US-20260126338-A1 - Seal Inspection Device and Seal Inspection Method for Battery Cell

Abstract

A seal inspection device for a battery cell includes a chamber in which a battery cell is disposed, a hopper disposed to be in close contact with the battery cell, a decompression unit structured to depressurize an interior of the chamber, a gas injection unit structured to inject gas into the chamber or an interior of the battery cell, a sealing member installation unit structured to install a sealing member in an inlet of the battery cell to seal the inlet, and a determination unit structured to determine whether the battery cell is sealed.

Inventors

• Da Eun KIM

Assignees

• SK ON CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251105

Priority Date

20241107

Claims (16)

1. 1 . A seal inspection device for a battery cell, comprising: a chamber in which a battery cell is disposed; a hopper disposed to be in close contact with the battery cell; a decompression unit structured to depressurize an interior of the chamber; a gas injection unit structured to inject gas into the chamber or an interior of the battery cell; a sealing member installation unit structured to install a sealing member in an inlet of the battery cell to seal the inlet; and a determination unit structured to determine whether the battery cell is sealed.
2. 2 . The seal inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the determination unit includes a gas detection unit detecting gas within the chamber.
3. 3 . The seal inspection device of claim 2 , wherein the determination unit further includes a diagnostic unit structured to diagnose whether the chamber is sealed, based on an amount of detected gas.
4. 4 . The seal inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the determination unit includes, a pressure sensor disposed within the chamber and measuring pressure within the chamber; and a diagnostic unit structured to diagnose whether the chamber is sealed, based on the measured pressure.
5. 5 . The seal inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the gas includes an inert gas.
6. 6 . The seal inspection device of claim 5 , wherein the inert gas includes helium.
7. 7 . The seal inspection device of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member includes a ball, and the sealing member installation unit includes an adjustment unit that enables the sealing member to be installed one by one in the inlet.
8. 8 . The seal inspection device of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment unit includes an opening/closing unit disposed to enable the sealing member to be installed one by one, and an adjustment space in which the opening/closing unit is disposed.
9. 9 . A method of inspecting sealing of a battery cell, comprising: disposing a battery cell within a chamber; depressurizing an interior of the chamber; injecting gas into the battery cell disposed within the chamber; sealing an inlet of the battery cell, after the injecting; and diagnosing whether the gas injected into the battery cell has leaked outside of the battery cell.
10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the diagnosing is performed based on an internal gas pressure of the chamber.
11. 11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the diagnosing is performed after a preset time has elapsed in the sealing.
12. 12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the gas includes helium.
13. 13 . A method of inspecting sealing of a battery cell, comprising: disposing a battery cell within a chamber; depressurizing an interior of the chamber; injecting gas into the chamber; and diagnosing whether the gas injected into the chamber is introduced into the battery cell, after the injecting.
14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein in the diagnosing, diagnosing is performed based on an internal gas pressure of the chamber.
15. 15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the diagnosing is performed after a preset time has elapsed in the injecting.
16. 16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the gas includes helium.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent document claims the priority and benefits of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0156985 filed on November 07, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure and implementations disclosed in this patent document generally relate to a seal inspection device and a seal inspection method for a battery cell. BACKGROUND Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries may be charged and discharged, and thus may be applied to a wide range of applications, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptops, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems (ESS). Secondary batteries may be lithium-ion batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, or nickel-hydrogen batteries. Secondary batteries are manufactured as flexible pouch-type battery cells or rigid prismatic or cylindrical can-type battery cells. Multiple battery cells may be formed into a stacked cell assembly. The cell assembly may be disposed within a module housing to form a battery module, and multiple battery modules may be disposed within a pack frame to form a battery pack. SUMMARY Seal inspection of the related art battery cells include injecting inert gas into the battery cell and sealing the inlet, of which both processes are performed in separate devices. This results in the inert gas leaking out of the battery cell during the process, reducing inspection accuracy. The present disclosure can be implemented in some embodiments to provide a seal inspection device and a seal inspection method for a battery cell, in which seal inspection equipment and processes for battery cells may be simplified. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the accuracy of battery cell sealing inspection may be improved. A seal inspection device and seal inspection method for a battery cell according to an aspect of the present disclosure may be widely applied to devices within green technology fields such as electric vehicles, battery charging stations, and other battery-powered solar and wind power generation. Furthermore, the seal inspection device and seal inspection method in the present disclosure may be used in eco-friendly electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and other vehicles that aim to ameliorate the effects of climate change by suppressing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a seal inspection device for a battery cell includes a chamber in which a battery cell is disposed; a hopper disposed to be in close contact with the battery cell; a decompression unit structured to depressurize an interior of the chamber; a gas injection unit structured to inject gas into the chamber or an interior of the battery cell; a sealing member installation unit structured to install a sealing member in an inlet of the battery cell to seal the inlet; and a determination unit structured to determine whether the battery cell is sealed. In an embodiment, the determination unit may include a gas detection unit detecting gas within the chamber. In an embodiment, the determination unit may further include a diagnostic unit structured to diagnose whether the chamber is sealed, based on an amount of detected gas. In an embodiment, the determination unit may include a pressure sensor disposed within the chamber and measuring pressure within the chamber; and a diagnostic unit structured to diagnose whether the chamber is sealed, based on the measured pressure. In an embodiment, the gas may include an inert gas. In an embodiment, the inert gas may include helium. In an embodiment, the sealing member may include a ball, and the sealing member installation unit may include an adjustment unit disposed such that the sealing member is able to be installed one by one in the inlet. In an embodiment, the adjustment unit may include an opening/closing unit disposed such that the sealing member is able to be installed one by one, and an adjustment space in which the opening/closing unit is disposed. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of inspecting sealing of a battery cell includes disposing a battery cell within a chamber; depressurizing an interior of the chamber; injecting gas into the battery cell disposed within the chamber; sealing an inlet of the battery cell, after the injecting; and diagnosing whether the gas injected into the battery cell has leaked outside of the battery cell. In an embodiment, in the diagnosing, diagnosing may be performed based on an internal gas pressure of the chamber. In an embodiment, the diagnosing may be performed after a preset time has elapsed in the sealing. In an embodiment, the gas may include helium. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of inspecting sealing of a battery cell includes disposing a battery cell within a chamber; depressurizing an interior of the chamber; injecting gas into the chamber; an