Torque-sensitive automatic pressure adjustment pressing jig

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic pressure adjustment pressing jig comprising: a reaction plate and a driving plate facing each other; and a plurality of pressing plates arranged so as to be linearly movable between the reaction plate and the driving plate, wherein pouch batteries inserted between the pressing plates are pressed by the pressure exerted by the driving plate as same moves toward the reaction plate, and in response to a torque increase corresponding to the pressure increase caused by the expansion of the pressed pouch batteries, the driving plate may be made to retreat a certain distance by a torque-sensitive adjustment device that automatically attenuates the increased torque.

Description

Torque-sensitive automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressurizing jig used in an activation process of a pouch battery, and relates to a pressurizing jig capable of automatically adjusting a pressurizing force in response to an increase in the internal pressure of a pouch battery during an activation process, without electrical control of a load cell and a servo motor.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0089761, dated July 8, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] As technological development and demand for mobile devices increase, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing, and accordingly, extensive research is being conducted on secondary batteries that can meet various needs.

[0004] In terms of the shape of secondary batteries, there is a high demand for square secondary batteries and pouch-type secondary batteries that can be applied to products such as mobile phones due to their thin thickness. In terms of materials, there is a high demand for lithium secondary batteries such as lithium-ion batteries and lithium-ion polymer batteries that have advantages such as high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability.

[0005] Among various types of secondary batteries, pouch-type secondary batteries have many advantages, such as higher energy density per unit weight and volume, the possibility of making the battery thinner and lighter, and the cost of materials for the pouch as an outer material is low, so their development has been actively underway until recently.

[0006] Briefly, the manufacturing process for these pouch-type secondary batteries is as follows: first, positive and negative electrode plates are manufactured, and a separator is interposed between them and laminated to create an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes electrode leads electrically connected to the positive and negative plates, protruding outside the pouch case. After the electrode assembly is embedded in the pouch case, an electrolyte is injected into the pouch case, impregnating the electrode assembly with the electrolyte. After the electrolyte is injected, the edges of the pouch case are sealed by heat-welding.

[0007] In addition, the sealed pouch-type secondary battery undergoes a pressurized activation process (pre-formation process) to activate the pouch by pressurizing it so that the electrolyte filled inside the pouch evenly spreads, an aging process to stabilize the secondary battery, and a charge / discharge process (formation process) to activate the secondary battery.

[0008] In order to ensure that the electrolyte is evenly distributed within the pouch case and that the electrode assembly is sufficiently impregnated with the electrolyte, the pouch-type secondary battery can be activated under pressure during the pressurized activation process. The device used for this is a pressurized activation device, and this pressurized activation process is also called jig formation. By using the pressurized activation device, the pouch-type secondary battery is subjected to pressure by the pressurized jig, and charging / discharging and voltage measurement are performed through the electrode leads.

[0009] A pressurized activation device comprises a plurality of pressurized plates for pressurizing a pouch-type secondary battery, and the pouch-type secondary battery is inserted between the pressurized plates. A drive plate that is moved by power presses the adjacent outermost pressurized plate, so that the plurality of pressurized plates sequentially move linearly along a guide and ultimately contact a reaction plate opposite the drive plate. The drive plate moves until a predetermined pressure is reached, thereby pressurizing the pouch-type secondary battery between the pressurized plates. Then, lead grippers connected to both ends of the pressurized plates are in close contact with electrode leads protruding from the pouch case, thereby performing charging / discharging and voltage measurement. This pressurized activation device has the advantage of being able to perform a pressurized activation process on a plurality of pouch-type secondary batteries at once. Refer to Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2023-0068702 (published on May 18, 2023).

[0010] However, in the operation of the pressurized activation device, a servo motor is used to move the drive plate, and a load cell that measures the pressure is required to readjust the pressure to an appropriate pressure due to the swelling phenomenon during the activation process, and a controller that controls the operation of the servo motor in response to the pressure measured by the load cell is required. Since the electrical control configuration of the servo motor and load cell must be provided in each pressurized activation device, a large initial investment is required.

