Battery and method for manufacturing battery

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a battery and a method for manufacturing a battery, the method for manufacturing a battery, according to the present disclosure, comprising the following steps: preparing a case having an open part at one side and a closed part at the other side, that is opposite to the one side, the closed part having a cap plate; inserting an electrode assembly that is electrically connected to a terminal assembly into the case through the open part; connecting the terminal assembly to the cap plate; and injecting an electrolyte through the open part.

Description

Batteries and methods of manufacturing batteries

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery and a method for manufacturing a battery.

[0002] Secondary batteries, unlike non-rechargeable primary batteries, are rechargeable and dischargeable. Low-capacity secondary batteries are used in small, portable electronic devices such as smartphones, feature phones, laptops, digital cameras, and camcorders, while large-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as power sources for motor drives and power storage in hybrid and electric vehicles. These secondary batteries include an electrode assembly comprising a positive and negative electrode, a case housing the electrode assembly, and electrode terminals connected to the electrode assembly.

[0003] Secondary batteries also contain an electrolyte that facilitates the movement of ions within them and maintains electrical neutrality during charging and discharging. Conventional square secondary batteries use a filler port in the cap plate to fill the electrolyte. However, the increasing demand for higher-capacity secondary batteries has led to an increase in the amount of electrolyte required for each cell. Therefore, injecting electrolyte through a limited filler port can lead to a decrease in secondary battery manufacturing productivity per unit time.

[0004] The above-described information disclosed in the background technology of this invention is only intended to improve understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a secondary battery and a method for manufacturing a secondary battery to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0007] A method for manufacturing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above technical problem comprises the steps of preparing a case having an opening on one side and a closing part on the other side opposite to the one side, the closing part having a cap plate, inserting an electrode assembly electrically connected to a terminal assembly into the case through the opening part, a step of connecting the terminal assembly with the cap plate, and a step of injecting an electrolyte through the opening part.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the method of manufacturing a battery further comprises the step of bonding a cover plate to the opening.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the step of joining the cover plate includes the step of welding the cover plate and the case.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the step of preparing the case includes the step of welding the cap plate to the case.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the step of preparing the case includes the step of forming the cap plate integrally with the case.

[0012] According to one embodiment, a terminal assembly includes a subplate connected to an electrode assembly, a terminal block formed by protruding from the subplate, and a terminal insulator disposed around a side surface of the terminal block.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the cap plate includes a through hole, and a cap insulator is disposed along the perimeter of the through hole.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the step of inserting the electrode assembly includes the step of inserting a terminal block into the through-hole such that the terminal insulator and the cap insulator are in contact with each other.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the step of connecting the terminal assembly to the cap plate includes the step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator comprises bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator using at least one of thermal bonding or an adhesive.

[0017] In one embodiment, the bond between the terminal insulator and the cap insulator is designed to be maintained above the vent threshold pressure of the battery.

[0018] In one embodiment, the cap insulator is formed by insert molding into the cap plate.

[0019] In one embodiment, the terminal insulator is formed by insert molding into the terminal block.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the cap insulator includes a first protrusion protruding upwardly, the terminal insulator includes a second protrusion protruding upwardly, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are joined to each other.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the terminal assembly includes a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly, the first terminal assembly being arranged toward the cap plate, and the second terminal assembly being arranged toward the cover plate.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the terminal assembly includes a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly, wherein the first terminal assembly and the second terminal assembly are arranged toward the cap plate.

[0023] In one embodiment, the step of injecting the electrolyte through the opening comprises the step of injecting the electrolyte multiple times.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises, prior to the step of injecting the electrolyte through the opening, a step of checking the connection status of the electrode assembly and the cap plate.

[0025] A battery according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving a technical problem is manufactured using the battery manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the cap plate has a structure in which the electrolyte injection port is omitted.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present invention, since the electrolyte can be injected through a wide opening located on one side of the battery case instead of a small hole-shaped injection port, the amount of injection per unit time can be increased, thereby improving the productivity of the battery manufacturing process.

[0028] According to some embodiments of the present invention, instead of a small hole-shaped filler port, electrolyte can be injected at atmospheric pressure through a wide opening located on one side of the battery case. This simplifies the battery manufacturing process by eliminating the need to create an artificial vacuum inside the battery for injection. Furthermore, this eliminates the formation of bubbles and the like that occur during the electrolyte injection process through the small hole, thereby improving battery quality.

