Method for bonding battery cells to heat sink and battery module manufactured using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery cell bonding method for strengthening the fixing force of a can-type battery cell by forming a glue guide of uniform height around a can-type battery cell bonded to one surface of a heat sink using glue, comprising: (a) applying glue with a uniform thickness using a dispenser device equipped with a nozzle over the entire surface of one surface of a heat sink to which the can-type battery cell is bonded; (b) positioning the can-type battery cell at regular intervals on the surface where the glue is applied; (c) forming the glue guide around the can-type battery cell by applying a constant pressure from the top of the can-type battery cell toward the heat sink; and (d) curing the glue.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery cell bonding method in which glue is applied to the front surface of a heatsink to form a glue guide of uniform height when bonding a battery cell to a heatsink, and a battery module manufactured using the same. Background Technology

[0003] With the increasing technological development and demand for mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras, technologies related to rechargeable secondary batteries are becoming more active. Furthermore, secondary batteries are being applied to electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), and energy storage devices (ESS) as alternative energy sources to fossil fuels that cause air pollutants.

[0004] Currently, widely used types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. The operating voltage of these unit secondary battery cells, or unit battery cells, is approximately 2.0V to 5.0V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, battery modules may be configured by connecting them in series or parallel depending on the output voltage or charge / discharge capacity, and it is common to manufacture a battery pack by adding additional components using at least one of these battery modules.

[0005] Since these battery modules are manufactured with lithium-ion batteries densely packed to account for factors such as energy density, it is important to easily dissipate the heat generated from each battery.

[0006] Therefore, it is common for battery modules to be equipped with cooling devices such as heat sinks.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a simplified drawing showing a part of a battery module according to the prior art.

[0008] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional battery module can be configured to include a battery cell (1), a housing (2) for housing and fixing the battery cell (1), a heat sink (3) for heat dissipation, and a thermally conductive adhesive for bonding the heat sink and the housing.

[0009] In order to securely fix the battery cell (1), a housing (2) with a structure capable of housing each battery cell (1) as shown in Fig. 1 must be used, or a separate fixing frame must be assembled with the housing (2).

[0010] However, the battery module according to the prior art has the problem of the process becoming more complex and the manufacturing cost increasing because a heat-conductive adhesive for bonding the heat sink and the housing and a fixing structure for fixing the battery cell (1) must be additionally formed in the housing (2) or separate parts must be used. The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention aims to provide a battery cell bonding method comprising applying glue to the front surface of a heatsink when bonding a battery cell to a heatsink so as to form a glue guide of uniform height in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a battery module manufactured using the same. means of solving the problem

[0014] A battery cell bonding method according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose comprises, in order to strengthen the fixing force of a can-type battery cell by forming a glue guide of uniform height around a can-type battery cell bonded to one surface of a heat sink using glue, the steps of: (a) applying glue with a uniform thickness using a dispenser device equipped with a nozzle over the entire surface of one surface of the heat sink to which the can-type battery cell is bonded; (b) positioning the can-type battery cell at regular intervals on the surface where the glue is applied; (c) forming the glue guide around the can-type battery cell by applying a constant pressure from the top of the can-type battery cell toward the heat sink; and (d) curing the glue.

[0015] In addition, the battery cell bonding method according to the present invention is characterized in that the nozzle is a spread nozzle.

[0016] In addition, the battery cell bonding method according to the present invention is characterized in that the glue is a thermally conductive adhesive.

[0017] In addition, the battery cell bonding method according to the present invention is characterized in that the thermally conductive adhesive is one of a thermally conductive epoxy adhesive, a thermally conductive silicone adhesive, or a thermally conductive urethane adhesive.

[0018] In addition, the battery cell bonding method according to the present invention is characterized in that the can-type battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell.

[0019] In addition, the battery module according to the present invention comprises a can-type battery cell, a case for housing the can-type battery cell, and a heat sink for heat dissipation of the can-type battery cell, wherein the can-type battery cell is attached to one surface of the heat sink using the battery cell bonding method of the present invention.

[0020] In addition, the battery module according to the present invention is characterized in that the can-type battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell.

[0021] In addition, the battery module according to the present invention is characterized in that a heat sink has a flow path formed therein for the flow of refrigerant.

[0022] In addition, the battery pack according to the present invention is characterized by including the battery module of the present invention.

[0023] In addition, the device according to the present invention is characterized by including the battery pack of the present invention. Effects of the invention

[0025] The battery cell bonding method of the present invention has the advantage of stably fixing the battery cell without separate parts for fixing the battery cell.