[0011] The present invention relates to a pressurizing jig provided in a pressurizing activation device for a pouch battery, and its purpose is to provide a pressurizing jig capable of automatically adjusting a pressurizing force in response to an increase in the internal pressure of a pouch battery during an activation process, without electrical control of a load cell and a servo motor.

[0012] 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.

[0013] The present invention relates to an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig, and in one example, includes a reaction plate and a driving plate facing each other, and a plurality of pressure plates arranged to be linearly movable between the reaction plates and the driving plates, wherein a pouch battery inserted between each of the pressure plates is pressurized by the pressure applied by the driving plate while moving toward the reaction plate, and the driving plate can be retracted in a predetermined unit by a torque-sensitive adjusting device that automatically reduces the increased torque in response to an increase in torque corresponding to an increase in pressure due to expansion of the pressurized pouch battery.

[0014] The above torque-sensitive adjustment device may be provided on the driving plate.

[0015] In one embodiment, the torque-sensitive adjusting device may include a torque converter that converts pressure applied to the drive plate into torque, and a ratchet mechanism that resists torque applied by the torque converter to prevent retraction of the drive plate.

[0016] For example, the torque converter may include a preload adjuster having a cam having a plurality of slip grooves formed along a circumference while being supported by a rotating shaft, a roller engaging the slip grooves of the cam, and a spring that elastically presses the roller.

[0017] The ratchet mechanism may include a ratchet wheel having a plurality of claws along a circumference while sharing the rotational axis of the cam, and a stopper having teeth with which the claws of the ratchet wheel engage, wherein the stopper is installed separately and fixedly with respect to the movement of the drive plate.

[0018] Rotation of the cam is prevented for a torque less than the preload applied to the roller by the spring, thereby maintaining the claw of the ratchet wheel in engagement with the teeth of the stopper.

[0019] And, when a torque exceeding the preload applied to the roller is applied, rotation of the cam occurs, and accordingly, the engagement between the claw of the ratchet wheel and the teeth of the stopper is released, so that the driving plate retracts, and the rotation of the cam can be stopped again by reducing the torque applied to the cam below the preload applied to the roller due to the retraction of the driving plate.

[0020] The unit by which the above driving plate retreats may correspond to the interval between a plurality of slip grooves formed along the circumference of the cam.

[0021] The above preload adjuster may have an adjustment knob for adjusting the preload of a spring that elastically presses the roller.

[0022] In addition, the preload of the spring that elastically presses the roller can be set to a value corresponding to the upper limit of the pressing force allowed for the pouch battery inserted between each of the pressing plates.

[0023] Meanwhile, the automatic pressure control pressurizing jig of the present invention may further include a pressurizing station having a servo motor for pressurizing and moving the driving plate, and a load cell for measuring the pressure applied to the driving plate by the servo motor.

[0024] It may be desirable for the above pressurizing station to be an independent station that can be freely connected and disconnected from the driving plate.

[0025] In addition, the above pressurization station can be shared by a plurality of automatic pressure-regulating pressurization jigs.

[0026] According to the automatic pressure control pressurizing jig of the present invention having the above configuration, by providing a torque-sensitive adjusting device that automatically reduces the increased torque in response to the increased torque corresponding to the pressure increased by the swelling phenomenon of the pressurized pouch battery, the pressurizing operation of the drive plate and the configuration of a servo motor, a load cell, and a controller for alleviating excess pressure during pressurization are not required to be installed for each individual pressurizing activation device. Accordingly, the burden of initial investment costs required for installing a plurality of pressurizing activation devices can be reduced.

[0027] In addition, the torque-sensitive adjustment device provided in the present invention can be implemented as a mechanical mechanism that does not require electrical or electronic control, thereby further reducing the initial investment cost for a plurality of pressure-activated devices.

[0028] However, the technical effects that can be obtained through the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0029] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate 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.

[0030] Figure 1 is a drawing showing the overall configuration of a pressure activation device according to the prior art.

[0031] Figure 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of a pressurizing jig according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a drawing showing a state when a torque less than preload is applied to the pressurizing jig of Fig. 2.

[0033] Fig. 4 is a drawing showing a state at the moment when a torque exceeding the preload is applied to the pressurizing jig of Fig. 2.

[0034] Figure 5 is a drawing showing a stationary state after the drive plate has been retracted.

