KR101023184B1 - System and method for welding the battery-module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system and a method for welding a battery-module are provided to reduce welding time by laser-welding plural unit battery cells and cycle time of a process line and to minimize the damage of lead caused by welding. CONSTITUTION: A system for welding a battery-module comprises: a battery module(100) in which a plurality of unit battery cells are laminated; a reference jig(500) in which a plurality of supports are perpendicularly formed from the floor; a cylinder table(400) which is installed at the lower part of the reference jig and perpendicularly or horizontally moves the reference jig; a count bar(200) in which count bars having a plurality of rectangle bars are arranged in a row; and a laser welding machine(300) for welding leads connected on the count bar with laser.

Description

System and Method for Welding the Battery-Module

The present invention relates to a welding system and method of a battery module, and more particularly to a welding system and method of a battery module for connecting the positive and negative lead of the battery module used in a hybrid or electric vehicle in series.

Electric vehicles (EVs), powered primarily by battery powered AC or DC motors, were first manufactured by R. Davidson of England in 1873, long before gasoline cars appeared. After World War II, the rapid advance of gasoline cars left the public's attention and disappeared.

In the 1980s, the use of electric vehicles was proposed as a solution to the pollution caused by automobile emissions, but commercialization was delayed due to the lack of battery technology.

In the early 1990s, however, the possibility of new battery technology was created, leading to the rapid commercialization of electric vehicles in the United States. In particular, in the US, despite the strong backlash from automakers, the development of electric vehicles began in earnest in 1998, with the California government enacting a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulation that mandated the use of electric vehicles. However, due to the lack of battery technology development, ZEV was delayed to 2003, but the prospect is rising with regard to CO2 regulation.

Indispensable to such an electric vehicle is a battery device that is a power source. The battery device currently being developed for an electric vehicle is as follows.

That is, a plurality of battery cells, which are unit batteries capable of charging and discharging electricity, may be gathered together to form one battery module, and the plurality of battery modules may be gathered again to be mounted on one electric vehicle. Is formed.

Here, the battery cell is modularized by laser welding in a state in which terminals of the positive electrode and the negative electrode protrude from both ends thereof, and these terminals are alternately stacked so as to be opposite to each other.

In general, in order to form a battery module, it is necessary to connect two battery cells one by one to the terminals of the battery cells, which is very inefficient due to the long time required for welding the unit battery cells one by one. There is a risk of misconnection.

Therefore, an object of the present invention for solving the above problems, the welding of the battery module constituting the count bar is inserted corresponding to the lead of each cell so that the unit battery cells consisting of a plurality of two stacked by a laser welding them at the same time To provide a system and method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a welding system of a battery module in which lead count bars and insulation count bars are alternately positioned in a row so as to prevent damage to the cell leads when laser welding the leads of each cell into which the lead count bars are inserted.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a welding system of a battery module, the guide groove is formed in the longitudinal direction of the lead count bar to be welded only inside the guide groove.

In the welding system of a battery module, the object of the present invention is a battery in which a plurality of unit battery cells in which a negative lead and a positive lead of two or more stacked battery cells are agitated, and one side leads are connected to each other are stacked. A module; A reference jig in which a plurality of supports are vertically formed from a bottom of a plane so as to securely seat the battery module to which the negative lead and the positive lead of the unit battery cells adjacent to each other are connected; A cylinder table mounted on a lower surface of the reference jig to move the reference jig horizontally or vertically; A count bar having a plurality of rectangular bar shapes arranged in a line so as to be inserted into a space between each lead of the battery module positioned on the reference jig by the horizontal movement of the cylinder table; And a laser welder for welding the leads connected to each other on the count bar with a laser.

In addition, according to the present invention, the unit battery cell is composed of two battery cells included in the case, and the case has a protrusion and a depression on the outer surface, when the plurality of unit battery cells are stacked and the protrusions It is desirable to allow the depressions to engage correspondingly with each other.

