Battery cell packaging material manufacturing system and manufacturing method

Abstract

A manufacturing system and method for battery cell packaging material are introduced, which include a press roll that pressurizes and rolls a plate-shaped material to form an incised portion extending along its periphery, and which forms an embossed portion on the plate-shaped material through the incised portion during rolling, and a punching portion that pressurizes and presses a point on the plate-shaped material to form a recessed electrode installation groove in the plate-shaped material, and which stretches the embossed portion of the plate-shaped material to form the side surface of the electrode installation groove.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a manufacturing system and a manufacturing method for a battery cell packaging material that can improve the quality and rigidity of the packaging material when manufacturing the battery cell packaging material.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, technologies for carbon reduction have been actively developed to address environmental problems such as abnormal temperatures. In order to reduce carbon, energy must be produced in an environmentally friendly way instead of producing energy with fossil fuels, and the produced energy must be stored in the form of electrical energy, and the stored electrical energy should be used in vehicles, various industrial sites, and households.

[0003] In order to utilize electrical energy for carbon reduction, the use of a battery that can store and draw out electrical energy is essential. Therefore, ensuring the performance of the battery is essential in order to sufficiently store electrical energy and use it without inconvenience.

[0004] Batteries mainly utilize the oxidation-reduction reaction of metal ions, and use metal ions at high density to increase the capacity, charge-discharge performance, and efficiency of the battery, and much research has also been done on substances constituting the electrolyte and solid electrolytes. However, generally, there is a problem that the stability decreases as the performance of the battery develops.

[0005] In the case of batteries used in vehicles, industries, households, etc., they are manufactured in a physical unit called a pack. The battery pack seals a large number of battery cells inside the battery case to prevent the transfer of fire to the outside even in case of an accident such as thermal runaway of the battery, and protects the internal battery cells from being deteriorated by the influence of the external environment or damaged due to physical reasons.

[0006] A battery pack contains numerous battery cells in a form intermediate between modules and assemblies (CMAs, Cell Module Assembly). In the case of battery modules or assemblies, numerous battery cells are assembled into a single module or assembly, and these modules are fastened together inside the pack case, completing the battery pack. During battery maintenance, maintenance is made easier by performing maintenance on these module or assembly units.

[0007] The numerous unit battery cells that make up a module or assembly consist of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. Since battery cells generate heat during charging and discharging, effective heat dissipation is necessary. Furthermore, from the perspective of battery modules, assemblies, and battery packs, efficient heat dissipation design is essential to prevent safety accidents.

[0008] On the other hand, battery cells are packaged with protective packaging materials that enclose the electrodes. In such cases, it is common to use films or panels made of materials such as aluminum to reduce the weight of the battery cell and increase its energy density.

[0009] However, excessive molding during the film or panel material formation process can cause ruptures or defects at the corners of the packaging material. Furthermore, such defects can sometimes be difficult to detect with the naked eye.

[0010] Therefore, in the process of manufacturing battery cell packaging materials, there was a need for technology to improve the molding quality of the packaging materials and ensure sufficient rigidity.

[0011] The matters described above as background technology are for the sole purpose of enhancing understanding of the background of this disclosure and should not be taken as construing as prior art already known to those with ordinary skill in this art. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] This disclosure is proposed to solve these problems and provides a manufacturing system and method for battery cell packaging that can stably form the cell case while preventing cracks or tears from occurring in the plate-shaped material when the punching section pressurizes the plate-shaped material that forms the battery cell case during the manufacturing process of the battery cell packaging material.

[0013] The technical challenges that this disclosure aims to address are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical challenges not mentioned will be clearly understood by those with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the description below. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] A manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure for achieving the above objectives includes a press roll that pressurizes and rolls a plate-shaped material, forming an incised portion extending along its periphery, and forming an embossed portion on the plate-shaped material through the incised portion during rolling of the plate-shaped material, and a punching portion that pressurizes and presses a point on the plate-shaped material to form an indented electrode installation groove in the plate-shaped material, stretching the embossed portion of the plate-shaped material and forming the side surface of the electrode installation groove.

[0015] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, the incised portion of the press roll can be formed by curving one point of the press roll inward toward the inside of the press roll.

[0016] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system described herein, the engraved portion may be in the shape of a ring extending along the outer surface of the press roll.

[0017] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system described herein, the press roll presses a plate-shaped material to reduce its thickness, and embossed portions can be formed on the plate-shaped material at points corresponding to the indented portions of the press roll.

[0018] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, the engraved portions of the press roll can be formed in pairs at points spaced apart from each other on the outer surface of the press roll.

[0019] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, a pair of longitudinally embossed portions may be formed on the plate-like material, corresponding to a pair of intaglio portions and extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0020] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, a plate-shaped material has a pair of spaced-apart embossed portions that constitute an embossed portion set, and each of the pair of embossed portions in the embossed portion set can constitute the opposing sides of the electrode installation groove.

[0021] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, a plate-like material has multiple sets of embossed portions that are spaced apart from each other, the punched portions form multiple electrode installation grooves in the plate-like material, and each of the multiple sets of embossed portions can constitute the side surface of the corresponding electrode installation groove.

[0022] In the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, a longitudinally embossed portion is formed on the plate-shaped material through the incised portion of the press roll, and the press roll can form a widthwise embossed portion on the plate-shaped material through position or pressure control during the rolling process of the plate-shaped material.

[0023] In the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging materials according to this disclosure, the embossed portion in the width direction of the plate-shaped material can be formed by moving the position of the press roll away from the plate-shaped material or by reducing the pressure applied to the plate-shaped material in certain sections during the rolling process of the press roll.

[0024] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, in the plate-shaped material, a pair of male engraved portions in the width direction are formed so as to be separated in the length direction of the plate-shaped material, whereby a pair of male engraved portions in the length direction and a pair of male engraved portions in the width direction can form a square shape.

[0025] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, the punching portion forms the electrode installation groove by pressing the square point formed by a pair of male engraved portions in the length direction and a pair of male engraved portions in the width direction, and the male engraved portions in the length direction and the male engraved portions in the width direction can be stretched to form the continuous side surfaces of the electrode installation groove.

[0026] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, a pair of electrode installation grooves are formed in the plate-shaped material, and a joining portion can be formed on the frame of the electrode installation groove.

[0027] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, the joining portion can be formed along the outer periphery of the male engraved portion forming the electrode installation groove.

[0028] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, the joining portion can form a flat surface.

[0029] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, the male engraved portion is pressed and stretched by the punching portion, and the thickness at the point where the male engraved portion first contacts the corner point of the punching portion can be formed to be the thickest.

[0030] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, the end face frame of the male engraved portion can be in a streamline curved shape.

[0031] In the case of the manufacturing system of the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure, it may further include a post-processing portion for flattening the remaining male engraved portion existing outside the electrode installation groove formed in the plate-shaped material.

[0032] In the case of the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to this disclosure, the system may further include a post-processing step that flattens the remaining engraved portion located outside the engraved portion that constitutes the electrode installation groove, among the engraved portions formed on the plate-shaped material.

