Plug attaching device, and secondary battery manufacturing method using the same

A method for manufacturing a secondary battery comprising an electrode assembly that comprises a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a nonaqueous electrolyte, and a battery case comprising a liquid injection hole for injecting the nonaqueous electrolyte, the battery case housing the electrode assembly and the nonaqueous electrolyte, the method comprising:

• temporary sealing, by using a device, the liquid injection hole of the battery case housing the electrode assembly and the nonaqueous electrolyte with a cylindrical plug having therein a non-through hole that has an opening on one end surface, wherein
• the device comprises:
• an insertion pin configured to be inserted into the non-through hole from the opening of the cylindrical plug;
• and
• a guide portion configured to guide a peripheral wall surface of the insertion pin, the guide portion being slidable in an axial direction of the insertion pin, and
• the temporary sealing comprises:
• when the cylindrical plug is disposed inside the liquid injection hole, causing the insertion pin to be pushed into the non-through hole with the guide portion in contact with a periphery of the opening, to attach the cylindrical plug into the liquid injection hole, and
• after the attachment of the cylindrical plug,
• causing the insertion pin to be moved in an opposite direction to the non-through hole to remove the insertion pin from the non-through hole, and
• detaching the guide portion from the opening.

A device for attaching, into a through hole of a target, a cylindrical plug having therein a non-through hole that has an opening on one end surface, the device comprising:

• an insertion pin configured to be inserted into the non-through hole from the opening of the cylindrical plug;
• and
• a guide portion configured to guide a peripheral wall surface of the insertion pin, the guide portion being (i) slidable in an axial direction of the insertion pin, (ii) cylindrical, and (iii) separable from the cylindrical plug, wherein
• the device is configured to:
• when the cylindrical plug is disposed inside the through hole, cause the insertion pin to be pushed into the non-through hole with the guide portion disposed on a periphery of the opening, to attach the cylindrical plug into the through hole, and
• after the attachment of the cylindrical plug,
• cause the insertion pin to be moved in an opposite direction to the non-through hole to remove the insertion pin from the non-through hole, and
• detach the guide portion from the opening,
• the cylindrical plug comprises
• a plug body configured to be fitted into the through hole of the target, and
• a restriction portion configured to restrict fitting of the cylindrical plug into the through hole, the restriction portion comprising a flange portion and a cylinder, wherein a diameter of the flange portion is larger than a diameter of the cylinder,
• the flange portion and the cylinder are continuous to each other in an axial direction of the cylindrical plug,
• the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
• the opening of the non-through hole is formed in an outer surface of the cylindrical plug on a side with the restriction portion in a direction in which the plug body and the restriction portion are continuous to each other,
• the non-through hole extends from the opening to the inside of the plug body through the restriction portion, and
• the bottom surface of the non-through hole is formed inside the plug body.