Device for manufacturing secondary battery

Abstract

To provide a device for manufacturing a secondary battery capable of starting an activation process at appropriate timing or smoothly performing the activation process.SOLUTION: A device for manufacturing a secondary battery includes: an injection process unit for injecting an electrolyte solution into a workpiece; and an initial charging process unit for charging the workpiece into which the electrolyte is injected. The device is configured to: predict a charging start time of the workpiece based on a state of facility in the initial charging process unit and a state of the workpiece having been put in the initial charging process unit (step S2); allow injection of the electrolytic solution into the workpiece in a case where the predicted start time does not exceed a time limit determined for starting the charging of the workpiece (step S4); and prohibit injection of the electrolytic solution into the workpiece in a case where the start time exceeds the time limit (step S5).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus that injects an electrolyte into a unitized workpiece and then performs a predetermined post-process within a predetermined time from the injection. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method for manufacturing a lithium secondary battery that improves productivity by appropriately setting the electrolyte impregnation time. This manufacturing method involves first coating a perforated foil with an electrode active material slurry to form an electrode combined layer, measuring the time it takes for a nonaqueous electrolyte to pass through the electrode combined layer to calculate the electrolyte impregnation rate, and then using this electrolyte impregnation rate to set a predicted electrolyte impregnation time for the full cell being measured. After impregnating the electrolyte based on the set predicted electrolyte impregnation time, the battery unit is sealed. Subsequently, a formation process is performed in which a SEI film is formed on the surface of the negative electrode by applying a constant current or voltage to charge and discharge the battery, and an aging process is performed in which the activated battery is left for a certain period of time to stabilize it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2018-527727 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The method for manufacturing a lithium secondary battery described in Patent Document 1 allows for the appropriate impregnation of an electrolyte solution into an electrode active material. Meanwhile, as described in Patent Document 1, a formation process and an aging process are performed after the electrode active material is impregnated with the electrolyte solution. Because such a formation process and an aging process require a relatively long time, the batteries that have undergone the impregnation process, in which the electrode active material is impregnated with the electrolyte solution, are generally placed on a shelf for the process. In other words, when there are a large number of batteries undergoing the formation process or the aging process, it is not possible to quickly transition the batteries that have undergone the impregnation process to the formation process or the aging process.

[0005] Typically, when an electrode active material is impregnated with an electrolyte, a chemical reaction begins at the electrode interface. The concentration distribution of the substance formed at the electrode interface changes over time, resulting in the thickness and thickness variation of the SEI film formed during initial charging falling outside the intended range. Therefore, if a battery injected with an electrolyte cannot be quickly activated, the battery's charge / discharge characteristics may not be as desired. Furthermore, in order to improve battery performance, multiple activation processes may require a set time between the completion of the previous process and the start of the next process. In such cases, even if initial charging is initiated at the appropriate time, failure to transition to the subsequent process may result in the battery's performance not being improved.

[0006] Furthermore, because the activation process typically takes a relatively long time, multiple batteries are activated in parallel. Meanwhile, the number of batteries that can be activated in the activation process is limited depending on the facility environment. Therefore, if a battery exceeds the time limit set for improving its characteristics, if that battery continues to be activated, it will take longer for the next battery to begin activation, potentially causing multiple batteries to exceed the time limit in a chain reaction.

[0007] The present invention has been made with an eye on the above-mentioned technical problems, and aims to provide a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus that can start the activation process at an appropriate time or can perform the activation process without delay.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention has been made with an eye on the above-mentioned technical problems, and aims to provide a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus that can quickly determine batteries that exceed the time limit set in the activation process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus comprising an injection process section that injects an electrolyte into a workpiece in which a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are housed in a case, and an activation process section that has a plurality of working process sections including an initial charging process section that applies a voltage to the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material of the workpiece into which the electrolyte has been injected to charge them, the apparatus comprising: a controller that determines whether or not the electrolyte can be injected into the workpiece or whether or not the workpiece can be initially charged; the controller having a prediction section that predicts the charging start time of the workpiece or the start time of the next process section following the initial charging process section based on the state of the equipment in the activation process section and the state of the workpiece input into the activation process section; and a judgment section that permits the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece or the initial charging of the workpiece if the start time predicted by the prediction section does not exceed a predetermined time limit for starting charging of the workpiece or starting the next process section, and prohibits the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece or the initial charging of the workpiece if the start time exceeds the time limit.

