Battery cell and battery device including same

Abstract

A battery cell may be provided, the battery cell comprising: a case having a space for accommodating an electrode assembly and an electrolyte: a cap plate covering the case and including an injection port formed through the cap plate in a first direction; and an opening and closing member coupled to the injection port and having a first state in which the leakage of the electrolyte accommodated in the case is blocked and a second state in which at least a part of the injection port is opened so that the electrolyte can be additionally injected, wherein the opening and closing member includes a moving member which slides in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between the first state and the second state.

Description

Battery cells and battery devices including the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery cell and a battery device including the same.

[0002] In general, unlike primary cells, battery cells can be charged and discharged, so they can be applied to various fields such as digital cameras, mobile phones, laptops, hybrid cars, and electric cars.

[0003] These battery cells are divided into lithium-ion batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, etc. depending on the material used for the positive electrode, negative electrode, or electrolyte, and can be divided into can-type and pouch-type battery cells in terms of shape. Can-type battery cells can include square battery cells and cylindrical battery cells.

[0004] A can-type battery cell can be manufactured through a process of injecting electrolyte into an electrode assembly receiving space located inside through an electrolyte injection passage formed in a battery cell case and finally sealing the electrolyte injection passage.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the process of sealing the liquid injection port of the battery cell can be omitted.

[0006] According to an aspect of the present disclosures, the electrolyte can be additionally injected multiple times.

[0007] The battery cell of the present disclosure can be widely applied in green technology fields such as electric vehicles, battery charging stations, and other battery-powered solar and wind power generation. Furthermore, the battery cell of the present disclosure can be used in eco-friendly electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and other vehicles that aim to prevent climate change by suppressing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

[0008] A battery cell according to the present disclosure comprises: a case having a space for accommodating an electrode assembly and an electrolyte; a cap plate covering the case and including a filler port formed penetrating in a first direction; and an opening / closing member coupled to the filler port and having a first state for blocking leakage of the electrolyte accommodated in the case and a second state for opening at least a portion of the filler port to enable additional injection of the electrolyte; wherein the opening / closing member may include a moving member formed to slide in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between the first state and the second state.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the cap plate further includes a fixed member protruding around the injection port, and the movable member is coupled to the fixed member to enable the sliding movement.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the movable member includes a first guide member arranged in a second direction, and the fixed member includes a second guide member arranged in the second direction and formed in a structure corresponding to the first guide member, and the second guide member may include a groove or a protrusion shape.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the opening / closing member may further include an elastic member that applies an elastic force to the movable member so that the movable member is restored from the second state to the first state.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the device may include a stopper coupled to the movable member and limiting a movement distance of the movable member.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the stopper may be formed to include a portion arranged in a first direction and a portion arranged in a second direction.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the moving member may include a plate shape covering the injection port.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the movable member may further include a handle installed thereon.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the invention further includes a sealing member for sealing between the injection port and the opening / closing member, wherein the sealing member may be disposed on at least one of the surfaces where the opening / closing member and the cap plate face each other.

[0017] According to another embodiment, the movable member includes a first guide member arranged in a second direction, the cap plate includes a second guide member arranged in the second direction and formed in a structure corresponding to the first guide member, and the second guide member may include a groove shape.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the second guide member may include a connecting portion formed to allow entry and exit of the first guide member.

[0019] A battery device according to the present disclosure comprises a cell assembly in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged; and a module housing that accommodates the stack, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises a case having a space for accommodating an electrode assembly and an electrolyte; a cap plate that covers the case and includes a filler port formed through a first direction; and an opening / closing member coupled to the filler port and having a first state for blocking leakage of the electrolyte accommodated in the case and a second state for opening the filler port to allow additional electrolyte injection; wherein the opening / closing member may include a moving member formed to slide in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between the first state and the second state.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the process of sealing the liquid hole of the battery cell can be omitted.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electrolyte can be additionally injected multiple times.

[0022] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a battery cell according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a first state of a battery cell according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a second state of a battery cell according to one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part 'A' of Figure 1.

[0026] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' of Figure 2.

[0027] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment further including a sealing member.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a battery cell according to another embodiment.

[0029] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' of Fig. 7.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a battery device in which battery cells are arranged according to one embodiment.

[0031] Before going into a detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms and words used in this specification and claims described below should not be construed as limited to their typical or dictionary meanings, but rather should be construed in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term in order to best describe his or her own invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of filing this application.

[0032] It should be noted that identical components in the attached drawings are represented by identical symbols, where possible. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted. For the same reason, some components in the attached drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted, and the sizes of each component do not entirely reflect the actual sizes. For example, expressions such as "upper side," "top," "upper side," "lower side," "lower side," and "side" in this specification are described based on the drawings, and may be expressed differently if the orientation of the corresponding object changes.

