JP2005259355A - Sealed secondary battery and supply method of electrolyte - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To supply an electrolyte into a battery can with an opening of the battery can sealed by a lid material, in a sealed secondary battery composed by storing, in the battery can, an electrode body with a separator interlaid between a positive electrode and a negative electrode and the electrolyte, and by sealing the opening of the battery can by a lid material with a terminal cap mounted thereto. <P>SOLUTION: This sealed secondary battery is so structured that the electrode body 10 with the separator 3 interlaid between the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2, and the electrolyte 41 are stored in the battery can 20; and the opening of the battery can is sealed by the lid material 30 with the terminal cap 31 mounted thereto. A through-hole 30a is formed in a part of the lid material covered with the terminal cap; an electrolyte-injecting hole 31b is formed in the terminal cap; a sealing member formed of an airtight elastic body is stored in a space part between the terminal cap and the lid material; and the through-hole and the electrolyte-injecting hole are sealed by the sealing member. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  According to the present invention, an electrode body in which a separator is interposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode and an electrolytic solution are accommodated in a battery can, and an opening portion of the battery can is provided with a terminal cap. In particular, a state in which the opening of the battery can is sealed with a lid material, and a method for supplying the electrolyte to such a sealed secondary battery. Thus, the present invention is characterized in that the electrolytic solution can be supplied to the sealed secondary battery.

  Various types of secondary batteries have been conventionally used as sealed secondary batteries. For example, a sealed secondary battery as shown in FIG. 1 is one of such sealed secondary batteries. It is used.

  Here, in the sealed secondary battery shown in FIG. 1, the electrode body 10 wound in a spiral shape with the separator 3 interposed between the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2 is accommodated in the battery can 20, and the above positive electrode 1 is connected to the lid member 30 provided with the terminal cap 31 through the positive electrode lead 1a, while the negative electrode 2 is connected to the battery can 20 through the negative electrode lead 2a, and the battery can 20 is electrolyzed. After injecting a liquid (not shown), the lid 30 is attached to the periphery of the battery can 20 via the insulating packing 4 to seal the opening of the battery can 20, and the battery is sealed by the insulating packing 4. The can 20 and the lid member 30 are electrically separated.

  Further, in this sealed secondary battery, a through hole 30a is provided in a portion of the lid member 30 covered with the terminal cap 31, and a gas vent hole 31a is provided in the terminal cap 31, whereby the terminal cap is provided. A valve 32 and a spring 33 are provided in a space between 31 and the lid member 30, and the valve 32 is pressed against the lid member 30 by the spring 33 so that the through hole 30 a is blocked by the valve 32. When the internal pressure of the battery rises abnormally, the spring 32 is compressed to open the valve 32 that has closed the through hole 30a, and the gas inside the battery passes through the gas vent hole 31a from the through hole 30a. It is released to the outside.

  In addition, as the above-described sealed secondary battery, a valve body made of a rubber-like elastic body is provided in a space portion between the terminal cap and the lid member in place of the valve and the spring. Has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Here, in manufacturing the above-described sealed secondary battery, after the electrolyte solution is injected into the battery can 20 as described above, the lid member 30 is provided around the battery can 20 via the insulating packing 4. In order to seal the opening of the battery can 20, the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2 come into contact with the electrolyte solution in a state where a large amount of air is present, whereby the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2 are used. There is a problem in that the electrode material is oxidized and the battery characteristics vary or the battery characteristics deteriorate.

  For example, in the case of a sealed secondary battery made of a nickel-hydrogen storage battery that uses a hydrogen storage alloy as the negative electrode material, there is a large amount of air after the electrolyte is injected until the battery can is sealed. In this case, the hydrogen storage alloy is oxidized in contact with the alkaline electrolyte, and the battery characteristics are changed.

Further, in the sealed secondary battery as described above, it is generally performed by charging / discharging the battery, and when it is activated by charging / discharging as described above, an alkaline electrolyte and hydrogen are used. There was also a problem that the alkaline electrolyte was consumed by the reaction with the occlusion alloy and the cycle characteristics deteriorated.
Japanese Patent No. 2703249

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems in a sealed secondary battery, and the sealed secondary battery with the opening of the battery can sealed by a lid member. It is possible to supply an electrolyte solution to the positive electrode and the negative electrode in contact with the electrolyte solution in the presence of a large amount of air, and to prevent the electrode material used for the positive electrode and the negative electrode from being oxidized. When the secondary battery is activated by charging and discharging, even when the electrolytic solution reacts with the electrode material and is consumed, it is an object to easily replenish the electrolytic solution.

  In the sealed secondary battery according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problems, an electrode body in which a separator is interposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode and an electrolytic solution are accommodated in a battery can. In the sealed secondary battery in which the opening of the battery can is sealed with a lid member provided with a terminal cap, a through hole is provided in a portion of the lid member covered with the terminal cap, and A liquid injection hole is provided in the terminal cap, and a sealing member made of an airtight elastic body is accommodated in the space between the terminal cap and the lid member, and the penetration provided in the lid member by the sealing member The hole and the injection hole provided in the terminal cap were sealed.

