Method for manufacturing battery module and battery module

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a battery module in which batteries are satisfactorily bonded with each other.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method of a battery module includes: a preparation step of preparing a plurality of batteries; a laminate formation step of forming a laminate by disposing an intermediate member between a pair of batteries which are adjacent to each other in a thickness direction; and a bonding step of bonding the pair of batteries in the laminate using an adhesive. The intermediate member has a frame structure in a view in the thickness direction, and the intermediate member comprises a communication part communicating the inside and the outside of the frame structure. The bonding step includes injection processing for injecting the adhesive through the communication part into the inside of the frame structure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a battery module and a battery module.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a battery module in which a plurality of batteries each having a plurality of electrodes laminated in the thickness direction are laminated. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery module having a structure in which a large number of plate-shaped battery cells are stacked, and a Velcro tape is attached between each battery cell as an adhesive member for preventing slippage due to an external impact and absorbing the impact. Further, although not related to battery technology, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for manufacturing a laminate which is an image display device in which two base materials are adhered via a layer formed of a photo- and thermosetting resin composition.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a battery module in which a plurality of batteries are laminated, in order to prevent misalignment of the batteries, it is assumed that an adhesive layer is provided between a pair of adjacent batteries in the thickness direction to join the pair of batteries. On the other hand, the surface of the battery is not completely flat, and there are irregularities such as undulations. Therefore, the thickness of the adhesive layer is likely to vary, and when the adhesive layer is thin, the batteries may not be sufficiently joined.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the main object thereof is to provide a method for manufacturing a battery module in which batteries are satisfactorily joined.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] [1] A preparation step of preparing a plurality of batteries, a laminate forming step of arranging an intermediate member between a pair of adjacent batteries in the thickness direction to form a laminate, and a joining step of joining the pair of batteries in the laminate using an adhesive. When viewed from the thickness direction, the intermediate member has a frame structure, the intermediate member has a communication portion that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure, and the joining step includes an injection process of injecting the adhesive into the inside of the frame structure through the communication portion. A method for manufacturing a battery module.

[0007] [2] The joining step includes a degassing process of degassing the inside through the communication portion before the injection process. When the volume of the gas degassed by the degassing process is V1 and the volume of the adhesive injected by the injection process is V2, V1 and V2 satisfy V2 ≤ V1. The method for manufacturing a battery module according to [1].

[0008] [3] The adhesive contains a thermosetting resin, the joining step includes a curing process of curing the adhesive after the injection process, and the curing process is a process of curing the adhesive by heat generated by charging or discharging the battery. The method for manufacturing a battery module according to [1] or [2].

[0009] [4] The pair of batteries in the laminate are electrically connected through the intermediate member. The method for manufacturing a battery module according to any one of [1] to [3].

[0010] [5] The battery includes a plurality of electrodes laminated in the thickness direction and includes a bipolar electrode as the electrode. The method for manufacturing a battery module according to any one of [1] to [4].

[0011] [6] The plan view shape of the battery as viewed from the thickness direction is a quadrilateral, and the length of each side constituting the quadrilateral is 30 cm or more, respectively. The method for manufacturing the battery module according to any one of [1] to [5].

[0012] [7] The battery has a plurality of electrodes laminated in the thickness direction and a laminate-type exterior body that seals the plurality of electrodes. The battery module according to any one of [1] to [6].

[0013] [8] A battery module having a plurality of batteries arranged in the thickness direction and an intermediate member arranged between a pair of adjacent batteries in the thickness direction. When viewed from the thickness direction, the intermediate member has a frame structure, and the intermediate member has a communication portion that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure. The battery module has an adhesive layer for joining the pair of batteries inside. Battery module.

Effect of the Invention

[0014] In the present disclosure, there is an effect that a battery module in which batteries are well joined can be obtained.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Each of the drawings shown below is a schematic illustration, and the size and shape of each part are exaggerated as appropriate for easy understanding. Also, in this specification, when expressing the manner of arranging one member with respect to another member, if it is simply described as "above" or "below", unless otherwise specified, it includes both the case where another member is arranged directly above or directly below so as to be in contact with a certain member, and the case where another member is arranged above or below a certain member via another member.