[0033] Battery cells can be manufactured in various shapes, such as pouch-shaped battery cells with a flexible pouch case, and can-shaped battery cells with a rigid case. Can-shaped battery cells may include square battery cells and cylindrical battery cells. However, the battery cells described in this document refer to can-shaped battery cells with a rigid case.

[0034] Hereinafter, a battery cell according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0035]

[0036] Before describing the battery cell according to the present disclosure, the first direction can be defined as the Z-axis direction and the second direction can be defined as the X-axis direction perpendicular to the first direction according to the XYZ coordinate system illustrated in the drawing.

[0037]

[0038] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a battery cell (10) according to one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a first state of a battery cell (10) according to one embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a second state of a battery cell (10) according to one embodiment, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part 'A' of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' of FIG. 2.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a battery cell (10) may include a case (100), a cap plate (120), and an opening / closing member (130).

[0040] The case (100) may be a part of a battery cell (10) having a space for accommodating an electrode assembly (110) and an electrolyte. The case (100) may be a rectangular parallelepiped can with an empty space formed inside. However, the rectangular parallelepiped shape is merely an example, and the case (100) may be formed in various shapes, such as a cylindrical shape. The case (100) may be formed so that at least one side is open. The electrode assembly (110) and the electrolyte may be accommodated inside the case (100) through the open side.

[0041] The electrode assembly (110) may include an electrode and a separator. The electrode may include an anode and a cathode. The separator may be composed of an insulator interposed between the cathode and the anode. According to exemplary embodiments, the electrode assembly may be formed by repeatedly arranging the anode, cathode, and separator. In some embodiments, the electrode assembly may be a winding type, a stacking type, a z-folding type, or a stack-folding type.

[0042] The cap plate (120) may be a member for sealing the open side of the case (100) described above. The cap plate (120) may be formed to correspond to the open side of the case (100). The cap plate (120) may cover the open side to block the inside and outside of the case (100).

[0043] The cap plate (120) may include an electrode terminal (121), a vent cover (122), and a liquid inlet (123).

[0044] The electrode terminal (121) may be formed to protrude outwardly and be electrically connected to the electrode assembly (110). The electrode terminal (121) may be electrically connected to the electrode of the received electrode assembly (110).

[0045] The vent cover (122) may be fixed to the cap plate (120) by welding, such as laser welding. The vent cover (122) may be configured to discharge gases generated within the case (100). For example, the vent cover (122) may be configured to break when the internal pressure of the case (100) increases due to gases, etc.

[0046] The injection port (123) may be a hole formed to penetrate one surface of the cap plate (120) in the first direction. An electrolyte may be injected into the case (100) with the cap plate (120) coupled thereto through the injection port (123). The injection port (123) may be formed in various shapes. For example, the shape of the injection port (123) may be formed in a square shape.

[0047] The opening / closing member (130) is coupled to the injection port (123) and can have a first state that blocks leakage of the electrolyte contained in the case (100) and a second state that opens the injection port (123) to enable additional injection of the electrolyte.

[0048] In the first state, the opening / closing member (130) can seal the injection port (123) as illustrated in FIG. 2 to block the inside and outside of the case (100). In the first state, the opening / closing member (130) can prevent leakage of the electrolyte already contained inside. Since the opening / closing member (130) seals the injection port (123) in the first state, a separate sealing process, such as welding the injection port (123), can be omitted.

[0049] In the second state, the opening / closing member (130) may be formed so that at least a portion of the injection port (123) is opened, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In the second state, at least a portion of the injection port (123) is opened, allowing for multiple repeated refills of electrolyte through the injection port (123). In addition, the interior of the case (100) can be visually inspected, allowing for direct confirmation of the internal state of the battery cell (10).

[0050] The cap plate (120) further includes a fixed member (124), and the opening / closing member (130) may include a movable member (131), an elastic member (136), a handle (135), and a stopper (134).

[0051] The fixing member (124) may be formed to protrude around the injection port (123). Specifically, the fixing member (124) is formed to surround the injection port (123) and may be formed to protrude outward in the first direction of the cap plate (120). The fixing member (124) may have a hole formed therein so that the opening / closing member (130) can inject liquid through the injection port (123) in the second state.

