Dummy electric battery cell, usable as a gauge to verify the correct operation of a measuring apparatus in an electric battery assembly plant, and a method using this dummy battery cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12241940-B2
Application number	US-202117801276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2021
Priority date	Feb 24, 2020
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

In an electric battery assembly plant, including a battery assembly line having a station that receives battery cells or modules to be assembled together, a measuring apparatus is configured for measuring the electrical resistance and the electrical voltage of a single battery cell or a battery module. The correct operation of the measuring apparatus is verified by arranging at least one dummy battery cell configured and sized to emulate a real battery cell, and having an electrical resistance of a predetermined value and/or including a voltage generator to generate a voltage of a strictly predetermined value at the terminals of the dummy battery cell. The dummy battery cell may then be used as a gauge to check in a simple and rapid way whether the measuring apparatus is operating correctly and reliably.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the quality control of electric battery cells or modules for use in a plant for assembling electric batteries, the method comprising:
providing a battery assembly line including a station for receiving a battery cell or a battery module to be assembled together;
measuring by a measuring apparatus associated with the station at least one of an electrical resistance of the battery cell or the battery module or an electrical voltage supplied by the battery cell or the battery module, wherein said measuring apparatus is configured and sized to receive the battery cell or the battery module, and is provided with electrical terminals configured and arranged to enter into electrical connection with terminals of the battery cell or the battery module when the battery cell or the battery module is received on said measuring apparatus; and
verifying a correct functionality of said measuring apparatus by positioning a dummy battery cell in the measuring apparatus, the dummy battery cell having a structure configured and sized to be received within the measuring apparatus and having electrical terminals configured and sized to enter into electrical connection with the electrical terminals of the measuring apparatus when the dummy battery cell is received in the measuring apparatus,
wherein said dummy battery cell further comprises:
a first electric circuit and a second electric circuit each having respective electrical terminals separated from each other,
wherein said first electric circuit includes an electric resistance between the electrical terminals of a strictly predetermined value, and
wherein said second electric circuit includes a voltage generator configured to produce a voltage of a strictly predetermined value at the electrical terminals of said second electric circuit, and

wherein the correct functionality of the measuring apparatus is verified by checking that the electrical resistance and the voltage measured by the measuring apparatus, when the measuring apparatus is connected, respectively, to said first electric circuit and to said second electric circuit of said dummy battery cell, correspond to said respective strictly predetermined values, within a predetermined tolerance margin.

Assignees

• Comau Spa

Inventors

• Tomasi Daniele

Classifications

• G01R35/005 Primary

  Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references (G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/396

  Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery · CPC title

• G01R31/389

  Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables · CPC title

• G01R35/007

  Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden references" · CPC title

• G01R31/013

  Testing passive components (testing relays G01R31/3278; testing electrical windings, e.g. inductors G01R31/72) · CPC title