[0010] The present invention also provides a secondary battery manufacturing device that includes an injection process section that injects an electrolyte into a workpiece in which a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are housed in a case, and an activation process section that has a plurality of working process sections including an initial charging process section that applies a voltage to the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material of the workpiece into which the electrolyte has been injected to charge them, and is characterized in that the device is equipped with a controller that determines which workpiece will exceed a predetermined time limit for starting the charging or for starting a next process section following the initial charging process section, and the controller is equipped with a prediction section that predicts the charging start time of the workpiece or the start time of the next process section based on the state of the equipment in the activation process section and the state of the workpiece input into the activation process section, and a notification section that, when the start time predicted by the prediction section exceeds the predetermined time limit for starting the charging of the workpiece or for starting the next process section, notifies the user of information for identifying the workpiece that will exceed the predetermined time limit and the time.

[0011] In the present invention, the activation process unit may include the initial charging process unit, an aging process unit that ages the workpiece charged by the initial charging process unit, and a cooling process unit that cools the workpiece aged by the aging process unit, and the next process unit may include the aging process unit.

[0012] In the present invention, the state of the equipment may include the elapsed time of operation of the equipment provided in the activation process section and whether or not the equipment is operating, and the state of the work may include the elapsed time since the electrolyte was injected into the work.

[0013] In the present invention, the prediction unit may predict the charging start time or the start time of the next process unit by a simulation that is constructed in advance and stored in the controller. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, the charging start time of the workpiece or the start time of the next process following the initial charging process is predicted based on the state of the equipment in the activation process section and the state of the workpieces input to the activation process section. If the predicted start time does not exceed a predetermined time limit for starting charging of the workpiece or starting the next process section, electrolyte is injected into the workpiece or charging of the workpiece is initiated. This allows the workpiece to be transferred to the activation process section at an appropriate time, and prevents the workpiece from being stuck in the activation process section. This prevents the workpiece that has been injected with electrolyte from having to wait until the time limit has expired, or the charged workpiece from having to wait until the time limit has expired, thereby preventing a deterioration in battery characteristics, such as charge / discharge characteristics, and quality. In other words, this improves battery yield and production performance.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the charging start time of the workpiece and the start time of the next process are predicted based on the state of the equipment in the activation process section and the state of the workpieces input to the activation process section. If the predicted start time exceeds the time limit set for starting charging the workpiece or starting the next process section, information for identifying the workpiece that will exceed the time limit and the time are notified. This allows the worker to quickly identify and remove the workpiece that has exceeded the time limit. As a result, the waiting time for the subsequent workpiece can be shortened by the amount of workpiece removed. In other words, this prevents a chain reaction of workpieces exceeding the time limit due to a longer waiting time before being input to the initial charging process section or the next process section. This means that battery yield can be improved, and production performance can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of injecting an electrolyte into a workpiece. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing each work process unit provided in a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a controller according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control for determining whether or not an electrolyte can be injected into a workpiece. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control for determining whether or not charging of a workpiece is possible. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control for determining a process part where a workpiece exceeds the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, and the time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is merely an example of how the present invention can be implemented, and is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0018] The secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a case, a plurality of electrode pairs (cells), and a pair of terminals, similar to secondary batteries used as power sources for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. The case may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a plurality of cells and an electrolyte are housed within the case. The case may be made of metal, and a pair of terminals for extracting power from the cells within the case or supplying power to the cells are attached to predetermined locations on the case while being electrically insulated from the case. The following description will be given by way of example of a bipolar lithium-ion battery that uses a solvent in which a lithium salt is dissolved or dispersed as an electrolyte and is constructed by stacking a plurality of cells.

