Plant for the production of electric battery cells and method thereof

Abstract

It is described a plant (1, 60) for the production of electric battery cells (C) comprising one or more operating areas (10) configured to perform a series of operations on a plurality of electric battery cells (C) so as to make formed and finished battery cells. The electric battery cells (C) are carried in groups on support trays (6), and each comprises a degassing hole (14) closed by a removable closing element (16). The plant comprises at least one controlled environmental chamber (28) including a device for removing the closing element (16) from the degassing hole (14) of each battery cell (C), such that the controlled-atmosphere environment can be limited to an area of the plant in which the operation of removing the closing elements from the degassing holes of the cells is performed, as the cells pass through such area.

Description

[0001] “Plant for the production of electric battery cells and method thereof” ****

[0002] TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a plant for the production of electric battery cells of the type comprising one or more operating areas configured to perform a series of operations on a plurality of electric battery cells so as to make formed and finished battery cells, wherein the electric battery cells are carried in groups on support trays, and wherein each battery cell comprises a degassing hole for the outflow of gases generated within the cell during said operations.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] The production of battery cells for electric batteries, particularly electric batteries for electric traction vehicles or hybrid vehicles, generally comprises subjecting the electric battery cells to a series of processes aimed at testing the battery cells so as to confer the necessary properties and performances and an adequate duration of their life cycle.

[0007] Generally, the battery cells are received and supported within support trays so as to facilitate their transport between one station of the production line and the next.

[0008] Among said processes, it is known to subject the battery cells to a process, so-called “formation process”, which includes arranging the electric battery cells carried by the support trays inside formation chambers and subjecting them to repeated charge and discharge cycles.

[0009] The repeated charge and discharge cycles trigger chemical reactions inside the battery cells that lead to the formation of flammable gases, including hydrogen.

[0010] For this reason, the formation chambers of the known type are provided with a system for suction of the gases produced during the formation phase. Such systems generally require providing a suction port for each battery cell to be formed, intended to communicate with the degassing hole provided in the cell casing, resulting in a very complex general layout of the formation chamber. Furthermore, when the battery cells are outside the formation chambers it is necessary to prevent the entry of foreign bodies into the cells through the degassing holes of the cells.

[0011] For all the above reasons, in known plants it is necessary to maintain a large area of the plant in a controlled atmosphere, which significantly increases the complexity and cost of the plant.

[0012] In addition, the support trays generally used include compression means configured to exert a compressive action on the battery cells during the cell formation phase (so-called compression trays) such as to counteract the so-called “cake effect”, i.e. the swelling of the battery cells related to their tendency to accumulate said flammable gases inside them.

[0013] However, due to their structural properties and their high complexity, compression trays are very expensive and heavy. Therefore, the provision of compression trays along the entire production line of electric battery cells, especially during production phases for which a compressive action on the battery cells is not required, as instead happens during the formation phase, requires a large number of compression trays along the production line, resulting in a high overall production cost.

[0014] Object of the invention

[0015] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a plant for handling support trays of the type indicated above that does not have the drawbacks discussed above.

[0016] In particular, an object of the invention is to provide a plant for handling support trays of electric battery cells such as to reduce the overall costs for producing battery cells.

[0017] Summary of the invention

[0018] In order to achieve one or more of said purposes, the invention has as its object a plant for handling support trays of the type indicated above and characterized in that the battery cells carried by each support tray each have the respective degassing hole closed by a removable closing element, and in that the plant comprises at least one controlled environmental chamber including a device for removing the closing element from the degassing hole of each battery cell. Thanks to this feature, the controlled-atmosphere environment can be limited to an area of the plant where the operation of removing the closing elements from the degassing holes of the cells is performed, as the cells pass through this area.

[0019] According to a further preferred feature, one of the operating areas is a formation area including at least one formation chamber, configured to receive a respective support tray, and to perform a formation process on the electric battery cells arranged on the support tray, wherein upstream of said formation area there is provided a feeding station for feeding the support trays, wherein each support tray receives and supports a plurality of electric battery cells, wherein the battery cells carried by each support tray incoming the feeding station each have the respective degassing hole closed by said removable closing element, and wherein the controlled environmental chamber is arranged between said feeding station and said formation area, so that the closing element of the degassing hole of each cell is removed within said controlled environmental chamber before the battery cell enters the formation area.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the plant comprises an operating area arranged downstream of said feeding station and upstream of said formation area, said operating area comprising said controlled environmental chamber, the controlled environmental chamber including a replacement station configured to perform the operations of:

[0021] - receiving, as input, support trays fed by said feeding station,

[0022] - removing said closing elements of the battery cells received within the support trays,

[0023] - removably arranging on each one of said support trays a respective degassing mask,

[0024] - feeding, as output, support trays carrying the respective degassing masks to said formation area, said degassing mask comprising a gas collector and a plurality of suction nozzles configured to be positioned at respective degassing holes of the battery cells, and at least one discharge port to put in fluid communication the degassing mask with a suction duct of a formation chamber.