[0033] The method for manufacturing a battery cell packaging material according to this disclosure includes the steps of: supplying a plate-shaped material; forming an embossed portion on the plate-shaped material by applying pressure to the supplied plate-shaped material through a press roll having an indented portion formed around it; and forming an electrode installation groove on the plate-shaped material by applying pressure to the plate-shaped material having the embossed portion formed with a punching portion, wherein the embossed portion constitutes the side surface of the electrode installation groove. [Effects of the Invention]

[0034] According to the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system and manufacturing method of this disclosure, cracks and tears in the plate-shaped material are prevented when the plate-shaped material is pressed by the punching section during the manufacturing process of the battery cell packaging material, and at the same time the battery cell case can be stably formed, thereby improving the stability of the battery cell packaging material and the higher-level system that utilizes it.

[0035] The effects derived from this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and any other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0036] [Figure 1] A drawing showing the inside of a pouch-type battery cell in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] A drawing illustrating an electrode assembly in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] A plan view of a pouch-type battery cell in one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] A drawing showing a manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] A drawing showing a manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] A drawing showing the punching section of the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material in this disclosure. [Figure 7] A drawing showing the case where a plate-shaped material of the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system of this disclosure is pressurized by a punching section. [Figure 8] A drawing showing the process by which an embossed portion in the width direction is formed in the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] A drawing showing yet another embodiment of the process by which an embossed portion in the width direction of the present disclosure is formed. [Figure 10] A cross-sectional view showing various examples of the embossed area incised along the A-A' line in Figure 3. [Figure 11] A cross-sectional view showing various examples of the embossed area incised along the A-A' line in Figure 3. [Figure 12] A cross-sectional view showing various examples of the embossed area incised along the A-A' line in Figure 3. [Figure 13] A cross-sectional view showing various examples of the embossed area incised along the A-A' line in Figure 3. [Figure 14] A cross-sectional view showing various examples of the embossed area incised along the A-A' line in Figure 3. [Figure 15] A drawing showing a post-processing section for removing residual engraved portions in a manufacturing system for battery cell packaging materials according to the present disclosure. [Figure 16] Figure 12 shows a plate-shaped material in which the remaining engraved portion has been removed by the post-processing unit shown in the diagram. [Figure 17] A cross-sectional view of a battery cell packaging material manufactured by a battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] In describing the embodiments disclosed herein, if a specific description of the relevant published technology is deemed to obscure the essence of the embodiments disclosed herein, such detailed description will be omitted. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely for the purpose of providing a simplified understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and should not be understood as limiting the technical ideas disclosed herein, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the concept and scope of this disclosure.

[0038] A singular expression includes plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0039] In this specification, terms such as “includes” or “having” are intended to indicate the presence of features, figures, stages, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof as described in the specification, and should be understood not to preemptively exclude the presence or possibility of adding one or more other features, figures, stages, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0040] The suffixes "module" and "part" used in the following description for the constituent elements are added or used interchangeably solely for the sake of ease of specification preparation and do not have any distinct meaning or role in themselves.

[0041] When it is mentioned that one component is "connected" or "linked" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to or linked to the other component, but that other components may also exist in between. Conversely, when it is mentioned that one component is "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0042] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the inside of a pouch-type battery cell in one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an electrode assembly in one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 is a plan view of a pouch-type battery cell in one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams showing a manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 is a diagram showing the punching section of the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material of the present disclosure; Figure 7 is a diagram showing the case when a plate-shaped material is pressurized by the punching section in the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material of the present disclosure; Figure 8 is a diagram showing the process of forming a widthwise embossed section in the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material of the present disclosure; and Figure 9 Figure 10 to 14 are cross-sectional views showing various embodiments of the process by which the widthwise embossed portion of the present disclosure is formed; Figure 15 is a drawing showing a post-processing unit for removing the remaining embossed portion of the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system of the present disclosure; Figure 16 is a drawing showing a plate-like material in which the remaining embossed portion has been removed by the post-processing unit shown in Figure 15; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of a battery cell packaging material manufactured by a battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and Figure 18 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] The embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the reference numerals used in the drawings, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0044] Vehicle batteries are manufactured by combining several battery cells into one unit to protect the battery from external physical shocks and to accommodate specific equipment and environments. Specifically, batteries have a structure in which multiple battery cells are assembled into modules or assemblies, and multiple battery modules are bundled together to form a battery pack. Battery cells must have a high capacity per unit volume to achieve maximum performance in the limited space inside a vehicle, and it is important to design battery cells to have a high energy density because such a high energy density can improve the vehicle's driving range, charging time, and safety.

[0045] When battery cells have a high energy density, this improves the performance of the battery itself, so efforts are made to efficiently stack battery cells at a high density in a battery cell case. Battery cell cases are manufactured using battery cell packaging materials, and can be classified into rectangular, cylindrical, and pouch types depending on the form in which the battery cell components are contained.

[0046] Before describing the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the battery cell 1000 will be described first.

[0047] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the inside of a pouch-type battery cell in one embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an electrode assembly in one embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 3 is a plan view of a pouch-type battery cell in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] In this embodiment, the battery cell 1000 may be a pouch-type battery cell 1000. However, the battery cell 1000 does not necessarily have to be provided in pouch form, and may be provided in rectangular, cylindrical, or other various forms.

[0049] In this embodiment, the battery cell 1000 includes an electrode assembly 1200 and a battery case 1100 that houses the electrode assembly 1200.

[0050] The battery case 1100 is for housing the electrode assembly 1200 and may be a pouch-type battery case 1100.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery case 1100 includes a lower case 1110 and an upper case 1120 that covers the lower case 1110, and the lower case 1110 and the upper case 1120 can form an integral structure. Also, as shown in Figure 1, the lower case 1110 and the upper case 1120 can be connected to each other, and the connecting portion of the lower case 1110 and the upper case 1120 can be bent to fold along a folding line 1190.

[0052] Both the lower case 1110 and the upper case 1120 may consist of a laminate structure including an internal coating layer, a metal layer, and an external coating layer.

[0053] In the battery case 1100, the internal coating layer is located inside the battery case 1100 relative to the metal layer and is in direct contact with the electrode assembly 1200. Therefore, it must have insulating and electrolytic resistance properties, and for sealing with the outside, it is required to have sealing properties, that is, the sealing parts where the internal layers are heat-bonded together must have excellent heat bonding strength.

[0054] The material for such an internal coating layer can be selected from polyolefin resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene acrylic acid, and polybutylene, polyurethane resins, and polyimide resins, which have excellent chemical resistance and good sealing properties. Polypropylene (PP) is the most desirable material because it has excellent mechanical properties such as tensile strength, rigidity, surface hardness, and impact strength, as well as excellent chemical resistance.

[0055] The metal layer is positioned between the inner and outer coating layers and acts as a barrier layer to prevent moisture and various gases from penetrating into the battery from the outside. A lightweight and easily moldable thin film of aluminum (Al) can be used as the preferred material for the metal layer in contact with the inner coating layer.

[0056] The outer coating layer is located on the outside of the battery case 1100 relative to the metal layer. Such an outer coating layer uses a heat-resistant polymer with excellent tensile strength, moisture permeability, and air permeability so as to protect the electrode assembly 1200 while ensuring heat resistance and chemical resistance. For example, nylon or polyethylene terephthalate may be used, but is not limited to these.

