Battery cell inspection device and battery cell inspection method

Abstract

A battery cell inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first lighting unit that can move along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell and emits light from above the battery cell; a first mirror member that can move along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell and reflects a first side surface of the battery cell; an upper line scan camera unit that can move along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell and captures images of at least a portion of the upper surface of the battery cell and at least a portion of the first side surface of the battery cell reflected by the first mirror member; and a first driving unit provided to move the first lighting unit, the first mirror member, and the upper line scan camera unit. The upper line scan camera unit is provided to continuously capture images along the longitudinal direction of the battery cell while moving by means of the first driving unit, and thereby generates image data of the upper surface of the battery cell and image data of the first side surface and a third side surface of the battery cell on which an electrode lead is not provided.

Description

Battery cell inspection device and battery cell inspection method

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery cell inspection device and a battery cell inspection method, and more specifically, to a battery cell inspection device and a battery cell inspection method capable of inspecting the top surface and the side surface of a battery cell together using an upper line scan camera unit, a lighting unit, and a mirror member.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0146268 dated October 24, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the document of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein as part of this specification.

[0003] The importance of the secondary battery industry is growing day by day due to the rapid growth of the electric vehicle and energy storage system (ESS) markets. In particular, battery packs composed of tens to hundreds of battery cells are widely used in fields requiring high capacity and high output characteristics. Quality control of these battery packs is a critical factor determining the performance and safety of the entire battery system, and thus the development of precise and efficient inspection technologies is continuously required.

[0004] Currently, external inspection methods using visible light illumination are primarily used for inspecting battery cells. This method uses cameras and lenses to photograph the cell surface and detects defects on only one side of the exterior through image processing technology.

[0005] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional battery cell inspection device.

[0006] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional inspection device is composed of an upper camera (1), a lens (2), and a visible light illumination (3). When the visible light illumination (3) illuminates the battery cell (4), the upper camera (1) acquires an image of the upper surface of the cell through the lens (2). Through the image thus acquired, it is checked whether there is any foreign matter or damage to the exterior, and furthermore, the dimensions of the components of the battery cell and the condition of the tape are inspected.

[0007] However, these existing inspection methods have the following limitations.

[0008] First, because visible light illumination is used, it is impossible to inspect the interior of the tape-wrapped cell. As a result, it is difficult to detect critical defects such as electrode foreign matter or separator tears inside the tape.

[0009] Second, since only the top surface of the cell is inspected using only the top camera, defects on the sides cannot be inspected simultaneously. This complicates the inspection process and increases the overall inspection time, as multiple sides of the exterior must be inspected.

[0010] Third, since most inspection equipment uses vision units that capture only specific areas, long battery cells require expensive cameras with a wide imaging area. This leads to increased equipment costs.

[0011] Fourth, conventional inspection methods have limitations in providing integrated inspection that considers the various components of a battery cell. For example, a battery cell consists of various elements such as tape, pouch, electrode assembly, and electrode lead, and each element requires a different imaging setting optimized for inspection. However, with existing methods, it is difficult to simultaneously perform visual inspections (dimensions, surface condition, etc.) by considering the characteristics of these various components with a single imaging shot.

[0012] Due to these additional issues, the battery cell inspection process is complex and time-consuming, leaving much room for improvement in terms of efficiency and precision. Particularly in mass production environments, these problems can directly lead to reduced productivity and increased quality control costs.

[0013] Therefore, the development of new technologies capable of improving these conventional problems is required.

[0014] The present invention aims to solve the problems that occur in conventional battery cell inspection processes.

[0015] Specifically, through one embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a battery cell inspection device and an inspection method capable of simultaneously inspecting the top surface and side surface of a battery cell by utilizing lighting and a mirror. This aims to improve inspection efficiency and reduce costs.

[0016] In addition, through one embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a battery cell inspection device and inspection method capable of detecting internal defects such as electrode foreign matter and separator tearing through tape internal transmission inspection using infrared (IR) illumination.

[0017] In addition, through one embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a battery cell inspection device and an inspection method capable of acquiring continuous images at a constant resolution regardless of the length of the battery cell by performing an inspection using a line scan camera.

[0018] In addition, through one embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a battery cell inspection device and inspection method capable of realizing a comprehensive inspection of six sides of a battery cell by inspecting the upper surface and first sides of the battery cell, along with inspecting the lower surface and second sides equipped with a positive lead or a negative lead of the battery cell.

