DEVICE FOR FORMING SHARK FIN OF 3-SIDED SEALING POUCH TYPE SECONDARY BATTERY

The disclosed device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery includes: lower props being in contact with a lower surface of a terrace connected to shark fins formed at a front end and a rear end of a sealed surface of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery; upper props being in contact with an upper surface of the terrace connected to the shark fins; and folding bars folding the shark fins exposed to the outside of the terrace gripped by the lower prop and the upper prop, and heating elements are installed inside the folding bars, the folding bars fold the shark fins upwards while moving up below the shark fins.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery, and particularly, to a device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery which can fold a shark fin based on a folding line formed in shark fins of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery.

BACKGROUND ART

This section provides background information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

Secondary batteries are widely used as a power source for mobile devices such as mobile phones and laptops. In particular, the use of lithium secondary batteries is rapidly increasing due to the advantages of high operating voltage and high energy density per unit weight.

These lithium secondary batteries mainly use lithium-based oxide as a positive electrode active material and carbon material as a negative electrode active material, and depending on the type of electrolyte, the lithium secondary batteries may be classified into lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, and lithium polymer batteries, and depending on an outer shape of the battery, the lithium secondary batteries may be classified into cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch type secondary batteries.

Representatively, in terms of battery shape, there is high demand for the prismatic secondary batteries and the pouch type secondary batteries that can be applied to products due to a thin thickness thereof.

In particular, an interest in the pouch type secondary batteries is concentrated because pouch type secondary batteries have no restrictions on shape and size, are easy to assemble through heat fusion, and easily effectively expel gas or liquid when abnormal behavior occurs, making them suitable for manufacturing lightweight and thin thickness cells.

Generally, the pouch type secondary battery has a structure in which an electrode assembly is installed inside a pouch exterior material made of an aluminum laminate sheet. That is, the pouch type secondary battery forms an accommodating part for mounting the electrode assembly on the aluminum laminate sheet, and with the electrode assembly mounted on the accommodating part, a separate aluminum laminate sheet or an extended aluminum laminate sheet is separated from the aluminum laminate sheet is thermally fused and manufactured.

Meanwhile, in the detachable pouch exterior material, two aluminum laminate sheets are combined by overlapping and sealing each other, so during the manufacturing process of the secondary battery, the accommodation parts on both sides must be overlapped in the correct position with the electrode assembly built in. In addition, since two units of aluminum laminate sheets are joined on four sides to form a sealing portion, all four sealed surfaces come into contact with the atmosphere, which greatly increases the possibility of air entering during long-term use, thereby shortening the lifespan of the battery.

To solve this problem, techniques have been introduced for forming two corresponding accommodation parts on one aluminum laminate sheet, overlapping them, and sealing the three sides.

FIG.1is a diagram illustrating a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery related to the present invention, and the three-side sealing pouch type secondary battery10is manufactured by forming two accommodation parts14having shapes and sizes perfectly corresponding on one pouch laminate sheet12, bending a central portion between accommodation parts14, and overlapping the accommodation parts14under a state in which an electrode assembly (not illustrated) is mounted on any one accommodation part14, and sealing three remaining 3 sides other than the bent side.

The 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10may maintain a sealed state without a sealing process of combining the pouch laminate sheet12to one side16(hereinafter, referred to as ‘sealed surface’) among four sides, and a sealing portion (so-called ‘wing’) formed by the sealing process is not generated, so a volume of the pouch type secondary battery10is reduced.

As a result, a space where the pouch type secondary battery10is accommodated in an electric vehicle is reduced.

However, in the above-mentioned 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10, while the pouch laminate sheet12of the sealed surface16on 3 sides is pressed, shark fins18are inevitably formed between both ends of the sealed surface16and a terrace20illustrated inFIG.1.

The formed shark fin18reduces a volume reduction effect of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10. Accordingly, a process for eliminating the increase in volume caused by the shark fin18is required.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

One object of the present invention is to provide a device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery which may fold a shark fin based on a folding line formed in shark fins of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery which may fold the shark fin while ensuring electrical insulation for an adhesive layer.

Further, an object to be achieved by the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned technical objects, and other technical objects, which are not mentioned above, will be apparently appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

Technical Solution

This section provides a general summary of the invention and is not a comprehensive invention of its full scope or all of its features.