[0029] According to some embodiments of the present invention, since the amount of electrolyte can be easily measured through the opening, the overflow phenomenon, in which overcharged electrolyte flows back and is discharged through the injection port, can be reduced. This can reduce contamination of the injection device and its surroundings during the battery manufacturing process.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the structure of the cap plate can be simplified because there is no need to form a liquid hole in the cap plate.

[0031] However, the effects that can be obtained through the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and other technical effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0032] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the detailed description of the invention described below, serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to matters described in such drawings.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of a method of attaching a cover plate to an opening according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the appearance of a battery before and after inserting an electrode assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the terminal assembly in the cross section of the battery taken along the AA' line of Fig. 4.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing an example of a terminal insulator and a cap insulator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing an example of a battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their typical or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted with meanings and concepts that conform to the technical spirit of the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of a term to best explain his or her own invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modified examples may exist as substitutes for them at the time of filing this application.

[0042] Additionally, when used herein, the terms "comprise", "include" and / or "comprising", "including" specify the presence of stated features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, elements and / or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, operations, elements, elements and / or groups thereof.

[0043] Additionally, to facilitate understanding of the invention, the attached drawings may not be drawn to scale and some components may be exaggerated in size. Furthermore, identical components may be assigned the same reference numbers in different embodiments.

[0044] The statement that two compared objects are "identical" means "substantially identical." Therefore, "substantially identical" may include deviations considered low in the art, such as deviations of less than 5%. Furthermore, uniformity of a parameter over a given region may also mean uniformity on average.

[0045] Although terms like "first" and "second" are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise specified, a "first" component may also be a "second" component.

[0046] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specifically stated, each element may be singular or plural.

[0047] Any configuration being placed "on top (or bottom)" of a component or "on the top (or bottom)" of a component may mean not only that any configuration is placed in contact with the top (or bottom) surface of said component, but also that other configurations may be interposed between said component and any configuration placed on (or under) said component.

[0048] Additionally, when it is described that a component is "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or connected to each other, but that other components may also be "interposed" between the components, or that each component may be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" through another component. Furthermore, when it is said that a part is electrically coupled to another part, this includes not only cases where they are directly connected, but also cases where they are connected with another element in between.

[0049] Additionally, the portion between the upper and lower portions of a component depicted in the drawings, or the portion excluding the upper and lower portions, may be referred to as a "side" or "side surface." Additionally, the direction toward the internal space of a component may be referred to as an "inner side," and the direction protruding into the open external space may be referred to as an "outer side." Relative terms such as "upper side," "top side," etc. may be used to describe the relationship between components depicted in the drawings, and the present disclosure is not limited by such terms.

[0050] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element(s) or feature(s) as depicted in the drawings. It will be understood that spatially relative positions encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientations depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the drawings is turned over, an element described as "beneath" or "lower" another element would be understood to be "above" or "upper" the other element. Thus, the term "beneath" can encompass both the above and below orientations.

[0051] Additionally, when a component is described as being "on," "connected to," or "coupled to" another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or coupled to one another, but that other components may also be "interposed" between the components, or that each component may be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" through other components.

[0052] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Furthermore, the use of "may" when describing embodiments of the present disclosure refers to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure." The use of phrases such as "one or more" before a list of elements modifies the list as a whole and does not modify individual elements in the list.

[0053] When reference is made throughout the specification to “A and / or B,” this means A, B, or A and B, unless otherwise stated, and when reference is made to “C through D,” this means C or more and D or less, unless otherwise stated.

[0054] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another element, component, region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below could also be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0055] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

[0056] In the present invention, the battery may be a type of secondary battery. The secondary battery may include various types of secondary batteries, such as a square secondary battery and a cylindrical secondary battery. The secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, a first current collector, a first terminal, a second current collector, a second terminal, a case, and a cap assembly.

[0057] The electrode assembly may be formed by winding or laminating a laminate of a first electrode plate, a separator, and a second electrode plate formed in a thin plate shape or film shape. When the electrode assembly is a rolled laminate, the winding axis may be parallel to the longitudinal direction (y) of the case. In addition, the electrode assembly may be a stack type rather than a rolled type, and the shape of the electrode assembly is not limited in the present invention. In addition, the electrode assembly may be a Z-stack electrode assembly in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are inserted on both sides of a separator folded in a Z-stack shape. In addition, the electrode assembly may be housed inside a case by stacking one or more electrode assemblies so that their long sides are adjacent to each other, and the number of electrode assemblies is not limited in the present invention. The first electrode plate of the electrode assembly may function as a negative electrode, and the second electrode plate may function as an positive electrode. Of course, the opposite is also possible.

