Method for cleaning battery cells of a traction battery for a motor vehicle and corresponding cleaning device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cleaning battery cells (2) of a traction battery for a motor vehicle. It is provided that each of the battery cells (2), arranged side by side with a specific first number of rows (3) in a first direction and a specific second number of rows (4) in a second direction, is gripped by one of several grippers of a gripper arrangement, wherein each of the grippers is displaceable independently of the other grippers of the gripper arrangement in at least one direction of displacement different from the first and second directions, and the battery cells (2) are arranged by means of the gripper arrangement according to an arrangement specification containing a target position for each of the battery cells (2) and are cleaned together using a cleaning device.The invention further relates to a cleaning device for cleaning battery cells (2) of a traction battery for a motor vehicle.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for cleaning battery cells of a traction battery for a motor vehicle and a corresponding cleaning device for this purpose.

[0002] For example, the prior art document DE 20 2017 104 111 U1 describes an assembly station for manufacturing a battery module from a plurality of module parts. The assembly station comprises a module part supply, a module part feed, and at least one transport container with multiple module part holders. The module part feed is configured to move module parts from the module part supply into the module part holders of the transport container and assemble them as a kit in the sequence required for manufacturing a specific battery module.In the area of ​​module component provision, the following steps can be carried out individually or in combination for each basic module: unpacking, singling / removing from a delivery package, sorting, surface cleaning, applying insulation, applying one or more spacers, applying adhesive structures and activating surfaces.

[0003] Furthermore, publication WO 2020 / 147869 A1 discloses a battery cell module for electrically powered vehicles, comprising a plurality of elongated battery cells whose longitudinal axes are aligned parallel to each other, wherein the battery cells are arranged such that a first row of battery cells runs parallel to a second row of battery cells, so that two battery cells are opposite each other in pairs; wherein the respective opposite battery cells are rigidly connected to each other electrically and mechanically by means of at least one contact plate;and wherein adjacent contact surfaces are rigidly connected to each other electrically and mechanically by means of at least one contact connector, wherein the battery cells connected to each other by the at least one contact plate are held spaced apart from each other by the respective at least one contact plate, and wherein the battery cell pairs connected to each other by the at least one contact plate connector are held spaced apart from each other by the respective at least one contact plate connector.

[0004] The object of the invention is to propose a method for cleaning battery cells of a traction battery for a motor vehicle, which has advantages over known methods, in particular implementing the cleaning process particularly efficiently in order to achieve a continuous material flow in battery production.

[0005] This is achieved according to the invention by a method for cleaning battery cells of a traction battery for a motor vehicle with the features of claim 1. It is provided that each of the battery cells, arranged side by side with a specific first number of rows in a first direction and a specific second number of rows in a second direction, is gripped by one of several grippers of a gripper arrangement, wherein each of the grippers is displaceable independently of the other grippers of the gripper arrangement in at least one displacement direction different from the first direction of the second direction, and the battery cells are arranged by means of the gripper arrangement according to an arrangement specification containing a target position for each of the battery cells and are cleaned together using a cleaning device.

[0006] Advantageous embodiments with expedient further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments described in the description are not limiting; rather, any variations of the features disclosed in the description, the claims, and the figures are possible.

[0007] The method serves to clean the battery cells intended for the manufacture of the traction battery. It is preferably implemented using a suitable cleaning device. The traction battery is designed and configured for the intermediate storage of electrical energy for a drive system of the motor vehicle. The traction battery preferably forms a component of the motor vehicle, but can of course be separate from it, particularly until it is mounted on or in the motor vehicle. The drive system serves to propel the motor vehicle, i.e., to provide a drive torque directed towards propelling the motor vehicle.

[0008] To provide the drive torque, the drive system has at least one drive unit, which is designed as an electric traction motor electrically connected to the traction battery. The electric traction motor is electrically connected to the traction battery and is operated, at least intermittently, with electrical energy drawn from the traction battery. Additionally, it may be provided for the intermediate storage of electrical energy supplied by the traction motor in the traction battery. The traction battery is, in particular, a high-voltage battery; this means that the nominal voltage or battery voltage of the traction battery is at least 100 V, at least 200 V, at least 400 V, or at least 800 V.

