JP2000003704A - Press-contacting device for polymer battery electrode group - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a press-contacting device for a polymer battery electrode group which is adaptable to a mass production, as well as ensures better yield for the high quality polymer battery electrode group. SOLUTION: This press-contacting device for a polymer battery electrode group comprises a pair of pressure contact blocks 4, 4' which have heating elements and whose pressure contact surfaces are facingly disposed, and a pressure control structure mechanism 5 which apply pressure to at least one of the pressure contact blocks 4, 4' and making the opposed pressure contact surfaces close to each other or separating from each other; and an advance or retreat driving structure 6 which causes the pressure control structure 5 to advance or retreat. The pressure contact block 4' may be a fixed type or capable of advancing able or retreating able type by means of an advance or retreat driving structure 6', or may have a construction that the pressure control structure 5 is interposed, and may be additionally provided with a mechanism that drivingly controls the pressure control structure 5 and the advance or retreat driving mechanisms 6, 6'.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a crimping apparatus for a polymer battery electrode group, and more particularly, to a polymer battery electrode group suitable for temporary fusion for maintaining the positioning and lamination state of a sheet-shaped positive electrode, a separator and a negative electrode. It relates to a crimping device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, secondary batteries such as non-aqueous solvent batteries are widely used as power sources for portable telephones and video cameras. In the power supply battery,
With the miniaturization and high performance of the above-mentioned devices, miniaturization, weight reduction, high voltage, high capacity, and the like are required.

In response to such demands, a sheet-like positive electrode layer, a sheet-like negative electrode layer, and a sheet-like polymer also functioning as a separator interposed and arranged between these two electrode layers.
Polymer batteries using an electrolyte-based laminate as an electrode group have been developed. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a main part of an electrode group, wherein 1 is a sheet-shaped positive electrode layer, 2 is a sheet-shaped negative electrode layer opposed to the sheet-shaped positive electrode layer 1, and 3 is both sheet-shaped electrode layers 1 , 2 is a sheet-shaped polymer-electrolyte system which also functions as a separator interposed and arranged between the two. Then, in forming a polymer battery, the battery is connected to a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal via a current collector sheet that is electrically in contact with the sheet-shaped electrode layers 1 and 2, respectively.

Here, the sheet-like positive electrode layer 1 is made of a lithium-containing metal oxide that occludes and releases lithium ions, such as a lithium-manganese composite oxide, a lithium-containing cobalt oxide, manganese dioxide, a lithium-containing nickel-cobalt oxide, and a lithium-containing nickel oxide. And a binder component (resin) as a main component.

[0005] The sheet-like negative electrode 2 is formed mainly of a fired product of bisphenol resin, polyacrylonitrile, cellulose, or the like, a fired product of coke or pitch, nickel powder, and a binder component (resin). Examples of the calcined material (carbonaceous material) include natural or artificial graphite, carbon black, acetylene black, and Ketjen black.

Further, the separator 3 is made of a polypropylene non-woven fabric or the like, and has a function of impregnating an ethylene carbonate solution such as a lithium salt. Here, the non-aqueous electrolyte may be mixed with a non-aqueous solvent such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and methyl ethyl carbonate, for example, by adding lithium perchlorate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, and boron tetrafluoride. Examples thereof include those in which lithium chloride, lithium arsenic hexafluoride, lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, and the like are dissolved at about 0.2 to 2 mol / l.

Further, as the current collector of the positive electrode layer, for example, aluminum foil, aluminum mesh, aluminum band metal, aluminum punch metal, or the like is used. As the current collector of the negative electrode layer, copper foil, copper Mesh, copper band metal, copper punch metal, etc. are used.

In the polymer battery, an electrode portion composed of, for example, a sheet-like positive electrode layer 1, a sheet-like negative electrode layer 2, a separator 3 carrying an electrolyte, and the like is positioned and accommodated in a battery outer casing having an open end. While wearing
It is manufactured by injecting a required electrolytic solution and then hermetically sealing the opening.

[0009]

As described above, the electrode group of the polymer battery is formed by sandwiching a sheet-like separator 3 between a sheet-like positive electrode layer 1 and a sheet-like negative electrode layer 2 and applying a required heating and pressurization. It is laminated. That is, first,
As a first laminating step, the sheet-like positive electrode layer 1,
After the sheet-like separator 3 and the sheet-like negative electrode layer 2 are aligned and laminated, a slight pressure is applied thereto, and a slight adhesion of the sheet-like separator 3 itself forms a temporarily fused laminated electrode group. After the positioning and the lamination, the lamination and integration are advanced in the second laminating step.