[0019] The cell described above is composed of an assembly formed of rectangular metal foil, such as copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), or titanium (Ti), a positive electrode active material bonded to one side of the assembly, and a negative electrode active material bonded to the other side of the assembly. The positive electrode active material, like the positive electrode active material of conventional lithium-ion batteries, can be primarily composed of a material such as cobalt, nickel, or manganese, and is bonded to the assembly together with a conductive additive and a binder. The negative electrode active material, like the negative electrode active material of conventional lithium-ion batteries, can be primarily composed of a carbon-based material, specifically graphite, and is bonded to the assembly together with a conductive additive and a binder.

[0020] A plurality of cells configured as described above are stacked and housed in a case, and an electrolyte solution is poured into the case. Each cell is fitted with a separator made of an electrically insulating porous film that electrically insulates the negative electrode of one cell from the positive electrode of the other cell in the stack to prevent the electrolyte solution from flowing between adjacent cells, while allowing lithium ions to move between the negative and positive electrodes. This separator can be made of a resin material such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

[0021] The bipolar lithium-ion battery described above is manufactured by first coating one side of a metal foil to form an assembly with a positive electrode active material, a conductive additive, and a binder, and then coating the other side of the metal foil with a negative electrode active material, a conductive additive, and a binder, and then cutting the metal foil into a predetermined size to form a cell unit. Then, a plurality of the cut-out cells are stacked, and the outer edges of the stacked cells are welded and housed in a case. Note that the method for manufacturing the cell can be any known method and is not limited to the method described above.

[0022] Next, electrolyte is poured into a battery W (in the following explanation, the state of the battery in the manufacturing process will be referred to as the work) in which the stacked cells are housed in a case as described above, as shown in Fig. 1. In the pouring step of pouring electrolyte into this work W, both sides of the case 1 are held by a restraining jig 2 with one side of the case 1 facing upward in the vertical direction, and a tubular pouring jig 3 for pouring electrolyte into the case 1 is attached to an opening that opens upward in the vertical direction of the case 1, and the electrolyte is poured into the case 1 from the pouring jig 3.

[0023] By carrying out the injection step as described above, the electrolyte is impregnated into the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material, and a chemical reaction begins at the electrode interface. Therefore, a waiting time (reaction lower limit time) is set after the injection step so that the concentration distribution of the substance generated at the electrode interface by the chemical reaction becomes a predetermined distribution.

[0024] After the reaction minimum time has elapsed from the injection process, the system transitions to an activation process for activating the workpiece W. FIG. 2 shows the working process sections provided in a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Following the injection process section 4 for injecting the electrolyte into the workpiece W, there are provided an initial charging process section 5 for charging the workpiece W, a high-temperature aging process section 6 for aging the workpiece W at a high temperature, and a cooling process section 7 for cooling the workpiece W to a predetermined temperature. The initial charging process section 5, the high-temperature aging process section 6, and the cooling process section 7 together constitute an activation process section 8 for activating the workpiece W. In FIG. 2, the working process sections for forming the workpiece W are collectively referred to as a previous process section. The high-temperature aging process section 6 and the cooling process section 7 correspond to the "next process section" in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] In the initial charging process unit 5, a predetermined voltage is applied to a pair of terminals for a predetermined time (initial charging time) to charge the workpiece W. By performing initial charging in this manner, an SEI (Solid Electrolyte Interphase) film is formed on the negative electrode active material. The thickness of this SEI film varies depending on the concentration distribution of the substance formed at the electrode interface. Therefore, initial charging by the initial charging process unit 5 is initiated after the electrolyte is injected into the workpiece W by the injection process unit 4 and after the lower reaction limit time has elapsed, and within a predetermined upper reaction limit time based on the concentration distribution of the substance formed at the electrode interface. Note that the initial charging process unit 5 may apply a constant voltage, or, for example, the applied voltage at the beginning of charging may be different from the applied voltage at the later stage of charging.