[0025] Thanks to these features, the plant according to the present invention allows the use of a smaller controlled environmental chamber that does not require the preparation of the formation chambers inside it, and inside which the closing elements of the battery cells on a support tray are replaced with a single degassing mask, thus allowing the transport of the support trays outside the controlled environmental chamber. The use of degassing masks also simplifies the general layout of the formation chambers and, in particular, of a gas suction system therein, as it does not require the provision of a plurality of suction nozzles, but rather a single suction port connectable to the discharge port of the degassing masks.

[0026] In principle, however, it would also be possible to provide that the controlled environmental chamber in which the closing elements of the degassing holes of the battery cells are removed also covers the formation area, in which case instead of said degassing masks, degassing systems of any known type provided in the formation chambers could be used.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the plant comprises a second replacement station configured to perform the operations of:

[0028] - receiving, as input, support trays coming from the formation area,

[0029] - removing the degassing masks arranged on the respective support trays,

[0030] - associating the degassing holes of each battery cell received within the support trays with respective closing elements,

[0031] - feeding, as output, support trays housing battery cells provided with the closing elements to the feeding station.

[0032] In one example, the plant comprises a reception and distribution station arranged at an interface area between the operating area and the formation area, wherein the reception and distribution station is configured to perform the operations of:

[0033] - collecting the support trays carrying the respective degassing masks fed by the replacement station,

[0034] - feeding the support trays housing battery cells to be formed to respective formation chambers,

[0035] - collecting the support trays housing formed battery cells from the formation chambers,

[0036] - feeding the support trays to the second replacement station.

[0037] According to a further advantageous feature of a preferred embodiment, the support trays comprise:

[0038] - support trays of a first type configured to receive and support the battery cells within the feeding station,

[0039] - support trays of a second type configured to receive and support the battery cells within the operating area and the formation area, and comprising compression means configured to apply a pressure on the battery cells.

[0040] The present invention also relates to a method for handling support trays within a plant usable in the production of electric battery cells, according to the features indicated in claim 9.

[0041] Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

[0042] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:

[0043] - figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a plant for handling support trays according to the present invention,

[0044] - figure 2 is a plan view of a support tray of a first type according to the present invention,

[0045] - figure 3 is a perspective view of a degassing mask used in the plant according to the present invention,

[0046] - figure 4 is a perspective view of a support tray provided with the degassing mask of figure 3,

[0047] - figure 5 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the plant for handling support trays according to the present invention,

[0048] - figure 6 is a perspective view of a support tray of a second type according to the present invention,

[0049] - figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a battery cell, and

[0050] - figure 8 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale along line VIII-VIII of figure 7.

[0051] With reference to the figures, reference 1 indicates as a whole a plant used within a production line for the production of electric battery cells according to the present invention.

[0052] In general, plants of this type comprise one or more operating areas configured to perform a series of operations on a plurality of electric battery cells so as to make formed and finished battery cells. In the example illustrated, the plant 1 comprises a feeding station 3, including an inlet 5 and configured to receive, as input, battery cells C (figure 2) coming from stations of the production line arranged upstream with respect to the plant 1.

[0053] With reference to figure 2, during the input of the battery cells C into the plant 1 , and more generally during the transport phases of the cells C between one station of the production line and the next, the cells C are received within respective housing seats S obtained on support trays 6.

[0054] Preferably, each support tray 6 defines a plurality of housing seats S for the battery cells C arranged in rows parallel to each other so as to house a plurality of rows of cells C.

[0055] The feeding station 3 also comprises a first conveyor 8 extending from said inlet 5 of the plant 1 , and configured to move the support trays 6 carrying the battery cells C entering the feeding station 3 within the plant 1 .

[0056] The plant 1 according to the present invention further comprises a formation area 10 arranged downstream of the feeding station 3, and configured to receive the support trays 6 carrying the battery cells C and to subject the battery cells C to a so-called “formation process”.

[0057] “Battery cell formation” means a phase in the process for the production of electric batteries that consists of performing a repeated series of charge and discharge cycles on the battery cells before they are assembled to make up the electric battery. The cell formation phase is essential in the production of electric batteries as it allows the individual cells to be tested and their life cycle and performance to be improved.

[0058] As will be clearer later in this description, within the formation area 10 the support trays 6 carrying the battery cells C to be formed are fed into respective formation chambers 12, within which the battery cells are subjected to the formation phase.

[0059] Each formation chamber 12, illustrated schematically in figure 1 , is provided with at least one power electronics unit and a plurality of electrical terminals, such that the terminals of the battery cells come into contact with the electrical terminals of the power electronics unit, thus allowing the execution of the charge and discharge cycles.

[0060] Said charge and discharge cycles performed on the battery cells C can lead to the production of various types of gases inside the battery cells, including flammable gases such as hydrogen.

[0061] For this reason, the formation chambers 12 are generally provided with gas suction systems comprising suction nozzles, each configured to be coupled to a respective degassing hole 14 (figure 2) obtained on a respective battery cell C.