In addition, according to the present invention, one side of the unit battery cell is bent at an angle to the unit battery cell side at right angles to form a negative lead and a positive lead whose ends abut each other, the other side of the unit battery cell from the unit battery cell side It is preferable that the negative lead and the positive lead bent outwardly at right angles are formed, and the lead extending from the cell is formed at the outermost side of the battery module composed of the unit battery cells.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is preferable that the end of the count bar has a converging shape so as to induce insertion between the leads.

In addition, according to the present invention, the lead bar and the insulation count bar are positioned to be agitated with each other, the lead is welded along the guide grooves formed in the lead count bar is inserted into the space of the lead facing each other, connected to each other It is preferable to insulate the laser irradiated with an insulation count bar inserted into the space between the unleaded leads.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a welding method for a battery module, comprising: attaching a bus bar terminal including a bus bar including positive and negative terminals to the other end of a battery cell positioned at the outermost part of the battery cells to be stacked; A unit battery cell assembling step of alternately placing both terminals of the two battery cells so as to be reversed; A battery module clamping step of seating a plurality of unit battery cells stacked on a reference jig, wherein the other leads of the adjacent unit battery cells facing outwardly contact each other; A count bar insertion step of inserting an insulation count bar and a lead count bar between each lead by operation of a cylinder table positioned below the reference jig with the battery module seated on the reference jig; A laser welding step of irradiating a laser onto the leads in contact with each other in a state where the count bar is inserted into the lead internal space; After the welding is completed is also achieved by the welding method of the battery module, characterized in that it comprises a bus bar orthogonal folding step of folding the bus bars with the positive and negative terminals attached to the outermost leads at right angles.

In addition, according to the present invention, the unit battery cell assembly step, the negative lead and the positive lead protruding to both sides of each cell at a right angle, the one end so that the negative lead and the positive lead bent inward to each other end abut each other The negative lead and the positive lead may be bent in the opposite direction to face each other outward.

In addition, according to the present invention, the step of inserting the count bar, the lead count bar is preferably inserted into the space between the leads in contact with each other so that the lead ends that are in contact with each other along the guide groove formed in the lead count bar is preferably welded. Do.

According to the welding system and method of the battery module of the present invention, by stacking a plurality of unit battery cells consisting of two by laser welding them at the same time, the welding time during the working time can be significantly reduced to shorten the cycle time of the process line.

In addition, in the welding system of the battery module of the present invention, the lead count bars and the insulation count bars are alternately positioned in a row, and in particular, guide grooves are formed in the length direction of the lead count bar, thereby minimizing the damage of the leads of the individual cells by welding. Can be.

1 and 2 are a perspective view of a battery module of a welding system of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
3 is a plan view of FIGS. 1 and 2;
4 is a front view of FIGS. 1 and 2;
5 is a perspective view of a count bar of a welding system of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a side view of FIG. 5;
7 is a front view of FIG. 5,
8 is a front view of a welding system of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of direction A in FIG. 8; FIG.
10 is a side view of FIG. 9;
11 is a perspective view B direction of FIG. 8, FIG.
12 is a flow chart of a welding method of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a welding system and a method of a battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are side perspective views of the battery module 100 of the welding system of the battery module of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the battery module 100 of the present invention is composed of a plurality of unit battery cells 110, in the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that four unit battery cells 110 are stacked.

The unit battery cell 110 is composed of two battery cells 130 included in the case 120.

The case 120 is provided with a protrusion 121 and a recess 122 on an outer surface thereof, so that when the four unit battery cells 110 are stacked, the protrusion 120 and the recessed portion can be engaged with each other so as to be firmly stacked. To maintain.

The battery cell 130 is preferably a lithium-based electrochemical cell, and may be a primary (non-rechargeable) battery or a secondary (rechargeable) battery.

In this embodiment, the battery cell 130 constitutes a negative electrode portion and a positive electrode portion.

The negative electrode layer is composed of two negative film layers and is composed of a metal oxide active material, a conductive material and an adhesive material.

