CYLINDRICAL PART TRAY

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cylindrical part tray that is configured to accommodate cylindrical parts, and more particularly, to a cylindrical part tray for storing or transporting cylindrical parts such as a plurality of battery cans during a battery manufacturing process.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, secondary batteries can be classified into, depending on a shape of a battery case, cylindrical batteries in which an electrode assembly is built into a metal can of a cylindrical (or polygonal) shape and pouch-type batteries in which the electrode assembly is built into a pouch-type case of aluminum laminate sheet.

Among them, the cylindrical batteries have advantages of having a relatively large capacity, and being structurally stable against external physical shocks.

In general, these cylindrical batteries are manufactured by housing an electrode assembly inside a metal can case of a cylindrical shape (also called a “battery can”) with one end closed, followed by injecting electrolyte, and then coupling a cap assembly to the other end.

In a manufacturing process of these cylindrical batteries, a tray was used to transport or store battery cans between each manufacturing space.

DISCLOSURE

Referring to FIG. 1 which shows a conventional battery can tray in plan view, the conventional battery can tray includes a square frame 10, a plurality of accommodation portions 20 partitioned and formed inside the frame 10 to respectively accommodate battery cans, and a through hole 21 formed in a center of a bottom of each of the accommodation portions 20.

However, such a conventional battery can tray had a problem that, when the battery can was used while accommodated in the accommodation portion 20, a lower surface of the battery can was subjected to friction or collision with a bottom surface of the accommodation portion due to external impact or vibration, causing scratches to occur on the lower surface of the battery can.

The battery can tray needs to have a structure capable of stably housing and holding a plurality of battery cans, and at the same time, needs to be made to minimize an occurrence of scratches on an outer surface of the battery can, particularly on an end surface that closes one side opening of a cylindrical battery can.

The present invention is to provide a cylindrical parts tray that is configured to have an improved structure so as to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of the above-mentioned problem.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a cylindrical part tray that is fabricated so as to accommodate cylindrical parts such as battery cans may be provided, in which the cylindrical part tray includes a frame, and a plurality of accommodation portions formed on an inner side of the frame and configured to respectively accommodate the cylindrical parts, the accommodation portion includes a bottom surface formed to be inclined downward toward a center of the accommodation portion, and contact between an end surface of the cylindrical part and a bottom surface of the accommodation portion is made as a linear contact.

The bottom surface may be inclined while having a constant angle value over an entire bottom surface, or may be inclined while having two or more different angle values.

The bottom surface may include a first bottom portion having a first inclination angle and a second bottom portion having a second inclination angle, and with respect to a horizontal plane, the first inclination angle between the horizontal plane and the first bottom portion may have a value greater than the second inclination angle between the horizontal plane and the second bottom portion, and the second bottom portion may be positioned closer to the center of the accommodation portion than the first bottom portion.

The accommodation portion may have six sidewalls so as to form a hexagonal structure, and each of the sidewalls may have a protrusion portion formed thereon that protrudes toward the center of the accommodation portion.

The accommodation portion may have four sidewalls so as to form a square structure, and a protrusion portion protruding toward the center of the accommodation portion may be formed between the sidewalls.

According to the present invention, a cylindrical part tray having an improved structure is provided, thereby minimizing scratches on an outer surface of a battery can during a manufacturing process of the battery can.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a battery can tray according to a prior art.

FIG. 2A is a plan view showing one accommodation portion included in a cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing one accommodation portion included in a cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of a cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which a battery can is accommodated within an accommodation portion.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4, and the battery can accommodated in the accommodation portion is not shown as a cross-section.

