Sealing device and battery manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention reduces the possibility tab leads deforming when a sealant is discharged into an opening of a container to seal the opening. This sealing device (1A) comprises: a fixing tool (11) that restricts deformation of tab leads (23), which are connected to a current collector accommodated in a container (24) and extend from a current collector to the outside of the container, by clamping the tab leads on the outside of the container; and a nozzle (121) that discharges a sealant (13) into an opening (241) of the container (24) while the fixing tool (11) is clamping the tab leads (23).

Description

Sealing device and battery manufacturing method

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device and a battery manufacturing method.

[0002]

[0003] A battery is known in which an electrode assembly and a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode assembly are loaded into a container, and the battery is provided with a tab lead for extracting the power from the current collector to the outside of the container. In such a battery, the opening of the container is sealed with a sealant such as a resin to prevent the electrode assembly from reacting with moisture in the atmosphere. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery in which the tab lead is a metal terminal, and a filler (sealant) is filled between the terminal and the inner circumferential surface of an insertion hole through which the terminal passes.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-14132

[0004] The opening of the container is sealed by discharging a sealant into the opening of the container and solidifying the sealant. For example, if the tab lead is made of a thin metal foil, such as 10 to 100 μm thick, there is a risk that the tab lead will be deformed by contact with the sealant when it is discharged into the opening of the container. Furthermore, if a sealant with high viscosity, in other words, low fluidity, is used, it is necessary to bring the nozzle discharging the sealant close to the tab lead, which may result in contact with the nozzle and deformation of the tab lead.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention aims to provide a sealing device and a battery manufacturing method that can reduce the possibility of tab lead deformation when a sealant is dispensed into an opening of a container to seal the opening.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sealing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a sealing device used to seal an opening in the manufacture of a battery comprising an electrode body, a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode body, a container that houses the electrode body and the current collector, and a thin-film or plate-like tab lead that extracts power from the current collector to the outside of the container through an opening of the container, the sealing device comprising: a limiting portion that is connected to the current collector housed in the container and clamps the tab lead extending from the current collector to the outside of the container outside the container to limit deformation of the tab lead; and a discharging portion that discharges sealant into the opening of the container while the tab lead is clamped by the limiting portion.

[0007] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a battery manufacturing method according to one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a battery including an electrode body, a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode body, a container that houses the electrode body and the current collector, and a thin-film or plate-like tab lead that extracts power from the current collector to the outside of the container through an opening of the container, the method including an insertion step of inserting the electrode body, the current collector, and a tab lead having one end connected to the current collector into the container, a discharge step of discharging a sealant into the opening while the tab lead, which is connected to the current collector housed in the container and extends from the current collector to the outside of the container, is clamped outside the container, and a solidification step of solidifying the sealant.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, when a sealant is discharged into an opening of a container to seal the opening, the possibility of deformation of the tab lead can be reduced.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a battery to be processed by the sealing device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sealing portion of the battery. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the sealing device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for manufacturing the battery. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an application area of ​​a sealant when a highly viscous sealant is applied to an opening of a container using the sealing device according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sealing device according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the sealing device. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sealing device according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0010] [Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, although the following describes an example in which the battery according to the present invention is an all-solid-state battery including a thin-film tab lead, the battery is not limited to this. The battery according to the present invention may be any battery configured to include a thin-film tab lead, and may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery, a sodium-ion battery, a magnesium-ion battery, or the like.

[0011] <Configuration of battery with tab leads> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a battery 2 to be processed by the sealing device 1A according to this embodiment. The view indicated by reference numeral 100A is a plan view of the battery 2. The view indicated by reference numeral 100B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IB-IB shown in the view indicated by reference numeral 100A. The view indicated by reference numeral 100C is a cross-sectional view taken along line IC-IC shown in the view indicated by reference numeral 100A.

[0012] 1 , the battery 2 is, for example, an all-solid-state battery, and includes an electrode body 21, a current collector 22, a tab lead 23, a container 24 that houses the electrode body 21 and the current collector 22, and a sealing portion 25. Note that in the drawings indicated by reference numerals 100B and 100C, the electrode body 21 and the current collector 22 are shown housed inside the container 24, and the internal configuration of the container 24 is not shown. The battery 2 of one embodiment of the present disclosure may be a battery in which the electrode body 21, the current collector 22, the tab lead 23, the electrode body 21, and the current collector 22 are housed in the container 24 by laminating and sealing them.

