IP Library Granted Patent US 12,321,816
Granted Patent B2
US 12,321,816 · App. 18/290,121 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Battery cell tracking device

Inventors: Kyoungchan Park (Daejeon, KR); Gun Hong Park (Daejeon, KR); Tae Kwang Jung (Daejeon, KR); Dong Wook Park (Daejeon, KR)
Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
G06K7/10831G06K7/10564G06K19/06028H01M10/0422H01M50/256
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,321,816
App. No.
18/290,121
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Discussed is a cell tracking device that can include a transfer section configured to transfer a plurality of battery cells; and a reading section arranged on the transfer section and configured to read a marking part including information unique to each of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the reading section comprises a light source that radiates light on the marking part; a first mirror located adjacent to the marking part and illuminating a first image of the marking part; and a second mirror located at a central part of the reading section and illuminating the first image of the marking part illuminated on the first mirror.

Claims (46)

1. A battery cell tracking device comprising:

a transfer section configured to transfer a plurality of battery cells; and

a reading section arranged on the transfer section and configured to read a mark including information unique to each of the plurality of battery cells,

wherein the reading section comprises:

a light source configured to radiate light on the mark;

a first mirror located adjacent to the mark and configured to illuminate a first image of the mark; and

a second mirror located at a central part of the reading section and configured to illuminate the illuminated first image of the mark on the first mirror,

wherein the first mirror is inclined relative to the transfer section, and

wherein the second mirror is located directly above one of the plurality of battery cells having the mark read in the central part of the transfer section.

2. The battery cell tracking device of claim 1 , wherein:

the reading section further comprises a camera that captures a second image of the mark illuminated on the second mirror and transmits image data thereof to an image processing device.

3. The battery cell tracking device of claim 2 , wherein:

the reading section further comprises,

a first housing including a cut-out part; and

a second housing installed on the first housing,

wherein the first mirror is arranged at regular intervals in the first housing, and

wherein the second mirror, the light source and the camera are arranged within the second housing.

4. The battery cell tracking device of claim 3 , wherein:

the second mirror, the light source and the camera are sequentially arranged along a longitudinal direction of the second housing.

5. The battery cell tracking device of claim 3 , wherein:

the second mirror has a polygonal shape on a plane.

6. The battery cell tracking device of claim 5 , wherein:

when the first mirror is arranged at N locations along an inner peripheral surface of the first housing, and the second mirror has an N-polygonal shape on the plane, where N is a natural number greater than zero.

7. The battery cell tracking device of claim 6 , wherein:

the second mirror has a pyramid shape.

8. The battery cell tracking device of claim 7 , wherein:

the pyramid shape of the second mirror is a tetragonal pyramid shape or an octagonal pyramid shape.

9. The battery cell tracking device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an adjusting part connected to the transfer section and configured to adjust an interval between the plurality of battery cells.

10. The battery cell tracking device of claim 9 , wherein:

the adjusting part comprises:

an adjusting unit configured to determine an interval between one battery cell and another adjacent battery cell while making contact with the one battery cell among the plurality of battery cells.

11. The battery cell tracking device of claim 10 , wherein:

the adjusting unit comprises:

a toothed wheel rotatably installed on a guide rail of the transfer section; and

a drive motor coupled to the toothed wheel.

12. The battery cell tracking device of claim 11 , comprising:

a rotating sensor that is installed on the guide rail to detect a battery cell located toward the reading section from among the plurality of battery cells, the rotating sensor being configured to transmit a signal for rotating the toothed wheel to a control part.

13. The battery cell tracking device of claim 11 , comprising:

a stopping sensor that is installed on the guide rail to detect a battery cell spaced away from the reading section from among the plurality of battery cells, the stopping sensor being configured to transmit a signal for stopping the toothed wheel to the control part.

14. The battery cell tracking device of claim 11 , wherein:

each of the plurality of battery cells is a cylindrical battery cell.

15. The battery cell tracking device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mirror is coplanar to the one of the plurality of battery cells having the mark read in the central part of the transfer section.

16. The battery cell tracking device of claim 1 , wherein:

the first mirror is inclined to directly face the second mirror.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2023
From: PARK, KYOUNGCHAN; PARK, GUN HONG; JUNG, TAE KWANG; PARK, DONG WOOK
To: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
Reel/Frame 065537/0558 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2022-0046805 · Apr 15, 2022 · national
KR 10-2023-0045983 · Apr 7, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240242046A1 · Jul 18, 2024
References Cited (49)
US 4351437A · Long · 1982 [cited by examiner]
US 4493420A · Dennis · 1985 [cited by examiner]
US 6588669B1 · Claus et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 7915860B2 · Quint · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 8079523B2 · Barkan · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8866443B2 · Abe · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 10367181B2 · Shishida · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11605956B2 · Baarman · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20060261780A1 · Edington · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20120257054A1 · Maurin · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120299721A1 · Jones · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20140280073A1 · Sutton · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150048836A1 · Guthrie · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160232736A1 · Holtappels · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170343483A1 · Piana · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180034068A1 · Perry · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180074130A1 · Jeung · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180233729A1 · Liimatainen · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190049520A1 · Velev · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190113911A1 · Hamaya · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190131617A1 · Ahn · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200233034A1 · Velev · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20220109956A1 · Volkerink · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220266398A1 · Kim · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220319301A1 · Krejcarek · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220416286A1 · Park · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230253542A1 · Hughes · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230341471A1 · Zhang · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230395947A1 · Stojanovski · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240097218A1 · Sim · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CN 111403800A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 3593272B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 4220811A1 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
JP 2004325285A · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006234725A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006338244A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011210663A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020060027250A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020110018080A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
KR 101272556B1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020150051657A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020160143068A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020200144385A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020210117016A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020220020123A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020220039264A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for PCT/KR2023/004776 mailed on Jul. 10, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action for Japanese Application No. 2023-563966, dated Nov. 19, 2024, with English translation. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 23788544.7, dated Sep. 17, 2024. [cited by applicant]