Incidentally, the laminated electrode group formed in the first laminating step is inferior in its integrity, and tends to easily displace when an external force such as an impact is applied in the process of processing or transporting. There is. Therefore, in the second laminating step, the laminated electrode group in the misaligned state is heated and pressurized, thereby lowering the production yield. Here, a decrease in the production yield not only adversely affects the production cost and mass productivity, but also may impair the quality of the polymer battery electrode group product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a polymer battery electrode group crimping apparatus suitable for mass production with high yield of high quality polymer battery electrode groups.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pair of crimping blocks each having a heating element and having crimping surfaces opposed to each other, and applying pressure to at least one of the crimping blocks and And a pressure control mechanism for moving the pressure control mechanism toward and away from the pressure bonding surface, and an advance / retreat drive mechanism for moving the pressure control mechanism forward / backward.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pair of crimping blocks each having a heating element and having crimping surfaces opposed to each other, applying pressure to at least one of the crimping blocks, and bringing the opposing crimping surfaces into close proximity. Pressure bonding of a polymer battery electrode group, comprising: a pressure control mechanism for separating, an advance / retreat drive mechanism for moving the pressure control mechanism forward and backward, and a drive control mechanism for driving and controlling the pressure control mechanism and the advance / retreat drive mechanism. Device.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the pressure bonding apparatus for an electrode group of a polymer battery according to the first or second aspect, the pressure control mechanism comprises a pair of cylinders.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for crimping an electrode group for a polymer battery according to any one of the first to third aspects, the forward / backward drive mechanism is constituted by a cylinder.

In the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, the pair of crimping blocks are plate-like blocks made of a metal such as stainless steel or ceramics, and having a flat crimping surface. The size, shape, and the like are appropriately set in accordance with the polymer battery electrode group as the member to be pressed. On the other hand, the heating element generally adopts a configuration in which the heating block is built in the pressure bonding block, but may have a structure in which the heating blocks are arranged in a stacked manner on the non-pressure bonding surface side of the pressure bonding block.

In addition, the pressure control mechanism is arranged so that the crimping surfaces of the crimping blocks are close to and separated from each other, and the thermocompression bonding of the polymer battery electrode group as the object to be crimped and the attachment / detachment of the polymer battery electrode group are performed. It is necessary to move the crimping surface of the arm. In other words, the first pressure control mechanism that brings the opposing crimping surfaces of both crimping blocks closer together, and the second pressure control mechanism that separates the opposing crimping surfaces of both crimping blocks,
One crimp block is moved forward and backward. More specifically, a pair of cylinders acting in opposite directions are installed side by side,
It is carried out by using these properly or by combining a cylinder and an elastic body. Here, the cylinder includes an air cylinder, an oil cylinder, and the like.

Further, the advance / retreat driving mechanism integrally moves the pressure bonding block and the pressure control mechanism attached to the pressure bonding block, and is preferably a cylinder. In the invention of claim 2, the drive control mechanism for controlling the pressure control mechanism and the advance / retreat drive mechanism is configured to perform pressure bonding by bringing a pressure bonding block close to a body to be pressure bonded (positioned polymer battery electrode group) and pressure bonding after temporary bonding by pressure bonding. This is a program that automatically performs a series of steps such as separation of blocks in sequence. In other words, productivity or operation efficiency is improved by using an automatic driving operation instead of a manual operation.

In the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, at least one of the crimping blocks is configured to apply an appropriate thermocompression bonding by the pressure control mechanism in the temporary fusion in the positioned and laminated state. A crimped body that can sufficiently maintain integrity even in a handling process such as transportation can be provided. In particular, in the invention according to the second aspect, the operation of thermocompression bonding and the like can be performed automatically, so that the productivity and the like can be improved.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a main part of a crimping device for a polymer battery electrode group according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 4 and 4 'denote a pair of crimping blocks (fused blocks) each containing a heating element (not shown). The crimping blocks 4 and 4' are arranged so that their crimping surfaces face each other and can advance and retreat. I have. Here, the pair of crimping blocks 4, 4 '
For example, it is a thick plate made of stainless steel with a crimping surface of 5 x 10 mm and a thickness of 20 mm, and is configured to be electrically insulated and incorporate an electric heater.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a pressure control mechanism which applies pressure to at least one of the crimping blocks 4 and 4 '(for example, the crimping block 4), and is arranged so that the opposing crimping surfaces can be approached or separated. Here, the pressure control mechanism 5 moves the crimping block 4 forward and backward to apply a required pressure between the opposing crimping surfaces of the crimping blocks 4 and 4 ′, and also functions to move the opposing crimping surfaces of the crimping blocks 4 and 4 ′. It also has the function of approaching or separating. In this embodiment, the first pressure control mechanism (for example, an oil cylinder) 5a moves the crimping block 4 toward the fixed type crimping block 4 ', and brings the opposing crimping surfaces of the two crimping blocks 4, 4' into close proximity. To apply pressure. On the other hand, the second pressure control mechanism (for example, an oil cylinder) 5b causes the crimping block 4 to move in the opposite direction with respect to the fixed crimping block 4 '.
The pressure is released by separating the opposing crimping surfaces 4 '. That is, while the two cylinders 5a and 5b perform pressure bonding under appropriately adjusted pressure, the pressure bonding surfaces of the pressure bonding blocks 4 and 4 'are separated from each other in conjunction with an advance / retreat driving mechanism described later.