In order to solve the problem, a device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to any one aspect of various aspects for describing the present invention includes: lower props being in contact with a lower surface of a terrace connected to shark fins formed at a front end and a rear end of a sealed surface of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery; upper props being in contact with an upper surface of the terrace connected to the shark fins; and folding bars folding the shark fins exposed to the outside of the terrace gripped by the lower prop and the upper prop, and heating elements may be installed inside the folding bars, the folding bars may fold the shark fins upwards while moving up below the shark fins, and front surfaces of the folding bars contacting the shark fins may be formed as inclination surfaces extended to be inclined downwards to a rear surface of the lower prop from upper surfaces of the folding bars, and the inclination surface and the lower surface of the folding bar may be connected to convex curvature surfaces.

In the device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to any one aspect of various aspects for describing the present invention, a folding line may be provided, which is aligned with the sealed surface, and formed up to an adjacent location of the sealed surface from ends of both terraces facing both ends of the sealed surface, the upper props may be extended in a longitudinal direction of the folding line so as to be parallel to the sealed surface, upper prop tips contacting the upper surfaces of the terrace connected to the folding lines may be formed at lower portions of the upper props, the lower props may be extended in the longitudinal direction of the folding line so as to be parallel to the sealed surface, and lower prop tips contacting the lower surfaces of the terrace connected to the folding lines may be formed at upper portions of the lower props.

In the device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to any one aspect of various aspects for describing the present invention, an edge portion of the lower prop tip may be formed as a curvature surface, and an edge formed when an upper surface of the lower prop tip and a rear surface of the lower prop tip meet may be in contact with a boundary line formed by the folding lines and the lower surface of the terrace, and an edge portion of the upper prop tip may be formed as the curvature surface, and an edge formed when a lower surface of the upper prop tip and a rear surface of the upper prop tip meet may be in contact with a boundary line formed by the folding lines and the upper surface of the terrace.

In the device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to any one aspect of various aspects for describing the present invention, the lower props may be provided to be guided to a folding location jointly with the upper props and the folding bars by actuation of an X-axis transfer means, and be in contact with the lower surface of the terrace connected to the shark fins, and returned by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means jointly with the upper props and the folding bars upon completing folding of the shark fins, and the upper props may be guided to a folding location jointly with the lower props and the folding bars by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means, and moved down by actuation of a Z-axis transfer means and be in contact with the upper surface of the terrace connected to the shark fins, and moved up by the actuation of the Z-axis transfer means upon completing the folding of the shark fins, and returned by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means jointly with the lower props and the folding bars.

In the device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to any one aspect of various aspects for describing the present invention, the folding bars may be disposed on rear surfaces of the lower props, and the folding bars may be provided to have a length corresponding to lengths of the shark fins.

In the device for forming a shark fin of a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to any one aspect of various aspects for describing the present invention, the folding bars may be provided to be guided to a folding location jointly with the lower props and the upper props by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means, and fold the shark fins upwards based on the folding lines while being moved up by actuation of another Z-axis transfer means, and moved down by actuation of yet another Z-axis transfer means upon completing the folding of the shark fins and at the same time, returned by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means jointly with the lower props and the upper props.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, an effect can be provided, which can easily fold the shark fin based on the folding line formed at shark fins of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery.

According to the present invention, since the shark fin is folded by assigning heat and pressure upon folding the shark fin, the adhesive layer of the shark fin can be melted and flow to a portion where electrical insulation is broken, and as a result, an effect can be provided, which can ensure the electrical insulation for the adhesive layer of the shark fin.

MODES OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of implementing a 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to drawings.

However, it cannot be said that the intrinsic technical spirit of the invention is limited to an exemplary embodiment described below, and it is disclosed that the technical spirit includes a scope which may be easily proposed by a method of substitutions or changes for the exemplary embodiment described below based on the intrinsic technical spirit of the invention by those skilled in the art.

Further, since terms used below are selected for easy description, the terms are not limited to dictionary meanings and should be appropriately interpreted as meanings consistent with the technical spirit of the invention in order to grasp the intrinsic technical spirit of the invention.