[0052] The movable member (131) may be formed to slide in a second direction between a first state and a second state. The movable member (131) may be formed to be coupled to a fixed member (124) to enable sliding movement. The movable member (131) may include a first guide member (132), and the fixed member (124) may include a second guide member (125). The first guide member (132) may be formed on a side surface of the movable member (131) and may be arranged to extend in the second direction. The second guide member (125) may be arranged to extend in the second direction on the fixed member (124) and may be formed to have a structure corresponding to the first guide member (132). The second guide member (125) may include a groove or a protrusion shape. Accordingly, the first guide member (132) and the second guide member (125) are interlocked with each other, and the moving member (131) can slide in the second direction.

[0053] The movable member (131) may include a plate shape so as to seal and cover the injection port (123) in the first state. For example, the movable member (131) may include a square plate shape so as to cover the injection port (123). However, this is merely an example, and the movable member (131) may include various shapes so as to slide in the second direction and seal the injection port (123).

[0054] The elastic member (136) is disposed between the movable member (131) and the cap plate (120), and can apply elastic force so that the opening / closing member (130) can be restored from the second state to the first state. The elastic member (136) is disposed in the second direction and can be compressed in the second state. For example, the elastic member (136) may be a spring disposed in the second direction. Both ends of the elastic member (136) may be fixed to the movable member (131) and the cap plate (120) by welding or the like, respectively. The elastic force applied to the movable member (131) can be adjusted by adjusting the quantity of the elastic members (136). Since the elastic force to restore the opening / closing member (130) to the first state is maintained by the elastic member (136), the opening / closing member (130) can be provided with more sealing force to seal the injection port (123).

[0055] The stopper (134) is coupled to the movable member (131) and can limit the movement distance of the movable member (131). The stopper (134) can be arranged downwardly of the movable member (131). The stopper (134) can be formed to include a portion arranged in a first direction and a portion arranged in a second direction. Referring to FIG. 5, in a first state, a portion of the stopper (134) arranged in the first direction can contact one surface of the injection port (123), and a portion of the stopper (134) arranged in the second direction can contact a lower portion of the cap plate (120). In the first state, the stopper (134) and a portion of the movable member (131) can be coupled to the cap plate (120) to surround a portion of the injection port (123). With reference to Fig. 5, the stopper (134) can limit the movement distance so that the opening / closing member (130) does not move further to the left in the first state, and can provide a sealing force to seal the injection port (123). Conversely, the stopper (134) can limit the movement distance so that it does not move further to the right in the second state.

[0056] A handle (135) may be installed on the movable member (131). The handle (135) may be a structure that applies force to move the movable member (131). The handle (135) may be installed on the upper end of the movable member (131) and may be formed to protrude in a first direction. By applying force to the handle (135) using a worker's manpower or a mechanical device, the opening / closing member (130) may be moved to the second state. In addition, even if there is no elastic member (136), the opening / closing member (130) may be restored to the first state by applying force through the handle (135).

[0057]

[0058] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment further including a sealing member (140).

[0059] Referring to FIG. 6, the battery cell (10) may further include a sealing member (140) for sealing between the charging port (123) and the opening / closing member (130).

[0060] The sealing member (140) may be a member for sealing the liquid injection port (123). The sealing member (140) is disposed on the opening / closing member (130) and may supplement the sealing force of the opening / closing member (130). The sealing member (140) may be disposed on at least one of the surfaces where the opening / closing member (130) and the cap plate (120) face each other. For example, the sealing member (140) may be disposed on a surface of the stopper (134) that faces the cap plate (120) and a surface of the moving member (131) that faces the cap plate (120) downward. The sealing member (140) is made of an elastic material and is easily deformed by an external force, thereby filling a gap between the liquid injection port (123) and the opening / closing member (130). For example, the sealing member (140) may be formed of rubber. The sealing member (140) can be formed of a material with relatively little friction so as not to impede the movement of the opening / closing member (130).

[0061]

[0062] Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a battery cell (10a) according to another embodiment, and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' of Fig. 7. Fig. 8 illustrates a state in which the opening / closing member (130a) of Fig. 7 is coupled.

[0063] The structure of the battery cell (10a) of another embodiment is similar to the structure of the battery cell (10) of one embodiment, so only the differences will be described below.

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the moving member (131a) may include a first guide member (132a) arranged in the second direction, and the cap plate (120a) may include a second guide member (125a) arranged in the second direction around the injection port (123a).

[0065] The first guide member (132a) may be formed to be elongated in the second direction and protrude from the movable member (131a) in the first direction. The second guide member (125a) may be formed to be engaged with the first guide member (132a). The second guide member (125a) may be formed on the cap plate (120a) and may be arranged around the injection port (123a). The second guide member (125a) may be formed to be elongated in the second direction so that the opening / closing member (130a) can slide. The second guide member (125a) may include a groove shape. Therefore, the movable member (131a) can slide while the first guide member (132a) is accommodated in the second guide member (125a).