[0013] Although not shown, the electrode body 21 includes a positive electrode layer, a negative electrode layer, and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer, and generates electricity by ions moving between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer via the solid electrolyte layer. The electrode body 21 may have a structure in which multiple layers made of positive electrode layers, negative electrode layers, and solid electrolyte layers are stacked.

[0014] The positive electrode layer is not particularly limited, and any material that is used as a positive electrode active material for an all-solid-state battery can be used. The positive electrode active material may include, for example, a lithium-containing oxide containing cobalt, nickel, and / or manganese. More specifically, the positive electrode active material may include, for example, lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO ２ ), lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO ２ ), lithium manganate (spinel-type lithium manganate (LiMn ２ O ４ etc.), lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (LiNi １／３ Co １／３ Mn １／３ O ２ etc.), Li-excess composite oxides (Li ２ MnO ３ -LiMO ２ In addition to oxides such as LiMPO, compounds other than oxides may also be included. In the above formula, M represents a transition metal. Examples of compounds other than oxides include olivine-based compounds (LiMPO ４ ), sulfur-containing compounds (Li ２ S, etc.)

[0015] The negative electrode layer is not particularly limited as long as it can insert and remove ions that serve as charge carriers, and any known negative electrode active material used in all-solid-state batteries can be used. More specifically, it may include carbonaceous materials such as graphite (natural graphite, artificial graphite, etc.), hard carbon, and amorphous carbon, as well as lithium metal or alloys that can alloy and dealloy lithium ions, and elemental silicon.

[0016] The solid electrolyte layer can be an ion-conductive inorganic solid electrolyte. The inorganic solid electrolyte contained in the solid electrolyte layer is preferably a sulfide (sulfide-based solid electrolyte) or a hydride (hydride-based solid electrolyte). The hydride generally includes a solid electrolyte called a complex hydride. The crystalline state of the solid electrolyte is not particularly limited and may be either crystalline or amorphous.

[0017] The current collector 22 collects the power generated by the electrode body 21. The current collector 22 is made of, for example, aluminum, nickel, copper, stainless steel, etc. A tab lead 23 is connected to the current collector 22 to extract electricity from the current collector 22 to the outside.

[0018] The tab lead 23 is a substantially rectangular terminal that extracts power from the current collector 22 to the outside of the container 24. The tab lead 23 may be thin-film or plate-shaped. The tab lead 23 is attached such that one end 231 (one end) is connected to the current collector 22 and the other end 232 protrudes outside the container 24. The tab lead 23 includes a tab lead 23a connected to the positive electrode side current collector 22 and a tab lead 23b connected to the negative electrode side current collector 22. In the following description, the tab leads 23a and 23b will be referred to collectively as tab leads 23 when they are not distinguished from each other. When the current collector 22 is a zigzag type current collector, a part of the current collector 22 may be used as the tab lead 23.

[0019] The tab lead 23 may be a metal foil made of, for example, aluminum (alloy), nickel, copper, stainless steel, or the like, and may be formed into a thin plate having a thickness of approximately 10 to 100 μm. The tab lead 23 is easily deformed by external stress such as contact with other members.

[0020] The container 24 is a container that houses the electrode body 21 and the current collector 22, and is made of, for example, aluminum (alloy), stainless steel, etc. The container 24 has an opening 241 that opens to the outside, and the electrode body 21 and the current collector 22 are housed inside the container 24 through the opening 241.

[0021] The sealing portion 25 seals the opening 241 of the container 24. The sealing portion 25 is formed by solidifying the sealant 13. The sealant 13 is made of a resin such as epoxy or silicone. The viscosity of the sealant 13 varies depending on the resin composition. For example, sealant 13 made of epoxy, silicone, or the like has a low fluidity with a viscosity of approximately 50 Pa / S or more, but is often used as the sealant 13 for the battery 2 because the sealant does not easily flow into unnecessary areas. The sealant 13 is dispensed into the opening 241 of the container 24 by, for example, a dispenser 12 described below.

