JP6318577B2 - Sealing part manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for sealing parts such as a film-clad battery.

Patent Document 1 describes an impulse heat sealer in which a seal part is sealed by heat-sealing by heating with a heater in a state where a seal part of a sealing component (a sealed object) is crimped.

  In the sealing step by heat fusion, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, the sealing portion is sealed by heat fusion by heating the sealing portion with a heater for a predetermined heating time while pressing the sealing portion. In general, a predetermined time and a constant temperature are used as the heating time and the heating temperature.

JP 2009-6604 A

  However, in an actual production line, the heating temperature at the start timing of the sealing operation differs depending on the increase / decrease in the number of seals per unit time. Therefore, when the heating temperature is held at a predetermined target temperature for a certain period of time, the total given to the seal portion The amount of heating varies. For example, when the number of seals per unit time is large, the next sealing operation is started without sufficiently cooling the heater, and the heating temperature becomes relatively high immediately after the start of the sealing operation. On the other hand, if the number of seals per unit time is small immediately after the production line starts operation, the sealing operation starts because the next sealing operation starts with the heater sufficiently cooled. Immediately after the heating temperature becomes relatively low, the amount of heating tends to decrease. Thus, since the total amount of heating given to the seal portion depends on the operation status of the production line, the sealing quality (thickness, seal strength) is not stable.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. That is, the present invention includes a crimping part for crimping a seal portion of the seal part has a heating unit for heating the sealing portion, the sealing portion by the heating unit while crimping the sealing portion by the crimping portion It is related with manufacture of the sealing component which heat-seal | fuses the said seal part by heating.

And in this invention, the heating temperature of the seal part by the said heating part is detected, it detects that the said seal part is crimped | bonded by the said crimping | compression-bonding part, and the unit during the said crimping | crimped part crimps | bonds the said seal part the heating temperature of each time to calculate an integrated to heating temperature integrated value, when the heating temperature integrated value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, to release the crimping of the seal portion by the crimping portion, as characterized by Yes.

  By accumulating the heating temperature while the seal portion is properly crimped, the amount of heat actually applied to the seal portion can be accurately obtained as the heating temperature integrated value. Therefore, by releasing the pressure bonding when this heating temperature integrated value exceeds the threshold value, the total heating amount actually applied to the seal part can be made uniform and appropriate regardless of the temperature at the start of heating. Can do.

  According to the present invention, by releasing the pressure bonding based on the total amount of heating given to the seal portion in the pressure bonded state, it is not affected by the increase or decrease of the number of seals per unit time in the production line. A certain sealing quality can be ensured.

The disassembled perspective view which shows the film-clad battery which is an example of the sealing component used as the object of manufacture by this invention. The perspective view which similarly shows a film exterior battery. Sectional drawing which follows the A-A 'line of FIG. 2 which shows the said film-clad battery. The cross-sectional view which shows the part which heat-seal | laminates the laminate films of the said film-clad battery. The cross-sectional view which shows the heat-fusion part which the terminal interposed between the laminate films of the said film-clad battery. The flowchart which shows the flow of control of the heat fusion which concerns on one Example of this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows the behavior at the time of applying the control of the reference example which hold | maintains heating temperature to target temperature for a fixed time. Explanatory drawing which shows the behavior at the time of applying the control of a present Example which makes the heating temperature integrated value equivalent to the total heating amount constant.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a film-clad battery 1 as an example of a sealing part to be manufactured according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The film-clad battery 1 is, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery, and has a flat rectangular external shape as shown in FIG. 2, and a pair of conductive metal foils on one edge in the longitudinal direction. Terminals 2 and 3 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a film-clad battery 1 is a battery in which a rectangular power generation element 4 is accommodated in an exterior body 5 made of a laminate film together with an electrolytic solution. Although not shown in detail, the power generating element 4 includes a plurality of positive plates 6 (see FIG. 4) and negative plates 7 (see FIG. 5) that are alternately stacked via separators. The plurality of positive electrode plates 6 are joined to the positive electrode terminal 2, and similarly, the plurality of negative electrode plates 7 are joined to the negative electrode terminal 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the outer package 5 is made of a laminate film having a three-layer structure including a heat-fusion layer 51, a metal layer 52, and a protective layer 53. The intermediate metal layer 52 is made of, for example, an aluminum foil, and the heat-sealing layer 51 that covers the inner surface thereof is made of a synthetic resin that can be heat-fused, for example, polypropylene (PP), and is a protection that covers the outer surface of the metal layer 52. The layer 53 is made of a synthetic resin having excellent durability, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A laminate film having a larger number of layers can also be used. In the above example, the synthetic resin layers are laminated on both surfaces of the metal layer 52. However, the synthetic resin layer on the outer side of the metal layer 52 is not necessarily essential, and the configuration includes the synthetic resin layer only on the inner surface. It may be.