[0062] In the plant according to the invention, during the transport phases of the battery cells C, and more generally when the battery cells C are not received within the formation chambers 12 (for example at the inlet of the battery cells C into the plant 1 , or in any other operating area of the plant), the degassing holes 14 of the cells C are kept closed by means of closing elements 16.

[0063] Figure 7 of the attached drawings schematically shows a battery cell C provided with the respective closing element 16. Figure 8 shows the sectional detail of the closing element 16 which, in this example, is made of elastomer material and includes a head 16A which rests on an outer surface of the cell C, and a body 16B interference fitted into the degassing hole 14 of the cell C.

[0064] In this way, in the operating areas of the plant in which the battery cells C provided with the closing element 16 move, it is not necessary to provide a controlled atmosphere.

[0065] With particular reference to figure 1 , in the embodiment illustrated, the plant 1 comprises a third area 18, or operating area 18, arranged downstream of the feeding station 3 and upstream of the formation area 10.

[0066] As will become clearer in the remainder of this description, the operating area 18 comprises a first replacement station 19 configured to receive, as input, support trays 6 fed from the feeding station 3 by means of the first conveyor 8, each carrying a plurality of electric battery cells C to be formed provided with respective closing elements 16, and to perform the operations of:

[0067] - removing the closing elements 16 from the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C, - removably arranging on each support tray 6 a respective degassing mask 20 (figure 5),

[0068] - feeding, as output, by means of the first conveyor 8, the support trays 6, each carrying a respective degassing mask 20, to the formation area 10 such that they are inserted into the formation chambers 12.

[0069] With particular reference to figure 3, the degassing mask 20 according to the present invention comprises a gas collector 22 and a plurality of suction nozzles 24, each put in fluid communication with the gas collector 22 and positioned so that, in a condition of the degassing mask 20 arranged on a respective support tray 6, each suction nozzle 24 is located at a respective degassing hole 14 of a battery cell C as illustrated in figure 4. In the illustrated example, the degassing mask 20 has a frame, consisting of hollow beams, which defines the discharge collector 22.

[0070] According to a particularly advantageous feature of the present invention, the degassing mask 20 further comprises a discharge port 26 configured to put in fluid communication the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C received on a support tray 6 and a suction duct of a gas suction system of the chamber of formation 12 within which the support tray 6 is received during the formation process of the cells C, and to stop the fluid communication between the degassing holes 14 and the outer environment when the cells C are outside the formation chambers 12.

[0071] By way of example, a degassing mask is shown in figure 3, and corresponds to a degassing mask of the type proposed in the Italian patent application number 102023000023805 of the same Applicant, still secret at the priority date of the present application.

[0072] With reference to figure 1 , the operations performed by the replacement station 19 of removing the closing elements 16 from the battery cells C and removably arranging on each support tray 6 a respective degassing mask 20 are carried out inside a controlled environmental chamber 28 arranged in the operating area 18 by means of a manipulating robot 30 (illustrated schematically in figure 1 ) arranged inside the chamber 28.

[0073] In other words, the plant 1 comprises a controlled environmental chamber 28 within which a device is arranged, in particular the replacement station 19, for removing the closing elements 16 of the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C carried by each support tray 6, and for applying a degassing mask 20 to the cells.

[0074] Thanks to this feature, it is possible to limit the plant area that is maintained in a controlled atmosphere to the chamber 28 in which the closing elements 16 are removed and replaced with the degassing mask 20.

[0075] In particular, the controlled environmental chamber is configured to prevent any flammable gases present inside the battery cells C from being released and dispersed into the environment during the transitional phase that occurs between the removal of the closing elements 16 and the assembly of the degassing mask 20 on the support tray 6, during which the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C are exposed to the outer environment.

[0076] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures by way of example, the first conveyor 8 of the feeding station 3 extends across the entire extension of the operating area 18 in order to move the support trays 6 through the replacement station 19, up to an unloading section 31.

[0077] Still with reference to figure 1 , the operating area 18 comprises a reception and distribution station 32 including a unit 34 arranged at an interface area between the operating area 18 and the formation area 10, and a conveyor 36 extending from said unit 34 to the formation chambers 12.

[0078] In particular, the reception and distribution station 32 is configured to collect by means of the unit 34 the support trays 6, each carrying a respective degassing mask 20, fed by the first conveyor 8 at the unloading section 31 , and to arrange the collected trays 6 on the conveyor 36, which is configured to feed each received support tray 6 to a respective formation chamber 12.

[0079] Preferably, the conveyor 36 extends along the entire extension of the formation area 10 and comprises a plurality of outlets 38, each arranged at an inlet 40 of a respective formation chamber 12.

[0080] In the example illustrated in figure 1 , the formation chambers 12 of the formation area 10 are arranged along two rows extending parallel to each other on the two opposite sides of the conveyor 36.

