JP4253781B2 - Gas detector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gas detection device that mainly detects leakage of gas components of an electrolyte in a manufacturing process of a non-aqueous secondary battery, and in particular, repeatedly and quickly repeats the leakage of gas components of an electrolyte as a flow operation on a production line. It is related with the gas detection apparatus which can contribute to the safety | security and quality improvement of a non-aqueous secondary battery by detecting.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, small portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, portable notebook computers, and video movies have been remarkably widespread. Such devices are small and have a non-aqueous secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery that can be increased in capacity. Secondary batteries are often used.
[0003]
In this non-aqueous secondary battery manufacturing and assembling process, there are many members such as PTC elements and safety valves in the caulked portion of the battery outer container and the cap member, so caulking defects, component defects, welding defects, etc. There is a risk that the electrolyte inside the battery leaks, and for the inspection, a method in which a human sniffs the gas component of the electrolyte with his nose, or a plurality of batteries (for example, for one inspection lot) are combined. A method of detecting gas using a gas sensor in a chamber is performed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the gas leak inspection method in which humans sniff the gas components of the electrolyte cannot be automated and is inefficient, and most of the electrolytes of non-aqueous secondary batteries are flammable, such as ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate. The organic solution has a risk of fire and explosion and is not preferable because it is a harmful substance to the human body. In addition, with the gas detection method that puts multiple batteries in the chamber at the same time, it takes time and effort in batch processing to transfer the batteries from the production line to the chamber and perform the gas leak detection work. In such a case, a double labor is required to perform gas leak detection work one by one from among the plurality.
[0005]
Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to detect gas leaks safely and reliably without relying on human sense of smell, and further, it is possible to detect gas leaks efficiently, quickly and accurately as a flow operation on the production line. An object of the present invention is to realize a gas detection device that can be used.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the gas detection device of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores an inspection object, and a gas sensor unit that includes a detection unit that communicates with the storage unit and detects gas leakage of the inspection object. And a gas detection device comprising an intake / exhaust passage communicating with the gas sensor unit, wherein the gas detection unit sucks gas leakage gas of the inspection object in the inspection object storage unit by the exhaust means. When the gas sensor is detected, the heating means that incinerates and evaporates by heating the gas component deposited on the detection part of the gas sensor part, and the detection part of the gas sensor part sends in air by the intake means after the incineration and transpiration process ends. cooling and the cooling and removing means for removing deposits, the heating means, and having a control means for driving and controlling the cooling and removal means, said gas sensor unit is disposed in the base upper and base Consists of a detector consisting of a sensor chip or the like, the base of the detection subordinate side is characterized in that the formation of the vent hole leading to the intake and exhaust passage.
[0007]
In addition, the detection unit made of a sensor chip or the like is protected by a net member, and a heater member for heating the detection unit by a heating means is disposed on the net member.
[0008]
Further, the exhaust means and the cooling / removal means are characterized by flowing gas in different directions with respect to the detection part through the vent hole.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 and 2 show a gas detection device 1 according to the present invention, 2 is a gas sensor unit used for detecting minute gas leaking from a battery, and 3 is mounted and detected by this gas sensor unit 2. Ventilation base 4 having an intake / exhaust passage 3a through which gas passes to the inside, 4 is screwed into the ventilation base 3, and a gas sensor portion 2 is detachably sandwiched between them, and a storage portion for storing a battery as an object to be inspected. Attachment 5 provided with 4a is a cylindrical battery, such as a lithium ion secondary battery, which is an object for inspecting gas leakage using gas detector 1. In this embodiment, a cylindrical battery will be described. Of course, a rectangular battery or a thin sheet polymer battery may also be used. In this case, the shape of the attachment is used. Can be accommodated by adjusting to the battery shape.
[0010]
6 is an exhaust pipe that is connected to, for example, a suction pump (not shown) and sucks air from the inside of the vent table 3 and exhausts it to the outside (outside of the gas detection device), and 7 is a pump that sends out compressed air, for example. It is an intake pipe that is connected to (not shown) and feeds air from the outside into the inside of the ventilation base 3.
[0011]
FIG. 3 shows a gas sensor unit 2. A sensor chip 8 which is a main component in the gas sensor unit 2 is composed of a semiconductor element such as ceramics, and a specific substance to be detected on the surface thereof. In this case, when ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, or the like used in the electrolyte of the non-aqueous secondary battery adheres, the electrical resistance changes to detect leakage of these gases.
[0012]
In the gas sensor unit 2, a columnar base 10 for holding the sensor chip 8 is disposed on a disk-shaped substrate 9, and the sensor chip 8 is placed between two terminals above the base 10. It is stretched. In order to protect the sensor chip 8, a net member 11 is disposed around the periphery of the sensor chip 8, and a normal use method in the gas sensor unit having such a configuration is as follows. It is often done with gas from the direction. However, in the gas detection device 1 of the present invention, the heater member 12 for heating the sensor chip 8 is disposed in an arch shape immediately above the net member 11, and directly below the sensor chip 8 in the base 10. In addition, a vent hole 13 that penetrates the base 10 up and down is formed so that the gas communicates vertically with the base 10 of the gas sensor unit 2.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 2, when the sealing portion side of the battery 5 is inserted into the storage portion 4 a in the attachment 4 of the gas detection device 1, the space between the battery 5 sealing surface and the substrate 9 of the gas sensor portion 2 inside the attachment 4. However, the gas sensor part 2 becomes the inspection area part 14 for detecting gas leakage. The space area occupied by the inspection area 14 is much smaller than the inspection area of the conventional gas leak detection device that houses at least one battery. The smaller the volume of the inspection area 14 is, the more the inspection area 14 is inspected. Since the gas volume to be measured is small and the surface area of the inspection area that can be a detection error is reduced, the detection accuracy is improved, and the gas in the inspection area 14 can be quickly replaced. This greatly contributes to the reduction of man-hours.