[0009] The traction battery comprises a plurality of battery cells arranged within a battery housing. The battery cells are electrically interconnected, in particular at least partially in series and / or at least partially in parallel. The battery cells are also electrically connected to electrical terminals of the traction battery, which are preferably located on the battery housing. The battery cells are arranged within the battery housing during the manufacturing process.

[0010] For example, they are first combined to form a battery module, which is then inserted into the battery housing. In addition to the battery cells, the battery module includes end plates and / or a clamping device. After the battery module is manufactured, the end plates hold the battery cells between them, so that the battery cells are arranged between the end plates. The battery cells are also clamped together by the clamping device to form the battery module; preferably, the clamping device engages the end plates to apply a holding force or pressure to the battery cells, which holds them together.

[0011] The battery cells can be designed as prismatic cells or pouch cells. In the case of prismatic cells, each battery cell has several side walls, with two of the side walls arranged parallel or at least substantially parallel to each other. Together, the side walls enclose the interior space of the respective battery cell completely and continuously. Overall, the prismatic battery cells are therefore cuboid in shape and have six faces: a first and second face are parallel and spaced apart, a third and fourth face are parallel and spaced apart, and a fifth and sixth face are parallel and spaced apart. The faces are connected to each other and / or at least partially formed as a single unit.

[0012] Before the traction battery or battery module is assembled, the battery cells are first manufactured and made available for assembly, particularly by a battery cell manufacturer. During the assembly process, the battery cells are removed from their packaging and fed into the assembly process. If the battery cells are contaminated with dirt particles, these particles can cause mechanical damage, for example, by becoming trapped between two cells. It is therefore advantageous to clean the battery cells, especially after removing them from their packaging and / or before assembling the traction battery, i.e., before arranging the battery cells in the battery housing.

[0013] In some cases, such cleaning is already carried out, but only individual battery cells are cleaned as needed. This is extremely time-consuming, as the battery cell must be cleaned from all sides and moved accordingly. Furthermore, the battery cells are only cleaned as needed, so it can happen that, despite the cleaning of individual cells, dirt particles remain on other cells and get into the battery housing along with them. If, when removing the battery cells from their packaging, it is discovered that several cells are dirty, the dirty cells must be cleaned individually, which is very time-consuming and can affect the subsequent assembly of the traction battery, as the cells are not available in time.

[0014] For this reason, it is proposed to clean a multiple battery cells simultaneously or at least with overlapping cleaning times, namely using the cleaning device. The cleaning device can be designed in any way; for example, it can apply a fluid to the battery cells, such as a fluid containing a cleaning agent, or air, in particular compressed air or ionized air. For cleaning with the device, the battery cells are arranged in a defined configuration relative to each other, in which they are each at least partially accessible to the cleaning device. This is achieved using the gripper arrangement.

[0015] The gripper assembly comprises several grippers designed and configured for gripping the battery cells. Before being gripped, the battery cells are arranged in a matrix configuration, i.e., side by side with a specific number of rows in the first direction and a specific number of rows in the second direction, which is angled relative to the first direction, forming an angle of more than 0° and less than 180°. Preferably, the angle between the first and second directions is approximately or exactly 90°, so that the directions, or rather the rows in which the battery cells are arranged, are perpendicular to each other. The rows in the first direction can also be referred to as columns, and the rows in the second direction as columns.

[0016] The first and second number of rows are arbitrary and each contains at least one cell; however, one of them is usually greater than one, resulting in multiple battery cells arranged side by side. For example, the first and second numbers can be different; in particular, the first number can be at least 4, at least 6, or at least 8, and the second number at least 5, at least 7, or at least 9. The grippers can also be of arbitrary design; preferably, they are vacuum grippers, holding the battery cells using negative pressure.

[0017] The grippers can be displaced independently relative to each other, namely in at least a third direction, which differs from the first and second directions. The third direction is therefore angled relative to both the first and second directions; preferably, the third direction is perpendicular to both the first and second directions. The third direction is also referred to as the displacement direction. The displaceability of the grippers relative to each other in the third direction means that the battery cells can also be freely positioned relative to each other in the third direction.

