Electrode lead alignment masking device

Abstract

The present invention discloses an electrode lead alignment and masking device, which aligns an electrode lead bent to a bus bar in a welding process of the electrode lead, and includes a pair of alignment jigs that are inserted into slots between the bus bars to align the positions of the electrode leads, and a masking jig that is disposed between the pair of alignment jigs and surrounds the welding site of the electrode lead.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0022936 dated February 22, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electrode lead alignment and masking device, and more particularly to an electrode lead alignment and masking device that can align electrode leads bent to a bus bar at accurate positions to significantly reduce the welding defect rate and prevent damage to electrode ribs. [Background technology]

[0003] Generally, a secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte, and generates electrical energy by utilizing a chemical reaction. The use of secondary batteries is gradually increasing due to the advantage that they can be charged and discharged. Among these secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries have a high energy density per unit weight and are therefore widely used as power sources for electronic communication devices and as driving sources for high-power hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and the like.

[0004] In terms of the shape of these secondary batteries, there is an increasing demand for square secondary batteries and pouch-type secondary batteries, which are thin and applicable to products such as mobile phones, etc. In terms of secondary battery materials, there is an increasing demand for lithium secondary batteries such as lithium ion batteries and lithium ion polymer batteries, which have high energy density, stable discharge voltage, and output.

[0005] A plurality of battery cells are stacked inside a battery case of a secondary battery. An electrode tab is formed protruding from each of the plurality of battery cells, and an electrode lead is welded to each electrode tab. In a bending process, the negative electrode lead and the positive electrode lead are bent by a bending tool so as to overlap with a bus bar. In a welding process that follows the bending process, the bent negative electrode lead and the positive electrode lead are welded by a welding tool while overlapping with the bus bar.

[0006] However, in the past, when a welding process was performed after bending the electrode leads, the bent electrode leads were welded to the bus bar in a misaligned state, which resulted in different weld lengths of the electrode leads even if the lengths of the electrode leads were standardized to be the same, which may increase the rate of welding defects.

[0007] Furthermore, when the pair of electrode leads are bent in a state in which they are open toward the outside in the width direction of the bus bar, the overlapping length of the pair of electrode leads becomes shorter. In this case, if the overlapping portion is welded while being pressurized by a masking jig, the joining strength of the welded portion decreases significantly as the actual welded portion becomes shorter than the designed welded portion.

[0008] In addition, when the pair of electrode leads are bent together on both sides of the busbar in the width direction, the overlapping length of the pair of electrode leads becomes excessively long. In this case, the ends of the pair of electrode leads overlap the rounded bent portion, so that the overlapping portion of the pair of electrode leads may locally lift up or a gap may be formed. This may weaken the joining strength of the welded portion. In addition, welding sparks and spatters may fly to the surrounding area, increasing the rate of welding defects.

[0009] In addition, since the welding lengths of a pair of electrode leads in each bus bar may differ from each other, the actual welding length may deviate from the required design dimension, and the welding defect rate may increase.

[0010] The background art of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 2019-0097614 (published on August 21, 2019, title of invention: spot welding jig). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrode lead alignment masking device that can align electrode leads bent to bus bars at accurate positions and significantly reduce the rate of welding defects.

[0012] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode lead alignment and masking device that allows the actual weld length of the electrode lead to match the design weld length.

[0013] The present invention aims to provide an electrode lead alignment masking device that can prevent the electrode leads from opening outward in the width direction of the bus bar, thereby preventing a reduction in the joining area and joining strength of the welded part.

[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode lead alignment masking device capable of preventing the overlapping portions of a pair of electrode leads from locally lifting up or from having a gap.

[0015] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode lead alignment masking device that can prevent the electrode leads and the alignment jig from being damaged. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electrode lead alignment and masking device according to the present invention is an electrode lead alignment and masking device that aligns an electrode lead bent to a bus bar in a welding process of the electrode lead, and includes a pair of alignment jigs that are inserted into slots between the bus bars to align the position of the electrode lead, and a masking jig that is disposed between the pair of alignment jigs and surrounds a welding portion of the electrode lead.

[0017] The pair of alignment jigs may be coupled to both sides of the masking jig in a width direction.

[0018] The alignment jig can be inserted from the slot to the outside of the electrode leads and can gather the electrode leads to the bus bar side.

[0019] The alignment jig may include alignment body portions facing each other on both sides of the masking jig, and alignment ribs extending from the alignment body portions, formed to be thinner than the thickness of the alignment body portions, and aligning the electrode leads while being inserted into the slots.

[0020] An alignment taper portion may be formed on the inner side in the thickness direction of the alignment rib so as to gather the electrode leads together on the bus bar side.

[0021] A step portion may be formed on a lower side of the alignment body portion so as to be spaced apart from the bent portion of the electrode lead, and a pressure surface portion of the masking jig may be disposed at a position lower than the step portion.

[0022] The alignment jig may be formed in the shape of a square panel.

[0023] A welding space portion that penetrates vertically may be formed inside the masking jig.

