Battery module manufacturing apparatus capable of switching between heating function and cooling function and battery module manufacturing method using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery module manufacturing apparatus capable of switching between heating and cooling functions and a manufacturing method thereof, and more specifically, to a battery module manufacturing apparatus comprising a pressing clamp (100) and a base clamp (200) positioned under the pressing clamp (100), wherein the base clamp (200) includes a temperature conversion unit capable of switching between heating and cooling functions, and a battery module manufacturing method thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2021-0092128, filed on July 14, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This invention relates to a battery module manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method using the same, and more specifically, to a battery module manufacturing apparatus comprising a temperature conversion unit capable of switching between heating and cooling functions to improve production efficiency and a battery module manufacturing method using the same. Prior Technology

[0003] With the increasing demand for portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, the demand for secondary battery packs has also surged due to their power source. Among these, lithium-ion secondary batteries, with their high energy density and long battery life, are the most widely used.

[0004] A lithium-ion secondary battery includes an electrode assembly configured such that a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode active material coated thereon and a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode active material coated thereon are disposed in a battery casing with a separator inserted between the positive and negative electrode plates, and the electrode assembly and electrolyte are received together in a hermetically sealed state. Generally, lithium-ion secondary batteries can be classified based on the shape of their sheathing components as can-type secondary batteries with electrode assemblies mounted in a metal can or bag-type secondary batteries with electrode assemblies mounted in a bag made of aluminum laminate.

[0005] Lithium-ion batteries are installed in a module housing with electrical connection components and safety components connected to them, and are secured by reversible or irreversible fixing components, thus manufacturing a battery module. The battery module manufacturing process is performed by automated equipment and typically includes unit processes such as fixing individual battery cells, cooling the battery module, and end-of-life (EOL) testing of the manufactured battery module. Because individual processes are performed as the battery module moves to their respective process locations, the overall process configuration is complex and the total production time is relatively long.

[0006] Specifically, the adhesive used in the structure of the battery module requires approximately 24 hours to fully cure at room temperature. Therefore, the battery module is manufactured using a high-temperature curing method with a high-temperature curing device to reduce processing time. Additionally, a separate cooling device is used to uniformly cool the battery module before EOL testing, or testing is performed after the battery module has been held for a predetermined time to cool.

[0007] Conventional battery module manufacturing processes involve applying adhesive to module assembly fixtures, inserting batteries, assembling the assembly, and performing high-temperature curing in a high-temperature curing agent for a predetermined time. However, this process is lengthy, and temperature variations exist between the batteries. Furthermore, a separate cooling process to eliminate temperature variations is necessary for end-of-life (EOL) detection when completing the next manufacturing process after high-temperature curing. Adding a separate cooling process to uniformly cool the battery modules, as described above, extends the manufacturing process time and causes congestion cycles in the overall process, thus delaying the overall production process.

[0008] Patent Document 1 relates to a battery pack manufacturing apparatus that couples a battery pack casing while individual battery cells are installed. Specifically, an apparatus is configured such that, with a product to be processed positioned on a lower clamping member, the product is pressed by a pressing clamping member, which is operated by a press to process the product. The press is mounted at the upper end of a frame of the apparatus, and the pressing clamping member is mounted on the frame by a tension spring. A sensing unit configured to detect the pressing force from the press is mounted on the pressing clamping member, and the pressure applied by the press is adjusted based on the pressure detected by the sensing unit.

[0009] Patent document 2 discloses a battery pack manufacturing method using a receiver configured to receive multiple batteries, a cover plate configured to close one surface of the receiver, and mounting bolts configured to mount the cover plate to an intermediate component. The receiver is equipped with a battery cell holder, and an adhesive is injected into the battery cell holder between the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell and the inner circumferential surface of the battery cell holder to fix the battery cell in the battery cell holder.

[0010] Patent document 3 discloses a method for manufacturing a battery module, in which thermosetting and ultraviolet-curable adhesives are added to the inner surface of a receiving portion, the receiving portion having multiple hollow structures formed in the module housing, cylindrical battery cells are installed in the receiving portion, heat is applied to the adhesive to reduce the viscosity of the adhesive, and ultraviolet light is used to irradiate the adhesive to finally harden the adhesive, thereby fixing the cylindrical battery cells to the module housing.

