Method for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly, laser cutting machine and system

Abstract

A method for cutting the housing (18) of a battery cell assembly (12), wherein the battery cell assembly (12) comprises at least one battery cell (20) arranged in an interior (22) of the housing (18), the method comprising the steps of: providing a laser beam (24) and cutting the housing (18) using the laser beam (24). The laser beam (24) strikes the housing (18) at an angle of incidence (26) during the cutting of the housing (18), wherein the angle of incidence (26) is not equal to 0°.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for cutting a housing of a battery cell arrangement, a laser cutting machine and a system.

[0002] Battery cells, particularly used in the automotive industry, can be arranged in a battery cell assembly and electrically connected to one another. Typically, the battery cell assembly has a housing with an interior space in which the battery cells are arranged. The battery cell assembly does not necessarily have to comprise a plurality of battery cells. It is also conceivable for the battery cell assembly to comprise a single battery cell arranged in the housing.

[0003] Battery cells can contain valuable raw materials, which is why they can be used as a resource. Reusing the raw materials of the battery cells often requires opening the housing of the battery cell assembly to remove the battery cells from the housing.

[0004] DE 10 2019 209 183 A1 discloses a method for producing battery electrodes from an electrode strip material. The electrode strip material has a foil and an active material coating applied thereto. Separating the electrode strip material is achieved by partially ablating the active material coating at an interface with a first laser beam and completely severing the active material coating and the foil at the interface with a second laser beam.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly, which in particular enables particularly reliable cutting of the housing. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a laser cutting machine and a system, each configured to carry out the method.

[0006] The invention solves this problem by providing a method having the features of claim 1, a laser cutting machine having the features of claim 10 and a system having the features of claim 11. Advantageous developments and / or embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0007] The method according to the invention is suitable for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly. The battery cell assembly has at least one battery cell arranged in an interior space of the housing. The method comprises the steps of providing a laser beam and cutting the housing using the laser beam. During the cutting of the housing, the laser beam strikes the housing at an angle of incidence. The angle of incidence is not equal to 0°.

[0008] Advantageously, the angle of incidence, which is not equal to 0°, prevents damage to the underlying battery cells, for example, due to irradiation of the battery cells by the laser beam or due to melting of the housing resulting from the cutting process. This can reduce or completely prevent the risk of explosion and / or ignition of the battery cell arrangement. This advantageously enables particularly safe cutting of the housing.

[0009] Furthermore, the housing can be cut using the laser beam independently of any joint or geometry of the housing. Furthermore, the housing can be cut using the laser beam in such a way that heat input into the housing is significantly lower compared to other processes, such as plasma cutting. Furthermore, cutting using the laser beam advantageously enables the housing to be cut without the generation of chips, unlike other processes, such as milling. Furthermore, cutting using the laser beam eliminates the need for foreign substances, such as coolants or other operating materials.

[0010] The housing can be made of aluminum or iron. Preferably, the housing can be made of stainless steel. The housing can be formed from a sheet metal. The housing can be referred to as a formed metallic shell. A wall of the housing can have a thickness in a range of 0.5 mm (millimeters) to 3 mm.

[0011] The housing may comprise a first housing part and a second housing part. The first housing part and the second housing part may be connected to one another in a closed state. The connection may be formed as a screw connection, an adhesive connection, or a welded connection.

[0012] The housing can seal the interior, particularly against the environment, in an airtight and / or watertight manner.

[0013] A battery cell can be understood as a battery or an accumulator.

[0014] The battery cell arrangement may comprise a number of battery cells, for example 1, 9, 16, or 81, arranged in the interior of the housing. The battery cells may be electrically connected to one another, in particular by means of a battery cell connector.

[0015] Providing the laser beam can comprise generating the laser beam. Providing the laser beam can be done using a laser cutting machine. Providing the laser beam can comprise deflecting the laser beam using a scraper mirror. The scraper mirror can deflect the laser beam, in particular, such that the laser beam is directed onto the housing. The scraper mirror can deflect the laser beam such that the laser beam strikes the housing at the angle of incidence during cutting of the housing. Advantageously, the scraper mirror reduces an interfering contour.