[0026] In addition, the battery cell bonding method of the present invention has the advantage of allowing components such as housings to be designed simply during battery module manufacturing, thereby shortening manufacturing time and lowering manufacturing costs. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0028] FIG. 1 is a simplified drawing showing a part of a battery module according to the prior art. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a method of applying glue to one surface of a heat sink using a dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a glue guide formed by attaching a battery cell to one surface of a heatsink coated with glue according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section cut along the A-A' plane in the perspective view of FIG. 3 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0029] In this application, terms such as “comprising,” “having,” or “having” are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] In addition, the same reference numerals are used for parts having similar functions and operations throughout the drawings. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as being connected to another part, this includes not only cases where they are directly connected, but also cases where they are indirectly connected with other elements in between. Furthermore, unless specifically stated otherwise, the inclusion of a certain component does not exclude other components but implies that additional components may be included.

[0032] Hereinafter, a battery cell bonding method according to the present invention and a battery module manufactured using the same will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a method of applying glue to one surface of a heatsink using a dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a glue guide formed by attaching a battery cell to one surface of a heatsink to which glue has been applied according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section cut along the A-A' plane in the perspective view of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring specifically to FIGS. 2 to 4, the battery cell bonding method of the present invention is first applied to one surface of a heat sink (100) in a uniform thickness using a dispenser device equipped with a nozzle (10) for applying glue (200) in a uniform thickness and a glue supply unit (20) for supplying glue to the nozzle.

[0035] Next, the battery cells (300) are placed at a certain distance apart on one side of the heat sink (100) to which the glue (200) is applied, and pressure is applied to the battery cells (300) in the direction of the heat sink (100) so that a glue guide (210) is formed around the battery cells (300).

[0036] Next, the glue (200) is cured to fix the battery cell (300) to one side of the heat sink (100).

[0037] The heat sink (100) is a cooling device for maintaining the temperature of the battery cells during charging and discharging, and can be placed in direct contact with the battery cell (300) or placed in contact with the housing in which the battery cell (300) is housed.

[0038] Additionally, the heat sink (100) is generally formed of a material with excellent thermal conductivity, but a flow path for the flow of refrigerant may be formed inside to further facilitate heat dissipation.

[0039] Meanwhile, the glue (200) is placed on the contact surface between the battery cell (300) and the heat sink (100) to reduce the contact resistance between the battery cell (300) and the heat sink (100), and also functions as an adhesive to allow the battery cell (300) to be fixed to the heat sink (100).

[0040] It is preferable to use a thermally conductive adhesive as the glue (200), and various organic and / or inorganic thermally conductive adhesives such as thermally conductive epoxy adhesive, thermally conductive silicone adhesive, and thermally conductive urethane adhesive may be applied, but are not limited to these.

[0041] In addition, the glue (200) undergoes a process of being applied to one side of the heat sink (100) in the form of a liquid with a constant viscosity and then cured.

[0042] Here, various known methods can be used to cure the glue (200), for example, methods using heat, ultraviolet rays, or both heat and ultraviolet rays can be used depending on the composition of the glue (200), and if necessary, the glue (200) may further include a thermal initiator or a photoinitiator.

[0043] Additionally, the battery cell (300) of the present invention may be a can-type battery cell (300). Here, the can-type battery cell (300) is a battery cell in which an electrode assembly is embedded in a metal can, and depending on the shape of the metal can, it can generally be classified into a cylindrical battery cell and a prismatic battery cell.

[0044] Here, the cylindrical battery cell (300) is manufactured by generally housing a jelly-roll type (wound type) electrode assembly in a cylindrical case, injecting an electrolyte into the cylindrical case, and then attaching a top cap having electrode terminals formed on the open top of the case.

[0045] These can-type battery cells (300) can be connected in series and / or parallel to produce battery modules according to the required output and capacity, and multiple battery modules can be connected to produce battery packs and applied to various devices.

[0046] Although the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 4 as a cylindrical battery cell (300), the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto and a rectangular battery cell is also possible.

[0047] Meanwhile, as a device for applying glue (200) to one surface of the heat sink (100), any device capable of forming glue (200) with a uniform thickness over the entire surface of the heat sink (100) can be used without being limited to a specific device.

[0048] In the present invention, regarding the application of glue (200) to the entire surface of a heat sink (100) using a dispenser device, first, the dispenser device is a device that applies a liquid substance in an accurate amount and at an accurate location according to the desired discharge amount, and includes a nozzle (10) for applying glue (200) to a target, a glue supply unit (20) for supplying glue (200) to the nozzle (10), and a controller for controlling the overall operation of the dispenser.

