Internal short circuit induction apparatus and method for batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12562405-B2
Application number	US-202218038168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2022
Priority date	Dec 1, 2021
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

An internal short circuit induction apparatus for a battery. The internal short circuit induction apparatus includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The apparatus further includes a pressing unit movably located above the electrode assembly, a support unit located under the electrode assembly, the support unit being fixed at a position and configured to support the electrode assembly, and a pulling unit configured to pull a separator cover to remove the separator cover from the electrode assembly. The separator includes an opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An internal short circuit induction apparatus for a battery, the internal short circuit induction apparatus comprising:
an electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a pressing unit movably located above the electrode assembly; a support unit located under the electrode assembly, the support unit being fixed at a position and configured to support the electrode assembly; and a pulling unit configured to pull a separator cover to remove the separator cover from the electrode assembly, wherein the separator comprises an opening.

2 . The internal short circuit induction apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is filled with a conductive material.

3 . The internal short circuit induction apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the opening has an average diameter of 10 μm to 2 mm.

4 . The internal short circuit induction apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the separator cover is disposed between the separator and the positive electrode and/or the negative electrode.

5 . The internal short circuit induction apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the separator cover completely covers the opening abutting the positive electrode and/or the negative electrode.

6 . The internal short circuit induction apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the separator cover has a smaller thickness than the separator.

7 . The internal short circuit induction apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive material is a metal piece,
wherein the conductive material comprises a planar shape or metal powder, and wherein a size of the conductive material is equal to a size of the opening or an amount of the metal powder corresponds to the size of the opening.

8 . An internal short circuit induction method for a battery, the internal short circuit induction method comprising:
preparing an electrode assembly comprising a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and a separator cover between the separator and the positive electrode; disposing the electrode assembly between a support unit and a pressing unit; pulling the separator cover using a pulling unit; and pressing the electrode assembly using the pressing unit, wherein the separator comprises an opening, and wherein the opening is filled with a conductive material.

9 . The internal short circuit induction method according to claim 8 , wherein the conductive material is a metal piece,
wherein the conductive material comprises a planar shape or metal powder, and wherein a size of the conductive material is equal to a size of the opening or an amount of the metal powder corresponds to the size of the opening.

10 . The internal short circuit induction method according to claim 8 , wherein the pulling unit pulls the separator cover in a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction to remove the separator cover when internal short circuit is induced in the battery.

Assignees

• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jin Soo
• Jo Jong Hyun
• Lee Han Sol
• Jang Yeong Ik

Classifications

• H01M10/058

  Construction or manufacture · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/581

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• G01R31/52

  Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults · CPC title

• H01M10/0585

  of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators · CPC title