[0058] The first electrode plate is formed by applying a first electrode active material such as graphite or carbon to a first electrode current collector plate formed of a metal foil such as copper, a copper alloy, nickel, or a nickel alloy, and may include a first electrode tab (or first uncoated region) which is a region where the first electrode active material is not applied. The first electrode tab may be a passage for current flow between the first electrode plate and the first current collector. In some examples, the first electrode tab may be formed by cutting the first electrode plate in advance so as to protrude from one side, and may protrude further from one side than the separator without separate cutting.

[0059] The second electrode plate is formed by coating a second electrode active material such as a transition metal oxide on a second electrode current collector plate formed of a metal foil such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and may include a second electrode tab (or second non-coated region) which is a region where the second electrode active material is not coated. The second electrode tab may serve as a passage for current flow between the second electrode plate and the second current collector. In some examples, the second electrode tab may be formed by cutting the second electrode plate in advance so as to protrude toward the other side when manufacturing the second electrode plate, and may protrude further toward the other side than the separator without separate cutting.

[0060] In some examples, the first electrode tab may be located on the left end side of the electrode assembly, and the second electrode tab may be located on the right end side of the electrode assembly, or may be located on one side in the same direction. Here, left and right are for convenience of explanation based on the secondary battery illustrated in Fig. 1, and their positions may change when the secondary battery is rotated left and right or up and down.

[0061] The first electrode tab of the first electrode plate and the second electrode tab of the second electrode plate are respectively positioned at both ends of the electrode assembly as described above. In some examples, the electrode assembly may be accommodated in a case together with the electrolyte. In addition, the electrode assembly is positioned such that the first current collector and the second current collector are respectively welded and connected to the first electrode tab of the first electrode plate and the second electrode tab of the second electrode plate, which are exposed on both sides.

[0062] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 1, the battery manufacturing method includes a preparation step (not shown) of preparing a case (110), an insertion step (101) of inserting an electrode assembly (120) into the case (110) through an opening (112), a connection step (102) of connecting a terminal assembly (122) to a cap plate (114), and an injection step (103) of injecting an electrolyte through the opening (112).

[0064] In one embodiment, the case (110) may have a side configured to accommodate an electrode assembly (120) and an electrolyte, an opening (112) on one side, and a closed portion on the other side opposite the one side. For example, the closed portion may correspond to a cap plate (114). The closed portion has a relatively closed structure compared to the open portion, and may include a through hole as needed.

[0065] For example, the case (110) may be a square pillar-shaped case with one end sealed and the other end open. Furthermore, although the case is depicted in the shape of a square secondary battery in FIG. 1 , it is not limited thereto, and the shape may vary depending on the type of battery. Accordingly, the opening is depicted as the lower surface of the case, but is not limited thereto. Unlike what is depicted, the opening may be formed on any surface of the case (110).

[0066] The case (110) may be composed of materials commonly used in the art to protect the internal components of the battery from external impact or fire. For example, the case may be composed of a metal case including aluminum, an aluminum alloy, nickel-plated steel, or stainless steel, a plastic case including GFRP, or a combination thereof, depending on the choice of a person skilled in the art, considering the intended use and function of the battery.

[0067] In one embodiment, the closure corresponds to or includes a cap plate (114). The cap plate (114) also includes a through hole (116) for inserting a terminal assembly (122). The cap plate (114) is illustrated as having a rectangular plate shape and including a plurality of through holes (116), but is not limited thereto, and the number of through holes (116) and the shapes of the through holes (116) and the cap plate (114) may vary depending on the type of battery.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the step of preparing the case (110) may include the step of welding the cap plate (114) to the case (110). Specifically, the cap plate (114) may be welded to each short side existing on the side of the case (110). The welding may include various types of welding, including laser welding.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the step of preparing the case (110) includes a step of forming the cap plate (114) as an integral part with the case (110). For example, the cap plate (114) and the case (110) may be formed integrally with each other by a deep drawing process. Here, the deep drawing process refers to a process in which, in press processing of a plate material, a punch and a die are used to press the outer periphery of the plate inward to produce a seamless, bottomed container or the like. Through this, the side surface of the case (110), the closed portion including the cap plate (114), and the open portion can be formed integrally. Accordingly, since welding between the closed portion and the side surface is unnecessary, the number of steps in the secondary battery manufacturing process can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the insertion step (101) of inserting the electrode assembly (120) into the case (110) includes the step of inserting a terminal assembly (122) into a through hole (116) of a cap plate (114). The terminal assembly (122) can be electrically connected to the electrode assembly (120).

