 with a normal surface is smaller than the area of ​​the light detection region formed on the battery cell 10 with the defective surface. Furthermore, the aforementioned predetermined area can be determined based on the intensity of the plasma arc scanned from the plasma nozzle 141, the distance between the plasma nozzle 141 and the surface of the battery cell 10, and particularly the pixel brightness G / L, and can be modified and changed according to the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0115] For example, the defect determination unit can extract pixels whose pixel brightness G / L is equal to or greater than a predetermined value x as light detection areas, and then determine that surface defects have occurred on the battery cell based on the presence of light detection areas. That is, the defect determination unit can determine that the surface of the battery cell 10 is normal when the area of ​​the light detection area is 0. In such an example, the light detection area can be extracted based on a higher pixel brightness G / L (e.g., 200).

[0116] Figure 8This is a diagram showing an image of a plasma arc captured by a vision camera while the illumination unit of the plasma inspection unit is flashing.

[0117] refer to Figure 8 (a) While the illumination unit 144 scans the plasma arc on the battery cell 10 and flashes repeatedly, the vision camera 142 can repeatedly acquire images when the illumination unit 144 is in the on state and images when the illumination unit 144 is in the off state. For example, Figure 8 (b) shows an image when the lighting unit 144 is in the off state, and Figure 8 (c) shows an image of the lighting unit 144 when it is in the on state.

[0118] like Figure 8 As shown in (b), when the illumination unit 144 is in the off state, the influence of light, apart from the plasma arc, may be minimal or nonexistent. Therefore, the shape of the plasma arc acquired by the vision camera 142 can appear more clearly and distinctly. However, since no light illuminates the battery cell 10, while the location information of the plasma arc appearing in the battery cell 10 can be obtained, it is impossible to know precisely where the plasma arc appears relative to the battery cell 10.

[0119] like Figure 8 As shown in (c), when the illumination unit 144 is in the on state, the light from the illumination unit 144 is generated together with the plasma arc, making the shape of the plasma arc acquired by the vision camera 142 less clear. However, because the illumination unit 144 generates light that illuminates the battery cell 10, the overall shape information of the battery cell 10 may be known.

[0120] Because the battery cell 10 is positioned and fixed by the holding unit 145 during the inspection of the battery cell 10, it can be in the same position while the lighting unit 144 is flashing. For example, as Figure 8 As shown in (b) and (c), when the illumination unit 144 is in the off state, the shape and position information of the plasma arc are acquired, and when the illumination unit 144 is in the on state, the shape information of the battery cell 10 is acquired. Then, the shape and position information of the plasma arc are combined with the shape information of the battery cell 10 to accurately determine the position where the plasma arc will appear relative to the battery cell 10. Therefore, since the images of the illumination unit 144 in both the off and on states are acquired multiple times and then combined, not only can the shape of the plasma arc be accurately obtained, but also the position where the plasma arc will appear relative to the battery cell 10 can be accurately determined.

[0121] Figure 9 It is shown that... Figure 4The diagram shows a side view of different exemplary plasma inspection units. Figure 10 It is shown in passing Figure 9 The graph shown depicts the voltage measured at the conductive component during the inspection of a cell surface for defects by a plasma inspection unit.

[0122] refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 The plasma inspection unit 140' may include a conductive member 146 disposed on a surface opposite to the surface of the battery cell 10 scanned by the plasma arc. For example, the conductive member 146 may be located on a holding unit 145 supporting the battery cell 10. The conductive member 146 may be a conductive member for measuring voltage changes as the plasma arc scans through the plasma inspection unit 140' to the battery cell 10. The conductive member 146 may be a flat plate having a shape similar to that of the battery cell 10. For example, the conductive member 146 may be a member with a constant thickness, and the conductive member 146 may be implemented in various forms, such as a metal plate, conductive film, conductive strip, or conductive coating, depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0123] The defect determination unit can determine whether there are defects on the surface of the battery cell 10 based on the voltage change measured at the conductive member 146 when scanning the plasma arc. For example, if the voltage change measured at the conductive member 146 falls outside a predetermined value, the defect determination unit can determine that a surface defect has occurred in the battery cell 10.

