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EP-4742372-A1 - BATTERY CELL TRAY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

EP4742372A1EP 4742372 A1EP4742372 A1EP 4742372A1EP-4742372-A1

Abstract

A battery cell tray includes: a base tray configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells thereon; and an inner tray coupled to the base tray and having partition walls between areas where adjacent ones of the plurality of battery cells are to be accommodated.

Inventors

  • Jeong, Yonghyeon
  • KIM, HEEYEON
  • Ha, Changwoo
  • CHOI, Younghyun
  • AHN, YOUNG JIN
  • JANG, IN HO

Assignees

  • SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
  • DREAMCHEM TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251107

Claims (15)

  1. A battery cell tray comprising: a base tray configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells thereon; and an inner tray coupled to the base tray and having partition walls between areas where adjacent ones of the plurality of battery cells are to be accommodated.
  2. The battery cell tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner tray comprises: a support coupled to the base tray on a side of a space for accommodating each individual battery cell therein defined by the partition walls while supporting the battery cells; and a first ventilation groove adjacent to the support.
  3. The battery cell tray as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the base tray has a plurality of holes beneath areas at where the plurality of battery cells are to be seated on the base tray; and, optionally, wherein the plurality of holes comprises: a seating hole extending therethrough in a center of a bottom of a space at where each individual battery cell is to be accommodated defined by the partition walls; and a first ventilation hole defining a space for ventilation at a corner of the bottom of the space at where each individual battery cell is to be seated defined by the partition walls.
  4. The battery cell tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: the base tray has a first bolting part comprising a first bolt hole and is at where the inner tray is bolted to the base tray at a portion beneath the plurality of battery cells seated on the base tray; and the inner tray has a second bolting part comprising a second bolt hole and is at where the inner tray is bolted to the first bolting part of the base tray.
  5. The battery cell tray as claimed in claim 4, wherein: the first bolting part has a centering projection to center the base tray and the inner tray; and the second bolting part has a centering groove coupled to the centering projection.
  6. The battery cell tray as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein: the first bolting part has a plurality of second ventilation holes around the first bolt hole; and the second bolting part has a plurality of third ventilation holes around the second bolt hole.
  7. The battery cell tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base tray has a fixture formed to fix the inner tray to a contact part with the inner tray on the outside of the base tray.
  8. The battery cell tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base tray has a cross-shaped reinforcing wall in its center to support the load of the plurality of battery cells; and, optionally, wherein the reinforcing wall has a second ventilation groove in a portion of its upper portion for ventilation.
  9. A method of manufacturing battery cell trays, the method comprising: manufacturing a base tray configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells thereon; manufacturing an inner tray configured to form partition walls between areas at where the plurality of battery cells are to be accommodated; and coupling the base tray and the inner tray together.
  10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the manufacturing of the inner tray comprises: forming a support coupled to the base tray on a side of a space for accommodating each individual battery cell therein defined by the partition walls while supporting the battery cells; and forming a first ventilation groove adjacent to the support.
  11. The method as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the manufacturing of the base tray comprises forming a plurality of holes beneath areas at where the plurality of battery cells are to be seated on the base tray; and, optionally, wherein, in the forming of the plurality of holes, the plurality of holes comprise: a seating hole in a center of a bottom of a space at where each individual battery cell is seated therein defined by the partition walls; and a first ventilation hole configured to define a space for ventilation at a corner of the bottom of the space for seating each individual battery cell therein defined by the partition walls.
  12. The method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, wherein: the manufacturing of the base tray comprises forming a first bolting part comprising a first bolt hole at where the inner tray is bolted to the base tray at a portion beneath areas at where plurality of battery cells are to be seated on the base tray; and the manufacturing of the inner tray comprises forming a second bolting part comprising a second bolt hole to be bolted to the first bolting part of the base tray.
  13. The method as claimed in claim 12, (A) wherein: the forming of the first bolting part comprises forming a centering projection to center the base tray and the inner tray; and the forming of the second bolting part comprises forming a centering groove coupled to the centering projection; and/or (B) wherein: the forming of the first bolting part comprises forming a plurality of second ventilation holes around the first bolt hole; and the forming of the second bolting part comprises forming a plurality of third ventilation holes around the second bolt hole.
  14. The method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the manufacturing of the base tray comprises forming a fixture to fix the inner tray to a contact part with the inner tray on the outside of the base tray.
  15. The method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 14, wherein the manufacturing of the base tray comprises forming a cross-shaped reinforcing wall in a center of the base tray to support the load of the plurality of battery cells; and, optionally, wherein the forming of the cross-shaped reinforcing wall comprises forming a second ventilation groove on a portion of an upper portion of the reinforcing wall for ventilation.