[0071] According to one embodiment, the connecting step (102) of connecting the terminal assembly (122) to the cap plate (114) includes the step of joining a terminal insulator included in the terminal assembly (122) to a cap insulator disposed in a through hole (116) of the cap plate (114). This is described in detail in FIG. 5.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the step (103) of injecting the electrolyte through the opening (112) includes the step of injecting the electrolyte multiple times through the electrolyte injector (130).

[0073] According to one embodiment, before the step (103) of injecting the electrolyte through the opening, a step of inspecting the connection status of the electrode assembly (120) and the cap plate (114) is further included. For example, the status of the welded portion may be inspected using various inspection methods, such as a visual inspection in which the weld portion is directly inspected with the eyes, a penetrant inspection in which a penetrant is applied to the weld surface, an ultrasonic inspection, a two-dimensional X-ray inspection using X-rays, or a CT inspection. The connection status of the cap plate (114) and the case (110) may be inspected using at least one of the inspection methods.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the battery manufacturing method further includes a step (104) of joining a cover plate (140) to the opening (112). The cover plate (140) may be joined to the opening (112) of the case (110) in a shape that covers the entire opening (112). The step (104) of joining the cover plate (140) may include a step of welding the cover plate (140) and the case (110). Specifically, the cover plate (140) may be placed in the opening of the case (110) and may be welded to short sides and long sides of the opening. The cover plate (140) may be welded to the case (110), thereby sealing the case (110). This is described in detail in FIG. 3 .

[0075] The cover plate (140) may be made of the same material as the case (110) or the cap plate (114). In addition, the cover plate (140) may include an insulating member or gasket for electrical insulation from the electrode assembly (120) inside the case (110).

[0076] According to some embodiments of the present invention, since the electrolyte can be injected through a wide opening (112) located on one side of the battery case (110) rather than through a small hole-shaped electrolyte injection port, the amount of injected electrolyte per unit time can be increased, thereby improving the productivity of the battery manufacturing process.

[0077] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the present invention, since the amount of electrolyte can be easily measured through the opening (112), the overflow phenomenon in which overcharged electrolyte flows back and is discharged out through the injection port can be reduced. This can reduce contamination of the electrolyte injector (130) and its surroundings during the battery manufacturing process.

[0078] In addition, since there is no need to form a liquid hole in the cap plate, the structure of the cap plate can be simplified.

[0079] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0080] Referring to FIG. 2, a battery manufacturing method (200) may begin by preparing a case having an opening on one side and a closing portion on the opposite side, wherein the closing portion includes a cap plate (S210). In one embodiment, the step of preparing the case (S210) may include a step of welding the cap plate to the case. In another embodiment, the step of preparing the case (S210) may include a step of forming the cap plate as an integral part of the case.

[0081] Next, through the opening, an electrode assembly electrically connected to the terminal assembly can be inserted into the case (S220). The step of inserting the electrode assembly (S220) may include a step of inserting a terminal block of the terminal assembly into the through hole so that the terminal insulator and the cap insulator are in contact with each other. The cap insulator may be formed by insert molding into the cap plate, and the terminal insulator may be formed by insert molding into the terminal block.

[0082] Thereafter, the terminal assembly can be connected to the cap plate (S230). The terminal assembly may include a sub-plate connected to the electrode assembly, a terminal block formed by protruding from the sub-plate, and a terminal insulator arranged around a side surface of the terminal block. The cap plate may include a through hole, and the cap insulator may be arranged along the perimeter of the through hole. The step of connecting the terminal assembly to the cap plate (S230) may include a step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator. The step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator may include a step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator using at least one of heat welding and an adhesive. Specifically, the bond between the terminal insulator and the cap insulator may be designed to be maintained above a vent threshold pressure of the battery. In one embodiment, the cap insulator includes a first protrusion protruding upwardly, the terminal insulator includes a second protrusion protruding upwardly, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion may bond to each other.

[0083] Thereafter, the electrolyte can be injected through the opening (S240). The step of injecting the electrolyte through the opening (S240) may include a step of injecting the electrolyte multiple times. In addition, a step of inspecting the connection status between the electrode assembly and the cap plate may be further included prior to the step of injecting the electrolyte through the opening (S240).

[0084] Additionally, a cover plate can be attached to the opening of the case. The cover plate can be attached by welding the cover plate to the case.

[0085] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating an example of a method for attaching a cover plate to an opening according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method for attaching the cover plate to the opening may be performed after the step (S240) of injecting an electrolyte through the opening described above in FIG. 2.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 3, a method of joining a cover plate (312) to an opening of a battery case (320) includes a step (301) of providing a cover plate (312), a step (302) of tack-welding the case (320) and the cover plate (312), and a step (303) of main-welding the case (320) and the cover plate (312).

