JP6024092B2 - Metal container manufacturing method, metal container, power storage element, and power storage module - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is, for example, a secondary battery other manufacturing method及beauty metals containers metal container as an exterior of the storage element such as a battery and a power storage device using the same, and storage module.

  Secondary batteries are widely used as power sources for electronic devices such as mobile phones and IT devices, as well as for replacing primary batteries. In particular, since non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries represented by lithium ion batteries have high energy density, they are also being applied to industrial large electric devices such as electric vehicles.

  FIG. 12A is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an external appearance of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to a conventional technique.

  As shown in FIG. 12 (a), the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 100 is a hexahedron battery having an aluminum plate-like lid 120 and an open box-like container body 110 having an opening 111. A container is provided as an exterior. The positive electrode side and the negative electrode side have electrode terminals that are electrically and mechanically coupled to a power generation element (not shown) housed inside the container main body 110 and are detachably connected to an external load on the surface of the lid 120. Electrode portions 130a and 130b are provided.

  Next, FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view of the battery container of the conventional nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 100 taken along a straight line parallel to the short side. However, the configuration of the electrode portions 130a and 130b is omitted in the drawing for simplicity.

  As shown in FIG. 12 (b), the lid portion 120 is formed on the inner side of the side end portion 121 located on the outer periphery thereof, and has a convex portion 122 that is thicker than other portions including the side end portion 121. doing. The planar shape formed by the outer periphery of the convex portion 122 corresponds to the shape of the opening 111 of the container main body 110. Therefore, the lid portion 120 and the container main body 110 are combined by fitting the convex portion 122 into the opening 111, A battery container is configured (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and FIG. 6).

  The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 100 is assembled by integrally combining the electrode portions 130a and 103b, the lid portion 120, and the power generation element through a conductive connecting member (not shown) from the back surface of the lid portion 120. . Next, the container main body 110 is sealed with the lid portion 120 so that the power generation element is inserted into the opening 111, and the joint portion is laser-welded. A through hole (not shown) is opened in advance on the surface of the container body, and the electrolytic solution is injected through the through hole into the sealed container after storing the power generation element. Thereafter, the through hole is sealed with a metal sealing stopper, and the sealed state of the battery container is ensured.

JP 2009-26707 A

  The configuration of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the conventional technique is as described above. However, the conventional technique has the following problems.

  That is, in order to make the battery container sealed, it is necessary to perform laser welding using a combination of the lid 120 and the container body 110 as a base material. Here, FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the region R0 including the joint portion between the lid 120 and the container main body 110 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 13 (a), in the state before welding, the front side surface 112 of the container body 110 and the side end portion 121 of the lid portion 120 form the side surface of the battery container, The convex portion 122 and the back surface 123 of the lid portion 120 and the side surface 113 on the back side of the container body 110 form a storage space for the power generation element.

  In this state, when the laser welding is performed along the extending direction for the boundary line 125 formed by exposing the contact portion between the lid 120 and the container body 110, as shown in FIG. A portion in the vicinity of the boundary line 125 including the battery container side surface and the surface 124 of the lid portion 120 expands to form a grooving weld sag 140 that protrudes outward from the side surface.

  The welding sag 140 causes distortion in the outer shape of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 100 after completion. This is caused by a decrease in strength of the battery alone, and further, when each battery is configured as a module. This may cause problems such as hindering the layout as designed and the entire module from being housed in the housing.

  As described above, the welding of battery containers according to the conventional technique has a problem that accuracy after completion is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a manufacturing method及beauty metals containers excellent metal containers accuracy, as well as a storage element and the power storage module using the same.

In order to achieve the above object, a first side surface of the present invention has a container body having an opening and a lid portion that closes the opening, and a contact portion between the container body and the lid portion is on the side surface. A method of manufacturing an exposed metal container,
A step of welding the contact portion by irradiating the contact portion with a laser beam;
It is a manufacturing method of the metal container which welds so that the effective diameter of the said laser beam may be less than twice the thickness of the side wall of the said cover part.