[0057] A housing groove 1130 may be formed in the lower case 1110 and / or the upper case 1120. The housing groove 1130 is for housing the electrode assembly 1200 inside the battery case 1100, with the housing groove 1130 of the upper case 1120 positioned above the housing groove 1130 of the lower case 1110, and the electrode assembly 1200 can be housed within the housing grooves 1130 of the upper and lower cases 1120 and 1110.

[0058] Furthermore, protective tapes 1150 may be attached to the lower case 1110 and the upper case 1120, respectively. The protective tapes 1150 are intended to protect the battery case 1100 from welding foreign matter generated when forming the welded portion 1230 of the electrode assembly 1200, and to protect the battery case 1100 when the edges of the battery case 1100 are heat-fused to form a sealing portion, and can be attached to the lower case 1110 and the upper case 1120, respectively.

[0059] In the lower case 1110 and upper case 1120, the protective tape 1150 is attached to the welded portion 1230 of the electrode assembly 1200 or to the end portion of the lower case 1110 where the electrode leads 1231 and 1232 are located. As shown in Figure 2, in the electrode assembly 1200, the two electrode leads 1231 and 1232 extend in opposite directions from each other, and the protective tape 1150 can be attached to both ends of the lower case 1110 and upper case 1120 where the welded portion 1230 or the electrode leads 1231 and 1232 are located.

[0060] Therefore, the protective tape 1150 is positioned at the edge of the upper case 1120 between the upper end of the housing groove 1130 formed in the upper case 1120 and the upper end of the upper case 1120, and between the lower end of the housing groove 1130 and the lower end of the upper case 1120, and the protective tape 1150 may have an area even larger on a plane than the welded portion 1230 of the electrode assembly 1200.

[0061] The electrode assembly 1200 housed in the battery case 1100 may be one of the following: a jelly-roll type electrode assembly having a structure in which a separation membrane is interposed between a long sheet-type positive electrode and a negative electrode before it is wound up; a stack-type electrode assembly consisting of unit cells in which rectangular positive and negative electrodes are stacked with a separation membrane interposed between them; a stack-folding type electrode assembly in which the unit cells are wound up by a long separation film; and a lamination-stack type electrode assembly in which unit cells are stacked with a separation membrane interposed between them and adhered to each other.

[0062] In this disclosure, the electrode assembly 1200 may include, for example, an electrode stack 1210 and a fixing tape 1220 for winding around the electrode stack 1210, as shown in Figure 2.

[0063] The electrode stack 1210 includes a positive electrode 1211, a negative electrode 1213, and a separation membrane 1212 disposed between the positive electrode 1211 and the negative electrode 1213, and the electrode stack 1210 may be configured such that its length in the overall direction is relatively longer than its length in the width direction.

[0064] The fixing tape 1220 is for fixing the electrode stack 1210, which consists of a positive electrode 1211, a separator membrane 1212, and a negative electrode 1213, and is fixed by wrapping it around the outside of the electrode stack 1210.

[0065] Furthermore, the electrode assembly 1200 may include two electrode tabs 1201, 1202 and two electrode leads 1231, 1232.

[0066] The electrode tabs 1201 and 1202 are formed protruding outward from the electrode stack 1210. Of the two electrode tabs 1201 and 1202, one electrode tab 1201 is a positive electrode tab connected to (extended by) the positive electrode 1211, and the other electrode tab 1202 may be a negative electrode tab connected to (extended by) the negative electrode 1213.

[0067] Electrode leads 1231 and 1232 connect to electrode tabs 1201 and 1202, and can be welded to them. The material of electrode leads 1231 and 1232 can be any electrically conductive material without special restrictions. For example, the material of electrode leads 1231 and 1232 may include at least one of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), carbon (C), chromium (Cr), and manganese (Mn). However, electrode leads 1231 and 1232 are not limited to the materials mentioned above and can be selected in various ways considering mechanical strength, flexibility, and processability.

[0068] As an example, certain portions of the electrode leads 1231, 1232 and electrode tabs 1201, 1202 are overlapped vertically and welded to form a welded portion 1230, which allows the electrode tabs 1201, 1202 and the electrode leads 1231, 1232 to be connected to each other.

[0069] The welded joint 1230 can be formed, for example, by ultrasonic welding. In ultrasonic welding, high-frequency vibrations generated by high-frequency ultrasound of about 20 kHz are applied, and the vibration energy is converted into thermal energy by friction at the interface between the electrode tabs 1201, 1202 and the electrode leads 1231, 1232, thereby rapidly welding the joint. Alternatively, the welded joint 1230 may be formed by laser welding.

[0070] Of the two electrode leads 1231 and 1232, one electrode lead 1231 may be a positive lead connected to a positive tab, and the other electrode lead 1232 may be a negative lead connected to a negative tab. The positive lead may be made of aluminum, for example, and the negative lead may be made of copper or nickel-coated copper, for example.

[0071] Although the two electrode leads 1231 and 1232 shown in Figure 2 are depicted as being positioned on both sides of the electrode assembly 1200, they may also be positioned on one side of the electrode assembly 1200 depending on the arrangement of the electrode tabs 1201 and 1202. That is, if the two electrode tabs 1201 and 1202 are positioned on one side of the electrode assembly 1200, the two electrode leads 1231 and 1232 connected to the electrode tabs 1201 and 1202 may also be formed in the same direction on the electrode assembly 1200.

[0072] As shown in Figure 3, lead films 1155 can be attached to the electrode leads 1231 and 1232, respectively. The lead films 1155 attached to the electrode leads 1231 and 1232 are positioned between the electrode leads 1231 and 1232 and the battery case 1100, preventing short circuits from occurring between the electrode leads 1231 and 1232 and the battery case 1100, improving sealing and preventing electrolyte leakage.

[0073] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the lower case 1110 constituting the battery case 1100 and the remaining portion excluding the folding portion connecting the upper case 1120 can be heat-sealed.

[0074] In other words, as shown in Figure 3, a sealing portion 1160 may be provided in the remaining part of the battery case 1100, excluding the folding portion, for sealing purposes.

[0075] The sealing portion 1160 is located at the end of the battery case 1100 and may be formed at the end of the battery case 1100 excluding the folding portion (folding line 1190).

[0076] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the battery case 1100 may form an approximately rectangular shape on a plane, and may have a pair of spaced-apart long sides 1101 and a pair of spaced-apart short sides 1102. The pair of short sides 1102 are arranged on the left and right sides of the battery case 1100 and can connect the pair of long sides 1101 to each other.

[0077] Here, a folding line 1190 is positioned on one long side 1101, and sealing portions 1160 can be formed on the remaining three sides 1101, 1102, excluding one side of the folding line 1190.

[0078] This disclosure relates to the manufacture of packaging materials for such battery cells, and in this case, it can be applied to the manufacture of packaging materials for all forms of battery cells, including prismatic, cylindrical, and pouch-type. The battery cell packaging material that constitutes the battery cell case in this disclosure utilizes a plate-shaped material 100, and the plate-shaped material 100 (pouch sheet) may require an insulating coating as a metallic material. Furthermore, the plate-shaped material 100 according to this disclosure may be provided in the form of a film in the case of pouch-type cells, and in the form of a thin sheet or panel in the case of prismatic or cylindrical cells.