[0024] The masking jig may be formed in a rectangular tubular shape aligned along the length of the bus bar, and the welding spaces may be formed aligned along the length of the bus bar.

[0025] The masking jig can crimp the electrode leads to the bus bars.

[0026] The electrode lead alignment and masking device according to the present invention is an electrode lead alignment and masking device for aligning an electrode lead bent to a bus bar in a welding process of the electrode lead, the device comprising: a pair of alignment jigs that are inserted into slots between the bus bars to align a position of the electrode lead; a masking jig that is disposed between the pair of alignment jigs and installed to surround a welding portion of the electrode lead, and to which the alignment jig is movably connected; and at least two or more elastic members that are installed on both sides of the masking jig to elastically support the pair of alignment jigs.

[0027] The masking jig may include: a masking body portion having a welding space portion penetrating in a vertical direction; and slide guide portions disposed on both sides of the masking body portion and forming slide grooves to which the alignment jigs are slidably coupled.

[0028] The alignment jig may include alignment body portions facing both sides of the masking jig; alignment ribs extending downward from the alignment body portions and formed to be thinner than the thickness of the alignment body portions, and aligning the electrode leads by being inserted into the slots; and sliders extending upward from the alignment body portions and slidably coupled to the slide groove portions.

[0029] The alignment rib can be inserted from the slot to the outside of the electrode leads and can gather the electrode leads toward the bus bar.

[0030] An alignment taper portion may be formed on the inner side in the thickness direction of the alignment rib so as to gather the electrode leads together on the bus bar side.

[0031] The slider may be formed to have a thickness smaller than a thickness of the alignment body portion.

[0032] A movement limiting portion may be formed on an upper side of the alignment body portion to be caught by a lower end of the slide guide portion and limit a movement distance of the alignment jig.

[0033] The elastic member may be supported by an upper end of the alignment body portion and an upper end of the slide groove portion.

[0034] The elastic members may be disposed on both sides of the alignment body portion in a longitudinal direction.

[0035] A step portion may be formed on a lower side of the alignment body portion so as to be spaced apart from the bent portion of the electrode lead, and a pressure surface portion of the masking jig may be disposed at a position lower than the step portion. Effect of the Invention

[0036] According to the present invention, a pair of alignment jigs align the positions of the bent electrode leads, a masking jig crimps the bent electrode leads, and a welding tool welds the electrode leads, so that the bent electrode leads can be welded to accurate positions on the bus bar.

[0037] According to the present invention, since the electrode lead is welded to the bus bar at a precise position, the actual weld length of the electrode lead can be consistent with the designed weld length, and the weld length of the electrode lead on each bus bar can be uniform.

[0038] According to the present invention, the electrode leads are welded together in a state where they are bundled together on the bus bar, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in the joint area and joint strength of the welded portion.

[0039] According to the present invention, the end of the bent electrode lead does not overlap with the rounded bent portion of the opposing electrode lead, so that the overlapping portion of the pair of electrode leads can be prevented from locally lifting up or from having a gap, thereby increasing the joining strength of the welded portion.

[0040] According to the present invention, since the alignment jig is movably connected to the masking jig and is elastically supported by the elastic member, it is possible to cushion the impact of the alignment jig and the electrode leads, thereby preventing the alignment jig and the electrode leads from being damaged.

[0041] The above-mentioned effects and specific effects of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0042] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view illustrating a secondary battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a masking device for aligning an electrode lead in a secondary battery module according to the present invention is disposed above a bus bar. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view showing an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a view illustrating a state in which an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is positioned above electrode leads. [Figure 7] 4 is a view illustrating a state in which an alignment league of an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is inserted into a slot to align electrode leads; [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an electrode lead alignment masking apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10]FIG. 11 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the electrode lead alignment masking device of FIG. 10 is cut along line 11-11. FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the electrode lead alignment masking device of FIG. 11 cuts the electrode lead along line 12-12. FIG. [Figure 13] 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the electrode lead alignment masking device of FIG. 11 cuts the electrode lead along line 13-13. FIG. [Figure 14] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic state in which an electrode lead of a battery cell in a secondary battery module according to the present invention is sandwiched between slots of a bus bar. FIG. [Figure 15] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic state in which an electrode lead of a battery cell in a secondary battery module according to the present invention is bent to a bus bar. FIG. [Figure 16] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which an alignment masking device according to the present invention is positioned above a bus bar. [Figure 17] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an alignment jig of the alignment masking device according to the present invention is sandwiched in a slot between bus bars. [Figure 18] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a step portion of an alignment jig of the alignment masking device according to the present invention presses a bent portion of an electrode lead; [Figure 19] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a pressure surface of a masking jig of the alignment masking apparatus according to the present invention presses an electrode lead; FIG. [Figure 20] 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an electrode lead is welded to a bus bar through a welding space of a masking jig according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and may be embodied in various different forms and may be modified in various ways. However, the present embodiments are provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the technical spirit and scope of the present invention, as well as the substitution or addition of the configuration of any embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment.