[0087] Specifically, the cover plate (312) may be placed on the opening of the case (320), positioned through a tack weld (340), and then welded to the short and long sides of the opening. As the cover plate (312) is welded to the case (320), the case (320) may be sealed. Prior to the step (303) of welding the case (320) and the cover plate (312), surface treatment such as laser etching may be performed to remove contamination of the welding area.

[0088] In one embodiment, the cover plate (312) may include a vent (314). The vent (314) may prevent battery explosion or a chain reaction of heat generation among closely arranged batteries. For example, the vent (314) may be configured to open when the internal pressure of the battery exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure. In this case, the threshold pressure may be set differently depending on the field of application, material, purpose, etc. of the secondary battery. As another example, the vent (314) may be configured to open when the internal temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature.

[0089] The vent (314) may be formed on one surface of the case (320). For example, the vent (314) may be formed on the side surface of the case (320) or on the cap plate. In FIG. 3, one vent (314) is illustrated as being formed at the center of one surface of the cover plate (312), but is not limited thereto. Unlike what is illustrated, any number of vents (314) may be formed at any location on one surface of the case (320). For example, two vents (314) may be formed on one surface of the case (320).

[0090] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 4, a battery (400) according to one embodiment may include an electrode assembly (not shown), a case (410) that accommodates the electrode assembly, a terminal assembly (420), and a cap plate (432) that is coupled to the case (410) and has a through hole (434) formed therein. The terminal assembly (420) may include a sub-plate (not shown) electrically connected to the electrode assembly, a terminal block (422) that is formed by protruding from the sub-plate, and a terminal insulator (424) that is arranged around a side surface of the terminal block (422).

[0092] According to one embodiment, the cap plate (432) includes a through hole (434), and the cap insulator (436) can be positioned along the perimeter of the through hole (434).

[0093] According to one embodiment, a terminal block (422) may be inserted into the through hole (434) so ​​that the terminal insulator (424) and the cap insulator (436) are in contact with each other. A cap insulator (436) and a terminal insulator (424) may be placed between the cap plate (432) and the terminal block (422). Specifically, the cap insulator (436) may be placed on the cap plate (432) side, and the terminal insulator (424) may be placed on the terminal block (422) side. The cap insulator (436) and the terminal insulator (424) may prevent the cap plate (432) and the terminal block (422) from being electrically connected.

[0094] The terminal block (422) can be in contact with the subplate. The terminal block (422) can be electrically connected to the electrode assembly through the subplate.

[0095] The sub-plate is coupled to one side of the electrode assembly and can be electrically connected to a first electrode plate (e.g., a positive electrode plate) or a second electrode plate (e.g., a negative electrode plate) of the electrode assembly. Specifically, the sub-plate can be coupled to a first electrode tab of the electrode assembly. For example, the first electrode tab can be welded to the sub-plate. An insulating member can be disposed between the sub-plate and the cap plate. The insulating member can prevent the sub-plate and the cap plate from being electrically connected.

[0096] A battery (400) according to one embodiment may further include a cover plate. The cover plate may be coupled to the opening of the case (410) in a shape that covers the entire lower opening of the case (410).

[0097] The terminal assembly (420) may include a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly. The first terminal assembly may be electrically connected to the positive electrode of the electrode assembly, and the second terminal assembly may be electrically connected to the negative electrode of the electrode assembly. Alternatively, the first terminal assembly may be electrically connected to the negative electrode of the electrode assembly, and the second terminal assembly may be electrically connected to the positive electrode of the electrode assembly.

[0098] In one embodiment, the first terminal assembly and the second terminal assembly may be positioned toward the cap plate (432). In another embodiment, the first terminal assembly may be positioned toward the cap plate (432), and the second terminal assembly may be positioned toward a cover plate opposite the cap plate (432). This is described in detail in FIG. 8.

[0099] In one embodiment, the cap plate and / or cover plate may have a structure that omits the electrolyte injection port. Since the electrolyte can be injected through a wide opening located on one side of the battery case (410) rather than through a small hole-shaped electrolyte injection port, the amount of electrolyte injected per unit time can be increased, thereby improving the productivity of the battery manufacturing process.

[0100] In addition, since the electrolyte can be injected at atmospheric pressure through a wide opening located on one side of the battery case (410) rather than through a small hole-shaped electrolyte injection port, there is no need to create an artificial vacuum inside the battery (400) for injection, thereby simplifying the battery manufacturing process. In addition, through this, air bubbles, etc. that were generated during the process of charging the electrolyte through the small hole are no longer formed, so the quality of the battery (400) can be improved.