The anode portion consists of two anode film layers, and consists of a carbonaceous active material, a conductive material and an adhesive material.

A current collector made of a metal plate or a metal mesh is provided between each of the negative electrode layer and the positive electrode layer, and the current collector protrudes out to have a tab or strip shape.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the current collector protrudes to both sides of each cell to form negative leads 131 and 133 and positive leads 132 and 134 of the battery module 100, and the current collectors of adjacent cells. And are positioned alternately so that the terminals are opposite to each other.

In this case, the negative lead 131 and the positive lead 132 positioned on one side of the unit battery cell 110 are bent at right angles inwardly to the unit battery cell 110, and the ends thereof contact and overlap each other.

In addition, the negative lead 133 and the positive lead 134 positioned on the other side of the unit battery cell 110 are bent at right angles to the unit battery cell 110 to face outwards, and constitute a unit battery constituting the battery module 100. The bus bars 137 and 138 are attached to the leads 135 and 136 positioned at the outermost part of the cell 110 so that the vertical state thereof is extended.

Therefore, when the battery module 100 is stacked, the negative lead 131 and the positive lead 132 between the battery cells 130 constituting the unit battery cell 110 are connected to each other, and the other side is the unit battery. The negative lead 133 and the positive lead 134 between the cells 110 are connected to each other in an overlapping state.

Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the outermost leads 135 and 136 connect the bus bars 137 and 138 having the positive terminal and the negative terminal attached thereto.

5 to 7 are diagrams for describing the count bar 200.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5, one end of the count bar 200 is integrally formed in the body such that the insulation count bar 210 and the lead count bar 220 are alternately positioned four on the same line.

 The count bars 200 have a rectangular bar shape, and the other end of the count bars 200 has a shape convergent to the center thereof to induce insertion of a cell into the lead.

The insulation count bar 210 is a count bar to insulate the laser from being irradiated to other parts during laser welding.

The lead count bar 220 is inserted into the lead during laser welding, and guide grooves 221 are formed to allow the leads in contact with each other to be welded with the laser, so that the actual leads are welded along the guide grooves. Lose.

8 is a configuration diagram of the welding system of the battery module of the present invention, as shown in the figure, the count bar 200 is located on the side of the stacked battery module 100.

The battery module 100 is positioned to be seated and fixed to the reference jig 500 to maintain the stacking state firmly.

The support jig 500 has a plurality of supports vertically from the bottom of the plane to securely seat the battery module 100 connected with leads of opposite poles on the other side of the unit battery cell 110 adjacent to each other. Formed.

A cylinder table 400 is mounted below the reference jig 500 to move the reference jig 500 vertically and horizontally.

The laser welder 300 is positioned at both sides of the count bar 200 and irradiates a laser to the lead count bar 220.

At this time, as the reference jig 500 moves up and down, the lead count bars of each layer are sequentially positioned in the laser welder 300.

9 to 12 illustrate a state in which both sides of the battery module 100 are inserted into the count bar 200 as the reference jig 500 on which the battery module 100 is mounted moves by the cylinder table 400. It is a perspective view.

More specifically, FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a state in which the count bar 200 is inserted between one side lead of the battery module 100.

As shown in the figure, one side of the negative lead 131 and the positive lead 132 of the battery cell 130 constituting the unit battery cell 110 is in contact with each other to form an internal space therebetween, The lead count bar 220 of the count bar 200 is inserted into the lead internal space, and the insulation count bar 210 is inserted between the leads of each unit battery cell 110.

The welded portion of the laser welder 300 is positioned at the corresponding position to be welded from the lowermost or uppermost lead to move the left and right on the same line and irradiate the laser to weld the leads.

After the lead welding of the corresponding layer is finished, the cylinder table 400 moves up and down by the interval of each lead so that the leads of the next layer are welded.

11 and 12 illustrate a state in which the count bar 200 is inserted between the other side leads of the battery module 100.

