KR-20260067557-A - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SECONDARY BATTERY

KR20260067557AKR 20260067557 AKR20260067557 AKR 20260067557AKR-20260067557-A

Abstract

A secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of suction ports located on one side of a battery cell and on the other side facing therefrom, which move to come into contact with each other and are coupled to the battery cell; a piercing hole unit formed in the plurality of suction ports to form a piercing hole in a gas pocket of the battery cell; and an electrolyte refill device formed in the plurality of suction ports to refill an electrolyte into the battery cell, wherein the plurality of suction ports suck in an electrolyte discharged through the piercing hole, and the electrolyte refill device refills the sucked electrolyte into the battery cell.

Inventors

한진우

Assignees

주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (12)

A plurality of suction ports located on one side of a battery cell and on the other side facing it, which move to come into contact with each other and are connected to the battery cell, and A piercing hole unit formed in the plurality of intake ports to form a piercing hole in the gas pocket of the battery cell, and It includes an electrolyte refiller formed in the plurality of suction ports above to refill the electrolyte inside the battery cell, and The plurality of suction ports above suck in the electrolyte discharged through the piercing hole, and The above electrolyte refill device refills the aspirated electrolyte into the battery cell. Secondary battery manufacturing device.
In paragraph 1, The above piercing hole unit and the above electrolyte refill device are provided in the suction ports located on one side of the battery cell among the plurality of suction ports, Secondary battery manufacturing device.
In paragraph 1, The plurality of suction ports are attached to the gas pocket in which the piercing hole is formed, thereby simultaneously sucking in the gas inside the battery cell and the discharged electrolyte. Secondary battery manufacturing device.
In paragraph 3, The electrolyte treatment unit further includes separating the inhaled electrolyte and gas and providing the separated electrolyte to the electrolyte refill unit. Secondary battery manufacturing device.
In paragraph 4, The above electrolyte treatment unit is, An electrolyte separation unit that separates the electrolyte and gas sucked in through the plurality of suction ports, and A vacuum exhaust unit for discharging the separated gas to the outside, and The above includes an electrolyte collection unit for collecting the electrolyte from which the gas has been removed. Secondary battery manufacturing device.
A method for manufacturing a secondary battery that removes gas while maintaining the residual amount of electrolyte in the battery cell, Step of removing gas by piercing the gas pocket of the battery cell; A step of collecting the electrolyte discharged from inside the battery cell; and A step comprising refilling the collected electrolyte into the battery cell, Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.
In paragraph 6, The step of removing gas by piercing the gas pocket of the battery cell is, A step of piercing the gas pocket of the battery cell using a plurality of piercing hole units; and A method comprising the step of attaching a plurality of suction ports to the pierced gas pocket to simultaneously suck in the gas inside the battery cell and the discharged electrolyte. Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.
In Paragraph 7, The plurality of suction ports are positioned on one side of the battery cell and on the other side facing it, and are moved to come into contact with each other and are connected to the battery cell. Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.
In Paragraph 7, The step of piercing the gas pocket of the battery cell using a plurality of piercing hole units is Piercing using a piercing hole unit provided in each of the plurality of suction ports located on one side of the battery cell, Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.
In Paragraph 7, The step of refilling the collected electrolyte into the battery cell is, A step of separating the electrolyte and gas sucked in through the above suction port; and A method comprising the step of discharging the above gas to the outside and refilling the separated electrolyte into the battery cell, Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.
In paragraph 6, A step of sealing the battery cell with the above-mentioned fluid completed once; and A further step of trimming the above-mentioned sealed battery cell, Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.
In Paragraph 11, The step of sealing the battery cell with the above-mentioned liquid completed once is, Characterized by omitting the pre-sealing process for the above battery cell, Method for manufacturing a secondary battery.

Description

Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing Secondary Battery The present invention relates to a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus and method. Rechargeable secondary batteries are attracting attention as an eco-friendly alternative capable of replacing conventional energy sources that cause air pollution. Due to their high energy density and long lifespan, secondary batteries are widely used in various application fields, ranging from portable electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, drones, and energy storage systems (ESS). Among secondary batteries, in lithium secondary batteries, a separator is stacked between the positive and negative electrodes, and energy charging and discharging can be repeatedly performed as lithium ions repeatedly move between the positive and negative electrodes. Meanwhile, the degassing process, a conventional secondary battery manufacturing step, is designed to enhance the safety and performance of the battery cell by removing gases generated inside the cell. Generally, the degassing process is carried out in a vacuum chamber; after piercing the top of the cell's gas pocket to vent the gas, the process maintains a vacuum to remove gases generated by irreversible reactions remaining inside the cell. During this process, the electrolyte remaining inside the cell may be discharged to the outside along with the gas as the vacuum level decreases. In particular, in long cells or battery cells of certain compositions, the amount of internally generated gas increases. Consequently, the electrolyte fails to penetrate the electrodes evenly and does not wet them sufficiently, resulting in a large amount of un-wetting electrolyte being discharged along with the gas. This phenomenon causes electrolyte loss, leading to a significant reduction in the remaining electrolyte compared to conventional designs. As a result, this can have a critical impact on the cell's performance and lifespan, potentially leading to reduced long-term stability and efficiency. In particular, if insufficient electrolyte remains, the electrochemical reactions within the cell become inefficient, resulting in decreased charge/discharge efficiency and a high risk of shortened cell lifespan. These issues can become more pronounced depending on the structure or design of the battery cell, and can not only degrade battery quality but also adversely affect overall reliability. Technical improvements are required to address this, and a method is needed to enhance cell performance and extend lifespan by optimizing the remaining electrolyte content. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a secondary battery manufacturing process according to the prior art. FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a piercing hole unit and an electrolyte refill device in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining an electrolyte treatment unit in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a secondary battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6a to 6g are drawings for explaining a secondary battery manufacturing process according to one embodiment of the present invention. The advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. The terms used in this specification are for describing embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text. The terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" used in this specification do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components in addition to the components mentioned. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components, and "and/or" includes each of the mentioned components and all combinations of one or more. Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the technical scope of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) may be used in a