JP2018006210A - Constraint jig - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the time required for the temperature of a power storage device to rise to an aging temperature.SOLUTION: A constraint jig 50 has a frame body 51. The frame body 51 has a first lateral wall 54 which is erected from a pair of sides 52a facing each other. A facing direction of the pair of sides 52a is defined as a first direction, while a direction along the pair of sides 52a is defined as a second direction. The constraint jig 50 has a plurality of spacers 71. The spacers 71 each have a rectangular plate-like shape. Each of the spacers 71 has: a rectangular plate-like resin part 72; and heat conduction parts 73 on both sides sandwiching the resin part 72 from a plate thickness direction. With a secondary battery 10 and the spacers 71 aligned in the second direction, a lateral face 71a of the spacer 71 comes into contact with the first lateral wall 54.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a restraining jig.

  A power storage device such as a secondary battery or a capacitor includes a case and an electrode assembly housed in the case. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of electrodes stacked in layers while being insulated from each other.

  When manufacturing a power storage device, an electrode assembly is housed in a case, and then an electrolytic solution is injected into the case from a liquid injection port provided in the case. Next, aging is performed to stabilize and activate the power storage device. When performing aging, the temperature of the power storage device is maintained at a predetermined aging temperature. For example, the power storage device is accommodated in a thermostat, the temperature in the thermostat is adjusted, and the temperature of the power storage device is maintained at the aging temperature.

  Further, when performing aging, it is necessary to suppress an increase in the internal pressure of the case accompanying the generation of gas and the expansion of the case accompanying the expansion of each electrode. For example, in the method for manufacturing a power storage device disclosed in Patent Document 1, after injecting an electrolytic solution into a case of the power storage device, the case is restrained by a restraining jig.

JP 2013-1118048 A

By the way, when aging a power storage device, it is desired to quickly increase the temperature of the power storage device to the aging temperature.
An object of the present invention is to provide a restraining jig that can shorten the time required for the temperature of the power storage device to rise to the aging temperature.

  A restraining jig that solves the above problem is a restraining jig that restrains a rectangular parallelepiped power storage device in which an electrode assembly that overlaps in layers in a state where electrodes of different polarities are insulated, the bottom, and A frame including a guide wall standing from a pair of sides facing the bottom on the peripheral wall, and a direction in which the pair of sides face each other as a first direction, When the direction along the pair of sides is the second direction, the storage device includes spacers alternately arranged with the power storage device in the second direction, and the power storage device is configured such that the stacking direction of the electrodes coincides with the second direction. The spacer has heat conduction parts having higher heat conductivity than the resin part on both sides of the resin part, and the spacers are arranged so that the power storage device is sandwiched between the heat conduction parts. The surface facing the guide wall is In contact with the serial guide wall.

  When aging the power storage device, the temperature of the thermostatic bath is maintained at the aging temperature. The power storage device, the spacer, and the frame body exchange heat with the gas in the thermostatic chamber. Thereby, the temperature of the power storage device, the spacer, and the frame approaches the aging temperature. Since the spacer is in contact with the frame, the spacer and the frame easily exchange heat, and the temperature of the spacer is likely to rise as compared to the case where the spacer is not in contact with the frame. Since the spacer performs heat exchange with the power storage device, the temperature of the power storage device is likely to increase because the temperature of the spacer is likely to increase. Therefore, the time required to raise the temperature of the power storage device placed in the thermostat to the aging temperature is shortened.

  In addition, the spacer includes a heat conducting portion on both sides of the resin portion. The heat conduction part has higher thermal conductivity than the resin part. Therefore, compared to the case where the entire spacer is a resin portion, the spacer and the frame body can easily exchange heat. Further, the resin part is lighter than the heat conduction part (specific gravity is small). Therefore, the weight of the restraining jig can be reduced as compared with the case where the entire spacer is the heat conducting portion.

In the restraining jig, the spacer may be in contact with the guide wall via heat transfer grease.
The heat transfer grease is deformed between the guide wall of the frame and the spacer, and is in close contact with both. For this reason, it is easy to exchange heat between the frame and the spacer.

