An aspect of the present invention relates to a restraint jig and a method for manufacturing a power storage module.
Patent Document 1 discloses a method for manufacturing a
power storage module (lithium ion secondary battery) in which a manufactured power storage module is held between a pair of restraint jigs while the pair of restraint jigs is fastened by a plurality of rods and nuts, and various steps such as initial charging or inspection are performed on a battery restrained by the pair of restraint jigs. In such a method for manufacturing the power storage module, the restraint jigs are removed after performing various steps to release restraint of the power storage module, and manufacture of the power storage module is completed.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-84322
As disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, at the step of manufacturing the power storage module, the restraint jigs are required to be attached or detached to/from the power storage module every time the power storage module is manufactured. However, at the step of manufacturing the power storage module, in a case of using restraint members configured to restrain the power storage module by fastening and removing a plurality of rods and nuts, man-hours are increased when the fastening and removal described above are performed at a plurality of points, and improvement of productivity is hindered.
Thus, an object of an aspect of the present invention is to
provide a restraint jig and a method for manufacturing a power storage module with which a laminate of electrodes laminated in a first direction can be easily restrained in manufacturing the power storage module.
A restraint jig according to an aspect of the present invention is a restraint jig used at the time of manufacturing a power storage module including a plurality of electrodes, and configured to restrain, in a laminating direction, a laminate in which the electrodes are laminated in a first direction, the restraint jig includes: a pair of restraint members disposed at both ends in the first direction of the laminate; and a pair of regulation members disposed at both ends in a second direction intersecting with the first direction of a held body configured to include the laminate and the pair of restraint members, wherein each of the pair of regulation members includes: a pair of contact parts configured to be brought into contact from an outer side in the first direction with respective edges of the pair of restraint members arranged in the first direction to hold the laminate therebetween; and a connection part configured to connect the pair of contact parts, a size of the regulation member in a third direction orthogonal to both of the first direction and the second direction is equal to or larger than a size of the laminate in the third direction, a plurality of through holes passing through both of the pair of contact parts and the pair of restraint members in the first direction are formed on the pair of contact parts and the pair of restraint members in plan view viewed from the first direction in a state in which the pair of regulation members holds the held body therebetween, and relative positions of the pair of regulation members with respect to the pair of restraint members are fixed by insertion members inserted into the respective through holes in a state in which the pair of regulation members holds the held body therebetween.
With the restraint jig having this configuration, by performing simple work of compressing the laminate in the first direction via the pair of restraint members and inserting the held body including the compressed laminate between the pair of contact parts, the held body can be held by the pair of contact parts configured to regulate force of the laminate for extending in the first direction. With the restraint jig having this configuration, by performing simple work of inserting the insertion members into the through holes passing through both of the pair of contact parts and the pair of restraint members in the first direction in a state in which the pair of regulation members hold the held body therebetween, relative positions of the pair of regulation members can be fixed with respect to the pair of restraint members, and restraint of the held body and the laminate by extension by the pair of regulation members can be prevented from being released. As a result, the laminate of the electrodes laminated in the first direction can be easily restrained in manufacturing the power storage module.
In the restraint jig according to an aspect of the present invention, the insertion member may be formed of an insulating resin material. With this configuration, in a case in which the insertion member is partially broken or peeled off and a foreign substance is generated when the insertion member is inserted or extracted to/from the through hole described above, a failure such as a short circuit caused by the foreign substance can be prevented from being caused.
In the restraint jig according to an aspect of the present invention, each of the pair of restraint members may include a power source connection part abutting on and electrically connected to the laminate, and configured to be connected to an external power source. With this configuration, charge and discharge of the laminate can be easily performed via the power source connection part of the restraint jig in a state in which the laminate is restrained in the laminating direction.
In the restraint jig according to an aspect of the present invention, the regulation member may further include a reinforcing rib configured to connect an inner surface of the contact part to an inner surface of the connection part, and each of the pair of restraint members is formed with a cutout part on which the reinforcing rib is disposed when the held body is held between the pair of regulation members. With this configuration, the strength of the regulation member can be improved while avoiding interference between the reinforcing rib formed on the regulation member and the restraint member. This can avoid the size of the regulation member becoming larger.
In the restraint jig according to an aspect of the present invention, each of the pair of restraint members may include a projecting rib projecting toward an opposite side from the laminate in the first direction, and the projecting rib may project so as to have the same height as a height of the contact part or to be higher than the contact part in the first direction when the held body is held between the pair of regulation members. With this configuration, the strength of the restraint member can be improved. In a case in which the projecting rib is formed to have the same height as that of the contact part or to be higher than the contact part in the first direction, the restraint jig is supported by the projecting rib and the restraint member by extension positioned to be closer to the center than the contact parts instead of the contact parts positioned at both ends in the second direction, so that the restraint jig restraining the laminate can be stably placed.
In the restraint jig according to an aspect of the present invention, at least one of the pair of restraint members may further include an elastic body disposed between the restraint member and the laminate. In a configuration of restraining the held body in a compressed state by the pair of contact parts being in contact with the held body from the outer side in the first direction, that is, in a case of restraining the held body at a constant rate and restraining the laminate in the first direction via the restraint member, uniform restraint pressure cannot be obtained if the height (thickness) of the laminate in the first direction is varied. With this configuration, the elastic body is disposed between the restraint member and the laminate, and the elastic body can absorb variation of the height in the first direction of the laminate, so that the restraint pressure can be made uniform.
