US 12,241,940 B2
Dummy electric battery cell, usable as a gauge to verify the correct operation of a measuring apparatus in an electric battery assembly plant, and a method using this dummy battery cell
Daniele Tomasi, Grugliasco (IT)
Assigned to Comau S.p.A., Grugliasco (IT)
Appl. No. 17/801,276
Filed by Comau S.p.A., Grugliasco (IT)
PCT Filed Feb. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/051473
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/171162, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000003787 (IT), filed on Feb. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0094898 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G01R 31/385 (2019.01); G01R 31/389 (2019.01); G01R 31/396 (2019.01); G01R 35/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 31/3865 (2019.01) [G01R 31/389 (2019.01); G01R 31/396 (2019.01); G01R 35/005 (2013.01)] 1 Claim
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for the quality control of electric battery cells or modules for use in a plant for assembling electric batteries, the method comprising:
providing a battery assembly line including a station for receiving a battery cell or a battery module to be assembled together;
measuring by a measuring apparatus associated with the station at least one of an electrical resistance of the battery cell or the battery module or an electrical voltage supplied by the battery cell or the battery module, wherein said measuring apparatus is configured and sized to receive the battery cell or the battery module, and is provided with electrical terminals configured and arranged to enter into electrical connection with terminals of the battery cell or the battery module when the battery cell or the battery module is received on said measuring apparatus; and
verifying a correct functionality of said measuring apparatus by positioning a dummy battery cell in the measuring apparatus, the dummy battery cell having a structure configured and sized to be received within the measuring apparatus and having electrical terminals configured and sized to enter into electrical connection with the electrical terminals of the measuring apparatus when the dummy battery cell is received in the measuring apparatus,
wherein said dummy battery cell further comprises:
a first electric circuit and a second electric circuit each having respective electrical terminals separated from each other,
wherein said first electric circuit includes an electric resistance between the electrical terminals of a strictly predetermined value, and
wherein said second electric circuit includes a voltage generator configured to produce a voltage of a strictly predetermined value at the electrical terminals of said second electric circuit, and
wherein the correct functionality of the measuring apparatus is verified by checking that the electrical resistance and the voltage measured by the measuring apparatus, when the measuring apparatus is connected, respectively, to said first electric circuit and to said second electric circuit of said dummy battery cell, correspond to said respective strictly predetermined values, within a predetermined tolerance margin.