[0079] In the case of batteries installed in vehicles, performance against collisions and prevention of secondary damage from fires must also be required. Therefore, the plate-shaped material 100 that constitutes the battery cell case is formed from a metal material, and among metals, it can be made from aluminum, which is easy to form, lightweight, and highly durable.

[0080] Referring to Figures 4 to 7, the battery is manufactured by placing a plate-shaped material 100 (pouch sheet) that forms the battery cell case on a mold and applying pressure using a punching section 500 to form a pair of electrode installation grooves 160 (corresponding to the housing groove 1130 in Figure 1). After inserting (stacking) the battery material (electrode assembly 1200) into one of the formed electrode installation grooves 160, the remaining electrode installation groove 160 is folded and superimposed on the electrode installation groove 160 into which the battery material 1200 (electrode assembly 1200) is inserted (stacking). In this case, the space other than the space occupied by the battery material (electrode assembly 1200) in one electrode installation groove 160 is sealed along the joint 190 to prevent the internal battery material from being damaged by physical and chemical factors of the external environment.

[0081] The plate-shaped material 100 is made of aluminum film or thin sheet material to form a battery cell case (battery case 1100) that includes electrode installation grooves 160. When such a plate-shaped material 100 is placed on a punching die 600 and then pressurized using the punching section 500, the plate-shaped material 100 is stretched, forming the electrode installation grooves 160. During the pressurization process using the punching section 500, the plate-shaped material 100 experiences maximum internal stress at the portion 180 that contacts the corner portion of the punching section 500, causing its thickness to decrease further. This reduced thickness can lead to cracks or tears in the plate-shaped material 100 itself. In other words, since the plate-shaped material 100 is made of thin sheet material during the process of forming the battery cell case, there is a problem in that the thickness of the plate-shaped material 100 decreases when pressurized by the punching section 500.

[0082] This disclosure describes a method for forming a battery cell case in which a plate-shaped material 100 is pressed through a press roll 300 provided with an incised portion 320, thereby forming an embossed portion 120 on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100. The embossed portion 120 is formed on the portion of the plate-shaped material 100 that comes into contact with the punching portion 500, and the thickness of the embossed portion 120 prevents cracks from occurring or the plate-shaped material 100 from tearing even when the plate-shaped material 100 is pressed by the punching portion 500.

[0083] The illustrated embodiment relates to a system and method for manufacturing battery cell packaging material by processing a film-shaped sheet material 100 for manufacturing pouch-type cells. In the case of pouch-type cells, since very thin films or thin sheet-shaped sheet material 100 are used, it is difficult to ensure quality when stretched, and significant benefits can be obtained when this disclosure is applied. However, the embodiments of this disclosure can be applied not only to such pouch-type cells but also to prismatic and cylindrical cells, and it can be said that the scope of rights of this disclosure is not limited to a specific type of battery cell but extends to all packaging technologies for packaging various types of battery cells.

[0084] On the other hand, the present disclosure presents a battery cell packaging material manufacturing system that includes a press roll 300 with an indented portion 320 extending along its circumference, and pressurizes and rolls a plate-shaped material 100 to form a thick embossed portion 120 on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100, and a punching portion 500 pressurizes and presses a specific portion partitioned through a plurality of embossed portions 120 to form a recessed electrode installation groove 160, and as a result the pressurized and stretched embossed portion 120 forms the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160, thereby preventing tearing and cracking of the plate-shaped material 100 during the process of forming the electrode installation groove 160 by the punching portion 500.

[0085] The press roll 300 of this disclosure is provided with an indented portion 320 formed by curving one point on its outer circumferential surface toward the inside of the press roll 300, as shown in Figure 4. Multiple such indented portions 320 may be formed in a ring shape extending around the outer circumferential surface of the press roll 300. The press roll 300 provided with the indented portion 320 presses down on a plate-like material 100 to reduce its thickness, and a raised portion 120 is formed along the length of the plate-like material 100 at the point where the indented portion 320 of the press roll 300 moves on the plate-like material 100. The indented portion 320 may be molded integrally with the press roll 300 during the manufacturing process, or it may be molded after the press roll 300 has been manufactured through post-processing.

[0086] The engraved portions 320 of the press roll 300 are formed in pairs at points spaced apart from each other on the outer circumferential surface of the press roll 300. In this case, the plate-shaped material 100 has a pair of longitudinally embossed portions 120 that extend in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped material 100, corresponding to the pair of engraved portions 320. The embossed portions 120 formed by the engraved portions 320 of the press roll 300 are arranged spaced apart from each other on the plate-shaped material 100, and two adjacent embossed portions 120 form a pair that constitutes one set of embossed portions 120. The pair of embossed portions 120 in the set of embossed portions 120 will be pressed by the punching portion 500 and will form the opposing sides of the electrode installation groove 160 into which electrodes can be stacked (an electrode assembly 1200 can be inserted). Multiple sets of these embossed portions 120 are formed on the plate-shaped material 100 by a press roll 300 with an embossed portion 320 formed on it, with these sets spaced apart from each other. Each set of embossed portions 120 forms the side surface of an electrode installation groove 160. A pair of adjacent electrode installation grooves 160 can be folded along the boundary 170 between the two electrode installation grooves 160 and overlapped. After folding and overlapping the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 in this way, a battery cell case is formed that can accommodate the electrodes and main battery material by sealing along the joint 190.

[0087] The battery cell case can be manufactured using a sheet material 100 such as a thin aluminum sheet. After forming a pair of electrode installation grooves 160 by applying pressure to the sheet material 100 using a punching section 500, electrodes (electrode assemblies 1200) are placed in the electrode installation grooves 160. Subsequently, the remaining electrode installation groove 160 is folded along the boundary 170 between it and the electrode installation groove 160 in which the electrodes (electrode assemblies 1200) are placed, and then overlapped and sealed along the joint 190 to complete the battery cell. In this case, the process of applying pressure to the sheet material 100 using the punching section 500 to form the electrode installation grooves 160 is essential in the process of forming the battery cell case, but the thin sheet material 100 cannot withstand the strong pressure of the punching section 500 and is stretched, and in the process, the stretched portion 180, which is the part that comes into contact with the corner of the punching section 500, frequently tears or cracks occur.

[0088] Therefore, by forming a embossed portion 120 with thickness on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 in advance before pressurizing the plate-shaped material 100 by the punching portion 500, it is possible to prevent the stretched portion 180 of the plate-shaped material 100 from tearing or cracking even when pressurized by the punching portion 500. The battery cell case is formed by folding and overlapping two electrode installation grooves 160 along the boundary 170 between the two electrode installation grooves 160. Since the electrode installation groove 160 consists of a bottom surface on which electrodes are stacked and a side surface surrounding the bottom surface, the embossed portion 120 must be located on the plate-shaped material 100 at a point corresponding to the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160, which is the stretched portion 180. Therefore, the embossed portion 120 must be formed not only in the length direction but also in the width direction of the plate-shaped material 100.