About the said restraining jig, you may provide the fin attached to the said frame.
According to this, the gas in the thermostat and the fin exchange heat. Furthermore, since the fins and the frame body perform heat exchange, the temperature of the frame body easily follows the temperature in the thermostatic bath, and the spacer is easily brought to the temperature in the thermostatic bath.

Regarding the restraining jig, the resin portion may be solid.
According to this, heat is easily transmitted to the resin portion.

  According to the present invention, the time required for the temperature of the power storage device to rise to the aging temperature can be shortened.

(A) is a perspective view of a secondary battery shown by cutting a part of the case, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the secondary battery. The schematic block diagram of a thermostat. The perspective view of a restraining jig. The top view of a restraining jig. The perspective view of a spacer. The perspective view of the spacer of a modification.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the restraining jig will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the secondary battery 10 as the power storage device includes a case 11. The case 11 includes a bottomed square box-like case main body 12 that is open on one side, and a plate-like lid 13 that closes an opening portion of the case main body 12. The case body 12 includes a rectangular flat bottom wall 14, two long side walls 15 erected from the long side of the bottom wall 14, and two short side walls 16 erected from the short side of the bottom wall 14. The case body 12 and the lid 13 are joined by welding. The secondary battery 10 of this embodiment is a lithium ion secondary battery. The secondary battery 10 is a rectangular battery and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

  The secondary battery 10 includes a liquid injection port 17 for injecting an electrolyte into the case 11 and a sealing member 18 that closes the liquid injection port 17. The liquid injection port 17 passes through the lid 13 and communicates the inside and outside of the case 11.

  The secondary battery 10 includes an electrode assembly 21 housed in the case 11, and a positive electrode terminal 22 and a negative electrode terminal 23 that exchange power with the electrode assembly 21. The positive terminal 22 and the negative terminal 23 are fixed to the lid 13.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the electrode assembly 21 has a structure in which positive and negative electrodes 24 are stacked in a state of being insulated from each other via a separator 25. The electrode assembly 21 is accommodated in the case 11 so that the long side wall 15 is positioned in the stacking direction of the electrodes 24. The stacking direction of the electrodes 24 and the plate thickness direction of the long side wall 15 are the same direction.

  Next, the thermostat used when performing aging and initial charge / discharge of the secondary battery 10 will be described. The initial charging / discharging is charging / discharging performed for the purpose of conditioning, initial characteristic inspection, and the like in the manufacturing process of the secondary battery.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the thermostatic chamber 30 includes a housing portion 31 that houses the secondary battery 10. The accommodating portion 31 includes a supply port 32 that communicates the inside and outside of the accommodating portion 31. The constant temperature bath 30 includes a supply pipe 33 connected to a supply port 32 and a temperature adjustment device 34. The supply pipe 33 connects the temperature adjustment device 34 and the accommodating portion 31. The temperature adjustment device 34 of the present embodiment includes a heat source 35 that heats gas (air) and a cooling device 36 that cools gas (air). The gas heated or cooled by the temperature adjusting device 34 is supplied into the accommodating portion 31 through the supply pipe 33.

  The constant temperature bath 30 includes a temperature sensor 37 that detects the temperature in the housing portion 31 and a control device 38. The temperature sensor 37 outputs the detection result to the control device 38. The control device 38 maintains the inside of the accommodating portion 31 at a predetermined temperature by switching between driving and stopping of the temperature adjusting device 34 based on the detection result of the temperature sensor 37. When performing aging, the temperature in the accommodating part 31 is adjusted to predetermined aging temperature (for example, 60 degree | times). When performing initial charging / discharging, the temperature in the accommodating part 31 is adjusted to predetermined charging / discharging temperature (for example, 20 degree | times). Thereby, the temperature of the secondary battery 10 in the thermostat 30 is adjusted.

  The thermostatic chamber 30 includes a motor 39 and a turntable 40 that rotates by driving the motor 39 in the housing 31. The turntable 40 includes a mounting surface 40a on the upper surface, and a plurality of secondary batteries 10 are mounted on the mounting surface 40a. Each secondary battery 10 is placed on the placement surface 40 a of the turntable 40 while being restrained by the restraining jig 50.

