KR100346379B1 - Sealed battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a sealed battery that prevents thermal runaway and explosion when the battery is heated above the safe temperature due to overcharge or other causes.

Configuration: a power generation element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator for insulating the positive electrode and the negative electrode and an electrolyte solution; A cap can (4) for receiving the power generating element and being welded to an opening of the rectangular can (2) connected to one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode; A lead terminal 12 connected to the other electrode not connected to the rectangular can, drawn out through the cap plate, and insulated by the insulators 10a and 10b; And a protrusion 16 protruding from the lead terminal toward the cap plate and formed to a size less than half the thickness of the insulator.

Effect: When the battery rises above the safe temperature due to overcharging or other causes, the protrusion and the cap plate are shorted by the shrinkage of the insulator, and the electricity supplied from the external charging device is bypassed without being supplied to the positive and negative electrodes, It is possible to prevent additional electrochemical groups and to realize safety.

Description

Sealed Battery

The present invention relates to an enclosed battery that operates when the battery is raised above a safe temperature due to overcharging or other causes, thereby suppressing further electrochemical reactions of the battery to ensure safety.

Sealed batteries are rechargeable and are divided into cylindrical and rectangular in appearance and are classified into nickel-hydrogen (Ni-MH) batteries, lithium (Li) batteries, and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries according to positive and negative electrode materials.

Such a sealed battery is realized by winding together a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode, accommodating such a wound electrode group in a case, injecting electrolyte, and sealing. One electrode of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is connected to the case, and the other electrode is connected to the outside using an electrical connection means coupled to and sealed to the case through an insulator or a gasket to constitute an electrical circuit.

In a sealed battery configured as described above, electrodes such as a positive electrode and a negative electrode are somewhat different depending on the type, but are usually formed by coating an active material on a metal base plate and drying, roll pressing and cutting the same. The positive electrode and the negative electrode thus formed are insulated through a porous separator and stored in the case together with the electrolyte, and are repeatedly charged and discharged by an electrochemical reaction in which ions are removed, inserted, and moved between the active materials of both electrodes. .

Encapsulated batteries that are charged or discharged are accompanied by an increase in internal pressure and heat generation due to electrical misuse, that is, overcharging or other risk factors. If the condition persists, the battery is destroyed and exploded, causing catastrophic damage to the user. It is required.

For example, US Pat. Nos. 3,815,534, US 4,803,136 and US Pat. No. 4,842,965 introduce safety measures that operate by increasing the internal pressure of the cell. Such safety measures prevent safety by suppressing additional electrochemical reactions by blocking the electric circuit configuration in response to the pressure when the internal pressure of the sealed battery rises above the safety pressure or by removing the internal pressure and the electrolyte by breaking the safety valve. . However, the above means has a problem in that harmful electrolyte leaks to the human body or an electrical product, and the safety measures against heat generation are insufficient.

In addition, conventionally disclosed safety means for interrupting the electrical circuit configuration in response to the internal heat. An example of such a safety means is a porous separator installed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. When the temperature inside the case rises above the safety temperature, it closes the pores in response to the temperature and blocks ion movement between both electrodes. Safety is achieved by suppressing electrochemical reaction (shut down phenomenon)

1 shows a shutdown characteristic of a conventionally known porous separator.

At this time, the sealed battery is a constant current overcharge. As shown in the figure, the temperature of the sealed battery increases as the depth of charge increases, and the temperature rise continues due to the exothermic reaction accompanied by the decomposition of the electrolyte, but the electrochemical reaction occurs due to the shutdown of the separator (SD). This is completed and the peak temperature is lowered to the peak, thereby maintaining safety.

However, in a conventional sealed battery, if the temperature inside the battery is excessively increased beyond the temperature release rate of the case due to unevenness of the separator or other internal short-circuit, the separator itself melts and insulates the positive electrode and the negative electrode before shutdown occurs. When the positive electrode and the negative electrode are shorted, a chemical chain decomposition reaction (melt down) such as decomposition of the negative electrode active material and the electrolyte and decomposition of the positive electrode active material occurs as shown in FIG. There is a problem that reaches the runaway (thermal run away) to eventually lose safety and explode.

This melt down phenomenon, especially when the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material is short, the heat generation is rapidly increased by the resistance value of the short portion to reach the thermal runaway phenomenon, this phenomenon is particularly shown in the experiment shown in FIG. As a result, when the resistance value of the short portion occurs rapidly in the vicinity of 10 to 100 mOHm, and the short resistance is very large or small, the calorific value is rather small to be safe. More specifically, when the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material are shorted, the resistance reaches 10 to 100 mOHm, and the battery loses safety and explodes by melt down and thermal runaway.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art described above, the present invention is to provide a safety measure against the heat generation of the battery, in particular, when the battery is rapidly raised beyond the safe temperature due to overcharge or other causes, the resistance value is zero By shorting zero or near zero, the aim is to lower the calorific value inside the battery and to suppress further electrochemical reactions.