  The outer package 5 has a two-sheet structure of one laminate film disposed on the lower surface side of the power generation element 4 in FIG. 1 and another laminate film disposed on the upper surface side. In the sealing step, the four sides around the two laminate films are overlapped and heat-sealed together along the peripheral seal portion 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the outer peripheral body (laminate film) is obtained by crimping the peripheral seal portion 11 of the outer casing 5 with the heater block 12 and heating the sealing section 11 with the heater block 12. 5) are fused together. Therefore, the heater block 12 serves both as a crimping part for crimping the seal part 11 and a heating part for heating the seal part 11.

  Here, the pair of terminals 2 and 3 located on the short side of the rectangular film-clad battery 1 are drawn out through the bonding surface of the laminate film when the laminate film is heat-sealed. Therefore, in the portion 11A where the terminals 2 and 3 are present, the laminate film and the terminals 2 and 3 are heat-sealed as shown in FIG.

  In the illustrated example, a pair of terminals 2 and 3 are arranged side by side on the same edge, but the positive terminal 2 is arranged on one edge and the negative terminal 3 is arranged on the other edge. It is also possible to do so.

  As a manufacturing procedure of said film-clad battery 1, it is as follows. First, the power generation element 4 is configured by sequentially stacking the positive electrode plate 6, the negative electrode plate 7, and the separator, and attaching the terminals 2 and 3 by spot welding or the like. Next, the power generating element 4 is covered with a laminate film that becomes the outer package 5 and the surrounding three sides are heat-sealed, leaving one side. Next, the inside of the exterior body 5 is filled with an electrolyte solution through one side that opens, and then the one side that opens is heat-sealed to bring the exterior body 5 into a sealed state. Thus, the film-clad battery 1 is completed. Next, the battery is charged to an appropriate level, and in this state, aging is performed for a predetermined time. After this aging is completed, the battery is charged again for voltage inspection and shipped.

  In addition, this kind of film-clad battery 1 is used as a battery module which accommodated several in the flat box-shaped casing. In this case, it becomes the arrangement | positioning by which the several film exterior battery 1 was laminated | stacked within the casing of the battery module, for example, the exterior body 5 is the lamination direction ( It can be in a state of being slightly pressed in the direction orthogonal to the main surface of the power generation element 4.

4 and 5, the temperature sensor 13 for detecting the heating temperature of the seal portion 11 by the heater block 12 and the height of the seal portion 11 as a means for detecting the crimping state by the heater block 12 are also shown. And a crimp detection sensor 14 for detecting (thickness). The control unit 15 controls the operation of the heater block 12 based on the heating temperature and the pressure bonding state. As crimping detecting means, instead of providing the crimping detection sensor 14 described above, more simply, it may be estimated from the driving signal to the heater block 12 by the control unit 1 5 (downward signal).

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control flow in the sealing process of the seal portion 11 according to the present embodiment. In step S11, pressurization of the seal portion 11 by the heater block 12 is started. In subsequent step S12, based on the height (thickness) of the seal portion 11 detected by the press detection sensor 14 or a drive signal (down signal) to the heater block 12, it is determined whether or not the crimping of the seal portion 11 has been completed. To do. If the crimping has been completed, the process proceeds to step S13, and heating of the seal portion 11 by the heater block 12 is started.

  In this heating, control is performed so as to maintain the target temperature Ttarget optimum for the thermal fusion of the seal portion 11. That is, the heating temperature T is first raised, and when the heating temperature T exceeds the effective temperature Ttrigger described below and rises to the target temperature Ttarget, control is performed so as to maintain the target temperature Ttarget. In a subsequent step S14, it is determined whether the heating temperature T has exceeded a predetermined effective temperature Ttrigger. This effective temperature Ttrigger corresponds to a lower limit temperature at which thermal fusion starts substantially, is lower than the target temperature Ttarget, and is set in advance by adaptation or the like. That is, when the heating temperature T is lower than the effective temperature Ttrigger, although heating is performed, the amount of heating does not contribute to heat fusion, so that the integration to the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ described later is not performed. ing.