[0019] To achieve the aforementioned objective, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery cell inspection device equipped with electrode leads comprises: a first lighting unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and configured to illuminate light from the top of the battery cell; a first mirror member configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and configured to reflect a first side of the battery cell; an upper line scan camera unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and configured to photograph at least a portion of the upper surface of the battery cell and at least a portion of the first side of the battery cell reflected by the first mirror member; and a first driving unit configured to move the first lighting unit, the first mirror member, and the upper line scan camera unit. The upper line scan camera unit is configured to move by the first driving unit and continuously photograph along the electric field direction of the battery cell to generate image data of the upper surface of the battery cell and the first side and third side of the battery cell that are not equipped with electrode leads, respectively.

[0020] The first mirror member may comprise a first-1 mirror member provided on one side in the frontal direction centered on the upper line scan camera unit, and a first-2 mirror member provided on the other side in the frontal direction centered on the upper line scan camera unit. The upper line scan camera unit may be configured to move in the frontal direction of the battery cell by the first driving unit, generate image data of a first side of the battery cell through the first-1 mirror member, and generate image data of a third side located opposite the first side of the battery cell through the first-2 mirror member.

[0021] The first mirror member may have a width of 1% to 50% of the width of the battery cell in the electric direction.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell inspection device may further include: a second lighting unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and to illuminate light from the bottom of the battery cell; a second-1 mirror member configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell, equipped with an electrode lead of the battery cell, and configured to reflect a second side in the electric field direction; a second-2 mirror member configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell, equipped with an electrode lead of the battery cell, and configured to reflect a fourth side located opposite to the second side; and a lower line scan camera unit configured to photograph the bottom surface of the battery cell and the second and fourth sides of the battery cell reflected by the second-1 mirror member and the second-2 mirror member. Additionally, the device may further include a second driving unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell, the second mirror member, and the lower line scan camera.

[0023] The battery cell inspection device may further include an adsorption unit provided to adsorb the upper portion of the battery cell; and a third driving unit provided to move the adsorption unit up and down. The adsorption unit may be provided to move upward by the third driving unit to position the adsorbed battery cell in the air.

[0024] The lower line scan camera may be configured to continuously photograph a part of the battery cell while moving in the direction of the battery cell by the second driving unit, thereby generating image data of the lower surface of the battery cell and the second and fourth sides.

[0025] Each of the first lighting unit and the second lighting unit may include IR lighting.

[0026] The above battery cell inspection device may further include a control unit configured to analyze image data generated by at least one of the upper line scan camera unit and the lower line scan camera according to a predetermined light wavelength range.

[0027] The control unit may be configured to extract an image in the red wavelength region from the generated image data and inspect the dimensions of the battery cell using the extracted image in the red wavelength region, to extract an image in the green wavelength region from the generated image data and inspect for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the upper surface of the battery cell using the extracted image in the green wavelength region, and to extract an image in the blue wavelength region from the generated image data and inspect for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the first side of the battery cell using the extracted image in the green wavelength region.

[0028] To achieve the aforementioned objective, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the battery cell inspection method comprises: an illumination step in which a first illumination unit illuminates light from the top of the battery cell; a shooting step in which an upper line scan camera unit photographs the upper surface of the battery cell and a first side and a third side of the battery cell reflected by a first mirror member; a scanning step in which the first illumination unit, the first mirror member, and the upper line scan camera unit are moved along the electric field direction of the battery cell to scan the battery cell; a generation step in which the battery cell is continuously photographed while the upper line scan camera unit is moving to generate image data of the upper surface of the battery cell and the first and third sides of the battery cell that are not equipped with electrode leads; and an inspection step in which the generated image data is analyzed to inspect the appearance of the battery cell. The battery cell inspection method may be performed using the aforementioned battery cell inspection device.

[0029] The battery cell inspection method of the present invention may further include, after the generation step, an adsorption step in which an adsorption unit adsorbs the upper part of the battery cell; and a placement step in which the adsorption unit moves upward to place the adsorbed battery cell in the air.

[0030] The battery cell inspection method of the present invention may further include the step of illuminating a battery cell positioned in the air with light using a second lighting unit; the step of photographing a lower side of the battery cell and a second side with an electrode lead of the battery cell reflected by a second-1 mirror member and a fourth side reflected by a second-2 mirror member using a lower line scan camera; and the step of moving the second lighting unit, the second-1 mirror member, the second-2 mirror member, and the lower line scan camera along the electric field direction of the battery cell.