[0011] However, each of Patent Documents 1 to 3 relates to a battery module manufacturing apparatus or a battery module manufacturing method, without considering the fact that the hardening and cooling processes are constituted as separate processes, thereby increasing the total process time and thus affecting process efficiency.

[0012] Therefore, no technology has yet been proposed for a battery module manufacturing apparatus capable of switching between heating and cooling functions, which is considered an important issue in this invention. This would reduce the adhesive hardening time required to fix the battery cells and perform immediate cooling without moving them to another process, and thus potentially improve overall process efficiency and ensure productivity. [Previous Technical Documents] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-0884942 (Patent Document 2) Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-102353 (Patent Document 3) Korean Patent Publication Nos. 10-1090255 Summary of the Invention

[0013] [Technical Issues]

[0014] The present invention has taken into account the above problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a battery module manufacturing apparatus that can switch between heating and cooling functions in a single device, reduce hardening time and eliminate the need for further cooling processes, thereby improving production efficiency. [Technical Solutions]

[0015] The battery module manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned objective includes a pressing clamp (100) and a base clamp (200) positioned under the pressing clamp (100), wherein the base clamp (200) includes a temperature switching unit capable of switching between heating and cooling functions.

[0016] The temperature conversion unit may include a thermoelectric device (220), and the thermoelectric device (220) may heat or cool the battery module (300) located at the upper end of the base clamp (200) by changing the direction of the supplied current.

[0017] Thermoelectric equipment can be constructed using Peltier elements.

[0018] The heating pad (210) can be positioned at the upper end of the thermoelectric device (220).

[0019] The cooling unit can be located at the lower end of the thermoelectric device (220).

[0020] The cooling unit may include cooling fins (230).

[0021] The cooling unit may include one or more cooling fans (240) located at the lower end portion of the cooling fin (230).

[0022] A temperature sensor (250) electrically connected to the controller can be located at the temperature conversion unit, and the controller can use the received temperature data to control the temperature of the temperature conversion unit.

[0023] In addition, the present invention provides a battery module manufacturing method, comprising the steps of (s1) setting a heat transfer plate on a base fixture, (s2) placing a module housing at the upper end of the heat transfer plate, (s3) applying an adhesive to the inside of the battery cell receiving portion of the module housing, (s4) placing battery cells in the battery cell receiving portion and assembling the assembly, (s5) heating the upper end surface of the base fixture, and (s6) cooling the upper end surface of the base fixture.

[0024] The battery module manufacturing method may further include preheating the module housing in step (s2).

[0025] The direction of the current supply to the thermoelectric device located at the base clamp can be changed to perform heating in step (s5) and cooling in step (s6).

[0026] In addition, the present invention provides a battery module produced by the battery module manufacturing method according to the present invention.

[0027] In addition, the present invention can provide various combinations of the above solutions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] As is evident from the above description, in the battery module manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to switch between heating and cooling functions in a single device, thereby potentially simplifying process configuration, improving overall production efficiency, and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0029] No further cooling process is required, which makes it possible to prevent the battery module from moving or being impacted when it is being transported to the cooling process, and thus potentially improve the quality of the battery module. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0030] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base fixture and the pressing fixture configured to press the battery module.

[0032] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the base fixture taken along line A-A' in Figure 1.

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0034] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that these preferred embodiments can be readily implemented by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. However, in describing the operating principles of the preferred embodiments of the invention in detail, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted where such descriptions would obscure the subject matter of the invention.

[0035] Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used throughout the diagram to refer to parts that perform similar functions or operations. Where one part is referred to as "through this specification" and connects to another part, not only may one part be directly connected to the other, but one part may also be indirectly connected to the other via other parts. Additionally, including an element does not exclude other elements, but rather means that such elements may be included unless otherwise specified.

[0036] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, descriptions of elements embodied by limitation or addition are applicable to all inventions and do not limit any particular invention.

[0037] Furthermore, in the description of this invention and the scope of this application, unless otherwise mentioned, the singular form is intended to include the plural form.

[0038] Furthermore, in the specification of this invention and the claims of this application, unless otherwise stated, "or" includes "and". Therefore, "including A or B" means three cases, namely, including A, including B, and including both A and B.

[0039] In addition, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, all numerical ranges include the minimum value, the maximum value, and all intermediate values ​​between the minimum and the maximum value.

[0040] In the following description, the battery module manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a battery module manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a base fixture and a pressing fixture configured to press the battery module, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the base fixture taken along line A-A' of Figure 1.