The second aspect of the present invention is the metal container according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the optical axis of the laser beam is aligned so as to include a contact portion between the container body and the lid. It is a welding method.
The third aspect of the present invention is the production of the metal container according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein welding is performed such that the upper end of the effective diameter of the laser beam is positioned below the upper end of the lid. Is the method.
The fourth aspect of the present invention is the method for producing a metal container according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, wherein the laser beam is a CW laser beam.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the metal container manufacturing method according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, the effective diameter of the laser beam is less than the thickness of the side wall of the lid. is there.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the effective diameter of the laser light is less than or equal to twice the width of the contact portion in the direction along the optical axis of the laser light . 5. A method for producing a metal container according to any one of the fifth aspect.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the laser beam is applied to the contact portion at an incident angle parallel to the contact surface between the container body and the lid. It is a manufacturing method of the metal container of either side.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the laser beam is applied to the contact portion at an incident angle that is an elevation angle with respect to the contact surface between the container body and the lid. To 5. The method for producing a metal container on any one of the side surfaces.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the laser beam is applied to the contact portion at an incident angle that is a depression angle with respect to the contact surface between the container body and the lid. To 5. The method for producing a metal container on any one of the side surfaces.

The tenth aspect of the present invention provides
The metal container is
The edge of the lid part forms the contact part with the container body,
The manufacturing method of the metal container according to any one of the first to ninth aspects of the present invention, wherein the edge part of the lid part has a flat surface or a curved surface inclined from the surface of the lid part toward the side surface. It is.

The eleventh aspect of the present invention is
The metal container is
The lid portion has a convex portion protruding from the back surface or a concave portion recessed from the back surface,
The convex part or the concave part is fitted into the opening of the metal container.
It is a manufacturing method of the metal container in any one of the 1st to 10th side of the present invention.

The twelfth aspect of the present invention is
The metal container is
The thickness of the convex part of the lid part is larger than the thickness of the other part,
The thickness of the edge part of the lid part is equal to or greater than the thickness of the inner part of the convex part,
It is a manufacturing method of the metal container of the 11th side of the present invention.

The thirteenth aspect of the present invention provides
A container body having an opening;
A lid that closes the opening;
A metal container in which a contact portion between the container body and the lid is exposed on a side surface,
The lid is
The edge portion forms the contact portion with the container body,
It is fitted to the opening of the metal container at a portion inside the edge,
The thickness of the portion fitted into the opening of the container body is larger than the thickness of the other portion,
The thickness of the edge portion further der than the thickness of the inner portion than the portion that is fitted into the opening of said container body,
The contact portion is melt welded in the working region having a diameter of less than twice the thickness of the side wall of the lid.
It is a metal container.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a metal container having a container body having an opening and a lid portion that closes the opening, and a contact portion between the container body and the lid portion is exposed on the side surface. There,
The region including the contact portion is welded,
The portion melted by the influence of the welding is in the working region having a diameter less than twice the thickness of the side wall of the lid portion, and the width or depth dimension of the portion is exposed on the side surface of the lid portion. Or less than the thickness
It is a metal container.

The fifteenth aspect of the present invention is
A container body having an opening and a lid portion that closes the opening; a contact portion between the container body and the lid portion is exposed on a side surface; and the contact portion has a thickness of a side wall of the lid portion. A metal container in which the working area having a diameter of less than twice is melt welded , or a metal container according to the eleventh or twelfth aspect of the present invention;
A power generation element housed in the metal container,
It is an electrical storage element which has the electrode part electrically connected with the said electric power generation element provided in the surface of the said metal container.

The sixteenth aspect of the present invention provides
A power storage module comprising a plurality of power storage elements according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention,
Each of the power storage elements is a power storage module arranged so that the contact portions face each other.

The seventeenth aspect of the present invention provides
The power storage module according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, comprising an end plate provided outside the plurality of power storage elements arranged and restraining each of the power storage elements.

  According to the present invention as described above, there is an effect that the metal container can be welded with high accuracy.