[0031] Each of the first lighting unit and the second lighting unit can transmit light into the inside of the tape of the battery cell using infrared light.

[0032] The battery cell inspection method of the present invention may further include the step of analyzing image data generated by at least one of the upper line scan camera unit and the lower line scan camera according to a predetermined light wavelength region.

[0033] The step of analyzing by light wavelength region above may include: a step of extracting an image of the red wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting the dimensions of the battery cell using the extracted image of the red wavelength region; a step of extracting an image of the green wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the upper surface of the battery cell using the extracted image of the green wavelength region; and a step of extracting an image of the blue wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the first side of the battery cell using the extracted image of the blue wavelength region.

[0034] A battery cell inspection device and inspection method according to one embodiment of the present invention have the following effects.

[0035] By utilizing lighting and mirrors, the top and sides of battery cells can be inspected simultaneously. This improves inspection efficiency and reduces costs.

[0036] In addition, by using infrared (IR) illumination, internal defects such as electrode foreign matter and separator tearing can be detected through internal tape penetration inspection. This enables more precise quality control of battery cells and can increase the efficiency of the production line.

[0037] Furthermore, by performing inspection using a line scan camera, continuous images can be acquired at a constant resolution regardless of the length of the battery cell, so inspection costs do not increase proportionally to the size of the battery cell. Therefore, economic efficiency can be maintained even in the inspection of large battery cells, and the precision of battery cell dimensional measurement is significantly improved.

[0038] In addition, along with the top surface and first sides of the battery cell, the bottom surface and second sides equipped with a positive lead or a negative lead can be inspected together, thereby enabling a comprehensive inspection of all six sides. This improves the overall quality of the battery cell and reduces unnecessary resource waste.

[0039] In addition, precise defect detection is possible through image analysis across various wavelength ranges. Since optimized inspections can be performed for each wavelength range, various types of defects can be effectively detected, which can significantly improve the performance and stability of battery cells.

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional battery cell inspection device.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 4 are front views schematically showing the appearance of a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing the appearance of a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the appearance of an electrode assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a battery cell that is the target of scanning for a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an image including the upper surface and the first side of a battery cell scanned by a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a front view schematically showing the appearance of a first mirror of a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11 are a front view and a side view schematically showing the appearance of a second lighting unit, a second mirror member, and a lower vision unit of a battery cell inspection device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a battery cell inspection method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Hereinafter, a battery cell inspection device (100) and a battery cell inspection method (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0051] Additionally, identical or corresponding components are assigned the same or similar reference numbers regardless of drawing symbols, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted; furthermore, for the convenience of explanation, the size and shape of each illustrated component may be exaggerated or reduced.

[0052] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery cell inspection device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are front views schematically showing the appearance of a battery cell inspection device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing the appearance of a battery cell inspection device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, a battery cell inspection device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first lighting unit (110), a first mirror member (120), an upper line scan camera unit (130), and a first driving unit (140).

[0054] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the appearance of an electrode assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a battery cell that is the target of scanning by a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an image including the top surface and the first side surface of a battery cell scanned by a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] A battery cell inspection device (100) is provided to inspect a battery cell (300) equipped with electrode leads. Here, the battery cell (300) may be composed of an electrode assembly (320) comprising at least one positive electrode (321), a negative electrode (322), and a separator (326), and a cell case (340) that accommodates the same.

[0056] The positive electrode (321) and the negative electrode (322) of the electrode assembly (320) may each be provided with a positive electrode tab (351) and a negative electrode tab (not shown). The positive electrode tab (351) and the negative electrode tab may each be connected to a positive electrode lead (331) and a negative electrode lead (332). The positive electrode lead (331) and the negative electrode lead (332) may be drawn out to the outside of the cell case (340) to serve as external terminals.

[0057] A tape (310) may be attached to the outer surface of the battery cell (300). This tape may be attached to one or more of the top surface, bottom surface, and side surface of the battery cell (300). The tape (310) may be provided to secure the sealing portions provided on each of the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of the battery cell (300) in a folded state.