[0035] Figures 6 and 7 are drawings showing an example of setting the driving plate to a pressurized state using a pressurization station.

[0036]

[0037] In some of the accompanying drawings, corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drawings illustrate elements simply and clearly and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, to facilitate understanding of various embodiments, the dimensions of some elements depicted in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements. Furthermore, elements of known technology that are useful or essential in commercially feasible embodiments may often not be depicted so as not to obscure the spirit of various embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] The present invention can be modified in various ways and has many embodiments, and specific embodiments will be described in detail below.

[0039] However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific embodiment, but should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0040] In the present invention, it should be understood that terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0041] Additionally, in the present invention, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is described as being "on" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly above" the other part, but also cases where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is described as being "under" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly below" the other part, but also cases where there is another part in between. Furthermore, in the present application, "being placed on" may include cases where it is placed below as well as above.

[0042]

[0043] The present invention relates to an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig, and in one example, includes a reaction plate and a driving plate facing each other, and a plurality of pressure plates arranged to be linearly movable between the reaction plates and the driving plates, wherein a pouch battery inserted between each of the pressure plates is pressurized by the pressure applied by the driving plate while moving toward the reaction plate, and the driving plate can be retracted in a predetermined unit by a torque-sensitive adjusting device that automatically reduces the increased torque in response to an increase in torque corresponding to an increase in pressure due to expansion of the pressurized pouch battery.

[0044] According to the automatic pressure control pressurizing jig of the present invention having the above configuration, by providing a torque-sensitive adjusting device that automatically reduces the increased torque in response to the increased torque corresponding to the pressure increased by the swelling phenomenon of the pressurized pouch battery, the pressurizing operation of the drive plate and the configuration of a servo motor, a load cell, and a controller for alleviating excess pressure during pressurization are not required to be installed for each individual pressurizing activation device. Accordingly, the burden of initial investment costs required for installing a plurality of pressurizing activation devices can be reduced.

[0045] In addition, the torque-sensitive adjustment device provided in the present invention can be implemented as a mechanical mechanism that does not require electrical or electronic control, thereby further reducing the initial investment cost for a plurality of pressure-activated devices.

[0046] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, a specific embodiment of an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig (100) according to the present invention will be described in detail. For reference, the directions of front / back, up / down / left / right, etc., used to designate relative positions in the following description are intended to aid understanding of the invention, and unless otherwise specifically defined, the directions depicted in the drawings are taken as a reference.

[0047]

[0048] [First Embodiment]

[0049] Fig. 1 is a drawing showing the overall configuration of a pressure activation device (10) according to the prior art. The illustrated pressure activation device (10) is largely divided into a pressure jig (100) and a lead jig (200). The pressure jig (100) is a mechanism having a plurality of pressure plates (130) that apply pressure to both sides of a pouch battery (400) in the thickness direction (T), and the lead jig (200) is a mechanism that is electrically connected to and in close contact with electrode leads (410) that protrude on one or both sides of the length direction (L) of the pouch battery (400) and are arranged between the pressure plates (130). Charging and discharging and voltage measurement, etc., of the pouch battery (400) are performed through the lead jig (200).

[0050] The pressurizing jig (100) must be able to apply a pressure of several bars to the pouch battery (400) that is put into the activation process. To this end, the pressurizing jig (100) is equipped with a power source (150) such as a servo motor. In order to apply pressure to both sides of the pressurizing plate (130), the pressurizing jig (100) is equipped with a reaction plate (120) and a driving plate (110). The reaction plate (120) is fixedly installed on the pressurizing jig (100), and the driving plate (110) that is arranged outside the plurality of pressurizing plates (130) and opposite the reaction plate (120) can move forward and backward by the power source (150), for example, a servo motor. The reaction plate (120) may be equipped with a load cell (160) for measuring the pressing force.

[0051] Between the reaction plate (120) and the driving plate (110), a plurality of pressure plates (130) connected to the plate guide (140) are spaced apart from each other. The plurality of pressure plates (130) can freely move linearly along the plate guide (140). Therefore, when a pouch battery (400) is inserted one by one between each of the plurality of pressure plates (130) and the driving plate (110) moves toward the reaction plate (120), the outermost pressure plate (130) is pushed against the driving plate (110). This movement of the pressure plates (130) occurs sequentially and serially according to the movement of the driving plate (110), and ultimately, the pouch battery (400) inserted between each of the plurality of pressure plates (130) is pressed in both directions in the thickness direction (T) by the driving plate (110) and the reaction plate (120).