[0124] Refer again Figure 6 and Figure 7 If the surface of the battery cell 10 is like Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 (b) shows a normal configuration, where the metal layer 22 inside the bag-shaped housing 20 is not exposed to the outside, allowing the metal layer 22 located inside the battery cell 10 to remain electrically insulated from the plasma arc. On the other hand, if the surface of the battery cell 10 is as shown... Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) shows a defective one, in which the metal layer 22 inside the bag-shaped housing 20 is exposed to the outside, so that the metal layer 22 located inside the battery cell 10 can be electrically connected to the plasma arc.

[0125] When a plasma arc is scanned on the surface of the cell 10, the cell 10 can be used as a dielectric between the plasma nozzle 141 and the conductive member 146.

[0126] If the surface of the battery cell 10 is normal, the metal layer 22 inside the battery cell 10 and the plasma arc remain electrically insulated, so that even if the plasma arc is scanned to the battery cell 10, the capacitance through the battery cell 10 hardly changes. Thus, the voltage measured at the conductive member 146 can be maintained within a predetermined reference value.

[0127] If the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective, the electrical insulation between the metal layer 22 inside the battery cell 10 and the plasma arc will be disrupted. This may lead to the following problems: when the plasma arc scans the battery cell 10, a sudden change in the capacitance through the battery cell 10 may occur, or partial discharge may occur. As a result, the voltage measured at the conductive member 146 may fall outside the predetermined reference value.

[0128] Based on these points, if the voltage change measured at the conductive member 146 falls outside a predetermined reference value, the defect determination unit can determine that a surface defect has occurred in the battery cell 10. The predetermined reference value can be determined based on the intensity of the plasma arc scanned from the plasma nozzle 141, the distance between the plasma nozzle 141 and the surface of the battery cell 10, etc., and can be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0129] Meanwhile, the method for inspecting surface defects of the battery cell 10 by the defect determination unit is not limited to those described above, and can be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented. For example, the defect determination unit can calculate the amount of current and / or voltage applied to the plasma nozzle 141 of the plasma inspection unit 140. Specifically, the amount of change in current and / or voltage is measured when the plasma arc is scanned, and if the amount of change in current and / or voltage generated from the plasma arc generated by the plasma nozzle 141 falls outside a predetermined reference value, it can be determined that surface defects have appeared in the battery cell 10. For example, when comparing the amount of change in current and / or voltage applied to the plasma nozzle 141 while scanning the plasma arc, it can be determined that surface defects have appeared in the battery cell 10. Figure 6 The battery cell 10 with a normal surface shown in (a) and (b) and having Figure 7 When the amount of current and / or voltage of the battery cell 10 with the defective surface shown in (a) and (b) is greater than the amount of current and / or voltage applied to the battery cell 10 with the defective surface while scanning the plasma arc, the amount of current and / or voltage applied to the battery cell 10 with the normal surface can be greater than the amount of current and / or voltage applied to the battery cell 10 with the normal surface.

[0130] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the inspection and exclusion areas in a single battery cell.

[0131] refer to Figure 11 The battery cell 10 may include a region AE, wherein the defect determination unit determines that no surface defects have occurred in the battery cell 10.

[0132] As previously described, the battery cell 10 may include an electrode assembly and a pouch-shaped housing 20 for housing the electrode assembly. The pouch-shaped housing 20 may be formed in a predetermined shape to house the electrode assembly. For example, the pouch-shaped housing 20 may be formed by cutting it into a rectangular shape. In this case, the metal layer 22 inside the pouch-shaped housing 20 may be exposed to the outside through the cut outer peripheral side.