[0058] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 7, the battery cell (300) has an electric field direction (F direction) and an electric field direction (W direction). The electric field direction (F) refers to the direction connecting the positive lead (331) and the negative lead (332) of the battery cell (300), and the electric field direction (W) refers to the direction (W direction) that is perpendicular to the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300). Also, in this document, the Y-axis direction is a direction parallel to the electric field direction, and the X-axis direction is a direction parallel to the electric field direction.

[0059] The first lighting unit (110) is provided to illuminate the upper part of the battery cell (300) and is provided to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell (300). The first lighting unit (110) may include infrared (IR) lighting. Accordingly, the present invention can inspect the inside of the tape of the battery cell (300) by using IR lighting.

[0060] The first mirror member (120) includes a first-1 mirror member (121) and a first-2 mirror member (122) spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction), and is provided to be movable along the electric direction of the battery cell (300). The first-1 mirror member (121) is provided to reflect the first side (300a) of the battery cell (300), and the first-2 mirror member (122) is provided to reflect the third side (300b) of the battery cell (300). Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the first side (300a) or the third side (300b) refers to the long side (300a) which has a relatively longer length in the X-axis direction than the short side (300c) of the battery cell (300). The width (P) of the first mirror member (120) may have a size of 1% to 50% of the width in the full-length direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300). Accordingly, the present invention can obtain an overall side image while realizing miniaturization and weight reduction of the inspection device through this configuration.

[0061] The upper line scan camera unit (130) is configured to be movable along the electric direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300) and is configured to photograph at least a portion of the upper surface of the battery cell (300) and at least a portion of the first side (300a) and third side (300b) of the battery cell (300) reflected by the first mirror member (120). The upper line scan camera unit (130) may be equipped with a camera including a lens (132).

[0062] The upper line scan camera unit (130) is configured to continuously capture images along the electric direction of the battery cell (300) while moving by the first driving unit (140) to generate image data of the upper surface (300e) of the battery cell (300) and the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of the battery cell (300) that are not equipped with a positive lead (331) or a negative lead (332). Specifically, the image of FIG. 8 includes a first long side mirror area (A2) representing the first side (300a) of the battery cell (300), a second long side mirror area (A3) representing the third side (300b) of the battery cell (300), and a first upper surface mirror area (A1) representing the upper surface (300e) of the battery cell (300).

[0063] Accordingly, the present invention can simultaneously inspect the top surface (300e) and the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of a battery cell (300) by utilizing IR illumination and a mirror through this configuration. In addition, the present invention can detect internal defects such as electrode foreign matter and torn separator by internal tape penetration inspection, and can improve inspection efficiency and reduce costs by integrating top surface and side surface inspections.

[0064] The first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130) can be arranged to be movable along the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300).

[0065] Additionally, the first driving unit (140) is configured to move the first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130) along the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300). That is, the first driving unit (140) is configured to move the first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130) along the body of the battery cell (300).

[0066] To this end, the first driving unit (140) may include a first guide rail (144) provided to guide the movement direction of the first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130). That is, the first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130) may be connected to the front side of the first guide rail (144) so ​​as to be movable in the F direction (X-axis direction). Then, the first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130) may be moved along the first guide rail (144) in the positive or negative direction of the X-axis by the first driving unit (140). As an example, the first driving unit (140) may include a linear motion (LM) guide.

[0067] Additionally, the first driving unit (140) may be provided with a base (142) configured to allow the battery cell (300) to be mounted on the upper surface. For example, for shooting with the upper line scan camera unit (130), the base (142) may be configured so that the mounting height of the battery cell (300) can be adjusted.

[0068] Accordingly, since the present invention can perform continuous inspection over the entire length of the battery cell (300) by means of this configuration, high-resolution image data can be obtained for the entire top surface and side surface of the battery cell (300), and inspection can be performed even on long battery cells without changing the size of the mirror member.

[0069] FIG. 9 is a front view schematically showing the appearance of a first mirror of a battery cell inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 9, the first mirror member (120) may have a width of 1% to 50% of the width in the electric direction of the battery cell (300). That is, the width (W2) of the first mirror member (120) may be smaller than the width (W1) in the electric direction of the battery cell (300).

[0071] Therefore, the present invention can realize miniaturization and weight reduction of the device by minimizing the mirror size through this configuration.

[0072] FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11 are a front view and a side view schematically showing the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170) of a battery cell inspection device (100A) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] Referring to FIGS. 7, 10 and 11, a battery cell inspection device (100A) according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a second lighting unit (150), a second mirror member (160), and a lower line scan camera (170).