[0052] Here, in this specification, the direction in which the pouch battery (400) is pressed is referred to as the thickness direction (T) based on the pouch battery (400). In addition, the direction in which the electrode lead (410) protrudes from the pouch battery (400) is referred to as the length direction (L). The thickness direction (T) and the length direction (L) are indicated as coordinate axes in FIG. 1. The electrode lead (410) of the pouch battery (400) may protrude to one side or both sides in the length direction (L) depending on the specifications of the secondary battery. In the drawing, a bidirectional secondary battery is illustrated as an example in which the electrode lead (410) protrudes to both sides in the length direction (L).

[0053] The pressurizing jig (100) corresponds to a mechanism that applies pressure to the pouch battery (400), and the lead jig (200) is a mechanism that is electrically connected to and in close contact with electrode leads (410) protruding on one or both sides in the longitudinal direction (L) of the pouch battery (400). In the illustrated embodiment, the lead jig (200) includes a gripper unit (210) coupled to both sides of the pressurizing plate (130). The gripper unit (210) is a unit having a terminal for performing charging and discharging on the pouch battery (400), and is electrically connected to the pouch battery (400) by pressing the electrode leads (410) in close contact with each other from both sides as the pressurizing plate (130) moves.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of a pressurizing jig (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The pressurizing jig (100) of FIG. 2 may be referred to as an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig (100), and is illustrated with a portion corresponding to the pressurizing jig (100) in the pressurizing activation device (10) of FIG. 1, particularly with a focus on the driving plate (110). Therefore, unless additional details are provided in the following description, it can be understood that the pressurizing jig (100) of FIG. 2 is applied to the pressurizing activation device (10) of FIG. 1.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 2, the pressurizing jig (100) of the present invention includes a reaction plate (120) and a driving plate (110) facing each other, and a plurality of pressurizing plates (130) arranged to enable linear movement between the reaction plate (120) and the driving plate (110). As described above, the pouch battery (400) inserted between each of the pressurizing plates (130) is pressurized by the pressure applied by the driving plate (110) as it moves toward the reaction plate (120).

[0056] Here, the pressurizing jig (100) of the present invention is configured so that when the pressure applied to the pouch battery (400) increases more than the initially set value due to the swelling phenomenon that occurs while the pressurized pouch battery (400) expands, i.e., the initial charge / discharge cycle is performed, the drive plate (110), which creates the pressurized state, is retracted by a certain unit (distance) by a torque-sensitive adjusting device (300) that automatically reduces the increased torque in response to the increased torque. In other words, the pressurizing jig (100) of FIG. 2 automatically retracts the drive plate (110) by a certain unit in response to the excess pressure, and the pressure applied to the pouch battery (400) sandwiched between the pressurizing plates (130) is reduced by the retraction of the drive plate (110).

[0057] In the pressurizing jig (100) of the present invention, the reaction plate (120) may be configured to be fixed at the initial pressurizing position, while the drive plate (110) performs an automatic retreat movement in response to excess pressure. In this operation, the torque-sensitive adjustment device (300) may be provided on the drive plate (110), which may simplify the design. Alternatively, although not illustrated in the drawing, the torque-sensitive adjustment device (300) may be provided on the reaction plate (120), and the drive plate (110) may be fixed at the initial pressurizing position. However, as in the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, it may be advantageous in terms of design to configure the reaction plate (120) to always be fixed, while only the drive plate (110) is movable.

[0058] In one embodiment, the torque-sensitive adjustment device (300) may be composed of a mechanical mechanism. Specifically, the torque-sensitive adjustment device (300) may include a torque converter (310) that converts pressure applied to the drive plate (110) into torque, and a ratchet mechanism (350) that resists the torque applied by the torque converter (310) to prevent the drive plate (110) from retracting.

