Method for determining the physical condition of at least one solid state film and analysis device

Abstract

A method for determining the physical condition of a solid-state electrolyte film 12 of a battery by an analysis device 1, comprising; applying an excitation source 20,26, 20,28 with at least one predefined frequency to the electrolyte film 12, wherein the film is vibrated with an acoustic or vibrational signal S from the excitation source 26, 28 so that a membrane of the film responds at a resonance frequency of the excitation source; and detecting the vibrations generated in the film, using camera 24 or microphone 30 and transmitting data of the detected vibrations to an electronic computing device 10 for analysis. A light source 22 may be included. The invention also relates to such an analysis device 1.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for determining the physical condition of at least one solid-state film for at least one battery according to claim 1. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an analysis device, with all the necessary components for performing the method. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] The document US 2018 164 383 AA discloses systems and methods of determining physical conditions of a battery, such as state of charge, state of health, quality of construction, defect or failure state, while using acoustic signals or frequencies and detecting vibrations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to enhance the quality of battery crafting, enabling results for higher standards. This objective is accomplished through a method with the features of claim 1 as well as by an analysis device according to the invention.

[0004] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for determining the physical condition of at least one solid-state film such as an electrolyte film for at least one battery such as a solid-state battery or semi-solid-state battery by a corresponding analysis device. The method comprises applying an excitation source such as an acoustic device with predefined frequencies to the at least one electrolyte film of the at least one battery, wherein the solid-state electrolyte film is vibrated with an acoustic or vibrational signal from the excitation source, so that a membrane of the solid-state electrolyte film responds at a resonance frequency of the excitation source. Furthermore, the method comprises detecting the vibrations generated in the at least one solid-state electrolyte film and transmitting data of the detected vibrations to an electronic computing device of the analysis device for analysis. Through the analysis, it is subsequently possible to determine the physical condition of at least one solid-state film such as a solid electrolyte film. The film may include a thin film such as inorganic solids (including but not limited to oxides, sulfides, halides) or polymers. These solid-state films can also consist of composite of inorganic solids and organic polymers. The thin film may include the solidstate electrolyte film, and the solid-state electrolyte film may be a separator that may conduct ions.

[0005] In other words, the invention relates to a sound- or vibration-based method to detect the defect on the solid-state electrolyte film.

[0006] The problem with solid-state or semi-solid-state batteries lies in the usage of ceramic or glass membranes that may have small defects, which must be detected before assembly. If one of, for example, the 100 layers is defective, the entire cell becomes compromised, which may slow down the production process significantly. This may lead to lower production efficiency, and the challenge lies in the imperfections, which may be very small or simply hidden within the material. Therefore, optical pictures with imaging alone may not reveal every problem. If even one problem is missed, the cell will be unreliable. Proposed solutions in the literature have utilized ultrasonic transmission and reflection, but they often involve the magnifying effect of excitation and detection of vibrations throughout the entire device during testing.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention may be used to excite or vibrate the solid-state electrolyte film with an acoustic or vibrational signal so that the membrane will respond for example with a resonance frequency. The method also applies with the frequencies that are not resonance frequencies with the material. Any imperfection will be detectable either by sound response processing and / or indirectly by using light in addition to sound and reflections to detect changes in optical response, which is then processed, for example with an electronic computing device.

[0008] The method may further include applying a light source from a light source device coupled to the analysis device and detecting an optical response in the at least one solid state electrolyte film by a corresponding light detection device of the analysis device, such as a camera as an example.

[0009] The method may include using a speaker for applying a sound source on the solid-state electrolyte film by a speaker coupled to the analysis device as an example. In some embodiments, the sound source may be applied simultaneously with the light source. The method may also comprise gathering a sound emission of the solid-state electrolyte film by a receiving microphone coupled to the analysis device for a Fourier frequency analysis of the sound emission by the electronic computing device.

[0010] The method may have excitation sources attached to the solid-state electrolyte film at each corner or at some corners, through which, individually or in combination, the membrane of the solid-state electrolyte film is vibrated. This is intended to provide various sources through which, for example, the electronic computing device may evaluate superpositions.