[0074] The second lighting unit (150) is provided to illuminate infrared light from the bottom of the battery cell (300) and can be provided to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell (300).

[0075] The second mirror member (160) is provided to reflect the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) and may be provided to be movable along the electric direction of the battery cell (300). The second mirror member (160) may be provided with a second-1 mirror member (161) and a second-2 mirror member (162) on the left and right sides, respectively, of the battery cell (300). For example, the size of the second-1 mirror member (161) and the second-2 mirror member (162) in the full width direction (W direction) may correspond to or be larger than the size of the battery cell (300) in the full width direction (W direction). Alternatively, the size of the second-1 mirror member (161) and the second-2 mirror member (162) in the full width direction (W direction) may be 1% to 30% of the size of the battery cell (300) in the full width direction (W direction).

[0076] Here, the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) refer to one side having a positive lead (331) or a negative lead (332) of the battery cell (300).

[0077] The lower line scan camera (170) is configured to photograph the lower surface (300f) of the battery cell (300) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) of the battery cell (300) reflected by the second mirror member (160), and may be configured to be movable along the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300). For example, the lower line scan camera (170) may photograph the left side (300c) of the battery cell (300) reflected by the second-1 mirror member (161) after moving to the left side of the battery cell (300) by the second drive unit (180). Additionally, the lower line scan camera (170) can capture the image of the right side (300d) of the battery cell (300) reflected by the second-2 mirror member (162) after moving to the right side of the battery cell (300) by the second drive unit (180).

[0078] Accordingly, the present invention can inspect the lower surface (300f) of the battery cell (300) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) equipped with a positive lead (331) or a negative lead (332) by means of these configurations, and ultimately realize a comprehensive inspection of all six sides together with the upper line scan camera (130).

[0079] The battery cell inspection device (100A) of the present invention may further include a second driving unit (180) configured to enable the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170) to move along the overall length direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300). However, the second driving unit (180) is not necessarily configured to move the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170) only in the overall length direction (F direction), and may also be configured to move in the overall width direction (W direction) and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction).

[0080] Additionally, the second drive unit (180) may include a second guide rail (184), an adsorption unit (188), a conveyor belt (186), etc.

[0081] To this end, the second driving unit (180) may include a second guide rail (184) provided to guide the movement direction of the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170). That is, the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170) may be connected to the front side of the second guide rail (184) so ​​as to be movable in the F direction (X-axis direction). Then, the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170) may be moved along the second guide rail (184) in the positive or negative direction of the X-axis by the second driving unit (180). As an example, the second driving unit (180) may include a linear motion (LM) guide.

[0082] Additionally, the adsorption unit (188) may be provided to adsorb and fix the upper surface (300e) of the battery cell (300). The adsorption unit (188) may be connected, for example, to an air hose connected to a negative pressure pump (not shown). That is, when negative pressure generated by the negative pressure pump is transmitted to the adsorption unit (188), air is sucked in through the pores formed in the adsorption unit (188), thereby generating an adsorption force capable of fixing the battery cell (300).

[0083] And, a conveyor belt (186) may be provided to move the suction unit (188) along a set path. For example, after the upper surface (300e) and the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of the battery cell (300) are captured by the upper line scan camera unit (130), the suction unit (188) may suction the upper surface of the battery cell (300) and fix the battery cell (300) to the lower surface of the suction unit (188). The suction unit (188) holding the battery cell (300) may be transported by the conveyor belt (186) to the upper surface of the lower line scan camera (170).

[0084] Additionally, the battery cell inspection device (100) of the present invention may further include an adsorption unit (188) provided to adsorb the upper part of a battery cell (300) and a third driving unit (189) (not shown) provided to move it up and down. For example, the third driving unit (189) may be composed of a device capable of precise position control, such as a servo motor or a linear actuator, so that the height of the adsorption unit (188) can be finely adjusted.

[0085] Additionally, the adsorption unit (188) is configured to move upward by the third driving unit (189) to position the adsorbed battery cell (300) in the air. This configuration facilitates inspection of the lower surface (300f) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) of the battery cell (300). By positioning the battery cell (300) in the air, the lower line scan camera (170) can directly photograph the lower surface (300f) of the battery cell (300), and can also photograph the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) through the second mirror member (160).

[0086] Accordingly, the present invention enables efficient inspection of the area of ​​the bottom surface (300f) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) of the battery cell (300) through this configuration, and enables complete cell inspection through the independent performance of upper and lower inspections.

