Battery Cell Pressing Fixture

Abstract

The disclosed invention relates to a pressure tool for assembling battery cells, comprising: a lower plate having a first pressure member on an upper surface thereof for seating and aligning a plurality of battery cells; an upper plate having a second pressure member on its lower surface thereof, the second pressure member being provided on an upper portion of the lower plate and allowing the plurality of battery cells to be seated in an aligned state; pressure means for applying pressure between the upper plate and the lower plate in the direction of the battery cells; and a plurality of sensing members coupled to the upper plate so as to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery cell pressing jig, and more particularly, to a battery cell pressing jig for pressing and assembling battery cells for manufacturing a battery module.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0027690, filed on March 3, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the document of the Korean patent application are included as part of this specification.

Background Art

[0003] In recent years, rechargeable secondary batteries have been widely used as an energy source for wireless mobile devices.

[0004] In addition, secondary batteries are presented not only as an energy source for portable devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, and camcorders, but also as an energy source for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, etc., which are measures for solving air pollution caused by existing gasoline vehicles and diesel vehicles using fossil fuels.

[0005] Therefore, the types of applications using secondary batteries are very diverse due to the advantages of secondary batteries, and it is expected that secondary batteries will be applied to more fields and products in the future.

[0006] Such secondary batteries are classified into lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, lithium polymer batteries, etc. according to the composition of the electrode and the electrolyte, and the use amount of lithium-ion polymer batteries with less possibility of electrolyte leakage and easy manufacturing is increasing.

[0007] Generally, secondary batteries are classified into cylindrical batteries and prismatic batteries in which the electrode assembly is built into a cylindrical or prismatic metal can according to the shape of the battery case, and prismatic battery cells in which the electrode assembly is built into a pouch-type case of an aluminum laminate sheet.

[0008] The electrode assembly incorporated in the battery case has a structure in which a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator are interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, and is a power generation element capable of charge and discharge. It is classified into a jelly roll type in which a separator is interposed between a long sheet-shaped positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with respective active materials and wound, and a stack type in which a large number of positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates formed in a predetermined size are sequentially laminated with a separator interposed therebetween.

[0009] On the other hand, such a battery cell is manufactured through an assembly process of assembling the battery cell and an activation process of activating it. In the activation stage, the process of charging and discharging a certain voltage to the produced battery cell is repeated several times, and finally, it is shipped as a battery cell having the required voltage.

[0010] Here, when manufacturing the battery module, the battery cell is assembled via a pressing jig.

[0011] At this time, when checking the state of the battery cell with the pressing jig assembled to the battery cell, after separating the pressing jig from the battery cell, the presence or absence of abnormalities in the battery cell was checked.

[0012] That is, when a short circuit or the like occurs in the battery cell, there are problems such as the annoyance that the voltage of the battery cell must be measured every time after separating the battery cell from the pressing jig and the long manufacturing time.

[0013] Also, when charging and discharging the battery cell, there is a problem that operations such as having to perform the work after separating the pressing jig from the battery cell are troublesome.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0014]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0015] The present invention is for solving the above-described problems, and when a short circuit occurs in a battery cell in a state where a pressing jig is assembled to the battery cell for manufacturing a battery module, it measures the voltage of the battery cell without separating the pressing jig and enables charging and discharging of the battery cell. An object of the present invention is to provide a battery cell pressing jig.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0016] In order to achieve the above-described problems, the present invention provides, in a pressing jig for assembling a battery cell, a lower plate having a first pressing member provided on an upper surface so that a plurality of battery cells are seated and aligned, an upper plate provided above the lower plate and having a second pressing member provided on a lower surface so that the plurality of battery cells are seated in an aligned state, a pressing means for mutually pressing the upper plate and the lower plate in the battery cell direction, and a plurality of sensing members coupled on the upper plate so as to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells.

[0017] As one example, the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell.