[0018] Using the gripper arrangement, the battery cells are arranged according to the arrangement specification. The arrangement specification defines a target position for each gripper, at least in the third direction. In particular, the arrangement specification is chosen such that, after its application by the gripper arrangement, the battery cells are positioned so that at least some of their side surfaces are accessible to the cleaning device. With this design of the gripper arrangement, the battery cells can be arranged particularly advantageously for cleaning, so that at least one side surface, preferably several, of each battery cell can be cleaned by the cleaning device during a cleaning process or cleaning step.Accordingly, the cleaning of the battery cells is particularly efficient and, above all, carried out in overlapping or even simultaneous phases, so that the battery cells are quickly available for mounting the traction battery. Furthermore, all battery cells used for the traction battery are cleaned, so there is no need to perform a separate visual inspection and, if necessary, separate cleaning of individual battery cells.

[0019] A further development of the invention provides that during a first cleaning process carried out before the battery cells are gripped by the gripper arrangement, the first side surfaces of the battery cells are cleaned using the cleaning device, and / or that during a second cleaning process carried out after the battery cells have been gripped by the gripper arrangement, the second side surfaces of the battery cells opposite the first side surfaces are cleaned using the cleaning device. The cleaning of the first side surfaces thus takes place, for example, while the battery cells are still in the packaging. In the packaging, the battery cells are already arranged in a matrix configuration, i.e., with the rows in the first direction and the rows in the second direction.Furthermore, the battery cells in the packaging are oriented in the same way, so that the first side surfaces face the same side or are arranged on the same side of a battery cell assembly. Accordingly, the first side surfaces can be cleaned particularly effectively with this arrangement before the gripper assembly engages them.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the second cleaning process is carried out after the battery cells have been gripped by the gripper assembly. This means that the gripper assembly is positioned on the battery cells and the grippers are activated to grasp them. Subsequently, the battery cells are moved together in a third direction using the grippers, specifically identically, so that the battery cells are moved parallel to each other over the same distance.

[0021] This means that even after the battery cells have been repositioned using the gripper, they remain arranged side by side. Accordingly, the second side surfaces are identically oriented, and in particular, they are located on the same side of the battery cell arrangement. Preferably, the second side surfaces lie at least approximately in an imaginary plane or at least parallel to it. Therefore, with such an arrangement of the battery cells, the second side surfaces can be efficiently cleaned using the cleaning device, particularly with overlapping or even simultaneous cleaning.

[0022] It should be noted at this point that when cleaning processes are mentioned in conjunction with a number, for example, the first or second cleaning process, this does not necessarily imply a specific order in which the cleaning processes must be carried out. The cleaning processes can therefore be performed in a different order than indicated by the numbers. However, it is preferable to perform the cleaning processes in ascending order of the numbers. Not all of the described cleaning processes are necessarily carried out, so there may well be a gap between the numbers. However, it is preferable to perform all of the mentioned cleaning processes in the order indicated by the numbers.

[0023] A further development of the invention provides that in a first relocation step for arranging the battery cells, a first arrangement instruction is used as an arrangement instruction, according to which the battery cells are arranged in rows offset from one another in the first direction by relocation in the relocation direction, so that third side surfaces and fourth side surfaces opposite the third side surfaces of the battery cell are exposed, wherein during a third cleaning process carried out after the battery cells have been arranged according to the first arrangement instruction, the third side surface and the fourth side surfaces of the battery cells are cleaned using the cleaning device.

[0024] The first relocation step involves arranging the battery cells according to the first arrangement instruction. This instruction specifies a target position for each gripper, which can be selected independently of the target positions of the other grippers. The first arrangement instruction, or rather the target positions it contains, is chosen such that the battery cells are arranged in such a way that their third and fourth side surfaces are exposed, i.e., not covered by the battery cells. In particular, the third and fourth side surfaces of the battery cells are completely exposed; there is no overlap of these surfaces. Accordingly, the third and fourth side surfaces are freely accessible to the cleaning device and can be effectively cleaned during the third cleaning process, especially with overlapping or even simultaneous cleaning.This enables particularly efficient cleaning of the battery cell.