A method for manufacturing a power storage module according to an aspect of the present invention, the method includes: a compressing step of compressing a held body including a laminate in which a plurality of electrodes are laminated in a first direction and a pair of restraint members disposed at both ends of the laminate in the first direction; and a restraining step of preparing a pair of regulation members including a pair of contact parts and a connection part, the contact parts being disposed at both ends in a second direction intersecting with the first direction of the held body and configured to be brought into contact with respective edges of the pair of restraint members from an outer side in the first direction, the connection part connecting the pair of contact parts, the regulation members each having a size in a third direction orthogonal to both of the first direction and the second direction equal to or larger than a size in the third direction of the laminate, holding the held body compressed at the compressing step between the pair of regulation members, and in a state in which the held body is held between the pair of regulation members, inserting insertion members into a plurality of through holes passing through both of the pair of contact parts and the pair of restraint members and formed in plan view viewed from the first direction to fix relative positions of the pair of regulation members with respect to the pair of restraint members.
In this method, when an operator performs simple work of compressing the laminate in the first direction via the pair of restraint members and inserting the held body including the compressed laminate between the pair of contact parts, the held body can be held between the pair of contact parts configured to regulate force of the laminate for extending in the first direction. Additionally, in this method, when the operator performs simple work of inserting the insertion members into the through holes passing through both of the pair of contact parts and the pair of restraint members in the first direction in a state in which the pair of regulation members hold the held body therebetween, relative positions of the pair of regulation members can be fixed with respect to the pair of restraint members, and restraint of the held body and the laminate by extension by the pair of regulation members can be prevented from being released. As a result, the laminate of the electrodes laminated in the first direction can be easily restrained in manufacturing the power storage module.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the laminate of the electrodes laminated in the first direction can be easily restrained in manufacturing the power storage module.
Each of
The following describes an embodiment of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or an equivalent element is denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant description is omitted. In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction orthogonal to one another are set.
A power storage module 1 illustrated in
The power storage module 1 includes an electrode laminate 10, a sealing part 20, and an electrolytic solution 19. The electrode laminate 10 includes a plurality of bipolar electrodes (electrodes) 11, an anode terminal electrode (electrode) 12, a cathode terminal electrode (electrode) 13, and a plurality of separators 14.
Each of the bipolar electrodes 11 includes a current collector 15, a cathode active material layer 16, and an anode active material layer 17. The current collector 15 is formed to have a sheet shape, for example. The current collector 15 is formed to have a rectangular shape, for example, when viewed from the Z-axis direction. The cathode active material layer 16 is disposed on a first surface 15a of the current collector 15. The cathode active material layer 16 is formed to have a rectangular shape, for example, when viewed from the Z-axis direction. The anode active material layer 17 is disposed on a second surface 15b of the current collector 15. The anode active material layer 17 is formed to have a rectangular shape, for example, when viewed from the Z-axis direction. The first surface 15a of the current collector 15 is a surface facing one side of the Z-axis direction, and faces a positive side of the Z-axis direction in the example of
The anode active material layer 17 is a size larger than the cathode active material layer 16 when viewed from the Z-axis direction. That is, in plan view viewed from the Z-axis direction, the entire formation region of the cathode active material layer 16 is positioned within a formation region of the anode active material layer 17. The bipolar electrodes 11 are laminated along the Z-axis direction so that the cathode active material layer 16 and the anode active material layer 17 are opposed to each other. That is, the bipolar electrodes 11 are laminated in a laminating direction D along the Z-axis direction.
The anode terminal electrode 12 includes the current collector 15 and the anode active material layer 17. The anode terminal electrode 12 does not include the cathode active material layer 16. That is, an active material layer is not disposed on the first surface 15a of the current collector 15 of the anode terminal electrode 12. The first surface 15a of the current collector 15 of the anode terminal electrode 12 is exposed. The anode terminal electrode 12 is disposed at a first end in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10. The anode active material layer 17 of the anode terminal electrode 12 is opposed to the cathode active material layer 16 of the bipolar electrode 11 positioned to be closer to the first end in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10. The first end in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10 is an end part on the positive side of the Z-axis direction in the example of
The cathode terminal electrode 13 includes the current collector 15 and the cathode active material layer 16. The cathode terminal electrode 13 does not include the anode active material layer 17. That is, an active material layer is not disposed on the second surface 15b of the current collector 15 of the cathode terminal electrode 13. The second surface 15b of the current collector 15 of the cathode terminal electrode 13 is exposed. The cathode terminal electrode 13 is disposed at a second end in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10. The cathode active material layer 16 of the cathode terminal electrode 13 is opposed to the anode active material layer 17 of the bipolar electrode 11 positioned to be closer to the second end in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10. The second end in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10 is an end part on the negative side of the Z-axis direction in the example of
The separator 14 is disposed between the bipolar electrodes 11 and 11 adjacent to each other, between the anode terminal electrode 12 and the bipolar electrode 11, and between the cathode terminal electrode 13 and the bipolar electrode 11. The separator 14 is interposed between the cathode active material layer 16 and the anode active material layer 17. The separator 14 isolates the cathode active material layer 16 from the anode active material layer 17 to cause a charge carrier such as a lithium ion to pass therethrough while preventing a short circuit from being caused by contact between adjacent electrodes.
The current collector 15 is a chemically inactive electric conductor for causing an electric current to continuously flow in the cathode active material layer 16 and the anode active material layer 17 during discharge or charge of the lithium ion secondary battery. A material of the current collector 15 is, for example, a metallic material, a conductive resin material, a conductive inorganic material, or the like. Examples of the conductive resin material include resin obtained by adding a conductive filler to a conductive polymeric material or a non-conductive polymeric material as needed, for example. The current collector 15 may include a plurality of layers. In this case, each of the layers of the current collector 15 may include the metallic material or the conductive resin material described above.