[0022] For example, when a sulfide-based material is used as the material for the solid electrolyte layer of the battery 2, the material reacts when it comes into contact with moisture in the air. Therefore, by sealing the opening 241 of the container 24 with the sealing part 25, it is possible to prevent the reaction between the moisture in the air and the sulfide-based material.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the sealing portion 25 of the battery 2. The view indicated by reference numeral 200A is a plan view of the battery 2. The view indicated by reference numeral 200B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIB-IIB in the view indicated by reference numeral 200A. The view indicated by reference numeral 200C is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIC-IIC in the view indicated by reference numeral 200A. Note that the internal structure of the container 24 is not shown in the views indicated by reference numerals 200B and 200C. As shown in FIG. 2, the opening 241 of the container 24 is hermetically sealed by the sealing portion 25 with the other end 232 of the tab lead 23 protruding outside the container 24.

[0024] <Sealing device> Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sealing device 1A in this embodiment. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 300A is a perspective view showing the sealing device 1A and the opening 241 of the container 24. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 300B is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the dispenser 12.

[0025] As shown by the reference numeral 300A, the sealing device 1A includes a dispenser 12 and a pair of fixing devices 11 (restricting portions).

[0026] The dispenser 12 includes a storage portion (not shown) that stores the sealant 13 and a nozzle 121 (discharge portion) that discharges the sealant 13. The nozzle 121 is movable in three mutually perpendicular axial directions. The dispenser 12 in the sealing device 1A of this embodiment is not limited to one in which the nozzle 121 is movable in three mutually perpendicular axial directions, and other dispensers such as a four-axis dispenser may be used.

[0027] The fixture 11 is composed of a pair of plate-like members so as to be able to clamp the tab leads 23a, 23b from both sides of the tab leads 23a, 23b. As described above, the tab leads 23 are formed to a thickness of approximately 10 to 100 μm, and are therefore easily deformed or damaged by external stress, such as contact with other members. In the sealing device 1A of this embodiment, fixing the tab leads 23 with the fixture 11 prevents deformation of the tab leads 23 due to contact with the nozzle 121 and / or the sealant 13 dispensed from the nozzle 121. The clamping method by the fixture 11 is not limited as long as it can prevent deformation of the tab leads 23. For example, the fixture 11 may clamp the entire tab leads 23 or may clamp only a portion of the tab leads 23.

[0028] The nozzle 121 dispenses the sealant 13 into the opening 241 of the container 24 while the fixing device 11 is holding the tab lead 23 .

[0029] As indicated by the reference symbol 300B, the nozzle 121 of the dispenser 12 moves, for example, along a path from position P1 to position P2 in order to apply the sealant 13 over the entire area of ​​the opening 241. At this time, the nozzle 121 moves while maintaining a certain distance from the fixture 11 so as not to come into contact with the fixture 11 that clamps the tab lead 23.

[0030] <Method of Manufacturing Battery 2> Next, a method of manufacturing the battery 2 in this embodiment will be described. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for manufacturing the battery 2 in this embodiment.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4 , in the manufacturing method of the battery 2 in this embodiment, first, the electrode body 21, the current collector 22, and the tab lead 23 having one end 231 connected to the current collector 22 are inserted into the container 24 (step S1: insertion process).

[0032] Next, the tab lead 23, which is connected to the current collector 22 contained in the container 24 and extends from the current collector 22 to the outside of the container 24, is clamped by a pair of fixing devices 11 outside the container 24, and sealant 13 is ejected into the opening 241 of the container 24 (step S2: ejection process).

[0033] Next, the fixing tool 11 is removed, and the sealant 13 is solidified (step S3: solidification step).

[0034] As described above, the sealing device 1A in this embodiment includes the fixture 11 and the nozzle 121. The fixture 11 is connected to the current collector 22 housed in the container 24, and clamps the tab lead 23 extending from the current collector 22 to the outside of the container 24 outside the container 24, thereby restricting deformation of the tab lead 23. The nozzle 121 dispenses the sealant 13 into the opening 241 of the container 24 while the fixture 11 is clamping the tab lead 23.

[0035] According to the above configuration, the sealant 13 can be discharged from the nozzle 121 in a state in which the tab lead 23 is held by the fixture 11. This reduces the possibility that the tab lead 23 will be deformed by the discharged sealant 13. Furthermore, because the tab lead 23 is held by the fixture 11, even if the nozzle 121 comes into contact with the tab lead 23 or the fixture 11, the possibility that the tab lead 23 will be deformed is reduced.