[0101] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the structure of the cap plate can be simplified because there is no need to form a liquid hole in the cap plate.

[0102] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the appearance of a battery (500) before and after inserting an electrode assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0103] Referring to FIG. 5, a first state (501) is a top view of the cap plate (510) before inserting the electrode assembly according to one embodiment into the battery case. At least one through hole (512) is formed in the cap plate (510), and a cap insulator (514) is arranged along the periphery of the through hole (512).

[0104] As shown, the through hole (512) may have a rounded rectangular shape, but is not limited thereto and may be designed in various ways depending on the type and purpose of the battery. Furthermore, as shown, there are multiple through holes (512), but depending on the type and purpose of the battery, only one through hole (512) may be formed in the cap plate.

[0105] In one embodiment, the cap insulator (514) may be an insulator positioned along the perimeter while maintaining a certain range from the edge of the through hole (512). Specifically, the cap insulator (514) may have a constant width from the edge of the through hole (512) and may be positioned along the perimeter. The shape of the cap insulator (514) may be changed to correspond to the shape of the terminal assembly (520) inserted into the through hole (512). The shape of the cap insulator (514) is described in detail in FIG. 7.

[0106] The cap insulator (514) may be made of any one of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), urethane, nylon, and Teflon as an insulating material. However, the cap insulator (514) of the present invention is not limited to the above materials, and may include various materials as electrically insulating materials.

[0107] According to one embodiment, the cap insulator (514) may be formed by insert molding into the cap plate (510). Here, insert molding refers to a molding process in which raw materials are injected into a mold while an insert (external element or accessory) is present to improve the strength, functionality, and appearance of the part.

[0108] For example, a cap insulator (514) can be formed by using a cap plate (510) made of a metal material as an insert in a molding corresponding to a through hole (512) and injecting an insulating raw material constituting the cap insulator (514). Through this insert molding process, the cap insulator (514) can be firmly fixed to the cap plate (510), improving the strength and durability of the entire product. In addition, the assembly process consisting of multiple steps in the past can be avoided, thereby improving overall productivity.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 5, the second state (502) is a top view of the cap plate (510) after inserting the electrode assembly according to one embodiment into the battery case. Specifically, the electrode assembly is inserted into the battery case such that a terminal assembly (520) electrically connected to the electrode assembly is inserted into one or more through holes (512) formed in the cap plate (510).

[0110] The terminal assembly (520) includes a terminal block (521) and a terminal insulator (522). The terminal insulator (522) is arranged along the side perimeter of the terminal block (521). As illustrated, the terminal block (521) may have a rectangular shape with rounded corners, but is not limited thereto and may be designed in various ways depending on the type and purpose of the battery. In addition, as illustrated, there are multiple terminal blocks (521) coupled to the cap plate (510), but there may be only one depending on the configuration and type of the battery.

[0111] In one embodiment, the terminal insulator (522) may be positioned along the perimeter while maintaining a specific range of width from the edge of the side perimeter of the terminal block (521). Specifically, the terminal insulator (522) may be positioned along the perimeter while having the same width from the boundary surface of the terminal block (521). The shape of the terminal insulator (522) may be changed to correspond to the shape of the cap insulator (514) positioned in the through hole (512). Various shapes of the terminal insulator (522) are described in detail in FIG. 7.

[0112] The terminal insulator (522) may be made of any one of the insulating materials polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), urethane, nylon, and Teflon. However, the terminal insulator (5222) of the present invention is not limited to the above materials, and may include various materials having electrical insulating properties.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the terminal insulator (522) can be formed by insert molding into the terminal block (521). For example, the terminal insulator (522) can be formed by a process of using a terminal block (521) made of a metal material as an insert in a molding corresponding to the through hole (512) and injecting an insulating raw material constituting the terminal insulator (522). Through this insert molding process, the terminal insulator (522) can be firmly fixed to the terminal block (521), improving the strength and durability of the entire product. In addition, the assembly process consisting of a plurality of steps in the past can be avoided, thereby improving overall productivity.

[0114] According to one embodiment, the cap insulator (514) can be in contact with the entire perimeter of the terminal insulator (522). The cap insulator (514) can be bonded to the terminal insulator (522) while in contact with the entire perimeter of the terminal insulator (522), thereby sealing the through hole (512) of the cap plate (510). A specific bonding method is described in FIG. 6.

[0115] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the terminal assembly in the cross section of the battery taken along the AA' line of Fig. 4.

