KR-20260063705-A - SWAGE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETERMINING ERROR OF SWAGE PROCESSING

KR20260063705AKR 20260063705 AKR20260063705 AKR 20260063705AKR-20260063705-A

Abstract

A swaging device and a method for determining errors in a swaging process are disclosed, which can prevent scratch defects from occurring due to excessive pressure being applied to the opening of a battery housing during the swaging process. A swaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention is for performing a swaging process that compresses the opening of a cylindrical battery housing in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, and comprises: a housing, a pressurizing operating unit provided within the housing, and a pressurizing unit; a swaging module that compresses the opening of the battery housing by driving the pressurizing operating unit between a pressurizing release position and a pressurizing position along an operating direction parallel to the central axis of the battery housing and operating the pressurizing unit by the pressurizing operating unit; a load measuring unit installed in the housing and measuring the load applied by the pressurizing operating unit in the operating direction at the pressurizing position; and a swaging process error determining unit that determines a swaging process error based on the load measuring value applied in the operating direction by the pressurizing operating unit.

Inventors

김대천

Assignees

주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241031

Claims (15)

A swaging device for performing a swaging process that compresses the opening of a cylindrical battery housing containing an electrode assembly, A swage module comprising a housing and a pressurizing actuator and a pressurizing member provided within the housing, wherein the pressurizing actuator is driven between a pressurizing release position and a pressurizing position along an operating direction parallel to the central axis of the battery housing, and the pressurizing member is actuated by the pressurizing actuator to compress an opening of the battery housing; A load measuring unit installed in the above housing and configured to measure the load applied by the above pressurizing actuator in the direction of operation at the pressurizing position; and A swaging process error determination unit configured to determine a swaging process error based on a load measurement value applied in the operating direction by the above-mentioned pressurizing operating unit; A swage device including
In claim 1, The above-mentioned pressurizing member includes a plurality of jaws arranged to surround the battery housing, and A swage device comprising a pressurizing actuator that includes a collet chuck arranged in a ring shape within the housing and surrounding a plurality of jaws.
In claim 2, The above multiple encounters The above collet chuck is configured to press against the center of the battery housing as it descends along the inner inclined surface of the housing, thereby compressing the opening of the battery housing. Swage device.
In claim 2, The load measuring unit comprises one or more load cells disposed at the lower part of the collet chuck within the housing, Swage device.
In claim 4, The load cell is configured to measure the load that the collet chuck applies downward to the load cell during the downward movement of the collet chuck. Swage device.
In claim 5, The above swaging process error determination unit Determining the swaging process error by comparing the load measurement value of the above load cell with a set reference load, Swage device.
In claim 6, The above load measuring unit includes a plurality of the load cells, and A plurality of load cells are spaced apart and arranged along the circumferential direction of the housing, and The above swaging process error determination unit Based on multiple load measurement values obtained by the multiple load cells, analyzing the swaging process error and the cause of the error, Swage device.
In claim 7, The plurality of load cells includes three load cells arranged at 120° intervals, and The above swaging process error determination unit A configuration for determining at least one swaging process error among the outer diameter dimension defect, elliptical defect, and mechanical part warping error of the battery housing based on the result of comparison between the plurality of load measurements and the reference load and the deviation between the plurality of load measurements. Swage device.
In claim 8, The above swaging process error determination unit If all of the above multiple load measurements exceed the above reference load, a swaging process error corresponding to a defect in the outer diameter dimension of the battery housing is determined; If the above plurality of load measurement values correspond to a load pattern set in relation to the elliptical defect of the battery housing, a swage process error corresponding to the elliptical defect is determined; A method configured to determine a swage process error corresponding to mechanical misalignment when at least one of the plurality of load measurements exceeds the reference load and the maximum deviation between the plurality of load measurements exceeds the reference deviation. Swage device.
In claim 4, The above housing is provided with an outlet hole through which wiring is drawn out to transmit a load measurement value obtained by the load cell to the swaging process error determination unit. Swage device.
In claim 1, The above swaging process error determination unit When the above swaging process error is determined, the swaging module is configured to stop operation and generate an alarm notifying the swaging process error. Swage device.
A method for determining an error in a swaging process for determining an error in a swaging process that compresses an opening of a cylindrical battery housing containing an electrode assembly, A step of performing a swaging process by means of a swaging module comprising a housing and a pressurizing actuator and a pressurizing member provided within the housing, wherein the pressurizing actuator is driven between a pressurizing release position and a pressurizing position along an operating direction parallel to the central axis of the battery housing, and the pressurizing member is actuated by the pressurizing actuator to compress an opening of the battery housing; A step of measuring the load applied by the pressurizing actuator in the pressurizing position toward the operating direction by means of a load measuring unit installed in the housing; and A step of determining a swaging process error based on a load measurement value applied in the operating direction by the pressurizing operating unit by the swaging process error determination unit; A method for determining errors in a swaging process including
In claim 12, The above-mentioned pressurizing member includes a plurality of jaws arranged to surround the battery housing, and The above-mentioned pressurizing actuator includes a collet chuck arranged in a ring shape within the housing to surround the plurality of jaws, and The load measuring unit comprises one or more load cells disposed at the lower part of the collet chuck within the housing, and The step of measuring the above load is The method includes the step of measuring the load applied downward by the collet chuck to the load cell during the downward movement of the collet chuck by the load cell. The step of determining the above swaging process error A step comprising determining the swaging process error by comparing the load measurement value of the load cell with a set reference load, Error determination method for the swaging process.
In claim 13, The above load measuring unit includes a plurality of the load cells, and A plurality of load cells are spaced apart and arranged along the circumferential direction of the housing, and The step of determining the above swaging process error A method comprising the step of analyzing the swaging process error and the cause of the error based on a plurality of load measurement values obtained by the plurality of load cells. Error determination method for the swaging process.
In claim 14, The step of determining the above swaging process error A step comprising determining at least one swage process error among the outer diameter dimension defect, elliptical defect, and mechanical part warping error of the battery housing based on the result of comparison between the plurality of load measurements and the reference load and the deviation between the plurality of load measurements. Error determination method for the swaging process.

