Method and system for assembling a battery module

• US 8,519,715 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LISA Draxlmaier GmbH, Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: LISA Draxlmaier GmbH, Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Toomre, Erik, Rueter, Karsten, Hofer, Guido
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/009,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/434, 429/98
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0404 Machines for assembling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• 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 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

A test fixture for testing a plurality of longitudinal battery cells includes: a base plate; a plurality of holding structures for holding the battery cells, the holding structures being mounted on the base plate and configured to hold the battery cells with their longitudinal axes being perpendicular with respect to the base plate; and a plurality of contacts arranged on the base plate to electrically contact positive and negative terminals of each of the battery cells.

Claims

1. A test fixture for testing a plurality of longitudinal battery cells, comprising:

a base plate;

a plurality of holding structures adapted to hold the battery cells, the holding structures being mounted on the base plate and configured to hold the battery cells with their longitudinal axes being perpendicular with respect to the base plate; and

a plurality of contacts arranged on the base plate to electrically contact positive and negative terminals of each of the battery cells.

2. The test fixture according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holding structures includes a plurality of pins arranged perpendicular with respect to the base plate.

3. The test fixture according to claim 2, wherein the pins are arranged in a matrix, and wherein each battery cell is contacted and held by four pins arranged in a rectangular pattern.

4. The test fixture according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts include for each battery cell a first electrical pin configured to contact a contact of the battery cell protruding from a center of an end face of the battery cell, and a second electrical pin configured to contact a contact lip of the battery cell extending from a cylindrical lateral surface of the battery cell on a side of the end face.

5. The test fixture according to claim 1, further comprising a connector adapted to electrically couple the plurality of contacts of the test fixture to a test circuit to test a voltage of the battery cells.

6. The test fixture according to claim 1, wherein the holding structures of the test fixture are configured to be inserted into gaps between the battery cells, when the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a delivery packaging with their longitudinal axes being arranged in parallel.

7. An effector for engaging and disengaging a plurality of longitudinal battery cells, comprising:

a holder device;

a plurality of effector units arranged at the holder device, each of the effector units being configured to selectively engage and disengage one of the plurality of battery cells; and

a distance control unit coupled to the plurality of effector units, the distance control unit being configured to selectively control a distance between the effector units.

8. The effector according to claim 7, wherein the effector units are arranged linearly at the holder device, wherein the distance control unit is configured to selectively linearly displace the effector units in order to selectively control the distance between neighboring effector units.

9. The effector according to claim 7, further comprising a rotary unit coupled to the holder device, the rotary unit being adapted to rotate the holder device together with the plurality of effector units.

10. The effector according to claim 7, wherein each effector unit includes an electromagnet configured to selectively engage and disengage a contact area of the electromagnet with a magnetic end face of one of the plurality of battery cells by selectively actuating the electromagnet.

11. The effector according to claim 7, wherein each effector unit includes a suction area configured to selectively engage and disengage the suction area with an end face of one of the plurality of battery cells by activation and deactivation of suction, respectively.

12. The effector according to claim 7, wherein each effector unit includes a permanent magnet configured to engage a contact area of the permanent magnet with a magnetic end face of one of the plurality of battery cells, and an ejector device configured to disengage said one of the plurality of battery cells.

13. The effector according to claim 12, wherein the ejector device includes an ejector pin configured to be selectively extended beyond the contact area of the permanent magnet.

14. The effector according to claim 12, wherein the ejector device includes an air pressure outlet in the contact area of the permanent magnet.

15. The effector according to claim 7, wherein a contact area of the effector unit where the effector unit contacts an end face of the one of the plurality of the battery cells is smaller than a corresponding contact area of the one of the plurality of the battery cells.

16. A system for assembling a battery module, the battery module including a plurality of longitudinal battery cells, the system comprising:

a test fixture adapted to test at least a part of the plurality of battery cells; and

an effector adapted to transfer at least a part of the plurality of battery cells from the test fixture into the battery module;

wherein the test fixture includes;

a base plate;

a plurality of holding structures adapted to hold the battery cells, the holding structures being mounted on the base plate and configured to hold the battery cells with their longitudinal axes being perpendicular with respect to the base plate; and

a plurality of contacts arranged on the base plate to electrically contact positive and negative terminals of each of the battery cells; and

wherein the effector includes;

a holder device;

a plurality of effector units arranged on the holder device, each of the effector units being configured to selectively engage and disengage one of the plurality of battery cells; and

a distance control unit coupled to the plurality of effector units, the distance control unit being configured to selectively control a distance between the effector units.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the battery module includes a plurality of receiving locations adapted to receive the plurality of battery cells, the system further comprising a monitoring device configured to monitor at least one of the receiving locations and to determine, if the at least one receiving location is empty or if a battery cell is inserted in the at least one receiving location.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the monitoring device includes at least one of (a) a camera, (b) a laser sensor, (c) an ultrasonic sensor, and (d) a weight sensor.

19. A method for manufacturing a battery module, the battery module including a battery module frame for receiving a plurality of longitudinal battery cells, the method comprising:

automatically picking up a plurality of battery cells from a delivery packaging of the battery cells using a test fixture;

automatically testing a voltage of each of the plurality of picked up battery cells in the test fixture; and

automatically transferring battery cells based on a result of the testing from the test fixture to the battery module frame using an effector.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged in the delivery packaging with their longitudinal axes being arranged in parallel, wherein the picking up the plurality of battery cells from the delivery packaging includes:

inserting holding structures arranged on a base plate of the test fixture into gaps between the battery cells in the delivery packaging from the top;

turning the test fixture together with the battery cells and the delivery packaging such that the battery cells are held by the holding structures and the base plate; and

removing the delivery packaging.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the transferring the battery cells from the test fixture to the battery module includes:

automatically identifying the battery cells which fulfilled a pass criterion in the testing;

engaging the battery cells with the effector, the effector including a holder device and a plurality of effector units arranged at the holder device, each of the effector units selectively engages one of the plurality of battery cells;

removing the engaged battery cells from the test fixture by lifting the effector;

adjusting a distance between the effector units according to a distance between receiving openings for the battery cells in the battery module frame;

transferring and inserting the battery cells in the battery module frame; and

disengaging the effector units from the battery cells.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising automatically transferring battery cells which did not pass the voltage test from the test fixture to a quality control disposition area.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the battery module frame includes a plurality of receiving locations adapted to receive the plurality of battery cells, the method further comprising automatically monitoring at least one of the receiving locations and determining, if the at least one receiving location is empty or if a battery cell is inserted in the at least one receiving location.