[0089] In the case of the electrode mounting groove 160 of the battery cell case, since it has a bottom surface on which electrodes can be stacked and sides surrounding the bottom surface, the embossed portion 120 on the plate-like material 100 must be formed not only in the length direction but also in the width direction. The embossed portion 140 in the width direction can be formed by controlling the position of a press roll 300 that moves along the length direction of the plate-like material 100, as shown in Figure 8. Such position control of the press roll 300 is possible by moving the press roll 300 along the length direction of the plate-like material 100, moving the displacement of the press roll 300 away from the plate-like material 100 at a point that constitutes the side surface of the battery cell case, forming an embossed portion 140 of the desired size, and then moving the press roll 300 back towards the plate-like material 100 to apply pressure. Through position control of the press roll 300, widthwise embossed portions 140 intersecting lengthwise embossed portions 120 are formed on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 at desired positions, and the punching portion 500 pressurizes the formed lengthwise embossed portions 120 and widthwise embossed portions 140 to form the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160.

[0090] In the case of a embossed portion 140 in the width direction, it can also be formed by controlling the pressure applied by the press roll 300, as shown in Figure 8. Since the press roll 300 pressurizes and rolls the plate-shaped material 100, the thickness of the plate-shaped material 100 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the pressure applied by the press roll 300 at a point on the plate-shaped material 100. The pressure applied by the press roll 300 is controlled by lowering the pressure applied by the press roll 300 at a point on the plate-shaped material 100 where it is desired to form an embossed portion 140, thereby creating a thicker embossed portion 140 on the plate-shaped material 100, and then increasing the pressure applied by the press roll 300 again to pressurize the plate-shaped material 100, and repeating this process.

[0091] As shown by the solid line in Figure 8, the press roll 300 that presses and rolls the plate-shaped material 100 controls the displacement or pressure of the press roll 300 at the point where it is desired to form the widthwise embossed portion 140 on the plate-shaped material 100 by position control or pressure control. After forming the widthwise embossed portion 140, the press roll 300 continues to press and roll the plate-shaped material 100 in the same direction as the dotted line shown in Figure 8. In this manner, multiple widthwise embossed portions 140 can be formed on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100.

[0092] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, by forming an incised portion 340 along the length direction of the press roll 300 in a direction intersecting with the incised portion 320 formed along the outer circumference of the press roll 300, it is also possible to form an embossed portion 140 in the width direction of the plate-shaped material 100. In this case, the spacing of the embossed portions 140 in the width direction of the plate-shaped material 100 is adjusted on the plate-shaped material 100 by the size of the circumference of the press roll 300, so the larger the circumference of the press roll 300, the wider the spacing between the embossed portions 140 in the width direction becomes. The embossed portions 140 in the width direction constitute the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160, so it is appropriate for them to have the same thickness as the embossed portions 120 in the length direction, but in some cases, it is possible to manufacture electrode installation grooves 160 of various shapes by creating a difference in thickness between the embossed portions 140 in the width direction and the embossed portions 120 in the length direction.

[0093] Referring to Figure 6, when the plate-shaped material 100 is pressed by the punching section 500 when the electrode installation grooves 160 are formed, it is placed on the punching die 600. The punching die 600 is provided to form the electrode installation grooves 160 when the plate-shaped material 100 is pressed by the punching section 500, and the height of the electrode installation grooves 160 can be determined by the height of the punching die 600, so it is important to select an appropriate punching die 600 considering the capacity of the battery material and battery cells. As shown in the figure, the punching die 600 is configured to form a pair of electrode installation grooves 160 using two large punching dies 600 located on both sides and a relatively smaller punching die 600 located between them. When a small punching die 600 is used as the boundary, it is easy to form electrode mounting grooves 160 of uniform size on both sides, and the small punching die 600 supporting the plate-like material 100 in the middle keeps the plate-like material 100 stretched without bending in the middle, so that the electrode mounting grooves 160 can be formed without twisting or bending even when pressurized by the punching section 500. Of course, the number of electrode mounting grooves 160 can be increased by increasing the number of punching dies 600, and the position of the punching dies 600 can be adjusted so that the sizes of the multiple electrode mounting grooves 160 are different from each other.

[0094] A press roll 300, on which multiple incised portions 320 are formed, can be provided in pairs, as shown in Figure 4, in contact with both sides of the plate-like material 100, in order to more effectively adjust the thickness of the plate-like material 100. The pair of press rolls 300, 300' provided on both sides of the plate-like material 100 apply pressure to the plate-like material 100 in the same direction and roll, thereby forming incised portions 120 at points on the plate-like material 100 where they overlap each other, as shown in Figure 13. Compared to forming the embossed portion 120 on one surface of the plate-shaped material 100, forming the embossed portion 120 on the overlapping portions of both surfaces of the plate-shaped material 100 allows for a thicker embossed portion 120 that corresponds to the stretched portion 180, which is vulnerable to cracking and tearing when the electrode installation groove 160 is formed on the plate-shaped material 100. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the plate-shaped material 100 from cracking or tearing when it is stretched by the pressure of the punching portion 500.

[0095] A pair of press rolls 300, 300' are provided on both sides of a plate-shaped material 100 so as to be in contact with each other. Both press rolls 300, 300' may be made of the same shape and material. In this case, each of the pair of press rolls 300, 300' includes an engraved portion 320 of the same shape, and by pressing and rolling both sides of the plate-shaped material 100, a raised portion 120 can be formed on the plate-shaped material 100, superimposed at the same point and having the same shape, as shown in Figure 13. Alternatively, the engraved portion 320 may be formed on only one of the pair of press rolls 300, 300'. In this case, the raised portion 120 is formed by pressing and rolling the plate-shaped material 100 on the side of the press roll 300 with the engraved portion 320, and in the case of the press roll 300' without the engraved portion 320, the plate-shaped material 100 is pressed without forming the raised portion 120. The pair of press rolls 300, 300' may press at the same point on the plate-like material 100, or they may be spaced apart from each other and press at different points, as shown in Figure 14, to form embossed portions 120 on both sides. If embossed portions 320 are formed on all of the pair of press rolls 300, 300', and each embossed portion 320 has a different shape from the other, then embossed portions 120 of different shapes can be formed on both sides of the plate-like material 100.

[0096] When a pair of press rolls 300, 300' are provided on both sides of a plate-shaped material 100, only the press roll 300 on one side of the plate-shaped material 100 performs pressurization and rolling, while the press roll 300' on the opposite side does not pressurize or roll the plate-shaped material 100, but only serves to support the press roll 300 that pressurizes the plate-shaped material 100. In this case, as shown in Figures 10 to 12, the embossed portion 120 is formed only on the side that directly pressurizes and rolls the plate-shaped material 100, and the embossed portion 120 is not formed on the press roll 300' that simply supports the plate-shaped material 100.

[0097] Alternatively, instead of the pair of press rolls 300, 300' provided on both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 directly pressing down on the plate-shaped material 100, the plate-shaped material 100 may be directly pressed down by itself as it moves between the pair of press rolls 300, 300', which are equipped with incised portions 320, thereby forming an embossed portion 120 on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100. As the plate-shaped material 100 passes between the fixed pair of press rolls 300, 300', the pair of press rolls 300, 300' rotate in place without moving, pressing down on the plate-shaped material 100, and the incised portions 320 provided on the pair of press rolls 300, 300' form an embossed portion 120 on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100.

