JP2018081786A - Electrode manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress cutting of an electrode material in slackened state.SOLUTION: An electrode manufacturing device 20 cuts an electrode material 17, consisting of a long metal foil 18, into individual electrodes 10 while transporting in the longitudinal direction. The electrode manufacturing device 20 includes a pair of first suction conveyors 22, arranged at positions spaced apart from each other in the orthogonal direction Y, and having a support mechanism for supporting the electrode material 17 while regulating movement in the orthogonal direction Y. The electrode manufacturing device 20 includes a cutting part for cutting a region A of the electrode material 17 between the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the orthogonal direction Y, as a cut region. The electrode manufacturing device 20 includes a transport roller 21, arranged just upstream of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the transport direction X, and supporting the electrode material 17 at least between the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the orthogonal direction Y.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrode manufacturing apparatus.

  Conventionally, as a power storage device mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle (EV) or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), there are a lithium ion secondary battery, a nickel hydride secondary battery, and the like. For example, in a lithium ion secondary battery, an electrode assembly (a positive electrode and a negative electrode) having an active material layer on the surface of a metal foil has an electrode assembly that overlaps in a layered state in a state where the two are insulated. As the electrode assembly, a stacked type formed by stacking a large number of individual electrodes is known, and a stacked type power storage device including such an electrode assembly is also known.

  As an electrode manufacturing apparatus used in a stacked power storage device, for example, an electrode manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 that cuts into individual electrodes while conveying an electrode material made of a long metal foil is known. It has been.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-72834

  By the way, in an electrode manufacturing apparatus, for example, the electrode material is cut in a state where a portion other than the cutting region of the electrode material is supported by the support portion. In order to prevent the electrode material from moving on the support portion due to a load acting on the electrode material during cutting, the support portion supports the electrode material while restricting the movement of the electrode material. However, when the electrode material is supported by the support portion in a sagging state, the electrode material is cut in the sagging state. If the electrode material is cut in this way, the cutting position in the electrode material may be shifted from the original position, or the electrode material itself may not be cut, which is not preferable.

  The objective of this invention is providing the electrode manufacturing apparatus which can suppress cutting | disconnecting an electrode material in the state which slackened.

  An electrode manufacturing apparatus that solves the above problems is an electrode manufacturing apparatus that cuts an electrode material having a coating portion in which an active material is disposed on a long metal foil into a piece of electrode while conveying the electrode material in the longitudinal direction. In a state along the surface of the electrode material and spaced apart from each other in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the electrode material, and in a state where movement of the electrode material in the orthogonal direction is restricted A support mechanism for supporting, a pair of support portions for conveying the electrode material, and a cutting portion for cutting the cutting region with the region of the electrode material between the pair of support portions as a cutting region in the orthogonal direction; An upstream support portion that is disposed immediately upstream of the support mechanism in the transport direction and supports at least the electrode material between the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction. The the gist.

  According to the above configuration, the upstream support portion is provided immediately upstream from the support mechanism in the transport direction. The upstream support portion supports at least the electrode material between the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction. As a result, the electrode material is supported by the upstream support portion immediately before the upstream side in the transport direction from the support mechanism, and sagging of the electrode material can be suppressed. Then, the electrode material passed from the upstream support portion to the pair of support portions is in a state where sagging in the range of the cutting region of the cutting portion is suppressed. Then, while the sagging of the electrode material is suppressed, it is conveyed while the movement of the electrode material is regulated by the support portion, and the cutting by the cutting portion is performed. Therefore, it can suppress that the cutting | disconnection by the cutting part of an electrode material is performed in a sagging state.

In the electrode manufacturing apparatus, as an example of the arrangement position of the upstream support portion, for example, a position immediately upstream from the pair of support portions in the transport direction can be given.
In the electrode manufacturing apparatus, the upstream support portion may support one end to the other end of the electrode material in the orthogonal direction.

  According to the above configuration, the size of the upstream support portion is set so that the support range of the electrode material by the upstream support portion corresponds to the largest electrode material range assumed on the equipment of the electrode manufacturing apparatus in the orthogonal direction. In this case, even if the size of the electrode material is changed, it is possible to cope without changing the upstream support portion.