[0081] In an embodiment of the present invention, the plant 1 comprises means for handling and moving the support trays 6 exiting the formation chambers 12 at the end of the formation process up to an outlet 42 of the plant 1.

[0082] Advantageously, the outlet 42 of the plant 1 is arranged at the feeding station 3 in such a way that said means for handling and moving the support trays 6 extend along a “return” line that extends from the formation area 10 to the feeding station 3 in a substantially symmetrical way to that described with reference to the means used in the plant 1 for handling the support trays 6 from the inlet 5 of the plant 1 to the formation area 10.

[0083] In particular, the reception and distribution station 32 also performs the functions of receiving, by means of the conveyor 36, the support trays 6 exiting the formation chambers 12 at the end of the formation process, and feeding the collected trays 6 towards the unit 34.

[0084] In the embodiment considered, the unit 34 collects the support trays 6 fed by the conveyor 36 and places them on a third conveyor 44 arranged inside the operating area 18 and extending from a loading section 46 arranged at the reception and distribution station 32 to the outlet 42 of the plant 1.

[0085] With particular reference to figure 1 , the third conveyor 44 extends, similarly to the first conveyor 8, inside the operating area 18 crossing the controlled atmosphere 28.

[0086] In one or more alternative embodiments, the plant 1 comprises a second reception and distribution station (not shown) separate from the first station 32 such that the transfer of the support trays 6 from the first conveyor 8 to the second conveyor 36, and the transfer of the support trays 6 from the second conveyor 36 to the third conveyor 44, are performed independently by the two reception and distribution stations.

[0087] With reference to figure 1 , similarly to what is described above with reference to the first replacement station 19, the plant 1 comprises a second replacement station 48 arranged inside the operating area 18 and configured to perform the operations of:

[0088] - receiving, as input, support trays 6 coming from the formation area 10 and fed by the third conveyor 44,

[0089] - removing the degassing masks 20 arranged on the respective support trays 6, - associating the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C received within the support trays 6 with the respective closing elements 16,

[0090] - by means of the third conveyor 44, feeding, as output, the support trays 6 housing battery cells C provided with the closing elements 16 to the feeding station 3.

[0091] The operations performed by the second replacement station 48 of removing the degassing masks 20 from the support trays 6 and associating the closing elements 16 to the respective degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C, are performed inside the controlled environmental chamber 28 by means of a second manipulating robot 50 (illustrated schematically in figure 1 ) arranged inside the chamber 28.

[0092] In one or more alternative embodiments of the present invention, the plant 1 comprises a single manipulating robot (not illustrated) arranged inside the controlled environmental chamber 28 and configured to perform the operations of replacing the closing elements 16 with the degassing masks 20 at the first replacement station 19, and to perform the operations of replacing the degassing masks 20 with the closing elements 16 at the second replacement station 48.

[0093] In one or more alternative embodiments of the present invention, the plant 1 comprises two controlled environmental chambers (not illustrated) such that a first controlled environmental chamber is arranged in the operating area 18 at the first replacement station 19 and houses the first manipulating robot 30 therein, and the second controlled environmental chamber is arranged in the operating area 18 at the second replacement station 48 and houses the second manipulating robot 50 therein.

[0094] With reference to figure 1 , once the process for coupling the closing elements 16 to the respective degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C is completed, the third conveyor 44 moves the support trays 6 exiting the second replacement station 48 towards the outlet 42 of the plant 1 , so that the support trays 6 can be fed to production stations of the production line of the battery cells C downstream of the plant 1 .

[0095] With reference to the figures, the operation of the plant 1 according to the present invention is described below and, more precisely, the process for handling the support trays 6 inside the plant 1 .

[0096] In a first phase, the support trays 6 carrying a plurality of battery cells C, each provided with a respective closing element 16, as input to the plant 1 at the inlet 5 of the feeding station 3, are moved by means of the first conveyor 8 towards the first replacement station 19 at the operating area 18.

[0097] In particular, the first conveyor 8 feeds the support trays 6 inside the controlled environmental chamber 28, inside which the first manipulating robot 30 performs the operations of:

[0098] - removing the closing elements 16 from the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C,

[0099] - releasably arranging the degassing masks 20 on respective support trays 6 in such a way that the suction nozzles 24 of the degassing masks 20 are positioned at respective degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C received within the support trays 6.

[0100] In a subsequent phase, the first conveyor 8 moves the support trays 6 carrying the respective degassing masks 20 out of the controlled environmental chamber 28 and towards the unloading station 31 .

[0101] Consequently, the unit 34 of the reception and distribution station 32 collects the support trays 6 carrying the degassing masks 20 and places them on the second conveyor 36, which feeds each support tray 6 received by the unit 34 to a respective formation chamber 12.

[0102] Once the formation process inside the formation chambers 12 is completed, the second conveyor 36 feeds the support trays 6 carrying the respective degassing masks 20 to the unit 34 of the reception and distribution station 32, which collects the support trays 6 from the conveyor 36 and places them on the third conveyor 44 at the loading station 46.