[0042] When a battery module manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, the battery module manufacturing apparatus includes a pressing clamp 100 and a base clamp 200.

[0043] When describing the base clamp 200 in detail first, the base clamp 200 may include a base clamp frame 201, a mounting portion (not shown) configured to allow the battery module 300 to be mounted to its upper end surface, and a support portion (not shown) configured to support the battery module 300 mounted to the mounting portion so as not to move to the left, right, forward, or backward.

[0044] The mounting portion of the base clamp 200 can form a horizontal plane and may include a thermal pad 210 facing the lower end surface of the battery module 300 positioned at the upper end of the mounting portion, and the thermoelectric device 220 may be placed at the lower end of the thermal pad 210.

[0045] The heating pad 210 can effectively transfer heat.

[0046] In this invention, when the ends of two types of metals are connected to each other and current flows through them, one end of the thermoelectric device 220 constitutes a low-temperature section configured to perform heat absorption, and the other ends of the thermoelectric device constitute a high-temperature section configured to perform heat release depending on the direction of current flow. That is, when the direction of current flow in the thermoelectric device 220 changes, the low-temperature section and the high-temperature section of the thermoelectric device 220 are switched.

[0047] Thermoelectric device 220 includes a thermoelectric element, such as a Peltier element. When the ends of two types of metals are connected to each other and current flows through them, one end of the thermoelectric element constitutes a low-temperature section configured to perform endothermic operation, and the other end of the thermoelectric element constitutes a high-temperature section configured to perform exothermic operation depending on the direction of current flow. In this case, when semiconductors with different electrical conduction modes, such as bismuth and tellurium, are used instead of the two types of metals, it is possible to obtain a Peltier element capable of efficiently performing both endothermic and exothermic operations.

[0048] When electricity is supplied to the thermoelectric device 220, the heat absorption or heat release operation is performed towards the upper or lower part of the thermoelectric device 220, depending on the direction of the power supply.

[0049] First, the heating and cooling process of the base fixture 200 will be described.

[0050] When power is supplied, a heat absorption operation is performed at the lower part of the thermoelectric device 220, and a heat release operation is performed at the upper part of the thermoelectric device, heating the battery module 300 adjacent to the upper part of the thermoelectric device 220. Conversely, when a heat release operation is performed at the lower part of the thermoelectric device 220 and a heat absorption operation is performed at the upper part of the thermoelectric device 220, the battery module 300 adjacent to the upper part of the thermoelectric device 220 is cooled.

[0051] When heat absorption is performed at the lower portion of the thermoelectric device 220 and heat release is performed at the upper portion of the thermoelectric device, the heat generated by the upper portion of the thermoelectric device 220 can be effectively transferred to the battery module 300 located at the upper end of the heat pad 210 via the wide surface of the heat pad positioned at the upper portion of the thermoelectric device 220. Additionally, the battery module 300, located at the upper end of the base clamp 200, can be heated, and the battery cells 301 in the battery module 300, which will be described below, can be effectively adhered to the module housing 320. The battery module 300 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG4.

[0052] Meanwhile, although not shown in the diagram, it may include a power supply unit and a temperature display unit for the thermoelectric device 220, and may include a controller configured to control the switching of power and current directions.

[0053] When a heat absorption operation is performed at the upper portion of the thermoelectric device 220 and a heat release operation is performed at the lower portion of the thermoelectric device 220, the heat generated by the lower portion of the thermoelectric device 220 can be dissipated by a heat dissipation member adjacent to the lower portion of the thermoelectric device 220. Here, the heat dissipation member may include a cooling fin 230 and a cooling fan 240. The cooling fin 230 may be positioned at the lower end portion of the thermoelectric device 220 and may be positioned to correspond to the entire horizontal plane of the mounting portion (not shown) of the base clamp 300. In addition, at least one cooling fan 240 may be positioned at the lower end portion of the cooling fin 230.

[0054] The heat generated at the lower part of the thermoelectric device 220 can be transferred to the cooling plate 230, and the heat can be effectively discharged to the outside via the cooling fan 240 located at the lower end of the cooling plate 230.

[0055] Meanwhile, since the heat absorption operation is performed at the upper part of the thermoelectric device 220, the battery module 300 adjacent to the upper part of the thermoelectric device 220 can be cooled.