[0026] The high-temperature aging process unit 6 is a process unit that ages the workpiece W for a predetermined period (aging period) in a predetermined environment at a predetermined temperature to stabilize the performance and composition of the SEI film. Aging the workpiece W at high temperature in this way in the high-temperature aging process unit 6 facilitates the impregnation of the electrolyte into the electrode layer and the progression of irreversible side reactions other than the battery reaction, thereby resulting in uniform cell quality. The high-temperature aging process unit 6 starts aging the workpiece W within a predetermined first time limit after the workpiece W is charged by the initial charging process unit 5.

[0027] The cooling process section 7 is a work process section that reduces the temperature of the work W, which has been raised by the high-temperature aging process section 6, to, for example, room temperature over a predetermined time (cooling time), and begins cooling the work W within a predetermined second time limit after the work W has been aged by the high-temperature aging process section 6 during the aging period.

[0028] A post-processing section is provided for inspecting the performance of the work W that has been initially charged, high-temperature aged, and cooled by the activation process section 8. This post-processing section, for example, seals the opening for injecting the electrolyte, inspects the charge and discharge of the work W, and packs the work W that has passed inspection. Finally, a final inspection of the completed battery is performed.

[0029] As described above, the activation process unit 8 moves the workpiece W to the initial charging process unit 5, the high-temperature aging process unit 6, and the cooling process unit 7 according to various predetermined times, such as the time required for the appropriate chemical reaction between the electrolyte and the active material and the time required for forming an SEI film. Meanwhile, the initial charging process unit 5, the high-temperature aging process unit 6, and the cooling process unit 7 require relatively long times to perform their respective work steps. The time required for each work step is longest for the high-temperature aging process unit 6 (aging period), and shortest for the initial charging process unit 5 (initial charging time). In other words, the time required for each work step is longest in the order of the high-temperature aging process unit 6, the cooling process unit 7, and the initial charging process unit 5. The time required for each work step is relatively long, at least several tens of hours.

[0030] Furthermore, the initial charging process section 5 requires equipment for charging the workpiece W, and the high-temperature aging process section 6 requires equipment capable of maintaining the ambient temperature at a predetermined temperature in order to maintain a high temperature for the workpiece W. Similarly, the cooling process section 7 requires equipment capable of maintaining the ambient temperature at a predetermined temperature in order to cool the workpiece W to the predetermined temperature.

[0031] Therefore, in order to shorten the cycle time of each work process, the initial charging process unit 5 is equipped with a charging shelf 5a that can charge a predetermined number of workpieces W simultaneously, the high-temperature aging process unit 6 is equipped with an aging shelf 6a that can age a larger number of workpieces W simultaneously than the number of workpieces W that can be charged by the initial charging process unit 5, and the cooling process unit 7 is equipped with a cooling shelf 7a that can cool a smaller number of workpieces W simultaneously than the number of workpieces W that can be charged by the initial charging process unit 5. Note that the number of workpieces W that can be executed in each work process unit is determined from physical and cost perspectives, and the number of workpieces W that can be charged on the charging shelf 5a and the number of workpieces W that can be cooled on the cooling shelf 7a may be greater than the number of workpieces W that can be aged on the aging shelf 6a.

[0032] As described above, the time required for each work process section and the number of workpieces W that can be processed in each work process section are different. Furthermore, the time required for each work process section is relatively long. Therefore, the secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured to determine whether or not to inject the electrolyte into the workpieces W in the injection process section 4 and whether or not to start charging the workpieces W in the initial charging process section 5, based on the state of the equipment installed in each work process section and the time elapsed since the electrolyte was injected into the workpieces W.