[0011] The method may include a camera coupled to the analysis device to perform image analysis of a microdefect. Accordingly, an additional medium may be applied to a surface of the solid-state electrolyte film to visualize vibration patterns for image analysis of the microdefect.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code means for performing the method for determining the physical condition of at least one solid-state electrolyte film for at least one battery such as a solidstate battery or semi-solid-state battery by an analysis device.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least the computer program product.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention relates to an analysis device comprising all necessary components for performing a method for determining the physical condition of at least one film such as a solid-state electrolyte film for at least one battery by an analysis device, with at least one electronic computing device for analysis. Furthermore, at least one optical source and / or one light detection device and / or one microphone and / or one speaker as well as at least one camera and / or other necessary components may be arranged.

[0015] Additionally, the analysis device may include, for example, a holding device for holding the membrane or film and a positioning device for positioning all components relative to the film or the film relative to the components of the analysis device. Furthermore, all components may be electronically and / or mechanically coupled together and may be controlled, for example, by the electronic computing device. Additionally, a display device may be arranged to display the results or a user interface may be provided.

[0016] In particular, the electronic computing device may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and / or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The electronic computing device may also include one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and / or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The electronic computing device may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0017] Further advantages, features, and details of the present invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone may be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The novel features and characteristic of the present disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and / or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0019] The drawings show in

[0020] Fig. 1 a flat sheet as a membrane of a solid-state electrolyte film with resonance frequencies to show the method for determining the physical condition of the at least one solid-state electrolyte film for at least one battery; and

[0021] Fig. 2 an analysis device with all necessary components for performing the method.

[0022] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0024] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0025] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises” or “comprise” does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0026] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0027] Fig. 1 show a flat sheet as a membrane of a solid-state electrolyte film 12 of at least one battery such as a solid-state battery or semi-solid-state battery having certain resonance frequencies, which may be predicted and which are visualised with a CAD software, where in the material properties are already known. This image shows a 152 Hz resonance of a hypothetical membrane over exaggerated with structural imperfections and micro-cracks that will disturb the one or the other resonances.

[0028] This first mechanism demonstrated is an example in which each corner A, B or some corners A, B of the sheet are attached to vibrators or other devices capable of individually or collectively exciting or vibrating the film 12. A receiving microphone 30 (as shown in Fig. 2) may be positioned as a receiver to conduct a frequency analysis of the sound emissions, and as an example software or artificial intelligence may be utilized to detect abnormal noise patterns in the sound response. This data may then be used to establish baseline patterns corresponding to the film such as a ceramic, glass, glassceramic, composite material with polymer material, or other comparable film and may be used for testing against unusual samples. Additionally, this method may also be employed to determine the quality or variations in the solid-state electrolyte film 12. Through the analysis, it is subsequently possible to determine the physical condition of at least one solid-state electrolyte film 12.

[0029] Therefore, it is possible to detect imperfections with instruments that have a lower resolution than the size of imperfections in thin films that are battery components including, but not limited to, a solid anode, a solid cathode, a pre-assembled electrode and separator layers, or the solid-electrolyte film 12. For example, the analysis device 1 and corresponding method may be utilized to detect defects in a battery cell before the cell is filled with electrolyte or at the jelly roll stage. The analysis device and corresponding method may also be used to determine defects in films such as a polymer film and ceramic film. This method allows a magnification using acoustical and optical methods, wherein ultrasounds may be needed but the frequencies may often lie within the frequency range of hearing between 40 Hz to 2 kHz.

[0030] Fig. 2 shows an analysis device 1 with all necessary components for performing the method according to the present invention for determining the physical condition of at least one solid-state electrolyte film 12 for at least one solid-state battery by this analysis device 1, with at least one electronic computing 10 device for analysis. Furthermore, at least one optical source or light source 22 and / or a light detection device such as a camera 24 may be coupled to the analysis device 1 and for data transmission with the electronic computing device 10. The analysis device 1 may also include a transmitting microphone 26, a receiving microphone 30, and a speaker as well as at least one camera 24 and / or other necessary components may be arranged.