Next, the restraining jig 50 that restrains the secondary battery 10 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the restraining jig 50 includes a frame body 51. The frame 51 is made of metal (for example, made of aluminum or aluminum alloy). The frame 51 is a bottomed square cylinder. The frame 51 includes a rectangular plate-shaped bottom 52 and a square frame-shaped peripheral wall 53 erected from the periphery of the bottom 52. The peripheral wall 53 includes a first side wall 54 erected from a pair of opposite sides 52a of the bottom 52 and a second side wall 55 erected from two different sides 52b. Prepare. Hereinafter, the opposing direction of the pair of sides 52a is defined as a first direction, and the direction along the pair of sides 52a is defined as a second direction.

  Each of the side walls 54 and 55 has a rectangular plate shape. The first side walls 54 face each other in the thickness direction of the first side walls 54. The second side walls 55 face each other in the thickness direction of the second side wall 55. In the present embodiment, the two first side walls 54 serve as guide walls.

  When the mutually opposing surfaces of the first side walls 54 are the inner surfaces 54a, the inner surfaces 54a are parallel to each other. The separation distance between the inner surfaces 54a of the first side walls 54 is constant throughout. A heat transfer grease 56 is applied to the entire inner surface 54a of the first side wall 54. The heat transfer grease 56 is, for example, silicon grease (silicon rubber) using acetic acid-based silicon.

  One of the two second side walls 55 includes a circular through hole 57. The through hole 57 passes through the second side wall 55 in the thickness direction. The through hole 57 communicates the inside of the region S surrounded by the peripheral wall 53 with the outside of the region S. The through hole 57 has an internal thread on the inner peripheral surface.

  The restraining jig 50 includes fins 58 attached to the frame body 51. The fins 58 are fixed to the outer surface 54 b of each first side wall 54. The fins 58 of this embodiment are corrugated fins obtained by folding a metal plate.

  The restraining jig 50 includes a loading member 60. The load member 60 includes a rod 61 and a pressing plate 62. The rod 61 is cylindrical. The rod 61 includes a male screw on the outer peripheral surface. The male screw of the rod 61 is screwed into the female screw of the through hole 57. The rod 61 straddles the region S and the region S. Of the both ends of the rod 61, the end in the region S is the tip, and the end outside the region S is the base. A rectangular plate-shaped pressing plate 62 is attached to the tip of the rod 61. The thickness direction of the pressing plate 62 is the same direction as the axial direction of the rod 61 (the thickness direction of the second side wall 55). The longitudinal direction of the surface in the thickness direction of the pressing plate 62 is defined as the longitudinal direction of the pressing plate 62, and the short direction of the surface in the thickness direction of the pressing plate 62 is defined as the lateral direction of the pressing plate 62. The pressing plate 62 is attached to the rod 61 so that the longitudinal direction matches the plate thickness direction of the first side wall 54. The longitudinal dimension of the pressing plate 62 is slightly shorter than the distance between the inner surfaces 54 a of the first side walls 54. The dimension of the pressing plate 62 in the short direction is substantially the same as the dimension of the first side wall 54 in the standing direction from the bottom 52.

  The pressing plate 62 is attached to the rod 61 so as not to rotate due to the rotation of the rod 61. The pressing plate 62 is movable in the second direction in the region S by linear movement accompanying the rotation of the rod 61. Although not shown, a handle for assisting the rotation of the rod 61 is attached to the proximal end of the rod 61.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the restraining jig 50 includes a plurality of spacers 71. The spacer 71 has a rectangular plate shape. The spacer 71 includes a rectangular plate-shaped resin portion 72. The resin part 72 is made of a heat conductive resin in which a filler is blended with a resin. As the filler, for example, metal, carbon, ceramics and the like are used. The resin part 72 is solid. The spacer 71 includes heat conducting portions 73 on both sides of the resin portion 72 sandwiched from the plate thickness direction. The heat conducting portion 73 has a rectangular plate shape. The area of the surface of the heat conducting portion 73 in the thickness direction is the same as the area of the surface of the resin portion 72 in the thickness direction. The heat conducting portion 73 covers the entire surface of the resin portion 72 in the plate thickness direction. The heat conducting part 73 is manufactured from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the resin part 72. The heat conducting unit 73 is made of, for example, a metal such as aluminum, or a ceramic material such as silicon nitride or aluminum nitride. The longitudinal direction of the surface in the plate thickness direction of the spacer 71 is the longitudinal direction of the spacer 71, and the short direction of the surface of the spacer 71 in the plate thickness direction is the short direction of the spacer 71.

