US20230327171A1 - Modular stacking tool and method for a battery - Google Patents
Modular stacking tool and method for a battery Download PDFInfo
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- US20230327171A1 US20230327171A1 US17/718,980 US202217718980A US2023327171A1 US 20230327171 A1 US20230327171 A1 US 20230327171A1 US 202217718980 A US202217718980 A US 202217718980A US 2023327171 A1 US2023327171 A1 US 2023327171A1
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- battery
- locating
- fixture
- fixtures
- longitudinal
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 18
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000004590 computer program Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002390 adhesive tape Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000010445 mica Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052618 mica group Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/04—Construction or manufacture in general
- H01M10/0404—Machines for assembling batteries
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/04—Construction or manufacture in general
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
- B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
- B25B11/00—Work holders not covered by any preceding group in the subclass, e.g. magnetic work holders, vacuum work holders
- B25B11/02—Assembly jigs
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
- B65G47/26—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
- B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
- B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/42—Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells
- H01M10/4207—Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
- H01M50/204—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
- H01M50/207—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape
- H01M50/209—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
- H01M50/244—Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
- H01M50/258—Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
- H01M50/262—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders with fastening means, e.g. locks
- H01M50/264—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders with fastening means, e.g. locks for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
- B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
- B65G2201/02—Articles
- B65G2201/0214—Articles of special size, shape or weigh
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/53—Means to assemble or disassemble
- Y10T29/5313—Means to assemble electrical device
- Y10T29/53135—Storage cell or battery
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to battery manufacturing and more particularly to methods and tools for stacking and aligning battery cells.
- Precise alignment of battery cells when constructing a battery can be difficult. Small tolerance build-ups may add up when multiple cells are stacked on top of each other, and portions of individual battery cells may interfere with alignment of other adjacent battery cells. The misalignment of battery cells can reduce battery performance and cause packaging constraints for batteries in a vehicle.
- the present disclosure addresses the challenges with manufacturing a battery.
- a battery module locating tool includes a support pillar and a plurality of fixtures supported on the support pillar. Each fixture is individually translatable along the support pillar and arranged to locate a battery cell according to a longitudinal datum and a lateral datum.
- the support pillar is movable toward a battery frame onto which the battery cell is located.
- the battery module locating tool further includes a track, the support pillar and the plurality of fixtures being slidable along the track toward the battery frame; the plurality of fixtures are configured to locate a plurality of battery cells vertically along the battery frame; each fixture includes a lateral wall and a longitudinal finger, the lateral wall corresponding to the lateral datum and the longitudinal finger corresponding to the longitudinal datum; the longitudinal finger includes a rounded edge; the rounded edge extends along a length of the longitudinal finger; each fixture is arranged to locate an adhesive disposed on a vertical surface of a respective battery cell onto a vertical surface of an adjacent battery cell; the plurality of fixtures are arranged to locate a plurality of battery cells into a stack, and the plurality of fixtures are further arranged to move away from the battery cells upon completion of the stack; the support pillar is movable along a track to move the fixtures away from the stack; each fixture is a same size as each other fixture.
- a method for assembling a plurality of battery cells includes locating each cell of the plurality of battery cells with individual locating fixtures, each locating fixture comprising a lateral datum and a longitudinal datum, stacking individual battery cells onto each other with respective individual locating fixtures to form a stack of battery cells, and removing the individual locating fixtures after forming the stack of battery cells.
- the method further includes placing a first battery cell against a first locating fixture, thereby locating the first battery cell with the lateral datum and the longitudinal datum, lowering a second locating fixture onto the first locating fixture, and then placing a second battery cell onto the second locating fixture; each locating fixture includes a lateral wall and a longitudinal finger, the lateral wall comprising the lateral datum and the longitudinal finger comprising the longitudinal datum; the longitudinal finger includes a rounded edge; the method further includes moving the locating fixtures away from the stack in a longitudinal direction; moving the locating fixtures along a track away from the stack; adhering each battery cell to an adjacent battery cell with an adhesive; each locating fixture is a same size as each other locating fixture; the method further includes locating each locating fixture to an adjacent locating fixture to align the battery cells into the stack; translating each locating fixture vertically down along a support pillar to receive the battery cell.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module locating tool according to the present disclosure
- FIG. 2 is a plan view of a locating fixture and a battery cell according to the present disclosure
- FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the locating fixtures according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 4 A is a side view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 4 B is a side view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 4 C is a perspective view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 4 D is a perspective view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5 A is a side view of the battery module locating tool translated away from a stack of battery cells according to the present disclosure
- FIG. 5 B is a side view of the battery dule locating tool translated away from a stack of battery cells according to the present disclosure.
- FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a completed battery module according to the present disclosure.
- a system for forming a battery module 10 includes a battery module locating tool 20 , a battery frame 22 , a track 24 , and a plurality of battery cells 26 .