  In the electrode manufacturing apparatus, the pair of support portions support the electrode material so that the cutting portion is the coating portion cutting region and the coating portion cutting region includes the coating portion, and the cutting portion Is a coating section cutting section that cuts the coating section in the coating section cutting area, and is disposed on the downstream side of the pair of support sections in the transport direction, and the pair of supports in the orthogonal direction. A pair of downstream support portions disposed at positions spaced apart from each other and between the pair of downstream support portions in the orthogonal direction and disposed downstream of the pair of support portions in the transport direction. And an intermediate support portion that is spaced apart from the pair of downstream support portions, and the pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support portion are arranged between the pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate portion in the orthogonal direction. The electrode material region between the holding portion and the uncoated portion cutting region as an uncoated portion cutting region includes the uncoated portion in which no active material is disposed on the metal foil. And an uncoated part cutting part that cuts the uncoated part in the uncoated part cutting region.

  Since the electrode material has different thicknesses between the coated part and the uncoated part, the appropriate setting conditions for cutting them at the cutting part are also when cutting the coated part and when cutting the uncoated part. It is different. Therefore, in the above configuration, among the electrode materials, the coated portion is cut by the coated portion cutting portion, and the uncoated portion is cut by the uncoated portion cutting portion. According to such a configuration, the electrode material is cut under appropriate setting conditions for cutting the coated part at the coated part cutting part, and suitable for cutting the uncoated part at the uncoated part cutting part. The electrode material can be cut under the set conditions. Therefore, unlike when cutting the coated and uncoated parts of the electrode material with a common cutting part, it is necessary to change the setting conditions each time the cutting part is switched between the coated part and the uncoated part. The electrode material can be cut more appropriately.

  Moreover, in the said structure, a pair of support part is supporting the electrode material so that a coating part may be included in the coating part cutting area | region by the coating part cutting part. Here, the electrode material tends to sag due to the weight of the coating portion in a region not supported by the support portion. For this reason, in the coating part cutting | disconnection area | region by the coating part cutting part, sagging tends to arise in an electrode material. According to this embodiment, even if sagging is likely to occur in the coating part cutting region by the coating part cutting part in the electrode material in this way, cutting by the coating part cutting part of the electrode material is performed in a sagging state. Can be suppressed.

  In the electrode manufacturing apparatus, the pair of support portions may include an uncoated portion in which an active material is not disposed on the metal foil in the uncoated portion cutting region, with the cutting region being an uncoated portion cutting region. The cutting portion is an uncoated portion cutting portion that cuts the uncoated portion in the uncoated portion cutting region, and the pair of supporting portions in the transport direction are supported by the cutting portion. A pair of downstream support portions that are disposed on the downstream side and disposed at positions spaced from each other outside the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction, and disposed on the downstream side of the pair of support portions in the transport direction And an intermediate support portion disposed between the pair of downstream support portions in the orthogonal direction and spaced apart from the pair of downstream support portions, and the pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support Part A region of the electrode material between the pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support portion in a direction is defined as a coating portion cutting region, and the electrode material is supported so as to include the coating portion in the coating portion cutting region. It may further include a coating part cutting part that cuts the coating part in the coating part cutting region.

  Even with the above configuration, the electrode material is cut under appropriate setting conditions to cut the coated part at the coated part cutting part, and the appropriate setting is used to cut the uncoated part at the uncoated part cutting part. Since the electrode material can be cut under conditions, the electrode material can be cut more appropriately.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the electrode material from being cut in a sagging state.

The perspective view which shows an electrode. The figure which shows typically the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the state seen from the direction along the surface of an electrode material. The figure which shows typically the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the state seen from the direction orthogonal to the surface of an electrode material. The figure which shows typically the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the state seen from the direction orthogonal to the surface of an electrode material in another example.

Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying an electrode manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, a secondary battery as a power storage device including electrodes will be described. Although not shown, the secondary battery is a square battery having a square appearance. The secondary battery is a lithium ion secondary battery. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in a case. The electrode assembly is configured by laminating a plurality of positive electrodes and a plurality of negative electrodes alternately with the electrodes insulated from each other.