[0049] Here, various nozzles (10) can be used depending on the shape to be applied, and in order to form glue (200) with a uniform thickness over one surface of the heat sink (100) as in the present invention, it is preferable to use a spread nozzle (10).

[0050] The thickness of the glue (200) applied with such a dispenser is approximately 0.2 mm, and the height of the glue guide (210) formed by placing the battery cell (300) and applying pressure is approximately 0.3-0.5 mm.

[0051] The reason the thickness of the glue (200) is formed to be about 0.2 mm is that, although the glue (200) is a thermally conductive adhesive, the thicker the glue (200), the lower the thermal conductivity becomes, and if the thickness is too thin, it is difficult to fix the battery cell (300) to the heat sink (100), and the glue guide (210) cannot be formed to the desired height.

[0052] Meanwhile, looking at the glue guide (210) in detail, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when a battery cell (300) is placed on a coated glue (200) having a certain viscosity and then pressed, the glue guide (210) is formed at a certain height along the outer surface of the battery cell (300) by the glue (200) pushed out from the lower surface of the pressed battery cell (300).

[0053] In order for such glue guides (210) to be formed with a uniform height on the outer surface of the battery cell (300), it is important to apply the glue (200) evenly over the entire surface with a uniform thickness.

[0054] If the applied glue (200) is not uniform, the glue guide (210) cannot be formed at a uniform height, and consequently, the battery cell (300) cannot properly perform its role of fixing against vibration or external shock, so in order to form a glue guide (210) of a uniform height, it is important to be able to apply the glue (200) evenly to the heat sink (100).

[0055] In addition, since the height of the glue guide (210) varies depending on the viscosity of the glue (200) and the thickness of the applied glue (200), it is necessary to appropriately select the viscosity of the glue (200) and the thickness of the application according to the height of the glue guide (210) to be formed.

[0056] By forming the glue guide (210) at an appropriate height in this way, unlike conventional technology, the battery cell (300) can be stably fixed on the heat sink (100) without a separate means of fixing the battery cell.

[0057] In addition, since separate battery cell fixing means are not required, the housing and other components can be manufactured simply, which has the effect of shortening manufacturing time and lowering manufacturing costs.

[0058] A battery module manufactured using the battery cell bonding method of the present invention can be manufactured into a battery pack, either individually or by connecting multiple modules, and used as a power source for various devices.

[0060] As specific parts of the present invention have been described in detail above, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that such specific descriptions are merely preferred embodiments and do not limit the scope of the invention, and that various changes and modifications are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention, and that such variations and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0062] 10: Nozzle 20: Glue supply unit 100 : Heatsink 200 : Glue 210 : Glue Guide 300: Battery cell

Claims

Claim 1 A battery cell bonding method for reinforcing the fixing force of a can-type battery cell by forming a glue guide of uniform height around the can-type battery cell bonded to one surface of a heat sink using glue, comprising: (a) applying glue with a uniform thickness using a dispenser device equipped with a nozzle over the entire surface of one surface of the heat sink to which the can-type battery cell is bonded; (b) positioning the can-type battery cell at a certain interval on the surface where the glue is applied; and (c) forming the glue guide around the can-type battery cell by applying a certain pressure from the top of the can-type battery cell toward the heat sink. and (d) a step of curing the glue; comprising, wherein the glue is a thermally conductive urethane adhesive, the can-type battery cell is a cylindrical battery cell, the thickness of the glue applied by the dispenser is 0.2 mm, the height of the glue guide formed by placing the battery cell and applying the pressure is 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm, the dispenser device includes a glue supply unit that supplies the glue to be applied to the nozzle and a controller that controls the operation of the dispenser device, and the glue guide is a battery cell bonding method capable of stably fixing the battery cell on the heat sink without a separate means for fixing the battery cell. Claim 2 A battery cell bonding method according to claim 1, characterized in that the nozzle is a spread nozzle. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 delete Claim 6 A battery module comprising: a can-shaped battery cell; a case for housing the can-shaped battery cell; and a heat sink for heat dissipation of the can-shaped battery cell, wherein the can-shaped battery cell is bonded to one surface of the heat sink using the battery cell bonding method of claim 1. Claim 7 delete Claim 8 A battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that the heat sink has a flow path formed therein for the flow of refrigerant. Claim 9 A battery pack comprising a battery module of either paragraph 6 or paragraph 8. Claim 10 A device comprising the battery pack of claim 9.

Images