[0116] Referring to FIG. 6, the first state (601) is a cross-sectional view of the terminal assembly (620) and the cap plate (632) from the side before inserting the electrode assembly according to one embodiment into the battery case.

[0117] The sub-plate (610) can be coupled to at least one side of the electrode assembly (614) and electrically connected to the electrode assembly (614). The terminal assembly (620) includes a terminal block (622) formed by protruding from the sub-plate (610) and a terminal insulator (624) arranged around the side of the terminal block (622).

[0118] Referring to FIG. 6, the second state (602) is a cross-sectional view of the terminal assembly (620) and the cap plate (632) from the side after inserting the electrode assembly according to one embodiment into the battery case.

[0119] As the electrode assembly is inserted into the battery case during the manufacturing process of the battery, the terminal assembly (620) including the terminal block (622) and the terminal insulator (624) is inserted into the through hole (634) of the cap plate (632), so that the terminal insulator (624) can come into contact with the cap insulator (636). The terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636) can be joined in a contact state to form the battery of the present disclosure.

[0120] After insertion of the electrode assembly, at least a portion of the terminal block (622) of the terminal assembly (620) is exposed to the outside of the cap plate (632) through the through hole (634). According to one embodiment, the upper surface of the terminal insulator (624) is positioned lower than the upper surface of the terminal block (622), so that the terminal block (622) itself can have a structure that facilitates its operation as an external electrode of the battery.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636) may be joined to each other by thermal fusion. For example, a welding process using a laser or plasma, etc. may be performed to join the terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636). A compression process using a press, etc. may be added to the welding process using a laser or plasma, etc.

[0122] Additionally or alternatively, according to one embodiment, the terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636) may be bonded to each other using an adhesive. The adhesive may be a material that is electrically insulating, safe for the internal battery environment, and has excellent heat resistance. For example, an epoxy adhesive, a silicone adhesive, a polyurethane adhesive, a polyamide adhesive, or a combination thereof may be used. However, the adhesive of the present invention is not limited to the above materials, and may include various adhesive materials that are electrically insulating.

[0123] In one embodiment, the bond between the terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636) may be designed to be maintained above the battery's vent threshold pressure. This allows the vent to function properly against internal battery thermal runaway or gas generation even after the bond between the terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636) is formed.

[0124] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the terminal assembly (620) is exposed to the outside of the cap plate (632) through a through hole (634), thereby solving the problem of defective welding quality of existing direct-connection terminals.

[0125] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the terminal assembly (620) can perform a joining process using a simpler method than metal-to-metal welding by joining the terminal insulator (624) and the cap insulator (636) outside the cell, omitting the metal-to-metal welding process that existed in the direct-connection terminal. This reduces the investment and equipment costs for laser welding, thereby reducing the cost of battery production.

[0126] According to some embodiments of the present invention, by omitting the metal-to-metal welding process that existed in conventional direct-connection terminals, defects due to the generation of foreign substances that were a problem in metal-to-metal welding can be solved.

[0127] Fig. 7 is a drawing showing an example of a terminal insulator and a cap insulator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. A description of a configuration corresponding to the configuration illustrated in Fig. 6 is omitted.

[0128] Referring to FIG. 7, in one embodiment (710), the cap insulator (736) may include a first protrusion (738) protruding upwardly, and the terminal insulator (724) may include a second protrusion (728) protruding upwardly.

[0129] At least a portion of the cap insulator (736) and at least a portion of the terminal insulator (724) can be joined while in contact. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the first protrusion (738) and the second protrusion (728) can be joined to each other.

[0130] In one embodiment, the upper surface of the first protrusion (738) and the upper surface of the second protrusion (728) can be aligned to lie on the same plane when properly joined. This configuration allows for easy visual confirmation of the relative direction and degree of displacement of the terminal assembly, including the terminal block (722), relative to the cap plate without additional inspection. This reduces the resources required for battery defect inspection, thereby increasing productivity.

[0131] According to one embodiment, the second protrusion (728) may be spaced apart from the terminal block (722). For example, the second protrusion (728) may be spaced apart from the terminal block (722) by a distance equal to 10% of the width of the terminal block (722). This may reduce the influence of contamination or heating generated during the process of joining the first protrusion (738) and the second protrusion (728) to each other on the terminal block (722). However, the distance at which the second protrusion (728) is spaced apart from the terminal block (722) is not limited to the above numerical example, and may be changed by a person skilled in the art depending on the type or purpose of the battery.