- the battery module locating tool 20 includes a support pillar 28 and a plurality of fixtures 30 slidably disposed on the support pillar 28 .
- the battery module locating tool 20 is configured to dimensionally locate the plurality of battery cells 26 along the battery frame into a stack, i.e., a linear arrangement of the battery cells 26 .
- the system defines three orthogonal axes: a lateral axis noted with the letter X (i.e., an X-axis), a longitudinal axis noted with the letter Y (i.e., a Y-axis), and a vertical axis noted with the letter Z (i.e., a Z-axis).
- a lateral axis noted with the letter X i.e., an X-axis
- Y i.e., a Y-axis
- a vertical axis noted with the letter Z (i.e., a Z-axis).
- Each axis defines a direction, i.e., the X-axis defines a lateral direction
- the Y-axis defines a longitudinal direction
- the Z-axis defines a vertical direction.
- the support pillar 28 is translatable along the track 24 , along the Y-axis or longitudinally, toward the battery frame 22 .
- the track 24 includes a slidable feature, such as a bearing or a wheel (not shown), that allows the support pillar 28 to move the fixtures 30 toward the battery frame 22 .
- the support pillar 28 moves the fixtures 30 toward the battery frame, as shown in FIG. 1 , to form the stack of battery cells 26 . Then, when the stack is completed, the support pillar 28 moves along the track 24 away from the battery frame 22 and the stack.
- the track 24 extends along the Y-axis, and the support pillar 28 moves in the longitudinal direction along the track 24 in one form of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that the support pillar 28 and fixtures 30 may be movable (whether slidable or otherwise movable) in any orthogonal direction while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.
- Each fixture 30 is individually movable, and in the form illustrated and described herein translatable along the support pillar 28 .
- the fixtures 30 are vertically translatable, as described in greater detail below, along two support pillars 28 .
- the fixtures 30 are movable in the vertical direction (i.e., along the Z axis) to arrange the battery cells 26 into the stack. That is, each fixture 30 moves along the length of the support pillars 28 onto the battery frame 22 or onto another fixture 30 to position one of the battery cells 26 into the stack, as described in greater detail below.
- each fixture 30 is a same size as each other fixture 30 .
- At least one of the fixtures 30 is a different size/geometric configuration than another fixture 30 , which is a function of the configuration of each battery cell 26 .
- one fixture 30 may be thicker than adjacent fixtures 30 to accommodate a larger/thicker battery cell 26 .
- the battery module locating tool 20 is modular and can accommodate a variety of sizes and configurations of battery cells 26 .
- one of the fixtures 30 is arranged to locate one of the battery cells 26 according to a longitudinal datum Y′ and a lateral datum X′.
- a “datum” is a specified location in three-dimensional space to which dimensional tolerances are referenced, and the fixture 30 includes features that dimensionally locate the battery cell 26 according to one or more datums X′, Y′.
- a “longitudinal datum” Y′ is a datum extending in the longitudinal direction
- a “lateral datum” X′ is a datum extending in the lateral direction.
- the fixture 30 of FIG. 2 includes a lateral wall 32 and a longitudinal finger 34 , the lateral wall 32 corresponding to the lateral datum X′ and the longitudinal finger 34 corresponding to the longitudinal datum Y′.
- the lateral wall 32 locates a side of the battery cell 26 in the lateral direction according to the lateral datum X′.
- the longitudinal finger 34 includes a rounded edge 36 .
- the rounded edge 36 extends along a length of the longitudinal finger 34 , locating a side of the battery cell 26 with the longitudinal datum Y′.
- the rounded edge 36 extends only along a portion of the longitudinal finger 34 .
- the rounded edge 36 of the longitudinal finger 34 extends to the battery cell 26 to provide the longitudinal datum Y′.
- the fixture 30 further includes a stabilizing finger 38 opposite the longitudinal finger 34 .
- the stabilizing finger 38 secures a side of the battery cell 26 opposing the side contacting the longitudinal finger 34 .
- the fixture 30 includes a pair of openings 39 through which the of support pillars 28 extend.
- the openings 39 and the support pillars 28 are arranged such that the lateral wall 32 defines the lateral datum X′ and the longitudinal finger 34 defines the longitudinal datum Y′, thereby dimensionally locating the battery cell 26 in the lateral and longitudinal directions.
- the form illustrated herein includes two openings 39 for two support pillars 28 , however, it should be understood that a different number and/or size/shape of openings 39 for a different number of support pillars 28 are within the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the rounded edge 36 of the longitudinal finger 34 protrudes toward the battery cell 26 .
- the rounded edge 36 is semicircular, and the curvature of the rounded edge 36 is determined to provide the longitudinal datum Y′.
- the rounded edge 36 has an outermost line, shown as a point in the side view of FIG. 3 , and the battery cell 26 contacts the outermost line of the rounded edge 36 .