[0059] The torque converter (310) may include a cam (312) supported by a rotating shaft (314) and having a plurality of slip grooves (316) formed along a circumference thereof. In addition, the torque converter (310) may include a preload adjuster (320) having a roller (322) that engages the slip grooves (316) of the cam (312) and a spring (324) that elastically presses the roller (322). The roller (322) elastically presses the slip grooves (316) of the cam (312) by the elastic force of the spring (324), and the force with which the roller (322) presses the slip grooves (316) corresponds to the preload stored in the compressed spring (324).

[0060] In addition, the ratchet mechanism (350) may include a ratchet wheel (352) having a plurality of claws (354) along a circumference while sharing a rotational axis (314) of a cam (312), and a stopper (356) having teeth (358) with which the claws (354) of the ratchet wheel (352) engage. The stopper (356) is installed separately and fixedly with respect to the movement of the drive plate (110).

[0061] According to this torque-sensitive adjustment device (300), if there is no preload adjuster (320), the pressure acting on the driving plate (120) is directed to the left in the drawing, so the cam (312) and the ratchet wheel (352) receive a torque to rotate counterclockwise, but the crow (354) of the ratchet wheel (352) and the teeth (358) of the stopper (356) do not prevent the driving plate (110) from moving to the left. In other words, by the combination of the cam (312) and the ratchet mechanism (350), the pressure acting on the driving plate (110) is converted into the torque of the cam (312) and the ratchet wheel (352) that share the rotation axis (314).

[0062] The torque-sensitive adjustment device (300) includes a preload adjuster (320) that prevents the rotation of the cam (312) for a force less than the preload stored in the spring (324). Accordingly, the cam (312) and the ratchet wheel (352), which share the rotation axis (314), do not rotate for a torque less than the preload applied to the roller (322) by the spring (324), and the claw (354) of the ratchet wheel (352) remains engaged with the teeth (358) of the stopper (356). In other words, the drive plate (110) remains stationary. Fig. 3 is a drawing illustrating a state when a torque less than the preload is applied to the pressurizing jig (100).

[0063] On the other hand, when a torque exceeding the preload applied to the roller (322) pressing the slip groove (316) is applied, the cam (312) rotates counterclockwise while overcoming the force of the roller (322). Referring to FIG. 4, the ratchet wheel (352) also rotates counterclockwise along with the rotation of the cam (312), and the counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel (352) is not impeded by the stop (356). Therefore, along with the counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel (352), the driving plate (110) retracts.

[0064] And, the retraction of the driving plate (110) relieves the pressure pressing the pouch battery (400), and as the pressure is relieved, the torque acting on the cam (312) also decreases. The decrease in the acting torque causes the roller (322) of the preload adjuster (320) to press the slip groove (316) of the cam (312) again to stop further rotation. Fig. 5 is a drawing showing a stationary state after the driving plate (110) is retracted, and when a certain level of pressure relief is achieved by the retraction of the driving plate (110), the driving plate (110) is stopped again.

[0065] The unit by which the driving plate (110) retreats can be designed to correspond to the spacing between the plurality of slip grooves (316) formed along the circumference of the cam (312). That is, the amount of pressure drop when the slip grooves (316) of the cam (312) pass over the roller (322) one by one can be designed to restore the amount exceeding the initial pressing force set for the pouch battery (400) back to the initial pressing force level.

[0066] Meanwhile, the preload adjuster (320) may be provided with an adjustment knob (326) for adjusting the preload of the spring (324) that elastically presses the roller (322). The adjustment knob (326) may be provided on a protruding end of the preload adjuster (320), and the preload acting on the spring (324) may be increased or decreased by the forward and backward rotation of the adjustment knob (326). Therefore, by operating the adjustment knob (326), the force of the roller (322) that presses the slip groove (316) of the cam (312) may be adjusted. That is, when the preload of the spring (324) is reduced by the adjustment knob (326), the reaction plate (120) begins to retract at a lower pressure, and conversely, when the preload of the spring (324) is increased by the adjustment knob (326), the reaction plate (120) begins to retract only at a higher pressure.

