Current collector shape adjusting device

• US 8,555,695 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Onishi, Masato, Sakai, Shinichi, Doutai, Masaru, Kobayashi, Masaru, Arai, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruddock, Ula C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERNOW, FRANK A
• Application Number:
  US13/492,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20120240654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 295/601, 296/23, 296/231, 723/97, 724/01
• US Class Current: 72/401
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2849 Environmental or reliability testing, e.g. burn-in or validation tests of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of printed circuits boards G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0404 Machines for assembling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0459 Cells or batteries with folded separator between plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/534 characterised by the material of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/538 Connection of several leads or tabs of wound or folded electrode stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/005 Devices for making primary cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/505 Vise type

Abstract

A battery unit is housed in a metallic battery case. In the battery unit, current collectors having bent portions on both sides are fixed to face surfaces of an electrode plate group of a prismatic battery. The portions of the battery case, which correspond to the bent portions, are pressed in a thickness direction. Under the pressure, a short circuit inspection for a short circuit between the battery case and the current collectors of the battery unit is executed. When a projected object exists on the bent portion, a short circuit is generated between the battery case and the current collector by pressing so that a short circuit failure caused by a shape of the current collector can be detected.

Claims

1. A current collector shape adjusting device squashing a projected object on bent portions of current collectors of a battery unit before housing the battery unit in a metallic battery case of a prismatic battery,

the battery unit comprising:

an electrode plate group composed of a plurality of square-shaped positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates stacked via separators in which side edge portions of the electrode plates on the opposite sides are protruded from facing areas of both the electrode plates; and

the current collectors having lead portion joint surfaces, which are respectively provided corresponding to lead portions of positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates in sides of the electrode plate group, face to end portions of the lead portions, and have at least a part to be welded and fixed to the lead portions, and bent portions bend from both side edges of respective lead portion joint surfaces to lie over outer surfaces of the electrode plate group in a stack direction of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates, and

the current collector shape adjusting device comprising;

a work placement unit on which the battery unit is placed;

a pair of pressing pieces provided in both sides of the battery unit in a thickness direction to squash and deform, in the thickness direction, a projected object on the bent portions of the current collectors of the battery unit disposed on said work placement unit;

a pair of piece fixing plates fixing and supporting said respective pressing pieces; and

a moving mechanism moving said pair of piece fixing plates and pressing pieces toward the battery unit placed on said work placement unit,

wherein each of said pressing pieces comprises a head portion made of iron or steel contacting with the bent portion of the current collector, a main body fixed to said piece fixing plate, and a spring disposed between the head portion and the main body,

wherein said pressing pieces are respectively provided corresponding to welding line correspondent portions on the bent portions, which are in extensions of welding lines on lead portion joint surfaces, of the current collectors,

wherein said moving mechanism includes a pair of pressure arms, which are provided corresponding to each of the piece fixing plates to press the piece fixing plates toward the battery unit, and a pressure cylinder having a piston which is connected to one of the pressure arms and a cylinder which is connected to the other of the pressure arms, and

wherein a distance between the pressure arms is adjusted by the piston, which moves forward and backward relative to the cylinder, and when both of the pressure arms are moved to be close to each other, each of the pressing pieces supported by the piece fixing plates are moved toward the battery unit.