Among the accompanying drawings,FIG.2is a process diagram schematically illustrating a process in which shark fins of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery related to the present invention are folded.

Referring toFIG.2, both ends of a sealed surface16of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10(seeFIG.1) related to the present invention, and shark fins18formed in both terraces20connected to both ends of the sealed surface16are folded in a predetermined shape while sequentially going through a folding line forming process S1, a folding process S2, and a heating press process S3.

The folding line forming process S1is a process of forming folding lines L (seeFIG.6) which are folding reference lines between the terraces20and the shark fins18formed at both ends of the sealed surface16, the folding process S2is a process of folding the shark fin18upwards based on the folding line L, and the heating press process S3is a process of completing shapes of the folded shark fins18so that the folded shark fins18are not restored to an original shape.

Here, when the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10is viewed from the top as illustrated inFIG.3, the folding lines L formed in the folding line forming process S1are formed to be aligned with the sealed surface16from ends of both terraces20facing both ends of the sealed surface16up to a location adjacent to an accommodation part14(main room), and the folding lines L are formed to have lengths corresponding to sealing areas of both terraces20, and the folding lines L and the accommodation part14(main room) are formed to maintain an interval of 1 mm or more.

Preferably, the shark fins18are folded to form the substantially same plane as the sealed surface16.

More preferably, after the heating press process S3, a cooling process of cooling the shark fin18heated in the heating press process S3may be further included.

Meanwhile, devices that perform the folding line forming process S1, the folding process S2, and the heating press process S3are installed in line at one side of a process progress path D as illustrated.

In addition, for folding the shark fins18, the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10is vacuum-adsorbed on a cell transfer shuttle (not illustrated) while the sealed surface16is laid down to face one side of the process progress path D, and the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10mounted on the cell transfer shuttle sequentially goes through the folding line forming process S1, the folding process S2, and the heating press process S3by actuation of the cell transfer shuttle.

Here, the process progress path D which is formed in a Y-axis direction (seeFIG.2) as illustrated, means a path in which the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10is mounted on the cell transfer shuttle, and transferred for folding the shark fins18.

A shark fin forming device200of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10according to the present invention as a device that performs the folding process S2among the above-mentioned processes folds shark fins18formed at a front end and a rear end of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10mounted on the cell transfer shuttle and guided based on the folding lines L in the folding line forming process S1.

Among the accompanying drawings,FIGS.4to8are diagrams illustrating the shark fin forming device of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to the present invention.

Referring toFIGS.4to6, the shark fin forming device200of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery according to the present invention includes lower props210aand210b, upper props220aand220b, and folding bars230aand230b.

First, the lower props210aand210bcontact the lower surface of the terrace20connected to the shark fins18, preferably the lower surface of the terrace20connected to the folding lines L, to grip the terrace20so as not to interfere with the folding line L jointly with the upper props220aand220b.

The lower props210aand210bare provided as a pair to face the shark fins18formed on the front and rear ends of the sealing surface16and the accommodation part14(main room) of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10, respectively.

The lower props210aand210bare provided in an approximately vertical plate shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the folding line L, and lower prop tips212aand212bcontacting a boundary line formed by the lower surface of the terrace20connected to the folding lines L are formed at upper portions of the lower props210aand210b.

In this case, edge portions of the lower prop tips212aand212bare rounded to prevent scratches, etc. from occurring when contacting the terrace20, the folding lines L, and the shark fins18, and edges formed when upper surfaces of the lower prop tips212aand212b, and rear surfaces of the lower prop tips212aand212bfacing the process progress path D meet are in contact with boundary lines formed by the folding lines L and the lower surface of the terrace20.

The lower prop tips212aand212bof the lower props210aand210bare guided to a folding location in an X-axis direction jointly with the upper props220aand220band the folding bars230aand230bby actuation of a normal X-axis transfer means upon folding the shark fins18, and are in contact with the lower surface of the terrace20connected to the shark fin18, and returned in the X-axis direction by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means described above jointly with the upper props220aand220b, and the folding bars230aand230bupon completing folding of the shark fins18.

In the accompanying drawing, a normal pneumatic cylinder is illustrated as the X-axis transfer means, but anyone will be able to see that the X-axis transfer means is not limited to the pneumatic cylinder.