FIG. 6 is a drawing similar to FIG. 5, and it is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating an enlarged contact region between the battery can and the accommodation portion.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a cylindrical part tray according to a modified example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of the cylindrical part tray according to the modified example of the present invention, illustrating a state in which a battery can is accommodated within an accommodation portion.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 8, and the battery can accommodated in the accommodation portion is not shown as a cross-section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a cylindrical part tray according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following description, terms such as “over”, “under”, “upper”, “lower”, “inside”, “outside”, and the like indicating directions are only for convenience of description, and do not limit the directionality in the actual structure and operation of a battery can tray.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a plan view and a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing one accommodation portion included in a cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a partial perspective view and a partial plan view of the cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 illustrates a state in which a battery can is accommodated within the accommodation portion. FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 illustrate a partial enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating an enlarged contact region between the battery can and the accommodation portion.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2A through 6, the cylindrical part tray according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a frame (illustration is omitted) and a plurality of accommodation portions 120 formed on an inner side of the frame so as to respectively accommodate cylindrical parts such as battery cans. The cylindrical part tray may include a through hole 127 formed in a center of a bottom of each accommodation portion 120.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frame may be approximately rectangular, as in a prior art, but the present invention is not limited by a shape of the frame.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2A through 4, the accommodation portions 120 of the cylindrical part tray may be formed on the inner side of the frame so as to form a hexagonal structure, that is, a honeycomb structure. Some of the accommodation portions 120 may share a sidewall with another adjacent accommodation portion. In addition, some of the accommodation portions 120 may be configured to utilize an outer wall of the frame as a sidewall of the accommodation portion.

Each of the accommodation portions 120 may have six sidewalls 121 so as to form the hexagonal structure, and each of the sidewalls 121 may have a protrusion portion 122 formed thereon to protrude toward a center of the accommodation portion 120. In other words, each of the accommodation portions 120 may include a plurality of protrusion portions 122 protruding toward the center of the accommodation portion, and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6, a lower end of an inner surface of each protrusion portion 122 may be in contact with a lower end of an outer circumferential surface of a battery can 200 accommodated in the accommodation portion 120.

The protrusion portion 122 may be formed integrally with the sidewall 121. The protrusion portion 122 may be formed by increasing a thickness of the sidewall 121. In this case, an interior of the protrusion portion 122 may be solid.

A bottom surface 125 of each accommodation portion 120 may be formed to be inclined downward toward the center. An inclination angle of the bottom surface 125 may have a constant angle value over an entire bottom surface, or may have two or more angle values. In addition, the bottom surface 125 may be formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, or may be formed as a combination of a flat surface and a curved surface.

For example, as best illustrated in FIG. 6, the bottom surface 125 may include a first bottom portion 125a having a first inclination angle and a second bottom portion 125b having a second inclination angle. With respect to a horizontal plane, the first inclination angle between the horizontal plane and the first bottom portion 125a may have a value greater than the second inclination angle between the horizontal plane and the second bottom portion 125b.

The second bottom portion 125b may be positioned closer to the center of the accommodation portion 120 than the first bottom portion 125a, and the through hole 127 may be formed at a center of the second bottom portion 125b. The second bottom portion 125b may be formed as an inclined surface or as a horizontal surface.

An end surface 210 that closes one side opening of a cylindrical part, that is, the cylindrical battery can 200, may be in linear contact with the first bottom portion 125a of the accommodation portion 120. As illustrated in FIG. 6, according to an embodiment of the present invention, only an outermost edge portion of the end surface 210 of the battery can 200 may be configured to be in linear contact with the first bottom portion 125a of the accommodation portion 120. In a case that the battery can 200 has a cylindrical shape, a linear contact between the end surface of the battery can and the accommodation portion may be formed in a circular shape.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, so that the contact between the end surface of the battery can and the bottom surface of the accommodation portion can occur as a single line that does not break, the bottom surface 125 (e.g., the first bottom portion 125a) may be configured so as not to have a protrusion portion (protrusion) or a concave portion (groove).

As illustrated in FIG. 6, a connection region between the end surface 210 and an outer circumferential surface 220 of the battery can 200 may be formed to be round. When an outer surface of such a round connection region is referred to as a round surface, the round surface includes the outermost edge portion of the end surface 210 of the battery can 200. In this case, a linear contact between the end surface 210 of the battery can and the bottom surface 125 of the accommodation portion may occur on the round surface.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the contact between the end surface of the battery can and the accommodation portion is made as the linear contact, it is possible to minimize an occurrence of scratches on the end surface that closes one side opening of the cylindrical battery can.

Hereinafter, a cylindrical part tray according to a modified example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Compared to the cylindrical part tray having the accommodation portion of the hexagonal structure according to an embodiment described above, the cylindrical part tray according to the modified example of the present invention is different in that it has an accommodation portion of a square structure.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a partial perspective view and a partial plan view of the cylindrical part tray according to the modified example of the present invention, and FIG. 8 illustrates a state in which a battery can is accommodated within the accommodation portion. FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 8.

As illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9, the cylindrical part tray according to the modified example of the present invention includes a frame and a plurality of accommodation portions 140 formed on an inner side of the frame so as to respectively accommodate cylindrical parts such as battery cans. The cylindrical part tray may include a through hole 147 formed in a center of a bottom of each accommodation portion 140.

The frame according to the modified example of the present invention may have a substantially rectangular shape, similar to the frame of the aforementioned embodiment, but the present invention is not limited by a shape of the frame.

As illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9, the accommodation portions 140 of the cylindrical part tray may be formed on the inner side of the frame so as to form a square structure. Some of the accommodation portions 140 may share a sidewall with another adjacent accommodation portion. In addition, some of the accommodation portions 140 may be configured to utilize an outer wall of the frame as a sidewall of the accommodation portion.

Each of the accommodation portions 140 may have four sidewalls 141 so as to form the square structure, and a protrusion portion 142 may be formed at a corner between the sidewalls 141 so as to protrude toward a center of the accommodation portion 140. In other words, each of the accommodation portions 140 may include a plurality of protrusion portions 142 protruding toward the center of the accommodation portion, and as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, a lower end of an inner surface of each protrusion portion 142 may be in contact with a lower end of an outer circumferential surface of a battery can 200 accommodated in the accommodation portion 140.

The protrusion portion 142 may be formed integrally with the sidewall 141. The protrusion portion 142 may be formed by convexly deforming a partial shape of the sidewall 141. Referring to FIG. 9, an interior of the protrusion portion 142 may be hollow.

As with the cylindrical part tray of the aforementioned embodiment, a bottom surface 145 of each accommodation portion 140 of the cylindrical part tray according to the modified example may be formed to be inclined downward toward the center. An inclination angle of the bottom surface 145 may have a constant angle value over an entire bottom surface, or may have two or more angle values. In addition, the bottom surface 145 may be formed as a flat surface or a curved surface, or may be formed as a combination of a flat surface and a curved surface.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the bottom surface 145 may include a first bottom portion 145a having a first inclination angle and a second bottom portion 145b having a second inclination angle. With respect to a horizontal plane, the first inclination angle between the horizontal plane and the first bottom portion 145a may have a value greater than the second inclination angle between the horizontal plane and the second bottom portion 145b.

The second bottom portion 145b may be positioned closer to the center of the accommodation portion 140 than the first bottom portion 145a, and the through hole 147 may be formed at a center of the second bottom portion 145b. The second bottom portion 145b may be formed as an inclined surface or as a horizontal surface.

The bottom surface 145 may be formed of two or more bottom portions each having two or more inclination angles, and the two or more bottom portions may be concentric with each other.

An end surface that closes one side opening of a cylindrical part, that is, the cylindrical battery can 200, may be in linear contact with the first bottom portion 145a of the accommodation portion 140. That is, only an outermost edge portion of the end surface of the battery can 200 may be configured to be in linear contact with the first bottom portion 145a of the accommodation portion 140. In a case that the battery can 200 has a cylindrical shape, a linear contact between the end surface of the battery can and the accommodation portion may be formed in a circular shape.

According to the modified example of the present invention, so that the contact between the end surface of the battery can and the bottom surface of the accommodation portion can occur as a single line that does not break, the bottom surface 145 (e.g., the first bottom portion 145a) may be configured so as not to have a protrusion portion (protrusion) or a concave portion (groove).

A connection region between the end surface 210 and an outer circumferential surface 220 of the battery can 200 may be formed to be round. When an outer surface of such a round connection region is referred to as a round surface, the round surface includes the outermost edge portion of the end surface 210 of the battery can 200. In this case, a linear contact between the end surface 210 of the battery can and the bottom surface 145 of the accommodation portion may occur on the round surface.

As described above, according to the modified example of the present invention, since the contact between the end surface of the battery can and the accommodation portion is made as the linear contact, it is possible to minimize an occurrence of scratches on the end surface that closes one side opening of the cylindrical battery can.

The above description is merely an example of a technical idea of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains will be able to make various modifications, changes, and substitutions within the scope not departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

The embodiments disclosed in the present invention and the accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

In addition, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 120, 140: Accommodation portion, 121, 141: Sidewall, 122, 142: Protrusion portion, 125, 145: Bottom surface, 125a, 145a: First bottom portion, 125b, 145b: Second bottom portion, 127, 147: Through hole, 200: Battery can, 210: End surface, 220: Outer circumferential surface