(A) The perspective view which shows the structure of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which concerns on embodiment of this invention (b) The typical cross section which shows the structure of the battery container of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which concerns on embodiment of this invention Figure (A) Back view showing the configuration of the lid of the battery container according to the embodiment of the present invention (b) Cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. Sectional drawing of the principal part for demonstrating the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the structure for enforcing the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention Sectional drawing of the principal part for demonstrating the other example of the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing of the principal part for demonstrating the other example of the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) The perspective view for demonstrating the other example of the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention (b) The other example of the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. Main part plan view for Sectional drawing of the principal part for demonstrating the other example of the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing of the principal part for demonstrating the other example of the welding method of the metal container which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) principal part sectional view showing composition of a metal container concerning an embodiment of the present invention (b) principal part sectional view showing other examples of composition of a metal container concerning an embodiment of the present invention (c) this invention Cross-sectional view of relevant parts showing another configuration example of the metal container according to the embodiment of the present invention (d) Cross-sectional view of relevant parts showing another configuration example of the metal container according to the embodiment of the present invention The perspective view which shows the structure of the battery module which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) The perspective view which shows the structure of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which concerns on a prior art (b) The typical sectional drawing which shows the structure of the battery container of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which concerns on a prior art (A) Main part sectional drawing for demonstrating the structure of the metal container which concerns on a prior art (b) Main part sectional drawing for demonstrating the welding method of the metal container concerning a prior art

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the appearance of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (a), the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 is formed of an aluminum plate-shaped lid 20 and an open box-shaped container body 10 having an opening 11 as in the conventional example. A hexahedral battery container is provided as an exterior. The positive electrode side and the negative electrode side have electrode terminals that are electrically and mechanically coupled to a power generation element (not shown) housed inside the container body 10 on the surface of the lid 20 and are detachably connected to an external load. The point where the electrode portions 30a and 30b are provided is the same as in the conventional example.

  Further, as shown in the cross-sectional view of the straight line parallel to the side surface of the battery container in FIG. 1B, the lid part 20 is located inside the side end part 21 so as to fit into the opening 11 of the container body 10. It has a convex portion 22 that is formed and is thicker than other portions including the side end portion 21.

  Next, FIG. 2A is a back view schematically showing the configuration of the lid 20 of the battery container of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2A, the lid portion 20 has a convex portion 22 similar to the outer shape of the lid portion 20 formed on the inner side of the side end portion 21, and an inner region surrounded by the convex portion 22. Forms the back surface 23. Further, as shown in the cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2B, the thickness of the lid portion 20 is the largest at the convex portion 22, and then the side end portion 21 and the back surface 23. It becomes smaller in order.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part corresponding to the region R1 in FIG. 1B, showing a state in which the lid 20 and the container body 10 of the battery container of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 are combined.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the wall portion of the container body 10 includes an outer wall 12 exposed to the outside, an inner wall 13 that forms a storage space for the power generation element, and an end surface 14 that is parallel to the opening 11. Further, the side end portion 21 of the lid portion 20 includes a surface 24, a side surface 21 c bent from the surface 24 toward the container body 10 at the periphery 21 b, and a back surface 21 a parallel to the surface 24.

  The lid portion 20 and the container body 10 are fitted by the outer wall 22a of the convex portion 22 being in contact with the inner wall 13 and the back surface 21a of the side end portion 21 being in contact with the end surface 14. Of these contact portions, the contact surface between the end surface 14 and the back surface 21a is exposed as a boundary line 25 between the lid portion 20 and the container body 10 on the side wall of the battery container.

  In the above configuration, the container body 10 is the container body of the present invention, the lid 20 is the lid of the present invention, the opening 11 is the opening of the present invention, and the side end 21 is the thickness of the lid of the present invention. Moreover, the contact surface between the end surface 14 and the back surface 21a corresponds to the contact portion of the present invention. Moreover, the battery container formed by combining the container body 10 and the lid 20 corresponds to the metal container of the present invention.

The metal container welding method according to an embodiment of the metal container manufacturing method of the present invention is to perform laser welding on the battery container of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 configured as described above. That is, the boundary line 25 is aimed, and the side wall of the battery container is irradiated with a laser beam 40 having an optical axis 41 parallel to the contact surface between the back surface 21a including the boundary line 25 and the end surface 14 .

  Further, the effective diameter D of the laser beam 40 is reduced to less than the thickness T of the side end portion 21 of the lid portion 20. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the effective diameter D is about 80% of the thickness T. As shown by the dotted line in the figure, the range in which the laser beam 40 gives an effective amount of heat for welding the object is the hemispherical (with the effective radius of the laser beam 40 starting from the arrival position of the laser beam 40 as a starting point ( This is an active area 42 (shown as a semicircle in the figure). That is, the influence of the laser beam welding occurs inside the action region 42.