As shown in the drawing, the other side of the unit battery cell 110 between the negative lead 133 and the positive lead 134 of the battery cell 130 is in contact with each other to form an internal space therebetween, The lead count bar 220 of the count bar 200 is inserted into the lead internal space, and the insulation count bar 210 is inserted between the leads of each unit battery cell 110.

In this case, since the lead spaces contacting each other on the other side are three zones, the lead count bar 220 of the count bar 200 is inserted only in these three zones, and the other lead count bar is not inserted.

Therefore, the count bar 200 on the other side is positioned upward or downward than the count bar 200 located on one side so as to correspond to the lead insertion space.

The welded portion of the laser welder 300 is positioned at the corresponding position to be welded from the lowermost or uppermost lead to move the left and right on the same line and irradiate the laser to weld the leads.

After the lead welding of the corresponding layer is finished, the cylinder table 400 moves up and down by the interval of each lead so that the leads of the next layer are welded.

After the welding is completed, the battery module 100 is completed by folding a bus bar having positive and negative terminals attached to the outermost leads 135 and 136 by 90 degrees.

In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the battery 8-cell battery assembly has been exemplarily described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the same mechanism can be applied to various adhesive applications including battery assembly and films of 16-cell or more. It is obvious.

13 shows a flowchart of a welding method for a battery module of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, a bus bar terminal attaching step (S5) is first performed to attach a bus bar so that a vertical state is extended from a lead located at the other side of the outermost unit battery cell 110.

After performing the busbar terminal attaching step, the unit battery cell assembly step of alternately positioning both terminals of the two battery cells 130, including the outermost unit battery cell to which the busbar is attached so as to be reversed (S10) Will be performed.

In the above step, the two battery cells 130 are in contact with each other inside the case, and the negative leads 131 and 133 and the positive leads 132 and 134 protruding to both sides of each cell are folded at right angles.

In this case, one side of the unit battery cell 110 is connected to the ends of the negative lead 131 and the positive lead 132 inwardly facing each other so that the ends abut each other, and the other side is the negative lead 133 and the positive lead ( 134 are bent in opposite directions outwardly from each other.

In the state in which the unit battery cell 110 is assembled, the battery module clamping step (S20) of mounting the four unit battery cells 110 on the reference jig 500 to be stacked is performed.

In this step, the unit battery cells 110 are sequentially stacked to be interviewed, so that protrusions and depressions formed in the case are engaged with each other so as to maintain a solid stacking state in a line.

 In this case, the adjacent unit battery cells 110 allow the other leads bent outward to abut each other.

As described above, in the state in which the unit battery cells 110 are stacked, the count bar insertion step S30 is performed to insert the count bar between the leads.

In the above step, the battery module 100 seated on the reference jig 500 is moved to the count bar side by the operation of the cylinder table 400 positioned below the reference jig 500. The formed insulation count bar and lead count bar are inserted into the space between each lead.

At this time, lead count bars of one side of the battery module 100 connected to the unit battery cell 110 are inserted into the internal space.

Similarly, lead leads of the other side of the battery module 100 connected to adjacent unit battery cells 110 are inserted into the inner space of the lead count bar.

The laser welding step (S40) for performing laser welding of the lead while the count bar is inserted into the lead internal space is performed.

In this step, while the lead count bar is inserted into the lead space, the ends of each lead are bent at right angles to weld the portions in contact with each other.

At this time, laser welding is performed along the guide grooves formed in the lead count bar, and the remaining part is insulated so that welding is not performed.

When laser welding, the cylinder table is moved horizontally and welded along the guide groove. When the lead welding of one layer is finished, the cylinder table is moved vertically, and then the horizontal welding is performed to lead welding of the next layer. .

When all the laser welding steps are performed as described above, the bus bar of the outermost lead maintaining the horizontal state is folded at right angles inwardly from the battery module, thereby completing the bus bar perpendicular folding step (S50). After completing the entire process of the welding method of the battery module of the present invention.

