Rechargeable battery manufacturing equipment and method for manufacturing rechargeable batteries using the same

Abstract

According to an exemplary embodiment, equipment for manufacturing a secondary battery is provided. The equipment includes a first fixture assembly configured to hold a weld and having a first opening for exposing the surface of the weld; a second fixture assembly configured to hold the weld and having a second opening for exposing the surface of the weld; a beam irradiation system configured to irradiate the weld with a welding beam through one of the first and second openings; and a cleaning assembly configured to clean the first and second openings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to secondary battery manufacturing equipment and a method for manufacturing a secondary battery using the same.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0019288 filed on February 8, 2024, and all the contents disclosed in the literature of the Korean patent application are included as part of this specification.

Background Art

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries can be charged and discharged multiple times. Secondary batteries are widely used as an energy source for various cordless devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and cordless vacuum cleaners. In recent years, due to improvements in energy density and economies of scale, the manufacturing cost per unit capacity of secondary batteries has been significantly reduced, and as the driving range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has increased to a level comparable to that of fuel vehicles, the main application of secondary batteries has been shifting from mobile devices to mobility.

[0004] In order to meet the rapid growth in demand for secondary batteries for mobility, cell manufacturers are facing huge capital expenditures. Each company is increasing productivity per line in order to maximize the return on invested capital, and various studies for improving yield and productivity are continuing for this purpose.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be achieved by this disclosure is to provide secondary battery manufacturing equipment and a method for manufacturing a secondary battery using the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure for solving the above-mentioned problems, equipment for manufacturing a secondary battery is provided. The equipment includes a first fixture assembly configured to hold a weld and including a first opening for exposing the surface of the weld; a second fixture assembly configured to hold the weld and including a second opening for exposing the surface of the weld; a beam irradiation system configured to irradiate the weld with a welding beam through one of the first and second openings; and a cleaning assembly configured to clean the first and second openings.

[0007] The cleaning assembly described above is configured to move between a working position that overlaps with the first and second openings, respectively, and a standby position located away from the working position.

[0008] The first fixture assembly is configured to move toward the second fixture assembly from a first direction to secure the welded object.

[0009] The above cleaning assembly includes a tool body and a sputter collection fan coupled to the tool body.

[0010] The tool body includes a first portion configured to clean the first opening and a second portion configured to clean the second opening.

[0011] The first portion described above has a tapered shape that extends toward the first opening described above.

[0012] The second portion described above has a tapered shape that extends toward the second opening described above.

[0013] The hardness of the tool body described above is lower than the hardness of the fixture in the first fixture assembly described above.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a secondary battery is provided. The method includes the steps of moving a cleaning assembly including a tool body to a working position, and removing spatter from the first and second openings by moving a first fixture assembly including a first opening and a second fixture assembly including a second opening toward the tool body.

[0015] At the above working position, the tool body overlaps with the first and second openings, respectively.

[0016] The tool body includes a first portion having a tapered shape toward the first opening and a second portion having a tapered shape toward the second opening.

[0017] The spatter described above is removed by physical contact with the tool body.

[0018] The hardness of the tool body described above is lower than the hardness of the fixture in the first fixture assembly described above.

[0019] After removing the spatter from the first opening, the cleaning assembly is moved to a standby position separated from the working position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The secondary battery manufacturing equipment according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure includes a cleaning assembly. This saves time that would otherwise be spent cleaning the jig assembly, thereby improving the productivity of secondary battery manufacturing.

[0021] The effects obtained from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly derived and understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure belong from the following description. That is, the unintended effects associated with implementing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can also be derived by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a drawing showing a secondary battery manufacturing facility according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a drawing showing a secondary battery manufacturing facility according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 3] The openings of the first jig assembly and the second jig assembly are shown. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart for explaining a method of manufacturing a secondary battery according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a drawing for explaining a method of manufacturing a secondary battery according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a drawing for explaining a method of manufacturing a secondary battery according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 7] The cleaning of the openings of the first jig assembly and the second jig assembly by the cleaning assembly is shown.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. On the premise that the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to the general or dictionary meanings, they can be construed as meanings and concepts consistent with the technical idea of the present disclosure based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain the inventor's own invention in the best way.

[0024] Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings represent only one of the most preferred embodiments of the disclosure and do not represent the entire technical concept of the disclosure. As a result, there may be a variety of equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for them at the time of filing.

[0025] Furthermore, if it is determined that a specific description of a relevant publicly known configuration or function in this disclosure would obscure the gist of this disclosure, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0026] Since embodiments of this disclosure are provided to explain the disclosure more fully to a person of ordinary skill, the shapes and sizes of components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or shown schematically for the sake of clarity. Accordingly, the sizes and proportions of each component do not fully reflect their actual sizes and proportions.

[0027] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a drawing showing a secondary battery manufacturing facility 100 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Figure 2 is a drawing showing a secondary battery manufacturing facility 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. More specifically, Figure 2 shows the secondary battery manufacturing facility 100 with a welded WM loaded.