  When the heating temperature T exceeds the effective temperature Ttrigger, the process proceeds to step S15, and the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ is calculated. This heating temperature integrated value ΔQ is a value obtained by integrating the heating temperature T per unit time in a situation where the seal portion 11 is pressure-bonded and the heating temperature T exceeds the effective temperature Ttrigger, and is given to the seal portion 11. This corresponds to the effective total heating amount that contributes to the thermal fusion performed.

  In step S16, it is determined whether or not the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ exceeds a predetermined threshold value ΔQtarget. When the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ exceeds the threshold value ΔQtarget, it is determined that the heat fusion of the seal portion 11 has been completed, the process proceeds to step S17, the heating and pressurization are canceled, the process proceeds to step S18, and cooling by air cooling is performed. Start.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the behavior when the control of the reference example is applied in which the holding time ΔT for keeping the heating temperature T at the target temperature Ttarget is constant. In this reference example, heating is performed according to the following procedure.
(1) Heating is started after completion of pressure bonding by the lowering signal of the heater block 12.
(2) Raise the heating temperature T to the target temperature Ttarget.
(3) A constant holding time ΔT and a heating temperature are maintained in the vicinity of the target temperature Ttarget from the time when the target temperature Ttarget is reached.
(4) When a certain holding time ΔT has elapsed, heating (temperature control) is stopped.
(5) Wait for the temperature to drop, and when the predetermined cooling temperature is reached, a heat fusion completion signal (up signal of the heater block 12) is output to the control unit 15.

As shown in FIG. 7, a cycle of pressurization-temperature rise-temperature maintenance-pressure release-air cooling is sequentially performed for each target film-covered battery 1, and (a) has a long cycle time, that is, production. This is a case where the air cooling time between cycles is long, such as when there are few film-clad batteries 1 to be operated or when the line is in operation, and (b) is a short cycle time, that is, there are many film-clad batteries 1 and cycles. This is a case where the air cooling time is short. As shown in (a), when the cycle time is long, the air cooling time between cycles becomes long and the heating start temperature becomes low, so the time until the heating temperature T reaches the target temperature Ttarget becomes long. Since the seal portion 11 is heated, the heating amount ΔQ1 (total heat amount contributing to heat fusion) to the seal portion 11 corresponding to the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ is relatively increased. For this reason, there exists a possibility that heating amount (DELTA) Q1 may increase too much. On the other hand, if the cycle time is short, the heating temperature T in order short time to reach the aim temperature Ttarget, heating amount ΔQ2 is reduced to relatively seal portion 11 (ΔQ 2 <ΔQ 1) . Therefore, there is a possibility that the total heating amount becomes excessively small.

  As described above, in the reference example in which the holding time is constant, the amount of heat actually applied to the seal portion 11 varies, so that the quality of heat fusion is not stable, and the thickness of the seal portion 11 varies. There is a risk of causing a sealing failure. For example, when the holding time ΔT is set in accordance with the case where the cycle time is long, when the cycle time is short, the heating amount (heat input amount) to the seal portion 11 is insufficient, and the seal failure or thickness of the seal portion 11 is insufficient. There is a risk of causing problems such as thickening.

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the behavior when the control of the present embodiment is applied in which the amount of heating to the seal portion 11 (total amount of heat input contributing to heat fusion) is constant. In the present embodiment, as described above, the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ corresponding to the total amount of heat given to the seal portion 11 is controlled to be constant. Therefore, the total amount of heat applied to the seal portion 11 regardless of whether the cycle time is long and the heating start temperature is low (a) or the cycle time is short and the heating start temperature is high (b). ΔQ can be made constant. As a result, it is possible to suppress variations in thermal fusion and thickness of the seal portion 11 and greatly improve the sealing quality by thermal fusion.

  Further, in this embodiment, when the heating temperature T reaches the predetermined target temperature Ttarget, the heating temperature T is controlled so as to maintain the target temperature Ttarget. 11 can be given.

