Apparatus and method for forming energy storage modules

Abstract

To provide a formation device that performs injection molding at a low cost and in a short cycle.SOLUTION: A formation device of a power storage module is a formation device of a power storage module 2 in which a liquid injection port is formed along a side surface of a thin plate-like module main body 21 in a vertical direction. The formation device of the power storage module, comprises: a lateral mold 11 in which a resin is molded to a shape of the liquid injection port; an injection part 15 that injects the resin into the lateral mold 11; a press machine 16 that applies a pressure to the lateral mold 11, and prevents the resin implanted into the lateral mold 11 by the injection part 15 from being flown; a conveyance machine 12 that conveys the power storage module 2; and a hot blast generator 13 that blows a hot blast via a nozzle 14 against a place where the liquid injection port is formed in the module main body 21 in a state where the module main body 21 and the lateral mold 11 are brought into proximity by the conveyance of the conveyance machine 12 before the molding of the resin by the lateral mold 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a forming apparatus and a forming method used when forming a liquid injection port of a power storage module of a large lithium ion battery.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, large lithium ion batteries have been used. A large-sized power storage module is used in the lithium ion battery, and a liquid injection port is formed in this power storage module.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a method of suppressing variations in residual stress of the resin part of a module and preventing deformation such as warping of the module by applying pressure while heating the power storage module.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the method of applying pressure while heating the conventional power storage module described above, when preheating is performed before injection molding of the resin part, after performing a step of heating the entire power storage module using a furnace, the injection molding step was performed.

[0006] At this time, for example, after setting the mold in the pre-injection stage, preheating was performed for 60 minutes to heat the entire power storage module, and then the injection molding step was transported to the position in 60 seconds for injection molding, and such a procedure was used.

[0007] However, heating the entire energy storage module using a furnace results in poor heating efficiency and requires large equipment, leading to high costs due to the need to prepare space for it. Furthermore, heating the entire energy storage module results in significant temperature variations, making it difficult to ensure quality, and the types of energy storage modules that can be used are limited, and it may not be possible to accommodate multiple electrode size patterns.

[0008] Furthermore, while a configuration in which injection molding is performed in four stages—pre-injection process, preheating process, injection molding process, and post-injection process—there is a desire to reduce costs by omitting some of the equipment corresponding to each process, and there is also a desire to shorten the cycle time and improve efficiency, given the long molding cycle.

[0009] This disclosure provides an apparatus and method for forming energy storage modules that perform injection molding at low cost and in a short cycle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The apparatus for forming an energy storage module according to this disclosure is used in large lithium-ion batteries and is an apparatus for forming an energy storage module in which a liquid injection port is formed along the side surface of a thin, plate-shaped module body in the vertical direction, and comprises: a horizontal mold for molding resin into the shape of a liquid injection port; an injection unit for injecting resin into the horizontal mold; a press machine that applies pressure to the horizontal mold to prevent the resin injected into the horizontal mold by the injection unit from flowing out; a conveyor for transporting the energy storage module; and a hot air generator that, before the resin is molded by the horizontal mold, blows hot air through a nozzle onto the location where the liquid injection port is formed on the module body when the module body and the horizontal mold are in close proximity due to transport by the conveyor. This allows for localized heating of only the area corresponding to the liquid injection port of the energy storage module using hot air, enabling injection molding of the resin.

[0011] The method for forming an energy storage module according to this disclosure is used in large lithium-ion batteries and is a method for forming an energy storage module in which a liquid injection port is formed along the side of a thin, plate-shaped module body in the vertical direction, and the forming apparatus comprises a horizontal mold for molding resin into the shape of a liquid injection port, an injection unit for injecting resin into the horizontal mold, a press machine for applying pressure to the horizontal mold to prevent the resin injected into the horizontal mold by the injection unit from flowing out, a conveyor for conveying the energy storage module in which the liquid injection port is formed, and a device for bringing the module body and the horizontal mold into close proximity before the resin is molded by the horizontal mold. The device comprises a hot air generator that blows hot air through a nozzle onto a location where an injection port is formed, the conveyor stopping transport before transporting the energy storage module into the horizontal mold, the nozzle being positioned so as to sandwich the location where the injection port is formed from above and below, the hot air being blown out from the nozzle to heat the location where the injection port is formed, and the heating being completed and the nozzle being retracted from the location where the injection port is formed, after which the energy storage module is placed into the horizontal mold and the injection unit injecting resin into the horizontal mold. This allows for localized heating of only the area corresponding to the liquid injection port of the energy storage module using hot air, enabling injection molding of the resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] This disclosure provides an apparatus and method for forming energy storage modules that can perform injection molding at low cost and in a short cycle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This figure shows an overview of the manufacturing process for the energy storage module according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This figure shows a state in which an energy storage module is arranged between a pair of nozzles according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4]This diagram shows the circulation of hot air from the hot air generator according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the operation flow of the forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of temperature change over time when localized heating is performed according to Embodiment 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Embodiment 1 The forming apparatus and forming method for the energy storage module according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus that performs preheating and resin injection molding in order to form the liquid injection port of the energy storage module of a large lithium-ion battery.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the development process for energy storage modules involves three stages: a pre-injection stage (hereinafter referred to as the first stage) in which the lower mold and intermediate mold are set up and prepared; a stage (hereinafter referred to as the second stage) in which injection molding is performed while preheating; and a post-injection stage (hereinafter referred to as the third stage) in which the mold and inserts are disassembled after injection, the tabs are cut, and the inserts are cleaned and inspected. Here, we will explain the equipment and operation used in the second stage.