[0045] The accompanying drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the technical ideas disclosed in this specification, and should be understood to include any modifications, equivalents, or alternatives included in the ideas and technical scope of the present invention. Although the components in the drawings may be exaggerated in size or thickness to make them larger or smaller for ease of understanding, the scope of protection of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited thereby.

[0046] The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific examples and embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms such as "includes" and "comprises" in the specification are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification. In other words, terms such as "includes" and "comprises" in the specification should be understood not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0047] Although terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, the components are not limited by the terms, and the terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0048] When an element is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another element, it should be understood that it may be directly coupled or connected to the other element, but that there may be other elements between them. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly coupled" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements between them.

[0049] When a component is referred to as being "on top of" or "on bottom of" another component, it should be understood that there may be other components in between, not just directly on top of the other component.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms commonly used and similar to those defined in dictionaries should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense in this application unless expressly defined.

[0051] Hereinafter, an electrode lead alignment masking device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0052] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a secondary battery module according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which an electrode lead alignment masking device in a secondary battery module according to the present invention is disposed above a bus bar.

[0053] 1 and 2, in the secondary battery module 1, a plurality of battery cells 30 are stacked inside a case 10. An electrode tab 31 protrudes from each battery cell 30, and the electrode tab 31 is welded to an electrode lead 33. A bus bar frame 20 is assembled to the battery cell stack (not shown). A plurality of bus bars 21 are arranged in a row on the bus bar frame 20. Slots 23 are formed between the plurality of bus bars 21 in the bus bar frame 20. The width of the slots 23 may be formed to be about 5 to 7 times the thickness of the electrode leads 33. When the bus bar frame 20 is assembled to the battery cell stack, the plurality of electrode leads 33 pass through the slots 23 and protrude perpendicularly or nearly perpendicularly to the outside of the bus bar frame 20.

[0054] In a bending process, these battery cell stacks are bent using a bending tool (not shown) so that the electrode leads 33 are in close contact with the busbar 21. In each busbar 21, a pair of electrode leads 33 are bent in the width direction of the busbar 21 so as to overlap each other. Once bending of the electrode leads 33 onto the busbar 21 is completed, a welding process is performed. In the welding process, an electrode lead alignment masking device 100 welds the bent electrode leads 33 to the busbar 21 in a state where they are aligned with the busbar 21. This will be described in detail below.

[0055] The electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for aligning and masking the electrode leads 33 bent to the busbars 21 of the secondary battery module 1 in the process of welding the electrode leads 33. At this time, the electrode leads 33 of the same polarity or the electrode leads 33 of opposite polarity may be bent to the busbars 21. Also, the electrode leads 33 of the same polarity may be bent to some of the busbars 21, and the electrode leads 33 of opposite polarity may be bent to other busbars 21.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a front view showing an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the electrode lead alignment masking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is positioned above the electrode leads, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the alignment slot of the electrode lead alignment masking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is inserted into the slot to align the electrode leads.

[0057] An electrode lead alignment masking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0058] 3 to 7, an electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of an aligning jig 110 and a masking jig 120. As shown in FIG.

[0059] The pair of alignment jigs 110 are inserted into the slots 23 on both sides of the busbar 21 to align the positions of the pair of electrode leads 33. The pair of alignment jigs 110 assemble the bent electrode leads 33 inserted into the slots 23 onto both widthwise sides of the busbar 21. At this time, the pair of electrode leads 33 may be aligned in close contact with both widthwise sides of the busbar 21 or slightly spaced apart. In addition, the pair of electrode leads 33 have a length such that, when bent into the busbar 21, an end of one electrode lead 33 is spaced a certain distance from the bent portion 34 of the other electrode lead 33.

[0060] The masking jig 120 is coupled to the alignment jig 110 and is formed to surround the welding portion of the electrode lead 33. The masking jig 120 shields the area around the welding portion to prevent sparks and spatters from escaping the welding portion when the electrode lead 33 is welded to the bus bar 21. This prevents spatters and sparks generated during welding from flying to surrounding structures, thereby significantly reducing the rate of welding defects.

[0061] As described above, the pair of alignment jigs 110 align the position of the bent electrode lead 33, and the masking jig 120 crimps the bent electrode lead 33, and then a welding tool (not shown) welds the electrode lead 33. Therefore, the bent electrode lead 33 can be welded to an accurate position of the busbar 21. In addition, the actual welding length of the electrode lead 33 may match the designed welding length. The welding length means the length that is welded in line with the widthwise length of the busbar 21. In addition, the electrode lead 33 can be prevented from opening outward in the widthwise direction of the busbar 21. This prevents a decrease in the joining area and joining strength of the welded portion, thereby reducing the welding defect rate.

[0062] In addition, since the end of the bent electrode lead 33 does not overlap with the rounded bent portion 34 of the opposing electrode lead 33, it is possible to prevent the overlapping portion of the pair of electrode leads 33 from locally lifting up or creating a gap, which can increase the joining strength of the welded portion.

[0063] Furthermore, since the welding length of the pair of electrode leads 33 in each bus bar 21 becomes uniform, the actual welding length matches the required design dimension, and the rate of welding defects can be reduced.