Accordingly, the present invention includes a power generation element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator for insulating the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte solution; A case accommodating the power generation element and connected to one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode; Electrical connection means connected to the other electrode which is not connected to the case, drawn out through the case, and insulated from the case by an insulator; It is proposed a sealed battery including a heat-sensitive short means for conducting between the positive electrode and the negative electrode when the inside of the case is raised above a safe temperature.

Here, the heat-sensitive short means protrudes from the electrical connection means toward the case, and is formed by forming a protrusion having a size of less than half the thickness of the insulator provided between the electrical connection means and the case. The heat-sensitive shorting means is formed by forming a projection from the base plate of one electrode to the base plate of the other electrode among the positive electrode and the negative electrode provided with the porous separator therebetween.

The electrical connection means includes a lead terminal coupled through an insulator in a hole formed through the case. The electrical connection means may include a variable plate sealed through a gasket in the opening of the case and operated by internal pressure of the case, and a fixing plate installed through a support insulator below the variable plate and having a vent therein. The fixed plate includes a configuration connected to the other electrode of the power generation element by using a tab terminal.

1 is a view showing an overcharge state of a conventionally known sealed battery.

Figure 2 is a view showing a melt down state of a conventionally known sealed battery.

3 is a view showing a short resistance and a heat generation relationship of a typical sealed battery.

4 and 5 are cross-sectional view showing a sealed battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

6 is an electric circuit diagram for explaining the operation of the first embodiment.

7 is a sectional view showing a sealed battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a cross-sectional view showing an electrode of a sealed battery according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a view showing an overcharge state according to the third embodiment;

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

2-square can 4-cap plate

6-case 8,24-electrode group

10a, 10b-insulator 10c, 74a-hole

12-drawer 16,40,76-turn

22-cylindrical cans 26-gaskets

28-variable plate 32-fixed plate

62,64-base plate 70-positive

72-Negative 74-Separator

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiment for implementing this invention is demonstrated in detail based on an accompanying drawing.

Example 1

4 shows a sealed battery according to Example 1 of the present invention. For reference, the present invention describes a secondary battery in which charging and discharging are performed according to the movement of lithium ions as an example of a sealed battery.

As shown in the drawing, the sealed battery of the present invention constitutes an outer case 6 by welding a rectangular can 2 and a cap plate 4 to each other, and inside the case, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a space between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. After winding the separator insulated onto the roll, the power generation element including the electrolyte solution is accommodated together with the electrode group 8 that is pressed.

Among the power generation elements, a negative electrode (or a positive electrode) is connected to the case 6, and the other electrode is connected to an electrically connected means sealed to the cap plate 4 via the insulators 10a and 10b to be electrically connected. Configure The electrical connecting means is composed of a lead terminal 12, which is riveted to the through hole of the cap plate 4, which is connected to the other electrode of the power generation element not connected to the case 6 using the tab terminal 12. do.

In the sealed battery configured as described above, the present invention senses the heating state when the inside of the case 6 is rapidly raised above a safe temperature due to misuse of electricity, ie, overcharge or other causes, and thus, electrically connects the positive and negative electrodes. A thermosensitive short means for shortening a portion having a resistance value of zero or near zero to suppress an additional electrochemical reaction is proposed.

In this embodiment, the heat-sensitive short means is a protrusion 16 protruding toward the cap plate 4 from the lead terminal 12, which is an electrical connection means. The protrusion 16 is formed to a size less than half the thickness of the insulator 10a provided between the lead terminal 12 and the cap plate 4, and penetrates the insulator 10a or the insulator 10a as shown in FIG. It can be installed to be inserted into the hole (10c) formed in.

For example, as the material of the insulator 10a, it is preferable to use polypropylene and polyethylene that shrink at a temperature of 80 to 120 ° C. In this case, the size of the protrusion 16 is formed to be 20% or less of the thickness of the insulator 10a. desirable.

The protrusion 16 thus formed is in contact with and shorted with the cap plate 4 by contracting the insulator 10a when the heat generation inside the case suddenly exceeds the melt-down temperature during the constant current overcharging of the battery. At this time, the protrusion 16 and the cap plate 4 are made of a metal material, and thus the resistance value becomes zero or close to zero. As a result, the battery charging circuit is configured as shown in FIG.

