JP4295908B2 - Battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a battery manufacturing apparatus and method for containing a carrier substance in a battery container made of a bag-like heat-fusible sheet and injecting an electrolytic solution into the battery container, and an electrolysis injected into the battery container. The present invention relates to a battery manufacturing method in which a liquid is impregnated with a liquid.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Basically, the structure of a dry battery as a secondary battery is such that an aqueous electrolyte is absorbed by an electrode coil part, which is a porous carrier material, or is made gelled so that the electrode coil part, which is a carrier material, does not flow. It is sealed in a metal can.
[0003]
In order to manufacture such a secondary battery, an electrode coil portion, which is a carrier material, is housed in a metal can and an electrolyte is injected. Then, the opening is closed with a lid, and the lid is made of metal under atmospheric pressure. They are firmly fixed to each other by caulking on a can or using welding means.
[0004]
By the way, with the recent expansion of so-called IT (information technology), almost all applicable devices are required to be small and light. For this reason, the secondary battery as a power source for the device must naturally be light, thin, and small.
[0005]
After various trials and errors in battery manufacturing, the inventors came up with the idea that it would be possible to divert the technology for vacuum-packing food with a film frequently used in the food processing industry to battery manufacturing.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this case, it is appropriate to use, for example, an aluminum laminate film, which is a heat-fusible sheet, as the battery container that is the exterior. The film is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape, a fold line is formed at the top and bottom in the width direction center portion, and a protrusion is formed by press working on either the left or right side and the lower half portion.
[0007]
The projecting portion accommodates a carrier material, which is a flat porous electrode coil portion, and is bent along the fold line so as to be face-to-face, and the one side portion and the lower portion are heat-sealed. Then, a bag-shaped battery container is formed.
[0008]
The upper side becomes the opening of the battery container, and after injecting the electrolyte solution and impregnating the carrier material, the opening is sealed to complete a predetermined process in battery manufacture.
[0009]
The problem is to reliably inject a predetermined amount of electrolyte into the battery container in a short time and to impregnate the carrier material with the electrolyte in a short time.
That is, since the battery container is formed with a protrusion that accommodates the carrier material, the surface between the upper end of the protrusion and the open end is almost in close contact, and it is difficult to form a gap. When pouring the electrolytic solution, even if the open end is opened, the upper end of the protrusion is almost in close contact, so that the electrolytic solution does not pass easily.
[0010]
If a predetermined amount is injected quickly, the injection exceeds the amount of passage at the upper end of the protrusion, and therefore overflows from the opening. If the liquid is poured over a very small amount of time, there is no fear, but this time the productivity will deteriorate.
[0011]
In order to prevent overflow, it is conceivable to inject the liquid by forcibly expanding the joining surface that is in close contact with the liquid injection nozzle, which is a rigid body, and extending the tip nozzle port to the upper end of the protrusion.
[0012]
However, in this case, it is necessary to finely adjust the insertion amount of the liquid injection nozzle. If the amount of insertion is shallow, the tip nozzle port may not reach the close contact portion at the upper end of the protrusion. Further, when the insertion amount is deep, there is a possibility that the tip nozzle port contacts the carrier material and the nozzle port is blocked.
[0013]
And even if liquid injection is made directly into the protrusion, since the carrier material is stored in the narrow and almost sealed protrusion space, bubbles such as air and gas contained in the carrier material It is difficult to escape, and it takes a very long time for the electrolytic solution to impregnate, resulting in poor productivity. If the opening is sealed with air bubbles remaining, the battery performance is naturally adversely affected.
[0014]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to prevent the electrolyte from overflowing when the electrolyte is injected into the battery container formed of the heat-fusible sheet. To provide a battery manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of efficiently injecting in a short time and defoaming air or the like so as to impregnate with an electrolytic solution and obtain stable battery performance with stable quality. Is.
[0015]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to satisfy the above object, the present invention provides a battery manufacturing apparatus for injecting an electrolytic solution into a battery container made of a bag-like fusible sheet containing a carrier substance and having an opening by using an injection nozzle. The liquid injection nozzle is made of a material having rigidity higher than that of the heat-fusible sheet forming the battery container, and has a flat cross section.
[0016]
In order to satisfy the above object, the battery manufacturing method of the present invention expands the area of the opening of a battery container made of a bag-like fusible sheet containing a carrier material and having an opening, and this area is expanded. Inserted into the opening of the battery container is a liquid injection nozzle that is made of a material that is stiffer than the heat-fusible sheet and has a flat cross section, and electrolysis is performed from the liquid injection nozzle into the battery container at a predetermined position. Inject liquid.