[0017] A. Manufacturing method of battery module FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a manufacturing method of a battery module in the present disclosure. First, as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a plurality of batteries 10 (10A, 10B) are prepared, and an intermediate member 20 is arranged between the battery 10A and the battery 10B to form a laminate L (preparation step, laminate formation step). When viewed from the thickness direction Z, the intermediate member 20 has a frame structure having an inner edge O1 and an outer edge O2. Further, the intermediate member 20 has a communication portion P that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure. Next, as shown in FIG. 1(c), the batteries 10A and 10B in the laminate L are joined using an adhesive (joining step). Specifically, an injection process of injecting an adhesive into the inside of the frame structure through the communication portion P is performed. Thereby, the battery module 100 is obtained.

[0018] According to the present disclosure, by using an intermediate member having a frame structure and injecting an adhesive into the frame structure, a battery module in which batteries are well joined can be obtained. As described above, in a battery module in which a plurality of batteries are stacked, in order to prevent misalignment of the batteries, it is assumed that an adhesive layer is provided between a pair of adjacent batteries in the thickness direction to join the pair of batteries. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the surface of the battery 10 is not completely flat, and there are irregularities such as undulations. Therefore, when the adhesive layer 30 is formed between a pair of adjacent batteries 10, the thickness of the adhesive layer 30 is likely to vary, and when the adhesive layer 30 is thin, the batteries may not be sufficiently joined. In particular, as the battery size increases, the irregularities on the surface of the battery 10 also increase, making it difficult to join the batteries well.

[0019] In contrast, as shown in FIG. 2(b), in the present disclosure, by using the intermediate member 20, a sufficient gap can be provided between a pair of adjacent batteries 10. Therefore, even when there are irregularities on the surface of the battery 10, it is possible to suppress the adhesive layer 30 from becoming too thin. As a result, a battery module in which the batteries are well joined can be obtained. In particular, even when the battery size is increased, a battery module in which the batteries are well joined can be obtained. Further, since the intermediate member 20 has a frame structure, it is possible to suppress the adhesive from leaking from the inside of the frame structure when injecting the adhesive into the inside of the frame structure. Further, in the present disclosure, an intermediate member is arranged between a pair of adjacent batteries to form a laminate, and then an adhesive is injected into the inside of the intermediate member through a communication portion. Since the positional relationship between a pair of adjacent batteries can be accurately set at the stage of manufacturing the laminate, it is possible to prevent misalignment of the batteries.

[0020] 1. Preparation step The preparation step in the present disclosure is a step of preparing a plurality of batteries.

[0021] The battery in the present disclosure usually includes electrodes. The electrode has a current collector and an electrode layer (a positive electrode active material layer or a negative electrode active material layer) disposed on at least one surface of the current collector. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the electrode in the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, the electrode E is, for example, a bipolar electrode BP having a current collector 1, a positive electrode active material layer 2 disposed on one surface of the current collector 1, and a negative electrode active material layer 3 disposed on the other surface of the current collector 1 in the thickness direction Z.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the battery in the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 10 preferably includes a plurality of electrodes E stacked in the thickness direction Z. The battery 10 shown in FIG. 4 has, as the electrodes E, a bipolar electrode BP1, a bipolar electrode BP2, a positive electrode side end electrode CA, and a negative electrode side end electrode AN. The bipolar electrode BP1 and the bipolar electrode BP2 each have a current collector 1, a positive electrode active material layer 2 disposed on one surface of the current collector 1, and a negative electrode active material layer 3 disposed on the other surface of the current collector 1. The positive electrode side end electrode CA has a current collector 1 and a positive electrode active material layer 2 disposed on one surface of the current collector 1. The negative electrode side end electrode AN has a current collector 1 and a negative electrode active material layer 3 disposed on one surface of the current collector 1. On the other hand, although not particularly shown, the battery in the present disclosure may not have a bipolar electrode.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 10 usually includes power generation units U (U1 to U3). The power generation unit U has a positive electrode active material layer 2, a negative electrode active material layer 3, and a separator (electrolyte layer) 4 disposed between the positive electrode active material layer 2 and the negative electrode active material layer 3. The power generation unit U shown in FIG. 4 is sealed by a seal member 5 and a cover member 6, and the inside of the power generation unit U is filled with an electrolytic solution 7. As a result, the positive electrode active material layer 2, the negative electrode active material layer 3, and the separator 4 are each impregnated with the electrolytic solution. Further, the battery in the present disclosure may have one power generation unit or may have two or more power generation units.