A coating layer may be formed on a surface of the current collector 15. The coating layer may be formed by a well-known method such as plating processing or spray coating, for example. The current collector 15 may be formed to have a plate shape, a foil shape (for example, metal foil), a film shape, a mesh shape, or the like, for example. Examples of the metal foil include aluminum foil, copper foil, nickel foil, titanium foil, stainless steel foil, or the like. Examples of the stainless steel foil include SUS304, SUS316, SUS301, or the like specified in JIS G 4305:2015, for example. The mechanical strength of the current collector 15 can be secured by using the stainless steel foil as the current collector 15. The current collector 15 may be alloy foil or clad foil of the metals described above. In a case in which the current collector 15 is formed to have a foil shape, the thickness of the current collector 15 may be 1 μm to 100 μm, for example.
The cathode active material layer 16 includes a cathode active material configured to be able to occlude and discharge charge carriers such as lithium ions. Examples of the cathode active material include lithium composite metal oxide having a layered rock salt structure, metal oxide having a spinel structure, a polyanionic compound, and the like. The cathode active material may be any material capable of being used for the lithium ion secondary battery. The cathode active material layer 16 may include a plurality of cathode active materials. In the present embodiment, the cathode active material layer 16 includes olivine type lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) as complex oxide.
The anode active material layer 17 includes an anode active material configured to be able to occlude and discharge charge carriers such as lithium ions. The anode active material may be any of a single material, alloy, and a compound. Examples of the anode active material include lithium, carbon, a metal compound, and the like. The anode active material may be an element capable of being alloyed with lithium, a compound thereof, or the like. Examples of carbon include natural graphite, artificial graphite, hard carbon (non-graphitizable carbon), soft carbon (easily graphitizable carbon), or the like. Examples of the artificial graphite include highly oriented graphite, meso-carbon microbeads, and the like. Examples of the element capable of being alloyed with lithium include silicon (silicon), tin, or the like. In the present embodiment, the anode active material layer 17 includes graphite as a carbon-based material.
Each of the cathode active material layer 16 and the anode active material layer 17 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as an “active material layer”) may further include a conductive assistant for enhancing electrical conductivity as needed, a binding agent, an electrolyte (a polymer matrix, an ion conductive polymer, the electrolytic solution 19, and the like), electrolyte supporting salt (lithium salt) for enhancing ion conductivity, and the like. The conductive assistant is added to enhance electrical conductivity of each of the electrodes 11, 12, and 13. The conductive assistant is, for example, an acetylene black, a carbon black, graphite, or the like.
Components contained in the active material layer or a compounding ratio of the components, and the thickness of the active material layer are not particularly limited, and well-known knowledge about a lithium ion secondary battery may be appropriately referred to. The thickness of the active material layer is, for example, 2 to 150 μm. The active material layer may be formed on the surface of the current collector 15 by a well-known method such as a roll coating method. A heat-resistant layer may be disposed on a surface of the current collector 15 (one surface or both surfaces) or a surface of the active material layer to improve thermal stability of each of the electrodes 11, 12, and 13. The heat-resistant layer includes an inorganic particle and a binding agent, for example, and may additionally include an additive such as a thickener.
Examples of the binding agent include a fluorine-containing resin such as polyvinylidene fluoride, poly-tetrafluoroethylene, or fluororubber, a thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene and polyethylene, an imide-based resin such as polyimide and polyamide-imide, an alkoxysilyl group-containing resin, an acrylic resin such as acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate such as sodium alginate or ammonium alginate, water-soluble cellulose ester crosslinked material, a starch-acrylic acid graft polymer, and the like. These binding agents may be singly used, or used in combination. Examples of a solvent include water, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and the like.
The separator 14 may be, for example, nonwoven fabric or a porous sheet containing a polymer that absorbs and holds an electrolyte. Examples of the material of the separator 14 include, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyolefin, polyester, and the like. The separator 14 may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure. The multilayer structure may include, for example, a ceramic layer as an adhesive layer or a heat-resistant layer. The separator 14 may be impregnated with an electrolyte. The separator 14 may be configured by an electrolyte such as a polymer electrolyte or an inorganic electrolyte. Examples of the electrolyte impregnated in the separator 14 include a liquid electrolyte (electrolytic solution 19) containing a nonaqueous solvent and electrolyte salt dissolved in the nonaqueous solvent, a polymer gel electrolyte containing an electrolyte held in a polymer matrix, or the like.
The sealing part 20 is formed at a peripheral part of the electrode laminate 10 to surround the electrode laminate 10. The sealing part 20 is joined to each of the first surface 15a and the second surface 15b of each current collector 15 at a peripheral part of the current collector 15. The sealing part 20 may be joined to at least one of the first surface 15a and the second surface 15b of each current collector 15. The sealing part 20 seals spaces S between the current collectors 15 and 15 of the adjacent bipolar electrodes 11 and 11, between the current collector 15 of the anode terminal electrode 12 and the current collector 15 of the bipolar electrode 11, and between the current collector 15 of the cathode terminal electrode 13 and the current collector 15 of the bipolar electrode 11. Hereinafter, “between the current collectors 15 and 15 of the adjacent bipolar electrodes 11 and 11”, “between the current collector 15 of the anode terminal electrode 12 and the current collector 15 of the bipolar electrode 11”, and “between the current collector 15 of the cathode terminal electrode 13 and the current collector 15 of the bipolar electrode 11” are simply referred to as “between the adjacent electrodes 11, 12, and 13”.
The sealing part 20 has a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the laminating direction D of the electrodes 11, 12, and 13. The sealing part 20 includes a portion positioned between the adjacent electrodes 11, 12, and 13, and a portion positioned on an outer side of an edge of the current collector 15. Between the adjacent electrodes 11, 12, and 13, the sealing part 20 surrounds peripheries of the cathode active material layer 16 and the anode active material layer 17, and the space S is formed by the adjacent current collectors 15 and 15 and the sealing part 20.