[0016] The laser beam can be a single-mode laser beam or a multi-mode laser beam. The laser beam can have a diffraction index M 2 of equal to or less than 2, in particular in a range from 1 to 1.4. Alternatively, the laser beam may have a diffraction index M 2 of greater than 4. Preferably, the laser beam may have a Gaussian intensity profile or a top-hat-shaped intensity profile.

[0017] The laser beam can be a laser beam focused on the housing. By focusing the laser beam on the housing, a laser spot of the laser beam can form on the housing. The laser spot can have an elliptical shape. The laser beam can be focused on the housing such that the laser beam has a beam parameter product in a range from 0.38 mm*mrad (millimeters * milliradians) to 16 mm*mrad. Preferably, the laser beam can have a beam parameter product of 0.6 mm*mrad, 4 mm*mrad, or 6 mm*mrad. The laser beam can be focused on the housing such that the laser beam, if a single-mode laser beam, has a beam parameter product of 0.6 mm*mrad, or such that the laser beam, if a multi-mode laser beam, has a beam parameter product of 6 mm*mrad, in particular 4 mm*mrad.

[0018] A beam diameter of the laser beam on the housing, especially in the laser spot, can be 50 µm (micrometers) to 500 µm. In particular, if the laser beam is a single-mode laser beam, a beam diameter of the laser beam on the housing can be 30 µm to 70 µm. In particular, if the laser beam is a multi-mode laser beam, a beam diameter of the laser beam on the housing can be 100 µm to 300 µm.

[0019] The laser beam can have a power in a range from 0.5 kW (kilowatt) to 24 kW, in particular 2 kW to 8 kW.

[0020] The laser beam can have a wavelength in a range of 800 nm (nanometers) to 1200 nm. Preferably, the laser beam can have a wavelength of 1030 nm, 1064 nm, or 1070 nm. Alternatively, the laser beam can have a wavelength in a range of 500 nm to 550 nm. Preferably, the laser beam can have a wavelength of 515 nm.

[0021] The housing can be cut by guiding the laser beam across the housing. The laser beam can be guided across the housing, for example, at a cutting speed in a range of 10 m / min (meters / minute) to 80 m / min, in particular 20 m / min to 60 m / min. The cutting speed can depend on the thickness of the housing wall to be cut. The cutting speed can be inversely proportional to the thickness of the housing wall to be cut. Consequently, the cutting speed of a thicker wall can be smaller than the speed of a thinner wall.

[0022] The laser beam can be guided along a cutting contour over the housing, particularly during cutting of the housing.

[0023] Cutting the housing using the laser beam can be achieved by melting a material of the housing and expelling the melt. The melt can be expelled using a cutting gas. The cutting gas can be an inert cutting gas, such as nitrogen. Advantageously, the use of an inert cutting gas can prevent ignition of the housing and / or the battery cell.

[0024] Alternatively, the housing can be cut by evaporating the housing material.

[0025] The method may comprise the step of optically detecting edge positions of the housing and cutting the housing using the laser beam depending on the detected edge positions. Advantageously, the optical detection of the edge positions can be carried out fully automatically, in particular without manual intervention. This advantageously allows tolerances to be compensated and greater precision to be achieved, resulting in less waste.

[0026] Cutting the housing using the laser beam can include optical detection of the current cutting position. Additionally, cutting the housing using the laser beam can include readjustment of the cutting position based on the detected current cutting position. Advantageously, the optical detection of the current cutting position can be performed fully automatically, in particular without manual intervention. This advantageously allows tolerances to be compensated and greater precision to be achieved, resulting in less scrap.

[0027] The method for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly can be carried out fully automated, in particular without manual intervention, for example by an operator.

[0028] The angle of incidence may be an angle between a direction of incidence of the laser beam onto the housing and a normal on the housing at a point of incidence of the laser beam onto the housing.

[0029] After cutting the housing, the method may include the step of opening the housing. After opening the housing, the method may include the step of removing the battery cell from the housing.

[0030] In a further development of the method, the battery cell lies in a plane of incidence of the laser beam, particularly during cutting of the housing by means of the laser beam. Such an arrangement advantageously prevents damage to the battery cell by the laser beam. The direction of incidence of the laser beam and the perpendicular on the housing at the point of impact of the laser beam can define the plane of incidence. The plane of incidence of the laser beam can penetrate or be tangent to the battery cell. In other words, the battery cell is arranged in the plane of incidence of the laser beam, particularly during cutting of the housing by means of the laser beam.