Description

SWAGE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETERMINING ERROR OF SWAGE PROCESSING The present invention relates to a swaging device and a method for determining errors in a swaging process, and more specifically, to a swaging device and a method for determining errors in a swaging process that can prevent scratch defects from occurring when excessive pressure is applied to the opening of a battery housing during a swaging process in which the opening of a battery housing is compressed. Secondary batteries are attracting attention as an energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency because they have high energy density and the advantage of being able to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels, as well as the advantage of not generating by-products from energy use. Due to these advantages, secondary batteries are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) driven by electric power sources. When a high output voltage is required, the output voltage can be supplied by a battery pack formed by connecting multiple unit secondary battery cells, i.e., battery cells, in series. Additionally, a battery pack can be configured by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel according to the required charge/discharge capacity of the battery pack. The number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be varied depending on the required output voltage and/or charge/discharge capacity. Among battery cells, cylindrical batteries can be manufactured through a swage process in which a cylindrical electrode assembly, in which the positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator are wound in a jelly-roll form, is inserted into a battery housing through an opening, and then assembled by compressing the opening. In the swage equipment used to perform the swage process, excessive pressure may be intermittently applied to the opening of the battery housing due to various causes such as mechanical defects, design errors, or errors in the diameter of the battery housing, which may result in scratch defects on the side of the opening of the cylindrical battery housing. If a battery with a scratch defect is detected by the battery appearance inspection equipment positioned downstream of the swaging facility, an error in the swaging process can be identified and subsequent measures taken; however, in this case, thousands of batteries located between the swaging facility and the battery appearance inspection equipment must be discarded, or additional work must be performed to sort out defective batteries. This increases battery sorting time and equipment idle time, thereby reducing productivity and potentially incurring cost losses due to the disposal of batteries. The background technology described above is intended to explain the background of the derivation of the present invention and does not imply that it is technology known prior to the filing of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a swaging device of a swaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional enlarged view of a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of section 'A' of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which a pressurizing operating part constituting a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is raised to a pressurized release position. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the state in which a pressurizing operating part constituting a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is raised to a pressurized release position. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which a pressurizing operating part constituting a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention has been lowered to a pressurized position. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the state in which a pressurizing operating part constituting a swage device according to an embodiment of the present invention has been lowered to a pressurized position. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the battery housing before the swaging process is performed. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a battery housing with the opening compressed by the swaging process. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a battery cell manufactured by being assembled by a swaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a battery cell according to FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a battery cel