[0064] The pair of alignment jigs 110 are coupled to both sides in the width direction of the masking jig 120. At this time, the pair of alignment jigs 110 may be welded or glued to both sides in the width direction of the masking jig 120, or may be coupled by a fastening member such as a screw or a rivet. As a result, the alignment jig 110 and the masking jig 120 can be lifted and moved by a single moving device (not shown) while aligning and welding the electrode leads 33.

[0065] The alignment jigs 110 are inserted outside the electrode leads 33 in the slots 23, and gather the electrode leads 33 on the bus bar 21 side. At this time, the outer sides of the pair of alignment jigs 110 in the thickness direction may be in contact with or separated from the outer surface of the slot 23. Also, the inner sides of the pair of alignment jigs 110 in the thickness direction may be in contact with the outer surfaces of the electrode leads 33. In this way, when the alignment jig 110 descends, the pair of electrode leads 33 can be aligned while being gathered on the bus bar 21 side.

[0066] The alignment jig 110 includes an alignment body portion 111 and an alignment rib 113 .

[0067] The alignment body parts 111 face both sides of the masking jig 120. The alignment body parts 111 may be fixed to both sides of the masking jig 120 in the width direction by welding or an adhesive, or the masking jig 120 may be fixed to both sides of the masking jig 120 in the width direction by fastening members such as screws or rivets.

[0068] The alignment rib 113 extends downward from the alignment body part 111 and is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the alignment body part 111. The alignment rib 113 aligns the electrode lead 33 while being inserted into the slot 23. The alignment rib 113 presses the outer surface of the electrode lead 33 toward the bus bar 21, so that the electrode lead 33 can be closely attached to the bus bar 21 or can be aligned with a small space therebetween. Whether the electrode lead 33 and the bus bar 21 come into contact with each other can be determined according to the thickness of the alignment jig.

[0069] An alignment taper portion 114 is formed on the inner side in the thickness direction of the alignment rib 113 so as to gather the electrode leads 33 towards the bus bar 21 side. At this time, the alignment rib 113 is formed so that its thickness gradually becomes thinner as it goes downward due to the alignment taper portion 114. As a result, the lower end portion of the alignment rib 113 can be easily inserted between the outer surface of the electrode lead 33 and the outer surface of the slot 23, and the lower the alignment rib 113, the more the electrode lead 33 can be aligned while being pressed towards the bus bar 21 side. In addition, when the alignment rib 113 is inserted into the slot 23, the end portion of the alignment rib 113 can be caught on the bending portion 34 of the electrode lead 33, which can prevent the alignment rib 113 and the electrode lead 33 from being damaged or broken.

[0070] A step portion 115 may be formed on the lower side of the alignment body portion 111 so as to be spaced apart from the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33. In this case, the pressing surface portion 123 of the masking jig 120 is disposed at a lower position than the step portion 115. The step portion 115 may be formed horizontally or slightly inclined with respect to the pressing surface portion 123. As a result, when the pressing surface portion 123 of the masking jig 120 presses the electrode lead 33, the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33 is spaced apart by a certain distance from the step portion 115, so that the alignment body portion 111 can be prevented from pressing the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33. Furthermore, the electrode lead 33 and the electrode tab 31 can be prevented from being bent or damaged by the pressing force of the alignment body portion 111.

[0071] The alignment jig 110 is formed in the shape of a square panel. The length of the alignment jig 110 may be slightly shorter than the length of the slot 23. Also, the length of the alignment jig 110 may be the same as or slightly longer than the length of the electrode lead 33. Of course, the alignment jig 110 may be formed in various shapes, such as a sawtooth shape, a plurality of bars arranged in a row, etc., as long as it is inserted into the slot 23 and aligns the electrode lead 33.

[0072] A welding space 121 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed inside the masking jig 120. A welding tool can pass through the welding space 121 to weld the bent electrode lead 33 to the bus bar 21. The welding tool may be a laser welding tool that irradiates the electrode lead 33 with a laser to weld it, or a spot welding tool that applies a current to the electrode lead 33 to weld it. Various types of welding can be applied depending on the types of materials of the electrode lead 33 and the bus bar 21. As described above, the welding tool enters the inside of the welding space 121 to weld the electrode lead 33, so that it is possible to prevent spatters and welding sparks from flying around the electrode lead 33.

[0073] The masking jig 120 can be formed in a rectangular tubular shape aligned with the length direction of the busbar 21. The welding spaces 121 are formed aligned with each other along the length direction of the busbar 21. The width of the masking jig 120 can be formed narrower than the width of the busbar 21. The width of the welding space 121 can be formed narrower than the width of the busbar 21. The length of the welding space 121 can be formed slightly shorter than the length of the electrode lead 33. The cross section of the welding space 121 can be formed in a rectangular shape aligned with the length direction of the busbar 21. Because the masking jig 120 is formed in a rectangular tubular shape, the overlapping portions of the electrode leads 33 can be welded in the length direction.