[0024] The battery 10 shown in FIG. 4 has a plurality of power generation units (U1, U2, U3) stacked in the thickness direction Z. As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of power generation units may be directly connected to each other. Also, although not particularly shown, the plurality of power generation units may be connected in parallel to each other. The plurality of power generation units are independent of each other so that the electrolytic solution does not flow between them. In FIG. 4, the plurality of power generation units U1 to U3 are independent of each other so that the electrolytic solution does not flow between them. For example, the power generation unit U1 and the power generation unit U2 are partitioned by the current collector 1 and the seal member 5 and are independent of each other. As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 10 preferably has a plurality of electrodes E stacked in the thickness direction Z and a seal member 5 disposed along the outer edges of the plurality of electrodes E as viewed from the thickness direction Z.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, the battery 10 may have a plurality of electrodes E stacked in the thickness direction Z and a laminate-type exterior body 8 that seals the plurality of electrodes E. In FIG. 5, an electrode body having a plurality of electrodes E and a seal member 5 is sealed by the laminate-type exterior body 8. The laminate-type exterior body is preferably a sheet in which an inner resin layer, a metal layer (for example, an aluminum layer), and an outer resin layer are stacked in this order.

[0026] Examples of the planar shape of the battery (the shape viewed from the thickness direction) include quadrilaterals such as squares and rectangles. The length of each side constituting the planar shape of the battery is, for example, 30 cm or more, may be 60 cm or more, and may be 1 m or more. On the other hand, the length of each of the above sides is, for example, 3 m or less. The battery in the present disclosure is typically a lithium-ion secondary battery.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a preparation process in the present disclosure. First, as shown in FIG. 6(a), bipolar electrodes BP1 and BP2 are prepared. The bipolar electrodes BP1 and BP2 each have frame members 5a and 5b for forming a sealing member, which are arranged along the outer edge of the current collector 1. Next, the negative electrode active material layer 3 in the bipolar electrode BP1 and the positive electrode active material layer 2 in the bipolar electrode BP2 are opposed to each other with a separator 4 interposed therebetween. At this time, at least a part of the outer edge of the separator 4 is disposed between the frame members 5a and 5b. Also, as shown in FIG. 6(a), an insert α and a frame member (spacer) 5c are disposed between the frame member 5a in the bipolar electrode BP1 and the frame member 5b in the bipolar electrode BP2. Next, although not particularly shown, a positive electrode side end electrode CA and a negative electrode side end electrode AN are also laminated. Then, the laminated plurality of frame members are welded to form a sealing member 5. In this way, a laminated member as shown in FIG. 6(b) is obtained. Next, as shown in FIG. 6(c), by removing the insert α from the obtained laminated member, a through hole β penetrating the sealing member 5 is formed. Next, although not particularly shown, an electrolytic solution is injected through the through hole, and after the injection, the through hole is sealed with resin. In this way, a battery 10 as shown in FIG. 4 is obtained.

[0028] 2. Laminated body forming process The laminated body forming process in the present disclosure is a process of forming a laminated body by disposing an intermediate member between a pair of the above-described batteries adjacent to each other in the thickness direction.

[0029] The intermediate member is disposed between a pair of batteries. The material of the intermediate member is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include metal, resin, and ceramics. Also, the intermediate member may have electronic conductivity or may have insulating properties. When the intermediate member has electronic conductivity, a pair of batteries in the laminated body may be electrically connected via the intermediate member. That is, the intermediate member may be used as a conductive plate. A pair of batteries in the laminated body may be connected in series or in parallel via the intermediate member.

[0030] FIG. 7(a) is a schematic plan view illustrating an intermediate member in the present disclosure, and FIG. 7(b) is a schematic side view illustrating the intermediate member in the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 7(a), when viewed from the thickness direction Z, the intermediate member 20 has a frame structure having an inner edge O1 and an outer edge O2. Further, as shown in FIG. 7(a), a region surrounded by the inner edge O1 of the frame structure is defined as the inside 25 of the frame structure. On the other hand, a region other than the region surrounded by the outer edge O2 of the frame structure is defined as the outside 26 of the frame structure. The communication portion P is a portion that communicates the inside 25 and the outside 26 of the frame structure. Further, the communication portion P usually extends in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction.

[0031] Here, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the inner edge O1 of the frame structure may be discontinuous due to the communication portion P. In such a case, the inner edge O1 is specified by approximating the discontinuous portion with a straight line connecting the inner ends of the communication portion P. Specifically, the inner edge O1 shown in FIG. 7(a) is discontinuous due to the communication portion P, but the inner edge O1 is specified by approximating the discontinuous portion with a straight line connecting the inner end P1 and the inner end P1' of the communication portion P.