[0025] A further development of the invention provides that in a second relocation step for arranging the battery cells, a second arrangement instruction is used as the arrangement instruction, according to which the battery cells are arranged offset from one another in rows by relocation in the relocation direction in the first direction or the second direction, so that the fifth side surfaces and the sixth side surfaces opposite the fifth side surfaces of the battery cells are exposed, wherein during a fourth cleaning process carried out after the battery cells have been arranged according to the second arrangement instruction, the fifth side surfaces and the sixth side surfaces of the battery cells are cleaned using the cleaning device.

[0026] In principle, the explanations for the first relocation step and the third cleaning process apply analogously to the second relocation step and the fourth cleaning process. As in the first relocation step, the relocation is carried out row by row; therefore, in at least one direction, the battery cells are not relocated relative to each other but rather remain in their relative position. This results in an arrangement of the battery cells in which the third and fourth side surfaces are exposed and ready for cleaning using the cleaning device. In particular, the second arrangement is chosen such that the fifth and sixth side surfaces of all battery cells are uncovered and can be effectively cleaned using the cleaning device.Preferably, the first relocation step, the third cleaning process, the second relocation step and the fourth cleaning process are carried out one after the other.

[0027] A further development of the invention provides that the displacement direction is a first displacement direction, and each of the grippers can be displaced in at least one second displacement direction, different from the first, independently of any other grippers in the gripper arrangement. The second displacement direction can, for example, correspond to the first direction or the second direction. Thus, the battery cells can be displaced not only in the displacement direction but also additionally in either the first or the second direction. This means that the gripper arrangement, or its grippers, are not only designed and configured to displace the battery cells in the displacement direction but also additionally in either the first or the second direction.The gripper arrangement thus allows at least some of the grippers to move independently relative to each other in the direction of movement and either the first direction or the second direction.

[0028] A further development of the invention provides that a third displacement instruction is used for arranging the battery cells, according to which the battery cells are arranged offset from one another in both the first and second directions by displacement in the first and second displacement directions, so that the third side surfaces as well as the fourth side surfaces opposite the third side surfaces and the fifth side surfaces as well as the sixth side surfaces opposite the fifth side surfaces are exposed, wherein during a fifth cleaning process carried out after the battery cells have been arranged according to the third arrangement instruction, the third side surfaces, the fourth side surfaces, the fifth side surfaces and the sixth side surfaces of the battery cells are cleaned using the cleaning device.

[0029] The third relocation procedure or the fifth cleaning process are preferably applied instead of the first and second relocation procedures or instead of the third and fourth cleaning processes, respectively. When the battery cells are arranged according to the third relocation procedure, they are arranged such that at least four of their side surfaces are exposed for each battery cell, in particular completely exposed, namely the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth side surfaces, which together completely delimit the respective battery cell in a respective imaginary plane, i.e., completely and continuously encompass its respective interior space in the imaginary plane.

[0030] The described arrangement of the battery cells according to the third relocation procedure has the advantage that the fifth cleaning process is carried out continuously, meaning that during the fifth cleaning process, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sides of all battery cells are cleaned without relocating the battery cells in between. This approach results in particularly efficient cleaning of the battery cells.

[0031] A further development of the invention provides that the cleaning of the side surfaces in the fifth cleaning step is carried out continuously while maintaining the positions of the battery cells. This has already been mentioned. After arranging the battery cells according to the third relocation procedure, the aforementioned side surfaces are cleaned continuously and completely using the cleaning device, without the battery cells being relocated again. Preferably, the cleaning of the battery cells is therefore completed after the fifth cleaning process. The fifth cleaning process preferably follows the first and second cleaning processes; the third and fourth cleaning processes are omitted accordingly.

[0032] A further development of the invention provides that the cleaning device cleans the battery cells using air, in particular ionized air and / or compressed air, and / or by suction. More generally, a fluid is used for cleaning the battery cells, which is, for example, ionized and supplied either under positive or negative pressure. In the case of positive pressure, the battery cells or their side surfaces are directly exposed to the fluid; when using negative pressure, the fluid serves to suction the dirt particles from the battery cells. In each case, effective and efficient cleaning of the battery cells is achieved.