  As shown in FIG. 1, each of the positive electrode 10 and the negative electrode 10 has a rectangular shape. The electrode 10 includes an active material layer 12 on both surfaces of a rectangular metal foil (a positive electrode is an aluminum foil and a negative electrode is a copper foil) 11. The electrode 10 includes an uncoated portion 11a that is a portion where the active material layer 12 does not exist and the metal foil 11 is exposed. The uncoated portion 11 a in the present embodiment is a tab 13 having a shape protruding from a part of one side of the metal foil 11.

Next, a method for manufacturing the electrode 10 will be described.
An electrode manufacturing method includes a coating process in which an active material is continuously applied to the surface of a strip-shaped long metal foil to form a coating portion, and an electrode material is formed. Cutting step. In the coating process, a coating portion is formed on both surfaces of the long metal foil, and an exposed portion of the long metal foil is formed along a pair of long edges of the long metal foil. In the cutting step, the electrode is cut out from the electrode material.

Next, the electrode material 17 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 2 or 3, the electrode material 17 includes a long metal foil 18 as a long metal foil, and a coating portion 19 in which an active material is disposed on both surfaces of the long metal foil 18. . The long metal foil 18 is a part that becomes the metal foil 11 of the electrode 10. The coating part 19 is a part that becomes the active material layer 12 of the electrode 10. In the electrode material 17, a direction along the surface of the coating portion 19 and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrode material 17 is a short direction. The electrode material 17 includes an exposed portion 18a along both long edges along the longitudinal direction. Each exposed portion 18a is a portion of the long metal foil 18 that is not covered by each coating portion 19, and is a portion where the long metal foil 18 is exposed. The exposed portion 18a is a portion that becomes the tab 13 as the uncoated portion 11a when the electrode 10 is cut from the electrode material 17.

Next, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 will be described. The electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 is an apparatus that performs a cutting process on the electrode material 17 formed through the coating process.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 transports the electrode material 17 in the transport direction X that is the longitudinal direction of the electrode material 17. The electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 includes a transport roller 21 as an upstream support portion that supports the electrode material 17. The transport roller 21 supports the one end 17a to the other end 17b of the electrode material 17 in a direction along the surface of the electrode material 17 and in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction X (hereinafter simply referred to as the orthogonal direction Y). . Moreover, the conveyance roller 21 is arrange | positioned under the electrode material 17, and supports one surface 17c (FIG. 2 lower surface) from the lower side among the surfaces 17c and 17d of the both sides of the electrode material 17. FIG.

  The electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 includes a pair of first suction conveyors 22 and a cutting unit 29 on the downstream side of the transport roller 21 in the transport direction X. The pair of first suction conveyors 22 are arranged apart from each other in the orthogonal direction Y, and are also arranged apart from the one end 17a and the other end 17b of the electrode material 17 in the orthogonal direction Y. The pair of first suction conveyors 22 supports the electrode material 17 so as to include the coating portion 19 in the region A of the electrode material 17 between the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the orthogonal direction Y. Specifically, the entire range of the coating part 19 of the electrode material 17 in the orthogonal direction Y and a part of the exposed part 18a are located between the pair of first suction conveyors 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of first suction conveyors 22 is disposed below the electrode material 17 and supports one surface 17 c of the electrode material 17 from below. In addition, each first suction conveyor 22 includes a pair of rollers 23 that are spaced apart in the transport direction X, a belt 24 that is spanned between the pair of rollers 23, and a suction unit that is disposed between the pair of rollers 23. 25, respectively. The belt 24 has a suction hole in its entirety. Similarly, the suction portion 25 includes a suction hole in the region B facing the belt 24. When air is sucked by the suction part 25, air is sucked through the suction hole of the suction part 25 and the suction hole of the belt 24, and the electrode material 17 is adsorbed to the belt 24. Thereby, in a pair of 1st adsorption | suction conveyor 22, the electrode material 17 can be conveyed in the conveyance direction X, restrict | limiting the movement to the orthogonal direction Y of the electrode material 17. FIG. In addition, in a pair of 1st adsorption | suction conveyor 22, the electrode material 17 is adsorbed in the area | region B in which the suction hole in the suction part 25 is formed, and the electrode material 17 is supported by this adsorption. In a state where the electrode material 17 is supported by the pair of first suction conveyors 22, the electrode material 17 can be held in a state of being pulled in the orthogonal direction Y by an adsorption action. In the present embodiment, the pair of first suction conveyors 22 corresponds to a pair of support portions, and the region B of the first suction conveyor 22 in the transport direction X corresponds to a support mechanism. And the conveyance roller 21 is arrange | positioned in the upstream of the conveyance direction X from the area | region B of this 1st adsorption conveyor 22. As shown in FIG. Therefore, the transport roller 21 is disposed upstream of the first suction conveyor 22 in the transport direction X and immediately before the first suction conveyor 22. More specifically, the conveyance roller 21 is disposed immediately upstream from the upstream end of the region B that is the position where the suction of the belt 24 is started by the region B of the first suction conveyor 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the cutting unit 29 as the coating unit cutting unit uses the region A of the electrode material 17 between the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the orthogonal direction Y as the coating unit cutting region. The region A of the electrode material 17 is cut by a laser. In the cutting part 29, the electrode material 17 is cut as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 3, whereby the coating part 19 in the region A is cut to form an outline excluding a part of one side of the electrode 10. In the present embodiment, the electrode material 17 is cut so that the two electrodes 10 are formed side by side in the orthogonal direction Y. The portions that are not cut by the cutting portion 29 are located at both ends of the region A of the electrode material 17 in the orthogonal direction Y, respectively.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 includes a pair of second suction conveyors 32 and one third suction conveyor downstream of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 and the cutting unit 29 in the transport direction X. 35 and a cutting part 39. It should be noted that the upstream ends in the transport direction X of the pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 are partially in the transport direction X with the downstream ends of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the transport direction X. It overlaps with.