  The dimension in the longitudinal direction of the spacer 71 is slightly shorter than the distance between the inner surfaces 54 a of the first side walls 54. The dimension of the spacer 71 in the short direction is substantially the same as the dimension of the first side wall 54 in the standing direction from the bottom 52.

  When the secondary battery 10 is restrained using the restraining jig 50, the spacer 71, the secondary battery 10, and the like are disposed between the pressing plate 62 and the second side wall 55 that does not include the through hole 57 in the region S. Are arranged alternately. The spacer 71 and the secondary battery 10 are arranged in the second direction. Note that the spacers 71 are located at both ends in the direction in which the spacers 71 and the secondary battery 10 are arranged. The spacer 71 is disposed such that the plate thickness direction coincides with the second direction and the longitudinal direction coincides with the first direction. The secondary battery 10 is arranged such that the plate thickness direction of the long side wall 15 coincides with the second direction. Accordingly, the secondary battery 10 is sandwiched between the heat conducting portions 73 of the spacers 71 from the stacking direction of the electrodes 24. In this state, the rod 61 is linearly moved so as to approach the spacer 71, and the spacer 71 and the secondary battery 10 are sandwiched between the pressing plate 62 and the second side wall 55, whereby the electrode 24 is stacked in the secondary battery 10. A restraining load is applied.

  In a state where the secondary battery 10 and the spacer 71 are arranged between the first side walls 54, the side surface 71 a located in the longitudinal direction of the spacer 71 is a surface facing the first side wall 54. The side surface 71 a of the spacer 71 is in contact with the inner surface 54 a of the first side wall 54 through the heat transfer grease 56 throughout. That is, when the secondary battery 10 and the spacer 71 are arranged between the first side walls 54 by adjusting at least one of the longitudinal dimension of the spacer 71 and the application amount (thickness) of the heat transfer grease 56. Further, the side surface 71 a of the spacer 71 is in contact with the inner surface 54 a of the first side wall 54 via the heat transfer grease 56.

Next, the operation of the restraining jig 50 of this embodiment will be described.
First, the case where the secondary battery 10 is aged will be described.
When aging the secondary battery 10, a plurality of secondary batteries 10 that are fully charged and then restrained by the restraining jig 50 are placed on the mounting surface 40 a of the turntable 40 in the housing portion 31. Place. And the inside of the accommodating part 31 (constant temperature bath 30) is maintained by aging temperature by the temperature control apparatus 34. FIG.

  The temperatures of the frame body 51, the spacer 71, and the secondary battery 10 approach the aging temperature by exchanging heat with the air in the housing portion 31 (the temperature of the secondary battery 10 increases). Since the frame body 51 and the spacer 71 are in contact with each other, the heat of the frame body 51 is transmitted to the spacer 71. The heat transferred to the spacer 71 is transferred to the secondary battery 10. Since the frame 51 is made of metal, the temperature of the spacer 71 rises faster than when the side surface 71 a of the spacer 71 is exposed to the gas in the housing portion 31.

Next, the case where the initial charge / discharge of the secondary battery 10 is performed will be described.
Similarly to the case of aging when performing the initial charge / discharge of the secondary battery 10, the secondary battery 10 restrained by the restraining jig 50 is accommodated in the thermostatic chamber 30, and is stored in the accommodating portion 31 (the thermostatic chamber 30). Maintain temperature at charge / discharge temperature.