[0033] A further development of the invention provides that, after cleaning, the battery cells are fed together to a cell module assembly device, in which at least some of the battery cells are joined together to form a cell module. The cell module assembly device serves to manufacture or assemble the cell module. For this purpose, at least some of the battery cells are combined to form the cell module, in particular arranged between the aforementioned end plates and / or clamped using the clamping device. In any case, battery cells that have been previously cleaned are used for manufacturing the cell module. Preferably, the cell module consists exclusively of battery cells that have been cleaned together, i.e., have been subjected to one of the aforementioned cleaning processes together.This ensures that the battery cells are sufficiently thoroughly cleaned and that no impermissible dirt particles are present on them.

[0034] The invention further relates to a cleaning device for cleaning battery cells of a traction battery for a motor vehicle, in particular for carrying out the method according to the descriptions in this document.The cleaning device is designed and configured to grasp each of the battery cells arranged side by side with a specific first number of rows in a first direction and a specific second number of rows in a second direction, using one of several grippers of a gripper arrangement, wherein each of the grippers can be displaced independently of the other grippers of the gripper arrangement in at least one displacement direction different from the first direction and the second direction, and to arrange the battery cells using the gripper arrangement according to an arrangement instruction containing a target position for each of the battery cells and to clean them together using a cleaning device.

[0035] The advantages of such a design of the cleaning device and such a procedure have already been mentioned. Both the cleaning device and the method for operating it may be further developed as explained in this description, and reference is made to these explanations in that regard.

[0036] The features and combinations of features described in the description, in particular those described in the following figure description and / or shown in the figures, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention, in particular the scope of the claims. Thus, embodiments that are not explicitly shown or explained in the description and / or the figures, but which emerge from or can be derived from the explained embodiments, particularly within the scope of the claims, are also to be considered as encompassed by the invention.

[0037] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing, without limiting the invention. The only embodiment shown is... Fig. 1 A schematic representation of a plurality of battery cells of a traction battery in different arrangements, which result from the application of different arrangement rules of a gripper arrangement.

[0038] The Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a battery cell arrangement 1 in different configurations and views. The battery cell arrangement 1 comprises a plurality of battery cells 2, of which only a portion is shown by way of example. The battery cells 2 are arranged in two mutually perpendicular directions, namely a first direction and a second direction, in rows 3 and 4, such that in the first direction there are rows 3 and in the second direction rows 4, where rows 3 can also be referred to as columns and rows 4 as columns. Only a portion of rows 3 and 4 is shown by way of example.

[0039] The battery cells 2 are shown in a top view on the far left of a first illustration and are arranged as they are provided in a package. In this arrangement, the battery cells 2 undergo a first cleaning process in which the first side surfaces 5 of the battery cells 2 are cleaned. Subsequently, the battery cells 2 are gripped by grippers of a gripper assembly and displaced relative to each other and arranged relative to each other according to a specific arrangement rule.

[0040] The battery cells are relocated row by row; that is, the battery cells 2 of each of rows 3 or 4 are relocated together relative to the battery cells 2 of the other rows 3 or 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery cells 2 of each of rows 3 remain fixed relative to each other and are relocated relative to the battery cells of the other rows 3. The rows 3 are arranged offset from each other, so that at least part of the third side surfaces 6 and fourth side surfaces 7 of the battery cells 2 are exposed. This is shown in a second illustration in the middle, which, analogous to the first illustration, also depicts a top view.

[0041] Additionally, according to a third illustration on the far right, the battery cells 2 are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. The battery cells 2 are shown here in a side view, looking from the left at the previously shown top view. The rows 3, which are arranged side by side, are clearly visible. Furthermore, it can be seen that the battery cells 2 are offset from one another in such a way that the fifth side surfaces 8 are exposed. This also applies to the sixth side surfaces, not visible here, which are opposite the fifth side surfaces 8.

[0042] The arrangement of battery cells 2 shown in the middle and right-hand illustrations is achieved using a third displacement rule. As a result, the battery cells 2 are arranged offset from one another in such a way that the third side surfaces 6, the fourth side surfaces 7, the fifth side surfaces 8, and the sixth side surfaces are simultaneously exposed and can be cleaned using the cleaning device.

