JP6409608B2 - Electrode manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrode manufacturing method and an electrode manufacturing apparatus.

  There is known a workpiece suction device that vacuum-sucks a workpiece such as a raw workpiece punched out from a ceramic green sheet and blows away foreign matters adhering to the workpiece (see Patent Document 1). In this work suction device, first, a work is transported from a belt conveyor to a work holding means using a suction pad. Thereafter, the work is dropped from the suction pad, and the work is held on the work holding means. Subsequently, the foreign matter adhering to the workpiece is blown off by blowing compressed air from the suction pad.

JP-A-8-25268

  In the workpiece suction device, the workpiece is cleaned and the workpiece holding means is not cleaned. Further, in a state where the suction pad sucks the workpiece, the compressed air blowing port is blocked by the workpiece, so that the compressed air cannot be blown out during the transfer of the workpiece. Therefore, in the said workpiece | work adsorption | suction apparatus, the workpiece holding means cannot be cleaned during conveyance of a workpiece | work.

  By the way, the electrode for the power storage device is formed by cutting the workpiece by the cooperation of the lower mold and the upper mold. When the workpiece is placed on the lower mold, for example, if foreign matter such as cutting powder remains on the lower mold, the foreign matter may adhere to the workpiece.

  An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an electrode manufacturing method and an electrode manufacturing apparatus capable of cleaning a mold while conveying a workpiece.

  An electrode manufacturing method according to an aspect of the present invention is an electrode manufacturing method for a power storage device, and transports a workpiece to a first mold using a suction pad in which a gas blowing port is formed. And a step of cutting the workpiece placed on the first die by the cooperation of the first die and the second die to form the electrode. In the step, the workpiece is conveyed while blowing the gas from the blowing port toward the first mold.

  According to this electrode manufacturing method, it is possible to clean the first mold while conveying the workpiece.

  An electrode manufacturing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention is an electrode manufacturing apparatus for a power storage device, the suction pad for sucking and transporting a work, and the work transported by the suction pad A first mold for placing the workpiece, wherein the first mold cuts the workpiece by cooperation of the first mold and the second mold to form the electrode, The suction pad is formed with a blow-out port for blowing out gas toward the first mold during conveyance of the workpiece.

  According to this electrode manufacturing apparatus, the first mold can be cleaned while the workpiece is conveyed.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrode manufacturing method and an electrode manufacturing apparatus capable of cleaning a mold while conveying a workpiece can be provided.

It is a figure which shows typically the manufacturing apparatus of the electrode which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of a part of the electrode manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent elements, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an electrode manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of a part of the electrode manufacturing apparatus of FIG. The electrode manufacturing apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 2 is an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode E for a power storage device. Examples of the power storage device include a secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery, and a capacitor such as an electric double layer capacitor.

  The electrode manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a suction pad 2 for sucking and transporting the workpiece W, and a lower mold 4 (first mold) for placing the workpiece W transported by the suction pad 2. The electrode manufacturing apparatus 100 includes an upper mold 6 (second mold) disposed to face the lower mold 4, and a pressing member 8 disposed to face the lower mold 4 and disposed next to the upper mold 6. May be. The pressing member 8 is, for example, a stripper plate. A gap may be formed between the upper mold 6 and the pressing member 8. The workpiece W can be disposed between the lower mold 4 and the upper mold 6 and between the lower mold 4 and the pressing member 8. The lower mold 4 cuts the workpiece W by the cooperation of the lower mold 4 and the upper mold 6 to form the electrode E (see FIG. 1B). The upper mold 6 can punch the workpiece W by moving up and down relatively with respect to the lower mold 4. The lower mold 4 and the upper mold 6 are, for example, molds. The lower mold 4 has, for example, a recess 4a. A lower blade 4c is formed at the edge of the recess 4a. The lower blade 4c has, for example, a portion 4b corresponding to the shape of the tab of the electrode E (the portion where the active material layer is not formed) (see FIG. 2). The upper mold 6 has a convex portion 6a fitted into the concave portion 4a. An upper blade 6c is formed on the edge of the convex portion 6a so as to face the lower blade 4c. The pressing member 8 moves up and down relatively with respect to the lower mold 4 to press and fix the workpiece W when the workpiece W is cut.

