Sealing Device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sealing device, and a sealing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can include a sealer having a pressure surface that pressurizes the object and applies heat to the object, and a plurality of temperature sensors attached to the sealer and spaced at different intervals from each other relative to the pressure surface.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0181898, filed December 22, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of this Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates to a sealing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, secondary batteries have been attracting attention as a power source for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which have been proposed as a solution to air pollution caused by conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles that use fossil fuels. Among the currently commercially available secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries are one of the most popular. They can be classified into can-type, prismatic-type, and pouch-type batteries depending on the type of exterior material. Pouch-type secondary batteries, in particular, are often used in medium- to large-sized battery modules due to their high energy density and ease of stacking.

[0003] In pouch-type batteries, factors such as the insulation and sealing properties of the pouch seal are directly related to the battery's stability. To enhance the durability of the pouch seal, it is important to accurately control the pouch sealing conditions during the pouch manufacturing process. Among the pouch sealing conditions, the temperature of the sealing device that contacts the outer surface of the pouch is one of the most important factors in the pouch sealing process. Conventional pouch sealing devices are limited by their single temperature sensor, which means they cannot accurately measure the temperature of the sealing device that actually contacts the outer surface of the pouch. Therefore, there is a need for a pouch sealing device that can more accurately measure the temperature of the contact surface that contacts the outer surface of the pouch.

[0004] The above-mentioned background art was possessed or acquired by the inventors in the process of deriving the contents of the disclosure of this application, and is not necessarily publicly known art that was disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of this application. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been developed to solve the above problems, One problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a sealing device that can obtain an accurate temperature of the pouch pressure surface that contacts the outer surface of the pouch to seal the pouch.

[0006] Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a sealing device that can significantly improve the sealing quality of a pouch by obtaining the accurate temperature of the pressure surface that contacts the pouch. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A sealing device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a sealer having a pressure surface that applies pressure to an object and applies heat to the object, and a plurality of temperature sensors attached to the sealer and spaced at different intervals from each other relative to the pressure surface.

[0008] The sealing device may further include a processor that calculates the temperature of the pressure surface based on temperatures sensed by the plurality of temperature sensors. The sealer may be provided on both sides of the object.

[0009] The sealer may include a contact portion including the pressure surface, and a body portion fastened to the contact portion and configured to transfer heat to the contact portion. The plurality of temperature sensors may be provided in the body portion.

[0010] The plurality of temperature sensors may include a first sensor disposed at a first position on the sealer and sensing the temperature of the body portion at the first position, and a second sensor disposed at a second position on the body portion closer to the contact portion than the first position and sensing the temperature of the body portion at the second position.

[0011] The first sensor and the second sensor may overlap in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface. The plurality of temperature sensors may be arranged spaced apart from one another.

[0012] The plurality of temperature sensors may extend from one end of the sealer toward the inside of the sealer. At least some of the sensors may have the same size and shape.

[0013] The contact portion may be replaceably fastened to the body portion. The contact portion and the body portion may be formed from the same material. The plurality of temperature sensors sense the temperature of the body portion, thereby making it possible to obtain the temperature of the contact portion that contacts the object. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] A sealing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can obtain the accurate temperature of the pouch pressure surface that contacts the outer surface of the pouch to seal the pouch. A sealing device according to one embodiment of the present invention can significantly improve the sealing quality of a pouch by obtaining the accurate temperature of the pressure surface that contacts the pouch. In addition, the present invention can include effects that can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art from the configurations according to the embodiments of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a sealing device according to a comparative example. [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic view of a sealing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a sealing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprising multiple sealers. [Figure 4] 4 shows a schematic view of a sealing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. The following description is one of several aspects of the embodiment, and in describing one embodiment, a detailed description of well-known functions or configurations will be omitted in order to clarify the gist of the present invention.

[0017] In this specification, when referring to components in each drawing, the same or similar reference symbols will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components. Components having a function common to a component included in one embodiment will be described using the same name in other embodiments. The terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, based on the principle that the inventors can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe their invention.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible from the above description by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and it can be said that not only the scope of the claims below, but also any equivalent or modified version of the claims falls within the spirit of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a sealing device 1 according to a comparative example. Referring to FIG. 1, the sealing device 1 can include a sealer 110 and a temperature sensor 120 .