- the outermost line defines the longitudinal datum Y′.
- the battery cell 26 includes a lower portion 40 that contacts the rounded edge 36 and an upper portion 42 that includes an electrical terminal 44 .
- the electrical terminal 44 provides electricity from the battery cell 26 via a circuit (not shown) connected to the electrical terminal 44 .
- the lower portion 40 of the battery cell is narrower than upper portion 42 such only the lower portion 40 , and not the upper portion 42 , contacts the rounded edge 36 of the longitudinal finger 34 . That is, the lower portion 40 is narrower than the upper portion 42 to be the specified portion of the battery cell 26 to provide dimensional location of the battery, such that if the upper portion 42 contacts the rounded edge 36 , the battery cell 26 would be mislocated.
- Such a “poka-yoke” design reduces errors and misalignment in installation of the battery cells 26 . Further, the fixture 30 aligns the battery cell 26 such that the electrical terminal 44 is properly positioned to be connected to the circuit.
- the battery module locating tool 20 locates the battery cells 26 into the stack in the battery frame 22 .
- the support pillars 28 are spaced away from the battery frame 22 prior to forming the battery module, and the fixtures 30 are arranged on the support pillars 28 .
- two support pillars 28 support the fixtures 30 , one of which is shown in the side view of FIG. 4 A .
- the support pillar 28 is moved sequentially along the track 24 toward and away the battery frame 22 as individual battery cells 26 are located, as described in greater detail below.
- the support pillar 28 is moved toward the battery frame 22 and a first fixture 30 a is translated vertically down the support pillar 28 .
- the support pillar 28 moves along the track 24 (or another element such as a bearing or a wheel, not shown) longitudinally toward the battery frame 22 .
- the first fixture 30 a slides vertically down the support pillar 28 and contacts the battery frame 22 to receive a first battery cell 26 a of the stack.
- Variations in tolerances of the size of the first fixture 30 a when contacting the battery frame 22 may cause the first battery cell 26 a to be located slightly misaligned relative to an intended position, contributing to tolerance stackup. Locating the first battery cell 26 a according to the datums X′, Y′ reduces the misalignment and the tolerance stackup, improving operation of the battery module 10 .
- a first battery cell 26 a is placed onto the first fixture 30 a .
- the lateral wall 32 and the longitudinal finger 34 of the first fixture 30 a locate the battery cell 26 a to the lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′, respectively.
- the first fixture 30 a thus locates the battery cell 26 a in the battery frame 22 to begin assembly of the stack of battery cells 26 .
- a second fixture 30 b is lowered onto the first fixture 30 a .
- the second fixture 30 b locates a second battery cell 26 b with the lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′, thereby locating the second battery cell 26 b relative to the first battery cell 26 a .
- the stack is formed from successive fixtures 30 and respective battery cells 26 located onto each other, each battery cell 26 aligned to lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′ to reduce tolerance stackup, or dimensional variation, to improve dimensional control of the stack of battery cells 26 .
- the fixtures 30 locate the battery cells 26 into a vertical stack; in another form, the fixtures 30 locate the battery cells 26 into a horizontal stack. Further, it should be understood that the battery module locating tool 20 and the fixtures 30 may be oriented in other dimensions/directions other than vertical or horizontal, and combinations thereof, while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.
- the battery module locating tool 20 is moved away from the battery frame 22 along the track 24
- the support pillar 28 is moved along the track 24 in the longitudinal direction away from the battery frame 22 .
- twenty (20) fixtures 30 locate twenty (20) battery cells 26 into the stack 46 . It should be understood, however, that it is within the scope of the disclosure for a different number of fixtures 30 to locate a different number of battery cells 26 into the stack 46 .
- the illustration of twenty (20) fixtures 30 and twenty (20) battery cells 26 is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.
- the stack 46 then remains in the battery frame 22 after removal of the battery module forming tool 20 , and the cells 26 are adhered together via a weld and/or an adhesive (not shown). Alternatively, the cells 26 are adhered together prior to removal of the battery module forming tool 20 . Upon adhering the battery cells 26 , the stack 46 is ready to be connected to an electrical circuit/power leads (not shown) and to provide electricity to the battery module 10 . The battery module 10 is then removed from the track 24 and a new battery frame 22 is placed to receive battery cells 26 located by the fixtures 30 . The battery module forming tool 20 is thus reusable to form a new battery module 10 .
- the battery module 10 includes two stacks 46 of battery cells 26 housed in the battery frame 22 .
- Each stack 46 includes a plurality of battery cells 26 adhered or secured together to locate terminals 44 of the battery cells 26 for connection to an electrical circuit.
