KR102346497B1 - Laser processing equipment for lithium metal battery using chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus of a lithium metal battery using a chamber, and more particularly, to a laser processing apparatus in which a temperature and humidity control apparatus is provided in a chamber used for laser processing of lithium metal batteries so that the lithium metal batteries provided in the chamber are maintained in optimal conditions suitable for laser processing, an air curtain is provided inside the chamber to prevent foreign substances such as metal fragments generated during laser processing from being discharged to the outside of a work space, and a dust collecting apparatus is provided, thereby easily processing the generated foreign substances. The laser processing apparatus includes a laser irradiation apparatus (100) and a chamber (200).

Description

Laser processing equipment for lithium metal battery using chamber

The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus for a lithium metal battery using a chamber, and more particularly, to a chamber used for laser processing of a lithium metal battery, a temperature and humidity control device is provided, so that a lithium metal battery provided in the chamber is laser processed It is maintained in an optimal condition suitable for this purpose, and an air curtain is provided inside the chamber to prevent foreign substances such as metal fragments generated during laser processing from being discharged to the outside of the work space, and a dust collector is provided to handle the generated foreign substances. It relates to a laser processing apparatus to be easily made.

A secondary battery is an energy storage device that uses the movement of electrons according to a reversible redox reaction through the electrolyte of two electrodes with a large difference in ionization tendency. A lithium ion secondary battery with the highest energy density among various secondary batteries is generally composed of a carbon-based negative electrode, an organic electrolyte, and a lithium oxide positive electrode.

Lithium ion secondary batteries use a chemical reaction to release lithium ions from the positive electrode material and move to the carbon-based negative electrode forming a layered structure through the electrolyte during charging, and the discharging process is the reverse of the charging process. That is, the lithium ion secondary battery is a representative secondary battery technology that can be charged and discharged multiple times using the principle of moving between the positive and negative electrodes.

A lithium ion secondary battery has an energy density that is two to three times higher than that of a conventional rechargeable battery. In addition, because it has less self-discharge and memory effect than other batteries, it is widely used in electronic devices such as notebooks, digital cameras and cell phones with great success.

In recent years, as smart grids with energy storage functions for electric vehicles and new and renewable energy for the purpose of depleting fossil fuels and reducing carbon dioxide, lithium ion secondary batteries are emerging as candidates for energy storage devices for such applications. . However, for smooth and efficient use of electric vehicles or smart grids, about five times the energy density and output density of conventional lithium-ion secondary batteries and improved stability are required, and many studies are being conducted on this.

Since such a lithium ion secondary battery requires a strong sealed structure, it is common to weld the component parts. The technique of welding the components of a lithium ion secondary battery is disclosed in Patent Publication No. 2003-0058009 (published on Jul. 07, 2003), Patent Publication No. 0284034 (published on Apr. 06, 2000), and Patent Publication No. 0624898. (published on 2006. 06. 02) and the like.

However, in the case of the prior art, the work space was contaminated by foreign substances generated during laser processing, and as the performance of the parts was deteriorated due to such contamination, there was a problem that the laser processing could not be performed correctly.

KR 10-2003-0058009 A KR 10-0624898 B1

The present invention has been devised to solve the various problems as described above, and its purpose is to enable laser processing of lithium metal batteries, secure safety and accuracy compared to processing using a conventional shearing mold, and lithium metal An object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus for increasing the productivity of a lithium metal battery by making it easy to manufacture a battery.

In addition, oxidation of the lithium metal battery is prevented through a chamber configured in a vacuum state and a temperature and humidity control device provided inside the chamber, and the condition of the lithium metal battery is maintained, and an air curtain is provided inside the chamber, so that when laser processing is performed Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus that prevents foreign substances such as metal fragments from being discharged to the outside of the work space.