The electrolytic solution 19 is accommodated in the space S. The sealing part 20 seals the electrolytic solution 19 in the space S. The sealing part 20 may prevent moisture from entering the space S from the outside of the power storage module 1. The sealing part 20 also prevents gas generated from each of the electrodes 11, 12, and 13 due to charge/discharge reaction and the like, for example, from leaking out to the outside of the power storage module 1. Part of the sealing part 20 is disposed between the adjacent current collectors 15 and 15, so that the sealing part 20 also functions as a spacer that keeps an interval between the pair of current collectors 15 and 15. The sealing part 20 is separated from the cathode active material layer 16 and the anode active material layer 17 when viewed from the laminating direction D. The portion positioned on the outer side of the edge of the current collector 15 when viewed from the laminating direction D extends in the laminating direction D from the anode terminal electrode 12 disposed at an end in the laminating direction D of the electrode laminate 10 to the cathode terminal electrode 13 disposed at the other end in the laminating direction D, and couples respective portions positioned between the current collectors 15 and 15 of the adjacent electrodes 11, 12, and 13.
The sealing part 20 includes an insulating material, and prevents a short circuit from being caused between the adjacent current collectors 15 and 15 by insulating between the adjacent current collectors 15 and 15. Examples of the material constituting the sealing part 20 include resin materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, an ABS resin, and an AS resin, and a material obtained by modifying these resin materials.
The sealing part 20 includes a main body part 21 configured to cover a lateral side of the electrode laminate 10 (both end portions in the X-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10, and both end portions in the Y-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10), and a pair of projecting parts 22 projecting in the Z-axis direction from the main body part 21. The projecting parts 22 are disposed at an upper end and a lower end of a portion of the main body part 21 where an opening 20b is formed. As illustrated in
On the other hand, some of the openings 20b communicating with the respective spaces S that are not adjacent to each other in the laminating direction D are disposed to overlap each other in the laminating direction D so that positions thereof in the Y-axis direction agree with each other. In the present embodiment, the six spaces S are formed in the power storage module 1, the three openings 20b respectively communicating with the three spaces S, which are disposed at odd number positions counting from an end in the laminating direction D, are disposed to overlap each other in the laminating direction D. While being separated from the three openings 20b in the Y-axis direction, the three openings 20b respectively communicating with the three spaces S, which are disposed at even number positions counting from an end in the laminating direction D, are disposed to overlap each other in the laminating direction D.
On the side surface 20a of the sealing part 20 on which the openings 20b are disposed, frame parts 20c projecting from the side surface 20a are formed to surround the respective openings 20b. Among the frame parts 20c, the frame parts 20c surrounding the openings 20b that are disposed to overlap each other in the laminating direction D are coupled to each other to configure a frame part coupling body 20d. In the sealing part 20 of the present embodiment, configured are the frame part coupling body 20d obtained by coupling the three frame parts 20c respectively surrounding the three openings 20b at odd number positions counting from an end in the laminating direction D, and the frame part coupling body 20d obtained by coupling the three frame parts 20c respectively surrounding the three openings 20b at even number positions counting from an end in the laminating direction D. In
A sealing sheet 25 is disposed at a distal end in a projecting direction (X-axis direction) of each of the frame parts 20c (frame part coupling bodies 20d). The sealing sheet 25 is joined to the entire periphery of the distal end of each frame part 20c to cover and seal the opening 20b surrounded by the frame part 20c.
Next, the following describes an example of the method for manufacturing the power storage module 1 mainly with reference to
Subsequently, the electrode laminate 10 is placed on one of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 (herein, the restraint member 30 placed on a lower side in the Z-axis direction) constituting a first unit 100 (restraint jig) (refer to
Subsequently, the first unit 100 configured to restrain the electrode laminate 10 in the Z-axis direction with a predetermined pressure is attached to the electrode laminate 10 (restraining step S3). More specifically, first, on the electrode laminate 10 that is placed on one of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30, the other one of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 is placed to form a held body HB in which the electrode laminate 10 is held between the pair of restraint members 30 and 30. Subsequently, the held body HB is compressed in the Z-axis direction (compressing step), and the compressed held body HB is held between a pair of regulation members 40 and 40. A method for attaching the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 to the held body HB will be described in a later section in detail.
The compressed held body HB tries to extend in the Z-axis direction, and the extension thereof is regulated by the pair of regulation members 40 and 40. That is, the held body HB is restrained by the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 in a state of being compressed in the laminating direction D. At the restraining step S3, the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 is attached to the electrode laminate 10 so that side surfaces 30e and 30e of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 are flush with the side surface 20a of the electrode laminate 10 on which the opening 20b is formed.
Subsequently, as illustrated in
Subsequently, a distal end part 113 (the connected part 110) of a supply pipe 120 for the electrolytic solution 19 is connected to the second connection part 72, and the electrolytic solution 19 is supplied to the space S of the electrode laminate 10 via the second unit 200 (supplying step S5). When supply of the electrolytic solution 19 to the space S is finished, the distal end part 113 of the supply pipe 120 is removed from the second connection part 72. Next, the electrode laminate 10, which is placed on one of the restraint members 30 so that the laminating direction D runs along the Z-axis direction, is conveyed to a place where the next step is performed (conveying step S6). The electrode laminate 10 is conveyed while the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 are kept being attached thereto, that is, the first connection part 63 of the second unit 200 is kept being connected to the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10.
Although not illustrated, in a case in which a valve for opening and closing communication between the outside and the flow channel 71 is disposed on the second connection part 72, the valve may be closed when the distal end part 113 of the supply pipe 120 is removed from the second connection part 72. As such a valve, a one-touch coupling may be used, the one-touch coupling caused to be in an opened state when the connected part 110 is connected and caused to be in a closed state when the connected part 110 is removed. A check valve may be disposed on the second connection part 72. With these configurations, it is possible to reliably prevent the electrolytic solution 19 from leaking out from the second connection part 72, and prevent foreign substances and the like from entering the flow channel 71 and the electrode laminate 10 by extension from the second connection part 72.