[0074] The masking jig 120 crimps the bent electrode lead 33 to the bus bar 21. This can prevent the overlapping portion of the electrode lead 33 from lifting up or separating when the welding tool welds the electrode lead 33. Furthermore, it can prevent the welding strength of the overlapping portion of the electrode lead 33 from decreasing. In addition, it can suppress the occurrence of local temperature deviation of the electrode lead 33 due to the lifting up or separation of the electrode lead 33, and prevent the occurrence of welding defects.

[0075] The electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above can include a pair of alignment jigs 110 and one masking jig 120 so as to align a pair of electrode leads 33 to one bus bar 21. The electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 aligns and masks an electrode lead 33 to one bus bar 21 each time it descends.

[0076] Also, the electrode lead alignment and masking apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured in a form in which four or more alignment jigs 110 and two or more masking jigs 120 are arranged so as to align a pair of electrode leads 33 on at least two or more bus bars 21. The electrode lead alignment and masking apparatus 100 may simultaneously align the electrode leads 33 on two or more bus bars 21 every time it descends.

[0077] Next, an electrode lead alignment and masking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0078] FIG. 8 is an exploded oblique view illustrating an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is an oblique view illustrating an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating an electrode lead alignment masking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the 11-11 line in the electrode lead alignment masking device of FIG. 10 has been cut, FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the electrode lead alignment masking device of FIG. 11 has cut the 12-12 line in the electrode lead, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the electrode lead alignment masking device of FIG. 11 has cut the 13-13 line in the electrode lead.

[0079] 8 to 13, an electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of aligning jigs 110, a masking jig 120, and at least two elastic members 130. As shown in FIG.

[0080] The pair of alignment jigs 110 are inserted into the slots 23 on both sides of the busbar 21 to align the positions of the pair of electrode leads 33. The pair of alignment jigs 110 assemble the bent electrode leads 33 inserted into the slots 23 onto both widthwise sides of the busbar 21. At this time, the pair of electrode leads 33 may be aligned in close contact with both widthwise sides of the busbar 21 or slightly spaced apart. In addition, when the pair of electrode leads 33 are bent onto the busbar 21, the pair of electrode leads 33 may have a length such that an end of one electrode lead 33 is spaced a certain distance from the bent portion 34 of the other electrode lead 33.

[0081] The masking jig 120 is disposed between the pair of alignment jigs 110 and is formed to surround the welding portion of the electrode lead 33. The alignment jig 110 is movably coupled to the masking jig 120. The masking jig 120 shields (masks) the area around the welding portion to prevent sparks and spatters from straying from the welding portion when the electrode lead 33 is welded to the bus bar 21. This prevents spatters and sparks generated during welding from flying to surrounding structures, and significantly reduces the rate of welding defects.

[0082] At least two elastic members 130 are installed on both sides of the masking jig 120 so as to elastically support the pair of alignment jigs 110. The elastic members 130 may be coil springs that connect the masking jig 120 and the alignment jig 110. These elastic members 130 can be applied in various shapes and positions as long as they can elastically support the alignment jig 110.

[0083] As described above, the alignment jig 110 is movably coupled to the masking jig 120 and is elastically supported by the elastic member 130. As a result, the alignment jig 110 aligns the electrode leads 33 while being moved up and down, thereby minimizing deformation of the electrode leads 33. In addition, the alignment jig 110 buffers the impact between the alignment jig 110 and the electrode leads 33 at the moment when pressure is applied to the electrode leads 33, thereby preventing damage to the alignment jig 110 and the electrode leads 33. In addition, scratches on the surface of the electrode leads 33 can be prevented, and the possibility of overheating and ignition of the electrode leads 33 can be significantly reduced.

[0084] In addition, a pair of alignment jigs 110 align the position of the bent electrode lead 33, and a welding tool (not shown) welds the electrode lead 33 while the masking jig 120 is crimping the bent electrode lead 33, so that the bent electrode lead 33 can be welded to an accurate position of the busbar 21. In addition, the actual welding length of the electrode lead 33 can match the designed welding length. The welding length means the length that is welded in line with the widthwise length of the busbar 21. In addition, the electrode lead 33 can be prevented from opening outward in the widthwise direction of the busbar 21. This prevents a decrease in the joining area and joining strength of the welded portion, thereby reducing the welding defect rate.

[0085] In addition, since the end of the bent electrode lead 33 does not overlap with the rounded bent portion 34 of the opposing electrode lead 33, it is possible to prevent the overlapping portion of the pair of electrode leads 33 from locally lifting up or creating a gap, which can increase the joining strength of the welded portion.

[0086] In addition, since the welding length of the pair of electrode leads 33 in each bus bar 21 becomes uniform, the actual welding length matches the design required dimension, and the rate of welding defects can be reduced.

[0087] The masking jig 120 includes a masking body portion 122 and a sliding guide portion 125 .

[0088] A welding space 121 that penetrates in the vertical direction is formed in the masking body portion 122. The welding space 121 can be formed in an elongated hole shape aligned with the longitudinal direction of the masking body portion 122. This allows the welding tool to approach the electrode lead 33 through the welding space 121 and weld it.