[0029] Figure 3 shows the openings 113H / 123H of the first jig assembly 110 and the second jig assembly 120.

[0030] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, according to an exemplary embodiment, the secondary battery manufacturing equipment 100 may include a first jig assembly 110, a second jig assembly 120, a beam irradiation system 130, and a cleaning assembly 140.

[0031] The secondary battery manufacturing equipment 100 can be configured to perform secondary battery manufacturing processes. The secondary battery manufacturing equipment 100 can be configured to perform welding processes. The secondary battery manufacturing equipment 100 can be configured to perform laser welding processes. The secondary battery manufacturing equipment 100 can be configured to weld elements of a weld WM by irradiating the weld WM with a welding beam WB. According to an exemplary embodiment, the weld WM may include electrode leads and busbars.

[0032] The first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 can be configured to move relative to each other, either approaching (or moving away from) each other. For example, the first fixture assembly 110 may move toward a stationary second fixture assembly 120, or the second fixture assembly 120 may move toward a stationary first fixture assembly 110, or the first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 may move toward each other.

[0033] The first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 can overlap in a first direction, and the first jig assembly 110 and the second jig assembly 120 can be configured to move in a first direction.

[0034] The first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 can be configured to clamp the weld WM by moving in a first direction. The first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 can be configured to clamp the weld WM by applying pressure to the weld WM interposed between the first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120.

[0035] The first fixture assembly 110 may include a first base 111 and a first fixture 113. The first fixture 113 may include a first opening 113H. The first opening 113H of the first fixture 113 may expose a first surface of the weld WM. The first fixture 113 may be coupled to the first base 111. The first fixture 113 may be moved by the first base 111.

[0036] The second fixture assembly 120 may include a second base 121 and a second fixture 123. The second fixture 123 may include a second opening 123H. The second opening 123H of the second fixture 123 may expose a second surface of the weld WM. The second surface may be opposite to the first surface. The second fixture 123 may be coupled to the second base 121. The second fixture 123 may be moved by the second base 121.

[0037] The beam irradiation system 130 can be configured to generate a welding beam WB and irradiate the welding beam WB onto the weld WM. The beam irradiation system 130 may be a laser device. The beam irradiation system 130 may include an oscillator configured to generate a welding beam WB and a scanner head configured to direct and irradiate the welding beam.

[0038] According to exemplary embodiments, the welding beam (WB) may be near-infrared. According to exemplary embodiments, the wavelength of the welding beam (WB) may be in the range of about 750 nm to about 2500 nm. According to exemplary embodiments, the wavelength of the welding beam (WB) may be about 1070 nm.

[0039] As an example, the oscillator may be, but is not limited to, solid-state laser devices such as semiconductor laser devices, neodium-yag (Nd:YAG) laser devices, titanium-sapphire (Ti-Sapphire) laser devices, or optical fiber laser devices. As another example, the oscillator may be a liquid laser device such as a dye laser device. As yet another example, the oscillator may be a gas laser device such as a helium-neon laser, carbon dioxide laser, or excimer laser.

[0040] The welding beam WB generated by the first beam source can be coupled to a scanner head. According to an exemplary embodiment, the welding beam WB can be transmitted to the scanner head via one of the following: free space optics, optical integrated circuit, and fiber optics.

[0041] The welding work WM may be contaminated by the welding beam WB as it is processed. The first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 may be contaminated. Spatter SPT may be deposited on the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123.

[0042] Spatter SPT adhering to the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 can deform the profiles of the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123. Spatter SPT adhering to the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 can interfere with the welding beam WB, inducing unwelded or weakly welded welds WM, which can reduce the yield of secondary battery manufacturing.

[0043] The cleaning assembly 140 can be configured to clean the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123. The cleaning assembly 140 can be configured to remove spatter SPT adhering to the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 by mechanical means.

[0044] The cleaning assembly 140 may include a tool body 141, a spatter collection fan 143, and a drive unit 145. The tool body 141 may include a metallic material. The hardness of the tool body 141 may differ from the hardness of the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123, respectively. The hardness of the tool body 141 may be less than the hardness of the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123, respectively. This can prevent or mitigate damage to the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123 while mechanically removing spatter SPT adhering to the first opening 113H of the first fixture 113 and the second opening 123H of the second fixture 123.

[0045] The spatter collection fan 143 can be configured to collect spatter SPT separated from the first opening 113H of the first jig 113. The spatter collection fan 143 can surround the tool body 141.

[0046] The drive unit 145 can be configured to move the cleaning assembly 140. The drive unit 145 can be configured to move the cleaning assembly 140 so that it is in the standby position shown in Figures 1 and 2, or in the working position shown in Figure 5.

[0047] (Second Embodiment) Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0048] Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0049] Figure 7 shows the cleaning of the openings 113H / 123H of the first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 by the cleaning assembly 140.

