KR20220162648A - Electrode plate stacking apparatus having pendulum-type unwinder for separator - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a separator unwinder operating in a pendulum type in a stack base-fixed electrode plate stacking device. Positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates are alternately stacked on the stacking surface of the stack base, and a separator is provided therebetween. Electrodes from the left and right of the stack base are seated on the stack base. The separator released from a separator roll passes through a plurality of rollers to reach the stack base. The separator is covered on the electrode plates placed on the stacking surface of the stack base by the pendulum type unwinder. In this way, rapid and stable supply of the separator is possible.

Description

Electrode stacking device having a pendulum type separator unwinder {ELECTRODE PLATE STACKING APPARATUS HAVING PENDULUM-TYPE UNWINDER FOR SEPARATOR}

The present invention relates to an electrode plate stacking apparatus and method for manufacturing a zigzag type battery cell.

In general, a chemical battery is a battery composed of a pair of electrodes of a positive electrode and a negative electrode and an electrolyte, and the amount of energy that can be stored varies depending on the materials constituting the electrode and the electrolyte. These chemical batteries are classified into primary batteries, which are used only for one-time discharge due to their very slow charging reaction, and secondary batteries, which can be reused through repeated charging and discharging. .

Secondary batteries are applied to various technical fields throughout the industry due to their advantages, and are not only widely used as energy sources for mobile communication devices such as smartphones, but also attract attention as energy sources for electric vehicles.

Such a secondary battery is formed in a form in which a positive electrode plate, a separator, and a negative electrode plate are sequentially stacked and immersed in an electrolyte solution. Methods for manufacturing the internal cell stack of such a secondary battery are largely divided into two types.

In the case of small-sized secondary batteries, a method of arranging negative and positive plates on a separator and rolling them to form a jelly-roll is widely used, whereas in the case of medium-large-sized secondary batteries having more electric capacity, A method of manufacturing by stacking a negative electrode plate and a positive electrode plate in an appropriate order with a separator is widely used.

In the zigzag type (also referred to as 'z-folding' type) stacking method, which is widely used among the methods of manufacturing a secondary battery cell stack by the stacking method, the separator is folded in a zigzag pattern, and a negative electrode plate and a positive electrode plate are placed between them. They are stacked alternately in an inserted form.

Various methods are known as a method of supplying a separator onto a stack base on which electrode plates are stacked.

Publication No. 10-2009-0030175 (published on March 24, 2009) discloses that positive and negative plates placed on a cartridge are transferred to an alignment tray by a transfer robot, aligned on the alignment tray, and then transferred to a stacking tray. When the stacking tray moves horizontally from side to side, the separator is released onto the stacking tray and covers the positive or negative plate. By repeating this process, the electrode plates are laminated while the separator is interposed between the electrode plates.

In such a method in which the stack base moves between the positive plate stacking position and the negative plate stacking position, a speed restriction occurs due to the movement of the stack base. The horizontally moving stack base moves in the order of movement - stop - reverse movement, and when the movement speed is increased, the inertial force due to acceleration increases, and thus the force applied to the gripped membrane part during stop increases. Since this may cause damage to the separator, the movement speed of the stack base must be limited so as not to exceed a certain level.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode plate stacking apparatus and method capable of rapidly stacking separators with a simple structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel electrode plate stacking apparatus and method capable of stacking separators without moving a stack base.

An object of the present invention is to provide a separator unwinding assembly capable of quickly stacking separators with a simple structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel separator unwinding assembly capable of stacking separators without moving a stack base.

The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

An electrode plate supply device and method having a separator unwinding assembly and a separator unwinding assembly according to the present invention for achieving the above object include the following aspects and any combination thereof.

In one aspect of the present invention, in the electrode plate stacking device of a prismatic secondary battery in which positive and negative plates are alternately supplied on a stack base and a separator is supplied between the positive and negative plates, the separator is covered on the electrode plate placed on the stack base An electrode plate stacking device including a separator unwinding assembly, wherein the separator unwinding assembly is configured to swing and rotate about a rotational axis located above the stacked surface of the stack base.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode plate stacking device in which the stack base is stationary.

In another aspect of the present invention, the separator unwinding assembly includes an arm, a shaft coupled to one end of the arm and arranged along the axis of rotation, two or more rollers coupled to the other end of the arm, the An electrode plate stacking device including an actuator for swing-rotating an arm.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode plate stacking device configured such that the separator is pulled out between the two or more rollers when the separator unwinding assembly swings.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode plate stacking device further including a pick-and-place unit integrally coupled to the separator unwinding assembly so as to swing and rotate together.

