Insulation failure inspecting apparatus, insulation failure inspecting method using same, and method for manufacturing electrochemical cell

• US 9,076,601 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamashita, Takanori, Akita, Hirohisa, Akiyama, Noboru, Okushita, Masataka
• Primary Examiner(s): ANGWIN, DAVID PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US13/498,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20120186071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 295/93, 324/522, 324/551, 324/546
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/12 Testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage ; Testing or monitoring effectiveness or level of insulation, e.g. of a cable or of an apparatus, for example using partial discharge measurements; Electrostatic testing G01R31/08, G01R31/327 and G01R31/72 take precedence; measuring in plasmas G01R19/0061; measuring dielectric constants G01R27/2617; ESD, EMC or EMP testing of circuits G01R31/002
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/1263 of solid or fluid materials, e.g. insulation films, bulk material; of semiconductors or LV electronic components or parts; of cable, line or wire insulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3865 related to manufacture, e.g. testing after manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/06 with one of the electrodes allowing ions to be reversibly doped thereinto, e.g. lithium ion capacitors [LIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/14 Arrangements or processes for adjusting or protecting hybrid or EDL capacitors emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for capacitors, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions H02H7/16; emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltages without disconnection H02H9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/20 Reformation or processes for removal of impurities, e.g. scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/80 Gaskets; Sealings
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• 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 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell includes housing a main cell body in an outer packaging body of packaging material formed by laminating a metal foil layer and a heat-sealable resin layer, provided the tip ends of a first metal terminal and a second metal terminal are protruding outside the outer packaging body, heat-sealing a peripheral edge portion of the outer packaging body so the outer packaging body has the first and second terminals protruding; applying a voltage between the first terminal and the foil layer or between the second terminal and the foil layer; and inspecting for insulation failure from a short circuit between the first or second terminal and the foil layer or from a crack in the heat-sealable resin layer, based on a variation of a voltage held between the one of the metal terminals and the metal foil layer after halting the voltage.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises:

an electrochemical cell main body including;

a positive electrode that is composed of a positive electrode active material and a positive electrode current collector provided with a first metal terminal at an end portion thereof;

a negative electrode that is composed of a negative electrode active material and a negative electrode current collector provided with a second metal terminal at an end portion thereof; and

an electrolyte filled between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and

an outer packaging body made of a packaging material formed by sequentially laminating at least a metal foil layer and a heat-sealable resin layer, and wherein

the method comprises;

housing the electrochemical cell main body in the outer packaging body so that tip ends of the first and second metal terminals protrude outside of the outer packaging body;

heat-sealing a peripheral edge portion of the outer packaging body, the outer packaging body having the first and second metal terminals protruding;

subsequently applying a voltage between the first metal terminal and the metal foil layer or between the second metal terminal and the metal foil layer; and

performing an inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure due to a short circuit between the first or second metal terminal and the metal foil layer or due to a crack in the heat-sealable resin layer, based on a variation of a voltage held between the one of the metal terminals and the metal foil layer after the voltage application is halted.

2. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein

a voltage of 10 V or lower is used as a voltage to be applied between the first or second the metal terminal and the metal foil layer.

3. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein

a voltage is applied between the first or second metal terminal and the metal foil layer in a margin region not to be heat-sealed provided at part of the peripheral edge portion of the outer packaging body.

4. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 2, wherein

a voltage is applied between the first or second metal terminal and the metal foil layer lying in a margin region not to be heat-sealed provided at part of the peripheral edge portion of the outer packaging body.

5. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is before filling the electrolyte in the outer packaging body.

6. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 2, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is before filling the electrolyte in the outer packaging body.

7. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 3, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is before filling the electrolyte in the outer packaging body.

8. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 4, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is before filling the electrolyte in the outer packaging body.

9. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is after the electrolyte is filled in the outer packaging body.

10. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 2, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is after the electrolyte is filled in the outer packaging body.

11. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 3, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is after the electrolyte is filled in the outer packaging body.

12. The method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell according to claim 4, wherein

performing the inspection as to whether or not there is an insulation failure is after the electrolyte is filled in the outer packaging body.