EP-4742393-A1 - METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING BATTERY MODULE

EP4742393A1EP 4742393 A1EP4742393 A1EP 4742393A1EP-4742393-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates a battery module and a method for manufacturing the battery module, the method including an application process of applying an adhesive material to at least one surface of a battery cell unit, wherein a plurality of battery cells are stacked in the battery cell unit, and the battery cells comprise a cell assembly and a tab protruding from the cell assembly, and wherein in the application process, the adhesive material is applied to one side of the at least one battery cell from which the tab does not protrude.

Inventors

KIM, JAE HUN
OH, YOON SUNG
LEE, SEUNG WON
HONG, Min Jeong

Assignees

SK On Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240110

Claims (14)

A method for manufacturing a battery module, the method comprising: an application process of applying an adhesive material to at least one surface of a battery cell unit, wherein a plurality of battery cells are stacked in the battery cell unit, and the battery cells each comprise a cell assembly and at least one tab protruding from the cell assembly, and wherein in the application process, the adhesive material is applied to one side of at least one battery cell from which the at least one tab is free of any protruding tabs.
The method according to claim 1, wherein in the application process, the adhesive material is applied to form an applied area on at least a portion of a central region of the one side of the at least one battery cell.
The method according to claim 2, wherein in the application process, the adhesive material is applied to form an adhesive free area on at least a portion of a region of both ends of the one side of the at least one battery cell.
The method according to claim 2, wherein the one side of the at least one battery cell comprises a depression, and wherein at least a portion of the depression is present in the applied area.
The method according to claim 4, wherein the central region of the one side of the at least one battery cell is formed in the depression.
The method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining a profile of the one side of the at least one battery cell, wherein the application process comprises determining the amount of adhesive material to be applied according to the obtained profile.
The method according to claim 6, wherein the profile of the one side of the at least one battery cell is obtained by laser irradiation.
The method according to claim 6, wherein obtaining the profile further comprises deriving a central region of the one side of the at least one battery cell.
The method according to claim 1, further comprising an insertion process of inserting the battery cell unit with the adhesive material applied thereto into a module housing.
The method according to claim 9, wherein the module housing comprises a support plate supporting the battery cell unit and side plates provided at both edge regions of the support plate, and wherein in the insertion process, the battery cell unit is inserted into the module housing with the side plates of the module housing spread apart.
The method according to claim 10, wherein each of the side plates of the module housing comprises an elastic body with an elastic limit, and wherein in the insertion process, the side plates are spread apart by pulling the side plates within the elastic limit, and the battery cell unit with the adhesive material applied thereto is inserted into the module housing with the side plates spread apart.
The method according to claim 10, wherein in the insertion process, the battery cell unit is inserted into the module housing while at least two faces of the battery cell unit are pressed.
The method according to claim 12, wherein in the insertion process, the pressing is released when the pressed battery cell unit contacts the side plates.
The method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive material comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of silicone resin, acrylic resin, urethane resin, and epoxy resin.

Description

[Field] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a battery module. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a battery module manufactured by the method and a method for manufacturing the battery module. [Background Art] In recent years, the demand for mobile devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and wireless earphones has been increasing. In addition, as the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, satellites, etc. has accelerated, research on high-performance secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged as an energy source is actively underway. Currently commercialized secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Of them, lithium secondary batteries exhibit almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based secondary batteries, allowing for free charge and discharge, very low self-discharge rates, and high energy density. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a battery module that can prevent process-induced defects and improve heat dissipation characteristics of the final product may be provided. Further, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a battery module that can prevent an adhesive material from entering between battery cells, thereby preventing process-induced defects and improving the safety of the final product may be provided. Further, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a battery module manufactured by the method for manufacturing the battery module, and a battery pack and an electrical device including the battery module may be provided. The method for manufacturing the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be widely applied in the fields of electric vehicles, battery charging stations, and other green technologies such as photovoltaics and wind power using batteries. In addition, the method for manufacturing the battery module according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be used in eco-friendly electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles to prevent climate change by suppressing air pollution and greenhouse fluid emissions. [Technical Solution] A method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure may include an application process of applying an adhesive material to at least one surface of a battery cell unit, wherein a plurality of battery cells are stacked in the battery cell unit, and the battery cells each comprise a cell assembly and at least one tab protruding from the cell assembly, and wherein in the application process, the adhesive material is applied to one side of the at least one battery cell from which the at least one tab does not protrude. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, in the application process, the adhesive material may be applied to form an applied area on at least a portion of a central region of the one side of the at least one battery cell. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, in the application process, the adhesive material may be applied to form an adhesive free area on at least a portion of a region of both ends of the one side of the at least one battery cell. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the one side of the at least one battery cell may include a depression, and at least a portion of the depression may be present in the applied area. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the central region of the one side of the at least one battery cell may be formed in the depression. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the method may further include obtaining a profile of the one side of the at least one battery cell, and the application process may include determining the amount of adhesive material to be applied according to the obtained profile. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the profile of the one side of the at least one battery cell may be obtained by laser irradiation. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, obtaining the profile may further include deriving a central region of the one side of the at least one battery cell. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the method may further include an insertion process of inserting the battery cell unit with the adhesive material applied thereto into a module housing. In a method for manufacturing a battery module according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the module housin