In order to achieve the above object, the laser processing apparatus of the present invention includes a laser beam generator 110 for generating a laser beam, a laser irradiation head 120 for irradiating the laser generated from the laser beam generator, and the laser beam generator. Laser irradiation apparatus 100 including an optical cable 130 for guiding the generated laser beam to the laser irradiation head; and a chamber 200 provided at a lower portion of the laser irradiation device 100, the inside of which is formed in a vacuum state, and a transmission window 210 through which the laser beam irradiated from the laser irradiation device 100 is transmitted. ), and a temperature and humidity control device ( 240) is provided, and a dust collector 250 is provided on one lower side of the chamber 200 so that slag and foreign substances generated during laser processing are collected by the dust collector 250, and the interior of the chamber 200 A clamp 220 on which the workpiece is seated is provided in the center, and the clamp 220 includes a support plate 222, an upper plate 221 that is installed at regular intervals in the height direction of the support plate 222, and It characterized in that the support plate 222 and the upper plate 221 are connected to each other and installed vertically to include a position adjusting device 223 for adjusting the position of the upper plate 221 .

In addition, it was characterized in that an air injection nozzle 230 for discharging an inert gas is provided on the inner upper portion of the chamber 200 .

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In addition, the inert gas injected from the air injection nozzle 230 was characterized in that any one of nitrogen, helium, neon and argon.

In addition, the lower portion of the chamber 200 was characterized in that the inclined portion 260 is formed to be inclined toward the other direction from one side is formed.

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In addition, the transmission window 210 was characterized in that it is composed of quartz glass containing silica (silica).

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In addition, it was characterized in that a compressor for making the inside of the chamber 200 in a vacuum state and a vacuum pipe 270 connecting the compressor and the chamber 200 are provided outside the chamber 200 .

According to the present invention, by enabling laser processing of a lithium metal battery, safety and accuracy are secured compared to processing using a conventional shearing mold, and the production of a lithium metal battery is facilitated, thereby increasing the productivity of the lithium metal battery. heightening effect.

In addition, oxidation of the lithium metal battery is prevented through a chamber configured in a vacuum state and a temperature and humidity control device provided inside the chamber, and the condition of the lithium metal battery is maintained, and an air curtain is provided inside the chamber, so that when laser processing is performed It has the effect of preventing metal fragments from being discharged to the outside of the work space.

In addition, a dust collector is provided inside the chamber to collect foreign substances such as metal fragments in a certain place, thereby making it easier to process the foreign substances.

1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention;
2 is a cross-sectional view of an object to be processed according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing an embodiment of the laser processing apparatus of the present invention
Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the step of the processing is made through the laser processing apparatus of the present invention.

The terms or words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and the inventor may appropriately define the concept of the term in order to best describe his invention. Based on the principle, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention.

1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a workpiece according to the present invention.

1 and 2, the laser processing apparatus 10 (hereinafter referred to as a laser processing apparatus) of a lithium metal battery using the chamber of the present invention is a laser irradiation apparatus 100, the laser irradiation apparatus ( 100) and a chamber 200 provided in the lower part.

In addition, the object 300 to be processed by the laser processing apparatus 10 is provided in the chamber 200 to be processed by the laser irradiated from the laser irradiation apparatus 100 .

The laser irradiation device 100 is generated from a laser beam generator 110 for generating a laser beam, a laser irradiation head 120 for irradiating the laser generated from the laser beam generator 110 and the laser beam generator 110 . and an optical cable 130 for guiding the laser beam to the laser irradiation head 120 .

In addition, a laser beam passing through a collimating lens 121 and the collimating lens 121 for paralleling the laser beam generated by the laser beam generator 110 is provided inside the laser irradiation head 120 . It includes a scanning lens 122 to be scanned to the target point.

Accordingly, the laser beam generated by the laser beam generator 110 is emitted in a state of a dispersed laser beam 131 that becomes wider toward the bottom as shown in FIG. 1 , and such a dispersed laser beam 131 is When passing through the collimating lens 121, the upper and lower widths are irradiated in a state of a constant parallel laser beam 132.