[0031] In a further development of the method, the laser beam is not directed at the battery cell, particularly during the cutting of the housing by means of the laser beam. For example, a direction of incidence of the laser beam may not be directed at the battery cell. In other words, at an impact point where the laser beam strikes the housing, a propagation direction in which the laser beam propagates may have at least one directional component directed away from the battery cell.

[0032] In a further development of the method, the housing is cut in an edge region of the housing. The edge region of the housing can be understood to mean a corner region of the housing. The edge region can be delimited by a corner of the housing and an imaginary line resulting from a projection of an edge of the battery cell onto the wall of the housing, perpendicular to a wall of the housing. In other words, the edge region of a wall of the housing can be delimited by the corner and by an imaginary cutting line, wherein the imaginary cutting line results from an intersection of the wall with an imaginary extension of the battery cell in a perpendicular direction with respect to the wall.

[0033] In a further development of the method, the housing is cut along a self-contained cutting contour. Advantageously, this cuts an opening in the housing. The closed cutting contour can have the effect that a starting point of a cutting edge produced by cutting the housing using the laser beam is the same as an end point of the cutting edge. Cutting the housing along a cutting contour can be understood to mean that the laser beam is guided over the housing along the cutting contour, producing a cutting edge. According to an alternative variant, the housing can also be cut along an open cutting contour, for example along a cutting contour that extends along one (straight line), two (L-shaped) or three (U-shaped) edges of the housing. Such an open cutting contour can extend at least in one direction to the end of a housing edge.For example, with a straight cut along a housing edge, the edge can be cut open completely by the cut reaching up to or exceeding the transverse housing edges at the beginning and end of the housing edge to be cut open.

[0034] In a further development of the method, the angle of incidence is 20° to 70°, in particular 25° to 50°. Such angles of incidence have advantageously proven particularly suitable for implementing the method.

[0035] In one development of the method, the housing has a first wall and a second wall. The first wall and the second wall are arranged next to one another. Cutting the housing involves cutting the first wall and the second wall simultaneously. This advantageously facilitates and / or simplifies later removal of the battery cells from the interior of the housing. An extension direction of the first wall and an extension direction of the second wall can differ from one another. The first wall and the second wall can be arranged next to one another to form a corner of the housing. The first wall and the second wall can each form an outer wall of the housing, at least in section. The first wall and the second wall can each be an outer wall of the housing. The first wall and the second wall can be arranged at right angles to one another.The second wall can be a rib for stiffening the housing, in particular for stiffening the first wall. The second wall can be designed as a stiffening rib, in particular for the first wall. It is understood that, in principle, only one of the walls can be cut using the method according to the invention. In such a case, it may be preferable for the upper wall, designed as the housing cover, to be cut.

[0036] In a further development of the method, providing the laser beam comprises tilting a cutting head from which the laser beam emerges before striking the housing. The tilting can be tilted relative to the housing. Preferably, the tilting of the cutting head can be tilted along an optical axis of the cutting head. The tilting can occur in at least two spatial directions. The tilting can occur such that the cutting head is oriented at an angle relative to the housing, the angle being equal to the angle of incidence.

[0037] In a further development of the method, the method comprises the step of supplying a cutting gas. Advantageously, the supply of the cutting gas can reduce or completely prevent the risk of explosion and / or ignition of the battery cell arrangement. Furthermore, the cutting result, in particular the cutting quality of a cutting edge, can be optimized, in particular improved, by supplying the cutting gas.

[0038] The cutting gas can be supplied in such a way that it is guided over the housing. In particular, the cutting gas can be supplied in such a way that the cutting gas and the laser beam impinge on the housing at the same point. In other words, the cutting gas can be supplied in an area where the laser beam impinges on the housing.

[0039] The cutting gas can be supplied simultaneously while the housing is being cut.

[0040] Cutting the housing may include expelling a melt created during cutting of the housing by means of the cutting gas.

[0041] The cutting gas can be an inert cutting gas. The cutting gas can be nitrogen.