[0036] [Embodiment 2] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. For ease of explanation, the same reference numerals will be used to designate components having the same functions as those described in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0037] First, the problem to be solved in this embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a region coated with the sealant 13 when the sealing device 1A in the first embodiment is used to coat the opening 241 of the container 24 with the highly viscous sealant 13. As shown in Fig. 5, when a highly viscous sealant 13 is used, the sealant 13 has low fluidity, which may result in an uncoated region R where the sealant 13 is not coated near the location where the fixing device 11 was located. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5, an uncoated region R may be formed near the tab lead 23, resulting in an incomplete sealing of the opening 241. If air enters the battery 2 through the uncoated region R, the electrode body 21 may come into contact with moisture in the air and cause an undesired reaction, as described above.

[0038] To prevent the uncoated region R, it is conceivable to use a four-axis dispenser that can incline the nozzle from a position away from the fixture 11 and dispense the sealant 13 in an oblique direction, thereby coating the sealant 13 also near the nozzle 121. However, in this case, a complex device is required to coat the sealant 13, which increases the manufacturing cost.

[0039] In this embodiment, a sealing device is described that does not leave any uncoated areas of sealant 13 even when using a three-axis dispenser such as the dispenser 12 described in embodiment 1, rather than a complex device such as a four-axis dispenser.

[0040] 6 is a schematic diagram of the sealing unit 25 when the sealing device 1B according to the present embodiment is viewed from above. The view indicated by reference numeral 600A is a view when the nozzle 121 abuts against the gripper 31. The view indicated by reference numeral 600B is a view when the nozzle 121 presses the gripper 31. Hereinafter, in some cases, a direction parallel to the long side direction of the container 24 will be referred to as the X1 direction, a direction opposite to the X1 direction as the X2 direction, a direction parallel to the short side direction of the container 24 as the Y1 direction, and a direction opposite to the Y1 direction as the Y2 direction.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 6, the sealing device 1B includes a dispenser 12, a pair of grippers 31 (limiting portions), and a pair of leaf springs 14a and 14b disposed at both ends of the grippers 31, respectively.

[0042] The gripping tool 31 is a plate-shaped jig formed to a thickness of approximately 2 to 3 mm and made of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum (alloy) or a resin material such as PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone). When a metal material is used, an insulating treatment is performed on the surface, such as by applying an insulating coating or insulating film. The gripping tool 31 is made up of a pair of plate-shaped members. The pair of gripping tools 31 is capable of clamping the other end 232 of the tab lead 23 outside the container 24.

[0043] One end 141a, 141b of each of the leaf springs 14a, 14b is fixed to both end portions 31a, 31b of the gripping tool 31, respectively. The other end 142a, 142b of each of the leaf springs 14a, 14b is fixed to a predetermined fixing portion 15, respectively.

[0044] With the above configuration, as shown by reference numeral 600B, when the nozzle 121 of the dispenser 12 presses the gripper 31 in the Y2 direction, the gripper 31 moves in the Y2 direction while clamping the tab lead 23. As the gripper 31 moves, the leaf springs 14a and 14b are pressed in the Y2 direction and elastically deformed. When the pressure on the gripper 31 by the nozzle 121 is released, the gripper 31 returns to its original position due to the biasing force of the leaf springs 14a and 14b, as shown by reference numeral 600A.

[0045] Next, a sealing method using the sealing device 1B of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the sealing device 1B. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 700A is a plan view showing the state of the sealing device 1B at the start of operation. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 700B is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the sealing device 1B at the start of operation. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 700C is a plan view showing the state of the sealing device 1B during operation. The diagram indicated by reference numeral 700D is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the sealing device 1B during operation.

[0046] As indicated by the reference numeral 700A, when the sealing device 1B starts to operate, the nozzle 121 is located at a position P3 away from the tab lead 23 and the gripping tool 31.

[0047] When the operation of the sealing device 1B is started, the nozzle 121 moves in the X1 direction while discharging the sealant 13. When the nozzle 121 moves to position P4 near the end of the opening 241, the nozzle 121 changes direction and moves in the Y1 direction. The nozzle 121 that has moved in the Y1 direction comes into contact with the side surface 111 of the gripping tool 31, as shown by the reference numeral 700C. Having come into contact with the side surface 111 of the gripping tool 31, the nozzle 121 moves in the Y1 direction while further pressing the gripping tool 31 in the Y1 direction.