Another aspect of the present invention is a separator unwinding assembly used in an electrode plate stacking device of a prismatic secondary battery in which positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates are alternately supplied on a stack base and a separator is supplied between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, It is a separator unwinding assembly configured to be able to swing and rotate around a rotation axis located above the laminated surface.

Another aspect of the present invention is a separator unwinding assembly wherein the stack base is stationary.

Another aspect of the present invention is an arm, a shaft coupled to one end of the arm and arranged along the axis of rotation, two or more rollers coupled to the other end of the arm, and an actuator for swing-rotating the arm A separator unwinding assembly comprising a.

Another aspect of the present invention is a separator unwinding assembly configured such that the separator is drawn between the two or more rollers when the separator unwinding assembly swings.

Another aspect of the present invention is a separator unwinding assembly further comprising a pick-and-place unit integrally coupled to the separator unwinding assembly so as to swing and rotate together.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for stacking electrode plates of a prismatic secondary battery in which positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates are alternately supplied on a stack base and a separator is supplied between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, on the stack base using a separator unwinding assembly. A method of stacking electrode plates in which a separator is supplied, and the separator unwinding assembly is swing-rotatable about a rotational axis located above the stacking surface of the stack base.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode plate stacking method in which the stack base is stationary.

In another aspect of the present invention, the separator unwinding assembly includes an arm, a shaft coupled to one end of the arm and arranged along the axis of rotation, two or more rollers coupled to the other end of the arm, the It is an electrode plate stacking method including an actuator for swing-rotating an arm.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode plate stacking method in which the separator is drawn between the two or more rollers when the separator unwinding assembly swings.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode plate stacking method further including a pick-and-place unit integrally coupled to the separator unwinding assembly to swing and rotate together.

According to the electrode plate stacking apparatus and method of the present invention, the separator can be drawn onto the stack base by a simple structure.

In addition, according to the electrode plate stacking apparatus and method of the present invention, it is possible to maximize the separator stacking speed.

In addition, according to the electrode plate stacking apparatus and method of the present invention, separators can be stably stacked without damage.

Effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1 shows a process of stacking electrode plates on a stack base in a stack base fixed electrode plate laminating device according to the present invention, steps (a) to (c) are perspective views, and steps (a') to (c') are front views. is indicated by
2 shows the order in which electrode plates and separators are stacked according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a simplified view of electrode plate stacking according to FIG. 2 .

The embodiments presented in the accompanying drawings are for a clear understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the following description, since components having the same reference numerals in different drawings have similar functions, they will not be repeatedly described unless necessary for an understanding of the present invention, and well-known components will be briefly described or omitted. It should not be understood as an exclusion from the examples.

In addition, terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, the terms "include" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features It should be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not precluded.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in this specification, it should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. don't

When an element is referred to as being "connected to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly connected to, connected to, or coupled to that other element, but intervening It should be understood that other components may be present. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another element, it should be understood that no other element exists in the middle.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Steps (a) to (c) in FIG. 1 correspond to steps (a') to (c'), respectively. Reference numerals are indicated only in steps (a) and (a') and are omitted in the remaining steps.

Looking at FIG. 1 as a whole, after one electrode plate is first stacked on the stack base 4, as the separator unwinder 1 rotates, a separator (not shown for convenience of description, see 'S' in FIG. 3) is formed on the electrode plate. covered, and subsequently to the state where the other electrode plate is laminated. In the present invention, the stack base 4 does not move, and the separator unwinder 1 moves so that the separator is covered on the stacked electrode plates. The membrane unwinder 1 is a pendulum (or pendulum) type and can repeat reciprocating rotation at a certain angle like a pendulum. Therefore, the center of rotation of the separator unwinder 1 is located above the stack base 4. In this specification, the rotation of the pendulum type of the membrane unwinder 1 is referred to as "swing rotation".

A pair of rollers 5 are provided below the middle protrusion 1a protruding below the arms 8 and 8' of the separator unwinder 1, and the separator is configured to slide between them. The arms 8 and 8' may be provided in a number suitable for swing rotation in two or more or as one integral body. A shaft (not shown) may be provided along the axis of swing rotation of the bunramuk unwinder 1. In FIG. 1 , the center of the circular portion of the upper end of the arm 8 of the membrane unwinder forms a rotational axis, and the shaft may be arranged concentrically therewith.

The separation membrane is provided in the form of a roll (not shown) so that it can pass between the rollers 5 via a plurality of rollers (not shown) and a roller 5' disposed above the roller 5. Two or more rollers 5 may be formed, preferably a pair, so that the separator can slide between them. The sliding of the separator between the rollers may be expressed as supply, feeding, or withdrawal of the separator, depending on circumstances.