[0018] As another example, the first pressing member has a plurality of first seating grooves formed on an upper surface where a lower outer periphery of the battery cell abuts and is seated, and the second pressing member has a plurality of second seating grooves formed on a lower surface where an upper outer periphery of the battery cell abuts and is seated.

[0019] As a specific example, the first pressing member and the second pressing member are made of foam.

[0020] As another specific example, a plurality of sensing holes into which the sensing members are inserted and installed are formed penetrating the upper plate.

[0021] As another specific example, the sensing member is disposed vertically above the position of the electrode terminal of the battery cell that is seated on the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

[0022] As one example, the sensing member is a Pogopin whose conductive tip electrically connected to the electrode terminal of the battery cell is retractable by a built-in elastic member.

[0023] As another example, the sensing member is a measurement pin including a tip formed of a conductive material so as to be electrically connected to the electrode terminal of the battery cell.

[0024] As one example, it further includes a measuring device for measuring the current or voltage of the battery cell electrically connected to the sensing member.

[0025] As another example, it further includes a charge and discharge device for charging and discharging the battery cell electrically connected via the sensing member.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, when a short circuit occurs in the battery cell while the pressure jig is assembled to the battery cell for manufacturing the battery module, the voltage of the battery cell can be measured and the battery cell can be charged and discharged without separating the pressure jig. As a result, the manufacturing time of the module can be shortened, and the productivity of the battery module can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

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Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0028] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. Before that, terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meanings and concepts consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain his own invention in the best way.

[0029] Terms such as "comprising" and "having" used throughout the specification of the present invention are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude in advance the presence or addition possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] Also, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is said to be "on" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly on" another part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is said to be "under" another part, it includes not only the case where it is "directly under" another part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Also, being "arranged on" in the specification of the present invention can include not only the upper part but also the case of being arranged in the lower part.

[0031] In addition, when it is stated that a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is "above" another part, this includes not only the case where it is directly above the other part but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when it is stated that a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is "below" another part, this includes not only the case where it is directly below the other part but also the case where there is another part in between. Also, in this application, being "disposed above" can include the case of being disposed not only at the upper part but also at the lower part.

[0032] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a battery cell pressurizing jig according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the battery cell pressurizing jig according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the battery cell pressurizing jig according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing schematically showing a state in which a sensing member according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in the battery cell pressurizing jig. FIG. 5 is a drawing schematically showing a sensing member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] The battery cell pressurizing jig 1 according to the present invention is for installing a plurality of battery cells 3 for manufacturing a battery module, and includes a lower plate 10, an upper plate 20, a pressurizing means 30, and a sensing member 50.

[0034] The lower plate 10 is provided with a first pressurizing member 11 on the upper surface so that a plurality of battery cells 3 can be seated and aligned.

[0035] The first pressurizing member 11 is formed with a plurality of first seating grooves 11a on the upper surface so that the lower outer periphery of the battery cell 3 can be in contact and seated, and the edges of the first seating grooves 11a are formed to project upward in a form that wraps around the lower outer periphery of the battery cell 3.

[0036] The upper plate 20 is provided above the lower plate 10 and is formed with a plurality of second seating grooves 21a on which the upper outer periphery of the battery cell 3 seated on the first pressurizing member 11 of the lower plate 10 can be in contact and seated.

[0037] Also at this time, the edge of the second seating groove 21a protrudes downward in a form that wraps around the upper outer periphery of the battery cell 3.

[0038] In this way, the first pressing member 11 and the second pressing member 21 are formed in a shape in which a plurality of first seating grooves 11a and second seating grooves 21a are recessed, and the edges of the first seating grooves 11a and the second seating grooves 21a protrude in a sharp shape, so that the battery cell 3 can be easily seated and the seated battery cells 3 do not interfere with each other.

[0039] Here, the battery cell 3 can be a cylindrical battery cell, and each of the seating grooves 11a, 21a is formed in a shape corresponding to the cylindrical battery cell so as to be installed in the plurality of seating grooves 11a, 21a formed in the first pressing member 11 and the second pressing member 21, respectively.