[0067] In this way, by configuring the preload adjuster (320) to be variable, the pressurizing jig (100) of the present invention can be applied to the activation process of pouch batteries (400) of various specifications. For example, the preload of the spring (324) that elastically presses the roller (322) can be adjusted to a value corresponding to the upper limit of the pressurizing force allowed (set) for the pouch battery (400) inserted between each pressurizing plate (130). By adjusting the preload of the spring (324) in this way, even if the pressurizing force for the pouch battery (400) exceeds the allowable range due to the swelling phenomenon during the activation process, the torque-sensitive adjusting device (300) causes the driving plate (110) to automatically retreat by a certain distance, so that the pressurizing force for the pouch battery (400) is always maintained below the upper limit of the allowable range.

[0068]

[0069] [Second Embodiment]

[0070] The automatic pressure control pressurizing jig (100) of the present invention may further include a pressurizing station (500) having a servo motor (150) that pressurizes and moves a driving plate (110) and a load cell (160) that measures the pressure applied to the driving plate (110) by the servo motor (150). FIGS. 6 and 7 are drawings illustrating an example of setting the driving plate (110) to a pressurized state using the pressurizing station (500).

[0071] The pressurization station (500) may be provided to omit components such as the servo motor (150), the load cell (160), and the controller (170) in the pressurization activation device (10) including the pressurization jig (100) described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. To this end, the pressurization station (500) may be configured as an independent station that can be freely connected and disconnected from the drive plate (110). In addition, the pressurization station (500) configured independently may be shared for a plurality of automatic pressure-regulating pressurization jigs (100), thereby reducing the investment cost required for installing a plurality of pressurization activation devices (10).

[0072] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating an initial process of moving a driving plate (110) using a pressurizing station (500) and setting a pressurizing force on a plurality of pouch cells (400) arranged between pressurizing plates (130).

[0073] In this state, the pressurizing jig (100) described in the first embodiment can have the preload of the spring (324) that elastically presses the roller (322) substantially released. In addition, the one-way rotation permitted by the ratchet mechanism (350) corresponds to the direction in which the pressurizing station (500) applies pressure to the driving plate (110) to move it. That is, with reference to FIG. 6, the ratchet mechanism (350) does not cause any obstruction to the driving plate (110) from moving to the right. Therefore, the driving plate (110) can move smoothly to the right.

[0074] The driving plate (110) moves to the right by the pressurizing station (500), and since the reaction plate (120) is fixed, the plurality of pressurizing plates (130) pressurize the pouch battery (400) inserted between them. The pressure (pressure applied to the pouch battery) that increases by the movement of the driving plate (110) is measured by the load cell (160) provided in the pressurizing station (500), and the controller (170) provided in the pressurizing station (500) receives the measured value of the load cell (160) and controls the operation of the servo motor (150).

[0075] Fig. 7 is a drawing showing a state in which the pressing position of the driving plate (110) is set and fixed by the pressing station (500). When the value measured by the load cell (160) is confirmed as the appropriate pressing force of the pouch battery (400), the operation of the servo motor (150) is stopped. In this state, the pressing jig (100) described in the first embodiment is set so that the preload of the spring (324) that elastically presses the roller (322) is set to a value corresponding to the upper limit of the pressing force allowed for the pouch battery (400).

[0076] The pressure applied by the pressurizing station (500) to the pouch battery (400) can be set to be less than the preload set in the torque-sensitive adjusting device (300), i.e., less than the upper limit of the pressurizing force allowed for the pouch battery (400). Accordingly, the drive plate (110) remains stationary even if the pressurizing station (500) is separated by the ratchet mechanism (350). Even if the pressurizing station (500) is separated from the drive plate (110) after applying slightly more pressure than intended, the drive plate (110) will automatically retract to an appropriate level by the torque-sensitive adjusting device (300). Therefore, the torque-sensitive adjusting device (300) can also function as a kind of safety device that protects the pressurizing jig (100) and, further, the pouch battery (500) from excessive pressure.

[0077] The pressing position of the drive plate (110) set in this way is mechanically fixed by the ratchet mechanism (350), and the position of the reaction plate (110) does not change during the activation process, but the pressing force of the pouch battery (400) is maintained at an appropriate level by retracting the drive plate (110) in a certain unit by the torque-sensitive adjustment device (300).