Further, reference numerals 6, 6 'denote advance / retreat driving mechanisms for moving the pressure control mechanism 5 and the fixed-type crimping block 4' forward and backward. In other words, the two crimping blocks 4 and 4 ′ move the pressure crimping block 4 ′ directly and via the pressure control mechanism 5 so that the opposing crimping surfaces of the crimping blocks 4 and 4 ′ approach or separate from each other. It works. Here, the advance / retreat driving mechanisms 6, 6 'are, for example, oil cylinders, and a positioning laminated electrode group 7 as an object to be pressed is arranged between the opposing pressure bonding surfaces of the pressure bonding blocks 4, 4'. The thermocompression bonding is performed between the opposing compression bonding surfaces of the blocks 4 and 4 ′ that are close to each other.

Next, the operation or an example of use of the crimping device for a polymer battery electrode group having the above-described structure will be described.

First, the crimping block 4 is separated from the crimping block 4 'by the advance / retreat driving mechanism 6 via the pressure control mechanism 5, and the temperature of the crimping surface of each of the crimping blocks 4, 4' is set to 100 to 100 by the built-in electric heater. Keep at 150 ° C. On the other hand, an electrode group 7 in which a sheet-like positive electrode piece, a separator piece and a sheet-like negative electrode piece are positioned and laminated is prepared, and arranged between the opposing crimping surfaces of the crimping blocks 4, 4 '. Thereafter, the crimping block 4 is moved closer to the crimping block 4 ′ by the advance / retreat driving mechanism 6 via the pressure control mechanism 5, and is moved closer to the crimping block 4 ′ by the advance / retreat driving mechanism 6 ′.

The forward / backward drive mechanism 6 'and the forward / backward drive mechanism 6
A required pressure is applied between the opposing crimping surfaces of the crimping blocks 4 and 4 'by the pressure control mechanism 5 linked with the pressure control mechanism. Due to the approach between the opposing surfaces of the two crimping blocks 4 and 4 ′, the positioned and laminated electrode group 7 is thermocompression-bonded. That is, the positioning and stacking electrode group 7 arranged at a pressure appropriately adjusted by the first cylinder 5a and the second cylinder 5b of the pressure control mechanism 5, for example, a pressure of about 200 to 400 gr / cm ² is thermocompression-bonded. You. Then, by this thermocompression bonding, the positioning and stacking electrode group 7 is partially fused, and is integrated to such an extent that, for example, peeling or displacement does not occur in a transportation process or the like.

In the above description, the pair of crimping blocks 4
4 ', the pressure control mechanism 5 and the advance / retreat drive mechanism 6 are used to move one of the crimping blocks 4 forward and backward. 6 or the like. Further, the pressure control mechanism 5 and the forward / backward drive mechanism 6 and the like may be configured to be able to be automatically controlled separately or in combination with the drive control mechanism. The present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the material and shape of the pressure bonding block may be other materials, and the pressure control mechanism and the advance / retreat drive mechanism may be other types than the cylinder.

[0028]

According to the invention of claims 1 to 4, at the time of temporary fusion in the state of positioning and lamination, at least one of the pressure bonding blocks applies an appropriate thermocompression bonding by a pressure control mechanism, and Fusion is performed. That is, an integrated pressure-bonded laminated electrode group can be formed to such an extent that a displacement or a peeling of the laminated body does not occur in a handling process such as transportation. In particular, in the invention according to claim 2, since the operation of thermocompression bonding and the like are performed automatically, improvement in mass productivity and cost reduction are achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a crimping device for a polymer battery electrode group according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a main part of a polymer battery electrode group.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet-like positive electrode layer 2 ... Sheet-like negative electrode layer 3 ... Sheet-like separator 4, 4 '... Crimping block (fusion head) 5 ... Pressure control mechanism 5a, 5b ... Cylinder 6, 6' ... … Advancing / retracting driving mechanism 7 …… Crimped object (positioning laminated body)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pair of crimping blocks each having a heating element and arranged so that crimping faces are opposed to each other; and pressure control for applying pressure to at least one of the crimping blocks and for making the opposed crimping faces close to or separated from each other. A crimping device for a polymer battery electrode group, comprising: a mechanism; and a forward / backward drive mechanism for moving the pressure control mechanism forward / backward. 2. A pair of crimping blocks each having a heating element and arranged so that crimping faces are opposed to each other; and pressure control for applying pressure to at least one of the crimping blocks and for approaching / separating between the opposed crimping faces. A pressure bonding device for a polymer battery electrode group, comprising: a mechanism; an advance / retreat drive mechanism for moving the pressure control mechanism forward / backward; and a drive control mechanism for driving / controlling the pressure control mechanism and the advance / retreat drive mechanism. 3. The pressure bonding apparatus for an electrode group of a polymer battery according to claim 1, wherein the pressure control mechanism comprises a pair of cylinders. 4. The crimping device for a polymer battery electrode group according to claim 1, wherein the advance / retreat drive mechanism is constituted by a cylinder.