In addition, when the parallel laser beam 132 passes through the scanning lens 122 , it becomes a state of the laser beam 133 whose width becomes narrower toward the lower portion, and the lower portion of the laser beam 133 is the target of the workpiece 300 . As the point is accurately irradiated, the laser processing is performed accurately.

However, the laser irradiation apparatus 100 is not limited to the above configuration, and may be implemented in various configurations and shapes within a configuration that allows laser processing of the workpiece 300 using a laser beam, and the present invention A laser beam generator, a laser irradiation head, and an optical cable included in the laser irradiation apparatus of the may also be implemented in various configurations and shapes.

The chamber 200 is a place where the workpiece 300 is accommodated, and as the negative electrode including lithium metal is accommodated, the inside of the chamber 200 is preferably in a vacuum state.

This is because, in the case of lithium metal, when exposed to air, it reacts with oxygen and corrosion proceeds very quickly. In order to facilitate laser processing of lithium metal, contact between lithium metal and oxygen must be blocked.

Therefore, by forming the inside of the chamber 200 in a vacuum state, the lithium metal provided in the chamber 200 is prevented from reacting with oxygen in the air, and corrosion of the lithium metal is prevented from occurring, This is to facilitate laser processing of lithium metal.

The chamber 200 is formed in the lower portion of the transmission window 210 provided on the upper portion, the clamp 220 provided at the inner center, the air injection nozzle 230 provided on the upper inner side, and the air injection nozzle 230 . A temperature and humidity control device 240 to be used, and a dust collector 250 provided under the temperature/humidity control device 240 are included.

In addition, it further includes a compressor (not shown) formed outside the chamber 200 so that the inside of the chamber 200 is in a vacuum state, and a vacuum pipe 270 connecting the compressor and the chamber 200 . .

The transmission window 210 is formed so that the laser beam irradiated from the laser irradiation device 100 is transmitted into the working space inside the chamber 200 .

The transmission window 210 is made of quartz glass containing silica, has properties such as heat resistance and thermal shock resistance, and allows the laser beam to pass easily, so that laser processing can be easily performed. It is preferable to do

The clamp 220 is provided in the inner center of the chamber 200 so that the workpiece 300 is seated.

The clamp 220 includes a support plate 222, an upper plate 221 spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the support plate 222, and connecting the support plate 222 and the upper plate 221 to each other. and a position adjusting device 223 installed vertically.

The support plate 222 is provided under the clamp 220 so that the workpiece 300 is seated on the upper portion of the support plate 222 .

The support plate 222 is made of a material such as stainless steel that does not respond to the laser beam or the like, or the surface is plated, so that the support plate 222 is not damaged by the laser beam irradiated from the laser irradiation device 100. It is desirable to prevent

The upper plate 221 is installed to be spaced apart from the upper portion of the support plate 222 at regular intervals.

The upper plate 221 is preferably made of a material through which a laser beam is transmitted so that laser processing of the workpiece 300 seated on the clamp 220 is performed.

To this end, the upper plate 221 may be formed of the same material as the transmission window 210 made of quartz glass containing silica.

By such a support plate 222 and the upper plate 221, the workpiece 300 is positioned between the support plate 222 and the upper plate 221, and the workpiece 300 The bottom surface of the support plate 222 is located on the upper surface, and the upper surface of the workpiece 300 is located on the lower surface of the upper plate 221 .

The position adjusting device 223 is provided between the support plate 222 and the upper plate 221 so that the position of the upper plate 221 can be adjusted from the support plate 222 . .

In addition, the positions of the support plate 222 and the upper plate 221 are fixed through the position adjusting device 223 so that the position of the workpiece 300 provided in the clamp 220 is fixed. can do.