[0033] An electronic control device (hereinafter referred to as the controller) 9 is provided to determine whether or not the electrolyte should be injected into the workpiece W and whether or not charging of the workpiece W should begin in the initial charging process section 5. This controller 9 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, and receives signals from various sensors, such as a sensor 5b that measures the elapsed operation time (elapsed charging time) of the equipment charging the workpiece W in the initial charging process section 5, a sensor 6b that measures the elapsed operation time (elapsed aging time) of the equipment aging the workpiece W in the high-temperature aging process section 6, and a sensor 7b that measures the elapsed operation time (elapsed cooling time) of the equipment cooling the workpiece W in the cooling process section 7. In addition, an identification number is assigned to each workpiece W being processed in each work process section, and the identification number is linked to the elapsed time since the electrolyte was injected into the workpiece W, and the data is input to the controller 9.

[0034] Fig. 3 shows a block diagram for explaining the function of the controller 9. The controller 9 shown in Fig. 3 is composed of a charge timing prediction unit 10 that predicts the charging start time of the work W when the injection of electrolyte into the work W has started by the injection process unit 4, an aging timing prediction unit 11 that predicts the aging start time of the work W when the charging of the work W has started by the initial charging process unit 5, an injection determination unit 12 that determines whether or not to inject electrolyte into the work W based on the charging start time predicted by the charge timing prediction unit 10, and a charge determination unit 13 that determines whether or not to charge the work W based on the aging start time predicted by the aging timing prediction unit 11.

[0035] The charge timing prediction unit 10 is configured to predict the charging start time of the work W based on information about the equipment of each work process unit in the activation process unit 8. That is, for each work W installed in each work process unit in the activation process unit 8, the work start time, work end time, availability and timing of availability of each shelf 5a, 6a, 7a, etc. are calculated sequentially, and the charging timing prediction unit 10 is configured to predict the charging start time of the work W when the electrolyte is injected into the work W input into the injection process unit 4.

[0036] Specifically, the charging start time of the work W into which the electrolyte is injected in the injection process section 4 is predicted based on the availability of the charging shelf 5a, aging shelf 6a, and cooling shelf 7a, the operating time of the charging equipment (i.e., the elapsed charging time of the work W in the initial charging process section 5), the operating time of the aging equipment (i.e., the elapsed aging time of the work W in the high-temperature aging process section 6), and the operating time of the cooling equipment (i.e., the elapsed cooling time of the work W in the cooling process section 7).

[0037] This charging timing prediction unit 10 may be configured by inputting the operation time of the equipment in each work process unit into the controller 9, and by building a program in advance and storing it in the controller 9 to predict the initial charging start time of the work W to be input into the injection process unit 4. Note that the charging timing prediction unit 10 predicts the charging start time by taking into consideration the operation time required for each work process, the time required to move the work W to transition between work processes, and the time required to connect and disconnect the work W to the equipment in each work process, etc.

[0038] The aging timing prediction unit 11 is configured to predict the aging start time of the work W based on information about the equipment in each work process unit in the activation process unit 8. That is, for each work W installed in each work process unit in the activation process unit 8, the work start time, work end time, availability and timing of availability of each shelf 6a, 7a, etc. are calculated sequentially, and the aging timing prediction unit 11 is configured to predict the aging start time of the work W when the electrolyte is injected into the work W introduced into the initial charging process unit 5.

[0039] Specifically, the aging start time of the work W to be charged in the initial charging process section 5 is predicted based on the availability of the aging shelf 6a and the cooling shelf 7a, the operating time of the aging equipment (i.e., the elapsed aging time of the work W in the high-temperature aging process section 6), and the operating time of the cooling equipment (i.e., the elapsed cooling time of the work W in the cooling process section 7).

[0040] This aging timing prediction unit 11 may be configured by inputting the operation time of the equipment in each work process unit into the controller 9, and by constructing a program in advance and storing it in the controller 9 to predict the aging start time of the work W to be input into the initial charging process unit 5. Note that the aging timing prediction unit 11 predicts the aging start time by taking into consideration not only the operation time required for each work process, but also the time required to move the work W to transition between work processes, and the time required to connect and disconnect the work W to the equipment in each work process.