  The pair of second suction conveyors 32 is disposed below the electrode material 17 and supports one surface 17c of the electrode material 17 from below. Further, the pair of second suction conveyors 32 are arranged at positions separated from each other in the orthogonal direction Y. Specifically, when the arrangement position of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 is shifted to the downstream side in the transport direction X, the pair of second suction conveyors 32 is arranged of the temporary pair of first suction conveyors 22. It is arranged outside in the orthogonal direction Y from the position. The pair of second suction conveyors 32 are respectively arranged in the orthogonal direction Y at positions close to the one end 17 a and the other end 17 b of the electrode material 17.

  The 3rd adsorption conveyor 35 is arrange | positioned under the electrode material 17, and supports the one surface 17c of the electrode material 17 from the downward direction. Further, the third suction conveyor 35 is disposed at a position spaced from the pair of second suction conveyors 32 between the pair of second suction conveyors 32 in the orthogonal direction Y. Specifically, when the placement position of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 is shifted downstream in the transport direction X, the third suction conveyor 35 is moved from the placement position of the temporary pair of first suction conveyors 22. Is also arranged inside in the orthogonal direction Y.

  In addition, the pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 are exposed in the region C of the electrode material 17 between the pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 in the orthogonal direction Y (not exposed) The electrode material 17 is supported so as to include the coating portion. Specifically, a part of the coating part 19 near the exposed part 18a and the exposed part 18a are located between the pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35.

  The pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 includes a pair of rollers 23, a belt 24, and a suction unit 25, similarly to the first suction conveyor 22. The functions of the constituent members of the pair of the second suction conveyor 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 are the same as those of the constituent members of the first suction conveyor 22. In the pair of second suction conveyor 32 and third suction conveyor 35 as well, the electrode material 17 is sucked in the region B where the suction holes in the suction portion 25 are formed, and the electrode material 17 is supported by this suction. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the pair of second suction conveyors 32 corresponds to a pair of downstream support portions, and the third suction conveyor 35 corresponds to an intermediate support portion.

  The cutting part 39 as an uncoated part cutting part cuts the area | region C of the electrode material 17 with a laser by making the area | region C of the electrode material 17 into the uncoated part cutting area | region. In the cutting part 39, the electrode material 17 is cut as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 to cut the exposed part 18 a (uncoated part) of the region C, and the electrode 10 cut by the cutting part 29. The tab 13 is formed so as to have a shape protruding from a part of the outer shell.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the electrode 10 by the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 will be described. The electrode material 17 is an electrode material 17 for manufacturing the positive electrode 10, the long metal foil 18 is made of aluminum foil, and the coating part 19 is formed of an active material for the positive electrode.