[0048] The gripping tool 31, pressed in the Y1 direction by the nozzle 121, moves in the Y1 direction while clamping the tab lead 23. Here, as described above, the other end 232 of the tab lead 23 is clamped by the pair of gripping tools 31 outside the container 24. Meanwhile, one end 231 of the tab lead 23 is connected to the current collector 22. Therefore, as shown by reference numeral 700D, the other end 232 of the tab lead 23 moves in the Y1 direction together with the gripping tool 31 while the one end 231 of the tab lead 23 is connected to the current collector 22. At this time, the tab lead 23 is gently bent due to the movement of the other end 232, but since it is firmly fixed by the gripping tool 31, deformation of the tab lead 23 can be prevented.

[0049] The nozzle 121 presses the gripping tool 31, thereby moving the gripping tool 31, and a space for the nozzle 121 to dispense the sealant 13 can be secured near the tab lead 23. Therefore, the nozzle 121 can dispense the sealant 13 also near the tab lead 23. Furthermore, by using the nozzle 121 to press and move the gripping tool 31, there is no need to provide a separate mechanism for moving the gripping tool 31, which allows the device to be simplified.

[0050] When the pressure on the gripping tool 31 by the nozzle 121 is released, the gripping tool 31 returns to its original position due to the biasing force of the leaf springs 14a and 14b, as shown by the reference numeral 600A.

[0051] As described above, the sealing device 1B in this embodiment includes the gripping tool 31 and the nozzle 121. The gripping tool 31 clamps the tab lead 23 extending from the current collector 22 to the outside of the container 24 outside the container 24, thereby limiting deformation of the tab lead 23. The nozzle 121 ejects the sealant 13 into the opening 241 of the container 24 while the gripping tool 31 is clamping the tab lead 23.

[0052] According to the above configuration, the sealant 13 can be discharged from the nozzle 121 in a state in which the tab lead 23 is held by the gripping tool 31. This reduces the possibility that the tab lead 23 will be deformed by the discharged sealant 13. Furthermore, because the tab lead 23 is held by the gripping tool 31, the possibility that the tab lead 23 will be deformed can be reduced even if the nozzle 121 comes into contact with the tab lead 23 or the gripping tool 31.

[0053] Furthermore, in the sealing device 1B of the present embodiment, the gripping tool 31 is movable while clamping the tab lead 23. This allows the gripping tool 31 to be moved to apply the sealant 13. Therefore, even when a nozzle 121 that can be moved in three axial directions is used, the sealant 13 can be applied to the periphery of the tab lead 23.

[0054] In the sealing device 1B of the present embodiment, the gripper 31 clamping the tab lead 23 moves due to the pressure from the nozzle 121, causing the gripper 31 to move relative to the container 24, but the sealing device of the present embodiment is not limited to this. In one aspect of the sealing device of the present embodiment, the gripper 31 may be configured to be movable relative to the container 24 by moving the container 24 with the gripper 31 clamping the tab lead 23.

[0055] In this embodiment, the application of the sealant 13 to the right side (Y2 side) of the tab lead 23 has been described, but the sealant 13 can also be applied in a similar manner to the left side (Y1 side) of the tab lead 23. In this case, the nozzle 121 is located to the left of the tab lead 23, and the sealant 13 can be applied while pressing the gripper 31 in the Y2 direction.

[0056] [Embodiment 3] Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described below. For the sake of convenience, the same reference numerals will be used to designate components having the same functions as those described in embodiment 1 or 2, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0057] In the sealing device 1B of the second embodiment, the gripping tool 31 is fixed to the leaf springs 14a and 14b, and is configured to move when pressed by the nozzle 121. In the sealing device 1B, the gripping tool 31 is returned to its original position by the biasing force of the leaf springs 14a and 14b when the pressure from the nozzle 121 is released. In this embodiment, a sealing device 1C will be described, which has a different configuration from the sealing device 1B and is capable of moving the gripping tool 31.

[0058] 8 is a schematic diagram showing the sealing device 1C according to this embodiment when viewed from above. The view indicated by reference numeral 800A is a plan view showing the sealing device 1C. The view indicated by reference numeral 800B is a cross-sectional view showing the sealing device 1C after the gripper 41 has been moved.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 8, the sealing device 1C includes a gripper 41, a dispenser 12, guide rails 16a and 16b, and sliders 17a and 17b.