[0087] Each of the first lighting unit (110) and the second lighting unit (150) may include IR lighting. By using IR lighting, the inside of the tape of the battery cell (300) can be inspected by penetrating it.

[0088] Accordingly, the present invention enables internal tape penetration inspection through this configuration and can improve the ability to detect internal defects such as electrode foreign matter and torn separator.

[0089] Meanwhile, the battery cell inspection device (100A) of the present invention may further include a control unit (190) configured to analyze image data generated by at least one of an upper line scan camera unit (130) and a lower line scan camera (170) according to a predetermined light wavelength range.

[0090] The control unit (190) may be configured to extract an image in the red wavelength region from the generated image data and to inspect the dimensions of the battery cell (300) using the extracted image in the red wavelength region. Additionally, the control unit (190) may be configured to extract an image in the green wavelength region from the generated image data and to inspect for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the upper surface (300e) of the battery cell (300) using the extracted image in the green wavelength region. Finally, the control unit (190) may be configured to extract an image in the blue wavelength region from the generated image data and to inspect for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of the battery cell (300) using the extracted image in the blue wavelength region.

[0091] Therefore, the present invention enables precise defect detection through image analysis in various wavelength regions through this configuration, and allows for optimized inspection for each wavelength region, thereby effectively detecting various types of defects.

[0092] Meanwhile, the control unit (190) may be configured to include a processing device such as a microchip. Specifically, the control unit (190) may be implemented as a microcontroller unit (MCU) including a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), etc.

[0093] Additionally, the control unit (190) incorporates a high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to enable fast processing of analog sensor signals and precise motor control. For example, image data from the upper line scan camera unit (130) and the lower line scan camera (170) can be precisely digitized using a high-resolution ADC of 12 bits or more. The control unit (190) can control the servo motors of the first driving unit (140) and the second driving unit (180) with a precision of 0.1 μm or less through a 16-bit DAC.

[0094] Hereinafter, a battery cell inspection method (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0095] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a battery cell inspection method (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 12, a battery cell inspection method (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a light-emitting step (M01), a shooting step (M02), a scanning step (M03), a generation step (M04), and an inspection step (M05).

[0097] In the dimming step (M01), the first lighting unit (110) dims light from the top of the battery cell (300).

[0098] In the shooting step (M02), the upper line scan camera unit (130) photographs the upper surface of the battery cell (300) and the first side (300a) and third side (300b) of the battery cell (300) reflected by the first mirror member (120).

[0099] In the scanning step (M03), the first lighting unit (110), the first mirror member (120), and the upper line scan camera unit (130) are moved along the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300) to generate image data of the upper surface and the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of the battery cell (300).

[0100] Accordingly, the present invention can perform continuous and detailed inspection of the entire length of the battery cell (300) by this method, and can generate high-resolution images even for long battery cells. In addition, the present invention can effectively reduce the size of the inspection device, thereby reducing costs.

[0101] In the generation step (M04), the upper line scan camera unit (130) continuously photographs the battery cell (300) while moving to generate image data of the upper surface (300e) of the battery cell (300) and the first and third sides (300a, 300b) of the battery cell (300) that are not equipped with a positive lead (331) or a negative lead (332).

[0102] In the inspection step (M05), the appearance of the battery cell (300) is inspected by analyzing the generated image data.

[0103] Accordingly, the present invention can efficiently inspect the top surface and side surface of a battery cell (300) simultaneously by this method, and can perform a detailed inspection of the entire surface through continuous scanning.

[0104] Meanwhile, the battery cell inspection method (200) of the present invention may include additional steps after the generation step (M04). Specifically, an adsorption unit (188) performs an adsorption step in which it adsorbs the upper surface of the battery cell (300). In this step, the adsorption unit (188) stably fixes the upper surface of the battery cell (300) using vacuum pressure.

[0105] Following the adsorption step, a placement step is performed in which the adsorption unit (188) moves upward to place the adsorbed battery cell (300) in the air. In this step, the adsorption unit (188) is controlled by the third driving unit (189) to lift the battery cell (300). By placing the battery cell (300) in the air, a space is secured in which the lower line scan camera (170) can directly photograph the lower surface (300f) of the battery cell (300).