[0098] Referring to Figure 5, the manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material of this disclosure may include a preceding press roll 400 in addition to the press roll 300 that forms an engraved portion 120 on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 through the portion where the engraved portion 320 is formed by pressing and rolling the plate-shaped material 100. In the case of the preceding press roll 400, it is positioned in front of the press roll 300 on which the engraved portion 320 is formed, and performs a flattening operation by pressing and rolling the plate-shaped material 100 first, thereby flattening any bent or wrinkled portions on the plate-shaped material 100. The preceding press roll 400 is also present on both sides of the plate-shaped material 100, and the pair of preceding press rolls 400, 400' on both sides move the plate-shaped material 100 in the same direction to perform the flattening operation.

[0099] In the case of the preceding press roll 400, since the engraved portion 320 is not formed, the raised portion 120 may not be formed on the plate-shaped material 100 depending on the preceding press roll 400. The preceding press roll 300, which has the engraved portion 320 formed on it, plays the role of straightening the plate-shaped material so that it can accurately and uniformly form the raised portion 120. However, if the preceding press roll 400 presses the plate-shaped material 100 too hard, the thickness of the plate-shaped material 100 may decrease, making it difficult for the subsequent press roll 300, which has the engraved portion 320 formed on it, to form the raised portion 120 on one or both sides of the plate-shaped material 100. Therefore, it is desirable to adjust the pressing force of the preceding press roll 400 to be lower than that of the subsequent press roll 300 so that it can concentrate on flattening any wrinkles or bent parts on the plate-shaped material 100.

[0100] The embossed portion 120 formed on one or both sides of the plate-like material 100 is pressed and stretched by the punching portion 500 as shown in Figure 7. The embossed portion 120 is formed with the thickest thickness at the stretched portion 180, which is the point where it first comes into contact with the corner of the punching portion 500, thus preventing cracks and tears in the plate-like material 100. Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the embossed portion 140 is a trapezoidal shape with curved side edges, as shown in Figure 11. The side edges of the trapezoidal shape can be formed with a radius of curvature equal to the radius of the press roll 300. Because the circular press roll 300 pressurizes and rolls the plate-like material 100, the side edges of the trapezoid are formed in a streamlined shape rather than a straight shape, and a constant pressing force acts on the upper surface of the embossed portion 120, forming a flat plane. Of course, if it is necessary to adjust the side thickness of the electrode mounting groove 160, the size of the embossed portion 120 can be made smaller or larger, and in some cases the embossed portion 120 may have various shapes such as arcs as well as a streamlined shape at the side edge of its cross-section.

[0101] Furthermore, the embossed portions 120 and 140 of the plate-like material 100 are not necessarily symmetrical in shape, and may have an asymmetrical, streamlined shape as shown in Figure 11 or Figure 12. The embossed portions 120 and 140 are stretched most at the point 180 that first comes into contact with the corner of the punching portion 500, so cracks or tears in the plate-like material 100 are more likely to occur. Therefore, the embossed portions 120 and 140 of the stretched portion 180, which is the part that first comes into contact with the corner of the punching portion 500, are formed to be the thickest, and the remaining parts gradually become thinner, thus forming an asymmetrical shape. In the case of Figure 11, the portion 180 that will be in direct contact with the punching portion 500 is formed on the side furthest from the electrode installation groove 160. Therefore, when the electrode installation groove 160 is pressurized, the thicker embossed portions 120 and 140 are pressed toward the embossed portions 120 and 140 which have a gentle slope, thus forming the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160. Conversely, in the case of Figure 12, the portion 180 that is pressurized by the electrode installation groove 160 is the thickest part of the embossed portions 120 and 140. When pressurized by the punching portion 500, the embossed portions 120 and 140 are pressed toward the side with the steeper slope, thus forming the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160.

[0102] In the case of asymmetrical embossed portions 120 and 140, they are formed through progressive position control or pressure control of the press roll 300, and the thicker portions of the embossed portions 120 and 140 can be formed in a desired direction or position, thus simplifying the manufacturing process and potentially providing an economical solution to cracking or tearing phenomena in the plate-like material 100.

[0103] On the other hand, when press rolls 300, 300' are provided on both sides of the plate-shaped material 100, the embossed portions 120, 140 can be formed on both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 as shown in Figure 13 or Figure 14. In this case, the embossed portions 120, 140 may be formed by overlapping them at the same location on both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 so that they correspond to each other and are of the same size, as shown in Figure 13, or they may be overlapped so that only some locations overlap on opposite sides of the plate-shaped material 100 as shown in Figure 14, or they may be overlapped in different shapes on both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 depending on the shape of the incised portion 320 provided on the press rolls 300, 300'. Furthermore, by pressing and rolling both sides of the plate-shaped material 100 at different locations with the pair of press rolls 300, 300', the embossed portions 120 may be formed at adjacent locations on the plate-shaped material 100 without overlapping on each other, due to the incised portion 320 provided on the press rolls 300, 300'. Alternatively, the embossed portion 120 may be formed in an asymmetrical, streamlined shape on both sides of the plate-like material 100, such as by controlling the position or pressure of the press rolls 300, 300', so that they overlap or are adjacent to each other.

[0104] When the plate-shaped material 100 is formed on the battery cell case, the most vulnerable part 180 to cracking and tearing is the point where the stretching is greatest and the side of the battery cell case is formed. Therefore, by making the embossed portion 120 corresponding to the stretched portion 180 thicker within the asymmetrical streamlined shape, it becomes possible to prevent cracking and tearing even when the plate-shaped material 100, which is a thin aluminum sheet, is stretched by the punched portion 500.

[0105] The shapes of the embossed portions 120 described above and the embodiments shown in Figures 10 to 14 illustrate the cross-section A-A' of the longitudinal embossed portion 120 shown in Figure 6. However, these can be similarly applied to the embossed portions 140 in the width direction as well as the longitudinal embossed portion 120. The longitudinal embossed portion 120 can have various shapes by being manufactured in various shapes when forming the incised portion 320 on the press roll 300. Similarly, the width embossed portion 140 can be manufactured in various shapes as shown in Figures 10 to 14 through position control of the press roll 300, pressure control, and formation of the incised portion 340 formed along the longitudinal direction of the press roll 300. Therefore, if the embossed portions 120 and 140 that make the thickness of the stretched portion 180, which corresponds to the punching portion 500, are formed, then embossed portions 120 and 140 of various shapes can also be formed.

[0106] A pair of widthwise embossed portions 140 are formed on the plate-shaped material 100 at points separated from each other, so that the pair of lengthwise embossed portions 120 and the pair of widthwise embossed portions 140 form a rectangular shape. The punching portion 500 then presses on the rectangular points formed by the lengthwise embossed portions 120 and the widthwise embossed portions 140 on the plate-shaped material 100 to form electrode installation grooves 160. In one electrode installation groove 160, the side surface is formed by the pressurization of the lengthwise embossed portions 120 and the widthwise embossed portions 140, forming a continuous side surface that surrounds the bottom surface on which the electrodes are stacked. The continuous side surface of the electrode installation groove 160 is the stretched portion 180, which is the part where the greatest stretching occurs when pressurized by the punching portion 500. By making the portion corresponding to this stretched portion 180 composed of lengthwise embossed portions 120 and widthwise embossed portions 140, sufficient thickness can be ensured for the stretched portion 180. Therefore, even when the plate-shaped material 100 is pressed by the punching portion 500, it becomes possible to prevent cracks or tears from occurring in the plate-shaped material 100, thereby enabling the formation of a stable side surface for the electrode installation groove 160.