The upper props220aand220bare in contact with the upper surface of the terrace20connected to the shark fins18, preferably the upper surface of the terrace20connected to the folding lines L, to grip the terrace20so as not to interfere with the folding line L jointly with the lower props210aand210b.

The upper props220aand220bare provided as a pair to face the shark fins18formed on the front and rear ends of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10, respectively, similarly to the lower props210aand210b.

The upper props220aand220bare provided in an approximately vertical plate shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the folding line L, and upper prop tips222aand222bcontacting a boundary line formed by the upper surface of the terrace20connected to the folding lines L are formed at lower portions of the upper props220aand220b.

In this case, edge portions of the upper prop tips222aand222bare rounded to prevent scratches, etc. from occurring when contacting the terrace20, the folding lines L, and the shark fins18, and edges formed when upper surfaces of the upper prop tips222aand222b, and rear surfaces of the upper prop tips222aand222bfacing the process progress path D meet are in contact with boundary lines formed by the folding lines L and the upper surface of the terrace20.

The upper props220aand220bare guided to folding locations in the X-axis direction jointly with the lower props210aand210band the folding bars230aand230bby the actuation of the X-axis transfer means described above upon folding the shark fins18, the upper prop tips222aand222bof the upper props220aand220bare moved down in a Z-axis direction by actuation of a normal Z-axis transfer means and are in contact with the upper surface of the terrace20connected to the shark fin18, and the upper props220aand220bare moved up in the Z-axis direction by the actuation of the Z-axis transfer means described above upon completing the folding of the shark fins18, and then returned in the X-axis direction by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means described above jointly with the lower props210aand210band the folding bars230aand230b.

In the accompanying drawing, the normal pneumatic cylinder is illustrated as the Z-axis transfer means, but anyone will be able to see that the Z-axis transfer means is not limited to the pneumatic cylinder.

The folding bars230aand230bfold the shark fins18exposed to the outside of the terrace20gripped by the lower props210aand210b, and the upper props220aand220b.

The folding bars230aand230bare provided as a pair to face the shark fins18formed on the front and rear ends of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10, respectively, similarly to the lower props210aand210b, and the upper props220aand220b.

The folding bars230aand230bare disposed on the rear surfaces of the lower props210aand210b, respectively, and the folding bars230aand230bare provided in a hexahedral block shape having a length corresponding to lengths of the shark fins18.

In this case, front surfaces of the folding bars230aand230bfacing the rear surfaces of the lower props210aand210bare formed as inclination surfaces232aand232bextended to be inclined downward toward the rear surfaces of the lower props210aand210bat the upper portions of the folding bars230aand230b, and the inclination surfaces232aand232bof the folding bars230aand230b, and the lower surfaces of the folding bars230aand230bare connected to a gently curved convex curvature surfaces234aand234b.

In addition, normal heating elements236aand236bare installed inside the folding bars230aand230b, which heat the folding bars220aand220bto maintain a temperature of approximately 200° C. upon folding the shark fins18.

The folding bars230aand230bare guided to the folding locations in the X-axis direction by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means described above jointly with the lower props210aand210band the upper props220aand220bupon folding the shark fins18, and the folding bars230aand230bare moved up in the Z-axis direction by the actuation of another normal Z-axis transfer means to fold the shark fins18upwards based on the folding lines L in the terrace20supported by the lower props210aand210band the upper props220aand220b, and the folding bars230aand230bare moved down in the Z-axis direction by the actuation of yet another Z-axis transfer means described above upon completing folding of the shark fins18, and then returned in the X-axis direction by the actuation of the X-axis transfer means described above jointly with the lower props210aand210band the upper props220aand220b.

That is, the inclination surfaces232aand232bof the folding bars230aand230bpush up the shark fins18upwards while gradually being in contact with all of the shark fins18by contacting ends of the shark fins18, and the curvature surfaces234aand234bof the folding bars230aand230bmake the shark fins18which are pushed upwards be in contact with the upper props220aand220bto fold the shark fin18.

In addition, the folding bars230aand230bheated by the heating elements236aand236btransfer heat to the adhesive layer of the shark fins18when the shark fins18are folded to melt the adhesive layer, and the melted adhesive layer flows to a part where electrical insulation is broken while being pressed by the curvature surfaces234aand234bof the folding bars230aand230b, and the upper props220aand220b, thereby restoring an insulating layer where the electrical insulation is broken.