[0041] The injection determination unit 12 is configured to determine whether or not the charging start time predicted by the charging timing prediction unit 10 is earlier than the point in time when the upper reaction limit time has elapsed since the electrolyte was immediately injected into the workpiece W, in case the electrolyte was immediately injected into the workpiece W. In other words, even if the electrolyte was immediately injected into the workpiece W, it determines whether or not there will be availability in the equipment for charging the workpiece W before the upper reaction limit time has elapsed, that is, whether or not charging of the workpiece W can be started.

[0042] The charging determination unit 13 is configured to determine whether or not the aging start time predicted by the aging timing prediction unit 11 is earlier than the point in time when the first time limit has elapsed since the charging of the work W is completed, assuming that charging of the work W is started immediately, thereby determining whether or not the charging of the work W is possible. In other words, even if the work W is charged immediately, it determines whether or not there will be a vacancy in the equipment for aging the work W before the first time limit has elapsed, that is, whether or not aging of the work W can be started.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for explaining an example of control for determining whether or not to inject the electrolyte into the workpiece W. In the control example shown in FIG. 4, first, current information about each work process section in the activation process section 8 is acquired (step S1). In this step S1, signals from sensors 5b, 6b, and 7b that measure the elapsed work time of the equipment provided in each work process section and data related to the elapsed time since the electrolyte was injected into the workpiece W linked to the identification number are acquired. Here, the signals from sensors 5b, 6b, and 7b include, in addition to the elapsed work time of the equipment, signals indicating whether the equipment is operating, stopped, or waiting to be operated. That is, in step S1, information about the state of the equipment at the time this routine is executed and the state of the workpiece W input into the activation process section 8 is acquired.

[0044] Next, using the information acquired in step S1 as an initial value, the charging timing prediction unit 10 predicts the charging start time of the workpiece W to be input into the injection process unit 4 (step S2). That is, based on the state of the equipment in the activation process unit 8 and the state of the workpiece W input into the activation process unit 8, the future charging start time of the workpiece W to be input into the injection process unit 4 is predicted.

[0045] It is determined whether the charging start time predicted in step S2 is before the upper reaction limit time has elapsed since the electrolyte solution was injected into the workpiece W (step S3). That is, the time taken for the injection process unit 4 to inject the electrolyte solution into the workpiece W is added to the upper reaction limit time, and it is determined whether charging can be started before that time has elapsed.

[0046] If the charging start time is determined to be before the upper reaction limit time has elapsed since the electrolyte was injected into the workpiece W and a positive judgment is made in step S3, the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece W introduced into the injection process unit 4 is permitted (step S4). Conversely, if the charging start time is determined to be after the upper reaction limit time has elapsed since the electrolyte was injected into the workpiece W and a negative judgment is made in step S3, the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece W introduced into the injection process unit 4 is prohibited (step S5), and this routine is temporarily terminated. Note that if the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece W introduced into the injection process unit 4 is prohibited, by repeatedly executing the above control, a positive judgment will be made in step S3 as time passes, and the electrolyte will be injected into the workpiece W at the point in time when a positive judgment is made in step S3.

[0047] Next, an example of control for determining whether or not the workpiece W can be charged will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5. In the control example shown in FIG. 5, first, current information on the high-temperature aging process unit 6 and the cooling process unit 7 is acquired (step S11). This step S11 acquires signals from sensors 6b and 7b that measure the elapsed operation time of the equipment provided in the high-temperature aging process unit 6 and the cooling process unit 7, as well as data regarding the elapsed time since the electrolyte was injected into the workpiece W linked to the identification number. Here, the signals from sensors 6b and 7b include not only the elapsed operation time of the equipment, but also signals indicating whether the equipment is operating, stopped, or waiting to be operated. That is, in step S11, information regarding the state of the equipment at the time this routine is executed and the state of the workpiece W input into the activation process unit 8 is acquired.