[0106] A battery cell inspection method (200) according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include the step of a second lighting unit (150) illuminating light from the bottom of a battery cell (300) and the step of a bottom line scan camera (170) photographing the bottom surface (300f) of the battery cell (300) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) of the battery cell (300) that are equipped with a positive lead (331) or a negative lead (332) of the battery cell (300) reflected by a second mirror member (160).

[0107] Accordingly, the present invention can simultaneously inspect the lower surface (300f) of the battery cell (300) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) equipped with electrode leads (331, 332) by this method, and can realize a comprehensive inspection of all six sides.

[0108] In the step of photographing the lower surface (300f) and the second and fourth sides (300c, 300d) of the battery cell (300), the second lighting unit (150), the second mirror member (160), and the lower line scan camera (170) can be moved along the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300). While the lower line scan camera (170) moves along the electric field direction (F direction) of the battery cell (300), a portion of the battery cell (300) can be continuously photographed to generate image data of the lower surface and the second sides of the battery cell (300).

[0109] Accordingly, the present invention enables efficient inspection of the entire area of ​​the lower part of the battery cell (300) and the side of the electrode lead by this method, allows for the acquisition of detailed image data through continuous shooting, and effectively reduces the size of the inspection equipment.

[0110] Each of the first lighting unit (110) and the second lighting unit (150) can transmit through the inside of the tape of the battery cell (300) using infrared (IR) light.

[0111] Accordingly, the present invention enables internal tape penetration inspection by this method and can improve the ability to detect internal defects such as electrode foreign matter and torn separator.

[0112] The battery cell inspection method (200) of the present invention may further include the step of analyzing image data generated by each of the upper line scan camera unit (130) and the lower line scan camera (170) according to a predetermined light wavelength region.

[0113] The analysis step by light wavelength region may include the steps of extracting an image of the red wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting the dimensions of the battery cell (300) using the extracted image of the red wavelength region, extracting an image of the green wavelength region and inspecting for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the upper surface of the battery cell (300) using the extracted image of the green wavelength region, and extracting an image of the blue wavelength region and inspecting for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the first side of the battery cell (300) using the extracted image of the blue wavelength region.

[0114] Therefore, the present invention enables optimized inspection for each wavelength region by means of this method and can effectively detect various types of defects. In addition, inspection efficiency can be improved by simultaneously performing multiple types of inspections with a single shot.

[0115] The preferred embodiments of the present invention described above are disclosed for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art with ordinary knowledge of the present invention will be able to make various modifications, changes, and additions within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such modifications, changes, and additions should be considered to fall within the scope of the following claims.

[0116] According to a battery cell inspection device and inspection method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the top surface and sides of a battery cell can be inspected simultaneously by utilizing lighting and a mirror.

Claims

1. A first lighting unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and configured to illuminate light from the top of the battery cell; A first mirror member configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and configured to reflect a first side of the battery cell; An upper line scan camera unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and configured to photograph at least a portion of the upper surface of the battery cell and at least a portion of the first side of the battery cell reflected by the first mirror member; and It includes a first driving unit provided to move the first lighting unit, the first mirror member, and the upper line scan camera unit; A battery cell inspection device characterized in that the upper line scan camera unit is configured to continuously photograph along the electric field direction of the battery cell while moving by the first driving unit, thereby generating image data of the upper surface of the battery cell and the first and third sides of the battery cell where the electrode leads are not provided.

2. In Paragraph 1, The first mirror member above is, A first-1 mirror member provided on one side in the frontal direction centered on the upper line scan camera unit, and a first-2 mirror member provided on the other side in the frontal direction centered on the upper line scan camera unit, The above upper line scan camera unit is, A battery cell inspection device characterized by being configured to generate image data of a first side of the battery cell through a first-1 mirror member while moving in the electric field direction of the battery cell by the first driving unit, and to generate image data of a third side located opposite to the first side of the battery cell through a first-2 mirror member.

3. In Paragraph 1, A second lighting unit configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell and to illuminate light from the bottom of the battery cell; A second-1 mirror member configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell, equipped with an electrode lead of the battery cell, and configured to reflect a second side in the electric field direction; A second-2 mirror member configured to be movable along the electric field direction of the battery cell, equipped with an electrode lead of the battery cell, and configured to reflect a fourth side located opposite to the second side; A lower line scan camera unit provided to photograph the lower surface of the battery cell and the second and fourth sides of the battery cell reflected by the second-1 mirror member and the second-2 mirror member; and A battery cell inspection device characterized by further comprising: a second driving unit configured to move the second lighting unit, the second mirror member, and the lower line scan camera along the electric field direction of the battery cell.