Subsequently, at the predetermined place where the electrode laminate 10 is conveyed to at the conveying step S6, the electrode laminate 10 in a state in which the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 are attached thereto is housed in a charging and discharging device. The electrode laminate 10 housed in the charging and discharging device is activated by being charged by an external power source via the restraint members 30 and 30 (power source connection parts 34 and 34) (activating step S7). At the activating step S7, gas generated in the space S of the electrode laminate 10 due to the activation is discharged via the second connection part 72. That is, the gas discharged from the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10 is discharged from the second connection part 72 via the first connection part 63 and the flow channels 61a, 62a, 63a, and 71. At the activating step S7 of the present embodiment, a connection part (connected part 110) of a gas bag for collecting gas is connected to the second connection part 72. As the gas bag, for example, a bag made of resin is used.
Subsequently, a posture of the electrode laminate 10 is changed so that the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10 is oriented in a vertically upward direction, and the second unit 200 is removed from the first unit 100 thereafter. That is, the first connection part 63 is removed from the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10. Due to this, the side surface 20a and the opening 20b of the sealing part 20 are exposed. Subsequently, the opening 20b is sealed (sealing step S8). Sealing of the opening 20b is performed by thermally welding the sealing sheet 25 to the distal end of the frame part 20c surrounding each opening 20b, for example. Subsequently, the first unit 100 restraining the electrode laminate 10 is removed from the electrode laminate 10 (releasing step S9).
Next, the following describes in detail a jig J used in a series of steps in the method for manufacturing the power storage module 1 described above. As illustrated in
The first unit 100 restrains the electrode laminate 10 in which the electrodes are laminated in the Z-axis direction (first direction) in a state of applying a restraining load in the Z-axis direction thereto. As illustrated in
The main body part 31 includes an inner surface 31a on the electrode laminate 10 side and an outer surface 31b on the opposite side of the inner surface 31a. The main body part 31 includes a projecting rib 32 projecting from the outer surface 31b toward the outer side of the electrode laminate 10. The projecting rib 32 is disposed for improving the strength of the restraint member 30. When the held body HB is held between the regulation members 40, which will be described in a later section in detail, the projecting rib 32 projects from the outer surface 31b to have the same height as that of a contact part 41 of the regulation member 40 or to be higher than the contact part 41 in the Z-axis direction. The held body HB is a laminate constituted of the electrode laminate 10 and the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 disposed at both ends in the Z-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the projecting rib 32 and the contact part 41 are formed to be flush with each other. Due to this, the first unit 100 in a state of holding the held body HB can be placed on a plane part in a stable state.
The elastic body 33 is fixed to the inner surface 31a of the main body part 31. Examples of the elastic body 33 include a disc spring or a rubber member having an insulation property. In a case of fixing the rubber member, the rubber member is formed so that the size thereof in plan view viewed from the Z-axis direction is equal to the size of the main body part 31 in plan view. In a case in which the disc spring has electrical conductivity, an insulating sheet member is disposed between the disc spring and the main body part 31, or the inner surface 31a of the main body part 31 is coated by an insulating material. Additionally, the power source connection part 34 having electrical conductivity, which is used for charge and discharge at the activating step S7, may be fixed to the elastic body 33. That is, the power source connection part 34 is fixed to a surface of the elastic body 33 on the opposite side of the main body part 31. When the restraint members 30 hold the held body HB therebetween, the elastic body 33 and the power source connection part 34 are disposed between the main body part 31 and the electrode laminate 10 in the Z-axis direction. The present embodiment describes an example in which the elastic body 33 is disposed on each of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30, but the elastic body 33 may be disposed on only one of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30.
Each of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 is formed to have a rectangular shape, and insertions holes (through holes) 31c through which the insertion members 36 are inserted are formed at four corners of each of the restraint members 30 and 30. A cutout part 37 into which a reinforcing rib 43 of the regulation member 40 is inserted, which will be described in a later section in detail, is formed on each of two sides opposed to each other in the Y-axis direction of the restraint member 30. That is, cutout parts 37 are disposed so that forming positions and the number thereof correspond to those of reinforcing ribs 43 disposed on the regulation member 40.
A fixing part 35 for freely attaching or detaching the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 is formed on each of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30. The fixing part 35 includes overhang parts 35a and 35a projecting in the X-axis direction as an attaching and detaching direction of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30, and insertion holes 35b and 35b formed on the respective overhang parts 35a and 35a. A procedure of attaching and detaching the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 via the fixing part 35 will be described in a later section in detail.
The pair of regulation members 40 and 40 holds both ends in the Y-axis direction (second direction) orthogonal to (intersecting with) the Z-axis direction (first direction) of the held body HB in a state of being compressed in the Z-axis direction. Each of the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 is formed of the same material as that of the restraint member 30, for example. Each of the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 includes a pair of contact parts 41 and 41, a connection part 42, and the reinforcing ribs 43.
Each of the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 is formed in a plate shape to be orthogonal to the Z-axis direction and brought into contact with each of a pair of main body parts 31 and 31 of the held body HB from the outer side in the Z-axis direction. The size of the contact part 41 in the X-axis direction (third direction) is the same as the size of the electrode laminate 10 or longer than the size of the electrode laminate 10 in the X-axis direction. The size of the contact part 41 in the X-axis direction is the same as the size of the restraint member 30 of the held body HB in the X-axis direction. The contact part 41 includes an inner surface 41a of the contact part 41 being in contact with the outer surface 31b of the main body part 31 and an outer surface 41b on the opposite side of the inner surface 41a. Additionally, insertion holes (through holes) 41c through which the insertion members 36 are inserted are formed on the pair of contact parts 41 and 41. The two insertion holes 41c are formed in the vicinity of end parts of the contact part 41 in the X-axis direction.