[0020] The object to be sealed by the sealing device 1 can include a pouch-type secondary battery. The following description will be given of the case where the object to be sealed is a pouch, but it should be made clear that the type of object is not necessarily limited to a pouch.

[0021] The sealer 110 can abut against the outer surface of the pouch p and seal one side of the abutted pouch. The sealer 110 can include a pressure surface 115 that abuts against the outer surface of the pouch p and heats the pouch p.

[0022] The temperature sensor 120 can be attached to the sealer 110. The temperature sensor 120 can be positioned a predetermined distance x away from the pressure surface 115 in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface 115. The temperature sensor 120 can sense the temperature of a portion of the sealer 110 that heats the pouch p. In this case, the temperature t1 of the portion of the sealer 110 sensed by a single temperature sensor 120 attached to the sealer 110 may differ from the temperature t of the pressure surface 115 of the sealer that contacts the pouch p. This is due to heat emission to the outside generated by the sealer 110 and heat loss to the pouch p. In other words, the temperature distribution of the sealer 110 cannot be obtained from a single piece of temperature data measured by a single temperature sensor 120 attached to the sealer 110, and therefore the accurate temperature of the pressure surface 115 actually used to seal the pouch p cannot be obtained. This can significantly reduce the sealing quality in the sealing process.

[0023] First embodiment FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a sealing device 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, a sealing device 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention may include a sealer 210 and a temperature sensor 220 .

[0024] The sealer 210 may contact one side of the pouch p to seal the pouch. The sealer 210 may transfer heat to the contacted side of the pouch p to seal the pouch. The sealer 210 may transfer heat by conduction. The sealer 210 may be provided with a pressure surface 215 for sealing the pouch p. The pressure surface 215 may be provided at one end of the sealer 210. The pressure surface 215 may be provided on one outer surface of the sealer 210. The pressure surface 215 may contact one side of the pouch p. The pressure surface 215 may be set to a predetermined temperature t so that heat can be transferred to the contacted side of the pouch p. The set temperature t of the pressure surface 215 may be controlled as needed. For example, the temperature t of the pressure surface 215 may be set differently depending on the material and thickness of the pouch p.

[0025] The temperature sensor 220 may be formed in a portion of the sealer 210. The temperature sensor 220 may be attached to the sealer 210. The temperature sensor 220 may be fastened to the sealer 210. A sensor frame (not shown) for attaching the temperature sensor 220 may be formed in the sealer 210. The temperature sensor 220 may be inserted from a side of the sealer 210 and fastened, for example.

[0026] A plurality of temperature sensors 220 may be provided. The temperature sensor 220 may include a first sensor 221 and a second sensor 222. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may be spaced apart from each other. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may extend from one end of the sealer 210 toward the inside of the sealer 210. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may be formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular plate having a length direction. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may be disposed inside the sealer 210 so as to be parallel to the pressure surface 215. The first sensor 221 may be disposed at a first position of the sealer 210. Here, the first position refers to a position spaced a predetermined distance from the pressure surface 215 in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface 215, and the first sensor 221 may be disposed at the first position parallel to the pressure surface 215. The second sensor 222 may be disposed at a second position closer to the pressure surface 215 than the first position. The second sensor 222 may be disposed parallel to the pressure surface 215, similar to the first sensor 221. The first position and the second position may be separated by a first distance x1. In other words, the second sensor 222 may be disposed closer to the pressure surface 215 by the first distance x1 than the first sensor 221. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may be disposed separated by the first distance x1. The second position where the second sensor 222 is disposed may be a position separated by a second distance x2 from the pressure surface 215 in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface 215. That is, the second sensor 222 can be placed in a part of the interior of the sealer 210 that is spaced a second distance x2 from the pressure surface 215, and the first sensor 221 can be placed in another part of the interior of the sealer 210 that is spaced a distance that is the sum of the first distance x1 and the second distance x2 from the pressure surface 215.