- An adhesive 48 such as an adhesive tape, is disposed between adjacent battery cells 26 and adheres adjacent surfaces of the battery cells 26 to each other. During the location of the battery cells 26 , the adhesive 48 of the first battery cell 26 a contacts the second battery cell 26 b , adhering the first battery cell 26 a to the second battery cell 26 b.
- Support pads 50 separate groups of the battery cells 26 from each other, shown as groups of four battery cells 26 .
- the support pads 50 absorb and distribute loads received by the frame 22 , thereby reducing loads transferred to the battery cells 26 .
- the support pads 50 extend in the lateral and longitudinal directions along specific battery cells 26 and in the vertical direction along the stack 46 to absorb and distribute loads in three dimensions.
- Insulative sheets 52 are placed between the groups of the battery cells 26 to absorb heat from the battery cells 26 .
- the support pads 50 and insulative sheets 52 are placed on the battery cells 26 while the fixtures 30 locate the battery cells 26 according to the lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′.
- an insulative sheet 52 and a support pad 50 are placed onto the fourth battery cell 26 .
- a fifth fixture 30 is lowered onto the fourth fixture 30 , and a fifth battery cell 26 is located onto the fifth fixture 30 , contacting the support pad 50 .
- the battery module 10 includes two vertical stacks 46 of battery cells 26 ; in another form, the stacks 46 are arranged horizontally; in yet another form, the battery module 10 includes a different number of stacks 46 .
- the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”
- the apparatuses and methods described in this application may be partially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more particular functions embodied in computer programs.
- the functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications, which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.
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- Electrochemistry (AREA)
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- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)
Abstract
A battery module locating tool includes a support pillar and a plurality of fixtures supported on the support pillar. Each fixture is individually translatable along the support pillar and arranged to locate a battery cell according to a longitudinal datum and a lateral datum. The support pillar is movable toward and away from a battery frame onto which the battery cell is located.
Description
- The present disclosure relates to battery manufacturing and more particularly to methods and tools for stacking and aligning battery cells.
- The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
- Precise alignment of battery cells when constructing a battery can be difficult. Small tolerance build-ups may add up when multiple cells are stacked on top of each other, and portions of individual battery cells may interfere with alignment of other adjacent battery cells. The misalignment of battery cells can reduce battery performance and cause packaging constraints for batteries in a vehicle.
- The present disclosure addresses the challenges with manufacturing a battery.
- This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
- In one form, a battery module locating tool includes a support pillar and a plurality of fixtures supported on the support pillar. Each fixture is individually translatable along the support pillar and arranged to locate a battery cell according to a longitudinal datum and a lateral datum. The support pillar is movable toward a battery frame onto which the battery cell is located.
- In variations of the tool, which may be implemented individually or in combination: the battery module locating tool further includes a track, the support pillar and the plurality of fixtures being slidable along the track toward the battery frame; the plurality of fixtures are configured to locate a plurality of battery cells vertically along the battery frame; each fixture includes a lateral wall and a longitudinal finger, the lateral wall corresponding to the lateral datum and the longitudinal finger corresponding to the longitudinal datum; the longitudinal finger includes a rounded edge; the rounded edge extends along a length of the longitudinal finger; each fixture is arranged to locate an adhesive disposed on a vertical surface of a respective battery cell onto a vertical surface of an adjacent battery cell; the plurality of fixtures are arranged to locate a plurality of battery cells into a stack, and the plurality of fixtures are further arranged to move away from the battery cells upon completion of the stack; the support pillar is movable along a track to move the fixtures away from the stack; each fixture is a same size as each other fixture.
- A method for assembling a plurality of battery cells, the method includes locating each cell of the plurality of battery cells with individual locating fixtures, each locating fixture comprising a lateral datum and a longitudinal datum, stacking individual battery cells onto each other with respective individual locating fixtures to form a stack of battery cells, and removing the individual locating fixtures after forming the stack of battery cells.
- In variations of the method, which may be implemented individually or in combination: the method further includes placing a first battery cell against a first locating fixture, thereby locating the first battery cell with the lateral datum and the longitudinal datum, lowering a second locating fixture onto the first locating fixture, and then placing a second battery cell onto the second locating fixture; each locating fixture includes a lateral wall and a longitudinal finger, the lateral wall comprising the lateral datum and the longitudinal finger comprising the longitudinal datum; the longitudinal finger includes a rounded edge; the method further includes moving the locating fixtures away from the stack in a longitudinal direction; moving the locating fixtures along a track away from the stack; adhering each battery cell to an adjacent battery cell with an adhesive; each locating fixture is a same size as each other locating fixture; the method further includes locating each locating fixture to an adjacent locating fixture to align the battery cells into the stack; translating each locating fixture vertically down along a support pillar to receive the battery cell.
- Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
- In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module locating tool according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a locating fixture and a battery cell according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the locating fixtures according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 4A is a side view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 4B is a side view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the battery module locating tool stacking battery cells according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 5A is a side view of the battery module locating tool translated away from a stack of battery cells according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 5B is a side view of the battery dule locating tool translated away from a stack of battery cells according to the present disclosure; and -
FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a completed battery module according to the present disclosure. - The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
- The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
- With reference to
FIG. 1 , a system for forming abattery module 10 includes a batterymodule locating tool 20, abattery frame 22, atrack 24, and a plurality ofbattery cells 26. The batterymodule locating tool 20 includes asupport pillar 28 and a plurality offixtures 30 slidably disposed on thesupport pillar 28. In general, the batterymodule locating tool 20 is configured to dimensionally locate the plurality ofbattery cells 26 along the battery frame into a stack, i.e., a linear arrangement of thebattery cells 26. The system defines three orthogonal axes: a lateral axis noted with the letter X (i.e., an X-axis), a longitudinal axis noted with the letter Y (i.e., a Y-axis), and a vertical axis noted with the letter Z (i.e., a Z-axis). Each axis defines a direction, i.e., the X-axis defines a lateral direction, the Y-axis defines a longitudinal direction, and the Z-axis defines a vertical direction. - The
support pillar 28 is translatable along thetrack 24, along the Y-axis or longitudinally, toward thebattery frame 22. Thetrack 24 includes a slidable feature, such as a bearing or a wheel (not shown), that allows thesupport pillar 28 to move thefixtures 30 toward thebattery frame 22. Thesupport pillar 28 moves thefixtures 30 toward the battery frame, as shown inFIG. 1 , to form the stack ofbattery cells 26. Then, when the stack is completed, thesupport pillar 28 moves along thetrack 24 away from thebattery frame 22 and the stack. Thetrack 24 extends along the Y-axis, and thesupport pillar 28 moves in the longitudinal direction along thetrack 24 in one form of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that thesupport pillar 28 andfixtures 30 may be movable (whether slidable or otherwise movable) in any orthogonal direction while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. - Each
fixture 30 is individually movable, and in the form illustrated and described herein translatable along thesupport pillar 28. In the form ofFIG. 1 , thefixtures 30 are vertically translatable, as described in greater detail below, along twosupport pillars 28. Thefixtures 30 are movable in the vertical direction (i.e., along the Z axis) to arrange thebattery cells 26 into the stack. That is, eachfixture 30 moves along the length of thesupport pillars 28 onto thebattery frame 22 or onto anotherfixture 30 to position one of thebattery cells 26 into the stack, as described in greater detail below. In the form ofFIG. 1 , eachfixture 30 is a same size as eachother fixture 30. Alternatively, not shown in the figures, at least one of thefixtures 30 is a different size/geometric configuration than anotherfixture 30, which is a function of the configuration of eachbattery cell 26. For example, onefixture 30 may be thicker thanadjacent fixtures 30 to accommodate a larger/thicker battery cell 26. Accordingly, the batterymodule locating tool 20 is modular and can accommodate a variety of sizes and configurations ofbattery cells 26. - With reference to
FIG. 2 , one of thefixtures 30 is arranged to locate one of thebattery cells 26 according to a longitudinal datum Y′ and a lateral datum X′. In this context, a “datum” is a specified location in three-dimensional space to which dimensional tolerances are referenced, and thefixture 30 includes features that dimensionally locate thebattery cell 26 according to one or more datums X′, Y′. A “longitudinal datum” Y′ is a datum extending in the longitudinal direction, and a “lateral datum” X′ is a datum extending in the lateral direction. - The
fixture 30 ofFIG. 2 includes alateral wall 32 and alongitudinal finger 34, thelateral wall 32 corresponding to the lateral datum X′ and thelongitudinal finger 34 corresponding to the longitudinal datum Y′. Thelateral wall 32 locates a side of thebattery cell 26 in the lateral direction according to the lateral datum X′. Thelongitudinal finger 34 includes arounded edge 36. In one form, therounded edge 36 extends along a length of thelongitudinal finger 34, locating a side of thebattery cell 26 with the longitudinal datum Y′. In another form not shown, therounded edge 36 extends only along a portion of thelongitudinal finger 34. Therounded edge 36 of thelongitudinal finger 34 extends to thebattery cell 26 to provide the longitudinal datum Y′. Thefixture 30 further includes a stabilizingfinger 38 opposite thelongitudinal finger 34. The stabilizingfinger 38 secures a side of thebattery cell 26 opposing the side contacting thelongitudinal finger 34. - The