[0020]
By adopting a means for solving such a problem, according to the present invention , in injecting the electrolytic solution into the battery container formed of the heat-fusible sheet, the efficiency can be improved in a short time without overflowing the electrolytic solution. The air can be injected well, and the air contained in the electrolyte injected into the battery container is surely degassed to impregnate the electrolyte.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1A, 1B, 1C show a first embodiment, and FIG. 1A shows a first liquid injection nozzle 3 constituting a first liquid injection device for a battery container 1. FIG. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a state in which an electrolytic solution is injected into the battery container 1 from the first injection nozzle 3, and FIG. 1C is an outline of FIG. 1B. FIG.
[0022]
In the figure, 1 is a battery container. The battery container 1 is formed of, for example, an aluminum laminate film that is a heat-sealing sheet. After the film is cut into a horizontally long rectangular shape and bent to the left and right at the center in the width direction, the one side and the bottom are bonded together to manufacture the bag-shaped battery container 1. A protrusion 1a for accommodating the carrier material 2 which is a flat electrode coil portion having a flat shape is formed by pressing or the like on the lower side of either the left or right side of the film.
[0023]
The carrier material 2 is accommodated in the space of the protrusion 1a. However, it is difficult to form a gap between the upper end of the protrusion 1a and the opening 1b because both surfaces are almost flush with each other.
[0024]
As a first liquid injection device, a first liquid injection nozzle 3, a cylinder part (not shown) to which the liquid injection nozzle 3 is attached, and an electrolyte storage tank 5 communicated with the cylinder part via a pipe 4. And a supply pump 6 provided in the middle of the pipe 4 and a control device 7 for electrically controlling the supply pump 6.
[0025]
The first liquid injection nozzle 3 includes a base part 3a that is directly attached to the cylinder part, and a nozzle part 3b that is provided integrally with the base part. The liquid injection nozzle 3 as a whole is formed of a material having high corrosion resistance and high flexibility, for example, a Teflon resin material.
[0026]
And the full length of the nozzle part 3b which comprises the 1st injection nozzle 3 is set substantially equal to the distance from the battery container opening part 1b to the bottom part vicinity of the carrier substance 2 accommodated in the protrusion 1a at least. Preferably, the total length of the nozzle portion 3b is formed to be somewhat longer than the above distance.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 1 (B), both ends of the opening of the battery container 1 are pressed and urged inward by some means in actual electrolyte injection. Therefore, at least the mating surface of the opening 1b at the upper end of the battery container 1 is curved and deformed outwardly, and the area of the opening 1b is increased.
[0028]
Thus, if the nozzle part 3b of the 1st injection nozzle 3 is inserted after expanding the area of the opening part 1b, the front-end | tip of the nozzle part 3b will not be caught by the battery container 1 inner surface, but it can insert smoothly. Further, the nozzle portion 3b is inserted and stopped when the tip of the cap portion 3a is positioned at the container opening end. At this time, from the setting of the length of the nozzle portion 3 b, the tip extends to the vicinity of the bottom of the carrier material 2.
[0029]
Even if the area of the opening 1b in the battery container 1 is enlarged, the mating surfaces at the upper ends of the protrusions 1a that accommodate the carrier substance 2 are difficult to be separated from each other, and it is difficult to form a gap in a state of close contact.
[0030]
However, the nozzle portion 3b in the first liquid injection nozzle 3 used here responds flexibly from the characteristics of the material, and smoothly inserts the close contact portion at the upper end of the protrusion 1a. At this time, even if the tip of the nozzle portion 3b contacts the carrier material 2, the nozzle portion 3b is characterized by excellent flexibility, so there is no possibility of damaging the carrier material 2.
[0031]
After the first injection nozzle 3 is set at the above position, the electrolytic solution is injected into the battery container 1. Since the tip of the nozzle portion 3b is located in the vicinity of the bottom of the carrier material 2, the electrolytic solution is directly injected into the protrusion 1a that accommodates the carrier material 2, and the liquid level gradually rises starting to accumulate from the bottom.
[0032]
In particular, there is a portion where a gap is difficult to be formed at the upper end of the protrusion 1a, but since the nozzle portion 3b passes through this portion, the electrolyte passes smoothly without any obstacles, and the injection time is short. I'm sorry.
[0033]
FIGS. 2A and 2B show a liquid injection method according to the second embodiment. Here, only the second liquid injection nozzle 13 constituting the second electrolytic solution injection apparatus is different, and the configuration of the battery container 1 is exactly the same, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
[0034]
The second liquid injection nozzle 13 is made of a material having a rigidity higher than that of the heat-fusible sheet forming the battery container 1 and has a flat cross section. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the liquid injection nozzle 13 has a long side portion a and a short side portion b.
[0035]
At the time of injecting the electrolyte, both ends of the opening 1b of the battery container 1 are urged inward to enlarge the area of the opening 1b, and then the second injection nozzle 13 is inserted.
When the second liquid injection nozzle 13 is inserted from the container opening 1b, as shown in FIG. 2A, the long side portion a of the liquid injection nozzle 13 having a flat cross section is used as the mating surface of the opening 1b. Insert along.