[0032] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the outer edge O2 of the frame structure may be discontinuous due to the communication portion P. In such a case, the outer edge O2 is specified by approximating the discontinuous portion with a straight line connecting the outer ends of the communication portion P. Specifically, the outer edge O2 shown in FIG. 7(a) is discontinuous due to the communication portion P, but the outer edge O2 is specified by approximating the discontinuous portion with a straight line connecting the outer end P2 and the outer end P2' of the communication portion P.

[0033] When viewed from the thickness direction, the shape of the inner edge of the frame structure is not particularly limited, but is, for example, a quadrilateral such as a square or a rectangle. Similarly, when viewed from the thickness direction, the shape of the outer edge of the frame structure is not particularly limited, but is, for example, a quadrilateral such as a square or a rectangle.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 7(b) and FIG. 2(b), let the height of the intermediate member 20 be H. Also, as shown in FIG. 2(b), let the surface of the battery 10 facing one surface of the intermediate member 20 be S1, and the surface of the battery 10 facing the other surface of the intermediate member 20 be S2. Also, let the maximum height Rz on the surface S1 of the battery 10 be Rz1, and the maximum height Rz on the surface S2 of the battery 10 be Rz2. The maximum height Rz is determined based on JIS B 0601-2001. The height H, the maximum height Rz1, and the maximum height Rz2 may satisfy H≧Rz1+Rz2. Also, the height H is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

[0035] The intermediate member may have one communication part that communicates the inside and outside of the frame structure, or may have two or more communication parts. In particular, when the battery is large, by having two or more communication parts in the intermediate member, the adhesive can be uniformly injected into the inside of the frame structure. For example, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the intermediate member 20 may have two communication parts P arranged to face each other. Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the intermediate member 20 may have a communication part P on each side that constitutes the frame structure.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 7(b), the communication part P may be a notch part that penetrates the intermediate member 20 in the thickness direction Z. Also, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the communication part P may be a groove part that constitutes an open cross-section when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction Z. Also, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the communication part P may be a hollow part that constitutes a closed cross-section when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction Z.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1(b), the intermediate member 20 is disposed between a pair of adjacent batteries 10 (10A, 10B) in the thickness direction Z. When viewed from the thickness direction Z, the outer edge O2 of the intermediate member 20 is usually disposed inside the outer edges of a pair of adjacent batteries 10 (10A, 10B). Also, when viewed from the thickness direction Z, let the area of the overlapping part where the pair of batteries 10 overlap each other be S α and the area inside the frame structure in the intermediate member 20 be S β and Sα S with respect to β the ratio of (S β / S α ) is, for example, 50% or more, may be 70% or more, or may be 90% or more. On the other hand, S β / S α is usually less than 100%.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 10(a), the laminate L may have a plurality of batteries 10 arranged in the thickness direction Z and a plurality of intermediate members 20 respectively arranged between a pair of adjacent batteries 10. The number of batteries in the laminate is usually 2 or more, may be 3 or more, or may be 4 or more. Also, when the number of intermediate members in the laminate is M, for example, it is M - 1.

[0039] 3. Bonding step The bonding step in the present disclosure is a step of bonding the pair of batteries in the laminate using an adhesive. The bonding step includes at least an injection process of injecting the adhesive into the inside of the frame structure through the communication portion. Also, the bonding step may include at least one of a curing process and a degassing process described later.

[0040] The bonding step is usually performed in a state where the intermediate member and a pair of batteries respectively arranged on both sides of the intermediate member are in close contact. It is preferable that the intermediate member and the pair of batteries are in close contact in a state where a compressive force is applied in the thickness direction. That is, it is preferable that the laminate is in a state where a compressive force is applied in the thickness direction during the bonding step. On the other hand, the intermediate member and the pair of batteries may be in close contact due to their own weight.

[0041] (1) Injection process The injection process in the present disclosure is a process of injecting the adhesive into the inside of the frame structure through the communication portion. During the injection process, it is preferable that the laminate is in a state where a compressive force is applied in the thickness direction. This is because a battery module with better bonding between the batteries can be obtained.

[0042] The adhesive preferably contains an adhesive resin. Examples of the adhesive resin include curable resins such as thermosetting resins and ultraviolet curable resins, and thermoplastic resins. Among them, thermosetting resins are preferred. The thermosetting resin may be a heat-curing type resin or a room-temperature curing type resin. Also, the thermosetting resin may be a one-component type resin or a two-component mixed type resin. Examples of the thermosetting resin include epoxy resins, urethane resins, and silicone resins. Also, the viscosity of the adhesive is not particularly limited and is appropriately selected according to the height of the intermediate member (the gap between a pair of batteries).

