Title of Invention

"ELECTROLYTE INJECTION SYSTEM"

Abstract Disclosed is an electrolyte injection system which forms a means in a head portion to prevent a secondary battery from wetting with electrolyte on an annode tab and an upper surface of a beading portion by directly injecting electrolyte from an injection nozzle to an electrode assembly during injection of electrolyte.
Full Text FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrolyte injection system for secondary batteries, and more particularly, to an electrolyte injection system which prevents electrolyte from being injected onto an anode tab and a beading portion during an electrolyte injection process. BACKGROUND OF THE ART
There are two basic types of batteries, i. e., a primary battery which is charged during the manufacturing process and discarded after losing its charge, and a secondary battery which can be recharged by the user for continuous use. Both types of batteries may be cylindrical, square or rectangular.
The secondary battery usually includes an electrode assembly having anode and cathode plates and a separator plate interposed therebetween, a cap assembly connected to the anode plate of the electrode assembly, a can into which the electrode assembly is inserted and which is connected to the cathode plate, a gasket inserted between the cap assembly and the can to insulate and seal the same, and an insulation ring used as insulator between the can and electrode assembly and between the electrode assembly and cap assembly.


In such a secondary battery, before the cap assembly is installed in the can, a vacuum is formed inside the electrode assembly inserted in the can, and electrolyte is injected into the electrode assembly using an electrolyte injector.
The conventional secondary battery constructed as in the above has drawbacks in that, when electrolyte is injected into the electrode assembly, an anode tab and a beading portion are stained with electrolyte, and it is difficult to seal the can with the cap assembly tightly due to the electrolyte salt on the beading portion. Furthermore, it is difficult to weld the anode tap and the cap assembly. As a result, an additional procedure for removing electrolyte from the anode tab and the beading portion is required. Also, even after this electrolyte removal process, salt in the electrolyte can be left on the anode tab and the beading portion, causing the secondary battery to rust.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrolyte injection system which, when electrolyte is injected into an electrode assembly of a secondary battery, prevents electrolyte from being injected onto an anode tab and a beading portion such that injection

efficiency is increased and the manufacturing process is simplified by eliminating the need for an electrolyte removal procedure in which the anode tab and the beading portion are cleaned.
To achieve the above object, it is provided an electrolyte injection system comprising abase for mounting a battery, and a head portion having an injection nozzle which is prolonged so as to directly inject electrolyte to an electrode assembly of the battery when the head portion is mounted on the base. The electrolyte injection system injects electrolyte into an electrode assembly of a secondary battery by means of pressing the anode tap and the electrode assembly after vacuum!zing the electrode assembly, and by directing injecting electrolyte from an injection nozzle in the head portion into the electrode assembly, thereby prevents electrolyte from being injected onto an anode tab and a beading portion during an electrolyte injecting process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an electrolyte injection system according to a preferred embodiment of the

present invention and a secondary battery in a state before electrolyte is injected into an electrode assembly; and
Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the electrolyte injection system and secondary battery shown in Fig. 1 in a state when injecting electrolyte into the electrode assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a secondary battery 1 placed in an electrolyte injection system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A beading portion 3 is formed on an upper part of a can 2 of the secondary battery 1 and an anode plate of an electrode assembly (not shown) inserted in the can 2 is connected to an anode tab 5.
An electrolyte injector 7 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is used to inject electrolyte into the electrode assembly. The electrolyte injector 7 includes a base 11 having a battery receiving portion 9 to hold the battery 1, and a head portion 15 provided above the base 11, the head portion 15 forming an injection nozzle 13 used to inject electrolyte into the

electrode assembly.
In an upper portion of the base 11, a ring member 17 may be mounted on which a bottom end of the head portion 15 makes contact when the same is lowered onto the base (see Fig. 2) .
In the head portion 15, there is provided means for preventing electrolyte from being injected onto the anode tab 5 and the beading portion 3 of the secondary battery 1 when electrolyte is injected into the electrode assembly through the injection nozzle 13.
The above means includes a biasing portion 19 formed to be upwardly inclined at a predetermined angle, i. e., increasingly enlarging toward an upper part thereof, to push the anode tab 5 toward one side when the head portion 15 is lowered onto the base 11, and a cylinder 21 formed at a predetermined size protruding downward toward the base 11 to be positioned on the upper surface of the beading portion 3 when electrolyte is injected (Fig. 2).
A cylinder ring member 23 is mounted on a bottom surface of the cylinder 21 to tightly contact with the upper surface of the beading portion 3 as shown in Fig. 2.
A hole 25 is formed through a side of the cylinder 21 so that a vacuum can be formed together with an inside of the can 2, in a space 10 between the head portion 15 and the outer surface of the cylinder 21.
In the electrolyte injection system structured as in

