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US-12620671-B2 - Manufacturing apparatus of manufacturing electrochemical cell

US12620671B2US 12620671 B2US12620671 B2US 12620671B2US-12620671-B2

Abstract

A manufacturing apparatus includes a chamber, a pressure reducing device, and a return pipe. The pressure reducing device is configured to reduce the pressure in the chamber. The return pipe includes a first opening, a conduit, and a second opening. The first opening and the second opening are respectively and independently open to the interior of the chamber. The first opening is connected to an exterior body. The conduit connects the first opening and the second opening. The conduit is configured to once draw gas in the exterior body out of the chamber when the pressure in the chamber is reduced, and return the drawn gas into the chamber.

Inventors

  • Toshinori OKURA
  • Hideto Mori
  • Shinji Suzuki

Assignees

  • TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220920
Priority Date
20211122

Claims (11)

  1. 1 . A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an electrochemical cell having an exterior body under reduced pressure, the manufacturing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a pressure reducing device; and a return pipe, wherein the pressure reducing device is configured to reduce a pressure in the chamber, the return pipe includes a first opening, a conduit, and a second opening, the first opening and the second opening are respectively and independently open to an interior of the chamber, the first opening is configured to be connected to the exterior body, the conduit connects the first opening and the second opening, the conduit is configured to once draw a gas in the exterior body out of the chamber when the pressure in the chamber is reduced, and then return the gas into the chamber, the return pipe comprises a plurality of return pipes that are independent of each other; and each of the return pipes includes the first opening, the conduit, and the second opening.
  2. 2 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressure gauge, wherein the pressure gauge is connected to the conduit.
  3. 3 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a flow meter, wherein the flow meter is connected to the conduit.
  4. 4 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a sealing device, wherein the sealing device is configured to seal the exterior body in the chamber.
  5. 5 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the return pipe is configured to withstand an external pressure during a pressure reduction.
  6. 6 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first opening is disposed at one end of the conduit and the second opening is disposed at a second end of the conduit.
  7. 7 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gas is configured to be sucked from the first opening and released into an interior of the chamber through the second opening when the pressure in the chamber is reduced.
  8. 8 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an inside diameter of the conduit is 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less.
  9. 9 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the conduit is constant throughout a length of the conduit.
  10. 10 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the conduit varies throughout the length of the conduit.
  11. 11 . The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a plurality of elbows.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-189535 filed on Nov. 22, 2021, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The disclosure relates to a manufacturing apparatus, and a method of manufacturing electrochemical cells. 2. Description of Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-106850 (JP 2018-106850 A) discloses an injection device and an injecting method that can improve the production efficiency of power storage modules. SUMMARY Generally, electrochemical cells (which can be abbreviated to “cells”) are manufactured by enclosing, for example, power generating elements and electrolyte in an exterior body. During use of the cells, gas may be generated in the exterior body due to deterioration of the electrolyte, for example. As the gas is generated, the internal pressure in the exterior body can be increased. Considering later gas generation, it is desirable to reduce gas in the exterior body as much as possible during the manufacturing stage. Thus, the pressure in the exterior body may be reduced. For example, the pressure in the exterior body may be reduced by, for example, a vacuum pump, etc. After the pressure (degree of pressure reduction) in the exterior body reaches a target value, the exterior body is sealed. In some cases, an exterior body having low rigidity is used. For example, a sheet-like exterior body, such as a metal foil laminate film, may be used. When the rigidity of the exterior body is low, the exterior body can be pushed by the external pressure and deformed when the pressure in the exterior body is reduced. With the exterior body thus deformed, a gas channel can be blocked. If the gas channel is blocked, there is a possibility that the target degree of pressure reduction in the exterior body has not been reached even if a value indicated by a pressure gauge reaches a target value. The disclosure provides a manufacturing apparatus and a method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell, which guarantee the internal pressure in an exterior body by reducing blockage of a gas channel when the pressure in the exterior body is reduced. A manufacturing apparatus according to a first aspect of the disclosure is a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an electrochemical cell having an exterior body under reduced pressure. The manufacturing apparatus includes a chamber, a pressure reducing device, and a return pipe. The pressure reducing device is configured to reduce a pressure in the chamber. The return pipe includes a first opening, a conduit, and a second opening. The first opening and the second opening are respectively and independently open to an interior of the chamber. The first opening is configured to be connected to the exterior body. The conduit connects the first opening and the second opening. The conduit is configured to once draw a gas in the exterior body out of the chamber when the pressure in the chamber is reduced, and then return the gas into the chamber. In the manufacturing apparatus according to the first aspect, the return pipe may include a plurality of return pipes that are independent of each other. Each of the return pipes may include the first opening, the conduit, and the second opening. The manufacturing apparatus according to the first aspect may further include a pressure gauge. The pressure gauge may be connected to the conduit. The manufacturing apparatus according to the first aspect may further include a flow meter. The flow meter may be connected to the conduit. The manufacturing apparatus according to the first aspect may further include a sealing device. The sealing device may be configured to seal the exterior body in the chamber. A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to a second aspect of the disclosure includes preparing the manufacturing apparatus according to the first aspect of the disclosure, preparing a workpiece by enclosing a power generating element in the exterior body, placing the workpiece in the chamber, connecting the exterior body and the first opening, and reducing a pressure in the chamber, to reduce a pressure in the exterior body via the return pipe. In the method according to the second aspect, in preparing the manufacturing apparatus, the manufacturing apparatus including a plurality of return pipes that are independent of each other may be prepared. In preparing the workpiece, a cell module including a plurality of electrochemical cells may be prepared as the workpiece. The electrochemical cells may respectively and independently include internal spaces. In connecting the exterior body and the first opening, the return pipes that are separate from each other may be respectively connected to the internal spaces. In the method according to the second aspect, in preparing the manufacturing apparatus, the manufacturing apparatus including a pressure gauge may be prepared.