The connection part 42 is formed in a plate shape to be orthogonal to the Y-axis direction and connect the pair of contact parts 41 and 41. The size of the connection part 42 in the X-axis direction is the same as the size of the electrode laminate 10 or longer than the size of the electrode laminate 10 in the X-axis direction. The size of the connection part 42 in the X-axis direction is the same as the sizes of the restraint member 30 of the held body HB and the contact part 41 in the X-axis direction. The shape of the regulation member 40 configured by the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 and the connection part 42 is a U-shape when viewed from the X-axis direction.
The reinforcing rib 43 is a plate-shaped part that connects the contact part 41 to the connection part 42, and is formed to have a triangular shape when viewed from the X-axis direction. The reinforcing rib 43 is disposed to reinforce the strength of the regulation member 40. The reinforcing rib 43 connects an inner surface of the contact part 41 to an inner surface of the connection part 42. The reinforcing rib 43 is disposed on (inserted into) the cutout part 37 formed on the restraint member 30 when the held body HB is held between the regulation members 40.
The insertion member 36 is a rod-like member configured to be inserted into the insertion hole 31c of the restraint member 30 and the insertion hole 41c of the regulation member 40. More specifically, on the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 and the pair of restraint members 30 and 30, (a plurality of) through holes (that is, insertion holes 31c and insertion holes 41c) passing through both of the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 and the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 in the Z-axis direction are formed at four points in plan view viewed from the Z-axis direction in a state in which the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 holds the held body HB therebetween. The insertion members 36 are inserted into the respective through holes in a state in which the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 holds the held body HB therebetween.
The insertion member 36 is formed of, for example, engineering plastic such as polyacetal, polyether ether ketone, polyamide, and the like. When the insertion members 36 are inserted into the respective through holes (that is, the insertion holes 31c and the insertion holes 41c) in a state in which the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 holds the held body HB, relative positions of the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 with respect to the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 are fixed. In other words, when the insertion members 36 are inserted into the insertion holes 31c of the restraint members 30 and the insertion holes 41c of the regulation members 40 in a state in which the held body HB including the restraint members 30 is held between the pair of regulation members 40 and 40, the regulation members 40 are positioned with respect to the restraint members 30.
The following describes a procedure of restraining the electrode laminate 10 using the first unit 100 at the restraining step S3. The electrode laminate 10 described above is compressed via the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 disposed at both ends in the Z-axis direction, and the held body HB is formed. A size of the height (thickness) in the Z-axis direction of the held body HB before being compressed is longer than a distance between the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 of the regulation member 40 in the Z-axis direction. The size of the height in the Z-axis direction of the held body HB after being compressed is shorter than the distance between the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 of the regulation member 40 in the Z-axis direction. Next, the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 described above is prepared.
Next, the held body HB in a compressed state is held between the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 described above. More specifically, the held body HB in a state of being compressed in the Z-axis direction is inserted between the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 of the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 so that the reinforcing ribs 43 of the pair of regulation members 40 are respectively inserted into the cutout parts 37 of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30. Compression of the held body HB is then released. Due to this, extension in the Z-axis direction of the held body HB caused when the compression is released is regulated by the pair of regulation members 40. The held body HB is firmly held between the pair of regulation members 40, and maintained in a state of being restrained in the Z-axis direction.
Shape dimensions of the first unit 100 in the present embodiment are defined so that the respective contact parts 41 and 41 of the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 become line symmetric with respect to respective edges of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 with a line along the X-axis direction as a symmetric axis so that a load is uniformly applied to the entire held body HB. Additionally, the entire shape of each of the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 is formed so that outer dimensions, a thickness, rib arrangement, a rib shape, and the like, for example, become the same. Due to this, a load can be caused to uniformly work on the entire electrode laminate 10.
Next, the following describes the second unit 200 in detail. As illustrated in
The base part 51 supports the flow channel part 60. The flow channel part 60 is connected to the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10 to communicate with the space S. Flow channel parts 60 are disposed so that the number thereof corresponds to the number of the frame part coupling bodies 20d formed on the electrode laminate 10. The present embodiment describes an example in which the two flow channel parts 60 are disposed in the second unit 200. For convenience of explanation, in
The base part 51 includes a first base part 52 and a second base part 53. The first base part 52 and the second base part 53 hold the flow channel part 60 therebetween, and support the flow channel part 60 to be freely attached or detached. The flow channel part 60 includes a main body pipe 61, a nozzle 62, the first connection part 63, an elastic part 67, an attachment part 68, and a connection member 70.
The main body pipe 61 is a pipe member extending in the X-axis direction and including a plurality of flow channels 61a configured to circulate a medium (for example, the electrolytic solution 19) exchanged between the space S of the electrode laminate 10 and the connected part 110 when being connected to the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10. The nozzle 62 is attached to a distal end of the main body pipe 61, and a plurality of flow channels 62a are formed thereon to communicate with the respective flow channels 61a of the main body pipe 61. To a distal end of the nozzle 62 (an end part on the opposite side of a side to which the main body pipe 61 is attached in the X-axis direction), the first connection part 63 configured to liquid-tightly connect the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10 and the flow channel part 60 (flow channels 61a, 62a, 63a, and 71) is fixed.
The first connection part 63 is formed of a material having elasticity such as ethylene-propylene rubber and fluororubber. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Returning to
When an insertion member 69 inserted into the insertion hole 52a of the first base part 52 is inserted into one of the insertion holes 68a of the attachment part 68, the first base part 52 and the attachment part 68 are fixed. When the insertion member 69 inserted into the insertion hole 52a of the first base part 52 is extracted from one of the insertion holes 68a of the attachment part 68, the first base part 52 is separated from the attachment part 68. Similarly, when the insertion member 69 inserted into the insertion hole 53a of the second base part 53 is inserted into the other one of the insertion holes 68a of the attachment part 68, the second base part 53 and the attachment part 68 are fixed. When the insertion member 69 inserted into the insertion hole 53a of the second base part 53 is extracted from the other one of the insertion holes 68a of the attachment part 68, the second base part 53 is separated from the attachment part 68.