  Further, in the case where the sealing portion 11 is a laminated film having a heat-sealing layer 51 made of a synthetic resin as in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the heating temperature is integrated from the stage of heating temperature lower than the melting point of the adhesive resin of the heat-sealing layer 51. Is started, the amount of heat that does not contribute to heat fusion is also integrated, and there is a possibility that the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ reaches the threshold value ΔQtarget before the heat energy necessary for heat fusion is reached and the heating is released. In the present embodiment, the integration of the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ is started after the heating temperature T exceeds a predetermined effective temperature Ttrigger at which the thermal fusion is substantially performed, that is, the heating temperature T becomes the effective temperature Ttrigger. Even when heating is being performed, the heating temperature integrated value ΔQ is not integrated, so even when heating is started from a low heating temperature, such as when the production line starts operation, The heating temperature integrated value ΔQ can be accurately calculated regardless of the heating start temperature.

1 ... Film-clad battery (seal parts)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2, 3 ... Terminal 4 ... Power generation element 5 ... Exterior body 6 ... Positive electrode plate 7 ... Negative electrode plate 11 ... Seal part 12 ... Heater block (crimp part, heating part)
13. Temperature sensor (temperature detection means)
14 ... Crimp detection sensor (crimp detection means)
15 ... Control unit

Claims (5)

A pressure-bonding part that pressure-bonds the seal part of the seal component, and a heating part that heats the seal part, and heating the seal part by the heating part while pressure-bonding the seal part by the pressure-bonding part, In an apparatus for manufacturing a seal part for heat-sealing the seal part,
A heating temperature detecting means for detecting a heating temperature by the heating unit;
A crimp detection means for detecting that the seal portion is crimped by the crimp portion;
A heating temperature integrating means for calculating a heating temperature integrated value by integrating the heating temperature per unit time while the crimping portion is crimping the seal portion;
When the heating temperature integrated value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a pressure-bonding releasing means for releasing the pressure-bonding of the seal part by the pressure-bonding part,
Have,
The apparatus for manufacturing a seal part, wherein the heating temperature integration means starts integration of the heating temperature after reaching a predetermined effective temperature . A pressure-bonding part that pressure-bonds the seal part of the seal component, and a heating part that heats the seal part, and heating the seal part by the heating part while pressure-bonding the seal part by the pressure-bonding part, In an apparatus for manufacturing a seal part for heat-sealing the seal part,
A heating temperature detecting means for detecting a heating temperature by the heating unit;
A crimp detection means for detecting that the seal portion is crimped by the crimp portion;
A heating temperature integrating means for calculating a heating temperature integrated value by integrating the heating temperature per unit time while the crimping portion is crimping the seal portion;
When the heating temperature integrated value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a pressure-bonding releasing means for releasing the pressure-bonding of the seal part by the pressure-bonding part,
Have,
A power generation element in which the sealing component is formed by laminating a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate through a separator is housed together with an electrolyte in an exterior body made of a laminate film, and the exterior body is sealed in a state where terminals are led out. An apparatus for producing a seal part, characterized in that the flat film-clad battery comprises:   3. The seal part manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the heating temperature reaches a predetermined target temperature, the heating temperature is controlled so as to maintain the target temperature. A pressure-bonding part that pressure-bonds the seal part of the seal component, and a heating part that heats the seal part, and heating the seal part by the heating part while pressure-bonding the seal part by the pressure-bonding part, In the method of manufacturing a seal part for heat-sealing the seal part,
Detect the heating temperature by the heating part,
Detecting that the sealing part is crimped by the crimping part,
Calculate the heating temperature integrated value by starting the integration of the heating temperature per unit time while the pressure-bonding portion is crimping the seal portion after reaching a predetermined effective temperature ,
When the heating temperature integrated value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, release the pressure bonding of the seal portion by the pressure bonding portion,
The manufacturing method of the sealing components characterized by the above-mentioned. A pressure-bonding part that pressure-bonds the seal part of the seal component, and a heating part that heats the seal part, and heating the seal part by the heating part while pressure-bonding the seal part by the pressure-bonding part, In the method of manufacturing a seal part for heat-sealing the seal part,
A power generation element in which the sealing component is formed by laminating a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate through a separator is housed together with an electrolyte in an exterior body made of a laminate film, and the exterior body is sealed in a state where terminals are led out. A flat film-clad battery,
Detect the heating temperature by the heating part,
Detecting that the sealing part is crimped by the crimping part,
The heating temperature integrated value is calculated by accumulating the heating temperature per unit time while the crimping part is crimping the seal part,
When the heating temperature integrated value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, release the pressure bonding of the seal portion by the pressure bonding portion,
The manufacturing method of the sealing components characterized by the above-mentioned.

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