  The secondary battery 10 generates heat by charging and discharging. For this reason, the temperature of the secondary battery 10 tends to be higher than the charge / discharge temperature. The heat generated by charging / discharging is transmitted to the heat conducting portion 73 of the spacer 71 and is transmitted from the spacer 71 to the first side wall 54 of the frame body 51. The heat transferred to the spacer 71 is transferred to the frame 51, whereby the secondary battery 10 is dissipated. Since the frame 51 is made of metal, the heat dissipation efficiency of the secondary battery 10 is higher than when the side surface 71 a of the spacer 71 is exposed to the gas in the housing portion 31.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The restraining jig 50 includes a spacer 71. In a state where the secondary battery 10 and the spacer 71 are arranged in the second direction, the side surface 71 a of the spacer 71 is in contact with the first side wall 54. When the secondary battery 10 is aged, heat is transferred from the frame 51 to the spacer 71, so that the temperature of the spacer 71 is likely to rise and the temperature of the secondary battery 10 is likely to rise. For this reason, the time required to raise the temperature of the secondary battery 10 to the aging temperature can be shortened.

  (2) Further, when performing initial charge / discharge, heat generated by the secondary battery 10 is transmitted from the spacer 71 to the frame body 51. Since the frame 51 is made of metal, heat is more easily transmitted from the spacer 71 than the gas in the housing portion 31. Since the heat dissipation efficiency of the secondary battery 10 can be increased, it is possible to suppress the temperature of the secondary battery 10 from becoming higher than the charge / discharge temperature due to heat generated by the secondary battery 10 due to charge / discharge. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the temperature of the secondary battery 10 at the charge / discharge temperature.

  (3) The spacer 71 includes a resin portion 72 and a heat conducting portion 73 provided on both sides of the resin portion 72. Since the thermal conductivity of the heat conducting portion 73 is higher than that of the resin portion 72, heat exchange between the spacer 71 and the secondary battery 10 is easier than when the entire spacer 71 is the resin portion 72. By making the portion in contact with the secondary battery 10 in the spacer 71 as the heat conducting portion 73, heat exchange between the secondary battery 10 and the spacer 71 is further facilitated.

  Further, the resin portion 72 is lighter than the heat conducting portion 73 (the specific gravity is small). Therefore, the restraining jig 50 can be reduced in weight as compared with the case where the entire spacer 71 is the heat conducting portion 73. For this reason, it is easy to carry the restraining jig 50 when placing the restraining jig 50 restraining the secondary battery 10 on the placement surface 40a of the turntable 40.

  (4) The heat transfer grease 56 is applied to the inner surface 54 a of the first side wall 54. The heat transfer grease 56 can be deformed between the first side wall 54 and the side surface 71 a of the spacer 71. Therefore, the first side wall 54 and the heat transfer grease 56 and the side surface 71a of the spacer 71 and the heat transfer grease 56 are in close contact with each other. For this reason, the 1st side wall 54 and the side surface 71a of the spacer 71 can be contact | adhered via the heat transfer grease 56, and the frame 51 and the spacer 71 are easy to perform heat exchange.

  (5) Fins 58 are provided on the outer surface 54 b of the first side wall 54. The fins 58 exchange heat with the gas in the thermostat 30. Furthermore, since the fins 58 and the frame body 51 perform heat exchange, the temperature of the frame body 51 easily follows the temperature in the thermostat 30, and the spacer 71 is easily brought to the temperature in the thermostat 30.

(6) The resin part 72 is solid. For this reason, heat is easily transmitted to the resin part 72, and heat exchange is easily performed between the resin part 72 and the frame 51.
In addition, you may change embodiment as follows.