fixture 30 includes a pair ofopenings 39 through which the ofsupport pillars 28 extend. Theopenings 39 and thesupport pillars 28 are arranged such that thelateral wall 32 defines the lateral datum X′ and thelongitudinal finger 34 defines the longitudinal datum Y′, thereby dimensionally locating thebattery cell 26 in the lateral and longitudinal directions. The form illustrated herein includes twoopenings 39 for twosupport pillars 28, however, it should be understood that a different number and/or size/shape ofopenings 39 for a different number ofsupport pillars 28 are within the teachings of the present disclosure. - With reference to
FIG. 3 , therounded edge 36 of thelongitudinal finger 34 protrudes toward thebattery cell 26. In this form, therounded edge 36 is semicircular, and the curvature of therounded edge 36 is determined to provide the longitudinal datum Y′. Therounded edge 36 has an outermost line, shown as a point in the side view ofFIG. 3 , and thebattery cell 26 contacts the outermost line of therounded edge 36. The outermost line defines the longitudinal datum Y′. - As further shown, the
battery cell 26 includes alower portion 40 that contacts therounded edge 36 and anupper portion 42 that includes anelectrical terminal 44. Theelectrical terminal 44 provides electricity from thebattery cell 26 via a circuit (not shown) connected to theelectrical terminal 44. Thelower portion 40 of the battery cell is narrower thanupper portion 42 such only thelower portion 40, and not theupper portion 42, contacts therounded edge 36 of thelongitudinal finger 34. That is, thelower portion 40 is narrower than theupper portion 42 to be the specified portion of thebattery cell 26 to provide dimensional location of the battery, such that if theupper portion 42 contacts therounded edge 36, thebattery cell 26 would be mislocated. Such a “poka-yoke” design reduces errors and misalignment in installation of thebattery cells 26. Further, thefixture 30 aligns thebattery cell 26 such that theelectrical terminal 44 is properly positioned to be connected to the circuit. - With reference to
FIGS. 4A-4D , the batterymodule locating tool 20 locates thebattery cells 26 into the stack in thebattery frame 22. As shown inFIG. 4A , thesupport pillars 28 are spaced away from thebattery frame 22 prior to forming the battery module, and thefixtures 30 are arranged on thesupport pillars 28. As described above, twosupport pillars 28 support thefixtures 30, one of which is shown in the side view ofFIG. 4A . To form thebattery module 10, thesupport pillar 28 is moved sequentially along thetrack 24 toward and away thebattery frame 22 asindividual battery cells 26 are located, as described in greater detail below. - As shown in
FIG. 4B , thesupport pillar 28 is moved toward thebattery frame 22 and afirst fixture 30 a is translated vertically down thesupport pillar 28. As described above, thesupport pillar 28 moves along the track 24 (or another element such as a bearing or a wheel, not shown) longitudinally toward thebattery frame 22. Thefirst fixture 30 a slides vertically down thesupport pillar 28 and contacts thebattery frame 22 to receive afirst battery cell 26 a of the stack. Variations in tolerances of the size of thefirst fixture 30 a when contacting thebattery frame 22 may cause thefirst battery cell 26 a to be located slightly misaligned relative to an intended position, contributing to tolerance stackup. Locating thefirst battery cell 26 a according to the datums X′, Y′ reduces the misalignment and the tolerance stackup, improving operation of thebattery module 10. - As shown in
FIG. 4C , once thefirst fixture 30 a is located on thebattery frame 22, afirst battery cell 26 a is placed onto thefirst fixture 30 a. Thelateral wall 32 and thelongitudinal finger 34 of thefirst fixture 30 a locate thebattery cell 26 a to the lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′, respectively. Thefirst fixture 30 a thus locates thebattery cell 26 a in thebattery frame 22 to begin assembly of the stack ofbattery cells 26. - Referring now to
FIG. 4D , once thefirst battery cell 26 a is located according to the datums X′, Y′, asecond fixture 30 b is lowered onto thefirst fixture 30 a. Thesecond fixture 30 b locates asecond battery cell 26 b with the lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′, thereby locating thesecond battery cell 26 b relative to thefirst battery cell 26 a. Thus, the stack is formed fromsuccessive fixtures 30 andrespective battery cells 26 located onto each other, eachbattery cell 26 aligned to lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′ to reduce tolerance stackup, or dimensional variation, to improve dimensional control of the stack ofbattery cells 26. In the form illustrated herein, thefixtures 30 locate thebattery cells 26 into a vertical stack; in another form, thefixtures 30 locate thebattery cells 26 into a horizontal stack. Further, it should be understood that the batterymodule locating tool 20 and thefixtures 30 may be oriented in other dimensions/directions other than vertical or horizontal, and combinations thereof, while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. - With reference to
FIGS. 5A-5B , upon locating the plurality ofbattery cells 26 into astack 46 of thebattery module 10, the batterymodule locating tool 20 is moved away from thebattery frame 22 along thetrack 24 When a specified number ofcells 26 are located into thestack 46, thesupport pillar 28 is moved along thetrack 24 in the longitudinal direction away from thebattery frame 22. In the form illustrated herein, twenty (20)fixtures 30 locate twenty (20)battery cells 26 into thestack 46. It should be understood, however, that it is within the scope of the disclosure for a different number offixtures 30 to locate a different number ofbattery cells 26 into thestack 46. Thus, the illustration of twenty (20)fixtures 30 and twenty (20)battery cells 26 is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. - The