[0040] On the other hand, the first pressing member 11 and the second pressing member 21 can be made of a foam having a predetermined compression ratio.

[0041] And the pressing means 30 presses and fixes the upper plate 20 and the lower plate 10 toward each other in the direction of the battery cell 3.

[0042] Here, the pressing means 30 can be composed of a fastening member including a bolt.

[0043] A plurality of fastening holes (not shown) are formed through the edge of the upper plate 20 at regular intervals, and fastening grooves (not shown) corresponding to the fastening holes are formed in the edge of the lower plate 10.

[0044] With the structure as described above, after positioning the fastening holes of the upper plate 20 and the fastening grooves of the lower plate 10 to correspond to each other, the battery cell 3 installed in the upper plate 20 and the lower plate 10 can be pressed by binding a fastening member to the fastening holes and the fastening grooves.

[0045] At this time, the pressing means 30 is fastened to press the upper plate 20 against the lower plate 10. As a result, the first pressing member 11 and the second pressing member 21 come into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the battery cell 3 to press a plurality of battery cells 3, thereby enabling resizing of the length of the battery cell 3.

[0046] And the sensing member 50 is coupled onto the upper plate 20 so as to be electrically connected to a plurality of battery cells 3.

[0047] For this purpose, the sensing member 50 forms an electrically accessible electrical path by contacting and being electrically connected to the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3. For example, the voltage of the battery cell 3 can be measured via the sensing member 50 without disassembling the battery cell pressing jig 1.

[0048] Also, the battery cell 3 can be charged and discharged while being fixed to the battery cell pressing jig 1 by using the sensing member 50.

[0049] In addition, the sensing member 50 can measure the voltages of a plurality of battery cells 3 by contacting a bus bar that interconnects the plurality of battery cells 3, and can also charge and discharge the plurality of battery cells 3 simultaneously.

[0050] On the other hand, a plurality of sensing holes 23 for inserting and installing the sensing member 50 are formed through the upper plate 20.

[0051] In this way, a plurality of sensing holes 23 are formed in the upper plate 20, and by inserting and installing the sensing member 50 into the sensing hole 23 at a position corresponding to the electrode terminal 3a of each battery cell 3, the voltage of the battery cell 3 can be easily measured.

[0052] Here, the sensing hole 23 is formed in a long slot shape in the longitudinal direction of the upper plate 20, and the sensing member 50 can be inserted and separated in a forced fitting form.

[0053] As described above, by forming a plurality of sensing holes 23 in the upper plate 20, the sensing member 50 is disposed vertically above the position of the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3 that is seated on the first pressing member 11 and the second pressing member 21.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sensing hole 23 is formed in a long slot shape, but the sensing hole 23 may also be formed in a circular shape, and the form of the sensing hole 23 is not limited thereto.

[0055] Further, in one embodiment of the present invention, the sensing member 50 is detachably inserted and installed in the sensing hole 23, but the sensing member 50 may also be fixed to the sensing hole 23 and integrally provided. In this case, the sensing member 50 is fixedly provided at a position corresponding to the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3.

[0056] On the other hand, the sensing member 50 is composed of a pogo pin (Pogo-pin: 51) whose conductive tip electrically connected to the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3 can advance and retract by an internal elastic member.

[0057] Specifically, the pogo pin 51 has a cylindrical outer shape, an elastic member such as a spring is installed inside, the tip for probing the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3 is made of a conductive metal material, and after being inserted into the sensing hole 23 of the upper plate 20, it advances toward the battery cell 3 and elastically contacts the electrode terminal 3a to make an electrical connection.

[0058] As described above, by elastically connecting the pogo pin 51 to the electrode terminal 3a, electrical characteristics such as the voltage or current of the battery cell 3 can be accurately inspected.

[0059] Here, the battery cell pressurizing jig 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a measuring device 60 that is electrically connected to the sensing member 50 and measures the current or voltage of the battery cell 3.

[0060] Furthermore, it may further include a charge / discharge device 70 that directly performs charge and discharge on the battery cell 3 while being electrically connected to the sensing member 50 without removing the battery cell pressurizing jig 1.