  In the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20, the electrode material 17 is first supported from below by the transport roller 21 over the whole in the orthogonal direction Y. Then, the electrode material 17 is transferred from the transport roller 21 to the pair of first suction conveyors 22. Thus, immediately after the downstream side of the transport roller 21 in the transport direction X, the electrode material 17 is supported by the pair of first suction conveyors 22. Each first suction conveyor 22 supports the electrode material 17 in a state where movement in the orthogonal direction Y is restricted.

  The electrode material 17 supported by the pair of first suction conveyors 22 is cut in the region A by the cutting unit 29 while being transported in the transport direction X. At the time of this cutting, since the electrode material 17 is adsorbed by the first adsorption conveyor 22, the electrode material 17 is pulled from both sides in the orthogonal direction Y. For this reason, the cutting | disconnection by the cutting part 29 is performed in the state in which the movement to the orthogonal direction Y of the electrode material 17 was controlled. Then, by cutting by the cutting portion 29, the electrode material 17 is in a state in which an outline excluding a part of one side of the electrode 10 is formed. Then, the electrode material 17 is transferred from the pair of first suction conveyors 22 to the pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35.

  The electrode material 17 supported by the pair of second suction conveyor 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 is cut in the region C by the cutting unit 39 while being transported in the transport direction X. Also in this cutting, since the electrode material 17 is adsorbed by the pair of second suction conveyor 32 and the third suction conveyor 35, the cutting by the cutting unit 39 in a state where the movement of the electrode material 17 in the orthogonal direction Y is restricted. Is done. And by the cutting | disconnection by the cutting | disconnection part 39, it will be in the state in which the tab 13 was formed in the electrode material 17, and the electrode 10 of the shape which the tab 13 protruded from a part of outer shape will be cut out in the electrode material 17.

The electrode material 17 is further guided in the transport direction X, and the cut electrode 10 and the end material 54 other than the electrode 10 are separated.
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

  (1) The pair of first suction conveyors 22 supports the electrode material 17 in a state where the movement of the electrode material 17 in the orthogonal direction Y is regulated by sucking the electrode material 17. For this reason, if there is no slack in the electrode material 17 at the time when the pair of first suction conveyors 22 is reached, the electrode material 17 is slack in the range supported by the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the transport direction X. Is unlikely to occur. However, when sagging occurs in the electrode material 17 on the upstream side in the transport direction X from the pair of first suction conveyors 22, the electrode material 17 in the state in which sagging occurs is passed to the pair of first suction conveyors 22. That is, it is supported by the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in a state where sagging occurs. Then, the electrode material 17 is conveyed while being supported by the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in a slack state, and the cutting by the cutting portion 29 is performed while the electrode material 17 is in a slack state, which is not preferable. According to this embodiment, the transport roller 21 is provided immediately upstream of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the transport direction X. The transport roller 21 supports at least the electrode material 17 between the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the orthogonal direction Y from below. Thereby, the electrode material 17 comes to be supported by the transport roller 21 immediately before the pair of first suction conveyors 22 in the transport direction X, and sagging of the electrode material 17 can be suppressed. And in the electrode material 17 passed from the conveyance roller 21 to a pair of 1st adsorption | suction conveyor 22, it will be in the state by which the sagging in range A1 of the area | region A which is a cutting area of the cutting part 29 was suppressed. Therefore, it can suppress that the cutting | disconnection by the cutting part 29 of the electrode material 17 is performed in the sagging state.

  (2) The transport roller 21 supports the electrode material 17 from one end 17a to the other end 17b in the orthogonal direction Y. For this reason, in the orthogonal direction Y, the size of the transport roller 21 is set so that the support range of the electrode material 17 by the transport roller 21 corresponds to the largest range of the electrode material 17 assumed on the equipment of the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20. If it is set, even if the size of the electrode material 17 is changed, it is possible to cope without changing the transport roller 21.