[0103] In a subsequent phase, the support trays 6 are moved by means of the third conveyor 44 towards the second replacement station 48 at the operating area 18.

[0104] In particular, the third conveyor 44 feeds the support trays 6 inside the controlled environmental chamber 28, at which the second manipulating robot 50 carries out the operations of:

[0105] - removing the degassing masks 20 from the respective support trays 6

[0106] - associating the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C received within the support trays 6 with the respective closing elements 16. In a final phase, the third conveyor 44 moves the support trays 6 that receive the battery cells C provided with the closing elements 16 towards the outlet 42 of the plant 1 at the feeding station 3.

[0107] With reference to figure 5, the reference 60 indicates as a whole a plant used within a production line for the production of electric battery cells according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0108] In the following description, for simplicity, the numerical references assigned to the elements of the plant 1 described above and illustrated in figure 1 will be maintained, for which the same meaning and validity of the same description is intended.

[0109] In other words, in the following of the present description, new references will be assigned to elements not yet described or to substantially different elements that are the subject of a specific description and according to the invention.

[0110] According to a particularly advantageous feature of the embodiment in question, the plant 60 is configured to handle support trays 6 of a first type usable, for example, within the feeding station 3 and / or during the operations of transporting the battery cells C entering and / or exiting the plant 1 , and support trays 6 of a second type usable within the operating area 18 and within the formation area 10 of the plant 60.

[0111] Each support tray 6 of the first type, illustrated purely by way of example in figure 6, comprises a support structure 61 carrying a plurality of containing elements 62 defining housing seats 63 of specified size, and configured to receive respective battery cells C.

[0112] Advantageously, trays of this type are used along the production line both to receive the battery cells C during the transport phases from one production station to the next, and during production phases that do not involve mechanical and / or thermal stress on the support tray 6.

[0113] For example, trays of this type can be used during a so-called “aging process” of the cells, referring with this term to a phase subsequent to the formation phase in which the battery cells are placed in temperature- controlled environments for a specified period, for example 72 hours, during which parameters indicative of a state of health of the battery cells are monitored. For this reason, in the remainder of this description, the support trays 6 of the first type will be referred to with the term “aging trays” and will be assigned the reference AT.

[0114] The aging tray AT illustrated by way of example in figure 6 corresponds to a support tray of the type proposed in the Italian patent application number 102024000008875 of the same Applicant, still secret at the priority date of the present application.

[0115] Each support tray 6 of the second type, illustrated purely by way of example in figure 2, comprises a support structure 65 carrying a plurality of partitions 66 arranged parallel to each other to define a plurality of housing seats 67 for respective battery cells C.

[0116] The support tray 6 of the second type based on the present invention also comprises actuator devices 68 configured to adjust the size of the housing seats 67 and to exert a compressive action on the battery cells C during the formation process, so as to counteract the so-called “cake effect”, i.e. the swelling of the battery cells related to the tendency of the battery cells to accumulate said flammable gases inside them.

[0117] The mechanical stresses resulting from the application of said compression load, together with the thermal stresses to which this type of tray is subjected inside the formation chambers 12, mean that the support trays of the second type according to the invention have a more robust, and inevitably heavier, support structure than the support structure 61 of the aging trays AT.

[0118] In the remainder of this description, the support trays 6 of the second type will be referred to as “compression trays” and they will be assigned the reference CT.

[0119] The compression tray CT illustrated as an example in figure 2 corresponds to a tray of the type proposed in the Italian patent application number 102023000023802 of the same Applicant, still secret at the priority date of this application.

[0120] With particular reference to figure 5, the plant 60 according to the present invention comprises a first conveyor 72 extending within the feeding station 3 from the inlet 5 to the outlet 42 of the plant 60, and having an intermediate section 74 arranged at an interface area between the feeding station 3 and the operating area 18.

[0121] In particular, the first conveyor 72 is configured to receive at the inlet 5 the aging trays AT housing battery cells C to be formed, and to feed the received aging trays AT to the intermediate section 74.

[0122] Still with reference to figure 5, the operating area 18 comprises a transfer unit 76 arranged facing the intermediate section 74 of the first conveyor 72 at an interface area between the feeding station 3 and the operating area 18, and a first replacement station 78, including a second conveyor 80 extending from a loading section 82, located at the transfer unit 76, to an unloading section 84 located at the reception and distribution station 32.

[0123] The transfer unit 76 performs the function of collecting, for example by means of a manipulating robot (not illustrated), the battery cells C arranged in the aging trays AT fed to the intermediate section 64 by the first conveyor 72 and positioning the battery cells C within respective housing seats S of a compression tray CT arranged on the second conveyor 80 at the loading section 82.

[0124] In a way completely analogous to the first replacement station 19 described with reference to the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 4, the replacement station 78 is configured to receive, as input, compression trays CT fed by the second conveyor 80, each carrying a plurality of electric battery cells C to be formed, each provided with a respective closing element 16, and to perform the operations of:

[0125] - removing the closing elements 16 from the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C,

[0126] - removably arranging on each support tray 6 a respective degassing mask 20,

[0127] - feed the compression trays CT to the discharge section 84 by means of the second conveyor 80, each carrying a respective degassing mask 20 (as illustrated in figure 4).