[0048] Next, using the information acquired in step S11 as an initial value, the aging timing prediction unit 11 predicts the aging start time of the work W to be input into the initial charging process unit 5 (step S12). That is, based on the state of the equipment in the activation process unit 8 and the state of the work W input into the activation process unit 8, the future aging start time of the work W to be input into the initial charging process unit 5 is predicted.

[0049] It is determined whether the aging start time predicted in step S12 is before the first time limit has elapsed since the work W was charged (step S13). That is, the time for charging the work W by the initial charging process unit 5 is added to the first time limit, and it is determined whether aging can be started before that time has elapsed.

[0050] If the aging start time is determined to be before the first time limit has elapsed since the work W was charged and therefore a positive determination is made in step S13, the charging of the work W input into the initial charging process unit 5 is permitted (step S4), and conversely, if the aging start time is determined to be after the first time limit has elapsed since the work W was charged and therefore a negative determination is made in step S13, the charging of the work W input into the initial charging process unit 5 is prohibited (step S15), and this routine is temporarily terminated. Note that, if the charging of the work W input into the initial charging process unit 5 is prohibited, by repeatedly executing the above control, a positive determination will be made in step S13 as time passes, and at the point in time when a positive determination is made in step S13, the charging of the work W is started.

[0051] As described above, simulations are performed based on the state of the equipment in the activation process section 8 and the state of the workpieces W input into the activation process section 8 to predict the charging start time and aging start time. Based on the prediction results, injection of electrolyte into the workpieces W input into the injection process section 4 and charging of the workpieces W input into the initial charging process section 5 are initiated. This allows the workpieces W to be transferred to the activation process section 8 at the appropriate time and prevents the workpieces W from stagnating in the activation process section 8. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the workpieces W into which electrolyte has been injected from having to wait until the upper reaction limit time has passed or the charged workpieces W from having to wait until the first time limit has passed, thereby preventing deterioration of battery characteristics such as charge / discharge characteristics and quality. In other words, battery yield can be improved, and production performance can be improved.

[0052] As described above, the workpiece W aged by the high-temperature aging process unit 6 must be transferred to the cooling process unit 7 within the second time limit. Therefore, similar to the example shown in Fig. 5, the current information of the cooling process unit 7 may be acquired, and based on that information, the cooling start time of the workpiece W to be input into the high-temperature aging process unit 6 may be predicted by simulation or the like, and aging of the workpiece W may be started if the cooling start time is before the second time limit has elapsed since the workpiece W was aged.

[0053] Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention may be configured to execute the control example shown in FIG. 4 and the control example shown in FIG. 5, or may be configured to execute either one of them.

[0054] The above-described control example is configured to perform a simulation before injecting the electrolyte into the workpiece W or before charging the workpiece W, to predict the charging start time or aging start time of the workpiece W. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the workpiece W into which the electrolyte has already been injected may exceed the upper reaction time limit for some reason, or that the workpiece W introduced into the activation process section 8 may exceed the first time limit or the second time limit. In such a case, it is preferable to quickly remove the workpiece W from the activation process section 8 at the point when the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit is exceeded, and to empty the charging shelf 5a, the aging shelf 6a, and the cooling shelf 7a.

[0055] Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention is configured to perform a simulation based on the state of the equipment and the state of the work W, and determine the process section and time at which the work W will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit.

[0056] A flowchart for explaining an example of this control is shown in Figure 6. In the control example shown in Figure 6, first, current information on each work process section in the activation process section 8 is acquired (step S21). This step S21 has the same configuration as step S1 above.

[0057] Next, using the information acquired in step S21 as initial values, the start time and end time of each work process section for each work W input into the activation process section 8 are simulated (step S22). Like the charging timing prediction section 10 and the aging timing prediction section 11, this step S22 sequentially calculates and obtains the work start time, work end time, availability and timing of availability of each shelf 5a, 6a, 7a, etc. for each work W installed in each work process section in the activation process section 8, identifies the process section that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, and constructs a program for determining the timing of such exceedance and stores it in the controller 9. That is, step S22 functions as a prediction section that predicts the work start time and work end time for each work W, and also functions as a determination section that determines whether the predicted time exceeds the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit.