[0042] A laser cutting machine according to the invention is designed to carry out a previously described method for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly. The laser cutting machine can be designed to carry out the method for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly automatically, in particular without manual intervention.

[0043] The laser cutting machine can have a scraper mirror. The scraper mirror can deflect the laser beam, in particular, such that the laser beam is directed onto the housing. The scraper mirror can deflect the laser beam such that the laser beam hits the housing at the angle of incidence during cutting of the housing. Advantageously, the scraper mirror enables the laser cutting machine to have a small interference contour.

[0044] The laser cutting machine can have a scanner optics system for guiding the laser beam over the housing. The scanner optics system can be suitable for remote cutting of the housing using the laser beam. The scanner optics system can be designed as a flying optics system.

[0045] The scanner optics can comprise a plurality of mirrors for deflecting the laser beam. At least one mirror can be designed to be movable, for example, by means of a galvanometer drive, for guiding the laser beam across the housing.

[0046] The scanner optics can be configured to guide the laser beam across the housing at a speed in a range of 10 m / min (meters per minute) to 80 m / min, in particular in a range of 20 m / min to 60 m / min. A laser spot of the laser beam can be moved across the housing using the scanner optics.

[0047] The scanner optics can have a magnification ratio in a range of 1:1 to 5:1, particularly in a range of 1.5:1 to 2:1. This allows for optimal energy input into the housing to be cut.

[0048] When using a scanner optic, the housing can be cut using the laser beam by evaporating the housing material.

[0049] As an alternative to the scanner optics, the laser cutting machine can have a fixed optics system for aligning the laser beam. The laser beam can be guided over the housing by moving the housing and / or the fixed optics system, particularly relative to each other. In other words, cutting the housing using the laser beam can be achieved by moving the fixed optics system over the housing, particularly along a cutting contour.

[0050] The fixed optics can have a magnification ratio in a range of 1:1 to 5:1, particularly in a range of 1.5:1 to 2:1. This allows for optimal energy input into the housing to be cut.

[0051] The fixed optics can be held by a cutting head of the laser cutting machine.

[0052] The cutting head can have a cutting nozzle from which the laser beam and cutting gas emerge. The cutting gas and laser beam can impinge on the housing in the same area. The cutting nozzle can be designed as a Laval nozzle. Advantageously, a Laval nozzle allows for a larger working distance with less gas consumption. Furthermore, optimal cutting quality can be achieved thanks to the cutting nozzle and / or the cutting gas.

[0053] The laser cutting machine can have actuators for moving and / or displacing the cutting head. In particular, the actuators can be designed to move and / or displace the cutting head in four or five axes. Preferably, the actuators can be designed to tilt the cutting head relative to the housing in at least two spatial directions.

[0054] The laser cutting machine can have a sensor device for detecting the housing and / or a point of incidence of the laser beam on the housing. In particular, the sensor device can be designed to regulate and / or control the point of incidence of the laser beam on the housing.

[0055] The sensor device can be configured to detect and / or measure the housing using a camera, optical coherence tomography, and / or laser triangulation. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor device can be configured to detect and / or measure the housing capacitively.

[0056] A system according to the invention comprises a battery cell assembly and a previously described laser cutting machine. The battery cell assembly has a housing and at least one battery cell arranged in an interior of the housing. The battery cell assembly can be arranged in a processing area of ​​the laser cutting machine. The laser cutting machine can be configured to cut the housing of the battery cell assembly by performing the previously described method for cutting a housing of a battery cell assembly.

[0057] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the figures, their description, and the claims. All features disclosed in the figures, their description, and the claims can be essential to the invention both individually and in any combination. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a system with a battery cell arrangement and a laser cutting machine, Fig. 2 schematic representations of a detail II according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a schematic representation of the battery cell arrangement of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 a further schematic representation of the battery cell arrangement of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 a schematic representation of a variant of detail II according to Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 a further schematic representation of the battery cell arrangement of Fig. 4.

[0058] Fig. 1 shows a system 10 with a battery cell assembly 12 and a laser cutting machine 14. The battery cell assembly 12 is arranged in a processing area 16 of the laser cutting machine 14. The battery cell assembly 12 has a housing 18 and a plurality of battery cells 20 in the form of accumulators. The battery cells 20 are arranged in an interior space 22 of the housing 18.