A fixing part 55 for freely attaching or detaching the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 is formed on the first base part 52 and the second base part 53. The fixing part 55 includes overhang parts 55a and 55a projecting in the X-axis direction as an attaching and detaching direction of the first base part 52 and the second base part 53, and insertion holes 55b and 55b formed on the respective overhang parts 55a and 55a.
The following describes a procedure of attaching the second unit 200 to the first unit 100. In a state in which the overhang part 55a of the first base part 52 is overlapped with the overhang part 35a of one of the restraint members 30, when an insertion member 56 is inserted into the insertion hole 55b of the first base part 52 and the insertion hole 35b of one of the restraint members 30, the first base part 52 and the one restraint member 30 are fixed. In a state in which the overhang part 55a of the second base part 53 is overlapped with the overhang part 35a of the other one of the restraint members 30, when the insertion member 56 is inserted into the insertion hole 55b of the second base part 53 and the insertion hole 35b of the other one of the restraint members 30, the second base part 53 and the other restraint member 30 are fixed. Due to this, the second unit 200 is attached to the first unit 100.
When the first base part 52 and the second base part 53 are fixed to the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 via the fixing part 55 described above, the flow channel part 60 is liquid-tightly connected to the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10. In the present embodiment, when the second unit 200 is attached to the first unit 100, and the first connection part 63 is pressed against the electrode laminate 10 by the elastic part 67, the flow channels 63a of the first connection part 63 are liquid-tightly connected to the respective openings 20b, and the openings 20b of the electrode laminate 10 communicate with the respective flow channels 61a, 62a, and 63a formed in the flow channel part 60.
The first unit 100 and the second unit 200 are configured to be able to relatively move the second unit 200 to an attachment position of the first unit 100 (a position where the insertion member 56 can be inserted into both of the insertion hole 55b of the first base part 52 and the insertion hole 35b of one of the restraint members 30, and where the insertion member 56 can be inserted into both of the insertion hole 55bof the second base part 53 and the insertion hole 35b of the other one of the restraint members 30).
Specifically, the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 are configured so that, when the second unit 200 is attached to the first unit 100, the fixing part 35 formed on one of the restraint members 30 and the fixing part 35 formed on the other one of the restraint members 30 are disposed between the fixing part 55 formed on the first base part 52 and the fixing part 55 formed on the second base part 53 in the Z-axis direction. The second unit 200 is disposed to be able to be slid and moved in the Y-axis direction to the attachment position with respect to the first unit 100. In the present embodiment, the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 are disposed to be able to be slid and moved also in the X-axis direction.
Next, the following describes a procedure of removing the second unit 200 from the first unit 100. When the insertion member 56 is extracted from the insertion hole 55b of the first base part 52 and the insertion hole 35b of the one of the restraint members 30, and the insertion member 56 is extracted from the insertion hole 55b of the second base part 53 and the insertion hole 35b of the other one of the restraint members 30, the first base part 52 is separated from the one restraint member 30, and the second base part 53 is separated from the other restraint member 30. Due to this, the second unit 200 is separated from the first unit 100.
Returning to the description of the second unit 200, as illustrated in
A portion of the flow channel 71 between the bending part 71a and the other end extends along a vertically upward direction. At the other end of each of the flow channels 71, a plurality of the second connection parts 72 having a projecting shape formed on the connection member 70 are disposed. The second connection parts 72 are arranged along the X-axis direction. Each connecting portion between the second connection part 72 and the connected part 110 is positioned on a vertically upper side than each of the openings 20b communicating therewith via the flow channels 61a, 62a, 63a, and 71. Each of the second connection parts 72 is positioned on a vertically upper side than each of the spaces S communicating therewith via the flow channels 61a, 62a, 63a, and 71 and the openings 20b.
An example of the connected part 110 is the distal end part 113 of the supply pipe 120 through which the electrolytic solution 19 is supplied. For example, at the supplying step S5, the supply pipe 120 is coupled to the connection member 70. The supply pipe 120 is coupled to the connection member 70 by fitting the second connection part 72 into a recessed part 112 formed at the distal end part 113 of the supply pipe 120. At the distal end part 113, a guide part 114 is formed for facilitating coupling between the second connection part 72 and the distal end part 113. The guide part 114 guides the second connection part 72 to the recessed part 112 of the distal end part 113.
The configuration for facilitating coupling between the distal end part 113 and the second connection part 72 is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, as illustrated in
As described above, the first unit 100 in the present embodiment can restrain, by being attached to the electrode laminate 10, the electrode laminate 10 in a state of applying a predetermined load in the Z-axis direction. The second unit 200 in the present embodiment can connect the flow channel part 60 to the opening 20b of the electrode laminate 10 by being attached to the first unit 100.
The following describes working effects of the first unit 100 and the method for manufacturing the power storage module. An operator using the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above can cause the held body HB to be held between the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 configured to regulate force of the electrode laminate 10 for extending in the Z-axis direction only by performing simple work of compressing the electrode laminate 10 in the Z-axis direction via the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 and inserting the held body HB including the compressed electrode laminate 10 between the pair of contact parts 41 and 41.
Additionally, with the first unit 100 in the present embodiment, by performing simple work of inserting the insertion members 36 into the through holes passing through both of the pair of contact parts 41 and 41 and the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 in the Z-axis direction in a state in which the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 holds the held body HB therebetween, relative positions of the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 can be fixed with respect to the pair of restraint members 30 and 30, and restraint of the held body HB and the electrode laminate 10 by extension by the pair of regulation members 40 and 40 can be prevented from being released. Due to this, the electrode laminate 10 of the electrodes laminated in the Z-axis direction can be easily restrained in manufacturing the power storage module 1.
