IP Library Granted Patent US 9,065,131
Granted Patent B2
US 9,065,131 · App. 13/639,719 · Granted Jun 23, 2015

Electrolyte injection device and electrolyte injection method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,065,131
App. No.
13/639,719
Granted
Jun 23, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery case is disposed in a decompression chamber. An electrolyte in an aeration tank is injected into the battery case in the decompression chamber using a liquid injection nozzle. By exposing the electrolyte to an ambient pressure in the decompression chamber within the aeration tank before supplying the electrolyte to the liquid injection nozzle, a pressure of the electrolyte is regulated to a pressure in the decompression chamber, and gas molecules in the electrolyte are separated therefrom. By providing the aeration tank, an efficiency with which the gas molecules are separated from the electrolyte is improved, and as a result, the electrolyte is injected into the battery case smoothly.

Claims (26)

1. An electrolyte injection device for injecting an electrolyte into a battery case, comprising:

a sealed decompression chamber;

a liquid injection nozzle that injects the electrolyte into the battery case disposed in the decompression chamber;

an aeration tank that exposes the electrolyte, which is supplied to the liquid injection nozzle, to a pressure in the decompression chamber; and

a degassing module provided between the aeration tank and the liquid injection nozzle and including a gas permeable membrane configured to separate gas and liquid.

2. The electrolyte injection device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the aeration tank comprises:

an inflow port into which the electrolyte flows;

an opening portion structured to face a gas phase above a liquid level of the electrolyte and that communicates with an atmosphere in the decompression chamber; and

an outflow port structured to face a liquid phase of the electrolyte and that communicates with the degassing module.

3. The electrolyte injection device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the decompression chamber comprises a door through which the battery case is movable into and out of the decompression chamber.

4. The electrolyte injection device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of liquid injection nozzles.

5. An electrolyte injection device for injecting an electrolyte into a battery case, comprising:

a sealed decompression chamber;

a liquid injection nozzle that injects the electrolyte into the battery case disposed in the decompression chamber;

an aeration tank that exposes the electrolyte, which is supplied to the liquid injection nozzle, to a pressure in the decompression chamber; and

a degassing module provided between the aeration tank and the liquid injection nozzle and including a gas permeable membrane configured to separate gas and liquid,

wherein the aeration tank comprises

an inflow port into which the electrolyte flows;

an opening portion structured to face a gas phase above a liquid level of the electrolyte and that communicates with an atmosphere in the decompression chamber; and

an outflow port structured to face a liquid phase of the electrolyte and that communicates with the degassing module, and

wherein the aeration tank is disposed in the decompression chamber, and the electrolyte injection device further comprises a feed pump disposed on an outside of the decompression chamber to supply the electrolyte to the inflow port.

6. An electrolyte injection method for injecting an electrolyte into a battery case, comprising:

sealing a decompression chamber;

exposing, via an aeration tank, the electrolyte to a pressure in the decompression chamber;

injecting the electrolyte in the aeration tank into the battery case disposed in the decompression chamber through a liquid injection nozzle; and

separating the electrolyte into gas and liquid using a degassing module that is provided between the aeration tank and the liquid injection nozzle, the degassing module comprising a gas permeable membrane.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2019
From: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
To: ENVISION AESC JAPAN LTD.
Reel/Frame 049888/0933 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2012
From: TAKADA, KOICHI
To: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029098/0484 →