Apparatus for measuring variation in thickness of electrode of secondary battery and secondary battery with the same mounted therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018248232-A1
Application number	US-201715757407-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 9, 2016
Publication date	Aug 30, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring a variation in thickness of an electrode of a secondary battery, which is capable of measuring a variation in thickness of the electrode of the secondary battery, and a secondary battery with the same mounted therein.
Also, the apparatus for measuring a variation in thickness of the electrode of the secondary battery includes a piezoelectric element inserted into a case by passing through an observation hole defined in the case, in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, and having an inner end supported by the electrode assembly and a support member installed outside the case to support an outer end of the piezoelectric element, wherein the variation in thickness of the electrode is measured by using a voltage signal generated in the piezoelectric element according to an increase in thickness of the electrode provided in the electrode assembly.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for measuring a variation in thickness of an electrode of a secondary battery, the apparatus comprising:
a piezoelectric element ( 200 ) inserted into a case ( 100 ) by passing through an observation hole ( 110 ) defined in the case ( 100 ), in which an electrode assembly ( 1 ) is accommodated, and having an inner end supported by the electrode assembly ( 1 ); and a support member ( 300 ) installed outside the case ( 100 ) to support an outer end of the piezoelectric element ( 200 ), wherein the variation in thickness of the electrode is measured by using a voltage signal generated in the piezoelectric element ( 200 ) according to an increase in thickness of the electrode provided in the electrode assembly ( 1 ).

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a blocking layer ( 120 ) disposed between the electrode assembly ( 1 ) and the piezoelectric element ( 200 ),
wherein the inner end of the piezoelectric element ( 200 ) is supported by the electrode assembly ( 1 ) in a state of coming into contact with the blocking layer ( 120 ).

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a sealing member ( 130 ) configured to seal a gap between the blocking layer ( 120 ) and the case ( 100 ).

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the blocking layer ( 120 ) has a transparent portion, and
a hole ( 210 ) communicating with the transparent portion is defined in the piezoelectric element ( 200 ) and the support member ( 300 ).

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support member ( 300 ) comprises:
a support plate supporting the outer end of the piezoelectric element ( 200 ); and a fixing member ( 320 ) coupling the support plate ( 310 ) to the case ( 100 ).

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the support member ( 300 ) comprises an elastic member ( 330 ) surrounding the fixing member ( 320 ) and allowing the support member ( 300 ) to be coupled to the case ( 100 ) so that the support member ( 300 ) is movable with restoring force.

7 . A secondary battery comprising:
a case ( 100 ) in which an electrode assembly ( 1 ) is accommodated; an observation hole ( 110 ) passing through one side of the case ( 100 ) to communicate with the electrode assembly ( 1 ); and a piezoelectric element ( 200 ) inserted into the case ( 100 ) through the observation hole ( 110 ), having an inner end supported by the electrode assembly ( 1 ) to generate a voltage pulse according to a variation in thickness of the electrode assembly ( 1 ), and comprising a support member ( 300 ) disposed on an outer end and installed outside the case ( 100 ).

8 . The secondary battery of claim 7 , wherein a negative electrode ( 1 a ) of the electrode assembly ( 1 ) is accommodated in the observation hole ( 110 ).

9 . The secondary battery of claim 7 , further comprising a blocking layer ( 120 ) disposed between the electrode assembly ( 1 ) and the piezoelectric element ( 200 ),
wherein the inner end of the piezoelectric element ( 200 ) is supported by the electrode assembly ( 1 ) in a state of coming into contact with the blocking layer ( 120 ).

10 . The secondary battery of claim 9 , further comprising a sealing member ( 130 ) configured to seal a gap between the blocking layer ( 120 ) and the case ( 100 ).

11 . The secondary battery of claim 9 , wherein the case ( 100 ) comprises:
a body part ( 101 ) accommodating the electrode assembly ( 1 ); and a cover ( 103 ) disposed to be penetrated by the piezoelectric element ( 200 ) at a side of the body part ( 101 ) in which the observation hole ( 110 ) is defined to support the blocking layer ( 120 ) from the outside.

12 . The secondary battery of claim 10 , further comprising a current collection member ( 140 ) disposed between the electrode assembly ( 1 ) and the sealing member ( 130 ) to transfer electrons of the electrode assembly ( 1 ).

13 . The secondary battery of claim 12 , further comprising a negative electrode contact member ( 105 ) extending from the current collection member ( 140 ) to the outside of the body part ( 101 ).

14 . The secondary battery of claim 11 , wherein the cover has an inner circumference less than a circumference of the blocking layer ( 120 ) and greater than a circumference of the piezoelectric element ( 200 ).

15 . The secondary battery of claim 11 , wherein a separator ( 1 b ) and a positive electrode ( 1 c ) of the electrode assembly ( 1 ) are accommodated in an accommodation part ( 111 ) provided in the body part ( 101 ) to communicate with the observation hole ( 110 ).

16 . The secondary battery of claim 15 , wherein the observation hole ( 110 ) has a circumference greater than that of the negative electrode ( 1 a ) of the electrode assembly ( 1 ), and the accommodation part ( 111 ) has a circumference less than that of the negative electrode ( 1 a ) of the electrode assembly ( 1 ).

17 . The secondary battery of claim 11 , further comprising a positive electrode contact member ( 107 ) extending from a positive electrode ( 1 c ) to the outside of the body part ( 101 ).

18 . The secondary battery of claim 17 , further comprising an insulation member ( 109 ) surrounding a circumference of the positive electrode contact member ( 107 ).

19 . The secondary battery of claim 7 , wherein, in the electrode assembly ( 1 ), a negative electrode is disposed on a side of the piezoelectric element ( 200 ), and a positive electrode is disposed on an opposite side.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Yoon Jong Keon

Classifications

• H01M10/48 Primary

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

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

• G01R31/378

  specially adapted for the type of battery or accumulator · CPC title

• G01B7/16

  for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by resistance strain gauge · CPC title

• H01M50/184

  characterised by their shape or structure · CPC title