[0058] From the results of the simulation performed in step S2, it is determined whether there is any work W that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit (step S23). If a positive determination is made in step S23 because there is any work W that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, the identification number (ID) of the work W, the process part that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, and the time are displayed on a display unit (not shown) (step S24), and this routine is temporarily terminated. In other words, information for identifying the work W that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, and the time are notified to the worker. Conversely, if a negative determination is made in step S23 because there is no work W that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, this routine is temporarily terminated. Note that the above step S24 functions as a "notification unit" in embodiments of the present invention.

[0059] As described above, by performing a simulation based on the state of the equipment in the activation process section 8 and the state of the workpieces W input into the activation process section 8, it is possible to identify workpieces W that will exceed the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit, and to predict the process in which they will exceed the time limit and the time for which they will exceed the time limit. Therefore, workers can quickly remove workpieces W that have exceeded the upper reaction time limit, the first time limit, or the second time limit. As a result, the waiting time for subsequent workpieces W can be shortened by the amount of workpieces W removed. In other words, it is possible to prevent a chain reaction of workpieces W exceeding the time limit due to a longer waiting time before being input into each work process. This means that it is possible to improve battery yield and production performance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 4 Injection process department 5 Initial charging process section 5a charging shelf 5b, 6b, 7b sensors 6. High-temperature aging process section 6a Aging shelf 7 Cooling process section 7a Cooling shelf 8 Activation process department 9. Electronic control unit (controller) 10. Charging timing prediction unit 11 Aging timing prediction section 12 Injection judgment part 13 Charge determination section double work

Claims

1. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus including an activation process unit having a plurality of working process units, including an injection process unit that injects an electrolyte into a workpiece in which a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are accommodated in a case, and an initial charging process unit that applies a voltage to the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material of the workpiece into which the electrolyte has been injected, thereby charging the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material, A controller is provided to determine whether or not an electrolyte can be injected into the workpiece, or whether or not an initial charge of the workpiece can be performed; The controller a prediction unit that predicts the charging start time of the work or the start time of the next process following the initial charging process unit based on the state of the equipment in the activation process unit and the state of the work input into the activation process unit; a determination unit that permits the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece or the initial charging of the workpiece when the start time predicted by the prediction unit does not exceed a predetermined time limit for starting charging of the workpiece or starting the next process, and prohibits the injection of the electrolyte into the workpiece or the initial charging of the workpiece when the start time exceeds the time limit. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

2. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus including an activation process unit having a plurality of working process units, including an injection process unit that injects an electrolyte into a workpiece in which a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are accommodated in a case, and an initial charging process unit that applies a voltage to the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material of the workpiece into which the electrolyte has been injected, thereby charging the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material, a controller for determining whether the work exceeds a predetermined time limit in order to start the charging or to start a next process following the initial charging process section; The controller a prediction unit that predicts the charging start time of the work or the start time of the next process based on the state of the equipment in the activation process unit and the state of the work input into the activation process unit; and a notification unit that notifies, when the start time predicted by the prediction unit exceeds a predetermined time limit for starting charging of the work or for starting the next process, information for identifying the work that will exceed the time limit and notifies the time. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

3. 3. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, The activation process unit includes the initial charging process unit, an aging process unit that ages the workpiece charged by the initial charging process unit, and a cooling process unit that cools the workpiece aged by the aging process unit, The next step includes the aging step. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

4. 3. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, The state of the equipment includes the elapsed time of the work of the equipment provided in the activation process unit and whether or not the equipment is operating, The state of the workpiece includes the elapsed time since the electrolyte was injected into the workpiece. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

5. 3. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, The prediction unit predicts the charging start time or the start time of the next step by a simulation that is constructed in advance and stored in the controller. A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

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