[0027] The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may have the same size and shape. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may be positioned so as to overlap in a direction perpendicular to the pressure application surface 215. As described above, the pressure application surface 215, the first sensor 221, and the second sensor 222 may all be arranged so as to be parallel to each other. By employing such a configuration, the temperature gradient of the sealer 210 in the direction perpendicular to the pressure application surface 215 can be more easily obtained based on the temperature at the first position sensed by the first sensor 221 and the temperature at the second position sensed by the second sensor 222.

[0028] The pressure application surface 215 can be set to a reference temperature t so that it can contact one side of the pouch p and seal the pouch p. The reference temperature t of the pressure application surface 215 can be controlled to an appropriate value depending on variables such as the material and thickness of the pouch.

[0029] The sealing device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may further include a processor (not shown) capable of acquiring a reference temperature t based on the temperature t1 at the first position sensed by the first sensor 221 and the temperature t2 at the second position sensed by the second sensor 222. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may sense the temperature t1 at the first position and the temperature t2 at the second position, respectively. The first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 may transmit the sensed temperatures t1 and t2 at the first and second positions, respectively, to the processor. The processor may predict the reference temperature of the pressing surface 215 based on the transmitted temperature t1 at the first position and the temperature t2 at the second position. As described above, the sealer 210 may transfer heat conductively, and therefore the heat transfer occurring in the sealer 210 may satisfy the thermal conductivity equation shown in Equation 1 below.

[0030] [Formula 1] Q=kA dT / dX

[0031] Here, k represents the proportional constant of the thermal conductivity of the component material (e.g., a metal containing 98% copper) that constitutes the sealer 210, A represents the area of ​​the pressure surface 215 that contacts the pouch p, X represents the vertical distance from the pressure surface 215, and T represents the temperature.

[0032] Because the first position where the first sensor 221 is disposed and the second position where the second sensor 222 is disposed are spaced apart in parallel from the pressure surface 215 by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface 215, the reference temperature of the pressure surface 215 can be obtained simply by calculating a simple proportional equation, and the processor can perform the above-described process of obtaining the reference temperature t. The processor may be, for example, electrically connected to the first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222. The processor may be electrically connected to the first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 and receive the temperature t1 at the first position and the temperature t2 at the second position from the first sensor 221 and the second sensor 222 in real time. When the temperature t1 at the first position and the temperature t2 at the second position are received, the processor can calculate the reference temperature t of the pressure surface 215 in real time. The processor may include, for example, a user display that visualizes and displays the calculated reference temperature of the pressure surface 215.

[0033] By adopting such a configuration, the sealing device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can accurately calculate the temperature of the pressure application surface 215 of the sealer 21 that contacts the pouch p. Therefore, the sealing quality and durability of the pouch p, which is sensitively affected by the temperature of the pressure application surface 215, can be significantly improved.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a sealing device 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, comprising a plurality of sealers 210. 3, the sealing apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of sealers 210. Specifically, the sealing apparatus 2 may include a pair of sealers 210 provided on both sides of the pouch p. Each sealer 210 may be provided to seal one side and the other side of the pouch p, respectively. Each sealer 210 may be provided with a pressure surface 215 and a temperature sensor 220. The temperature sensors 220 provided in each of the pair of sealers 210 may include a first sensor 221 and a second sensor 222, respectively. The pair of sealers 210 may be disposed symmetrically on both sides of the pouch p based on the pouch p.

[0035] Second embodiment FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a sealing device 3 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that the sealer 310 is divided into a body portion 311 and a contact portion 312. The second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment, while omitting details that are common to the first embodiment as much as possible.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 4, a sealing device 3 according to a second embodiment of the present invention may include a sealer 310 and a temperature sensor 320 . There may be a plurality of sealers 310. The sealers 310 may be provided in pairs, each located on either side of the pouch p.