In the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above, the insertion member 36 is formed of an insulating resin material. The resin material forming the insertion member 36 is softer than a metallic material forming the main body part 31 on which the insertion hole 31c is formed and the contact part 41 on which the insertion hole 41c is formed. Due to this, the insertion member 36 may be partially broken or peeled off and a foreign substance tends to be generated when the insertion member 36 is inserted or extracted into/from the insertion holes 31c and 41c described above, but a failure such as a short circuit caused by the foreign substance can be prevented from being caused even if the foreign substance is generated.
The restraint members 30 and 30 of the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above respectively include the power source connection parts 34 and 34 abutting on and electrically connected to the electrode laminate 10, and configured to be connected to an external power source. Due to this, charge and discharge of the electrode laminate 10 can be easily performed via the power source connection parts 34 and 34 of the restraint members 30 and 30 in a state in which the electrode laminate 10 is restrained in the Z-axis direction (laminating direction).
With the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above, the strength of the regulation member 40 can be improved while avoiding interference between the reinforcing rib 43 formed on the regulation member 40 and the restraint member 30. This can avoid the size of the regulation member 40 becoming larger.
In the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above, the projecting rib 32 is formed on the restraint member 30, so that the strength of the restraint member 30 can be improved. In the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above, the projecting rib 32 is formed to have the same height as that of the contact part 41 or to be higher than the contact part 41 in the Z-direction, so that the first unit 100 is supported by the projecting rib 32 and the restraint member 30 by extension positioned to be closer to the center than the contact parts 41 and 41 instead of the contact parts 41 and 41 positioned at both ends in the Y-axis direction. Accordingly, the first unit 100 restraining the electrode laminate 10 can be stably placed.
In the first unit 100 in the embodiment described above, the elastic body 33 is disposed between the restraint member 30 and the electrode laminate 10, and the elastic body 33 can absorb variation of the height in the Z-axis direction of the electrode laminate 10, so that the restraint pressure can be made uniform.
The embodiment has been described above, but an aspect of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.
A configuration of a fixing part 135 illustrated in
With the configurations of the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 according to the first modification, movement of the second unit 200 in the X-axis direction with respect to the first unit 100 can be regulated by simple work of fitting the projecting part 55c formed on the fixing part 155 of the second unit 200 into the recessed part 35c formed on the fixing part 135 of the first unit 100. Unlike the second unit 200 in the embodiment described above, the second unit 200 in the first modification is attached or detached by being slid and moved along the Y-axis direction to the attachment position with respect to the first unit 100. In attaching or detaching the second unit 200 in the first modification to/from the first unit 100, the second unit 200 is slid and moved along the Y-axis direction in a state in which the first connection part 63 (nozzle 62) is compressed in the X-axis direction so that the first connection part 63 does not project from the first base part 52 and the second base part 53 in the X-axis direction when viewed from the Z-axis direction. When the insertion member 56 is inserted into the insertion holes 35b and 55b, movement in the Y-axis direction of the second unit 200 with respect to the first unit 100 is regulated.
In the embodiment and the modification described above, described is the example in which the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 are fixed to each other via the fixing part 35 formed on the first unit 100 and the fixing part 55 formed on the second unit 200, but they may be fixed to each other via a connection piece 80 as illustrated in
Regarding the first unit 100 illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the first unit 100 and the second unit 200 according to the second modification, the insertion holes 35b and 55b may be disposed on the fixing parts 35 and 55 and the insertion member 56 may be inserted through the insertion holes 35b and 55b similarly to the embodiment and the first modification described above, or the insertion holes 35b and 55b may be omitted from the fixing parts 35 and 55. Alternatively, a projection part may be formed instead of the recessed part 31d formed on the restraint member 30, a projection part may be formed instead of the recessed part 51d formed on the base part 51, and the connection piece 80 on which recessed parts are formed to be able to fit with the projection parts may be used to fix the second unit 200 to the first unit 100.
Similarly to the second modification described above, the second unit 200 may be attached to the first unit 100 by using a connection piece 80A as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the above description, described is the example in which a distal end surface 63c of the first connection part 63 of the second unit 200 according to the embodiment and the modification described above is formed to be flat as illustrated in
The cross-sectional shape of the distal end of the projecting part 63b is not limited to the semicircular shape as illustrated in
Regarding the second unit 200 in the embodiment and the modification described above, described is the example in which the first connection part 63 is attached to the nozzle 62 by the grasping part 62E, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In addition to the configuration of the first base part 52 of the second unit 200 according to the embodiment and the modification described above, confirmation windows 52W may be formed as illustrated in
A position where the confirmation window 52W is formed is determined in accordance with how the first unit 100 (pair of restraint members 30 and 30) holds the electrode laminate 10. More specifically, a forming position of the confirmation window 52W is set based on a positional relation between the side surface 20a of the electrode laminate 10 in the X-axis direction (the side surface 20a on which the opening 20b is formed) and the side surface 30e of the restraint member 30 in the X-axis direction. The position of the confirmation window 52W illustrated in
In
In
In the example described above, any of the confirmation windows 30W and 52W in
In the embodiment and some of the modifications described above, the electrode laminate 10 is restrained by holding the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 by the regulation members 40 and 40, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, a plurality of bolts may be inserted into the pair of restraint members 30 and 30 to fasten nuts to the respective bolts without using the regulation members 40 and 40, and the electrode laminate 10 may be restrained by fastening force thereof.
In the embodiment and modifications described above, as illustrated in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2021-135741 | Aug 2021 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2022/029641 | 8/2/2022 | WO |