[0089] The welding tool may be a laser welding tool that irradiates a laser to the electrode lead 33 to weld it, or a spot welding tool that applies a current to the electrode lead 33 to weld it. Various types of welding can be applied depending on the types of materials of the electrode lead 33 and the bus bar 21. As described above, the welding tool enters the inside of the welding space portion 121 to weld the electrode lead 33, so that spatter and welding sparks can be prevented from flying around the electrode lead 33.

[0090] The slide guide parts 125 are disposed on both sides of the masking body part 122. The slide guide parts 125 are formed with slide groove parts 126 so that the alignment jigs 110 can be slidably coupled thereto. The slide groove part 126 is a space surrounded by the side surface of the masking body part 122 and the inner surface of the slide guide part 125. The slide groove part 126 is formed in the shape of a long hole along the length direction of the masking body part 122. The lower side of the slide groove part 126 is open. The slide guide part 125 supports the alignment jig 110 so that the alignment jig 110 does not shake.

[0091] The alignment jigs 110 are inserted outside the electrode leads 33 in the slots 23, and gather the electrode leads 33 on the bus bar 21 side. At this time, the outer sides of the pair of alignment jigs 110 in the thickness direction may be in contact with or separated from the outer surface of the slot 23. Also, the inner sides of the pair of alignment jigs 110 in the thickness direction may be in contact with the outer surfaces of the electrode leads 33. In this way, when the alignment jig 110 descends, the pair of electrode leads 33 can be aligned while being gathered on the bus bar 21 side.

[0092] The alignment jig 110 includes an alignment body portion 111, an alignment rib 113, and a slider 116. The alignment jig 110 may be generally formed in the shape of a square panel.

[0093] The alignment body parts 111 face both sides of the masking jig 120. The inner surfaces of the alignment body parts 111 are formed in a flat plate shape so as to come into surface contact with the side surfaces of the masking jig 120 when the alignment jig 110 is moved in the vertical direction.

[0094] The alignment rib 113 extends downward from the alignment body portion 111 and is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the alignment body portion 111. The alignment rib 113 aligns the electrode leads 33 by being inserted into the slots 23 between the bus bars 21. The alignment rib 113 can be formed to have the same length as the alignment body portion 111 or a slightly different length.

[0095] The slider 116 extends upward from the alignment body portion 111 and is slidably coupled to the slide groove portion 126. The slider 116 can be formed in a plate shape so as to be sandwiched between the slide groove portion 126. The length of the slider 116 can be formed to be slightly shorter than the length of the slide groove portion 126.

[0096] The slider 116 may be formed to have a thickness smaller than that of the alignment body portion 111. As a result, a step may be formed between the lower end of the slider 116 and the upper end of the alignment body portion 111. In addition, since the slider 116 is formed to have a thin thickness, it is possible to prevent the width of the slide guide portion 125 and the width of the slide groove portion 126 from increasing unnecessarily.

[0097] An alignment taper portion 114 is formed on the inner side in the thickness direction of the alignment rib 113 so as to gather the electrode leads 33 towards the bus bar 21 side. At this time, the alignment rib 113 is formed so as to become gradually thinner as it goes downward due to the alignment taper portion 114. As a result, the lower end portion of the alignment rib 113 can be easily inserted between the outer surface of the electrode lead 33 and the outer surface of the slot 23, and the electrode lead 33 can be aligned while being pressed towards the bus bar 21 as the alignment rib 113 descends. In addition, when the alignment rib 113 is inserted into the slot 23, the end portion of the alignment rib 113 gets caught on the bending portion 34 of the electrode lead 33, which prevents the alignment rib 113 and the electrode lead 33 from being damaged or broken.

[0098] A movement limiting portion 112 is formed on the upper side of the alignment body portion 111, which is caught on the lower end of the slide guide portion 125 to limit the movement distance of the alignment jig 110. The movement limiting portion 112 may be a step formed at the boundary between the upper end of the alignment body portion 111 and the lower end of the slider 116. These movement limiting portions 112 may be formed in various structures on the alignment body portion 111 or the slider 116.

[0099] A step portion 115 may be formed on the lower side of the alignment body portion 111 so as to be spaced apart from the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33. In this case, the pressing surface portion 123 of the masking jig 120 is disposed at a lower position than the step portion 115. The step portion 115 may be formed horizontally or slightly inclined with respect to the pressing surface portion 123. As a result, when the pressing surface portion 123 of the masking jig 120 presses the electrode lead 33, the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33 is spaced apart by a certain distance from the step portion 115, so that the alignment body portion 111 can be prevented from pressing the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33. Furthermore, the electrode lead 33 and the electrode tab 31 can be prevented from being bent or damaged by the pressing force of the alignment body portion 111.

[0100] The length of the alignment jig 110 may be slightly shorter than the length of the slot 23. Also, the length of the alignment jig 110 may be the same as or slightly longer than the length of the electrode lead 33. Of course, the alignment jig 110 may be formed in various shapes, such as a sawtooth shape, a plurality of bars arranged in a row, etc., as long as it is inserted into the slot 23 and aligns the electrode lead 33.