  In the present invention, when supplying the electrolyte to the sealed secondary battery as described above, the opening for the battery can is sealed with the lid, and the sealing hole is sealed with the liquid injection hole. The electrolyte solution was supplied into the battery can through a supply pipe that penetrated the member and the through hole.

  In the present invention, after the sealed secondary battery as described above is activated, the electrolytic solution is supplied to the battery through the supply pipe having the liquid injection hole, the sealing member, and the through hole penetrated as described above. It was made to supply in a can.

  Here, in the above-described sealed secondary battery, it is preferable to provide a gas vent hole in the terminal cap in addition to the liquid injection hole.

  In the present invention, as described above, an electrode body having a separator interposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode and an electrolytic solution are accommodated in the battery can, and an opening of the battery can has a terminal cap. In the sealed secondary battery sealed by the provided lid member, the lid member covered with the terminal cap is provided with a through hole, and the terminal cap is provided with a liquid injection hole. A sealing member made of an airtight elastic body is accommodated in the space between the terminal cap and the lid member, and a through hole provided in the lid member by this sealing member and a liquid injection hole provided in the terminal cap Therefore, in the state where the opening of the battery can is sealed with the lid as described above, the electrolyte is supplied through the supply pipe that penetrates the injection hole, the sealing member, and the through hole. Will be able to supply.

  And after supplying the electrolyte solution through the supply pipe that has penetrated the injection hole, the sealing member, and the through hole as described above, when the supply pipe is pulled out, the sealing member is elastically restored, The airtightness of the sealing member itself is restored, and the through hole and the liquid injection hole are sealed by the sealing member, so that air enters the sealed secondary battery. Is prevented.

  As a result, in the present invention, after the electrode body with the separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode is accommodated in the battery can, and the opening of the battery can is sealed with the lid member provided with the terminal cap. By supplying the electrolytic solution as described above, the positive electrode and the negative electrode are prevented from coming into contact with the electrolytic solution in the presence of a large amount of air, and the electrode material used for the positive electrode and the negative electrode is oxidized, so that the battery characteristics It is possible to suppress variations in battery performance and battery characteristics from being deteriorated.

  In the present invention, since the electrolyte solution can be supplied with the opening portion of the battery can sealed by the lid member provided with the terminal cap as described above, the sealed secondary battery is charged and discharged. When the electrolyte solution is consumed by reacting with the electrode material, the electrolyte solution can be easily replenished, and the electrolyte solution is consumed and the cycle characteristics of the sealed secondary battery are consumed. Can be prevented from decreasing.

  Further, in the sealed secondary battery according to the present invention, when a gas vent hole is provided in the terminal cap in addition to the liquid injection hole, if the internal pressure of the sealed secondary battery rises abnormally, this pressure When the sealing member is compressed and the through hole is opened, the gas in the sealed secondary battery is discharged from the through hole to the outside through the vent hole, and the internal pressure is reduced. The compressed sealing member is restored elastically so that the through-hole is sealed, and functions as a safety device. In particular, in this case, the mechanism for injecting the electrolyte and the safety device for gas discharge can be accommodated in a small space, and in the case of a relatively small sealed secondary battery, the volume is improved. Can be used well.

  Here, a sealed secondary battery according to an embodiment of the present invention and a method of supplying an electrolytic solution to the sealed secondary battery will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The sealed secondary battery and the method for supplying the electrolyte to the sealed secondary battery in the present invention are not particularly limited to those shown in the following embodiments, and the gist thereof is not changed. It can be implemented with appropriate changes.

  Also in the sealed secondary battery in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, as in the sealed secondary battery shown in FIG. 1, a separator 3 is interposed between the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2 to form a spiral shape. The electrode body 10 wound around is accommodated in a battery can 20, and the positive electrode 1 is connected to a lid member 30 provided with a terminal cap 31 via a positive electrode lead 1a, while the negative electrode 2 is connected to a negative electrode lead. The battery can 20 is connected to the battery can 20 via 2a, the lid 30 is attached to the periphery of the battery can 20 via the insulating packing 4, and the opening of the battery can 20 is sealed. The lid member 30 is electrically separated.

  On the other hand, in the sealed secondary battery in this embodiment, the through hole 30a is provided in the portion of the lid member 30 covered with the terminal cap 31, while the terminal cap 31 has a top surface for injecting liquid. A hole 31b is provided, and a gas vent hole 31a is provided on the side wall thereof, and a sealing member 34 made of an airtight elastic body is accommodated in a space between the terminal cap 31 and the lid member 30, and the sealing member 34 The through hole 30 a provided in the lid member 30 and the liquid injection hole 31 b provided in the terminal cap 31 are sealed.

  Here, as the airtight elastic body used for the sealing member 34, rubber having durability against the electrolytic solution and excellent in elasticity and airtightness can be used. Propylene / diethine / methylene rubber, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene / butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene / propylene rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, fluorine rubber, and the like can be used.