[0043] As a method of injecting the adhesive into the inside of the frame structure, for example, a method using a nozzle can be mentioned. For example, the laminate L shown in Fig. 10(a) has a plurality of batteries 10 arranged in the thickness direction Z and a plurality of intermediate members 20 respectively arranged between a pair of adjacent batteries 10. Also, a nozzle 40 is arranged between a pair of adjacent batteries 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the intermediate member 20 has a frame structure having a communication portion P. Also, as shown in Fig. 10(a), the nozzle 40 is inserted into the communication portion (not shown) of the intermediate member 20, and the tip 41 of the nozzle 40 penetrates into the inside 25 of the frame structure. Next, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the adhesive 31 is injected into the inside 25 of the frame structure through the nozzle 40. For example, when the adhesive 31 is a curable resin, an adhesive layer is formed by performing a curing process described later.

[0044] When the volume of the inside of the frame structure is V3 and the volume of the adhesive injected by the injection process is V2, the ratio of V2 to V3 (V2 / V3) is, for example, 50% or more, may be 70% or more, or may be 90% or more. On the other hand, V2 / V3 is, for example, 100% or less.

[0045] (2) Curing treatment The curing process in the present disclosure is a process of curing the above-mentioned adhesive after the above-mentioned injection process. The curing process is usually a process performed when the adhesive contains a curable resin. During the curing process, it is preferable that the laminate is in a state where a compressive force is applied in the thickness direction. This is because a battery module in which the batteries are joined better can be obtained.

[0046] The conditions of the curing process are not particularly limited and are appropriately selected according to the type of the adhesive. Further, when the adhesive contains a curable resin, it is preferable to cure the adhesive by the heat generated by charging or discharging the battery. This is because the manufacturing process can be shortened. For example, for the purpose of output inspection of the battery, the battery may be charged and discharged. Although heat is generated by charging and discharging the battery, the manufacturing process can be shortened by using the generated heat to cure the adhesive.

[0047] (3) Degassing process The degassing process in the present disclosure is a process of degassing the interior through the above-mentioned communication part before the above-mentioned injection process. By performing the degassing process, the injection of the adhesive becomes smooth. Further, during the degassing process, it is preferable that the laminate is in a state where a compressive force is applied in the thickness direction. This is because it is possible to prevent gas from flowing into the interior of the intermediate member during the degassing process.

[0048] As a method of degassing the interior of the intermediate member, for example, a method using a nozzle can be mentioned. For example, as shown in FIG. 10(a), it is preferable to degas the interior 25 of the frame structure through a nozzle 40 inserted into a communication part (not shown) of the intermediate member 20. The nozzle is connected to a vacuum pump, for example, via a pipe. Further, the nozzle used for the degassing process may be the same as the nozzle used for the above-mentioned injection process.

[0049] In the present disclosure, it is preferable to adjust the volume of the adhesive injected by the injection process according to the volume of the gas degassed by the degassing process. For example, as shown in FIG. 10(a), since there are irregularities on the surface of the battery 10, the volume inside the frame structure 25 also varies. When a certain amount of adhesive is injected into the interior 25 with volume variations, there may be problems such as poor bonding due to insufficient adhesive or adhesive overflow due to excessive adhesive. In contrast, by adjusting the volume of the injected adhesive according to the volume of the degassed gas, an appropriate amount of adhesive can be injected into the interior of the frame structure.

[0050] Let the volume of the gas degassed by the degassing process be V1, and the volume of the adhesive injected by the injection process be V2. It is preferable that V1 and V2 satisfy V2 ≤ V1. V1 can be obtained, for example, by the following method. First, calculate the amount of degassed gas Δn from the flow rate and time in the degassing process. Next, calculate V1 from V1 = RT×Δn / ΔP using the calculated Δn and the pressure difference (ΔP) before and after degassing. Also, V2 can be obtained, for example, based on the flow rate and time of the adhesive discharged from the nozzle. Also, V2 / V1 is, for example, 0.5 or more, may be 0.7 or more, and may be 0.9 or more. On the other hand, V2 / V1 is, for example, 1.0 or less.

[0051] (4) Adhesive layer In the joining step, an adhesive layer for joining a pair of batteries is formed inside the frame structure. The thickness of the adhesive layer is usually the same as the thickness of the intermediate member. Also, when the area inside the frame structure is S a when viewed in the thickness direction, and the area of the adhesive layer is S b , the ratio of S a to S b (S b / S a ) is, for example, 50% or more, may be 70% or more, and may be 90% or more. On the other hand, S b / S a is usually 100% or less.