4. In Paragraph 1, An adsorption unit provided to adsorb the upper part of the battery cell; and It further includes a third driving unit configured to move the above-mentioned adsorption unit up and down; A battery cell inspection device characterized in that the above-mentioned adsorption unit is configured to move upward by the above-mentioned third driving unit to position the adsorbed battery cell in the air.

5. In Paragraph 3, The above lower line scan camera is, A battery cell inspection device characterized by being configured to generate image data of the bottom surface and the second and fourth sides of the battery cell by moving in the direction of the battery cell's entire length by the second driving unit.

6. In Paragraph 3, A battery cell inspection device characterized in that each of the first lighting unit and the second lighting unit includes IR lighting.

7. In Paragraph 3, A battery cell inspection device characterized by further including a control unit configured to analyze image data generated by at least one of the upper line scan camera unit and the lower line scan camera according to a predetermined light wavelength range.

8. In Paragraph 7, The above control unit is, An image in the red wavelength region is extracted from the generated image data, and the dimensions of the battery cell are inspected using the extracted image in the red wavelength region. An image in the green wavelength region is extracted from the generated image data, and the extracted image in the green wavelength region is used to inspect for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the upper surface of the battery cell. A battery cell inspection device characterized by being configured to extract an image in the blue wavelength region from the generated image data and to inspect for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the first side of the battery cell using the extracted image in the green wavelength region.

9. A dimming step in which the first lighting unit dims light from the top of the battery cell; A shooting step in which an upper line scan camera unit photographs the upper surface of the battery cell and the first side and third side of the battery cell reflected by the first mirror member; A scanning step of scanning the battery cell by moving the first lighting unit, the first mirror member, and the upper line scan camera unit along the electric field direction of the battery cell; A generation step of continuously photographing the battery cell while the upper line scan camera unit moves to generate image data of the upper surface of the battery cell and the first and third sides of the battery cell that are not equipped with electrode leads; and A battery cell inspection method characterized by including an inspection step of analyzing the generated image data to inspect the appearance of the battery cell.

10. In Paragraph 9, The first mirror member above is, It includes a first-1 mirror member provided on one side in the frontal direction centered on the upper line scan camera unit, and a first-2 mirror member provided on the other side in the frontal direction centered on the upper line scan camera unit. The above generation step is, A battery cell inspection method characterized in that the upper line scan camera unit generates image data of a first side of the battery cell through the first-1 mirror member and generates image data of a third side of the battery cell through the first-2 mirror member.

11. In Paragraph 9, After the above generation step, An adsorption step in which an adsorption unit adsorbs the upper part of the battery cell; and A battery cell inspection method characterized by further including a placement step in which the adsorption unit moves upward to place the adsorbed battery cell in the air.

12. In Paragraph 11, A step in which a second lighting unit illuminates a battery cell positioned in the air; A step in which a lower line scan camera photographs the lower surface of the battery cell and a second side having an electrode lead of the battery cell reflected by a second-1 mirror member and a fourth side reflected by a second-2 mirror member; and A battery cell inspection method further comprising the step of moving the second lighting unit, the second-1 mirror member, the second-2 mirror member, and the lower line scan camera along the electric field direction of the battery cell.

13. In Paragraph 12, A battery cell inspection method characterized by continuously photographing a portion of the battery cell while the lower line scan camera moves in the direction of the battery cell's length, thereby generating image data of the lower surface, the second side, and the fourth side of the battery cell.

14. In Paragraph 12, A battery cell inspection method characterized in that each of the first lighting unit and the second lighting unit transmits light into the inside of the tape of the battery cell using infrared lighting.

15. In Paragraph 13, The method further includes the step of analyzing image data generated by at least one of the upper line scan camera unit and the lower line scan camera according to a predetermined light wavelength region. The step of analyzing by light wavelength region above is, A step of extracting an image of the red wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting the dimensions of the battery cell using the extracted image of the red wavelength region; A step of extracting an image of the green wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the upper surface of the battery cell using the extracted image of the green wavelength region; and A battery cell inspection method characterized by including the step of extracting an image of the blue wavelength region from the generated image data and inspecting for damage or the presence of foreign matter on the first side of the battery cell using the extracted image of the blue wavelength region.

Images