[0056] Furthermore, in this invention, the substrate clamp 200 may be equipped with at least one temperature sensor 250. The temperature sensor 250 may be a thermistor. The temperature sensor 250 may be positioned at a mounting portion (not shown) of the substrate clamp 200 on which the battery module 300 is disposed, and specifically, may be positioned within a layer of thermal pad 210 or may be positioned to protrude above the thermal pad 210, and may be positioned to contact the surface of a heat transfer plate (not shown) disposed at the upper end surface of the mounting portion for mounting the battery module 300. The temperature sensor 250 may measure the temperature of the contact portion between the battery module 300 and the mounting portion of the substrate clamp 200, and may transmit the measured temperature to a controller (not shown).

[0057] In this invention, a heat transfer plate is disposed on the upper end surface of the mounting portion to support the battery module 300 positioned at the upper end of the mounting portion and to prevent damage to the thermal pad 210, thermoelectric device 220, and temperature sensor 250 positioned at the mounting portion. Furthermore, the heat transfer plate can be an aluminum plate or a heat sink, which facilitates smooth heat transfer between the mounting portion of the base clamp 200 and the battery module 300.

[0058] The thermoelectric device 220 can be formed by joining two different types of metal plates with good electrical conductivity: a P-type semiconductor P configured to conduct electricity through holes and an N-type semiconductor N configured to conduct electricity through electrons, with the semiconductors disposed between the two types of metal plates. When electricity is applied to the thermoelectric device 220 via a controller (not shown), the thermoelectric device 220 heats or cools the different metal plates depending on the direction of the current flow of the applied electricity.

[0059] The base clamp 200 according to the invention may further include a controller (not shown). When a heating or cooling function is set via the controller, power supplied from a power supply unit (not shown) is provided to the drive portion (not shown) of the thermoelectric device 220 according to the setting. The drive portion of the thermoelectric device 220 supplies the power supplied thereto to the thermoelectric device 220 to heat or cool the battery module 300 positioned at the mounting portion of the base clamp 200 according to the control signal of the controller.

[0060] Additionally, the target heating or cooling temperature of the battery module 300 can be preset via a controller (not shown), and the controller can control the operation of the thermoelectric device 220 based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor 250. That is, when the preset temperature is reached, the power supply to the thermoelectric device 220 can be interrupted, thereby potentially stopping the heating or cooling function temporarily.

[0061] Next, we will describe pressing 100.

[0062] In this invention, the pressing clamp 100 may be located on the upper part of the base clamp 200. In addition, the pressing clamp 100 and the base clamp 200 may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to define the space configured to receive the battery module 300.

[0063] The pressing clamp 100 may include an additional drive portion configured to move the pressing clamp in the vertical direction (z-axis direction) and may move downward to contact the battery module 300 mounted to the base clamp 200. The surface of the pressing clamp 100 contacting the battery module 300 may be in face-to-face contact with the entire upper end surface of the battery module 300.

[0064] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Referring to Figure 4, the battery module 300 may include a plurality of battery cells 301 and a module housing 320 therein having a battery cell receiving portion (not shown) configured to receive the plurality of battery cells 301.

[0066] Here, each of the battery cells 301 may be a cylindrical battery cell, which may include a cylindrical battery can (not shown) and an electrode assembly (not shown) received in the battery can.

[0067] Here, the battery may contain materials exhibiting high electrical conductivity. For example, the battery may contain nickel, aluminum, or copper. Electrode terminals may be formed in each of the upper and lower portions of the battery can. Specifically, a first electrode terminal (not shown) may be formed on the circular, flat upper surface of the upper end of the battery can, and a second electrode terminal (not shown) may be formed on the circular, flat lower surface of the lower end of the battery can.

[0068] Additionally, the electrode assembly can be configured to have a structure in which the positive and negative electrodes are wound in a gel roll shape with the separator inserted between the positive and negative electrodes. A positive electrode tab can be attached to the positive electrode and connected to a first electrode terminal at the upper end of the battery can. A negative electrode tab can be attached to the negative electrode and connected to a second electrode terminal at the lower end of the battery can.

[0069] Additionally, the cylindrical battery cell may have a safety element (e.g., a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element or TCO) located in its lower portion. This safety element's resistance increases dramatically when the temperature within the battery cell increases, thus interrupting the current flow. Furthermore, the cylindrical battery cell may be equipped with a safety vent configured to project downwards under normal conditions and rupture upon projection, allowing gas to escape when the pressure within the battery increases.