[0031] For example, the method is used for determining the physical condition of at least one solid-state battery with at least one solid-state electrolyte film 12, in which acoustic signals with predefined frequencies are introduced into the battery and the vibration generated in the battery are detected based on the acoustic signals by a camera 24 as a detection device. The solid-state electrolyte film 12 is vibrated with an acoustic or vibrational signal “S” so that the membrane response at the resonance frequency and this response is detected by the detection device or camera 24 for evaluation. Light of a light source 22 in conjunction with sound and reflection are used to detect changes in the optical response, wherein a camera 24 detects the light source 22. A receiving microphone 30 is used, through which analysis such as the Fourier frequency analysis of the sound emission is performed.

[0032] The method comprises applying an excitation source 20 with at least one predefined frequency to the at least one solid-state electrolyte film 12, wherein the solidstate electrolyte film 12 is vibrated with an acoustic or vibrational signal “S” from the excitation source 20 such as the transmitting microphone 26 and / or vibration source 28 so that the membrane of the solid-state electrolyte film 12 responds at a resonance frequency of the excitation source 20. This response may be captured by the camera 24 and / or the receiving microphone 30 for the analysis.

[0033] Additionally, the analysis device 1 may include, for example, a holding device for holding the solid-state electrolyte film 12 and a positioning device for positioning all components relative to the solid-state electrolyte film 12 or the solid-state electrolyte film 12 relative to the components. Furthermore, all components are electronically and / or mechanically coupled together and are controlled, for example, by the electronic computing device 10. Additionally, a display device may be arranged to display the results or a user interface may be provided.

[0034] In other words, the analysis device 1 for acoustically generated patterns is shown. This pattern serves as a key map for comparing incoming solid-state films. Microdefects may be detected using image analysis software of the electronic computing device 10, which is used in combination with acoustic excitation of the transmitting microphone 26 as the excitation source 20. Additionally, another medium, such as a liquid or powder, may be applied to the surface to reveal vibration patterns, and a laser scanning system or other light sources 22 may be employed to scan the membrane's landscape. This enables the isolation of the location and nature of the detected issues, which could further enhance the production quality of the solid-state electrolyte film 12. Finally, artificial intelligence including machine learning or software of the electronic computing device 10 may be utilized to analyse video and acoustic data including data from a production line and to uncover unusual responses that may indicate imperfections, for example. This method may also be used to stress-test the membrane to ensure its quality. Reference Signs analysis device electronic computing deivce solid-state electrolyte film excitation source light source camera transmitting microphone vibration source receiving microphone Corner corner signal

Claims

1. A method for determining the physical condition of at least one solid-state electrolyte film (12) for at least one battery by an analysis device (1), the method comprising: - applying an excitation source (20) with at least one predefined frequency to the at least one solid-state electrolyte film (12) of the at least one battery, wherein the solid-state electrolyte film (12) is vibrated with an acoustic or vibrational signal from the excitation source (20) so that a membrane of the solid-state electrolyte film (12) responds at a resonance frequency of the excitation source (20); and - detecting the vibrations generated in the at least one solid-state electrolyte film (12) and transmitting data of the detected vibrations to an electronic computing device (10) of the analysis device (1) for analysis.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:- applying a light source (22); and- detecting an optical response in the at least one solid-state electrolyte film (12).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:- applying a sound source on the solid-state electrolyte film (12).

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that gathering a sound emission of the solid-state electrolyte film (12) by a receiving microphone (30) coupled to the analysis device for a Fourier frequency analysis of the sound emission by the electronic computing device (10).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatexcitation sources (20) are attached to the solid-state electrolyte film (12) at each corner (A, B) or at some corners, through which, individually or in combination, the membrane of the solid-state electrolyte film (12) is vibrated.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in thata camera (24) is coupled to the electronic computing device (10) for an image analysis of a micro-defect.

7. The method according to claim 6,further comprising:- applying an additional medium to a surface of the solid-state electrolyte film (12) for the purpose of making vibration patterns visible for the image analysis of the micro-defect.

8. A computer program product comprising program code means for performing a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least the computer program product according to claim 8.

10. An analysis device (1) with all the necessary components for performing a method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9.

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