Actuators or pick and place (P.P.; 2a and 2b) for electrode plate loading/unloading are provided on the left and right sides of the protrusion 1a. The P.P.s 2a and 2b are configured to adsorb (unload) the negative plate 3a or the positive plate 3b from a transport means such as a belt conveyor 6 and stack (load) them on the stack base 4. At this time, each adsorption surface (2a-1, 2b-1) can be driven in the order of descending - rising - descending. The rollers 5 and the P.P.s 2a and 2b are attached to the separator unwinder 1 and move together when the unwinder 1 moves. Since the P.P. is separated from the membrane unwinder 1, it will be possible to configure it so that it does not move or rotate together with the unwinder 1.

Swing rotation is temporarily stopped at both ends of the reciprocating rotation of the separator unwinder 1, and at this time, electrode plates can be stacked on one P.P. and unloading of the electrode plates on the other P.P. The range or angle of the swing rotation of the separator unwinder 1 is determined by the fact that at one end of the rotation, the electrode plate adsorption surface 2a-1 of the negative electrode plate P.P. 2a faces the laminated surface of the stack base 4 (step (a') ) state), at the other end of the rotation, the electrode plate adsorption surface 2b-1 of the positive electrode P.P. 2b faces the laminated surface of the stack base 4 (step (c') state).

The electrode plates to be stacked on the stack base 4 may be supplied by an inclined vacuum belt conveyor 6 as in FIG. 1, and may be directly unloaded from a magazine (see FIG. 3) or supplied in some other way. .

Now, looking at steps (a) and (a'), the membrane unwinder 1 has reached the right end of the swing rotation range. With the separator unwinder (1) temporarily stopped at this position, the left P.P. (2a) descends to the stack base (4) and puts down the negative plate (3a), and at the same time, the right P.P. (2b) moves along the belt conveyor (6). ) to take the positive electrode plate 3b. When the electrode plate is placed on the stack base 4, the stack gripper 7 fixes the electrode plate. The stack grippers 7 may be provided one at each of the four corners of the electrode plate. In steps (a) and (a'), the right two grippers 7 among the four grippers fix the negative plate 3a.

Subsequently, the separator unwinder 1 swings and rotates around the upper round portion like a pendulum to pass through steps (b) (and (b')) to step (c) (and (c')) .

Steps (b) and (b') are states in which the membrane unwinder 1 swings to the left (ie, clockwise). According to this rotation, the separator supplied between the rollers 5 covers the freshly stacked negative plate. That is, the separator is pulled out between the pair of rollers 5 at the same time as the rotational movement of the separator unwinder 1, and the separator is covered on the negative electrode plate 3a.

Steps (c) and (c') are states in which the membrane unwinder 1 has reached the left end of the swing rotation range. At this time, the separator is completely covered on the freshly stacked negative electrode plate. With the separator unwinder (1) paused at this position, the right P.P. (2b) descends to the stack base (4) and places the positive plate (3b) on the just-covered separator, while at the same time, the left P.P. (2a) moves on the belt. The negative plate 3a is taken from a conveyor (not shown).

Then, the unwinder 1 is rotated to the right while the positive plate 3b is fixed by the two grippers on the left.

During the process of covering the separator on the electrode plate according to the swing rotation of the separator unwinder 1, the stack base 4 is fixed without moving. That is, the stack base does not move for the interposition or stacking of the separators, but the peripheral component (here, the separator unwinder) moves.

By repeating the above steps, the negative electrode plate and the positive electrode plate are alternately stacked, and a separator is interposed between the electrode plates to manufacture a zigzag type battery cell.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a sequence of stacking electrode plates using the device according to FIG. 1 . The stacking order proceeds from left to right in the top row. In the rest of the lines, the order of progression is from left to right. The fan shape represents the swing rotation range of the pendulum type unwinder (1), and the cross shape at the top represents the center of the swing rotation movement. The rotation range was based on the line where the center line of the unwinder 1 (ie, a straight line connecting the center of rotation and the roller 5) was located.

2 shows a process in which the separator supplied between a pair of rollers covers the electrode plate placed on the stack base according to the swing rotation of the unwinder (denoted as “movement of the separator”). Fixing positions of the grippers according to the lamination of each electrode plate are indicated (refer to FIG. 3 for reference numerals of elements shown in FIG. 2).

Starting from "Layering Ready State", "Cathode Lamination", "Separator Movement - 1 to 4", "Cathode Lamination", and "Separator Movement - 1 to 4" form one cycle. When the lamination is completed, battery cells are manufactured through "cell grip", "cell discharge & separator cutting", and "cell discharge & residual separator recovery". For a brief description, “cell grip” shows operations after electrode plate lamination, but in reality, cell grip will be performed after the required number of electrode plates are stacked.