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the forming apparatus 1. As shown in Figure 2, the forming apparatus 1 forms the liquid injection port on the energy storage module 2 by injection molding using the horizontal mold 11. As shown in Figure 2, the vertical direction in the forming apparatus 1 may be described below as the Z direction. Also, as will be described later, the direction in which the energy storage module 2 moves will be the X direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X and Z directions will be the Y direction.

[0017] As an example, the power storage module 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped plate shape with a length of 1500 mm in the X direction, a width of 1200 mm in the Y direction, and a plate thickness of 2 mm in the Z direction. In the side surface portion on the X-direction side of the power storage module 2, a liquid injection port extending about 600 mm in the Y direction is formed. This liquid injection port is formed by injection molding of resin as will be described later. Hereinafter, the location where the liquid injection port is formed is referred to as the liquid injection portion 22.

[0018] The forming device 1 includes a horizontal mold 11 that forms a liquid injection port with resin on the module main body 21 of the power storage module 2, a conveyor 12 that conveys the power storage module 2, a hot air generator 13, a nozzle 14 that is connected to the hot air generator 13 and blows hot air to the liquid injection portion 22 where the liquid injection port is formed, an injection portion 15 that injects resin into the horizontal mold 11, and a press 16 that applies pressure to the horizontal mold 11 to prevent the resin from flowing out.

[0019] As will be described later, the forming device 1 will be described assuming that a set of delivery nozzles 14a and recovery nozzles 14b are provided as the nozzle 14.

[0020] Also, in the forming device 1, with a part of the module main body 21 of the power storage module 2 inserted into the horizontal mold 11, resin is injected into the horizontal mold 11 by the injection portion 15 and pressure is applied by the press 16, so that a liquid injection port can be formed in the liquid injection portion 22 on the side surface of the module main body 21 in the X direction.

[0021] The horizontal mold 11 is a mold that forms the resin into the shape of the liquid injection port. In the forming device 1, after preheating a region including a part of the module main body 21 and a part of the horizontal mold 11 as will be described later, with the module main body 21 inserted into the horizontal mold 11, resin is inserted into the horizontal mold 11 by the injection portion 15 and injection molding is performed.

[0022] The conveyor 12 moves the energy storage module 2 in the X direction. This allows the conveyor 12 to move the module body 21 to a position near the horizontal unit 11 suitable for preheating and stop it there. Furthermore, after preheating is performed, the conveyor 12 can transport the module body 21 into the horizontal unit 11.

[0023] The hot air generator 13 generates hot air to preheat the module body 21 and the horizontal unit 11 of the energy storage module 2. The hot air generator 13 is connected to a discharge duct hose 13a and a recovery duct hose 13b. A discharge nozzle 14a is provided at the end of the discharge duct hose 13a, and a recovery nozzle 14b is provided at the end of the recovery duct hose 13b.

[0024] The discharge nozzle 14a is a discharge port that discharges hot air generated by the hot air generator 13. The recovery nozzle 14b is a recovery port that recovers the hot air discharged from the discharge nozzle 14a. Figure 3 shows the module body 21 positioned between the discharge nozzle 14a and the recovery nozzle 14b. Furthermore, Figure 4 shows the circulating state in which the hot air discharged from the hot air generator 13 and discharged from the discharge nozzle 14a to the module body 21 of the energy storage module 2 and the liquid injection section 22 where the liquid injection port is formed is recovered from the recovery nozzle 14b and returned to the hot air generator 13.

[0025] In other words, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the discharge nozzle 14a is positioned below the module body 21, the liquid injection section 22, and the horizontal unit 11, while the recovery nozzle 14b is positioned above the module body 21, the liquid injection section 22, and the horizontal unit 11, with the discharge nozzle 14a and the recovery nozzle 14b facing each other in the vertical direction.