[0037] The sealer 310 may include a body portion 311 and a contact portion 312 . The contact portion 312 may include a pressure surface 315 that abuts against one side of the pouch p to seal the pouch p. The contact portion 312 may be fastened to the body portion 311. The contact portion 312 may be detachable from the body portion 311. The contact portion 312 may be replaceable from the body portion 311 depending on the shape and size of the pouch p. That is, the contact portion 312 may be fastened to the body portion in a replaceable manner. Heat may be transferred from the body portion 311 to the contact portion 312 so that the pressure surface 315 provided on the contact portion 312 can be heated to a predetermined temperature.

[0038] The body portion 311 is fastened to the contact portion 312 and can transfer heat to the contact portion 312. A temperature sensor 320 may be formed in the body portion 311. The temperature sensor 320 may include a first sensor 321 and a second sensor 322. The first sensor 321 may be provided at a first position on the body portion 311, and the second sensor 322 may be provided at a second position on the body portion 311. The second position may be closer to the contact portion 312 than the first position. The first sensor 321 may sense the temperature at the first position on the body portion 311, and the second sensor 322 may sense the temperature at a second position on the body portion 311 that is spaced apart from the first position. The first sensor 321 and the second sensor 322 may be positioned to overlap in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface 315. Based on the temperature data sensed by the first sensor 321 and the second sensor 322, the temperature of the fastening surface 316 of the body part that is fastened with the contact part 312 is obtained, and the temperature of the pressure surface 315 of the contact part 312 can be obtained sequentially. That is, the first sensor 321 and the second sensor 322 sense the temperature of the body part 311, and the temperature of the pressure surface 315 of the contact part 312 that abuts against the pouch p can be obtained. The sealing device 3 may further include a processor (not shown) that calculates the temperature of the pressure surface 315 from the sensed temperature data.

[0039] The body portion 311 and the contact portion 312 can be formed from the same material. By forming the body portion 311 and the contact portion 312 from the same material, a temperature gradient across the sealer 310 can be more easily obtained. The present invention can be provided as a secondary battery pack including a plurality of the secondary battery modules discussed above.

[0040] The present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings. However, the above description is merely an illustrative example of the technical concept of the present invention, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention, if one has ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains.

[0041] Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention should not be limited by such embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted according to the claims set forth below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1: Sealing device 110: Sealer 115: Pressure surface 120: Sensor 2: Sealing device 210: Sealer 215: Pressure surface 220: Temperature sensor 221: First sensor 222: Second sensor 3: Sealing device 310: Sealer 311: Body 312: Contact part 315: Pressure surface 316: Fastening surface 320: Temperature sensor 321: First sensor 322: Second sensor t: Reference temperature t1: Temperature at the first position t2: Temperature at the second position p:pouch

Claims

1. A sealing device for sealing an object, comprising: a sealer having a pressure surface that applies pressure to the object and that applies heat to the object; a plurality of temperature sensors attached to the sealer and spaced at different intervals from one another relative to the pressure surface; A sealing device comprising:

2. The sealing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor that calculates a temperature of the pressure surface based on temperatures sensed by the plurality of temperature sensors.

3. The sealing device of claim 1 , wherein the sealer is provided on both sides of the object.

4. The sealer is a contact portion including the pressure surface; The sealing device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a body portion fastened to the contact portion and configured to transfer heat to the contact portion.

5. The sealing device according to claim 4 , wherein a plurality of the temperature sensors are provided in the body portion.

6. The plurality of temperature sensors include a first sensor disposed at a first position of the sealer and configured to sense a temperature of the body portion at the first position; The sealing device according to claim 4 , further comprising: a second sensor disposed at a second position of the body portion closer to the contact portion than the first position, the second sensor sensing the temperature of the body portion at the second position.

7. The sealing device according to claim 6 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor overlap in a direction perpendicular to the pressure surface.

8. The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the temperature sensors are arranged spaced apart from one another.

9. The sealing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of temperature sensors extend from an outer periphery of the sealer toward an interior of the sealer.

10. The sealing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of temperature sensors have the same size and shape.

11. The seal device according to claim 4 , wherein the contact portion is replaceably fastened to the body portion.

12. The seal device of claim 4 , wherein the contact portion and the body portion are formed from the same material.

13. The sealing device according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of temperature sensors sense the temperature of the body portion, thereby obtaining the temperature of the contact portion that contacts the object.

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