The position adjusting device 223 may be configured such that the position is adjusted by a rotation method using a screw, or the position is fixed by a locking means, and the position is adjusted by a loosening means. It may be implemented in various shapes within a configuration that allows the height of the upper plate 221 to be adjusted.

On the other hand, the air injection nozzle 230 is provided in the upper portion of the inner side of the chamber 200, so that the gas is sprayed in one direction.

That is, the gas injected from the air injection nozzle 230 provided at one side inside the chamber 200 is delivered to the other side inside the chamber 200, and by the gas injected from the air injection nozzle 230, the chamber ( 200) is made so that a certain air curtain is formed on the upper part.

Such an air curtain serves to prevent foreign substances, etc. that may be generated when laser processing of the workpiece 300 seated in the clamp 220 is performed, from being discharged to the outside of the clamp 220 . do.

That is, the air curtain allows the laser beam generated by the laser irradiation device 100 to pass through, but prevents foreign substances generated during laser processing from passing through, so that the inside of the chamber 200 is damaged by foreign substances generated during laser processing. This is to prevent contamination or adsorption of foreign substances to the transmission window 210 and the like, thereby reducing the efficiency of laser processing.

For this purpose, the position where the air injection nozzle 230 is formed is higher than the position where the upper plate 221 of the clamp 220 is formed, so that foreign substances generated during laser processing can be covered by the air curtain. It is desirable to allow it to exist within the range.

In addition, the gas injected from the air injection nozzle 230 is preferably made of any one of nitrogen, helium, neon, and argon, which are inert gases.

This is because, when the gas injected from the air injection nozzle 230 is a gas such as oxygen, as oxygen is supplied into the chamber 200 , corrosion of the workpiece 300 may occur.

That is, in the present invention, by allowing the inert gas to be injected from the air injection nozzle 230, an air curtain is formed to prevent the discharge of foreign substances generated during laser processing, and a vacuum state inside the chamber 200 can be continuously maintained. is to make it

The temperature and humidity control device 240 is provided at one side of the chamber 200 to control the temperature and humidity inside the chamber 200 .

In this way, the temperature and humidity inside the chamber 200 are constantly maintained through the temperature and humidity control device 240 , or the temperature and humidity are adjusted according to the conditions in which the laser processing of the workpiece 300 is performed. , to increase the efficiency of laser processing.

Although not shown, the temperature and humidity control device 240 includes a measurement sensor for measuring the temperature and humidity inside the chamber 200 , a temperature control means for controlling the temperature inside the chamber 200 , and the chamber 200 . It may be made to include a humidity control means for controlling the internal humidity, etc., to keep the temperature and humidity inside a specific space constant, or to be implemented in various shapes within the means for controlling the temperature and humidity inside a specific space can

The dust collector 250 is formed in the lower portion of the inner side of the chamber 200 so that slag generated inside the chamber 200 can be collected by the dust collector 250 .

When the dust collector 250 has the same configuration as a duct connected to the outside of the chamber 200, as air enters and exits the chamber 200 by the structure of the duct connected to the outside, the chamber 200 Since the inside cannot be maintained in a vacuum state, the dust collector 250 serves to collect slag generated during laser processing in a certain space.

Therefore, in order to install the dust collector 250, inclined portions 260 inclined at regular intervals are formed in the lower portion of the chamber 200, and the slag is slidably moved through the inclined portions 260 to collect the dust. configured to converge to device 250 .

In addition, it is preferable that the dust collector 250 is configured to collect the slag and the like in a certain place inside the chamber 200 rather than to be sucked in.

2 is a cross-sectional view of a to-be-processed object of the present invention.

The workpiece 300 is processed by the laser irradiation device 100 , and in the present invention, it may be composed of a negative electrode including a current collector layer and a lithium metal layer 320 .

In other words. The workpiece 300 is subjected to a welding operation process in which the current collector layer 310 and the lithium metal layer 320 are integrated by the laser irradiation device 100, or to the laser irradiation device 100. ablation, cutting, drilling, etc. may be performed.