stack 46 then remains in thebattery frame 22 after removal of the batterymodule forming tool 20, and thecells 26 are adhered together via a weld and/or an adhesive (not shown). Alternatively, thecells 26 are adhered together prior to removal of the batterymodule forming tool 20. Upon adhering thebattery cells 26, thestack 46 is ready to be connected to an electrical circuit/power leads (not shown) and to provide electricity to thebattery module 10. Thebattery module 10 is then removed from thetrack 24 and anew battery frame 22 is placed to receivebattery cells 26 located by thefixtures 30. The batterymodule forming tool 20 is thus reusable to form anew battery module 10. - With reference to
FIG. 6 , thebattery module 10 includes twostacks 46 ofbattery cells 26 housed in thebattery frame 22. Eachstack 46 includes a plurality ofbattery cells 26 adhered or secured together to locateterminals 44 of thebattery cells 26 for connection to an electrical circuit. An adhesive 48, such as an adhesive tape, is disposed betweenadjacent battery cells 26 and adheres adjacent surfaces of thebattery cells 26 to each other. During the location of thebattery cells 26, the adhesive 48 of thefirst battery cell 26 a contacts thesecond battery cell 26 b, adhering thefirst battery cell 26 a to thesecond battery cell 26 b. -
Support pads 50 separate groups of thebattery cells 26 from each other, shown as groups of fourbattery cells 26. Thesupport pads 50 absorb and distribute loads received by theframe 22, thereby reducing loads transferred to thebattery cells 26. Thesupport pads 50 extend in the lateral and longitudinal directions alongspecific battery cells 26 and in the vertical direction along thestack 46 to absorb and distribute loads in three dimensions. -
Insulative sheets 52, such as mica, are placed between the groups of thebattery cells 26 to absorb heat from thebattery cells 26. Thesupport pads 50 andinsulative sheets 52 are placed on thebattery cells 26 while thefixtures 30 locate thebattery cells 26 according to the lateral and longitudinal datums X′, Y′. In one form, upon placing afourth battery cell 26 onto afourth fixture 30, aninsulative sheet 52 and asupport pad 50 are placed onto thefourth battery cell 26. Then, afifth fixture 30 is lowered onto thefourth fixture 30, and afifth battery cell 26 is located onto thefifth fixture 30, contacting thesupport pad 50. In the form illustrated herein, thebattery module 10 includes twovertical stacks 46 ofbattery cells 26; in another form, thestacks 46 are arranged horizontally; in yet another form, thebattery module 10 includes a different number ofstacks 46. These and other variations of battery stack configurations should be construed as being within the scope of the present disclosure. - Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values indicating mechanical/thermal properties, compositional percentages, dimensions and/or tolerances, or other characteristics are to be understood as modified by the word “about” or “approximately” in describing the scope of the present disclosure. This modification is desired for various reasons including industrial practice, material, manufacturing, and assembly tolerances, and testing capability.
- As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”
- The apparatuses and methods described in this application may be partially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more particular functions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications, which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.
- The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Claims (20)
1. A battery module locating tool comprising:
a support pillar; and
a plurality of fixtures supported on the support pillar, each fixture individually translatable along the support pillar and arranged to locate a battery cell according to a longitudinal datum and a lateral datum, wherein the support pillar is movable toward a battery frame onto which the battery cell is located.
2. The battery module locating tool of claim 1 , further comprising a track, the support pillar and the plurality of fixtures being slidable along the track toward the battery frame.
3. The battery module locating tool of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fixtures are configured to locate a plurality of battery cells vertically along the battery frame.
4. The battery module locating tool of claim 1 , wherein each fixture includes a lateral wall and a longitudinal finger, the lateral wall corresponding to the lateral datum and the longitudinal finger corresponding to the longitudinal datum.
5. The battery module locating tool of claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal finger includes a rounded edge.
6. The battery module locating tool of claim 5 , wherein the rounded edge extends along a length of the longitudinal finger.
7. The battery module locating tool of claim 1 , wherein each fixture is arranged to locate an adhesive disposed on a vertical surface of a respective battery cell onto a vertical surface of an adjacent battery cell.
8. The battery module locating tool of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fixtures are arranged to locate a plurality of battery cells into a stack, and the plurality of fixtures are further arranged to move away from the battery cells upon completion of the stack.
9. The battery module locating tool of claim 8 , wherein the support pillar is movable along a track to move the fixtures away from the stack.