That is, a new circuit line is formed between the cap plate 4 and the lead terminal 12 shorted by internal heat generation, and since the line is small enough to be close to zero or zero compared to the resistance value between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, All of the current supplied from the outside is bypassed through the cap plate 4 and the lead terminal 12. Therefore, the current flowing into the power generation element inside the case is cut off, and as a result, the positive electrode and the negative electrode stop additional electrochemical reactions, stop heating, and maintain a safe state.

Example 2

7 is a sealed battery according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The sealed battery of this embodiment is charged and discharged as the lithium ions move, and has a cylindrical structure.

As shown, the sealed battery of the present invention uses a cylindrical can 22 as an outer case, and inside the cylindrical can 22 a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator insulated between the positive electrode and the negative electrode are wound on a roll. A power generation element including an electrolyte is accommodated together with one electrode group 24, and the electrical connection means is sealed in the opening of the cylindrical can 22.

The electrical connecting means is a variable plate 28 sealed via a gasket 26 as an insulator to the bead 22a of the cylindrical can 22 and operated by battery internal pressure, and below the variable plate 28. It is comprised by the fixing plate 32 provided through the support insulator 30, and having the ventilation hole 32a.

The fixing plate 32 is connected to the positive electrode (or negative electrode) of the power generation element by using the tab terminal 34, and the other electrode is connected to the cylindrical can 22 by a tab terminal or a direct contact method (not shown) to be electrically connected. Construct a circuit.

Meanwhile, the current limiter 36 (PTC) and the cap cover 38 may be stacked on the upper portion of the variable plate 28, and the cap cover 38 includes an air vent 38a.

In the sealed battery configured as described above, when the inside of the battery is rapidly heated above a safe temperature due to misuse of electricity, ie, overcharging or other causes, the heat-sensitive short means senses the heat generated and the electricity of the positive electrode and the negative electrode In short, the resistance of the connection circuit is shorted to zero or near zero to suppress further electrochemical reactions.

In the present embodiment, the heat-sensitive short means is a protrusion 40 protruding toward the cylindrical can 22 from the variable plate 28, which is an electrical connection means. The protrusion 40 is formed to a size less than half the thickness of the gasket 26, which is an insulator installed between the variable plate 28 and the cylindrical can 22, and then penetrates the insulator or forms a hole in the insulator. Insert can be installed.

As the insulator, the gasket 26 may be made of polypropylene and polyethylene which shrink at a temperature of 80 to 120 ° C., and the size of the protrusion 40 may be 30% or less of the thickness of the insulator.

The protrusion 40 of the variable plate 28 in the sealed battery of the present embodiment configured as described above has a cylindrical can 22 due to shrinkage of the insulator when the inside of the variable plate 28 suddenly generates heat when the battery overcurrents the melt down temperature. And short. At this time, the protrusion 40 and the cylindrical can 22 are made of a metal material so that the resistance value becomes zero or close to zero. As a result, the charging circuit of the battery forms a new electric line as described in the first embodiment. The electric line is small enough to be close to zero or close to zero in relation to the resistance value between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, so that the current supplied from the outside is formed by the projection 40 of the variable plate 28 and the cylindrical can 22. Bypass through the line. Therefore, the current flowing into the power generation element inside the case is cut off, the positive electrode and the negative electrode stop the further electrochemical reaction, the heat generation stops and is in a safe state.

Example 3

FIG. 8 illustrates the third embodiment of the present invention and shows electrodes forming a sealed battery. The sealed battery of this embodiment is charged and discharged in accordance with the movement of lithium ions as in Example 1, and has a rectangular structure.

In the present embodiment, the electrode constituting the power generating element is coated with electrode active materials 66 and 68 on the base plates 62 and 64 made of a metal material, and dried, rolled, and then compressed to produce an electrode plate. It is formed by cutting according to the battery standard.

The electrode is divided into a positive electrode and a negative electrode according to the types and active materials of the base plates 62 and 64. In the case of the positive electrode 70, aluminum (Al) is used as the base plate 62 and the active material 66 is used. A lithium-transition metal oxide is used, and the negative electrode 72 is made of copper (Cu) as the base plate 64 and carbon or a carbon composite material as the active material 68. Since the positive electrode 70 and the negative electrode 72 are wound together with a porous separator 74 interposed therebetween to form an electrode group, and then housed and sealed together with the electrolyte to form a power generation element.

In the sealed battery including the power generation element configured as described above, the present invention senses the heat state when the temperature inside the battery is rapidly increased due to the misuse of electricity, ie, overcharge or other causes, and the resistance among the electrical connection circuits between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. A thermosensitive shorting means is proposed that shortens the value of zero or near zero to suppress further electrochemical reactions.