[0070] However, in addition to the cylindrical battery cells described above, various cylindrical battery cells known at the time of this application can be applied to the battery module 300 according to the present invention.

[0071] The module housing 320 may include a plurality of battery cell receiving portions configured to receive a plurality of battery cells 301. Each of the battery cell receiving portions may be formed in the horizontal direction to be in close contact with the outer surface of a corresponding one of the battery cells 301, so as to cover the outer surface of the battery cell.

[0072] The module housing 320 may contain electrically insulating material, specifically, plastic material.

[0073] The first current collecting plate 310 and the second current collecting plate 330 may be included such that a plurality of battery cells 301 received in the battery cell receiving portion of the module housing 320 are electrically connected to each other.

[0074] Here, the first current collecting plate 310 may contain a conductive material. For example, the conductive material may be copper or aluminum. In addition, the first current collecting plate 310 may be configured such that a first connection portion (not shown) formed by a protrusion of a portion of the first current collecting plate is electrically connected to the first electrode terminal (not shown) of each of the battery cells 301.

[0075] The first current collecting plate 310 can be mounted on the upper part of the module housing 320, so that the first electrode terminals (not shown) of the plurality of battery cells 301 are electrically connected to it. At this time, the first connection portion (not shown) of the first current collecting plate 310 and the first electrode terminals can be joined together by laser welding or resistance welding.

[0076] The second current collecting plate 330 may contain a conductive material. For example, the conductive material may be copper or aluminum. In addition, the second current collecting plate 330 may be configured such that a second connection portion (not shown) formed by a protrusion of a portion of the second current collecting plate is electrically connected to the second electrode terminal (not shown) of each of the battery cells 301.

[0077] The second current collecting plate 330 can be mounted on the lower part of the module housing 320, so that the second electrode terminals (not shown) of the plurality of battery cells 301 are electrically connected to it. At this time, the second connection portion (not shown) and the second electrode terminals (not shown) of the second current collecting plate 330 can be joined together by laser welding or resistance welding.

[0078] In this invention, the adhesive can be added to the entire internal surface of the receiving portion of the battery cell.

[0079] For adhesives, it is preferred to use at least one selected from the group consisting of mono(meth)acrylates and poly(meth)acrylates as examples of acrylate resins, said resin being a curable resin; however, the invention is not limited thereto. Mono(meth)acrylates may be at least one selected from the group consisting of alkyl(meth)acrylates, alkylene(meth)acrylates, and acrylateamines, and poly(meth)acrylates may be at least one selected from the group consisting of: alkyl(meth)acrylates, alkyl(meth)acrylates, alkyltetra(meth)acrylates, polyether(meth)acrylates, silicone(meth)acrylates, and aminocarbamate(meth)acrylates.

[0080] Examples of epoxy resins selected from the group consisting of at least one of the following: cresol phenolic epoxy resins, bisphenol A type epoxy resins, bisphenol A type phenolic epoxy resins, phenolic epoxy resins, tetrafunctional epoxy resins, biphenyl type epoxy resins, pyrrolidone type epoxy resins, alkyl-modified pyrrolidone type epoxy resins, naphthalene type epoxy resins, dicyclopentadiene type epoxy resins, dicyclopentadiene-modified phenolic type epoxy resins, and urethane-modified epoxy resins, wherein the epoxy resins are curable resins; however, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0081] The adhesive may further include a thermal initiator. The thermal initiator can be used to initiate the polymerization of the adhesive and to harden the adhesive. Alternatively, the thermal initiator can be a thermal initiator well known in the art to which this invention relates, capable of releasing free radicals under specific temperature conditions. For example, initiators such as peroxide initiators, azo initiators, or redox initiators can be used.

[0082] An adhesive may be applied to the battery cell receiving portion (not shown) of the module housing 320, and the battery cell 301 may be received in the battery cell receiving portion. Here, the module housing 320 may be preheated to a predetermined temperature.

[0083] After the battery cell 301 is received in the battery cell receiving portion (not shown) of the module housing 320, heat can be applied to the adhesive. Specifically, heat can be applied to the adhesive by heating the thermoelectric device 220.