  (3) Since the thickness of the electrode material 17 is different between the coated portion 19 and the exposed portion 18a (uncoated portion), appropriate setting conditions for cutting them at the cutting portions 29 and 39 are also set in the coated portion 19. And the case where the exposed portion 18a is cut. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the electrode material 17, the coating portion 19 is cut by the cutting portion 29 as the coating portion cutting portion, and the exposed portion 18a (uncoated portion) is cut uncoated. The cutting is performed by a cutting part 39 as a part cutting part. According to such a form, the electrode material 17 is cut at an appropriate setting condition for cutting the coating part 19 at the cutting part 29, and the electrode is set at an appropriate setting condition for cutting the exposed part 18a at the cutting part 39. The material 17 can be cut. Therefore, unlike the case where the coating part 19 and the exposed part 18a in the electrode material 17 are cut by a common cutting part, it is necessary to change the setting conditions each time the cutting part is switched between the coating part 19 and the exposed part 18a. The electrode material 17 can be cut more appropriately.

  (4) In this embodiment, the pair of first suction conveyors 22 supports the electrode material 17 so that the coating part 19 is included in the area A that is the coating part cutting area by the cutting part 29. Here, the electrode material 17 tends to sag due to the weight of the coating portion 19 in a region not supported by the support portion. For this reason, in the region A where the electrode material 17 includes the coating portion 19, sagging of the electrode material 17 is likely to occur. According to the present embodiment, even when sagging is likely to occur in the coating portion cutting region by the cutting portion 29 in the electrode material 17 in this way, the cutting by the cutting portion 29 of the electrode material 17 is suppressed in a sagging state. can do.

In addition, the said embodiment can also be implemented with the following forms which changed this suitably.
The cutting part 29 may form an outline excluding a part of one side of the electrode 10 by cutting the coating part 19 and the exposed part 18 a of the electrode material 17. In this embodiment, if the tab 13 of the electrode 10 is formed by cutting with the cutting portion 39 as in the above embodiment, the uncoated portion 11a composed of the portion along one side of the metal foil and the tab 13 is removed. The provided electrode 10 is cut out by the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20.

The pair of first suction conveyors 22 may support the electrode material 17 so that only the coating part 19 of the electrode material 17 is located in the region A between the pair of first suction conveyors 22.
The pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35 are such that only the exposed portion 18a of the electrode material 17 is located in a region C between the pair of second suction conveyors 32 and the third suction conveyor 35. The electrode material 17 may be supported.

  As in the electrode manufacturing apparatus 120 shown in FIG. 4, the tab 13 of the electrode 10 is formed by cutting the electrode material 117 by the cutting part 29, and a part of one side of the electrode 10 is cut by cutting the electrode material 117 by the cutting part 39. You may make it form the outline except for. In this embodiment, as the electrode material 117, the electrode material 117 provided with the coating portion 19 along both long edges along the longitudinal direction and having the exposed portion 18a at the center portion in the short side direction is used. Further, in the pair of first suction conveyors 122, in the orthogonal direction Y, in the region A of the electrode material 117 between the pair of first suction conveyors 122, a part of each coating part 19 near the exposed part 18a and the exposed part 18a ( The electrode material 17 is supported so that the uncoated portion) is located. In the pair of second suction conveyor 132 and the third suction conveyor 135, the coating unit 19 and the coating unit arranged in the orthogonal direction Y in the region C between the pair of the second suction conveyor 132 and the third suction conveyor 135. The electrode material 117 is supported so that a part of the exposed portion 18a close to 19 is located. Then, the tab 13 of the electrode 10 is cut out by cutting only the exposed portion 18a (uncoated portion) in the region A at the cutting portion 29, and the coated portion 19 in the region C is cut at the cutting portion 39. As a result, the outline of the electrode 10 excluding the tab 13 is cut out. In this embodiment, the cutting portion 29 corresponds to an uncoated portion cutting portion, and the region A of the electrode material 117 corresponds to an uncoated portion cutting region. Moreover, the cutting part 39 corresponds to the coating part cutting part, and the region C of the electrode material 117 corresponds to the coating part cutting region.

  In the said form shown in FIG. 4, the cutting part 39 may form the outline except a part of one side of the electrode 10 by cutting the coating part 19 and the exposed part 18a of the electrode material 117. In this embodiment, if the tab 13 of the electrode 10 is formed by cutting by the cutting portion 29 as in the above embodiment, the uncoated portion 11a constituted by the portion along one side of the metal foil and the tab 13 is provided. The electrode 10 is cut out by the electrode manufacturing apparatus 120.