  The workpiece W may be a plate member having a rectangular shape, for example. The workpiece W can include a metal foil and an active material layer provided on the metal foil. In this case, the metal foil and the active material layer are cut. The active material layer may be provided on both surfaces of the metal foil. Examples of the metal foil include copper foil and aluminum foil. Examples of the active material layer include a positive electrode active material layer and a negative electrode active material layer. In the negative electrode active material layer, active material powder is likely to be generated at the time of cutting as compared with the positive electrode active material layer.

  The suction pad 2 can transport the workpiece W to the space between the lower mold 4 and the upper mold 6. The suction pad 2 is formed with a blowout port 10 for blowing out the gas G toward the lower mold 4 while the workpiece W is being conveyed. The blowout port 10 can be provided in a second area different from the first area where the workpiece W is sucked on the lower surface of the suction pad 2. The second area is located in front of the first area in the transport direction T of the suction pad 2. The blowout port 10 is provided on the side portion closer to the lower mold 4 among the side portions of the suction pad 2. The gas G is blown out forward in the transport direction T. The outlet 10 may extend in a direction intersecting the transport direction T on the lower surface of the suction pad 2 (see FIG. 2). Examples of the gas G include air and inert gas. The suction pad 2 sucks the main surface Wa of the workpiece W. Of the angles formed by the normal line direction of the main surface Wa of the workpiece W and the blowing direction of the gas G from the blowing port 10, the smaller angle θ may be 0 ° or more and less than 90 °, or 30 ° or more and 60 °. It may be less than °.

  According to the electrode manufacturing apparatus 100, the lower mold 4 can be cleaned while conveying the workpiece W. Therefore, the lower mold 4 can be cleaned over a wide range in a short time immediately before the workpiece W is cut. Therefore, for example, even when foreign matter such as cutting powder (for example, metal powder or active material powder) generated when cutting another workpiece W remains on the lower mold 4, the foreign matter is blown off. As a result, foreign matter is suppressed from adhering to the workpiece W. When the outlet 10 extends in the direction crossing the transport direction T on the lower surface of the suction pad 2, the lower mold 4 can be cleaned over a wider range. Further, the lower mold 4 can be efficiently cleaned by adjusting the blowing direction of the gas G. The blowing direction of the gas G can be adjusted, for example, by controlling the direction of the nozzle having the blowing port 10.

  The electrode manufacturing method according to the embodiment may be performed as follows using, for example, the electrode manufacturing apparatus 100.

(Conveying process)
First, as shown in FIG. 1A, the workpiece W is transported to the lower mold 4 by using the suction pad 2 in which the gas G outlet 10 is formed. At this time, the workpiece W is transported while the gas G is blown out from the blowing port 10 toward the lower mold 4. After the workpiece W is taken out from the storage location, it is transported to the lower mold 4 along the transport direction T. After the work W is placed on the lower mold 4, the work W is separated from the suction pad 2 and the suction pad 2 is retracted. Thereafter, the workpiece W is fixed between the lower mold 4 and the pressing member 8 by, for example, the pressing member 8.

(Cutting process)
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, the work W placed on the lower mold 4 is cut to form an electrode E by the cooperation of the lower mold 4 and the upper mold 6.

(Removal process)
Next, the retracted suction pad 2 is moved to the lower mold 4. At this time, the suction pad 2 may be moved while blowing the gas G from the blowing port 10 toward the electrode E. Thereby, the electrode E can be cleaned. Thereafter, using the suction pad 2, the electrode E is taken out from the lower mold 4 and conveyed to a storage place for the electrode E.

  Then, you may implement similarly from the said conveyance process to the taking-out process about the next workpiece | work W. FIG.

  According to the electrode manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the lower mold 4 can be cleaned while the workpiece W is being conveyed. Therefore, the lower mold 4 can be cleaned over a wide range in a short time immediately before the workpiece W is cut.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described in detail, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment.

  2 ... Suction pad, 4 ... Lower mold (first mold), 6 ... Upper mold (second mold), 10 ... Outlet, 100 ... Electrode manufacturing apparatus, E ... Electrode, G ... Gas, W ... Workpiece .

Claims (1)

A method of manufacturing an electrode for a power storage device, comprising:
A transporting step of transporting the workpiece to the first mold using the suction pad on which the gas outlet is formed;
A cutting step of cutting the workpiece placed on the first mold to form the electrode by the cooperation of the first mold and the second mold;
A step of taking out the electrode from the first mold using the suction pad;
Including
In the conveying step, the workpiece is conveyed while blowing the gas from the outlet toward the first mold ,
In the extracting step, the electrode is extracted after the electrode is cleaned by moving the suction pad while blowing gas from the outlet toward the electrode.

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