[0084] Additionally, the pressing clamp 100 can be moved downwards to press the upper end surface of the battery module 300 with a predetermined pressure. As a result of this pressing, the process of adhering the battery cell 301 to the inside of the battery cell receiving portion (not shown) of the module housing 320, to which adhesive has been added, can be effectively performed.

[0085] After the battery cell 301 is fixed to the module housing 320 by heating through the above-mentioned high-temperature hardening process, the heating function of the thermoelectric device 220 on the battery module 300 can be changed to the cooling function under the control of the controller (not shown), thereby potentially cooling the heated battery module 300.

[0086] When the battery module is cooled to a predetermined temperature, the final product of the battery module is achieved, in which the battery cells 301 are stably fixed to the module housing 320.

[0087] It is possible to provide a battery module manufacturing method using the battery module manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.

[0088] A heat transfer plate is positioned on the upper end surface of the mounting portion (not shown) of the base clamp 200. The module housing 320 is positioned at the upper end of the heat transfer plate, and adhesive is applied to the battery cell receiving portion (not shown) of the module housing 320. Multiple battery cells 301 can be inserted into multiple battery cell receiving portions, and a first current collecting plate 310 and a second current collecting plate 330 are electrically connected to the first electrode terminal (not shown) and the second electrode terminal (not shown) of the multiple battery cells, respectively. The above operations can be performed as the temperature of the thermoelectric device 220 increases. Here, the module housing 320 may have been preheated.

[0089] After the battery cell 301 is received in the battery cell receiving portion (not shown), a high-temperature curing step can be performed, wherein an exothermic operation is performed at the upper portion of the thermoelectric device 220 to heat the adhesive coated on the battery cell receiving portion (not shown), causing the adhesive to melt. The adhesive can be heated at a temperature of 180°C to 220°C for 1 second to 60 seconds. After the high-temperature curing step, an endothermic operation can be performed at the upper portion of the thermoelectric device 220 to cool the module casing, thereby completing the manufacturing of the battery module.

[0090] Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will understand that, based on the above description, various applications and modifications are possible within the scope of this invention.

[0091] 100: Pressing clamp 200: Base clamp 201: Base clamp frame 210: Heating pad 220: Thermal power equipment 230: Cooling plate 240: Cooling fan 250: Temperature sensor 300: Battery Module 301: Battery cell 310: First current collecting plate 320: Module housing 330: Second current collecting plate A-A': line S1~S6: Steps

Claims

1. A battery module manufacturing apparatus, comprising: Pressing clamp (100); and a base clamp (200) positioned under the pressing clamp (100), wherein the base clamp (200) includes a temperature conversion unit capable of switching between heating and cooling functions, wherein the temperature conversion unit includes a thermoelectric device (220), and the thermoelectric device (220) heats or cools a battery module (300) positioned at the upper end of the base clamp (200) by changing the direction of the supplied current, wherein the battery module (300) includes a battery cell (301) and a battery cell receiving portion, an adhesive being applied to the inner surface of the battery cell receiving portion, wherein the battery module (300) is located between the thermoelectric device (220) and the pressing clamp (100).

2. The battery module manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is composed of a Peltier element.

3. The battery module manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal pad (210) is positioned at the upper end of the thermoelectric device (220).

4. The battery module manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling unit is located at the lower end of the thermoelectric device (220).

5. The battery module manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cooling unit includes a cooling plate (230).

6. The battery module manufacturing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cooling unit includes one or more cooling fans (240) positioned at the lower end portion of the cooling plate (230).

7. The battery module manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor (250) electrically connected to a controller is located at the temperature conversion unit, and the controller uses received temperature data to control the temperature of the temperature conversion unit.

8. A method for manufacturing a battery module using the battery module manufacturing apparatus as described in claim 1, the method comprising: Step (s1): Set the heat transfer plate on the base fixture; Step (s2): Place the module housing at the upper end of the heat transfer plate; Step (s3) applying adhesive to the interior of the battery cell receiving portion of the module housing; Step (s4) placing the battery cell in the battery cell receiving portion and assembling the assembly; Step (s5) heating the upper end surface of the base clamp; and Step (s6) cooling the upper end surface of the base clamp.

9. The battery module manufacturing method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the module housing in the preheating step (s2).

10. The battery module manufacturing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the direction of the supply current to the thermoelectric device positioned at the substrate fixture is changed to perform heating in step (s5) and cooling in step (s6).

11. A battery module produced by any one of claims 8 to 10.

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