Here, the inclination surfaces232aand232ballow the heat of the heating elements236aand236bto be transferred from the ends of the shark fins18to the folding line L side when the shark fins18are folded, whereby the entirety of the adhesive layer of the shark fins18is allowed to be melted within a short period of time.

In the accompanying drawing, another Z-axis transport means may be a normal thermo motor and ball screw assembly.

More specifically, the folding bars230aand230bfold the shark fins18while moving up in the Z-axis direction below the shark fins18, and the inclination surfaces232aand232bprovided on the folding bars230aand230bare first in contact with the ends of the shark fins18, and while the folding bars230aand230bmove up in the Z-axis direction, contact areas of the shark fins18and the inclination surfaces232aand232bare expanded, and last, the folding line L is contacted, and the curvature surfaces234aand234bof the folding bars230aand230bpress the folding line L to perform folding.

Accordingly, it is possible to ensure sufficient contact time between the shark fins18and the folding bars230aand230bbefore the folding bars230aand230bpress the folding line L to perform folding.

This means that sufficient time is secured to transfer heat from the folding bars230aand230bto the shark fins18, and when the folding bars230aand230bpress the folding line L, the folding line L portion is sufficiently softened by heat to prevent the folded shark fin18from unfolding due to a spring back effect. Ultimately, a folding quality is enhanced.

The following briefly describes an operating state of the shark fin forming device200of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery formed as described above.

In a folding line forming process S1, when the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10with the folding lines L formed on the front and rear ends is mounted on a cell transfer shuttle and guided to a folding location, the heating elements236aand236bare actuated to heat the folding bars230aand230b.

Then, the X-axis transfer means is actuated to move the lower props210aand210b, the upper props220aand220b, and the folding bars230aand230bto the folding location.

In this case, when the lower props210aand210b, the upper props220aand220b, and the folding bars230aand230bare moved to the folding location, the lower prop tips212aand212bof the lower props210aand210bare in contact with a boundary line formed by the lower surface of the terrace20connected to the shark fin18, and the folding line L.

When the lower prop tips212aand212bof the lower props210aand210bare in contact with the boundary line formed by the lower surface of the terrace20and the folding line L, the Z-axis transfer means is actuated to make the upper prop tips222aand222bof the upper props220aand220bbe in contact with the boundary line formed by the upper surface of the terrace20connected to the shark fins18, and the folding line L.

When the terrace20with the shark fins18is gripped by the lower props210aand210band the upper props220aand220b, another Z-axis transfer means is actuated to move up the folding bars230aand230b, and in this case, the inclination surfaces232aand232bof the folding bars230aand230bwhich are moved up push up the shark fins18upwards while gradually being in contact with all of the shark fins18by contacting ends of the shark fins18, and the curvature surfaces234aand234bof the folding bars230aand230bmake the shark fins18which are pushed upwards be in contact with the upper props220aand220bto fold the shark fins18.

In addition, at the same time, the folding bars230aand230btransfer heat to the adhesive layer of the shark fins18to melt the adhesive layer, and in this case, the melted adhesive layer flows to a part where electrical insulation is broken while being pressed by the curvature surfaces234aand234bof the folding bars230aand230b, and the upper props220aand220b, thereby restoring an insulating layer where the electrical insulation is broken in the shark fin18.

Meanwhile, when the folding of the shark fins18is completed as described above, the Z-axis transfer means and another Z-axis transfer means are actuated to return the upper props220aand220band the folding bars230aand230b, respectively, and at the same time, the X-axis transfer means is actuated to return the lower props210aand210b, the upper props220aand220b, and the folding bars230aand230b.

The shark fin forming device200of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10according to the present invention formed as such may easily fold the shark fins18based on the folding line L formed at the shark fins18of the 3-sided sealing pouch type secondary battery10.

According to the present invention, since the shark fin18is folded by assigning heat and pressure upon folding the shark fin18, the adhesive layer of the shark fin18may be melted and flow to a portion where electrical insulation is broken, and as a result, the electrical insulation for the adhesive layer of the shark fin18may be ensured.