[0026] Furthermore, the discharge nozzle 14a and the recovery nozzle 14b are shaped to cover the liquid injection section 22 along with a portion of the module body 21 of the energy storage module 2, and are positioned to cover them when heating is performed. More specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the discharge nozzle 14a and the recovery nozzle 14b are positioned to cover the module body 21 and the horizontal type 11 when the horizontal type 11 is in close proximity to the side of the module body 21 in the X direction, and before resin is injected into the horizontal type 11. After that, the discharge nozzle 14a can discharge hot air. This allows the discharge nozzle 14a and the recovery nozzle 14b to cover only the necessary areas for preheating.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, the dispensing nozzle 14a and the recovery nozzle 14b are formed to be long in the Y direction so that they can cover the liquid injection section 22 which is provided on the side of the module body 21 and is long in the Y direction.

[0028] The injection unit 15 is located above the horizontal mold 11 and is a resin injection unit that injects resin into the horizontal mold 11.

[0029] The press machine 16 prevents the resin injected by the injection unit 15 from flowing out of the horizontal mold 11 by applying pressure to the horizontal mold 11. Typically, the press machine 16 comprises a lower press machine 16a that supports the lower part of the horizontal mold 11 and an upper press machine 16b that applies downward pressure to the upper part of the horizontal mold 11. However, the direction in which the press machine 16 applies pressure to the horizontal mold 11 is not limited to these.

[0030] For example, the discharge nozzle 14a can be adjusted in position based on a predetermined position on the lower press machine 16a, and the recovery nozzle 14b can be adjusted in position based on a predetermined position on the conveyor 12. That is, the discharge nozzle 14a accesses the liquid injection port formation location from the lower press machine 16a side, while the recovery nozzle 14b accesses the liquid injection port formation location from the conveyor 12, sealing the liquid injection section 22 together with a part of the module body 21 and a part of the horizontal section 11 in its vicinity, and circulating hot air. From the above, it can be said that the hot air generator 13 and the nozzles 14 are incorporated as a forming device 1.

[0031] Next, an example of the operation of the forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Figure 5.

[0032] The transporter 12 transports the energy storage module 2 (step S1).

[0033] The conveyor 12 stops just before the module body 21 of the energy storage module is conveyed into the horizontal unit 11 (step S2). That is, it stops when the horizontal unit 11 is in close proximity to the X-direction side of the module body 21.

[0034] The dispensing nozzle 14a and the retrieval nozzle 14b access the module body 21 (step S3). More specifically, the dispensing nozzle 14a and the retrieval nozzle 14b move so as to cover the liquid injection section 22 and its vicinity on the X-side of the module body 21. That is, the dispensing nozzle 14a and the retrieval nozzle 14b cover the entire liquid injection section 22, as well as a part of the module body 21 and a part of the horizontal section 11.

[0035] Nozzle 14 blows hot air generated by the hot air generator 13 (step S4). More specifically, the hot air generated by the hot air generator 13 is sent from the discharge nozzle 14a via the discharge duct hose 13a to the liquid injection section 22 of the module body 21 and its vicinity from below to perform preheating. After that, the hot air is collected by the upper recovery nozzle 14b and returned to the hot air generator 13 via the recovery duct hose 13b.

[0036] Figure 6 shows an example of time and temperature changes when the liquid injection section 22 and its vicinity of the module body 21 are locally heated using the nozzle 14. As an example, the discharge nozzle 14a can raise the temperature of the module body 21 and the horizontal unit 11 to 60°C or higher by discharging 75°C hot air to the liquid injection section 22 and its vicinity for 120 seconds.

[0037] While compatibility can be ensured by preheating the energy storage module 2 and the horizontal mold 11 to approximately 60°C during injection molding, the temperature must not exceed the softening point of the adhesive used to bond the electrode foils. Therefore, it is desirable to limit the heat source temperature to 75°C.

[0038] Subsequently, the nozzle 14 retracts from the liquid injection section 22 of the module body 21 and its vicinity (step S5). At this time, as shown in Figure 5, stopping the delivery of hot air from the nozzle 14 lowers the temperature of the module body 21 and the horizontal unit 11, but the module body 21 and the horizontal unit 11 can maintain a sufficiently preheated state for up to about 60 seconds after stopping.

[0039] The conveyor 12 transports the energy storage module 2 into the horizontal unit 11 (step S6).

[0040] In the horizontal mold 11, the mold is closed once the energy storage module 2 is inserted. Subsequently, the injection unit 15 injects resin into the horizontal mold 11, and the press machine 16 applies pressure to the horizontal mold 11, thereby forming an injection port in the injection unit 22 on the X-direction side of the module body 21 (step S7).

[0041] In this way, the forming apparatus 1 can form the liquid injection port on the side surface of the module body 21 while ensuring robustness against variations in the unevenness of the side surface of the module body 21 by performing preheating in the area including the liquid injection section 22 where the liquid injection port is formed, and a part of the module body 21 and the horizontal type 11 in its vicinity.