Such a workpiece may be implemented in the same way as the configuration for forming the negative electrode of the lithium metal battery, and the detailed configuration thereof may be replaced by a known technique.

Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing an embodiment of the laser processing apparatus 10 of the present invention.

As described above, as the inert gas is injected from the air injection nozzle 230 , an air curtain is formed on the upper portion of the chamber 200 .

Such an air curtain is formed on the upper portion of the chamber 200 and when laser processing of the workpiece 300 seated on the clamp 220 is performed, foreign substances generated from the upper portion of the chamber 200, for example, are transmitted. It serves to prevent the chamber 200 from being contaminated as it is adsorbed to the window 210 and the like.

However, when the upper plate is configured according to the configuration of the present invention, the discharge of foreign substances generated during laser processing is primarily blocked by the upper plate. However, depending on the laser processing conditions, the laser Processing may take place.

In this case, it is made to prevent foreign substances from being discharged to the outside of the work space, that is, the clamp 220 by the air curtain.

In addition, depending on the design structure of the chamber 200 and the clamp 220 , the air jet nozzle 230 may be located lower than the upper plate 221 of the clamp 220 .

As described above, when the air jet nozzle 230 is positioned lower than the upper plate 221 of the clamp 220 , it is possible to prevent adsorption of foreign substances to the upper plate 221 .

And, as the slag discharged to the lower part of the chamber 200 is collected by the dust collector 250 along the inclined part 260 formed in the lower part of the chamber 200, the slag is easily processed. will lose

Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the steps in which the processing is made through the laser processing apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the laser processing performed through the laser processing device 1 is a workpiece seating step (S10) of seating the workpiece in the chamber, and the environment inside the chamber after the workpiece seating step (S10) After the chamber internal environment control step (S20) and the chamber internal environment control step (S20) for controlling the , a laser irradiation step (S30) of irradiating a laser to the workpiece provided in the chamber is included.

The step of seating the workpiece ( S10 ) is a step of allowing the workpiece 300 to be seated on the clamp 240 provided in the chamber 200 .

As the workpiece 300 is positioned on the support plate 222 of the clamp 240, the laser irradiation head 120 and the workpiece 300 are made to maintain an appropriate distance, at this time, The vertical height of the workpiece 300 may be adjusted through the position adjusting device 223 .

In addition, the upper plate 221 may be positioned on the upper portion of the work piece 300 positioned above the support plate 222 . In the case of the upper plate 221 , the work piece 300 . It can be selectively provided according to the type of processing (ablation, welding, cutting, etc.).

The chamber internal environment control step (S20) is a step of adjusting the internal environment of the chamber 300 so that the inside of the chamber 300 is a condition in which laser processing of the workpiece 300 can be easily performed.

The internal environment of the chamber 300 includes the vacuum state, temperature and humidity inside the chamber, as well as whether the air curtain is correctly formed by the air injection nozzle 230 provided in the chamber 300. may include

Therefore, in the chamber internal environment control step (S20), the temperature and humidity inside the chamber 300 by using the temperature and humidity control device 240 are optimal for laser processing of the workpiece 300 to be easily performed. to be maintained and controlled under the condition, and the gas is injected from the air injection nozzle 230, so that the air curtain is correctly formed on the upper part of the chamber 300, and the inside of the chamber 300 is cleaned by using a compressor. to keep it in a vacuum.

Through this process of controlling the internal environment of the chamber ( S20 ), the inside of the chamber 300 is not only made to a condition in which laser processing is easily performed, but also the interior of the chamber is prevented from being contaminated by foreign substances generated during laser processing. It is to form an air curtain through the air injection nozzle 230 so that.

The laser irradiation step (S30) is a step of irradiating a laser to the workpiece 300 after the chamber internal environment control step (S20).