[0060] The gripping tool 41 is capable of clamping the other end 232 of the tab lead 23 outside the container 24. The gripping tool 41 is composed of a pair of plate-like members 41A and 41B. The pair of plate-like members 41A and 41B are connected by a connecting portion (not shown). As a result, the gripping tool 41 is configured so that the plate-like member 41B also moves in accordance with the movement of the plate-like member 41A. With the gripping tool 41 clamping the other end 232 of the tab lead 23, both ends 41a and 41b of the plate-like member 41A can be fixed to the sliders 17a and 17b, respectively.

[0061] The guide rails 16a, 16b and the sliders 17a, 17b are movement mechanisms that move the gripper 41 in a direction parallel to the short side direction of the container 24. The guide rails 16a, 16b extend in a direction parallel to the short side direction of the container 24. The sliders 17a, 17b are attached to the guide rails 16a, 16b so as to be slidable on the guide rails 16a, 16b, respectively. The sliders 17a, 17b move while sliding on the guide rails 16a, 16b by being driven by an actuator (not shown). In one aspect of the present disclosure, the sliders 17a, 17b may be moved using the elastic force of an elastic member such as a spring.

[0062] 8 , in the sealing device 1C, by moving the sliders 17a and 17b in a direction parallel to the long side direction of the container 24 by the actuator, the gripper 41 fixed to the sliders 17a and 17b can be moved in a direction parallel to the long side direction of the container 24. This makes it possible to ensure a space near the tab lead 23 for the dispenser 12 to dispense the sealant 13. Therefore, the dispenser 12 can dispense the sealant 13 also near the tab lead 23.

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0064] [Summary] A sealing device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a sealing device used to seal an opening in the manufacture of a battery including an electrode body, a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode body, a container that houses the electrode body and the current collector, and a thin-film or plate-like tab lead that extracts power from the current collector to the outside of the container through an opening of the container, the sealing device comprising: a limiting portion that is connected to the current collector housed in the container and clamps the tab lead, which extends from the current collector to the outside of the container, outside the container to limit deformation of the tab lead; and a discharging portion that discharges a sealant into the opening of the container while the tab lead is clamped by the limiting portion.

[0065] A sealing device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure may be configured in the first aspect as described above, wherein the restricting portion is movable while clamping the tab lead.

[0066] A sealing device according to a third aspect of the present disclosure may be the sealing device of the first or second aspect, wherein the restricting portion is movable by being pressed by the discharge portion.

[0067] A battery manufacturing method according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a battery including an electrode body, a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode body, a container that houses the electrode body and the current collector, and a thin-film or plate-like tab lead that extracts power from the current collector to the outside of the container through an opening in the container, the method including an insertion step of inserting the electrode body, the current collector, and a tab lead having one end connected to the current collector into the container; a discharge step of discharging a sealant into the opening while the tab lead, which is connected to the current collector housed in the container and extends from the current collector to the outside of the container, is clamped outside the container; and a solidification step of solidifying the sealant.

[0068] REFERENCE SIGNS 1A to 1C Sealing device 2 Battery 11 Fixing tool (restricting part) 13 Sealant 21 Electrode body 22 Current collector 23, 23a, 23b Tab lead 24 Container 31, 41 Grip (restricting part) 121 Nozzle (discharge part) 241 Opening

Claims

1. A sealing device used to seal an opening in the manufacture of a battery comprising an electrode body, a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode body, a container that houses the electrode body and the current collector, and a thin-film or plate-like tab lead that extracts power from the current collector to the outside of the container through an opening of the container, the sealing device comprising: a limiting part that is connected to the current collector housed in the container and clamps the tab lead, which extends from the current collector to the outside of the container, outside the container to limit deformation of the tab lead; and a discharging part that discharges sealant into the opening of the container while the tab lead is clamped by the limiting part.

2. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is capable of moving relative to the container while clamping the tab lead.

3. The sealing device according to claim 2, wherein the restricting portion is movable by being pressed by the discharge portion.

4. A method for manufacturing a battery comprising an electrode body, a current collector that collects power generated by the electrode body, a container that houses the electrode body and the current collector, and a thin-film or plate-like tab lead that extracts power from the current collector to the outside of the container through an opening in the container, the method comprising: an insertion step of inserting the electrode body, the current collector, and a tab lead having one end connected to the current collector into the container; a discharge step of discharging a sealant into the opening while the tab lead, which is connected to the current collector housed in the container and extends from the current collector to the outside of the container, is held outside the container; and a solidification step of solidifying the sealant.

Images