[0061] At this time, one side of the sensing member 50 exposed outside the upper plate 20 is connected to the measuring device 60 and the charge / discharge device 70 by electrical wiring, so that a current can be applied to the battery cell 3, the voltage can be measured, or the battery cell 3 can be charged and discharged.

[0062] (Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a drawing schematically showing a state in which a sensing member according to another embodiment of the present invention is installed in a battery cell pressurizing jig. FIG. 7 is a drawing schematically showing a sensing member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sensing member 50 according to the second embodiment includes a measurement pin 56 having a conductive tip electrically connected to the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3 at the lower part.

[0064] Specifically, the measurement pin 56 is a rod-shaped body, made of a conductive metal material that probes the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3, with a tip formed at the lower part and a cover body made of a synthetic resin material formed on the outer periphery.

[0065] As described above, after installing the measurement pin 56 in the sensing hole 23 of the upper plate 20, pressurize it toward the battery cell 3, and bring the tip formed at the lower part of the measurement pin 56 into contact with the electrode terminal 3a of the battery cell 3, thereby electrically connecting to the battery cell 3.

[0066] The above has been illustrated and described in connection with specific embodiments, but it will be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope not departing from the spirit and scope of the invention shown in the claims.

Industrial Applicability

[0067] The present invention is useful for use in the manufacture of secondary batteries including cylindrical battery cells.

Explanation of Signs

[0068] 1: Battery cell pressing jig 3: Battery cell 3a: Electrode terminal 10: Lower plate 11: First pressing member 11a: First seating groove 20: Upper plate 21: Second pressing member 21a: Second seating groove 30: Pressing means 50: Sensing member 51: Pogo pin 56: Measuring pin 60: Measuring device 70: Charge and discharge device

Claims

1. In a pressing jig for assembling battery cells, a lower plate having a first pressing member provided on an upper surface thereof so that a plurality of battery cells are seated and aligned; an upper plate provided above the lower plate and having a second pressing member provided on a lower surface thereof so that the plurality of battery cells are seated in an aligned state; pressing means for pressing the upper plate and the lower plate against each other in the battery cell direction; a plurality of sensing members coupled on the upper plate so as to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; comprising the sensing member is a pogo pin in which a conductive tip electrically connected to an electrode terminal of the battery cell is movable forward and backward by a built-in elastic member, the battery cell pressing jig.

2. The battery cell pressing jig according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell.

3. The first pressing member has a plurality of first seating grooves formed on an upper surface thereof where a lower outer circumference of the battery cell abuts and is seated, The battery cell pressing jig according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second pressing member has a plurality of second seating grooves formed on a lower surface thereof where an upper outer circumference of the battery cell abuts and is seated.

4. The battery cell pressing jig according to claim 3, wherein the first pressing member and the second pressing member are made of foam.

5. The battery cell pressing jig according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of sensing holes into which the sensing members are inserted and installed are formed through the upper plate.

6. In a pressing jig for assembling battery cells, a lower plate having a first pressing member provided on an upper surface thereof so that a plurality of battery cells are seated and aligned; an upper plate provided above the lower plate and having a second pressing member provided on a lower surface thereof so that the plurality of battery cells are seated in an aligned state; pressing means for pressing the upper plate and the lower plate against each other in the battery cell direction; a plurality of sensing members coupled on the upper plate so as to be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells; comprising the sensing member is disposed vertically above a position of an electrode terminal of the battery cell seated on the first pressing member and the second pressing member, the battery cell pressing jig.

7. The sensing member is a measurement pin including a tip formed of a conductive material so as to be electrically connected to an electrode terminal of the battery cell, the battery cell pressing jig according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The battery cell pressurizing jig according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a measuring device for measuring the current or voltage of the battery cell electrically connected to the sensing member.

9. The battery cell pressurizing jig according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a charging and discharging device for charging and discharging the battery cell electrically connected via the sensing member.

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