[0036]
Therefore, the liquid injection nozzle 13 can be smoothly inserted into the opening 1b only by making the interval between the mating surfaces of the opening 1b slightly larger than the length of the short side b. Even when the tip of the liquid injection nozzle 13 passes through the upper end of the protrusion 1a, the posture of the liquid injection nozzle 13 is not changed.
[0037]
When the tip of the liquid injection nozzle 13 is inserted to a predetermined position, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), the liquid injection nozzle 13 is rotated 90 degrees so that the long side portion a is orthogonal to the mating surface of the opening 1b. Change posture in the direction. Of course, the gap between the mating surfaces at the upper end of the protrusion 1a is forcibly enlarged.
[0038]
Then, an electrolytic solution is injected from the second injection nozzle 13. Since the tip of the second injection nozzle 13 is located in the protrusion 1a, the electrolytic solution is directly injected into the protrusion 1a and efficiently penetrates into the carrier substance 2.
[0039]
As the electrolyte is injected, bubbles such as air and gas contained in the carrier material 2 escape. These bubbles pass through a gap that is forcibly formed at the upper end of the protrusion 1a by the second liquid injection nozzle 13, and are discharged from the opening 1b. For this reason, the electrolyte solution is sufficiently impregnated into the carrier material 2.
[0040]
FIGS. 3A and 3B show a liquid injection method according to the third embodiment. Here, the third electrolyte solution injection device is different, and the configuration of the battery container 1 is exactly the same, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
[0041]
As the third electrolytic solution injection device, a third injection nozzle 23A and an air vent nozzle 23B are provided. The third liquid injection nozzle 23A is attached to a cylinder portion (not shown) and is configured to be movable up and down.
[0042]
Similarly to the first liquid injection nozzle, the third liquid injection nozzle 23 </ b> A is connected to an electrolyte storage tank 5 through a pipe 4, and is controlled by a controller 7 in the middle of the pipe 4. A supply pump 6 is provided.
[0043]
The total length of the nozzle portion of the third liquid injection nozzle 23A is formed to be at least approximately equal to the distance from the open end 1b of the battery container 1 to the vicinity of the bottom portion of the carrier material 2. Further, the total length of the nozzle portion of the air vent nozzle 23B is formed to be at least substantially equal to the distance from the open end 1b of the battery container 1 to the vicinity of the upper end portion of the carrier material 2.
[0044]
The air vent nozzle 23 </ b> B communicates with the vacuum pump 24 through a pipe 25. A sealed electrolyte trap T is provided in the middle of the pipe 25 to separate and collect electrolytic droplets contained in air or gas.
[0045]
Thus, at the time of electrolyte solution injection, both end portions of the opening 1b of the battery container 1 are pressed inward to enlarge the area of the opening 1b, and then the third injection nozzle 23A and the air vent nozzle 23B are 3B, the battery case 1 is inserted through the opening 1b.
[0046]
From the setting of the length of each nozzle, the tip of the injection nozzle 23A reaches the vicinity of the bottom of the carrier material 2, and the tip of the air bleeding nozzle 23B is located near the top of the carrier material 2.
[0047]
In this state, the electrolytic solution is injected into the battery container 1 from the third injection nozzle 23A. Since the tip of the nozzle is located in the vicinity of the bottom of the carrier material 2, the electrolyte is directly supplied into the protrusion 1a, and the liquid level gradually rises.
[0048]
In particular, there is a portion where it is difficult to form a gap at the upper end of the protrusion 1a. However, since the electrolyte is supplied directly from the liquid injection nozzle 23A into the protrusion, the time required for pouring into the battery container 1 can be shortened.
[0049]
At the same time, the vacuum pump 24 starts driving and performs a suction action with the air vent nozzle 23B. As the electrolyte is injected, bubbles such as air and gas contained in the carrier material 2 escape from the carrier material 2 and are efficiently discharged by the suction action of the air vent nozzle 23B as soon as it is positioned at the upper end of the protrusion 1a. Then, the electrolytic solution sufficiently impregnates the carrier material 2 in a short time.
[0050]
4A and 4B show a fourth embodiment. 4A is a schematic configuration diagram of an electrolytic solution impregnation apparatus, and FIG. 4B is a process diagram of the impregnation method.
A vacuum chamber 33 is provided as an electrolytic solution impregnation device, and a plurality of battery containers 1 into which an electrolytic solution has been injected by any of the electrolytic solution injection devices described above can be accommodated.
[0051]
The vacuum chamber 33 communicates with the vacuum pump 34 via a pipe 35 and is connected to an introduction pipe 36 that is open to the atmosphere. The introduction pipe 36 is provided with an opening / closing valve (not shown), and the inside of the vacuum chamber 33 can be opened under atmospheric pressure.