[0128] In particular, the operations performed by the replacement station 78 of removing the closing elements 16 from the battery cells C and removably arranging on each compression tray CT a respective degassing mask 20, are performed inside the controlled environmental chamber 28 arranged in the operating area 18 by means of a manipulating robot 30 (illustrated schematically in figure 1 ) arranged inside the chamber 28.

[0129] Similarly to what is described above with respect to the operation of the plant 1 , the reception and distribution station 32 is configured to collect, by means of the unit 34, the compression trays CT fed from the second conveyor 80 to the unloading section 84, and to transfer the collected compression trays CT onto the conveyor 36 so that they are fed to respective formation chambers 12.

[0130] With reference to figure 5, in an embodiment of the present invention the plant 60 comprises a second replacement station 86 including a third conveyor 88 extending from a loading section 90, arranged at the reception and distribution station 32, to an unloading section 92 arranged at the transfer unit 76.

[0131] In the embodiment in question, the reception and distribution station 32 also performs the function of feeding, by means of the conveyor 36, the compression trays CT exiting the formation chambers 12 to the unit 34, and transferring the compression trays CT from the conveyor 36 to the loading section 90 of the conveyor 88.

[0132] In a way entirely analogous to the second replacement station 48 described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 4, the second replacement station 78 is configured to perform the operations of:

[0133] - receiving, as input, compression trays CT coming from the formation area 10 and fed by the third conveyor 88,

[0134] - removing the degassing 20 arranged on the respective support trays 6,

[0135] - associating the degassing holes 14 of the battery cells C received within the compression trays CT with respective closing elements 16,

[0136] - by means of the third conveyor 88, feeding the compression trays CT housing battery cells C provided with the closing elements 16 to the unloading section 92.

[0137] In the embodiment in question, the transfer unit 76 is also configured to perform the operations of collecting the formed battery cells C, arranged inside the compression trays CT fed by the conveyor 88 at the loading section 92, and arranging the collected battery cells C within respective housing seats 70 of an aging tray AT arranged on the first conveyor 72 at the intermediate section 74 thereof.

[0138] Advantageously, the aging tray AT arranged in the intermediate section 74 of the first conveyor to receive the formed battery cells C can be an aging tray AT previously fed into the plant 60 and from which the respective battery cells C to be formed were collected.

[0139] In other words, once the phase of collecting the battery cells C to be formed, entering the plant 60, by the transfer unit 76 has been completed, the aging trays 74 can be stationed the intermediate section 74 waiting to receive formed battery cells C fed by the third conveyor 88.

[0140] Once the process of transferring the battery cells C from a compression tray CT to an aging tray AT has been completed, the conveyor 72 feeds the aging trays AT containing formed battery cells C exiting the plant 60.

[0141] According to a particularly advantageous feature of the present invention, the operating area 18 comprises a fourth conveyor 94 connecting the unloading section 92 of the third conveyor 88 and the loading section 82 of the first conveyor 80, and configured to move the compression trays CT from which the battery cells C have been collected to the loading section 82, arranging the compression trays CT to receive new battery cells C to be formed.

[0142] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in addition to or as an alternative to the fourth conveyor 94, the operating area 18 comprises at least one depot (not illustrated) configured to receive the compression trays CT from which the battery cells C exiting the second replacement station 86 have been collected, and / or to provide compression trays CT to be arranged at the loading section 82 of the first replacement station 78 so as to receive battery cells C to be formed.

[0143] The plant 1 , 60 according to the present invention is particularly advantageous as it requires reduced construction, management and maintenance costs.

[0144] Thanks to the provision of the closing elements 16, in fact, it is possible to avoid both the entry of foreign bodies through the degassing holes 14 into the battery cells when these are not inside the formation chambers, and the outflow of flammable gases produced during the formation process, without the need to maintain a controlled atmosphere inside the entire plant.

[0145] As is evident from the preceding description, a fundamental feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the battery cells carried by each support tray each have the respective degassing hole closed by a removable closing element, and that the plant comprises at least one controlled environmental chamber including a device for removing the closing element from the degassing hole of each battery cell.

[0146] Thanks to this feature, the controlled-atmosphere environment can be limited to an area of the plant in which the operation of removing the closing elements from the degassing holes of the cells is performed, as the cells pass through that area.

[0147] Furthermore, thanks to the invention, the formation chambers 12 do not need to be arranged inside a controlled environmental chamber 28, since the use of the degassing masks 20 means that once the closing elements 16 have been removed, the degassing holes 14 can remain isolated from the outer environment until the battery cells C enter the formation chambers.