[0066] The second guide member (125a) may include a connecting portion (126) formed to allow the first guide member (132a) to enter and exit. The connecting portion (126) may be formed at the end of the second guide member (125a) and may have a groove structure like the second guide member (125a). The connecting portion (126) may be formed to be larger than the first guide member (132a) so that the first guide member (132a) may enter and exit. Accordingly, the first guide member (132a) may be placed on the second guide member (125a) via the connecting portion (126).

[0067] Although not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in the case of a battery cell (10a) according to another embodiment, a sealing member (140) like FIG. 6 may be additionally placed on at least one side of the opening / closing member (130a) to supplement the sealing force.

[0068]

[0069] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a battery device (200) in which battery cells (10) are arranged according to one embodiment.

[0070] Referring to FIG. 9, the battery device (200) may include a cell assembly (201) and a module housing (210).

[0071] The battery device (200) may be a battery module or a battery pack. Accordingly, battery modularization or battery pack (Cell to Pack) may be possible using the battery cell (10) according to the present disclosure.

[0072] The cell assembly (201) may be a unit in which a plurality of battery cells (10) are arranged. The direction and structure in which the battery cells (10) are stacked may be formed in various ways. For example, according to the present disclosure, the battery cells (10) may be stacked such that the wide surfaces of the case (100) are in contact with each other.

[0073] The module housing (210) may be a housing that accommodates a cell assembly. The module housing (210) may be formed to cover at least one surface of the cell assembly (201). The module housing (210) may include a lower housing (211), a side wall (212), and an upper housing (213). The lower housing (211) may be formed to cover the lower portion of the cell assembly (201). The side wall (212) may be formed to cover the side surface of the cell assembly (201). The upper housing (213) may be formed to cover the upper portion of the cell assembly (201). The module housing (210) may further include a configuration that electrically connects each battery cell (10). The module housing (210) may further include a configuration that dissipates heat generated from each battery cell (10) or cools the battery cell (10). The module housing (210) may further include a configuration for discharging gas emitted from the battery cell (10) to the outside.

[0074] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible within a scope that does not depart from the technical spirit of the present invention described in the claims.

Claims

1. A case having a space for accommodating an electrode assembly and an electrolyte; A cap plate covering the case and including a liquid hole formed through the first direction; and An opening / closing member coupled to the above-mentioned injection port and having a first state that blocks leakage of the electrolyte contained in the case and a second state that opens at least a portion of the injection port to enable additional injection of the electrolyte; Including, A battery cell including a movable member formed to slide in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between the first state and the second state.

2. In claim 1, The cap plate further includes a fixing member protrudingly formed around the injection port; The above movable member is a battery cell that is coupled to the above fixed member and is capable of sliding movement.

3. In claim 2, The above movable member includes a first guide member arranged in a second direction, The above fixed member is arranged in the second direction and includes a second guide member formed with a structure corresponding to the first guide member, The second guide member is a battery cell having a groove or protrusion shape.

4. In claim 1, A battery cell further comprising an elastic member that applies elastic force to the movable member so that the movable member is restored from the second state to the first state.

5. In claim 1, A stopper coupled to the above movable member and limiting the movement distance of the above movable member; Battery cells containing .

6. In claim 5, A battery cell formed so that the stopper includes a portion arranged in a first direction and a portion arranged in a second direction.

7. In claim 1, The above moving member is a battery cell including a plate shape covering the liquid tank.

8. In claim 1, A battery cell further comprising a handle installed on the above movable member.

9. In claim 5, It further includes a sealing member for sealing between the above-mentioned injection port and the opening / closing member, A battery cell in which the sealing member is arranged on at least one of the surfaces where the opening / closing member and the cap plate face each other.

10. In claim 1, The above movable member includes a first guide member arranged in a second direction, The cap plate includes a second guide member arranged in a second direction and formed with a structure corresponding to the first guide member, The above second guide member is a battery cell including a home shape.

11. In claim 10, A battery cell in which the second guide member includes a connecting portion formed to allow the first guide member to enter and exit.

12. A cell assembly in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged; and A module housing accommodating the above cell assembly; Includes, Each of the above plurality of battery cells, A case having a space for accommodating an electrode assembly and an electrolyte; A cap plate covering the case and including a liquid hole formed through the first direction; and An opening / closing member coupled to the above-mentioned injection port and having a first state that blocks leakage of the electrolyte contained in the case and a second state that opens the injection port to allow additional injection of the electrolyte; Including, A battery device including a movable member formed to slide in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between the first state and the second state.

Images