FIG. 3 shows all of the uppermost lines of FIG. 2 from “cathode stacking” to “separator transfer-4” all at once. An electrode plate is stacked on the stack base 4 and the separator S is covered while being held by the gripper 7 . A horizontal surface on which electrode plates are stacked may be referred to as a stacking surface 10 . On the left and right sides of the stack base 4, the negative plate 3a and the positive plate 3b are arranged on the belt conveyor 6, respectively, and the negative electrode magazine 9a and the positive electrode magazine 9b are displayed on the outside thereof, respectively. While the belt conveyor 6 is shown in an inclined shape in FIG. 1, it is schematically represented in this drawing, and this configuration can be replaced with any configuration capable of transferring the electrode plate toward the stack base 4. The separator unwinder 1 shows rollers 5 and 5 through which the separator S is drawn.

As described above, according to the present invention, a separator unwinder that operates in a pendulum type with respect to a stack base fixed electrode plate stacking device is provided. Positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates are alternately stacked on the laminated surface of the stack base, and a separator is provided therebetween. The separator released from the separator roll passes through a plurality of rollers to reach the stack base. The separator is covered by the pendulum-type unwinder on the electrode plate placed on the stacked surface of the stack base. In this way, rapid and stable supply of the separation membrane is possible.

In the above, the electrode plate stacking device and method according to an embodiment of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and anyone having ordinary knowledge in the technical field belonging to the present invention can make various modifications and changes without departing from the gist and spirit of the present invention claimed in the claims. Transformation will be possible.

1: separator unwinder
1a: projections 2a, 2b: pick and place (PP)
2a-1, 2b-1: electrode plate suction surface 3a, 3b: electrode plate
4: stack base 5, 5 ': roller
6: belt conveyor 7: stack gripper
8, 8': arm 9a, 9b: magazine
10: laminated surface S: separator

Claims (15)

In the electrode plate stacking device of a prismatic secondary battery in which positive and negative plates are alternately supplied on a stack base and a separator is supplied between the positive and negative plates,
A separator unwinding assembly configured to cover the separator over the electrode plate placed on the stack base,
The separator unwinding assembly is configured to swing and rotate around a rotation axis located above the laminated surface of the stack base.
Electrode lamination device. The method of claim 1,
wherein the stack base is stationary
Electrode lamination device. The method of claim 1,
The separator unwinding assembly,
arm;
a shaft coupled to one end of the arm and arranged along the axis of rotation;
two or more rollers coupled to the other end of the arm;
an actuator for swing-rotating the arm;
containing
Electrode lamination device. The method of claim 3,
The separator is drawn out between the two or more rollers when the separator unwinding assembly swings.
Electrode lamination device. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising a pick-and-place unit integrally coupled to the separator unwinding assembly to be swing-rotatable together
Electrode lamination device. In the separator unwinding assembly used in the electrode plate stacking device of a prismatic secondary battery in which positive and negative plates are alternately supplied on a stack base and a separator is supplied between the positive and negative plates,
It is made to swing and rotate around a rotational axis located above the stacking surface of the stack base.
Separator unwinding assembly. The method of claim 6,
wherein the stack base is stationary
Separator unwinding assembly. The method of claim 6,
arm;
a shaft coupled to one end of the arm and arranged along the axis of rotation;
two or more rollers coupled to the other end of the arm;
an actuator for swing-rotating the arm;
containing
Separator unwinding assembly. The method of claim 8,
The separator is drawn out between the two or more rollers when the separator unwinding assembly swings.
Separator unwinding assembly. The method of claim 6,
Further comprising a pick-and-place unit integrally coupled to the separator unwinding assembly to be swing-rotatable together
Separator unwinding assembly. In the electrode plate stacking method of a prismatic secondary battery in which positive and negative plates are alternately supplied on a stack base and a separator is supplied between the positive and negative plates,
Supplying a separator onto the stack base using a separator unwinding assembly, wherein the separator unwinding assembly can swing and rotate around a rotational axis located above the stacked surface of the stack base.
Electrode lamination method. The method of claim 11,
wherein the stack base is stationary
Electrode lamination method. The method of claim 11,
The separator unwinding assembly,
arm;
a shaft coupled to one end of the arm and arranged along the axis of rotation;
two or more rollers coupled to the other end of the arm;
an actuator for swing-rotating the arm;
containing
Electrode lamination method. The method of claim 13,
The separator is drawn out between the two or more rollers when the separator unwinding assembly swings.
Electrode lamination method. The method of claim 11,
Further comprising a pick-and-place unit integrally coupled to the separator unwinding assembly to be swing-rotatable together
Electrode lamination method.

Images