  In the battery container after welding, on the surface thereof, the part extending over the outer wall 12 of the container body 10 and the side surface 21c of the lid part 20, and in the cross section thereof, the back surface 21a of the lid part 20 and the surface of the end surface 14 of the container body 10. For each of the parts extending along the direction and extending along the depth of the battery container, a part that is actually melted by the laser light is included.

The action region 42 includes a contact surface between the back surface 21 a and the end surface 14 , but is separated from the periphery 21 b of the side end portion 21. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 1 3 (b), the irradiation area of the laser beam is not only the border line between the lid and the container body, a broad area including the periphery of the lid portion, the main welding sag It was the cause.

  On the other hand, the present invention pays attention to the fact that the cause of welding sag is that the upper end of the lid 20 including the periphery 21b is overheated. In addition, the diameter and irradiation position of the laser beam are adjusted so that the upper end of the lid 20 including the periphery 21b is not irradiated with the laser beam. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of welding sagging is suppressed and it becomes possible to prevent that a distortion arises in the external shape of the battery container after completion of welding.

  If the distortion of the outer shape is simply corrected, it may be possible to cut off the weld sag after the occurrence, but in this case, the battery container as the base material will be scraped, and the strength of the container will be reduced. To do. Therefore, even if a welding sag is discovered, it has been left unattended. On the other hand, the present invention is characterized in that welding sag itself is suppressed in order to realize highly accurate welding while ensuring the strength of the metal container.

Next, FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a configuration for carrying out the metal container manufacturing method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the laser welding machine 43 can freely change the irradiation position of the laser light 40 by operating the nozzle portion 45 provided at the tip of the flexible fiber cable 44. Welding is performed by aligning the optical axis 41 of the laser beam 40 with the boundary line 25 of the container body 10 and the lid 21 of the battery container as a base material, and scanning along the boundary line 25.

  Since the alignment of the laser beam 40 and the boundary line 25 is relative, one or both of the nozzle portion 45 and the battery container may be moved during welding. In FIG. 4, for the sake of explanation, the scale is changed between the laser welder 43 side and the battery container side.

  As the laser welding machine 43, an output of 600 to 4000 W and a laser fiber diameter of the nozzle portion 43 of 100 to 600 μm are usually used. In this case, the effective spot diameter of the laser beam 40 on the surface of the battery container is 0.1 to 2 mm. Therefore, it is desirable that the thickness T of the lid portion 20 be equal to or greater than these spot diameters. However, the laser beam output, spot diameter, and other device ratings commonly used in laser welding are examples, and the present invention is effective depending on the relationship between the thickness of the lid of the metal container and the effective diameter of the laser beam. Therefore, values larger than the upper and lower limits of these conditions can be used.

As an example, when a CW laser beam with an output of 2600 W is used and the boundary line 25 is scanned at a focus of ± 0 mm and a welding speed of 35 mm / second, no welding sagging is observed, as in the example shown in FIG. It was confirmed that the distortion of the battery container was within the tolerance. On the other hand, using a laser beam of the same standard, and if focused above the boundary line 25, as shown in FIG. 13 (b), welding sag 140 is confirmed deviating tolerances.

  In the above description, the laser beam 40 is adjusted so that the optical axis 41 thereof is parallel to the contact surface between the outer wall 22 a of the convex portion 22 of the lid portion 20 and the end surface 14 of the container body 10. However, the optical axis 41 may be adjusted so as to intersect the contact surface.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5, the laser beam 40 is irradiated at an incident angle θ that forms an elevation angle with respect to a reference line 46 formed by extending the contact surface, and the optical axis 41 coincides with the boundary line 25. . It is possible to prevent stray light or intrusion of other foreign matters due to welding directly into the inside of the container body 10. In this case, it is desirable that the position of the optical axis 41 of the laser light 40 be located below the boundary line 25. While preventing the upper end of the cover part 20 from being heated excessively, the positioning margin can be increased.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the laser beam 40 may be irradiated at an incident angle φ that forms a depression angle with respect to the reference line 44, so that the optical axis 41 coincides with the boundary line 25. Particularly in this case, the upper end of the lid 20 is further prevented from being heated excessively by shifting the working area of the laser light along the diagonal direction of the periphery 21b so as to move away from the inside of the battery container. Is possible. Furthermore, in this case, it is desirable to increase the thickness of the convex portion 22 in order to avoid the influence of stray light or the like on the inside of the container body 10.

