WO-2026095374-A1 - BATTERY CELL STORAGE DEVICE AND BATTERY CELL ACTIVATION METHOD USING SAME

WO2026095374A1WO 2026095374 A1WO2026095374 A1WO 2026095374A1WO-2026095374-A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery cell storage device and a battery cell activation method using same, the battery cell storage device comprising: a main body in which a battery cell is accommodated and which can be sealed; a charge/discharge unit comprising charge/discharge terminals electrically connected to electrode leads of the battery cell in the main body; and a vacuum unit, wherein the vacuum unit controls the pressure inside the main body.

Inventors

YU, SUNG HOON

Assignees

주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250926
Priority Date: 20241028

Claims (16)

A main body capable of accommodating battery cells internally and being sealable; A charge/discharge unit comprising a charge/discharge terminal electrically connected to the electrode lead of the battery cell within the main body; and Includes a vacuum unit; and A battery cell storage device characterized by the above vacuum unit controlling the pressure inside the main body.
In paragraph 1, The above battery cell is a battery cell storage device that accommodates the above battery cell within the main body with an opening formed on one side.
In paragraph 1, A battery cell storage device in which the above vacuum unit communicates with the interior of the main body to reduce pressure by sucking in air from the interior of the main body or to increase pressure by injecting air into the interior of the main body.
In paragraph 2, The above main body includes at least one pressure regulating member, and The above vacuum unit is a battery cell storage device connected to the above pressure regulator.
In paragraph 4, The above vacuum unit is, Pressure pump; A double valve unit installed in the pressure regulator and including a fluid outlet at the bottom that is open toward the interior of the main body; An air transfer pipe connecting the pressure pump and the double valve unit; and A fluid discharge pipe connected to the above fluid discharge port; comprising, The above-described dual valve unit is a battery cell storage device comprising a fluid flow path formed to communicate with the air transfer pipe and the fluid discharge port.
In paragraph 5, The above dual valve unit further includes an electrolyte injection port formed on one side to be openable and closable and communicating with the fluid flow path, and A battery cell storage device in which the electrolyte supplied through the above electrolyte injection port is transferred to the battery cell within the main body through the above fluid discharge pipe.
In paragraph 5, A battery cell storage device in which the end of the fluid discharge pipe faces the opening of the battery cell.
In paragraph 5, The above main body includes a plurality of pressure regulating ports, and The above vacuum unit is a battery cell storage device comprising a plurality of double valve units corresponding to the number of pressure regulators.
In paragraph 5, The above fluid discharge pipe is, A main pipe directly connected to the above fluid outlet; and It is composed of a plurality of sub-pipes branched from the main pipe; and The fluids moving through each of the above sub-tubes are battery cell storage devices having the same fluid pressure.
In Paragraph 9, A battery cell storage device in which the ends of each of the above sub-tubes face the openings of different battery cells.
In paragraph 1, The above-described main body is a battery cell storage device further comprising a gas outlet formed to be openable and closable to regulate internal air pressure and discharge gas.
In paragraph 2, A battery cell storage device comprising a main body that further includes a fixing member for fixing the battery cell so that the opening of the battery cell faces upward.
In paragraph 1, The above battery cell is a battery cell storage device having one of the following forms: a cylindrical type including a cylindrical battery case with an open top, and a pouch type including a pouch battery case with an open side.
A preparation step of accommodating a battery cell within the battery cell storage device of claim 1; Electrolyte injection step for supplying an electrolyte to the battery cell; and A battery cell activation method comprising an activation step of activating the battery cell by charging and discharging it.
In Paragraph 14, A battery cell activation method further comprising a step of depressurizing the interior of the main body prior to the preparation step.
In Paragraph 14, A battery cell activation method further comprising a step of depressurizing the interior of the main body after a preparation step.

Description

Battery cell storage device and battery cell activation method using the same The present invention relates to a battery cell storage device and a method for activating a battery cell using the same. The present disclosure claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0148883 filed October 28, 2024, and all contents of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0148883 are incorporated by reference into the present disclosure. Rechargeable secondary batteries are attracting attention as a power source for devices requiring high output and large capacity, including electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which are being proposed as solutions to address air pollution caused by conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles using fossil fuels. In terms of battery shape, there is high demand for prismatic and pouch-type rechargeable batteries, which are thin and suitable for applications in products such as mobile phones; in terms of materials, there is high demand for lithium-ion batteries and lithium-ion polymer batteries, which possess advantages such as high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability. These secondary batteries are also classified according to the structure of the electrode assembly, which consists of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode. Representative examples include a jelly-roll (wound-type) electrode assembly in which long sheet-type positive and negative electrodes are wound with a separator interposed; a stack-type (laminated-type) electrode assembly in which multiple positive and negative electrodes cut into units of a predetermined size are sequentially stacked with a separator interposed; and a stack/folding-type electrode assembly in which bi-cells or full cells, each consisting of a specific unit of positive and negative electrodes stacked with a separator interposed, are wound. A cylindrical battery cell is formed in which the above-mentioned wound electrode assembly is housed together with an electrolyte in a cylindrical battery case, and a prismatic battery cell is formed in which the above-mentioned stacked or stacked/folded electrode assembly is housed together with an electrolyte in a prismatic battery case. Additionally, a pouch-type battery cell is formed in which the above-mentioned stacked or stacked/folded electrode assembly is housed together with an electrolyte in a pouch-type battery case. However, if the electrolyte is not fully impregnated into the electrode assembly, there is a risk of defects. Additionally, problems have occurred where the electrolyte is not fully injected into the battery case because air inside the battery case is not properly removed during the electrolyte injection process. Such issues ultimately lead to reduced process efficiency and increased product unit costs. In addition, such residual air inside can cause the battery case to be sealed, excessively increasing internal pressure during charging and discharging, which may lead to an explosion. A battery cell, in which an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are housed in a battery case and sealed, undergoes an activation process to impart its characteristics. The activation process is carried out by charging and discharging the battery cell, during which an activation gas may be generated inside the sealed battery case. Conventionally, there was a problem that it was very cumbersome because the battery case had to be opened again to release the activation gas, or the battery case had to be sealed again after undergoing a separate gas removal process. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the battery cell storage device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main body included in a battery cell storage device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a side view of the main body of Figure 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the process of accommodating a battery cell inside the main body of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the process of connecting charge/discharge terminals to the battery cell of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the double valve unit of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the double valve unit of FIG. 6. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the double valve unit of Figure 6. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the main body of a battery cell storage device according to a first embodiment in which a battery cell is accommodated. Fig. 10 is a modified example of the main body of Fig. 3. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a main body included in a battery cell storage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is a side view of the main body of Fig. 11. FIG. 13 is a side view of the main body of FIG. 12 in which a battery cell is housed. FIG. 14 is a side view of a main body included in a battery cell storage d