10. The battery module locating tool of claim 1 , wherein each fixture is a same size as each other fixture.
11. A method for assembling a plurality of battery cells, the method comprising:
locating each cell of the plurality of battery cells with individual locating fixtures, each locating fixture comprising a lateral datum and a longitudinal datum;
stacking individual battery cells onto each other with respective individual locating fixtures to form a stack of battery cells; and
removing the individual locating fixtures after forming the stack of battery cells.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising placing a first battery cell against a first locating fixture, thereby locating the first battery cell with the lateral datum and the longitudinal datum, lowering a second locating fixture onto the first locating fixture, and then placing a second battery cell onto the second locating fixture.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein each locating fixture includes a lateral wall and a longitudinal finger, the lateral wall comprising the lateral datum and the longitudinal finger comprising the longitudinal datum.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal finger includes a rounded edge.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising moving the locating fixtures away from the stack in a longitudinal direction.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the locating fixtures along a track away from the stack.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising adhering each battery cell to an adjacent battery cell with an adhesive.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein each locating fixture is a same size as each other locating fixture. 19-20. (canceled)
21. A battery module locating tool comprising:
a support pillar; and
a plurality of fixtures supported on the support pillar, each fixture including a longitudinal finger and a lateral wall, wherein each fixture is individually translatable along the support pillar and arranged to align a battery cell between the longitudinal finger and the lateral wall to a specified alignment.
22. The battery module locating tool of claim 1 , further comprising a track, the support pillar and the plurality of fixtures being slidable along the track.
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/718,980 US11777131B1 (en) | 2022-04-12 | 2022-04-12 | Modular stacking tool and method for a battery |
CN202310349321.1A CN116914217A (en) | 2022-04-12 | 2023-04-04 | Modular stacking tool and method for batteries |
KR1020230044539A KR20230146458A (en) | 2022-04-12 | 2023-04-05 | Modular stacking tool and method for a battery |
DE102023108974.9A DE102023108974A1 (en) | 2022-04-12 | 2023-04-06 | MODULAR BATTERY STACKING TOOL AND METHOD |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US17/718,980 US11777131B1 (en) | 2022-04-12 | 2022-04-12 | Modular stacking tool and method for a battery |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US11777131B1 US11777131B1 (en) | 2023-10-03 |
US20230327171A1 true US20230327171A1 (en) | 2023-10-12 |
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US17/718,980 Active 2042-05-15 US11777131B1 (en) | 2022-04-12 | 2022-04-12 | Modular stacking tool and method for a battery |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US11777131B1 (en) |
KR (1) | KR20230146458A (en) |
CN (1) | CN116914217A (en) |
DE (1) | DE102023108974A1 (en) |
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CN117985453A (en) * | 2024-04-03 | 2024-05-07 | 宁德时代新能源科技股份有限公司 | Switching piece material loading subassembly, switching piece loading attachment and battery production facility |
Citations (3)
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US20180083306A1 (en) * | 2016-09-16 | 2018-03-22 | Kitty Hawk Corporation | Battery assembly techniques |
US20210257653A1 (en) * | 2020-02-14 | 2021-08-19 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Stacking apparatus and stacking method |
US20220363499A1 (en) * | 2021-05-12 | 2022-11-17 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Electrode stacking apparatus |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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KR101713042B1 (en) | 2013-09-30 | 2017-03-07 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | High Temperature Pressing Device for Battery Cell |
KR102192298B1 (en) | 2016-08-08 | 2020-12-17 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | Device for Clamping Battery Cell Comprising Zig Having Recess Portion |
KR20210058143A (en) | 2019-11-13 | 2021-05-24 | 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션 | Battery module, method for manufacturing the battery module, battery pack and vehicle comprising the battery module |
US11450877B2 (en) | 2020-03-16 | 2022-09-20 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | Tooling and method for alignment and assembly of battery module |
US11715859B2 (en) | 2020-03-17 | 2023-08-01 | William Koetting | Battery interconnects including prebent electrical tabs and self-fixturing |
-
2022
- 2022-04-12 US US17/718,980 patent/US11777131B1/en active Active
-
2023
- 2023-04-04 CN CN202310349321.1A patent/CN116914217A/en active Pending
- 2023-04-05 KR KR1020230044539A patent/KR20230146458A/en unknown
- 2023-04-06 DE DE102023108974.9A patent/DE102023108974A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20180083306A1 (en) * | 2016-09-16 | 2018-03-22 | Kitty Hawk Corporation | Battery assembly techniques |
US20210257653A1 (en) * | 2020-02-14 | 2021-08-19 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Stacking apparatus and stacking method |
US20220363499A1 (en) * | 2021-05-12 | 2022-11-17 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Electrode stacking apparatus |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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KR20230146458A (en) | 2023-10-19 |
DE102023108974A1 (en) | 2023-10-12 |
CN116914217A (en) | 2023-10-20 |
US11777131B1 (en) | 2023-10-03 |
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