  In the above description, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 7A, the laser beam 40 is perpendicular to the boundary line 25 in the plane in which the optical axis 41 is parallel to the surface 24 of the lid portion 20. The optical axis 41 is rotated within the parallel plane as shown in FIG. 7B, which is a plan view of the main part of the region R2 in FIG. 7A. However, the boundary line 25 may be skewed. In the figure, as an example, an example in which the incident line is rotated by the incident angle ψ 0 with respect to the reference line 46 is shown.

  In this way, by changing the incident angle of the laser beam 40 on the plane, the energy density per unit area of the laser beam 40 is suppressed, and a sudden temperature rise of the container body 10 and the lid 20 is prevented, and more reliably. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of welding sag. This effect can be obtained in the same way in the examples shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. However, in the case of this configuration example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the incident angle range ψ on the plane is vertical. There is an advantage that it is wide-range and the range of adjustment is large.

  Furthermore, if the incident angle to the boundary line 25 is adjusted three-dimensionally in combination with the examples shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the effects of the respective configuration examples can be exerted in a superimposed manner, which is more preferable.

  In the above description, the effective diameter of the laser beam 40 is limited to less than the thickness T of the side end portion 21 of the lid portion 20, but the gist of the present invention exemplified in this embodiment is the lid. By preventing laser light from being directly applied to the upper end including the periphery 21b of the part 21, the occurrence of welding sag on the side surface of the battery container is suppressed. Therefore, as long as the laser beam 40 is not directly applied to the periphery 21b, the effective diameter may be larger.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the position of the optical axis 41 is fixed, and the effective radius is less than the thickness T of the side end portion 21, that is, the effective diameter D is twice the thickness T. If it is within the range below, the effective diameter of the laser beam 40 can be adjusted to an arbitrary size. In view of the effective spot diameter of the commonly used laser beam 40 on the surface of the battery container being 0.1 to 2 mm, the thickness of the side end 21 can be reduced to ½ of these spot diameters.

  However, as shown in FIG. 3, the size of the action region 42 of the laser light 40 depends on the effective radius of the laser light 40, and the contact surface between the end surface 14 of the container body 10 and the back surface 21 a of the lid portion 21. Being a size exceeding the width of means that the base material is given more energy than is necessary for welding. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, it is more desirable to set the effective diameter D of the laser light to be not more than twice the width W of the contact surface. In this case, it is possible to reliably weld the battery container with an output having an appropriate size while exhibiting the effects of the present invention.

  Further, in the above description, the lid portion 20 constituting the battery container has a side end 21 that has a side surface 21c that is bent from the surface 24 toward the container body 10 at the periphery 21b. As shown in FIG. 9, it is good also as a structure which formed the inclined surface 21d between the surface 24 and the side surface 21c. The inclined surface 21d is in the same state as the side portion of the lid portion 21 in FIG. 3 is omitted. Thereby, even when the irradiation range of the laser beam 40 is too wide or the output is too strong, the size of the expansion portion 26 of the side end portion 21 can be suppressed.

  That is, in this configuration example, the lid portion 21 is distorted by laser welding, but the distortion can be kept within a predetermined tolerance range, and as a result, highly accurate welding is realized. Although the inclined surface 21d is a flat surface, it may be formed as a curved surface. In short, any shape that reduces the volume of the side end of the lid may be used.

In the above description, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 10A, the lid portion 20 constituting the battery case has a thickness of the convex portion 22, the side end portion 21, and the back surface 23. was gradually reduced configuration in order, 1 2, as in the conventional example shown in each of FIGS. 1 3, the thickness of the side end portion 22 and the back surface 23 may be the same.