[0148] In other words, thanks to the invention it is possible to limit the transitory period in which the degassing holes 14 of the cells C are exposed to the outer environment to the sole phase of replacing the closing elements 16 with the degassing masks 20, thus allowing not only to size the controlled environmental chamber 28 so as to house therein only the manipulating robot 30 of the first replacement station 19, 78, but also to require a number of degassing masks 20 commensurate with the number of trays present in the operating area and in the training area.

[0149] A further advantage of the present invention concerns the possibility of using two distinct types of support trays 6, and, in particular, using the compression trays CT limited to the operating area 18 and the formation area 10, and using the aging trays AT for the transport of the battery cells C into and out of the plant 60.

[0150] In fact, as already mentioned, the compression trays CT are generally more expensive and heavier than the aging trays AT as they are sized to withstand the mechanical and / or thermal stresses inside the formation chambers 12, as well as more complex as they require the use of actuator devices suitable for applying a compression load on the battery cells C during the formation process.

[0151] Thanks to the present invention, it is possible to use the aging trays AT along the entire production line of the battery cells C, limiting the area of use of the compression trays CT to only the operating area 18 and the formation area 10, thus reducing the number of compression trays CT required along the production line and, consequently, the production costs.

[0152] A further advantage of the plant 1 , 60 according to the present invention concerns the possibility of creating formation chambers 12 with a simplified general layout.

[0153] In fact, unlike known type formation chambers in which the gas suction systems include as many suction ports as the battery cells C received within the chamber, the provision of the degassing masks 20 according to the invention requires that the gas suction system of each formation chamber 12 includes a single suction port connectable to the discharge port 26 of the mask 20, thus reducing the complexity of the formation chambers 12 and the time required to connect the battery cells C to the suction system in fluid communication.

[0154] Of course, notwithstanding the principle of the invention, the construction details and embodiments may be varied widely with respect to what is described and illustrated without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A plant (1 , 60) for the production of electric battery cells (C), comprising one or more operating areas (10) configured to perform a series of operations on a plurality of electric battery cells (C) so as to make formed and finished battery cells, wherein the electric battery cells (C) are carried in groups on support trays (6), wherein each battery cell (C) comprises a degassing hole (14) for the outflow of gases generated within the cell during said operations, characterized in that the battery cells (C) carried by each support tray (6) each have the respective degassing hole (14) closed by a removable closing element (16), and in that the plant (1 , 60) comprises at least one controlled environmental chamber (28) including a device for removing the closing element (16) from the degassing hole (14) of each battery cell (C).

2. The plant (1 , 60) according to claim 1 , wherein one of said operating areas is a formation area (10) including at least one formation chamber (12), configured to receive a respective support tray (6), and to perform a formation process on the electric battery cells (C) arranged on the support tray (6), wherein upstream of said formation area (10) the plant comprises a feeding station (3) for feeding the support trays (6), wherein each support tray (6) receives and supports a plurality of electric battery cells (C), wherein the battery cells (C) carried by each support tray (6) incoming the feeding station (3) each have the respective degassing hole (14) closed by said removable closing element (16), and wherein the controlled environmental chamber (28) is arranged between said feeding station (3) and said formation area (10), so that the closing element (16) of the degassing hole (14) of each cell (C) is removed within said controlled environmental chamber (28) before the battery cell (C) enters the formation area (10).

3. The plant according to claim 2, characterized in that the plant (1 , 60) comprises an operating area (18) arranged downstream of said feeding station (3) and upstream of said formation area (10),said operating area (18) comprising said controlled environmental chamber (28), the controlled environmental chamber (28) including a replacement station (19, 78) configured to perform the operations of:- receiving, as input, support trays (6) fed by said feeding station (3),- removing said closing elements (16) of the battery cells (C) received within the support trays (6),- removably arranging on each one of said support trays (6) a respective degassing mask (20),- feeding, as output, support trays (6) carrying the respective degassing masks (20) to said formation area (10), said degassing mask (20) comprising a gas collector (22) and a plurality of suction nozzles (24) configured to be positioned at respective degassing holes (14) of the battery cells (C), and at least a discharge port (26) to put in fluid communication the degassing mask (20) with a suction duct of a formation chamber (12).

4. The plant according to claim 2, characterized in that said operating area (18) comprises a second replacement station (48, 86) included within the controlled environmental chamber (28) and configured to perform the operations of:- receiving, as input, support trays (6) coming from said formation area (18),- removing said degassing masks (20) arranged on the respective support trays (6),- associating the degassing holes (14) of each of said battery cells (C) received within said support trays (6) with respective closing elements (16),- feeding, as output, support trays (6) housing battery cells (C) provided with the closing elements (16) to said feeding station (3).

5. The plant according to claim 4, comprising a reception and distribution station (32) arranged at an interface area between said operating area (18) and said formation area (10), said reception and distribution station (32) being configured to perform the operations of:- collecting said support trays (6) carrying the respective degassingmasks (20) fed by said replacement station (19, 78),- feeding the support trays (6) housing the battery cells (C) to be formed to respective formation chambers (12),- receiving from said formation chambers (12) the support trays (6) housing formed battery cells (C),- feeding support trays (6) to said second replacement station (48, 86).