[0050] Referring to Figures 3 to 5, at P110, the cleaning assembly 140 can be moved to the working position. The working position can be located away from the standby position. Cleaning of the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 by the cleaning assembly 140 can be based on a predetermined management cycle. For example, when the welding beam WB (see Figure 2) has been processed on the welded work WM (see Figure 2) a set number of times (e.g., 1000 times) or more, the cleaning assembly 140 can be moved to the working position.

[0051] When the cleaning assembly 140 is in the working position, the tool body 141 can overlap with the first opening 113H of the first fixture 113 and the second opening 123H of the second fixture 123.

[0052] Next, referring to Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7, spatter SPT can be removed at P120. Removal of spatter SPT may include moving the first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 toward the tool body 141.

[0053] The tool body 141 may include a first portion corresponding to the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and a second portion corresponding to the second opening 123H of the second jig 123. The first portion of the tool body 141 may have a tapered shape toward the first opening 113H. This may cause the cross-sectional area (e.g., horizontal cross-sectional area) of the tool body 141 to decrease toward the first opening 113H. The second portion of the tool body 141 may have a tapered shape toward the second opening 123H. This may cause the cross-sectional area (e.g., horizontal cross-sectional area) of the tool body 141 to decrease toward the second opening 123H.

[0054] As the first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 are moved toward the tool body 141, a first portion of the tool body 141 can be inserted into the first opening 113H of the first fixture 113, and a second portion of the tool body 141 can be inserted into the second opening 123H of the second fixture 123, thereby allowing the tool body 141 to mechanically remove spatter SPT by physical contact. The spatter SPT separated from the first opening 113H can be collected by the spatter collection fan 143.

[0055] According to an exemplary embodiment, the first opening 113H and the second opening 123H are cleaned by the movement of the first fixture assembly 110 and the second fixture assembly 120 in the manner of clamping the weld WM (see Figure 2), so that it is not necessary to separate the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123 from the first base 111 and the second base 121 for cleaning the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123. This saves time that would otherwise be required to separate and reassemble the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123, thereby improving the productivity of secondary battery manufacturing.

[0056] The insertion depth of the tool body 141 into the first opening 113H and the second opening 123H can be determined according to the cleaning targets of the first fixture 113 and the second fixture 123. Since the first and second portions of the tool body 141 have a tapered shape, the greater the insertion depth of the tool body 141 into the first opening 113H and the second opening 123H, the more spatter SPT can be removed from the first opening 113H and the second opening 123H.

[0057] Unlike in Figure 6, the second jig 123 may be cleaned after the first jig 113 has been cleaned, and the first jig 113 may be cleaned after the second jig 123 has been cleaned. Alternatively, instead of the first jig assembly 110 and the second jig assembly 120 being moved toward the tool body 141, the tool body 141 may be configured to move toward a stationary first jig assembly 110 or a stationary second jig assembly 120.

[0058] After the first opening 113H of the first jig 113 and the second opening 123H of the second jig 123 are cleaned, the first jig assembly 110 and the second jig assembly 120 can be separated from the tool body 141, and the cleaning assembly 140 can be moved to the standby position shown in Figure 1.

[0059] The present disclosure has been described in more detail above with reference to the drawings and embodiments. However, the configurations described in the drawings or embodiments described herein represent only one embodiment of the present disclosure and do not represent the entire technical concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for them at the time of filing.

Claims

1. A first jig assembly configured to hold a welded workpiece and including a first opening that exposes the surface of the welded workpiece, A second jig assembly configured to fix the welded work and including a second opening that exposes the surface of the welded work, A beam irradiation system configured to irradiate the welded workpiece with a welding beam through one of the first and second apertures, A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus comprising a cleaning assembly configured to clean the first and second openings.

2. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning assembly is configured to move between a working position that overlaps with the first opening and the second opening, and a standby position located away from the working position.

3. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first jig assembly is configured to move toward the second jig assembly from a first direction to fix the welded object.

4. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning assembly includes a tool body and a sputter collection fan coupled to the tool body.

5. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tool body includes a first portion configured for cleaning the first opening and a second portion configured for cleaning the second opening.

6. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first portion has a tapered shape toward the first opening.

7. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second portion has a tapered shape toward the second opening.

8. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the hardness of the tool body is lower than the hardness of the jig of the first jig assembly.

9. The steps include moving the cleaning assembly, including the tool body, to the working position, A method for manufacturing a secondary battery, comprising the step of removing spatter from the first and second openings by moving a first jig assembly including a first opening and a second jig assembly including a second opening toward the tool body.

10. A method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to claim 9, wherein, at the aforementioned working position, the tool body overlaps with the first opening and the second opening, respectively.

11. The method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to claim 9, wherein the tool body includes a first portion having a tapered shape toward the first opening and a second portion having a tapered shape toward the second opening.

12. The method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to claim 9, wherein the sputter is removed by physical contact with the tool body.

13. The method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to claim 9, wherein the hardness of the tool body is lower than the hardness of the jig of the first jig assembly.

14. A method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to claim 9, wherein after removing the sputter from the first opening, the cleaning assembly is moved to a standby position separated from the working position.

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