[0059] The housing 18 is made of aluminum. All walls of the housing are of equal thickness. Each wall has a thickness of 0.5 mm. The housing 18 seals the interior 22 against the environment in an airtight and watertight manner.

[0060] The laser cutting machine 14 is configured to perform a method for cutting the housing 18 of the battery cell assembly 12 and thereby cutting the housing 18 of the battery cell assembly 12.

[0061] The method for cutting the housing 18 of the battery cell assembly 12 comprises the steps: - Providing a laser beam 24, and - Cutting the housing 18 by means of the laser beam 24, - wherein the laser beam 24 strikes the housing 18 at an angle of incidence 26 during the cutting of the housing, - where the angle of incidence 26 is not equal to 0°.

[0062] The laser beam 24 is a single-mode laser beam and has a beam dimension M 2 of 1. Consequently, laser beam 24 has a Gaussian intensity profile. The laser beam has a power of 3 kW and a wavelength of 1030 nm.

[0063] The laser cutting machine 14 is configured to generate the laser beam 24 and focus it onto the housing 18 at an angle of incidence 26. By focusing the laser beam 24 onto the housing 18, a laser spot of the laser beam 18 is formed on the housing 18. The laser spot has an elliptical shape.

[0064] To focus the laser beam 24 onto the housing 18, the laser cutting machine 14 has a fixed optics system 28. The fixed optics system 28 can, for example, comprise at least one lens and / or curved mirrors for focusing the laser beam 24. Using the fixed optics system 28, an image ratio of 1.75:1 is achieved.

[0065] The fixed optics 28 is integrated into a cutting head 30 of the laser cutting machine 14. In other words, the fixed optics 28 is held by the cutting head 30. The cutting head 30 has an inlet into which the generated laser beam 24 enters. The laser beam 24 then passes through the fixed optics 28 and exits from an outlet of the cutting head 30.

[0066] The cutting head 30 has a cutting nozzle 32 in the form of a Laval nozzle. The cutting nozzle 32 forms the outlet of the cutting head 30. The cutting gas 34 and the laser beam 24 are simultaneously supplied to the cutting head 30 for cutting the housing 18 using the laser beam 24. The cutting gas 34 and the laser beam 24 exit the cutting nozzle 32 simultaneously during the cutting of the housing 18 using the laser beam 24. The laser beam 24 and the cutting gas 34 impinge on the housing 18 in the same area, in particular at the same location.

[0067] During cutting of the housing 18, the material of the housing 18 is melted by means of the laser beam 24 and the melted material of the housing 18 is expelled by means of the cutting gas 34.

[0068] The laser cutting machine 14 has actuators for moving and / or displacing the cutting head 30 in at least four axes. The actuators can be used to tilt the cutting head 30 relative to the housing 18 as part of providing the laser beam 24. Tilting the cutting head 30 ensures that the angle of incidence 26 of the laser beam 24 emerging from the cutting head 30 onto the housing 18 is not equal to 0°, see Fig. 1 of the embodiment.

[0069] Fig. 2 shows schematic representations of a detail II of Fig. 1. Show Fig. 2 a) an impact of the laser beam 24 on the housing 18, Fig. 2 b) the housing 18 without the laser beam 24 and Fig. 2 c) the laser beam 24 shortly before it hits the housing 18.

[0070] Fig. 2 a) shows that the angle of incidence 26 is an angle between the laser beam 24 incident on the housing 18 and a plumb line 36 on the housing 18 at an impact point 38 of the laser beam 24 on the housing 18. The plumb line 36 extends perpendicularly away from the housing 18 at the impact point 38.

[0071] The angle of incidence 26 in the illustrated embodiment is 45°. However, other angles of incidence are also conceivable, for example angles of incidence in a range of 20° to 70°, in particular 25° to 50°.