  Moreover, the configuration may not be such that the lid and the container main body are fitted. Specifically, like the lid portion 50 shown in FIG. 10B, a configuration in which only the end surface of the side end portion 51 abuts on the end surface of the wall portion of the container body 10, or a plate shown in FIG. It is good also as a structure contact | abutted to the end surface of the wall part of the container main body 10 in the back surface like the shape-like cover part 60. FIG. Furthermore, like the container main body 70 shown in FIG. 10D, a step 71 is formed on the end surface of the wall portion, and the step 71 and the side end portion 51 of the lid portion 50 may be fitted. Good. In addition, in the case of FIG.10 (d), the part including the back surface where thickness is thinner except the side edge part 51 of the cover part 50 is equivalent to the recessed part of this invention.

  In short, the metal container of the present invention is composed of a container body having an opening and a lid portion that closes the opening, and it is sufficient that the contact portion is exposed from the side surface. It is not limited by the mode of coupling with the container body.

  In the above description, the side surface from which the contact portion is exposed is the front surface or the side surface of the battery container as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 7 and the like. You may make it form in the upper surface or bottom face side. That is, the side surface of the present invention as a contact portion between the lid portion and the container main body may be an arbitrary portion on the surface of the metal container as long as the contact portion is exposed as a welding target.

  Further, although the battery body is made of aluminum, it may be made of an aluminum alloy, stainless steel or any other metal or metal compound. The shape is a hexahedron, but it may be a cylindrical shape. In short, the metal container of the present invention is not limited by the shape, material and other specific configurations.

  In the above description, the battery container composed of the lid 20 and the container body 10 of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 corresponds to the metal container of the present invention. In addition to the exterior of power storage elements such as the electrolyte secondary battery 1, nickel-metal hydride battery and other various secondary batteries, primary batteries, and electric double layer capacitors, the present invention may be applied to containers for storing liquids or powders such as fuel and chemicals. Good. That is, the present invention can be applied to any metal container, and is not limited by the use of the metal container.

Further, as in the case of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1, the above-described various storage elements such as a metal container prepared by the method for manufacturing a metal container of the present invention or a secondary battery using the metal container of the present invention as a battery container. Are also included in the present invention. Since the battery container is assembled with high accuracy, the strength is ensured, and the battery container can be securely stored in the housing of the external load.

  Furthermore, the present invention may be implemented as a power storage module that uses a single cell instead of a single power storage element.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a power supply module 80 in which the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 is configured as a single cell as an example of the power storage module of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, the power supply module 80 includes non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries 1 arranged as a single cell in a matrix, and includes a boundary line 25a or 25b between the lid and the container body of each single cell. The power source has a configuration in which main surfaces or side surfaces are arranged to face each other, and each unit cell is connected in series to obtain a large output.

Around the entire array of non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 respectively and the end plate 81 is provided, holding the outer shape of the power supply 80. End plate 81 is coated nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 front and lateral side, respectively, and a metallic lateral plate 81a and 81b, such as stainless steel. The horizontal plate 81a and 81b by fastening with a bolt 81c, the end plate 81 to restrain the ordered non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1. The power supply module 80 is housed in a housing 82 for use.

In such a power supply module 80, by applying the present invention to the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 that is a single cell, the accuracy of the size and dimensions of the battery of each single cell is increased. In this state, the accuracy of the entire module is increased. Therefore, it houses the power module 80 to the housing 82 reduces the possibility can not be, it is possible to increase the yield of the power supply.

Further, in the state where the constraining the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 more endplates 81, arranged each of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 was the front and side faces including the boundary line 25a and 25b are pressed However, by applying the present invention, each surface is formed flat, so that pressing by restraint is applied as a surface, and the joint line 25a or It is possible to prevent the restraint pressure from being concentrated on one place of the welded portion including 25b.

  That is, in the case of a power storage element using the present invention, the restraint pressure when the entire power storage element as a cell is constrained by a module and concentrated by the end plate is concentrated on the welding sag portion, and the physical / Mechanical effects can also be prevented. Although the power storage module of the present invention is shown in FIG. 11 as a configuration including the end plate 80, it may be realized as a configuration in which the end plate is omitted.

  In short, the present invention may be implemented by adding various modifications to the above-described embodiment, including those described above, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.