[0101] The masking jig 120 can be formed in a rectangular tubular shape aligned with the longitudinal direction of the busbar 21. The width of the masking jig 120 can be formed narrower than the width of the busbar 21. The width of the welding space portion 121 can be formed narrower than the width of the busbar 21. The length of the welding space portion 121 can be formed slightly shorter than the length of the electrode lead 33. The cross section of the welding space portion 121 can be formed in a rectangular shape aligned with the longitudinal direction of the busbar 21. Because the masking jig 120 is formed in a rectangular tubular shape, the overlapping portions of the electrode leads 33 can be welded in the longitudinal direction.

[0102] The masking jig 120 crimps the bent electrode lead 33 to the bus bar 21. This can prevent the overlapping portion of the electrode lead 33 from lifting up or separating when the welding tool welds the electrode lead 33. Furthermore, it can prevent the welding strength of the overlapping portion of the electrode lead 33 from decreasing. In addition, it can suppress the occurrence of local temperature deviation of the electrode lead 33 due to the lifting up or separation of the electrode lead 33, and prevent the occurrence of welding defects.

[0103] The elastic member 130 may be supported by an upper end of the alignment body part 111 and an upper end of the slide groove part 126. The elastic member 130 may be disposed on both sides of the alignment body part 111 in the longitudinal direction. Since the elastic members 130 are disposed on both sides of the alignment body part 111 in the longitudinal direction, the alignment jig 110 may be slightly inclined to one side in the longitudinal direction. As a result, even if the electrode lead 33 or the bus bar 21 is slightly inclined, the alignment jig 110 can align the electrode lead 33 by being slightly inclined to one side in the longitudinal direction.

[0104] The electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention described above can include a pair of alignment jigs 110 and one masking jig 120 so as to align a pair of electrode leads 33 to one bus bar 21. The electrode lead aligning and masking apparatus 100 aligns and masks an electrode lead 33 to one bus bar 21 each time it descends once.

[0105] Also, the electrode lead alignment and masking apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured in a form in which four or more alignment jigs 110 and two or more masking jigs 120 are arranged so as to align a pair of electrode leads 33 on at least two or more bus bars 21. The electrode lead alignment and masking apparatus 100 may simultaneously align the electrode leads 33 on two or more bus bars 21 every time it descends.

[0106] The operation of the thus configured alignment mask device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0107] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which an electrode lead of a battery cell in a secondary battery module according to the present invention is sandwiched in a slot of a bus bar; FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which an electrode lead of a battery cell in a secondary battery module according to the present invention is bent to a bus bar; FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which an alignment masking device according to the present invention is positioned above a bus bar; FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which an alignment jig of the alignment masking device according to the present invention is sandwiched in a slot between the bus bars; FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which a step portion of the alignment jig of the alignment masking device according to the present invention presses the bent portion of the electrode lead; FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which a pressure surface portion of the masking jig of the alignment masking device according to the present invention presses the electrode lead; and FIG. 20 is a drawing showing, in a schematic manner, a state in which an electrode lead is welded to a bus bar through a welding space portion of the masking jig according to the present invention.

[0108] 14 to 20, the electrode leads 33 of the battery cells 30 are inserted into the slots 23 on both sides of the bus bar 21. At this time, the electrode leads 33 can be inserted vertically into both sides of the bus bar 21.

[0109] A bending device (not shown) presses and bends the electrode leads 33 towards the bus bar 21. At this time, the pair of electrode leads 33 may be open on both sides of the bus bar 21 or may be spaced apart on both side surfaces of the bus bar 21 (see FIG. 15).

[0110] The alignment masking device 100 is moved to the upper side of the bus bar 21. At this time, the alignment jig 110 maintains its lowered state in the slide guide portion 25 due to the elastic force of the elastic member 130.

[0111] When the alignment masking device 100 descends, the alignment jig 110 is inserted into the slots 23 on both sides of the bus bar 21. At this time, when an impact is applied to the bending portion 34 of the electrode lead 33, the alignment tapered portion 114 of the alignment jig 110 buffers the impact applied to the electrode lead 33 by causing the elastic member 130 to contract slightly.

[0112] Alignment taper portion 114 of alignment jig 110 smoothly descends while sliding along bent portions 34 of electrode leads 33. Alignment taper portion 114 applies pressure to the outside of electrode leads 33 and gathers electrode leads 33 on the bus bar 21 side.

[0113] As the alignment jig 110 is further lowered, the electrode leads 33 come into close contact with both side surfaces of the bus bar 21 (see FIG. 17). At this time, the electrode leads 33 may be floating above the upper surface of the bus bar 21 or may be separated therefrom.

[0114] When the alignment jig 110 is completely inserted into the slot 23, the step portion 115 of the alignment jig 110 comes into close contact with the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33 (FIG. 18). At this time, the pressure force of the alignment masking device 100 is applied to the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33.