  In the above configuration shown in FIG. 4, the pair of first suction conveyors 122 supports the electrode material 117 so that only the exposed portion 18 a of the electrode material 117 is located in the area A between the pair of first suction conveyors 122. May be.

  In the form shown in FIG. 4, the pair of second suction conveyors 132 and the third suction conveyor 135 are coated with the electrode material 117 in the region C between the pair of second suction conveyors 132 and the third suction conveyor 135. You may support the electrode material 117 so that only the process part 19 may be located.

  One or both of the cutting part 29 and the cutting part 39 may be changed to one that cuts the electrode materials 17 and 117 by press punching. In the case where the cutting by the cutting unit 29 is performed by press punching, if slack occurs in the electrode materials 17 and 117 during the cutting, the cutting unit 29 cuts along the corners of the first suction conveyors 22 and 122 during the cutting. As a result, the electrode materials 17 and 117 may be folded. Such folds are not preferable because they may remain on the individual electrodes 10 after cutting. In that respect, if the sagging of the electrode materials 17 and 117 is suppressed when the cutting is performed by the cutting portion 29 by the conveying roller 21 as in the above embodiment, the cutting at the cutting portion 29 is performed. It can suppress that the crease | fold of the electrode materials 17 and 117 arises.

  The transport roller 21 only needs to support at least the electrode materials 17 and 117 in the same range as the range A1 in the orthogonal direction Y of the region A that is a cutting region by the cutting unit 29. That is, the support range in the orthogonal direction Y of the electrode materials 17 and 117 by the transport roller 21 is from the same range as the range A1 in the orthogonal direction Y of the region A to between the one end 17a and the other end 17b of the electrode materials 17 and 117. It can be changed as appropriate.

  As long as the transport roller 21 is arranged upstream in the transport direction X from the region B where the suction holes in the suction section 25 of the pair of first suction conveyors 22 and 122 are formed, A part of a pair of 1st adsorption conveyors 22 and 122 may overlap. In this embodiment, the transport roller 21 is disposed between the pair of suction conveyors 22 and 122 in the orthogonal direction Y, and is in the same range as the range A1 in the orthogonal direction Y of the region A that is a cutting region by the cutting unit 29. Supports the material 17,117. Therefore, the conveyance roller 21 is disposed immediately upstream from the upstream end of the region B serving as the suction start position of the belt 24 by the region B of the first suction conveyors 22 and 122.

  ○ Some or all of the suction conveyors 22, 32, 35, 122, 132, 135 are arranged above the electrode materials 17, 117 and changed to support the surface 17d of the electrode materials 17, 117 from above. May be.

A part or all of the suction conveyors 22, 32, 35, 122, 132, 135 may be changed to a suction conveyor using magnetic suction.
A part or all of the suction conveyors 22, 32, 35, 122, 132, and 135 may be changed to transport rollers. In this embodiment, the conveying rollers are arranged above and below the electrode materials 17 and 117, and supported by the conveying rollers not only below the electrode materials 17 and 117 but also from above, the orthogonal direction Y of the electrode materials 17 and 117 is obtained. Restrict movement to In addition, in the form which changes a pair of 1st adsorption conveyors 22 and 122 into a pair of conveyance roller, the part of the area | region where the pair of conveyance roller is arrange | positioned corresponds to a support mechanism. And the conveyance roller 21 is arrange | positioned just before the upstream of the conveyance direction X from the area | region where a pair of conveyance roller is arrange | positioned. More specifically, the transport roller 21 is disposed immediately upstream from the upstream end of the region in which the pair of transport rollers is disposed, which is the support start position of the electrode material 17 in the region in which the pair of transport rollers is disposed. Yes.

The conveying roller 21 may be disposed above and below the electrode materials 17 and 117 and supported from above as well as below the electrode materials 17 and 117.
The conveying roller 21 may be disposed above the electrode materials 17 and 117 and supported from above the electrode materials 17 and 117.