[0133] The battery cell 10 can be formed by joining and sealing the outer periphery of the bag-shaped housing 20 while the electrode assembly is housed within it. Therefore, even when the electrode assembly is sealed within the bag-shaped housing 20, the metal layer 22 can still be exposed to the outside through the outer periphery of the bag-shaped housing 20. Consequently, the plasma arc generated by the plasma inspection unit 140 can be absorbed by the metal layer 22 exposed through the outer periphery of the bag-shaped housing 20. In this case, even if the surface of the battery cell 20 is normal, the defect determination unit can determine that the surface of the battery cell 10 is defective because the plasma arc is absorbed.

[0134] Therefore, the defect determination unit can determine that the area AE where the metal layer 22 is exposed through the outer periphery of the battery cell 10 while the pouch-type housing 20 is sealed will not cause surface defects in the battery cell 10. Thus, even when the surface of the battery cell 10 is normal, the surface can be prevented from being determined to be defective.

[0135] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery cell inspection apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 13 The battery cell is shown from Figure 12 The first loading unit of the battery cell inspection device shown is moved to the plasma inspection unit. Figure 14 It shows that from Figure 13 The image shows the movement of a battery cell after the plasma inspection unit of the battery cell inspection device performs the inspection.

[0136] Next, we will refer to Figures 12 to 14 A battery cell inspection apparatus 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is described. However, details of components that are identical or corresponding to those described in the aforementioned battery cell inspection apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be omitted.

[0137] refer to Figures 12 to 14The battery cell inspection device 200 may include: a main conveying unit 210 for conveying battery cells 10; a visual inspection unit 220 for acquiring appearance information of the battery cells 10 and checking for the presence or absence of abnormalities; a first loading unit 230 for conveying and loading battery cells 10 identified as having abnormalities based on the appearance information acquired from the visual inspection unit 220; a plasma inspection unit 240 for using a plasma arc to inspect the surface of the battery cells 10 conveyed by the pickup unit 250 to detect the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cells 10; a pickup unit 250 for moving the battery cells 10 loaded by the first loading unit 230; and a second loading unit 260 for conveying and loading battery cells 10 identified as defective from the plasma inspection unit 240.

[0138] The main conveying unit 210 is a device for conveying battery cells 10 in one direction. Since the same content as the first conveying unit 110 described above can be applied, a detailed description of the main conveying unit 210 will be omitted.

[0139] The first loading unit 230 and the second loading unit 260 can load the battery cells 10 independently of the main delivery unit 210.

[0140] The first loading unit 230 can load and transport battery cells 10 that have been determined to have abnormalities based on appearance information obtained from the visual inspection unit 240, within the battery cells 10 transported by the main transport unit 210. For this purpose, although... Figure 12 Although not shown, the battery cell inspection device 200 may include a moving unit that moves the battery cells 10 conveyed to the first loading unit 230 via the main conveying unit 210. For example, the moving unit may clamp the battery cells 10 onto the first conveying unit 210 and move them to the first loading unit 230. Meanwhile, the method by which the moving unit moves the battery cells 10 is not limited to those described above and can be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0141] refer to Figure 13 The pickup unit 250 can move the battery cell 10 from the first loading unit 230 to the plasma inspection unit 240. Furthermore, refer to... Figure 14 The picking unit 250 can move battery cells 10 that are determined to be defective by the plasma inspection unit 240 to the second loading unit 260, and move battery cells 10 that are determined to be normal by the plasma inspection unit 240 to the main delivery unit 210.

[0142] The second loading unit 260 can load the battery cell 10 that has been finally determined to be defective by the plasma inspection unit 240.

[0143] The main conveying unit 210, the first loading unit 230, and the second loading unit 260 can be arranged around the pickup unit 250. For example, the pickup unit 250, the first loading unit 230, and the second loading unit 260 can be arranged on one side of the main conveying unit 210, and the first loading unit 230 and the second loading unit 260 can be arranged in opposite directions relative to each other based on the pickup unit 250. With this arrangement, the battery cell inspection equipment 200 can effectively utilize space, thereby shortening the operation process line and improving productivity.