  The resin part 72 of the spacer 71 may be provided with a concave line extending in a direction along the surface in the plate thickness direction. In this case, the heat conducting portion 73 of the spacer 71 includes a protrusion so as to be inserted into the recess. Since the spacer 71 can increase the heat transfer area of the heat conducting portion 73 by the amount of the ridges, the thermal conductivity of the spacer 71 can be increased as compared with the case where there is no protrusion. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the resin portion 72 of the spacer 71 may include a plurality of concave strips 74 extending in the longitudinal direction, arranged in the lateral direction. The heat conducting portion 73 includes a plurality of ridges 75 so as to be inserted into the ridges 74 of the resin portion 72. By extending the ridges 75 between the side surfaces 71a in contact with the inner surface 54a of the first side wall 54, the area of the heat conducting portion 73 on the side surfaces 71a increases as compared to the case where there are no ridges 75. For this reason, the contact area between the heat conducting portion 73 and the frame 51 can be increased, and heat exchange is easily performed between the spacer 71 and the frame 51. The resin portion 72 of the spacer 71 may have a concave shape extending in the short direction of the spacer 71. In this case, the heat conducting portion 73 of the spacer 71 has a convex shape extending in the short direction of the spacer 71.

The resin part 72 may be made of a resin that does not contain a filler.
○ At least a portion in contact with the secondary battery 10 in the heat conducting portion 73 may be a flat surface, and a portion not in contact with the secondary battery 10 may not be a flat surface.

  The side surface 71a of the spacer 71 and the inner surface 54a of the first side wall 54 may be in direct contact. That is, the spacer 71 and the frame 51 may be in contact with each other without using the heat transfer grease 56.

As the fins 58, other than corrugated fins may be used. For example, a plate fin provided with a plurality of plates standing from a flat base portion may be used.
-The fin 58 does not need to be provided.

The resin part 72 does not have to be solid. For example, the resin part 72 may include a housing part therein. For example, refrigerant is accommodated in the accommodating portion.
○ For example, when it is not necessary to cool the gas, for example, when only aging is performed, the temperature adjustment device 34 of the thermostatic bath 30 may include only the heat source 35.

The secondary battery 10 may be a nickel hydride secondary battery. The power storage device may be a capacitor.
The electrode assembly 21 may be a wound type in which a belt-like positive electrode and a belt-like negative electrode are wound and laminated in layers.

The fin 58 may be attached to the second side wall 55.
The heat transfer grease 56 may be provided on a part of the inner surface 54 a of the first side wall 54. For example, the spacer 71 may be provided only at a portion facing the side surface 71a. Further, the heat transfer grease 56 may not be provided in a portion located between the pressing plate 62 and the second side wall 55 having the through hole 57.

O When the heat conducting portion 73 is made of aluminum, an alumite treatment may be performed.
○ When performing the initial charge / discharge, it is not always necessary to perform in the constant temperature bath, and for example, it may be performed in a room having the same temperature as the outside air temperature. Even in that case, since the heat dissipation of the secondary battery 10 is promoted, the temperature change of the secondary battery 10 is suppressed against the heat generated by the initial charge / discharge.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Secondary battery (electric storage apparatus), 11 ... Case, 21 ... Electrode assembly, 24 ... Electrode, 30 ... Thermostatic bath, 50 ... Restraint jig, 51 ... Frame, 52 ... Bottom part, 52a ... A pair of edge | side, 54 ... 1st side wall (guide wall), 56 ... Heat-transfer grease, 58 ... Fin, 71 ... Spacer, 71a ... Side surface (surface facing a guide wall), 72 ... Resin part, 73 ... Heat conduction part.

Claims (4)

A restraining jig for restraining a rectangular parallelepiped power storage device that houses an electrode assembly that overlaps in layers in a state where electrodes of different polarities are insulated,
A frame including a bottom, and a peripheral wall standing upright from the bottom, and including a guide wall standing upright from a pair of sides facing the bottom on the peripheral wall;
A direction in which the pair of sides face each other is a first direction, and a direction along the pair of sides is a second direction, and includes a spacer that is alternately arranged with the power storage device in the second direction,
The power storage device is arranged so that the stacking direction of the electrodes coincides with the second direction,
The spacer has a heat conduction part having higher heat conductivity than the resin part on both sides of the resin part, and the guide wall is arranged so that the power storage device is sandwiched by the heat conduction part. A restraining jig in which the surface facing the guide wall contacts the guide wall.   The restraint jig according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is in contact with the guide wall via heat transfer grease.   The restraining jig according to claim 1, further comprising a fin attached to the frame.   The restraining jig according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the resin portion is solid.

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