JP2000243380A - Battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability, reduce the facility cost and improve the reliability of sealing by pressing a spherical body made of a material having the hardness higher than that of the material around an electrolyte injection hole into the electrolyte injection hole for sealing. SOLUTION: A thin annular section 5 is formed on a cover plate 2 concurrently with an injection hole 4. The diameter of the injection hole 4 is made slightly smaller than the diameter of a sealing ball 1'. When the sealing ball 1' is pressed into the injection hole 4, the thin annular section 5 and the injection hole 4 are temporarily expanded then returned by the resiliency of the material, and strong airtightness is maintained by a pressure connection ring 6 with a slight width. The sealing ball 1' is made of an aluminum material having the hardness higher than the hardness of the material of an aluminum container. Since the sealing ball 1' is formed into a spherical shape, the machining of the sealing ball 1' serving as a sealing plug is facilitated, and the machining precision including circularity and surface roughness can be easily improved. The pressing-in process of the sealing ball 1' has no pressing-in directivity because of the spherical shape, the pressing-in process is simplified, airtightness can be ensured merely by pressing-in due to the hardness difference between the container material and the sealing ball 1' and the return by resiliency after deformation, and no additional machining is required.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery having a new sealing structure as a method for sealing an injection hole after a process of injecting an electrolyte into the battery in a process of manufacturing the battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ensuring that a battery is airtight is an essential requirement, and various methods have conventionally been employed. For example, as a method of sealing the injection hole provided in the battery cover plate, there are a method of screwing a sealing plug, a method of caulking after sealing with the sealing plug, and the like. In addition, a method of welding a sealing plug with an ultrasonic wave, an electric arc, a laser, or the like has been implemented. FIG. 1 shows a conventional sealing structure, in which a disk-shaped sealing plate 1 made of the same material as the lid plate is put on a lid plate 2 having an injection hole 4, and the periphery thereof is welded. It is a sealing part.

[0003]

In the prior art methods of screwing a sealing plug and a method of caulking after sealing, the workability is good, but the reliability of the sealing is difficult, and there is a fear of leakage. Could not deny. In addition, the method of welding the sealing plug with an electric arc, a laser, or the like has disadvantages such as poor workability, high equipment cost, and the occurrence of pinholes in the welded portion, which causes liquid leakage. Further, depending on the shape of the sealing plug, there is a disadvantage that processing cost is large to maintain the processing accuracy of the sealing plug at a required level.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks and to improve the workability, reduce the equipment cost, and improve the reliability of the sealing. It aims to improve and reduce processing costs.

[0005]

In the battery of the present invention, the battery container is made of aluminum, and a sphere made of a material having a higher hardness than aluminum is press-fitted into an electrolyte injection hole provided in the container. It is characterized by the following.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the battery of the present invention, the position of the electrolyte injection hole is not particularly limited, but the electrolyte injection hole is suitably provided on the lid plate on the upper part of the battery container for easy processing.

For the purpose of sealing the electrolyte injection hole by press-fitting a sphere, it is preferable to use aluminum as the material of the container such as the cover plate, and the softness and malleability facilitate processing. .

[0008] The material of the sphere serving as a so-called sealing plug is preferably made of a material having a higher hardness than the material around the electrolyte injection hole when the material differs depending on the material of the container and the part of the container.
By doing so, the sealing can be performed reliably. Moreover,
It is preferable to use aluminum as the material of the sphere, and to use aluminum having higher hardness than aluminum of the container. For example,
A3003-H18: Brinell hardness 55 or A3004-
H18: Brinell hardness of 77 or the like can be used. By making the shape spherical, processing of the sealing plug becomes easy, and processing accuracy including roundness and surface roughness can be easily increased. Furthermore, in the press-fitting step of the sealing plug, since it is spherical, there is no directionality, and the press-fitting step is simplified.

In the sealing structure of the present invention, due to the difference in hardness between the material of the container and the material of the sphere and the return after deformation due to elasticity, airtightness is ensured only by press-fitting, and other following processing is not required.

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a state immediately before the sealing ball 1 ′ is pressed into the injection hole 4. The thin annular portion 5 is formed simultaneously with the injection hole 4 in the cover plate 2. The diameter of the injection hole 4 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the sealing ball 1 '.

FIG. 3 shows a state after the sealing sphere 1 ′ is pressed into the injection hole 4. When the sealing ball 1 ′ is press-fitted into the injection hole 4, the thin annular portion 5 and the injection hole 4 are temporarily expanded, but return due to the elasticity of the material, and the airtight ring 6 having a very small width maintains strong airtightness.

[0013]

According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the workability of the electrolyte injection hole sealing operation, reduce the cost of the sealing equipment, and improve the reliability of the sealing airtightness.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional sealing structure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state immediately before press-fitting a sealing ball of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state after press-fitting.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Sealing plate 4 Injection hole 1 'Sealing ball 5 Thin annular part Cover plate 6 Press-welding ring Welding sealing part 7 Battery container

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A battery comprising: a battery container made of aluminum; and a sphere made of a material having a higher hardness than aluminum is press-fitted into an electrolyte injection hole provided in the container.