[0144] The pickup unit 250 is arranged on one side of the main conveying unit 210 and between the first loading unit 230 and the second loading unit 260, and is therefore accessible to the main conveying unit 210, the first loading unit 230 and the second loading unit 260. The pickup unit 250 is accessible to the main conveying unit 210, the first loading unit 230 and the second loading unit 260, which means, for example, that it can hold a battery cell 10 being conveyed to the first loading unit 230, and that a battery cell 10 determined by the plasma inspection unit 240 to be defective or normal can be moved to the main conveying unit 210 or the second loading unit 260.

[0145] Battery cells 10 that are initially determined by the visual inspection unit 220 to have no appearance abnormalities can continue to be conveyed through the main conveying unit 210. Even battery cells 10 that are determined by the visual inspection unit 220 to have appearance abnormalities but are determined to be normal by the plasma inspection unit 240 can be moved back to the main conveying unit 210 by the pick-up unit 250 and conveyed through the main conveying unit 210. Battery cells 10 that are ultimately determined to be defective by the plasma inspection unit 240 can be loaded separately from normal battery cells 10 by the second loading unit 260. In this way, the battery cell inspection equipment 200 according to the embodiments of this disclosure can sequentially and continuously perform each process for inspecting battery cells 10, thereby enabling the inspection of a large number of battery cells 10 and achieving increased productivity.

[0146] The accompanying drawings are conceptual diagrams illustrating each component to facilitate understanding and comprehension of this disclosure. Therefore, the spacing and arrangement of components are not limited to those shown in the drawings, nor are the dimensions and scales of the components limited to those shown in the drawings. These elements can be modified and changed in various ways depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0147] Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can make many other variations and modifications to the embodiments using the basic principles of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which also fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0148] [Explanation of Symbols and Labels]

[0149] 10: Battery cell

[0150] 20: Bag-shaped shell

[0151] 100: Battery cell inspection equipment

[0152] 110: First conveying unit

[0153] 120: Visual Inspection Unit

[0154] 130: Second conveying unit

[0155] 140: Plasma Inspection Unit

[0156] 141: Plasma Nozzle

[0157] 142: Visual Camera

[0158] 143: Support Unit

[0159] 150: Pickup Unit

[0160] 160: Third Conveying Unit

[0161] 200: Battery cell inspection equipment

[0162] 210: Main Conveyor Unit

[0163] 220: Visual Inspection Unit

[0164] 230: First loading unit

[0165] 240: Plasma Inspection Unit

[0166] 250: Pickup Unit

[0167] 260: Second loading unit

Claims

1. A battery cell inspection device, comprising: A first conveying unit, which conveys individual battery cells; A visual inspection unit acquires the appearance information of the battery cell and checks for the presence or absence of abnormalities. The second conveying unit conveys battery cells that are determined to have abnormalities based on the appearance information obtained from the visual inspection unit. A pickup unit that moves the battery cells conveyed by the second conveying unit; as well as A plasma inspection unit uses a plasma arc to inspect the surface of the battery cell delivered by the pickup unit to detect the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cell.

2. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 1, It also includes a third delivery unit that delivers battery cells identified as defective from the plasma inspection unit.

3. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 2, in, The pickup unit moves battery cells identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit to the third transport unit, and moves battery cells identified as normal by the plasma inspection unit to the first transport unit.

4. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 3, in, The first conveying unit and the second conveying unit convey the battery cells in directions orthogonal to each other, and The second conveying unit and the third conveying unit convey the battery cells in directions orthogonal to each other.

5. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 4, in, The first conveying unit and the third conveying unit convey the battery cells in opposite directions to each other, and The pickup unit is arranged between the first conveying unit and the third conveying unit to allow access to the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit, and the third conveying unit.

6. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 1, It also includes a defect determination unit, which determines the appearance abnormalities of the battery cell based on the visual inspection unit and determines surface defects based on the plasma inspection unit.

7. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 6, in, The plasma inspection unit includes a plasma nozzle, which is spaced at a predetermined distance from the surface of the battery cell and generates a plasma arc on the surface of the battery cell.

8. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 7, in, The plasma inspection unit also includes a vision camera, which acquires images of the location where the plasma arc scans on the battery cell, and The defect determination unit determines the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cell based on the shape of the plasma arc acquired by the vision camera.

9. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 8, in, The defect determination unit extracts a light detection area with a predetermined light intensity or greater based on the light intensity at the location of the plasma arc scan, and determines that a surface defect has occurred in the battery cell when the light detection area is greater than the predetermined area.

10. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 9, in, The defect determination unit extracts the brightness of each pixel in the image acquired by the vision camera, and extracts pixels with brightness equal to or greater than a predetermined value as the light detection region. The area of ​​the light detection region is larger when the surface of the battery cell is defective than the area of ​​the light detection region when the surface of the battery cell is normal.

11. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 10, in, When the area of ​​the light detection region is 0, the defect determination unit determines that the surface of the battery cell is normal.

12. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 9, in, The plasma inspection unit also includes an illumination unit, which flashes repeatedly at a predetermined period while the plasma arc scans the battery cell.

13. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 12, in, The plasma inspection unit acquires the shape information of the battery cell when the illumination unit is in the on state, and acquires the shape and position information of the plasma arc when the illumination unit is in the off state. The defect determination unit determines the generation position of the plasma arc relative to the battery cell, and determines the presence or absence of defects on the surface of the battery cell at the generation position of the plasma arc.

14. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 8, in, The visual camera is arranged to point to the same area as the surface region of the battery cell pointed to by the plasma nozzle, and The direction in which the vision camera is pointed is tilted relative to the direction in which the plasma nozzle points towards the surface of the battery cell.

15. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 14, in, The direction in which the plasma nozzle points is the direction in which the plasma nozzle forms the shortest distance with the surface of the battery cell.

16. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 7, in, The plasma inspection unit further includes a conductive component arranged on a surface opposite to the surface of the battery cell scanned by the plasma arc. The defect determination unit determines the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cell based on the amount of voltage change measured at the conductive member during the plasma arc scan.

17. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 16, in, If the change in voltage measured at the conductive member falls outside a predetermined reference value, the defect determination unit determines that a surface defect has occurred in the battery cell.

18. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 7, in, The defect determination unit first detects appearance abnormalities of the battery cell based on the appearance information of the battery cell obtained by the visual inspection unit, and Obtain the location coordinates of the area on the surface of the battery cell where the appearance abnormality occurs.

19. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 18, in, The plasma nozzle moves to generate the plasma arc corresponding to the position coordinates of the area where the appearance anomaly occurs.

20. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 7, in, The picking unit is a multi-jointed robot capable of gripping the battery cell.

21. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 20, in, The pickup unit rotates while holding the battery cell, such that when the surface of the battery cell is inspected by the plasma inspection unit, the plasma arc generated by the plasma nozzle scans the entire surface of the battery cell.

22. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 6, in, The battery cell includes an electrode assembly and a pouch-shaped housing that contains the electrode assembly. The bag-shaped housing has a structure in which an inner metal layer is exposed through an outer peripheral side, and the outer peripheral side is joined and sealed while the electrode assembly is housed therein. The defect determination unit determines that the area of ​​the metal layer exposed through the outer peripheral side does not cause surface defects in the battery cell when the bag-shaped housing is sealed.

23. A battery cell inspection device, comprising: The main conveying unit conveys individual battery cells; A visual inspection unit acquires the appearance information of the battery cell and checks for the presence or absence of abnormalities. The first loading unit is used to transport and load the battery cells that are determined to have abnormalities based on the appearance information obtained by the visual inspection unit. A pickup unit that moves the battery cell loaded by the first loading unit; as well as A plasma inspection unit uses a plasma arc to inspect the surface of the battery cell delivered by the pickup unit to detect the presence or absence of surface defects in the battery cell.

24. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 23, It also includes a second loading unit, on which battery cells identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit are transported and loaded.

25. The battery cell inspection device according to claim 24, in, The pickup unit moves battery cells identified as defective by the plasma inspection unit to the second loading unit, and moves battery cells identified as normal by the plasma inspection unit to the main delivery unit.

Images