[0078]

[0079] The present invention has been described in more detail through drawings and examples. However, the configurations described in the drawings or examples described in this specification are merely embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modified examples may exist as of the time of this application.

[0080]

[0081] [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10: Pressurized activator 100: Pressurized jig

[0083] 110: Drive plate 120: Reaction plate

[0084] 130: Pressing plate 140: Plate guide

[0085] 150: Power source (servo motor) 160: Load cell

[0086] 170: Controller 200: Lead Jig

[0087] 210: Gripper unit 300: Torque-sensitive adjustment device

[0088] 310: Torque converter 312: Cam

[0089] 314: Rotating shaft 316: Slip groove

[0090] 320: Preload adjuster 322: Roller

[0091] 324: Spring 326: Adjustment knob

[0092] 350: Ratchet mechanism 352: Ratchet wheel

[0093] 354: Cro 356: Detent

[0094] 358: Cog 400: Pouch Battery

[0095] 410: Electrode lead 500: Pressurization station

[0096] T: thickness direction L: length direction

Claims

1. It includes a reaction plate and a driving plate facing each other, and a plurality of pressure plates arranged to enable linear movement between the reaction plate and the driving plate, The pouch battery inserted between the pressure plates is pressed by the pressure applied as the driving plate moves toward the reaction plate, The above driving plate is an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig that is retracted in a certain unit by a torque-sensitive adjusting device that automatically reduces the increased torque in response to the increased torque corresponding to the pressure increased by the expansion of the pressurized pouch battery.

2. In paragraph 1, The above torque sensitive adjusting device, An automatic pressure adjusting pressurizing jig provided on the above driving plate.

3. In paragraph 2, The above torque sensitive adjusting device, A torque converter that converts pressure applied to the above driving plate into torque, An automatic pressure adjusting pressurizing jig comprising a ratchet mechanism that resists the torque applied by the torque converter and prevents the drive plate from retracting.

4. In paragraph 3, The above torque converter, A cam supported by a rotating shaft and having a plurality of slip grooves formed along the circumference, An automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig comprising a roller engaging a slip groove of the cam, and a preload adjuster having a spring that elastically presses the roller.

5. In paragraph 4, The above ratchet mechanism, A ratchet wheel that shares the rotation axis of the above cam and has a plurality of crows along the circumference, An automatic pressure adjusting pressurizing jig, comprising a stopper having teeth that are fixedly installed and separated from the movement of the above driving plate and engage with the crow of the above ratchet wheel.

6. In paragraph 5, The rotation of the cam is prevented for a torque less than the preload applied to the roller by the spring, Accordingly, an automatic pressure adjusting pressurizing jig in which the crow of the ratchet wheel is kept in a state of engagement with the teeth of the stopper.

7. In paragraph 6, When a torque exceeding the preload applied to the roller is applied, rotation of the cam occurs, Accordingly, the engagement between the crow of the ratchet wheel and the teeth of the stopper is released, and the driving plate retracts. An automatic pressure adjusting pressurizing jig in which the rotation of the cam is stopped again by reducing the torque applied to the cam below the preload applied to the roller by the retreat of the driving plate.

8. In paragraph 7, The unit by which the above driving plate retracts is: An automatic pressure-adjusting pressurizing jig corresponding to the spacing between a plurality of slip grooves formed along the circumference of the above cam.

9. In any one of paragraphs 4 to 8, The above preload regulator, An automatic pressure-adjusting pressurizing jig having an adjustment knob for adjusting the preload of a spring that elastically pressurizes the above roller.

10. In paragraph 9, The preload of the spring that elastically presses the above roller is, An automatic pressure adjustment pressurizing jig, which is set to a value corresponding to the upper limit of the pressurizing force allowed for the pouch battery inserted between the above pressurizing plates.

11. In paragraph 1, An automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig further comprising a pressurizing station having a servo motor for pressurizing and moving the driving plate, and a load cell for measuring the pressure applied to the driving plate by the servo motor.

12. In paragraph 11, The above pressurizing station is an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig that is an independent station that can be freely connected and disconnected from the drive plate.

13. In paragraph 12, The above pressurization station is an automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jig shared by a plurality of automatic pressure-regulating pressurizing jigs.

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