[0052]
The method for impregnating the carrier material 2 in the battery container 1 with the electrolytic solution is as follows.
That is, the battery container 1 into which the electrolytic solution has been injected is accommodated in the vacuum chamber 33, the open / close valve connected to the introduction pipe 36 is closed, and the vacuum pump 34 is driven to lower the inside of the chamber 33 to a predetermined pressure. A decompression step is performed.
[0053]
After the pressure is reduced to a predetermined pressure in the pressure reducing step, a low pressure holding step is performed in which the inside of the chamber 33 is held at a predetermined low pressure state for a predetermined time. By these pressure reducing step and low pressure holding step, air, gas, and the like contained in the carrier material 2 and the electrolytic solution are degassed.
[0054]
After holding the low pressure state for a predetermined time in the low pressure holding step, the vacuum pump 34 is stopped, and the open / close valve is opened to open the inside of the vacuum chamber 33 to the atmospheric pressure via the introduction pipe 36.
[0055]
By continuing this atmospheric pressure process for a predetermined time, the degree of vacuum in the vacuum chamber 33 is reduced to a predetermined value. At this timing, the open / close valve is closed and the vacuum pump 34 is driven to perform the decompression step again. When a predetermined degree of vacuum is reached, the process is changed to a low pressure holding process, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, an atmospheric pressure process is performed.
[0056]
Thereafter, by repeating the above steps in order, degassing from the carrier material 2 is ensured, and the carrier material 2 is sufficiently impregnated with the electrolytic solution, and stable battery quality with high reliability can be obtained.
[0057]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the electrolytic solution can be efficiently injected into the battery container formed of the heat-fusible sheet in a short time without overflowing, and air or the like can be reliably degassed. It is impregnated with an electrolytic solution, and there is an effect that reliable battery performance can be obtained with stable quality.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a first liquid injection device and an electrolytic solution injection method according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a second liquid injection device and an electrolytic solution injection method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a third liquid injection device and an electrolytic solution injection method according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of an impregnation apparatus and an electrolytic solution impregnation method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Battery container,
2 ... carrier material,
3 ... 1st injection nozzle,
13 ... Second injection nozzle,
a ... long side,
b ... short side,
23A ... Third injection nozzle,
23B ... Air bleeding nozzle,
33 ... Vacuum chamber.

Claims (8)

In a battery manufacturing apparatus for injecting an electrolytic solution using a liquid injection nozzle into a battery container made of a bag-like fusible sheet containing a carrier material and having an opening,
The liquid injection nozzle is made of a material having rigidity higher than that of the heat-fusible sheet forming the battery container, and has a flat cross section. When the liquid injection nozzle is inserted into the opening of the battery container, the long side portion of the liquid injection nozzle having a flat cross section is set along the mating surface of the opening, and its tip reaches the vicinity of the bottom in the battery container. 2. The battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid injection nozzle is rotated 90 degrees at the position, and the posture of the long side portion is changed in a direction orthogonal to the mating surface of the opening. The liquid injection nozzle, Ru is poured its tip after changing orientation in a direction perpendicular to the above cell bottom reaches the vicinity of the container, and 90-degree rotation to the mating surfaces of the opening portion long side portion The battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, which is configured as described above . The liquid injection nozzle is provided such that its tip can be inserted to the vicinity of the bottom of the carrier material,
The battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an air vent nozzle capable of moving forward and backward in the battery container together with the liquid injection nozzle . Enlarging the opening area of the battery container containing a carrier substance and comprising a bag-like fusible sheet having an opening;
Into the opening of the battery container whose area is enlarged, a liquid injection nozzle having a cross section formed into a flat shape is inserted while being a material having a rigidity higher than that of the heat-fusible sheet,
Inject the electrolyte into the battery container from the injection nozzle at the specified position.
A battery manufacturing method characterized by the above. The long side part of the above-mentioned liquid injection nozzle having a flat cross section is aligned with the mating surface of the opening, and the liquid injection nozzle is inserted into the battery container opening,
6. When the tip of the liquid injection nozzle reaches the vicinity of the bottom in the battery container, the long side of the liquid injection nozzle is rotated 90 degrees in a direction perpendicular to the mating surface of the opening. Battery manufacturing method. The liquid injection nozzle has its tip inserted in the vicinity of the bottom of the battery container and rotated 90 degrees to change the posture of the long side in a direction perpendicular to the mating surface of the opening , and then the electrolyte The battery manufacturing method according to claim 6, wherein the battery is injected. A depressurization step of containing the carrier material and containing the battery container into which the electrolyte solution has been injected in a chamber and depressurizing to a predetermined pressure;
A low pressure holding step for holding the pressure reduced by the pressure reducing step;
The battery manufacturing method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein an atmospheric pressure step of opening the chamber to an atmospheric pressure is sequentially repeated.

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