The thermosensitive shorting means mutually arranges the base plates 62 and 64 which are not coated with the active material at the winding start and end portions of the positive electrode 70 and the negative electrode 72 which form the electrode group, and one of the two electrodes is disposed opposite to each other. The protrusions 76 are formed to protrude from the base plates 62 and 64 of the electrode toward the opposite electrode. The protrusion 76 is formed to a size less than half the thickness of the porous separator 74 provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and is installed through the separator 74 or inserted into the hole 74a formed in the separator 74. .

The porous separator 74 is preferably made of polypropylene and polyethylene shrinkage at a temperature of 80 ~ 120 ℃, the size of the projection 76 is preferably formed to 20% or less of the thickness of the separator.

In the sealed battery of this embodiment configured as described above, the protrusions 76 protruding from the base plates 62 and 64 rapidly increase the temperature inside the battery due to overcharge, non-uniformity of the separator, and other causes. ) Rises to the meltdown temperature before it shuts down, and when it melts or shrinks itself, it shorts to the base plate of the opposite electrode.

As a result, in the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the present embodiment, the base plates 62 and 64 made of metal are in direct contact with each other, and the resistance of the short portion is formed to be 1 mOHm or less, which is 1 W or less as in the experimental result of FIG. The effect of maintaining the calorific value can be obtained.

Referring to the action of the thermally sensitive short means in more detail as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 9, the temperature of the sealed battery increases as the depth of charge increases during the constant current overcharging, and the temperature rise is continued by the exothermic reaction accompanied by the decomposition of the electrolyte. As a result, the electrochemical reaction is terminated and the peak temperature is lowered to the peak to maintain safety. However, if the temperature of the battery rises too much beyond the temperature release rate of the case and the voltage V rises to 12V due to the overcharge, the nonuniformity of the separator, and other causes described above, one of the positive and negative electrodes The projections 76 formed on the base plate of the circuit are shorted to the base plate of the remaining electrodes, and as a result, the voltage V becomes zero, so that the amount of heat is reduced and the temperature of the battery is lowered from the peak temperature to the peak of thermal runaway and explosion. Will be prevented.

As can be seen through the embodiments described above, when the sealed battery generates heat above the safe temperature due to overcharging or other causes, the resistance value is shorted to zero or close to zero in response to the temperature. By bypassing the current supplied from the external charging device, it is possible to suppress further electrochemical reaction of the battery, and as a result, an effect of preventing thermal runaway and explosion can be obtained.

Claims (11)

A power generation element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator for insulating the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolyte solution; A case accommodating the power generation element and connected to one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode; Electrical connection means connected to the other electrode which is not connected to the case, drawn out through the case, and insulated from the case by an insulator; And a heat sensitive short means for conducting the conductive electrode between the positive electrode and the negative electrode when the inside of the case is heated to a safe temperature or higher. The sealed battery according to claim 1, wherein the heat-sensitive short means protrudes from the electrical connection means toward the case, and includes a protrusion formed at a size less than half the thickness of the insulator provided between the electrical connection means and the case. The sealed battery of claim 2, wherein the insulator includes a through hole into which the protrusion is inserted. The sealed battery according to claim 1, wherein the insulator is made of one of polypropylene and polyethylene. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermally sensitive short means comprises: a positive electrode formed by coating an active material of lithium metal oxide on a metal base plate, a negative electrode formed by coating carbon and a carbon-based active material on a metal base plate, and the positive electrode. And a porous separator provided between the negative electrode and the negative electrode, and including protrusions protruding from the base plate, to which the active material of one electrode is not applied, to the base plate of the other electrode. The sealed battery according to claim 5, wherein the base plate is made of one of aluminum or copper. The sealed battery according to claim 5, wherein the separator is made of one of polypropylene and polyethylene. The sealed battery according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection means is a lead terminal coupled to the hole formed through the case via an insulator. The sealed battery according to claim 8, wherein the heat-sensitive shorting means protrudes from the lead terminal and faces the case, and includes a protrusion formed at a size less than half the thickness of the insulator provided between the lead terminal and the case. The electrical connection means according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection means includes a variable plate sealed through a gasket in the opening of the case and operated by the internal pressure of the case, and a fixing plate provided through a support insulator below the variable plate and having a ventilation hole. And the fixed plate includes a configuration connected to the other electrode of the power generation element by using a tab terminal. The sealed battery according to claim 10, wherein the thermal shorting means protrudes from the fixing plate toward the case, and includes a protrusion formed at a size less than half the thickness of the gasket provided between the fixing plate and the case.