the above, when wanting to inject electrolyte into the electrode assembly of the secondary battery 1, the head portion 15 of the electrolyte injector 7 is lowered onto the base 11 in a state where the can 2 of the secondary battery 1 is positioned in the battery receiving portion 9.
As shown in Fig. 2, when head portion is lowered onto the base 11, the cylinder ring member 23 and the bottom surface of the head portion 15 are tightly contacted on the upper surface of the beading portion 3 and the ring member 17 of the base 11, respectively.
In this state, the anode tab 5 of the secondary battery 1 is positioned adjacent to the outer side surface of the biasing portion 19. With this positioning, a vacuum is formed in the electrode and electrolyte is injected into the same through the injection nozzle 13. That is, the means for preventing a secondary battery from wetting with electrolyte is positioned to the upper end of the electrode assembly when tightly contacting the bottom end of the anode tab, and, in that state, the electrode assembly and the periphery are vacuumized. And, when the electrolyte is supplied to the injection nozzle, electrolyte is injected from the injection nozzle into the electrode assembly.
With this means for preventing a secondary battery from wetting with electrolyte, it is possible for electrolyte to be injected without wetting with electrolyte on the anode tab and the beading portion. As a result of

the above structure, electrolyte can be injected into the secondary battery 1 without contaminating the anode tab 5 and the beading portion 3 with the same by the biasing portion 19, the cylinder 21 and the ring member 23.
While this invention has been described concerning what is presently considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.



We claim:
1. An electrolyte injection system comprising:
a base for mounting a battery and
a head portion having an injection nozzle which is prolonged so as to directly inject electrolyte to an electrode assembly of the battery onto an anode tab and a beading portion of the battery when the head portion is mounted on the base.

2. An electrolyte injection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
biasing portion is formed around the injection nozzle to be upwardly
inclined at a predetermined angle from the lower part to the upper
part of the injection nozzle to push an anode tab of the battery
toward one side direction.
3. An electrolyte injection system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the
biasing portion is conically shaped.
4. An electrolyte injection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a
cylinder is formed around the injection nozzle and formed
protruding downward from the head portion to be positioned on a
beading portion of the battery when the head portion is mounted on
the base.
5. An electrolyte injection system as claimed in claim 4 wherein a ring
member is mounted on a bottom end of the cylinder to tightly
contact the upper surface of the beading portion.
6. An electrolyte injection system as claimed in claim 3 wherein a hole
is formed through a side the cylinder to produce a vacuum in the
head portion.
7. An electrolyte injection system substantially as herein described
with reference to the foregoing examples and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.


Documents:

3626-del-1997-abstract.pdf

3626-del-1997-claims.pdf

3626-del-1997-correspondence-others.pdf

3626-del-1997-correspondence-po.pdf

3626-del-1997-description (complete).pdf

3626-del-1997-drawings.pdf

3626-del-1997-form-1.pdf

3626-del-1997-form-19.pdf

3626-del-1997-form-2.pdf

3626-del-1997-form-3.pdf

3626-del-1997-form-4.pdf

3626-del-1997-form-6.pdf

3626-del-1997-gpa.pdf

3626-del-1997-petition-124.pdf


Patent Number 215201
Indian Patent Application Number 3626/DEL/1997
PG Journal Number 10/2008
Publication Date 07-Mar-2008
Grant Date 21-Feb-2008
Date of Filing 16-Dec-1997
Name of Patentee SAMSUNG DISPLAY DEVICES CO. LTD.
Applicant Address 575, SIN-DONG, PALDAL-KU, SUWON-SI, KYUNGKI-DO, KOREA.
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 EUI-SUN HONG 30/1, 1149-16, CHEKI 1-D, TONGDAEMUN-KU, SEOUL KOREA.
PCT International Classification Number H01M 2/36
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 97-11780 1997-03-31 Republic of Korea