[0042] This method using the forming apparatus 1 is more efficient than heating the entire energy storage module 2 using a furnace, as it only requires localized heating, resulting in a heating time of approximately 120 seconds. Furthermore, it is cost-effective because it does not require large-scale equipment.

[0043] Furthermore, because only the necessary localized areas are heated, rather than the entire energy storage module, temperature variations are minimized, making it easier to ensure quality.

[0044] Furthermore, since preheating is performed with only a localized area sealed, the shape of the module body 21 of the energy storage module 2 can be adapted to multiple patterns. For example, if preheating is desired in the forming apparatus 1, the nozzle 14 can be changed according to the shape of the module body 21, thereby reducing costs.

[0045] Furthermore, with the method using the forming apparatus 1, there is no need to separate the process of heating the entire energy storage module 2 using a furnace from the process of injection molding; it can be treated as a single second process that includes preheating and injection molding. Therefore, the forming apparatus 1 can shorten the cycle time required to form the liquid injection port in the energy storage module 2.

[0046] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. In other words, the above description has been omitted and simplified as appropriate for the sake of clarity, and those skilled in the art can easily change, add, and modify each element of the embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0047] For example, although the explanation described the horizontal unit 11 as being pre-set in the press machine 16 and only the energy storage module 2 being transported by the conveyor 12, it is also possible that the horizontal unit 11 is not set in the press machine 16 and the conveyor 12 transports both the energy storage module 2 and the horizontal unit 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1 Forming device 2 Energy storage modules 11 Horizontal 12 Conveyor 13. Hot air generator 13a Duct hose 13b Duct hose 14 nozzles 14a Dispensing nozzle 14b Recovery nozzle 15 Injection part 16 Press machine 16a Lower press machine 16b Upper press machine 21 Module body 22 Injection section

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming an energy storage module, wherein a liquid injection port is formed along the side surface of a thin, plate-shaped module body in the vertical direction, A horizontal mold for shaping the resin into the shape of the pouring port, The aforementioned horizontal injection unit for injecting resin, A press machine that applies pressure to the horizontal mold to prevent the resin injected into the horizontal mold by the injection unit from flowing out, A conveyor for transporting the aforementioned energy storage module, Before the resin is molded by the horizontal mold, when the module body and the horizontal mold are in close proximity due to transport by the conveyor, a hot air generator is provided that blows hot air through a nozzle to the location where the liquid injection port is formed on the module body. A device for forming energy storage modules.

2. The aforementioned nozzle is A discharge nozzle for discharging hot air from the aforementioned hot air generator, The module includes a recovery nozzle for recovering the hot air that has been delivered from the delivery nozzle to the location where the liquid injection port of the module body is formed, Apparatus for forming an energy storage module according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned dispensing nozzle and the aforementioned recovery nozzle are, When the module body and the horizontal type are in close proximity, the area where the liquid injection port is formed is sealed, including a part of the module body and a part of the horizontal type. Apparatus for forming an energy storage module according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned dispensing nozzle and the aforementioned recovery nozzle are, With the discharge nozzle positioned downwards and the recovery nozzle positioned upwards opposite the discharge nozzle, and with the module body and the horizontal part sandwiched vertically, hot air is discharged from the discharge nozzle to heat the area where the liquid injection port is formed. The aforementioned conveying machine is After heating by the nozzle using hot air is completed and the nozzle is retracted, the module body is inserted into the horizontal interior. Apparatus for forming an energy storage module according to claim 3.

5. A method for forming an energy storage module in which a liquid injection port is formed along the side surface of a thin, plate-shaped module body in the vertical direction, The forming apparatus is A horizontal mold for shaping the resin into the shape of the pouring port, The aforementioned horizontal injection unit for injecting resin, A press machine that applies pressure to the horizontal mold to prevent the resin injected into the horizontal mold by the injection unit from flowing out, A conveyor for transporting the energy storage module in which the liquid injection port is formed, The system includes a hot air generator that, before the resin is molded by the horizontal mold, blows hot air through a nozzle onto the location where the liquid injection port is formed on the module body while the module body and the horizontal mold are in close proximity, The transporter stops transporting the energy storage module just before it is transported into the horizontal unit, The step of arranging the nozzle so as to sandwich the location where the liquid injection port is formed from above and below, The steps include: sending hot air from the nozzle and heating the area where the liquid injection port is formed, The process includes the steps of: after the heating is completed and the nozzle is retracted from the location where the liquid injection port is formed, the energy storage module is placed inside the horizontal mold, and the injection unit injects resin into the horizontal mold; A method for forming an energy storage module.

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