  In this embodiment, when supplying the electrolytic solution to the sealed secondary battery as described above, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), a liquid injection in which a needle-like supply pipe 40 is provided on the terminal cap 31 is provided. The sealing member 34 is inserted through the hole 31b, penetrates the sealing member 34, and passes through the through hole 30a provided in the lid member 30. In this state, the electrolytic solution 41 is passed through the supply pipe 40. It is made to supply in the battery can 20 sealed with the cover material 30. FIG. In this way, in supplying the electrolytic solution 41 into the battery can 20 sealed by the lid member 30 through the supply pipe 40, the air in the battery can 20 sealed through the supply pipe 41 is sucked, After the inside of the battery can 20 is depressurized, the electrolytic solution 41 is supplied, or the battery can 20 is sealed through the supply pipe 41 while the electrolytic solution 41 is being supplied as described above. It is also possible to suck in the air.

  When the electrolytic solution 41 is supplied as described above, the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2 are prevented from coming into contact with the electrolytic solution 41 in the presence of a large amount of air, and the electrode material used for the positive electrode 1 and the negative electrode 2 is oxidized. Thus, variations in battery characteristics and deterioration of battery characteristics are suppressed.

  In addition, after supplying the electrolytic solution 41 into the battery can 20 in this way, when the needle-like supply tube 40 inserted as described above is pulled out, as shown in FIG. The member 34 is elastically restored to restore the airtightness of the sealing member 34 itself, and the sealing member 34 seals the through hole 30a and the liquid injection hole 31b. Intrusion is prevented.

  In addition, when the above-described sealed secondary battery is activated by charging / discharging, the electrolytic solution 41 is consumed by reacting with the electrode material of the positive electrode 1 or the negative electrode 2 as described above. The supply pipe 40 is inserted into the sealing member 34 through the liquid injection hole 31b provided in the terminal cap 31, passes through the sealing member 34, and passes through the through hole 30a provided in the lid member 30. In this state, the electrolytic solution 41 is supplied into the battery can 20 sealed by the lid member 30 through the supply pipe 40.

  If it does in this way, it will also prevent that the electrolyte solution is consumed by activation and the cycling characteristics in a sealed secondary battery, etc. fall.

  Further, in the sealed secondary battery in this embodiment, when the internal pressure is abnormally increased due to charge / discharge at a high current or the like, the sealing member 34 is compressed by this pressure and the through hole 30a is opened, When the gas in the sealed secondary battery is discharged to the outside from the through hole 30a through the gas vent hole 31a, and the internal pressure is reduced, the compressed sealing member 34 is elastically restored. The through hole 30a is sealed.

  When the supply pipe 40 is inserted into the sealing member 34, the needle-like supply pipe 40 can be easily inserted into the sealing member 34 through the liquid injection hole 31b provided in the terminal cap 31 as described above. In consideration of the expansion of the sealing member 34, a recess 34a can be provided on the upper surface of the sealing member 34 corresponding to the liquid injection hole 31b as shown in FIG.

It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed the conventional sealed secondary battery. It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed the sealed secondary battery which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. In the sealed secondary battery according to the above embodiment, a state in which the electrolytic solution is injected into the battery can with the needle-shaped supply tube in a state where the opening of the battery can is sealed with the lid member, and injection of the electrolytic solution It is sectional explanatory drawing which showed the state which extracted the needle-shaped supply pipe | tube after liquid. In the sealed secondary battery according to the embodiment, it is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which a recess is provided on the upper surface of the sealing member corresponding to the liquid injection hole provided in the terminal cap.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Positive electrode 1a Positive electrode lead 2 Negative electrode 2a Negative electrode lead 3 Separator 4 Insulation packing 10 Electrode body 20 Battery can 30 Lid 30a Through hole 31 Terminal cap 31a Gas vent hole 31b Injection hole 34 Sealing member 34a Recess 40 Supply pipe 41 Electrolyte

Claims (5)

  In the battery can, an electrode body in which a separator is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and the electrolytic solution are accommodated, and the opening of the battery can is sealed by a lid member provided with a terminal cap. In the sealed secondary battery, a through hole is provided in a portion of the lid material covered with the terminal cap, and a liquid injection hole is provided in the terminal cap, and the terminal cap and the lid material A sealing member made of an airtight elastic body is accommodated in the space between, and the through hole provided in the lid member and the injection hole provided in the terminal cap are sealed by this sealing member. A sealed secondary battery characterized by the above.   The sealed secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the terminal cap is provided with a gas vent hole.   3. The sealed secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member made of the airtight elastic body is made of rubber.   When supplying the electrolytic solution to the sealed secondary battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the liquid can be injected in a state where the opening of the battery can is sealed with a lid member. An electrolytic solution supply method, comprising supplying an electrolytic solution through a supply pipe having a hole, a sealing member, and a through hole.   After the sealed secondary battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is activated, electrolysis is performed through a supply pipe that penetrates the liquid injection hole, the sealing member, and the through hole. A method for supplying an electrolytic solution, comprising supplying a liquid.

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