[0052] 4. Battery Module The battery module manufactured by the method described above will be described in "B. Battery Module" which will be described later.

[0053] B. Battery Module As shown in FIG. 1(c), the battery module 100 in the present disclosure includes a plurality of batteries 10 arranged in the thickness direction Z, and an intermediate member 20 disposed between a pair of adjacent batteries 10 (10A, 10B) in the thickness direction Z. Further, as shown in FIG. 1(a), when viewed from the thickness direction Z, the intermediate member 20 has a frame structure. Further, the intermediate member 20 has a communication portion P that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure. Further, the battery module 100 has an adhesive layer 30 that joins a pair of batteries 10 inside the frame structure.

[0054] According to the present disclosure, by using an intermediate member having a frame structure and forming an adhesive layer inside the frame structure, a battery module in which the batteries are well joined is obtained.

[0055] 1. Battery The battery in the present disclosure is the same as the content described in the above "A. Manufacturing Method of Battery Module", and thus the description here is omitted.

[0056] 2. Intermediate Member The intermediate member in the present disclosure is disposed between a pair of the adjacent batteries in the above thickness direction. Further, when viewed from the thickness direction, the intermediate member has a frame structure. Further, the intermediate member has a communication portion that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure. Since the intermediate member is the same as the content described in "A. Manufacturing Method of Battery Module", the description here is omitted.

[0057] 3. Adhesive Layer The battery module in the present disclosure has an adhesive layer that joins the pair of the batteries inside the above frame structure. The adhesive layer usually contains at least an adhesive. Since the adhesive is the same as the content described in "A. Manufacturing Method of Battery Module", the description here is omitted.

[0058] 4. Battery Module As the application of the battery module in the present disclosure, for example, power sources for vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), gasoline vehicles, and diesel vehicles can be mentioned. In particular, it is preferably used as a driving power source for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), or battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Further, the battery pack in the present disclosure may be used as a power source for moving bodies other than vehicles (for example, railways, ships, and aircraft), and may also be used as a power source for electrical products such as information processing devices.

[0059] Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The above-described embodiments are examples, and any configuration that has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea described in the claims of the present disclosure and exhibits the same operational effects is included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0060] 1... Current collector 2... Positive electrode active material layer 3... Negative electrode active material layer 4... Separator E... Electrode BP... Bipolar electrode U... Power generation unit 10... Battery 20... Intermediate member 30... Adhesive layer 100... Battery module

Claims

1. A preparation step of preparing a plurality of batteries; A laminate forming step of forming a laminate by disposing an intermediate member between a pair of adjacent batteries in the thickness direction; A joining step of joining the pair of batteries in the laminate using an adhesive; characterized by comprising: When viewed from the thickness direction, the intermediate member has a frame structure; The intermediate member has a communication portion that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure; The joining step includes an injection process of injecting the adhesive into the inside of the frame structure through the communication portion, and a method for manufacturing a battery module.

2. The joining step includes a degassing process of degassing the inside through the communication portion before the injection process; Let the volume of the gas degassed by the degassing process be V １ and let the volume of the adhesive injected by the injection process be V ２ When this is the case, the V １ and the V ２ satisfy V ２ ≤ V １ The method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 1, which satisfies this condition.

3. The adhesive contains a thermosetting resin; The joining step includes a curing process of curing the adhesive after the injection process; The curing process is a process of curing the adhesive by heat generated by charging or discharging the battery, and the method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 1.

4. The pair of batteries in the laminate are electrically connected via the intermediate member, and the method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 1.

5. The battery includes a plurality of electrodes laminated in the thickness direction, and includes a bipolar electrode as the electrode, and the method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 1.

6. The planar shape of the battery when viewed from the thickness direction is a quadrangle; The length of each side constituting the quadrangle is 30 cm or more, and the method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 1.

7. The battery has a plurality of electrodes laminated in the thickness direction and a laminate-type exterior body that seals the plurality of electrodes, and the method for manufacturing a battery module according to claim 1.

8. A battery module having a plurality of batteries arranged in the thickness direction; An intermediate member disposed between a pair of adjacent batteries in the thickness direction; characterized in that: When viewed from the thickness direction, the intermediate member has a frame structure; The intermediate member has a communication portion that communicates the inside and the outside of the frame structure; The battery module has an adhesive layer for joining the pair of batteries inside; The intermediate member has electronic conductivity; The pair of batteries are electrically connected via the intermediate member, and a battery module.

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