[0014]
As described above, the reason why the inspection area 14 can be made small in the present invention is the vent hole 13 penetrating vertically through the base 10 and the substrate 9 described above. That is, in the conventional substrate 9 and base 10 of the gas sensor unit 2, there is no vertical gas flow path penetrating therethrough, so that the gas flows horizontally with respect to the sensor chip. However, this requires that the gas sensor unit 2 be detachable due to the need for maintenance and that the gas detection device itself has a simple structure that can be disassembled and cleaned. An inspection area was formed, and the battery had to be inserted into the space.
[0015]
A gas leak detection operation in the gas detection device 1 of the present invention having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. First, in order to improve the sealing performance between the battery 5 and the attachment 4, a rubber O-ring 15 is arranged around the attachment 4 where the battery 5 abuts, and the battery 5 sealing surface is provided on the O-ring 15. Press down. Next, exhaust means (not shown) exhausts the air inside the gas detection device 1, that is, the air in the inspection area 14 and the intake / exhaust passage 3a to the outside (at this time, the intake pipe 7 is closed). At this time, if there is a gas leak from the sealing part of the battery 5, this gas is exhausted to the exhaust pipe 6 through the vent hole 13 while touching the sensor chip 8 of the gas sensor part 2 located in the center of the flow path (this When the inspection area 14 and the intake / exhaust passage 3a are in a reduced pressure state).
[0016]
When the gas sensor unit 2 detects gas, a control device (not shown) that receives a signal from the gas sensor unit 2 stops an exhaust unit (not shown) and energizes the heater member 12 to instantaneously count the gas. Heat to a hundred to a few hundred degrees. As a result, the gas component deposited on the surface of the sensor chip 8 is immediately incinerated and evaporated. Subsequently, the control device stops energization to the heater member 12 and drives the cooling / removal supply means to clean the intake / exhaust passage 3a and the inspection zone section 14 through various filters at normal temperature or lower. While the sensor chip 8 is cooled by sending in air, the adherend remaining on the surface is blown off to make the sensor chip 8 always clean. At this time, since the intake / exhaust passage 3a and the inside of the inspection area 14 are in a pressurized state, the battery 5 is automatically taken out from the gas detection device 1, and the battery that has been determined to be defective is lined as a defective product. It is carried out outside.
[0017]
Further, when the gas sensor unit 2 does not detect gas, the control device does not energize the heater member 12 and only blows air by the cooling / removal supply means. It is carried out to the next process. In this non-heating operation, frequent heating of the sensor chip causes deterioration or damage of the sensor, so that the heating is kept to a minimum to avoid this. However, driving the heater member at regular intervals to clean the sensor chip may be performed as appropriate. In this way, the operation by the control device described above can detect gas as a series of flows on the production line.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the gas detection device of the present invention, gas leakage can be detected safely and reliably without relying on human olfaction, and gas leakage can be quickly and accurately performed on the production line. It can be detected, and can greatly contribute to the improvement in efficiency and quality of the manufacture of non-aqueous secondary batteries and the like.
[0019]
In addition, the gas sensor unit is composed of a base and a detection unit composed of a sensor chip and the like disposed above the base, and the base below the detection unit is formed with a vent hole leading to the intake and exhaust passages. , It is possible to make the flow path of the gas leakage gas blowing by the exhaust means to the detection part and the air blowing by the cooling / removal means small and efficient, thereby further reducing the inspection area and gas leakage. This greatly contributes to improvement in detection accuracy and work efficiency.
[0020]
In addition, the detection unit made of a sensor chip or the like is protected by a net member, and a heater member for heating the detection unit by heating means is disposed on the net member, so that the detection unit is not damaged. In addition to being protected, the adherend remaining on the surface of the detector can be reliably incinerated and evaporated.
[0021]
In addition, the exhaust means and cooling / removal means flow the gas in different directions with respect to the detection part through the ventilation holes, minimizing the inspection area part including the gas sensor part that detects gas leakage as an efficient structure. As a result, the accuracy of gas leak detection is further improved, and it contributes to the reduction of man-hours in the manufacturing process of batteries and the like.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a gas detection device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a gas detection device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a gas sensor part of the gas detection device of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gas detection apparatus 2 Gas sensor part 3 Ventilation base 3a Intake / exhaust path 4 Attachment 4a Storage part 5 Battery 6 Exhaust pipe 7 Intake pipe 8 Sensor chip 9 Substrate 10 Base 11 Net member 12 Heater member 13 Vent hole 14 Inspection area 15 O ring

Claims (3)

A storage part for storing the object to be inspected, a gas sensor part provided with a detection part for communicating with the storage part for detecting gas leakage of the inspection object, and an intake / exhaust passage communicating with the gas sensor part In the gas detection device, the gas detection device is attached to the detection unit of the gas sensor unit when the gas leakage gas of the test item in the test item storage unit is sucked by the exhaust means and detected by the gas sensor unit. Heating means for incineration / transpiration by heating gas components, cooling / removal means for sending air by inhalation means after completion of incineration / transpiration processing, cooling the detection part of the gas sensor part, and removing deposits, and the heating It means, which has a control means for driving and controlling the cooling and removal means, said gas sensor unit is composed of a detection unit consisting of a sensor chip or the like disposed in the base upper and base, test Gas detecting apparatus characterized by forming a vent hole leading to the intake and exhaust passage in the base of the lateral subordinates.   2. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprising a sensor chip or the like is protected by a net member, and a heater member for heating the detection unit by a heating means is disposed on the net member. apparatus.   2. The gas detection device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust means and the cooling / removal means cause the gas to flow in different directions with respect to the detection portion through the vent hole.

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