100: battery module 110: unit battery cell
120: case 130: battery cell
200: count bar 210: insulated count bar
220: lead count bar 300: laser welder
400: cylinder table 500: reference jig

Claims (8)

In the welding system of the battery module,
A battery module 100 including a plurality of unit battery cells 110 stacked with a negative lead and a positive lead of two or more stacked battery cells 130 and connected to one side of the leads;
A reference jig 500 having a plurality of supports vertically formed from a bottom of a plane so that the negative and positive leads of the unit battery cells 110 adjacent to each other are fixedly seated on the battery module 100 connected to each other;
A cylinder table 400 mounted on a lower surface of the reference jig 500 to move the reference jig 500 horizontally or vertically;
Count bars having a plurality of rectangular bar shapes are aligned in a line so that the cylinder table 400 is inserted into the space between the leads of the battery module 100 positioned on the reference jig 500 by the horizontal movement of the cylinder table 400. A count bar 200; And
And a laser welder (300) for welding the leads connected to each other on the count bar with a laser.
The method of claim 1,
The unit battery cell 110,
The case 120 includes two battery cells 130 included in the case 120, and the case 120 includes a protrusion 121 and a recess 122 on an outer surface thereof, thereby providing a plurality of unit battery cells ( Welding system of the battery module, characterized in that when the projections (121) and the depressions (122) to be engaged with each other when the stacking.
The method of claim 1,
One side of the unit battery cell 110 has a negative lead 131 and a positive lead 132 formed by bending at right angles inwardly toward the unit battery cell 110 to have their ends abut each other.
The other side of the unit battery cell 110 is formed with a negative lead 133 and a positive lead 134 bent at a right angle outward from the unit battery cell 110 side,
Welding system of a battery module, characterized in that the lead (135, 136) extending from the cell is formed at the outermost side of the battery module (100) consisting of the unit battery cell (110).
The method of claim 1,
The count bar (200) is a welding system of a battery module, characterized in that the end has a converging shape, so as to induce insertion between the leads.
The method of claim 4, wherein
The count bar 200,
Since the lead count bar 220 and the insulation count bar 210 are positioned to be agitated with each other, welding of the leads is performed along the guide grooves formed in the lead count bars 220 inserted into the spaces of the leads facing each other.
Welding system of a battery module, characterized in that to insulate the laser irradiated with an insulating count bar (210) inserted into the space between the leads that are not connected to each other.
In the welding method of the battery module,
A bus bar terminal attaching step (S5) of attaching a bus bar including a positive electrode and a negative electrode terminal to the other end of the battery cell positioned at the outermost part of the battery cells to be stacked;
A unit battery cell assembling step (S10) of alternately placing both terminals of the two battery cells so as to be inverted in the case;
A battery module clamping step (S20) of mounting a plurality of unit battery cells on a reference jig so as to be stacked on the other side of the adjacent unit battery cells so as to be in contact with each other;
A count bar insertion step (S30) for inserting an insulation count bar and a lead count bar between each lead by an operation of a cylinder table positioned below the reference jig with the battery module seated on the reference jig;
A laser welding step (S40) of irradiating a laser onto the leads in contact with each other in a state where the count bar is inserted into the lead internal space;
And a bus bar orthogonal folding step (S50) of folding the bus bars having the positive and negative terminals attached to the outermost leads at right angles after the welding is completed.
The method of claim 6,
The unit battery cell assembly step (S10),
The negative lead and the positive lead protruding at both sides of each cell are bent at right angles, one side of the negative lead and the positive lead bent inward to each other, and the ends thereof are connected to each other, and the other side of the negative lead and the positive lead is connected. Welding method of a battery module, characterized in that to be bent in the opposite direction outwards.
The method of claim 6,
Inserting the count bar (S30),
The lead count bar is inserted into the space between the leads that are in contact with each other so that the lead ends in contact with each other along the guide grooves formed in the lead count bar is welded.

Images