Method for Introducing Volatile Liquids into the Housings of Electrical Components and for Closing the Housings

• US 20070074489A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Epcos AG (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Schwake, Andree, Erhardt, Werner
• Application Number:
  US11/556,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20070074489A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/432
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/08 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/10 Sealing, e.g. of lead-in wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/0495 Nanobatteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/627 Filling ports
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/673 Containers for storing liquids; Delivery conduits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49112 including laminating of indefinite length material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

The invention describes a method and a device for introducing volatile liquids into housings of electrical components, in particular of passive electrical components or of electrochemical cells, and for closing the housings. The method can be carried out using an evacuable chamber, a conveyor device for conveying the components, a gas pressure device for generating a gas pressure atmosphere in the chamber, a filling device for introducing a volatile liquid into a component, a closing device for closing the component, and using a programmable sequence control means, which controls the conveyor device, the gas pressure device, the filling device and/or the closing device in such a way that these devices interact in a predetermined manner.

Claims

1. A method for introducing volatile liquids into filling openings of housings of electrical components and for closing the housings, the method which comprises:

a) conveying the components into an evacuatable chamber;

b) generating an inert-gas atmosphere having a first pressure in the chamber such that the first pressure is higher than a vapor pressure of the liquid and below atmospheric pressure, the first pressure being a variable parameter;

c) in a storage vessel, bringing the liquid to a second pressure that differs from the first pressure;

d) using at least one delivery device to introduce a quantity of the liquid, which is associated with a free volume of a housing and which is a variable parameter, through at least one of the filling openings of the housings;

e) increasing pressure in the chamber to a third pressure being higher than the first pressure, the third pressure being a variable parameter;

f) repeating steps d) and e) until a predetermined quantity of the liquid has been introduced into each one of the housings; and

g) closing the filling openings in the housings and sealing the filling openings in an inert-gas atmosphere having a fourth pressure.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing the components as passive electrical components or as electrochemical cells.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing an inert gas of the inert-gas atmosphere as an element from an eighth main group of a periodic system.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing an inert gas of the inert-gas atmosphere as argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide or helium.

5. The method according to claim 1, which comprises cooling an inert gas of the inert-gas atmosphere.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises insuring that a water content and an oxygen content of the inert-gas atmosphere is below 100 ppm.

7. The method according to claim 1, which comprises cooling the liquid to a temperature above a crystallization point.

8. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing the liquid as a liquid capable of being gelled or polymerized after it has been introduced into the filling openings.

9. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing the liquid as a substance selected from a group consisting of nitrile, a glycol, a lactone, a sulphone, a carboxylic acid ester, a ketone, an aldehyde and a carbonate.

10. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing the liquid as a mixture having at least one dissolved conductive salt and at least two substances selected from a group consisting of nitrile, a glycol, a lactone, a sulphone, a carboxylic acid ester, a ketone, an aldehyde and a carbonate.

11. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing the liquid as salts that are molten at room temperature.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the housings, which are filled and closed, form lithium ion cells, lithium-thionyl chloride cells or lithium-sulfur dioxide cells.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the housings, which are filled and closed, form electrochemical double-layer capacitors, aluminum electrolyte capacitors, hybrid capacitors or pseudo-capacitors.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of closing the filling openings includes riveting, flanging or welding.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fourth pressure is a subatmospheric pressure or a superatmospheric pressure.

16. The method according to claim 1, which comprises, before performing step a), drying and then cooling the components.

17. The method according to claim 1, which comprises performing the step of introducing the quantity of liquid through at least one of the filling openings and the step of closing the filling openings in two separate chambers.

18. The method according to claim 1, which comprises conveying the components on pallets such that the position of each one of the components can be determined.