[0072] A propagation direction of the laser beam 24 and the plumb line 36 define an incidence plane 40 of the laser beam 24. The incidence plane 40 is the drawing plane of the Fig. 2 a). In particular Fig. 2 a) shows that the battery cells 20 are arranged in the plane of incidence 40 during the cutting of the housing 18 with the laser beam 24. In other words, the laser beam 24 is directed onto the housing 18 for cutting the housing 18 such that the battery cells 20 are located in the plane of incidence 40. In other words, during the cutting of the housing 18 with the laser beam 24, the battery cells 20 are penetrated or tangent to the plane of incidence 40.

[0073] Fig. 2 c) shows the laser beam 24 for reasons of clarity shortly before it strikes the housing 18. The propagation direction of the laser beam 24 can be broken down into a directional component 42 parallel to the vertical line 36 and a directional component 44 perpendicular to the vertical line 36. In particular, in Fig. 2 c) it can be seen that the propagation direction of the laser beam 24 has a directional component 44 perpendicular to the plumb line 36 due to the angle of incidence 26. The perpendicular directional component 44 is directed away from the battery cells 20. As a result, the laser beam 24 is not directed at the battery cells 20 during the cutting of the housing 18, particularly at the point of impact 38.

[0074] Fig. 2 a) also shows that the cutting of the housing 18 with the laser beam 24 takes place in an edge region 46 of the housing 18. The edge region 46 of the housing 18 is a corner region of the housing 18. The edge region 46 is delimited by a corner 48 of the housing. In Fig. 2 b) shows that the edge region 46 is delimited by the corner 48 and an imaginary line resulting from a projection 50 of an edge of the battery cell 20 onto the first wall 52, perpendicular to a first wall 52 of the housing 18. In other words, the point of impact 38 is located between the corner 48 and the imaginary line closest to the point of impact 38, which results from the projection 50 of the battery cells 20 onto the first wall 52.

[0075] Fig. 2 b) shows that the housing 18 has a further edge region 54 on a second wall 56 of the housing 18. The further edge region 54 is bounded by the corner 48 and an imaginary line resulting from a projection 58 of an edge of the battery cell 20 onto the second wall 56, perpendicular to the second wall 56.

[0076] Fig. Figure 3 shows the battery cell assembly 12. The housing 18 has a first housing part 60 and a second housing part 62. The first housing part 60 and the second housing part 62 are shown in a closed state. The first housing part 60 and the second housing part 62 are connected to each other in the closed state. The connection between the two housing parts 60, 62 is a welded joint.

[0077] The first wall 52 and the second wall 56 each form an outer wall of the housing 18. The first wall 52 is arranged on the second wall 56 to form the corner 48. An extension direction 64 of the first wall 52 and an extension direction 66 of the second wall 56 differ from each other. In the illustrated embodiment of the Fig. 3, the extension direction 64 is orthogonal to the extension direction 66.

[0078] Fig. 3 shows that the cutting of the housing 18 involves simultaneously cutting the first wall 52 and the second wall 56. In other words, the laser beam 24 simultaneously cuts through the first wall 52 and the second wall 56. In other words, the laser beam 24 separates the corner 48 from the rest of the housing 18.

[0079] Fig. 3 shows that the laser beam 24 intersects the first housing part 60. Additionally or alternatively, another laser beam 68 can intersect the second housing part 62.

[0080] Fig. 4 shows that the housing 18 is cut by guiding the laser beam 24 over the housing 18. For this purpose, the laser beam 24 is guided along a cutting contour 70 over the housing 18 while cutting the housing 18. The cutting contour 70 is closed. The closed cutting contour 70 ensures that a starting point of a cutting edge produced by cutting the housing 18 using the laser beam 24 is equal to an end point of the cutting edge.

[0081] Cutting the housing 18 along the cutting contour 70 is achieved by guiding the laser beam 24 along the cutting contour 70 over the housing 18. In other words, the laser beam 24 is moved along the cutting contour 70 in a cutting direction 72. In the illustrated embodiment, the laser beam 24 is moved along the cutting contour 70 by actuating the actuators. In doing so, the cutting head 30 executes a movement along the cutting contour 70. The laser beam 24 and / or the cutting head 30 are guided over the housing 18 by means of the actuators at a cutting speed of up to 80 m / min.