[0107] On the plate-shaped material 100, a pair of widthwise embossed portions 140 are spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the plate-shaped material 100, and a pair of lengthwise embossed portions 120 are spaced apart in the widthwise direction of the plate-shaped material 100. Therefore, multiple rectangular electrode installation grooves 160 are formed by the intersection of multiple such lengthwise embossed portions 120 and multiple widthwise embossed portions 140, and adjacent pairs of electrode installation grooves 160 are folded and superimposed on each other along the boundary 170 between them to form a single battery cell case. In the case of the boundary 170 between a pair of electrode installation grooves 160, it may be located at a point between adjacent pairs of electrode installation grooves 160 as shown in Figure 15 or Figure 16, or it may be located between the most adjacent embossed portions 120 between the two electrode installation grooves 160 as shown. In this case, the pair of embossed portions 120 are directly pressed by the punching portion 500 to form the sides of the electrode installation grooves 160, so the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 can be folded with respect to the boundary 170 and superimposed on each other, as shown in Figure 17. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6, the boundary 140' between the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 may be located on the widthwise embossed portion 140. In this case, the boundary 140' will be located together with the widthwise embossed portion 120 as shown, and the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 will be folded with respect to the boundary 140' and superimposed on each other. The widthwise embossed portion 140 must form the sides of the electrode installation grooves 160. Therefore, in the case of a widthwise embossed portion 140 that includes the boundary 140', it will have a shape that is sufficiently thick and taller than other widthwise embossed portions 140' in order to smoothly perform the role of the boundary 140' between both electrode installation grooves 160 even after being pressed by the punching portion 500.

[0108] Furthermore, in the case of the boundary 140' shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6, it is located on the embossed portion 140 in the width direction, but in some cases it may be located on the embossed portion 120 in the length direction, and a pair of electrode mounting grooves 160 can be bent and superimposed on each other based on this.

[0109] Multiple electrode mounting grooves 160 are formed on the plate-shaped material 100 by intersecting multiple widthwise embossed portions 140 and multiple lengthwise embossed portions 120. Two adjacent electrode mounting grooves 160 form a pair to create a battery cell case. The pair of electrode mounting grooves 160 have the same shape as shown in Figure 17, and are folded and overlapped along the boundary 170, and sealed along the joint 190 to form a battery cell case.

[0110] In this case, a joint 190 is formed in the frame of the electrode installation groove 160, and such a joint 190 is formed around the outside of the embossed portion 120 which will form the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160. The joint 190 is a sealed portion that prevents the battery from being damaged by external physical shocks or the internal environment when the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 are superimposed on each other, and since it must be bonded to each other without separation, it is composed of a plane. Since the joint 190 must be bonded to each other without separation, the remaining embossed portion 150, excluding the embossed portion 120 which is pressed by the punching portion 500 on one or both sides of the plate-like material 100 to form the electrode installation groove 160, must be removed, and after such remaining embossed portion 150 is removed, a wider plane joint 190 is secured, so that the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 can be assembled without any separated portions of the battery cell case when they are folded and superimposed through the boundary 170 and sealed along the joint 190. When the pair of electrode mounting grooves 160 are sealed along the joint 190, they can be joined by various methods such as adhesive bonding and fastening of fixtures.

[0111] The plate-shaped material 100 is pressed and stretched by the punching section 500 to form one electrode installation groove 160, and two such electrode installation grooves 160 form a pair to form a battery cell case. The electrode installation grooves 160 are made on a single plate-shaped material 100 with the same size and a boundary at a certain point, and have the form of a bottom surface where electrodes are stacked and sides surrounding the bottom surface. The electrode installation grooves 160 formed by pressing by the punching section 500 are folded and overlapped along the boundary, and the parts other than the parts where electrodes are inserted are sealed along the joint 190 to complete a single battery cell. Since the two electrode installation grooves 160 formed on the plate-shaped material 100 must be folded along the boundary 170 provided between them, then overlapped and sealed, the remaining embossed portion 150 must be removed, except for the embossed portion 120 that will form the side of the electrode installation groove 160, in terms of assembly stability.

[0112] After the formation of the embossed portion 120 by the press roll 300 is complete, the plate-shaped material 100 for forming the electrode installation groove 160 has multiple intersecting embossed portions 120 and 140 formed in the length and width directions of the plate-shaped material 100. Of the intersecting embossed portions 120 and 140, the embossed portions that are located outside the electrode installation groove 160, excluding those that are pressed and stretched by the punching portion 500 and become the sides of the electrode installation groove 160, are called residual embossed portions 150. These embossed portions are superimposed on the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 after they are folded along the boundary between them, and therefore must be removed as they interfere with sealing along the joint portion 190. In this case, the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system of the present disclosure further includes a post-processing section 700 for flattening the remaining engraved portion 150 located outside the electrode installation groove 160 formed on the plate-shaped material 100. Therefore, the electrode installation groove 160 may be formed first, and then the remaining engraved portion 150 may be flattened. Alternatively, by further including a post-processing section 700 for flattening the remaining engraved portion 150 located outside the engraved portion 120 that constitutes the electrode installation groove 160, the electrode installation groove 160 may be formed by removing the remaining engraved portion 150 in advance before forming the electrode installation groove 160 and then pressing the engraved portion 120 with a punching section 500.

[0113] In the case of the post-processing section 700, the remaining engraved portion 150 may be removed by a post-processing step, such as by applying pressure and rolling it with a roller, by applying pressure with a press, by removing it with a cutting machine, by removing it with a laser device, or by using a tool that causes the plate-like material 100 itself to stretch.

[0114] As one embodiment of the post-processing section 700, the remaining engraved portion 150 can be removed through a separately provided roller, as shown in Figure 15. The roller may remove the remaining engraved portion 150 before or after the formation of the electrode installation groove 160, and may remove the remaining engraved portion 150 present on one or both sides of the plate-like material 100 by applying pressure and rolling, targeting the engraved portion 150 excluding the engraved portion 120 which will be pressed by the punching section 500 and directly constitute the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160. In this case, after the formation of the electrode installation groove 160 is completed, the pair of electrode installation grooves 160 must be bent and overlapped through the boundary 170 and sealed along the joint 190. Therefore, in the case of the roller, it is appropriate to apply pressure in accordance with the thickness of the portion of the plate-like material 100 where the engraved portion 120 has not been formed when removing the remaining engraved portion 150. In the case of rollers, multiple rollers may be provided to match the size of the remaining engraved portion 150, and the remaining engraved portion 150 may be removed by moving the rollers directly, or the points where the remaining engraved portion 150 was formed may be removed by directly moving the plate-like material 100 without moving the rollers.