(Circle) the conveyance roller 21 can be changed into a conveyor.
The cutting of the electrode materials 17 and 117 by the cutting portions 29 and 39 is not limited to the combination of forming the outline of the electrode 10 and forming the tab 13 of the electrode 10. For example, one of the cutting portion 29 and the cutting portion 39 forms a part of the outline of the electrode material 17 and the other of the cutting portions 29 and 39 includes the tab 13 and the remaining outline of the electrode material 17. May be formed.

The cutting part 39 may be omitted, and the entire electrode 10 including the tab 13 may be cut from the electrode material 17 or 117 by the cutting part 29.
The electrode material 17 may be a negative electrode material 17. In this case, the long metal foil 18 is a copper foil, and the long metal foil 18 is formed of an active material for a negative electrode.

The electrode materials 17 and 117 may have a coating portion 19 on one side of the long metal foil 18, and in this case, the electrode 10 has an active material layer 12 on one side of the metal foil 11.
O You may employ | adopt the electrode manufacturing apparatus 20 of embodiment at the time of manufacture of the electrode used for electrical storage apparatuses, such as a nickel hydride secondary battery and an electrical double layer capacitor.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Electrode, 13 ... Tab, 17, 117 ... Electrode material, 17a ... One end, 17b ... Other end, 17c, 17d ... Surface, 18 ... Long metal foil, 19 ... Coating part, 20, 120 ... Electrode manufacturing apparatus , 21 ... Conveying rollers, 22, 122 ... First suction conveyor, 29 ... Cutting section, 32, 132 ... Second suction conveyor, 35, 135 ... Third suction conveyor, 39 ... Cutting section, A, B, C ... area .

Claims (5)

An electrode manufacturing apparatus for cutting an electrode material comprising a coating portion in which an active material is disposed on a long metal foil while cutting the electrode material in the longitudinal direction,
The electrode material is disposed at positions separated from each other in a direction along the surface of the electrode material and in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the electrode material, and supports the electrode material in a state where movement in the orthogonal direction is restricted. A pair of support portions that include a support mechanism and convey the electrode material;
A cutting portion that cuts the cutting region using the region of the electrode material between the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction as a cutting region;
And an upstream support portion that is disposed immediately upstream of the support mechanism in the transport direction and supports the electrode material between at least the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction. apparatus.   The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upstream support portion is disposed immediately upstream of the pair of support portions in the transport direction.   The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the upstream support portion supports from one end to the other end of the electrode material in the orthogonal direction. The pair of support portions support the electrode material so as to include the coating portion in the coating portion cutting region, with the cutting region serving as a coating portion cutting region,
The cutting part is a coating part cutting part that cuts the coating part in the coating part cutting region,
A pair of downstream support portions disposed downstream of the pair of support portions in the transport direction, and disposed at positions separated from each other outside the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction;
An intermediate support portion disposed downstream of the pair of support portions in the transport direction and spaced apart from the pair of downstream support portions between the pair of downstream support portions in the orthogonal direction; Further comprising
The pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support portion are uncoated with the electrode material region between the pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support portion in the orthogonal direction as an uncoated portion cutting region. The electrode material is supported so as to include an uncoated part in which an active material is not disposed on the metal foil in a part cutting region,
The electrode manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-3 further provided with the uncoated part cutting part which cut | disconnects the said uncoated part of the said uncoated part cutting area | region. The pair of support portions includes the electrode material so that the cutting region is an uncoated portion cutting region and the uncoated portion cutting region includes an uncoated portion where no active material is disposed on the metal foil. Support,
The cutting part is an uncoated part cutting part that cuts the uncoated part in the uncoated part cutting region,
A pair of downstream support portions disposed downstream of the pair of support portions in the transport direction, and disposed at positions separated from each other outside the pair of support portions in the orthogonal direction;
An intermediate support portion disposed downstream of the pair of support portions in the transport direction and spaced apart from the pair of downstream support portions between the pair of downstream support portions in the orthogonal direction; Further comprising
The pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support portion are formed by cutting the coating portion using the region of the electrode material between the pair of downstream support portions and the intermediate support portion in the orthogonal direction as a coating portion cutting region. The electrode material is supported so as to include the coating portion in a region,
The electrode manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-3 further provided with the coating part cutting part which cut | disconnects the said coating part of the said coating part cutting area | region.

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