[0115] The masking jig 120 descends with the step portion 115 of the alignment jig 110 caught on the bent portion 34 of the electrode lead 33. When the masking jig 120 descends with the alignment jig 110 stopped, the elastic member 130 contracts in the length direction. When the lower pressure surface portion 123 of the masking jig 120 presses the electrode lead 33, the electrode lead 33 comes into tight contact with the upper surface portion of the busbar 21. Next, the welding tool welds the electrode lead 33 to the upper surface portion of the busbar 21 through the welding space portion 121 of the masking jig 120 (see FIG. 20). This allows the electrode lead 33 to be welded to the busbar 21 in a state of tight contact with both side surfaces and the upper surface portion of the busbar 21.

[0116] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrative drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed in this specification, and it is obvious that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Even if the effects of the configuration of the present invention are not explicitly described and explained while describing the embodiments of the present invention, it is natural that the effects that can be predicted by the configuration should also be recognized. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1 Secondary battery module 10 Cases 20 Busbar Frame 21 Busbar 23 Slots 30 Battery Cells 31 Electrode tab 31a First electrode tab 31b Second electrode tab 33 Electrode Lead 33a First electrode lead 33b Second electrode lead 34 Bending Section 100 Electrode lead alignment masking device 110 Alignment jig 111 Alignment body part 112 Movement restriction section 113 Alignment Rib 114 Aligned taper section 115 Step 116 Slider 120 Masking Jig 121 Welding space 122 Masking body part 123 Pressurized surface 125 Slide guide part 126 Slide groove 130 Elastic member

Claims

1. An electrode lead alignment and masking device for aligning an electrode lead bent to a bus bar in a welding process of the electrode lead, a pair of alignment jigs that are inserted into slots between the bus bars to align the positions of the electrode leads; and a masking jig disposed between the pair of alignment jigs and surrounding the welding site of the electrode lead; Including, Electrode lead alignment masking device.

2. The pair of alignment jigs are coupled to both sides of the masking jig in a width direction.

2. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 1.

3. the alignment jig is inserted from the slot to the outside of the electrode leads and gathers the electrode leads on the bus bar side; 2. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 1.

4. The alignment jig includes: Opposing alignment body portions on either side of the masking jig; and an alignment rib extending from the alignment body portion and formed thinner than the thickness of the alignment body portion, the alignment rib aligning the electrode lead while being inserted into the slot; Including, 4. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 3.

5. An alignment taper portion is formed on the inner side of the alignment rib in the thickness direction so as to gather the electrode leads toward the bus bar side.

5. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 4.

6. a step portion is formed on a lower side of the alignment body portion so as to be spaced apart from the bent portion of the electrode lead; The pressure surface portion of the masking jig is disposed at a position lower than the step portion.

6. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 5.

7. The alignment jig is formed in the shape of a square panel.

2. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 1.

8. A welding space portion penetrating in the vertical direction is formed inside the masking jig. An electrode lead alignment masking device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The masking jig is formed in a rectangular tube shape aligned with the longitudinal direction of the bus bar, The welding spaces are formed in a line along the longitudinal direction of the bus bar.

9. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 8.

10. The masking jig crimps the electrode lead to the bus bar.

2. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 1.

11. An electrode lead alignment and masking device for aligning an electrode lead bent to a bus bar in a welding process of the electrode lead, a pair of alignment jigs that are inserted into slots between the bus bars to align the positions of the electrode leads; a masking jig disposed between the pair of alignment jigs and installed to surround the welding portion of the electrode lead, the masking jig being movably coupled to the alignment jig; and at least two elastic members respectively installed on both sides of the masking jig to elastically support the pair of alignment jigs; Including, Electrode lead alignment masking device.

12. The masking jig is A masking body portion in which a welding space portion penetrating in the vertical direction is formed, and a slide guide portion disposed on both sides of the masking body portion and having a slide groove portion formed therein, to which the alignment jigs are slidably coupled; Including, 12. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 11.

13. The alignment jig includes: Opposing alignment body portions on both sides of the masking jig; an alignment rib extending downward from the alignment body portion and formed thinner than the thickness of the alignment body portion, and aligning the electrode lead by being inserted into the slot; a slider extending upward from the alignment body portion and slidably coupled to the slide groove portion; Including, 13. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 12.

14. the alignment rib is inserted from the slot to the outside of the electrode leads and gathers the electrode leads toward the bus bar.

14. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 13.

15. An alignment taper portion is formed on the inner side of the alignment rib in the thickness direction so as to gather the electrode leads toward the bus bar side.

14. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 13.

16. The slider is formed to have a thickness smaller than a thickness of the alignment body portion.

16. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 15.

17. A movement limiting portion is formed on the upper side of the alignment body portion, the movement limiting portion being hooked onto a lower end of the slide guide portion to limit a movement distance of the alignment jig.

14. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 13.

18. The elastic member is supported by an upper end of the alignment body portion and an upper end of the slide groove portion. An electrode lead alignment masking device according to any one of claims 13 to 17.

19. The elastic members are disposed on both sides of the alignment body portion in the longitudinal direction.

20. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 18.

20. a step portion is formed on a lower side of the alignment body portion so as to be spaced apart from the bent portion of the electrode lead; The pressure surface portion of the masking jig is disposed at a position lower than the step portion.

14. The electrode lead alignment masking device of claim 13.

Images