6. The plant according to claim 5, wherein said reception and distribution station (32) comprises a conveyor (36) extending within said formation area (10), and wherein said formation area (10) comprises a plurality of formation chambers (12) arranged along two rows parallel to each other, extending along two opposite sides of said conveyor (36) and having respective inlets (40) facing said conveyor (36).

7. The plant according to claim 3, wherein said support trays (6) comprise:- support trays of a first type (AT) configured to receive and support said battery cells (C) within said feeding station (3),- support trays of a second type (CT) configured to receive and support said battery cells (C) within said operating area (18) and said formation area (10), the support trays of the second type (CT) comprising compression means configured to apply a pressure on the battery cells (C).

8. The plant according to claim 7, comprising a transfer unit (76) arranged at an interface area between said feeding station (3) and said operating area (18), configured to collect the battery cells (C) arranged on support trays of the first type (AT) at said feeding station (3) and to arrange said cells (C) on support trays of the second type (CT) provided in said operating area (18).

9. The plant according to claim 8, wherein said transfer unit (76) is further configured to collect the battery cells (C) arranged on support trays of the second type (CT) exiting said second replacement station (86), and to arrange said cells (C) on support trays of the first type (AT) provided in said feeding station (3).

10. A method for the production of electric battery cells (C),comprising providing one or more operating areas (10) wherein a plurality of electric battery cells (C) is subjected to a series of operations so as to make formed and finished battery cells, wherein the electric battery cells (C) are carried in groups on support trays (6), wherein each battery cell (C) comprises a degassing hole (14) for the outflow of gases generated within the cell during said operations, characterized in that the battery cells (C) carried by each support tray (6) are each provided with a removable closing element (16) closing said degassing hole (14), and in that it is provided at least one controlled environmental chamber (28) in which the closing element (16) of the degassing hole (14) of each battery cell (C) is removed.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein one of said operating areas is a formation area (10) including at least one formation chamber (12), configured to receive a respective support tray (6), and to perform a formation process on the electric battery cells (C) arranged on the support tray (6), wherein upstream of said formation area (10) the plant (1 , 60) comprises a feeding station (3) for feeding the support trays (6), wherein each support tray (6) receives and supports a plurality of electric battery cells (C), wherein the battery cells (C) carried by each support tray (6) incoming the feeding station (3) each have the respective degassing hole (14) closed by said removable closing element (16), and wherein the controlled environmental chamber (28) is arranged between said feeding station (3) and said formation area (10), so that the closing element (16) of the degassing hole (14) of each cell (C) is removed within said controlled environmental chamber (28) before the battery cell (C) enters the formation area (10).

12. The method according to claim 11 , characterized in that it comprises:- providing an operating area (18) arranged downstream of said feeding station (3) and upstream of said formation area (10), said operating area (18) comprising said controlled environmental chamber (28),- performing by means of a replacement station (19, 78) arranged within said operating area (18) of said plant (1 , 60) the steps of:- receiving, as input, support trays (6),- removing said closing elements (16) of the battery cells (C) received within the support trays (6),- removably arranging on each one of said support trays (6) a respective degassing mask (20),- feeding support trays (6) carrying the respective degassing masks (20) to said formation chambers (12).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises performing by means of a second replacement station (48, 86) the steps of:- receiving, as input, support trays (6) coming from said formation chambers (12),- removing said degassing masks (6) arranged on the respective support trays (6),- associating the degassing holes (14) of each of said battery cells (C) received within said support trays (6) with respective closing elements (16),- feeding, as output, support trays (6) housing battery cells (C) provided with the closing elements (16).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said system (1 , 60) comprises a reception and distribution station (32) of the support trays (6), said method being characterized in that it comprises performing by means of said reception and distribution station (62) the steps of:- collecting said support trays (6) carrying the respective degassing masks (20) fed by said replacement station (19, 78),- feeding the support trays (6) housing battery cells (C) to be formed to respective formation chambers (12),- receiving from said formation chambers (12) the support trays (6) housing formed battery cells (C),- feeding support trays (6) to said second replacement station (48, 86).

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein said support trays (6) comprise:- support trays of a first type (AT) configured to receive and support said battery cells (C) within said feeding station (3),- support trays of a second type (CT) configured to receive and support said battery cells (C) within said operating area (18) and said formation area (10), characterized in that before said step of receiving input said support trays (6) performed by said replacement station (78), the method comprises- collecting battery cells (C) arranged within support trays of the first type (AT) at said feeding station (3)- arranging said cells (C) within support trays of the second type (CT) provided in said operating area (18)16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that after said step of feeding, as output, support trays (6) housing battery cells provided with the closing elements (16) performed by said second replacement station (86), the method comprises:- collecting the battery cells (C) arranged on support trays of the second type (CT) coming from said second replacement station (86),- arranging said cells (C) within support trays (6) of the first type (AT) provided in said feeding station (3).

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