In the laser irradiation step (S30), a laser is irradiated to the workpiece 300 through the laser irradiation device 100 so that ablation, cutting, drilling, etc. of the workpiece are performed. Conventional laser processing is performed. It can be done in the same way as the step of irradiating the laser to the workpiece for the purpose.

According to the present invention, by enabling laser processing of a lithium metal battery, safety and accuracy are secured compared to processing using a conventional shearing mold, and the production of a lithium metal battery is facilitated, thereby increasing the productivity of the lithium metal battery. heightening effect.

In addition, oxidation of the lithium metal battery is prevented through the chamber 200 configured in a vacuum state and the temperature and humidity control device 240 provided inside the chamber 200, and the condition of the lithium metal battery is maintained, and the chamber 200 ) is provided with an air curtain inside, so that metal fragments are prevented from being discharged to the outside of the work space during laser processing.

In addition, a dust collector 250 is provided inside the chamber 200 to collect foreign substances such as metal fragments in a certain place, thereby making it easier to process the foreign substances.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated drawings, but the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention. Of course it can be done.

10: laser processing device 100: laser irradiation device
110: laser beam generator 120: laser irradiation head
121: collimating lens 122: scanning lens
130: optical cable 200: chamber
210: transmission window 220: clamp
221: upper plate 222: support plate
223: positioning device 230: air injection nozzle
240: temperature and humidity control device 250: dust collector
260: inclined portion 270: vacuum pipe
300: object 310: current collector layer
320: lithium metal layer

Claims (10)

In the laser processing apparatus 10 for processing the to-be-processed object 300 consisting of the collector layer 310 and the lithium metal layer 320,
The laser processing apparatus 10,
A laser beam generator 110 for generating a laser beam, a laser irradiation head 120 for irradiating the laser generated from the laser beam generator, and an optical cable 130 for guiding the laser beam generated from the laser beam generator to the laser irradiation head ) including a laser irradiation device 100; and
The chamber 200 is provided in the lower part of the laser irradiation apparatus 100, the inside is formed in a vacuum state, and the upper part is provided with a transmission window 210 through which the laser beam irradiated from the laser irradiation apparatus 100 is transmitted. including,
A temperature and humidity control device 240 is provided in the chamber 200 to adjust the temperature and humidity inside the chamber according to the conditions in which the laser processing of the workpiece 300 is performed, or to keep the temperature and humidity constant. ,
A dust collector 250 is provided on one lower side of the chamber 200 so that slag and foreign substances generated during laser processing are collected by the dust collector 250,
A clamp 220 on which the workpiece is seated is provided in the inner center of the chamber 200,
The clamp 220 includes a support plate 222, an upper plate 221 spaced apart from each other in a height direction of the support plate 222, and connecting the support plate 222 and the upper plate 221 to each other. A laser processing apparatus for a lithium metal battery using a chamber, characterized in that it is installed vertically and includes a position adjusting device 223 for adjusting the position of the upper plate 221 .
delete The method according to claim 1,
A laser processing apparatus for a lithium metal battery using a chamber, characterized in that an air injection nozzle 230 for discharging an inert gas is provided on the inner upper portion of the chamber 200 .
4. The method according to claim 3,
The laser processing apparatus of a lithium metal battery using a chamber, characterized in that the inert gas injected from the air injection nozzle 230 is any one of nitrogen, helium, neon and argon.
delete The method according to claim 1,
A laser processing apparatus for a lithium metal battery using a chamber, characterized in that the inclined portion 260 formed to be inclined from one side to the other side is formed in the lower portion of the chamber 200 .
delete delete The method according to claim 1,
The transmission window 210 is a laser processing apparatus for a lithium metal battery using a chamber, characterized in that composed of quartz glass containing silica (silica).
The method according to claim 1,
Lithium metal using a chamber, characterized in that a compressor for making the inside of the chamber 200 into a vacuum state and a vacuum pipe 270 connecting the compressor and the chamber 200 are provided on the outside of the chamber 200 Battery laser processing equipment.

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