[0115] The remaining engraved portion 150 may be removed by applying pressure to the plate-shaped material 100 in the direction of the engraved portion 120, using a press machine that covers part or all of the plate-shaped material 100, which is another embodiment of the post-processing section 700, in addition to using a roller. To remove only the remaining engraved portion 150 of the plate-shaped material 100, a post-processing press machine may be provided to remove only the remaining engraved portion 150, excluding the engraved portion 120 that constitutes the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160, and the remaining engraved portion 150 of the plate-shaped material 100 may be applied pressure to it. Alternatively, the electrode installation groove 160 may be formed in advance by the punching section 500, and then the remaining engraved portion 150 present on one surface of the plate-shaped material 100 may be applied pressure to it using a press machine.

[0116] In another embodiment of the post-processing section 700, the remaining engraved portion 150 can be removed using a cutting machine designed to remove only the remaining engraved portion 150 from one surface of the plate-shaped material 100. In this case as well, the portion corresponding to the remaining engraved portion 150 can be directly cut through the cutting machine before forming the electrode installation grooves 160, or all of the remaining engraved portion 150 present on one surface of the plate-shaped material 100 can be cut and removed after the electrode installation grooves 160 have been formed in advance. Of course, there are other methods for removing the remaining engraved portion 150 in the post-processing section 700, such as a separate laser device or a tool for stretching the plate-shaped material 100. After the remaining engraved portion 150 is removed and a pair of electrode installation grooves 160 are formed, the two electrode installation grooves 160 can be stably fastened together without any separation during the process of folding and overlapping along the boundary 170 and sealing along the joint 190.

[0117] Figure 18 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery cell packaging material according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method for manufacturing the battery cell packaging material according to the present disclosure first involves step S100, which involves supplying a plate-shaped material 100. The plate-shaped material 100 is a pouch sheet, as described above, and may be in the form of a film, a thin plate, or a panel. Subsequently, step S300 is performed, in which the supplied plate-shaped material 100 is pressed through a press roll 300 having an incised portion 320 formed around it, thereby forming an embossed portion 120 on the plate-shaped material 100. Then, step S500 is performed, in which the plate-shaped material 100 with the embossed portion 120 formed is pressed through a punching portion 500 to form an electrode installation groove 160 on the plate-shaped material 100, such that the embossed portion 120 constitutes the side surface of the electrode installation groove 160. The specific manufacturing process in each step has been sufficiently explained above, so a detailed description is omitted.

[0118] On the other hand, the battery cell packaging material manufacturing system described herein can be applied to manufacturing battery cell packaging materials used in battery packs for various vehicles such as internal combustion engine vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. In addition to vehicles, it can also be applied to manufacturing battery cell packaging materials used in battery packs for various other fields, such as industrial ESS (Energy Storage Systems), household ESS, and small battery packs.

[0119] While these specific embodiments of the Disclosure have been illustrated and described in relation to the Disclosure, it will be obvious to those ordinary in the art that the Disclosure can be modified and altered in various ways, without departing from the technical idea of ​​the Disclosure provided by the Claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0120] This disclosure provides a manufacturing system and method for battery cell packaging materials that can prevent cracking or tearing of the plate-shaped material when it is pressed by a punching section during the manufacturing process of battery cell packaging materials, while simultaneously enabling stable molding of the battery cell case.

Claims

1. A press roll that applies pressure to a plate-shaped material and rolls it, forming an incised portion extending along its periphery, and forming an embossed portion on the plate-shaped material through the incised portion during the rolling process, and A manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material, comprising a punching section that presses and pushes a point on the plate-like material to form a recessed electrode installation groove in the plate-like material, and stretches the embossed portion of the plate-like material to form the side surface of the electrode installation groove.

2. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that the engraved portion of the press roll is formed by a point on the press roll curving inward toward the inside of the press roll.

3. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 2, characterized in that the engraved portion is ring-shaped and extends along the outer circumferential surface of the press roll.

4. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the press roll presses the plate-shaped material to reduce its thickness, and the plate-shaped material has an embossed portion formed at a point corresponding to the incised portion of the press roll.

5. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 1, characterized in that the engraved portions of the press roll are formed in pairs at points spaced apart from each other on the outer circumferential surface of the press roll.

6. The battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 5, characterized in that the plate-like material has a pair of longitudinally embossed portions that extend in the longitudinal direction and correspond to a pair of intaglio portions.

7. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 6, characterized in that the plate-like material has a pair of spaced-apart embossed portions that constitute an embossed portion set, and each of the pair of embossed portions in the embossed portion set constitutes the opposing sides of the electrode installation groove.

8. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of sets of embossed portions are formed on the plate-like material, the punched portions form a plurality of electrode installation grooves on the plate-like material, and the plurality of sets of embossed portions each constitute the side surface of the corresponding electrode installation groove.

9. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate-shaped material has the longitudinally embossed portion formed on it through the incised portion of the press roll, and the press roll forms the widthwise embossed portion on the plate-shaped material through position or pressure control during the rolling process of the plate-shaped material.

10. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 9, characterized in that the embossed portion in the width direction of the plate-like material is formed by moving the position of the press roll away from the plate-like material in a certain section during the rolling process of the press roll, or by reducing the force pressing the plate-like material.

11. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 9, characterized in that a pair of widthwise embossed portions are formed on the plate-like material, spaced apart in the lengthwise direction of the plate-like material, so that the pair of lengthwise embossed portions and the pair of widthwise embossed portions form a rectangular shape.

12. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 11, characterized in that the punching portion forms the electrode installation groove by applying pressure to the rectangular points formed by a pair of longitudinally embossed portions and a pair of widthwisely embossed portions, and the longitudinally embossed portions and widthwisely embossed portions are stretched to form continuous side surfaces of the electrode installation groove.

13. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of electrode installation grooves are formed in the plate-like material, and a joint is formed in the frame of the electrode installation grooves.

14. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 13, characterized in that the joint portion is formed along the outer circumference of the embossed portion that forms the electrode installation groove.

15. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 13, characterized in that the joint portion is flat.

16. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the embossed portion is pressed and stretched by the punching portion, and the thickness of the embossed portion is greatest at the point where it first comes into contact with the corner of the punching portion.

17. The manufacturing system for battery cell packaging material according to claim 16, characterized in that the cross-sectional frame of the embossed portion has a streamlined curved shape.

18. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 1, further comprising a post-processing unit for flattening the remaining engraved portion located outside the electrode installation groove formed on the plate-shaped material.

19. A battery cell packaging material manufacturing system according to claim 1, further comprising a post-processing unit for flattening the remaining engraved portion located outside the engraved portion that constitutes the electrode installation groove, among the engraved portions formed on the plate-shaped material.

20. The steps include supplying a plate-shaped material and The process involves applying pressure to the supplied plate-shaped material through a press roll having an incised portion formed around it, thereby forming an embossed portion on the plate-shaped material. A method for manufacturing a battery cell packaging material, comprising the step of pressing the plate-shaped material on which the embossed portion is formed with a punching portion to form an electrode installation groove in the plate-shaped material, wherein the embossed portion constitutes the side surface of the electrode installation groove.

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