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field Aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a battery cell tray and a method for manufacturing the same. 2. Description of the Related Art Different from primary batteries that are not designed to be (re)charged, secondary batteries are designed to be discharged and recharged. Low-capacity secondary batteries are used in small, portable electronic devices, such as smart phones, feature phones, notebook computers, digital cameras, and camcorders, while large-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as power sources for driving motors, such as of hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles, and for power storage. A secondary battery generally includes an electrode assembly including (or consisting of) a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case that accommodates the electrode assembly, a terminal part connected to the electrode assembly, etc. After manufacture, lithium secondary batteries are activated by performing a number of charging and discharging cycles, which is called a formation process or an activation process. A charging/discharging device is used for this activation process, which may charge and discharge multiple cells concurrently (or simultaneously) to increase productivity in the mass production process of secondary batteries. Secondary batteries are manufactured through a number of manufacturing processes, and a tray capable of storing multiple battery cells is used to easily and safely handle them when performing various processes, such as an electrolyte injection process and an activation process, or when transporting the battery cells between the processes. Generally, a battery cell tray has a plurality of battery receptacles, each having a shape corresponding to that of the battery cell or battery pack to be stored, thereby facilitating the mass production of batteries. A conventional battery cell tray has an optimized structure that facilitates the circulation of cooling airflow to reduce heat generation during charging and discharging of the cells while, at the same time, is sufficiently rigid, which conflicts with the need for sufficient airflow. The above information disclosed in this Background section is for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute related (or prior) art. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a battery cell tray with a separate structure including a base tray and an inner tray and a method for manufacturing the same. However, aspects and features of the present disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the present disclosure below. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery cell tray includes: a base tray configured to accommodate (or seat) a plurality of battery cells thereon; and an inner tray coupled to the base tray and having (or being configured to form) partition walls between (areas where adjacent ones of) the plurality of battery cells (are to be accommodated). The inner tray may include: a support coupled to the base tray on a side of a space for accommodating (or seating) each individual battery cell therein defined by the partition walls while supporting the battery cell(s); and a first ventilation groove (formed) adjacent to the support. The base tray may have a plurality of holes (formed) beneath (areas at where) the plurality of battery cells (are to be) seated on the base tray. The plurality of holes may include: a seating hole extending (or for seating each individual battery cell) therethrough in a center of a bottom of a space at where (or for seating the) each individual battery cell is to be accommodated (or therein) defined by the partition walls; and a first ventilation hole defining (or configured to define) a space for ventilation at a corner of the bottom of the space at where (or for seating the) each individual battery cell is to be seated (or therein) defined by the partition walls. The base tray may have a first bolting part including (or comprising) a first bolt hole and is (at where the inner tray is) bolted to the base (or inner) tray (therethrough) at a portion beneath the plurality of battery cells seated on the base tray; and the inner tray may have a second bolting part including (or comprising) a second bolt hole and is (at where the inner tray is) bolted to the first bolting part of the base tray (therethrough). The first bolting part may have a centering projection (formed) to center the base tray and the inner tray; and the second bolting part may have a centering groove coupled to the centering projection. The first bolting part may have a plurality of second ventilation holes (formed) around the first bolt hole; and the second bolting part may have a plurality of third ventilation holes (formed) around t