Plug attaching device, and secondary battery manufacturing method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11909075-B2
Application number	US-202217745878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2022
Priority date	May 19, 2021
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A technology capable of sealing a target with higher airtightness is provided. The plug attaching device disclosed herein is for attaching, to a through hole of a target, a cylindrical plug having therein a non-through hole that has an opening in one end surface. The device includes an insertion pin, and a guide portion. The guide portion is slidable in the axial direction of the insertion pin. This device is configured such that the plug is disposed inside the through hole, the insertion pin is pushed into the non-through hole with the guide portion disposed on the periphery of the opening to attach the plug into the through hole, and after the attachment, the insertion pin is moved in an opposite direction to the non-through hole to remove the insertion pin from the non-through hole, and the guide portion is then detached from the opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for attaching into a through hole of a target a cylindrical plug having therein a non-through hole that has an opening on one end surface, the device comprising:
an insertion pin configured to be inserted into the non-through hole from the opening of the cylindrical plug; and
a guide portion configured to guide a peripheral wall surface of the insertion pin, the guide portion being slidable in an axial direction of the insertion pin, wherein
the device is configured to:
when the cylindrical plug is disposed inside the through hole, cause the insertion pin to be pushed into the non-through hole with the guide portion in contact with a periphery of the opening, to attach the cylindrical plug into the through hole, and
after the attachment of the cylindrical plug into the through hole,
cause the insertion pin to be moved in an opposite direction to the non-through hole to remove the insertion pin from the non-through hole, and
detach the guide portion from the opening.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the insertion pin coaxially comprises
a first columnar portion, and
a second columnar portion having a diameter smaller than the first columnar portion,

the second columnar portion protrudes from an end of the first columnar portion in the axial direction,
the first columnar portion is slidable in the axial direction along an inner wall surface of the non-through hole, and
the device is configured to attach the cylindrical plug into the through hole with
(i) at least a part of the first columnar portion and the second columnar portion inserted into the non-through hole, and
(ii) an end of the second columnar portion in an insertion direction of the insertion pin in contact with at least a part of a bottom surface of the non-through hole.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the cylindrical plug comprises:
a plug body configured to be fitted into the through hole of the target, and
a restriction portion configured to restrict fitting of the cylindrical plug into the through hole,

the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
the opening of the non-through hole is formed on the one end surface of the cylindrical plug on a side with the restriction portion in a direction in which the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
the non-through hole extends from the opening to the inside of the plug body through the restriction portion, and
the bottom surface of the non-through hole is formed inside the plug body.

4. A method for manufacturing a secondary battery comprising an electrode assembly that comprises a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a nonaqueous electrolyte, and a battery case comprising a liquid injection hole for injecting the nonaqueous electrolyte, the battery case housing the electrode assembly and the nonaqueous electrolyte, the method comprising:
temporary sealing, by using a device, the liquid injection hole of the battery case housing the electrode assembly and the nonaqueous electrolyte with a cylindrical plug having therein a non-through hole that has an opening on one end surface, wherein
the device comprises:
an insertion pin configured to be inserted into the non-through hole from the opening of the cylindrical plug; and
a guide portion configured to guide a peripheral wall surface of the insertion pin, the guide portion being slidable in an axial direction of the insertion pin, and

the temporary sealing comprises:
when the cylindrical plug is disposed inside the liquid injection hole, causing the insertion pin to be pushed into the non-through hole with the guide portion in contact with a periphery of the opening, to attach the cylindrical plug into the liquid injection hole, and
after the attachment of the cylindrical plug,
causing the insertion pin to be moved in an opposite direction to the non-through hole to remove the insertion pin from the non-through hole, and
detaching the guide portion from the opening.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein
the temporary sealing comprises:
disposing the insertion pin inside the guide portion,
inserting the insertion pin into the non-through hole from the opening of the cylindrical plug after the disposing,
bringing the guide portion in contact with the periphery of the opening,
after the bringing of the guide portion, aligning a position of another end surface of the cylindrical plug opposite to the one end surface having the opening with a periphery of the liquid injection hole of the battery case,
after the aligning of the position, fitting the cylindrical plug into the liquid injection hole by sliding the insertion pin and pushing the cylindrical plug into the non-through hole with the guide portion in contact with the periphery of the opening, and
after the fitting of the cylindrical plug, removing the insertion pin from the non-through hole by moving the insertion pin in the opposite direction to the non-through hole, with the guide portion in contact with the periphery of the opening.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein
the cylindrical plug comprises
a plug body configured to be fitted into the liquid injection hole of the battery case, and
a restriction portion configured to restrict fitting of the cylindrical plug into the liquid injection hole, the restriction portion comprising a flange portion and a cylinder, wherein a diameter of the flange portion is larger than a diameter of the cylinder,

the flange portion and the cylinder are continuous to each other in an axial direction of the cylindrical plug,
the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
the opening of the non-through hole is formed in an outer surface of the cylindrical plug on a side with the restriction portion in a direction in which the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
the non-through hole extends from the opening to the inside of the plug body through the restriction portion, and
the bottom surface of the non-through hole is formed inside the plug body.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the device is configured to, when the insertion pin is moved in the opposite direction to the non-through hole to remove the insertion pin from the non-through hole,
cause a part of the guide portion to be in contact with the periphery of the opening, and
cause the guide portion to push the periphery of the opening at the part of the guide portion.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the cylindrical plug comprises
a plug body configured to be fitted into the through hole of the target, and
a restriction portion configured to restrict fitting of the cylindrical plug into the through hole, the restriction portion comprising a flange portion and a cylinder, wherein a diameter of the flange portion is larger than a diameter of the cylinder,

the flange portion and the cylinder are continuous to each other in an axial direction of the cylindrical plug,
the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
the opening of the non-through hole is formed in an outer surface of the cylindrical plug on a side with the restriction portion in a direction in which the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
the non-through hole extends from the opening to the inside of the plug body through the restriction portion, and
the bottom surface of the non-through hole is formed inside the plug body.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the guide portion is cylindrical and separable from the cylindrical plug.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein
the gu

Assignees

• Prime Planet Energy & Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Fujishima Seigo

Classifications

• H01M50/645 Primary

  Plugs · CPC title

• H01M10/058

  Construction or manufacture · CPC title

• H01M50/102

  characterised by their shape or physical structure · CPC title

• H01M50/664 Primary

  Temporary seals, e.g. for storage of instant batteries or seawater batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/184

  characterised by their shape or structure · CPC title