[0082] The laser cutting machine 14 has a sensor device with a camera 74 and a control device 76. The camera 74 is suitable for detecting the housing 18 and the point of impact 38. The control device 76 is designed to guide the laser beam 24 along the cutting contour 70 based on the detected housing 18 and the detected point of impact 38. In other words, the laser cutting machine 14 detects a current cutting position of the laser beam 24 and, in the event of a deviation from the cutting contour 70, can readjust the cutting position so that, in particular, the deviation between the cutting contour 70 and the current cutting position is minimal.

[0083] Additionally, the sensor device is configured to determine a position of the housing 18 within the processing area 16 and to automatically determine the cutting contour 70. This allows the laser cutting machine 14 to cut a battery cell assembly 12 placed in the processing area 16 completely automatically and without manual intervention by an operator.

[0084] After cutting the housing 18, the housing 18 is opened and the battery cells 20 are removed from the housing 18. The battery cells 20 can be recycled separately from the housing 18.

[0085] In Fig. Figure 5 is a schematic view of another alternative embodiment of detail II of Fig. 1, where in the embodiment the Fig. 1 to 4 and in the embodiment of the Fig. 5 the same reference numerals are used for identical and functionally equivalent elements and in this respect the above explanations regarding the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4, so that essentially only the existing differences in the embodiment of the Fig. 5 is discussed.

[0086] The laser cutting machine 14 has a scanner optics system 78 for guiding the laser beam 24 across the housing 18. The scanner optics system 78 enables remote cutting of the housing 18. The scanner optics system 78 is designed as a flying optics system. The scanner optics system 78 is configured to guide the laser beam 24 across the housing 18 at a speed of up to 80 m / min.

[0087] The cutting of the housing 18 by means of the laser beam 24 is carried out by evaporation of the material of the housing 18. In other words, the material of the housing 18 is not melted by the laser beam 24, but evaporated.

[0088] The scanner optics 78 has a scraper mirror 80. The scraper mirror 80 is the last optical element of the scanner optics 78, over which the laser beam 24 is guided before striking the housing 18. The scraper mirror 80 deflects the laser beam. By deflecting the scraper mirror 80, the laser beam 24 is directed toward the housing 18 and strikes the housing 18 at the angle of incidence.

[0089] In Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of another alternative embodiment of the cutting contour 70 of Fig. 1 to 4, wherein in the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4 and in the embodiment of the Fig. 6 identical reference numerals are used for identical and functionally equivalent elements and in this respect reference is made to the above explanations regarding the embodiment of the Fig. 1 to 4, so that essentially only the existing differences in the embodiment of the Fig.6 is discussed.

[0090] The cutting contour 70 is selected such that the housing 18 is cut into several segments 82. This advantageously allows the individual segments 82 to be removed one after the other, thus facilitating the removal of the segments 82. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2019 209 183 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Method for cutting a housing (18) of a battery cell arrangement (12), wherein the battery cell arrangement (12) has at least one battery cell (20) arranged in an interior space (22) of the housing (18), the method comprising the steps of: - providing a laser beam (24), and - cutting the housing (18) by means of the laser beam (24), - wherein the laser beam (24) strikes the housing (18) at an angle of incidence (26) during the cutting of the housing (18), - where the angle of incidence (26) is not equal to 0°. [2] Method according to claim 1, - wherein the battery cell (20) lies in a plane of incidence (40) of the laser beam (24). [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the laser beam (24) is not directed at the battery cell (20). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the cutting of the housing (18) takes place in an edge region (46, 54) of the housing (18). [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the cutting of the housing (18) takes place along a cutting contour (70) which is closed in itself. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - where the angle of incidence (26) is 20° to 70°. [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the housing (18) has a first wall (52) and a second wall (56), - wherein the first wall (52) and the second wall (56) are arranged next to each other, - wherein the cutting of the housing (18) is a simultaneous cutting of the first wall (52) and the second wall (56). [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein providing the laser beam (24) comprises tilting a cutting head (30) from which the laser beam (24) emerges before striking the housing (18). [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, - the method comprising the step of: - Supplying a cutting gas (34). [10] Laser cutting machine (14), - wherein the laser cutting machine (14) is designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. [11] System (10), comprising: - a battery cell arrangement (12) with a housing (18) and at least one battery cell (20) arranged in an interior space (22) of the housing (18), and - a laser cutting machine (14) according to claim 10.

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