[0043] This enables particularly efficient cleaning, as the aforementioned side surfaces of all battery cells 2 are continuously accessible from the cleaning device without further relocation of the battery cells 2 and can therefore be cleaned simultaneously or at least overlapping in time. REFERENCE MARK LIST: 1 Battery cell arrangement 2 battery cells 3rd row 4th row 5 1. Side surface 6 3. Side surface 7 4. Side surface 8 5. Side surface QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

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

[0000] DE 20 2017 104 111 U1

[0002] WO 2020 / 147869 A1

[0003]

Claims

Method for cleaning battery cells (2) of a traction battery for a motor vehicle, characterized in that each of the battery cells (2) arranged side by side with a certain first number of rows (3) in a first direction and a certain second number of rows (4) in a second direction is gripped by means of one of several grippers of a gripper arrangement, wherein each of the grippers is displaceable at least in a displacement direction different from the first direction and the second direction independently of the respective other grippers of the gripper arrangement, and the battery cells (2) are arranged by means of the gripper arrangement according to an arrangement instruction containing a target position for each of the battery cells (2) and are cleaned together using a cleaning device. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that during a first cleaning process carried out before gripping the battery cells (2) by means of the gripper arrangement, first side surfaces (5) of the battery cells (2) are cleaned using the cleaning device, and / or that during a second cleaning process carried out after gripping the battery cells (2) by means of the gripper arrangement, second side surfaces of the battery cells (2) opposite the first side surfaces (5) are cleaned using the cleaning device. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a first displacement step for arranging the battery cells (2), a first arrangement instruction is used according to which the battery cells (2) are arranged in a row offset from one another in the first direction by displacement in the displacement direction, so that the third side surfaces (6) and the fourth side surfaces (7) of the battery cell (2) opposite the third side surfaces (6) are exposed, wherein during a third cleaning process carried out after the battery cells (2) have been arranged according to the first arrangement instruction, the third side surfaces (6) and the fourth side surfaces (7) of the battery cells (2) are cleaned using the cleaning device. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a second displacement step for arranging the battery cells (2), a second arrangement instruction is used, according to which the battery cells (2) are arranged offset from one another in rows by displacement in the displacement direction in the first direction or the second direction, so that fifth side surfaces (8) and sixth side surfaces of the battery cell (2) opposite the fifth side surfaces (8) are exposed, wherein during a fourth cleaning process carried out after the battery cells (2) have been arranged according to the second arrangement instruction, the fifth side surfaces (8) and the sixth side surfaces of the battery cells (2) are cleaned using the cleaning device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement direction is a first displacement direction and each of the grippers can be displaced at least in a second displacement direction different from the first displacement direction independently of the other grippers of the gripper arrangement. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a third displacement arrangement is used for arranging the battery cells (2), according to which the battery cells (2) are arranged offset from one another in both the first and second directions by displacement in the first displacement direction and the second displacement direction, so that the third side surfaces (6) as well as the fourth side surfaces (7) opposite the third side surfaces (6) and the fifth side surfaces (8) as well as the sixth side surfaces opposite the fifth side surfaces (8) are exposed, wherein during a fifth cleaning process carried out after the battery cells (2) have been arranged according to the third arrangement arrangement, the third side surface (6), the fourth side surfaces (7), the fifth side surfaces (8) and the sixth side surfaces of the battery cells (2) are cleaned using the cleaning device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning of the side surfaces (5, 6, 7, 8) in the fifth cleaning step is carried out continuously while maintaining the positions of the battery cells (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device cleans the battery cells (2) using air, in particular ionized air and / or compressed air, and / or by suction. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery cells (2) are guided together in a cell module assembly device after cleaning, in which at least some of the battery cells (2) are attached to one another to form a cell module. Cleaning device for cleaning battery cells (2) of a traction battery for a motor vehicle, in particular for carrying out the method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device is provided and designed to grip each of the battery cells (2) arranged side by side with a certain first number of rows (3) in a first direction and a certain second number of rows (4) in a second direction by means of one of several grippers of a gripper arrangement, wherein each of the grippers can be displaced at least in a displacement direction different from the first direction and the second direction independently of the respective other grippers of the gripper arrangement,and to arrange the battery cells (2) by means of the gripper arrangement according to an arrangement instruction which contains a target position for each of the battery cells (2) and to clean them together using a cleaning device.

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