  The present invention as described above has an effect that enables a metal container to be accurately welded, and is useful, for example, in a battery container of a secondary battery or other power storage element.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 10 Container body 11 Opening 12 Outer wall 13 Inner wall 14 End surface 20 Lid part 21 Side end part 21a Back surface 21b Peripheral 21c Side surface 21d Inclined surface 22 Convex part 22a Outer wall 23 Back surface 24 Surface 25 Boundary line 26 Expansion 40 Laser beam 41 Optical axis 42 Operating area 43 Laser welding machine 44 Fiber cable 45 Nozzle part 46 Reference line

Claims (17)

A method for manufacturing a metal container, comprising: a container body having an opening; and a lid portion that closes the opening; wherein a contact portion between the container body and the lid portion is exposed on a side surface;
A step of welding the contact portion by irradiating the contact portion with a laser beam;
A method for manufacturing a metal container, wherein welding is performed such that an effective diameter of the laser beam is less than twice the thickness of the side wall of the lid.   The method of manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein the optical axis of the laser beam is aligned so as to include a contact portion between the container body and the lid.   The manufacturing method of the metal container of Claim 1 or 2 welded so that the upper end of the effective diameter of the said laser beam may be located below the upper end of the said cover part. The laser beam is a CW laser beam.
It is a manufacturing method of the metal container in any one of Claim 1 to 3.   The method for manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein an effective diameter of the laser light is less than a thickness of a side wall of the lid portion. 6. The method of manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein an effective diameter of the laser light is not more than twice a width of the contact portion in a direction along the optical axis of the laser light .   6. The method of manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is irradiated with the laser light at an incident angle parallel to a contact surface between the container body and the lid.   The method of manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is irradiated with the laser light at an incident angle that is an elevation angle with respect to a contact surface between the container main body and the lid. .   6. The method of manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is irradiated with the laser beam at an incident angle that is a depression angle with respect to a contact surface between the container body and the lid. . The metal container is
The edge of the lid part forms the contact part with the container body,
The method for manufacturing a metal container according to claim 1, wherein the edge portion of the lid portion has a flat surface or a curved surface inclined from the surface of the lid portion toward the side surface. The metal container is
The lid portion has a convex portion protruding from the back surface or a concave portion recessed from the back surface,
The convex part or the concave part is fitted into the opening of the metal container.
The manufacturing method of the metal container in any one of Claim 1 to 10. The metal container is
The thickness of the convex part of the lid part is larger than the thickness of the other part,
The thickness of the edge part of the lid part is equal to or greater than the thickness of the inner part of the convex part,
The manufacturing method of the metal container of Claim 11. A container body having an opening;
A lid that closes the opening;
A metal container in which a contact portion between the container body and the lid is exposed on a side surface,
The lid is
The edge portion forms the contact portion with the container body,
It is fitted to the opening of the metal container at a portion inside the edge,
The thickness of the portion fitted into the opening of the container body is larger than the thickness of the other portion,
The thickness of the edge is equal to or greater than the thickness of the portion further inside than the portion fitted in the opening of the container body,
The contact portion is melt welded in the working region having a diameter of less than twice the thickness of the side wall of the lid.
Metal container. A metal container having a container body having an opening and a lid portion closing the opening, wherein a contact portion between the container body and the lid part is exposed on a side surface;
The region including the contact portion is welded,
The portion melted by the influence of the welding is in the working region having a diameter less than twice the thickness of the side wall of the lid portion, and the width or depth dimension of the portion is exposed on the side surface of the lid portion. Or less than the thickness
Metal container. A container body having an opening and a lid portion that closes the opening; a contact portion between the container body and the lid portion is exposed on a side surface; and the contact portion has a thickness of a side wall of the lid portion. A metal container in which the inside of the working region having a diameter of less than twice is melt welded, or the metal container according to claim 13 or 14,
A power generation element housed in the metal container,
A power storage element having an electrode portion provided on a surface of the metal container and electrically connected to the power generation element. A power storage module in which a plurality of power storage elements according to claim 15 are arranged,
Each of the power storage elements is a power storage module arranged so that the contact portions face each other.   The power storage module according to claim 16, further comprising an end plate provided outside the plurality of power storage elements arranged and restraining each of the power storage elements.

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