[0132] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing an example of a battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] Referring to FIG. 8, in one embodiment, the first terminal assembly (824) may be positioned toward the cap plate (810), and the second terminal assembly (826) may be positioned toward the cover plate (840) facing the cap plate (810).

[0134] A battery manufacturing method according to one embodiment may begin with a step of inserting an electrode assembly (820) into a case including a first through-hole (814) (801). The first through-hole may have a shape corresponding to a terminal block of a first terminal assembly. The terminal block of the first terminal assembly may pass through the first through-hole. Thereafter, the first terminal assembly (824) may be connected to the cap plate (810) (802). Subsequently, the case may be rotated 180 degrees so that the opening and the second terminal assembly (826) are positioned on the upper side. An electrolyte may be injected through the opening located on the upper side (803).

[0135] Thereafter, a cover plate (840) can be coupled to the opening (804). Specifically, the cover plate (840) can be coupled to the opening of the case in a shape that covers the entire opening. In one embodiment, the cover plate (840) can include a second through-hole corresponding to the terminal block of the second terminal assembly (826). The second terminal assembly (826) can be connected to the cover plate (840).

[0136] As described in FIG. 1, the step (804) of joining the cover plate (840) may include a step of welding the cover plate (840) and the case.

[0137] A battery manufactured by a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to automobiles, mobile phones, and / or various types of electrical devices.

[0138] Anyone having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope that does not depart from the technical spirit of the present invention, and therefore the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the attached drawings.

Claims

1. A step of preparing a case having an open portion on one side and a closed portion on the other side opposite to the one side, wherein the closed portion has a cap plate; A step of inserting an electrode assembly electrically connected to a terminal assembly into the case through the above opening; A step of connecting the terminal assembly to the cap plate: and Step of injecting electrolyte through the above opening A method for manufacturing a battery, comprising:

2. In paragraph 1, A battery manufacturing method further comprising the step of bonding a cover plate to the opening.

3. In paragraph 2 A battery manufacturing method, wherein the step of combining the cover plate includes the step of welding the cover plate and the case.

4. In paragraph 1, The steps for preparing the above case are: A battery manufacturing method comprising a step of welding the cap plate to the case.

5. In paragraph 1, The steps for preparing the above case are: A battery manufacturing method, comprising a step of forming the cap plate as an integral part with the case.

6. In paragraph 1, A battery manufacturing method, wherein the terminal assembly comprises a sub-plate connected to the electrode assembly, a terminal block formed by protruding from the sub-plate, and a terminal insulator arranged around the side of the terminal block.

7. In paragraph 6, A method for manufacturing a battery, wherein the cap plate includes a through hole, and a cap insulator is arranged along the periphery of the through hole.

8. In paragraph 7, The step of inserting the above electrode assembly is: A battery manufacturing method, comprising the step of inserting the terminal block into the through hole so that the terminal insulator and the cap insulator are in contact with each other.

9. In paragraph 8, The step of connecting the terminal assembly to the cap plate is: A battery manufacturing method comprising a step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator.

10. In paragraph 9, The step of joining the terminal insulator to the cap insulator is: A method for manufacturing a battery, comprising the step of bonding the terminal insulator to the cap insulator using at least one of heat fusing and an adhesive.

11. In paragraph 10, The joint between the terminal insulator and the cap insulator is A method for manufacturing a battery, wherein the battery is designed to be maintained above a vent critical pressure of the battery.

12. In paragraph 8, A battery manufacturing method, wherein the cap insulator is formed by insert molding the cap plate.

13. In paragraph 8, A battery manufacturing method, wherein the terminal insulator is formed by insert molding into the terminal block.

14. In paragraph 9, The cap insulator includes a first protrusion protruding upward, The terminal insulator includes a second protrusion protruding upward, A battery manufacturing method, wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are joined to each other.

15. In paragraph 2, The terminal assembly includes a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly, A battery manufacturing method, wherein the first terminal assembly is positioned toward the cap plate, and the second terminal assembly is positioned toward the cover plate.

16. In paragraph 2, The terminal assembly includes a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly, A battery manufacturing method, wherein the first terminal assembly and the second terminal assembly are arranged toward the cap plate.

17. In paragraph 1, A method for manufacturing a battery, wherein the step of injecting an electrolyte through the above-mentioned opening includes a step of injecting an electrolyte multiple times.

18. In paragraph 1, A battery manufacturing method further comprising a step of inspecting the connection state of the electrode assembly and the cap plate prior to the step of injecting the electrolyte through the opening.

19. A battery manufactured by the battery manufacturing method of paragraph 1.

20. In paragraph 19, A battery having a structure in which the above cap plate has an electrolyte injection port omitted.

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