KR20230053374A - System for producing electrodes of battery - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrode production system for secondary batteries. The electrode production system for secondary batteries comprises: a first meander adjustment part (2); a denser part (DC); a feeding part (300); and a rewinding part (RW). According to the present invention, electrodes can be produced at high speed by notching the electrodes without stopping.

Description

Electrode production system for secondary batteries {SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING ELECTRODES OF BATTERY}

The present invention relates to a system for producing an electrode for a secondary battery.

An electrode for a secondary battery is formed by coating a positive electrode or negative electrode active material on a current collector and then drying it. The electrode may be divided into an active material-coated region and an active material-uncoated region. An electrode tab may be formed by notching the active material-coated region together with the active material-coated region through a notch.

The notching portion notches the electrode through a press that moves up and down. However, notching using a press has a problem in that the transfer of the electrode must be stopped while the notching is in progress. Therefore, in order to perform notching without stopping the electrode, a notching unit using a laser may be provided.

The notching part using the laser irradiates the electrode with a beam to form an electrode tab. When forming the electrode tab, when a beam is irradiated to the active material, the active material can absorb heat and transfer it to the current collector. When the current collector is a material with a low melting point (eg, aluminum), the current collector melts and protrudes out of the cut surface due to heat transferred from the active material during laser notching. When the electrodes are stacked, there is a problem in that a short circuit occurs when the protruding portion of the current collector comes into contact with the protruding portion of another stacked current collector.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0001077 (published on Jan. 6, 2021) discloses that an electrode tab is formed by first removing the active material in the area to be notched through a first laser and then notching the area from which the active material is removed through a second laser. The configuration to create is described. However, the electrode transfer speed of the notching device is fast, and the electrode is not physically fixed when cutting the electrode. The active material removal part (first laser irradiation spot) and the electrode cutting part (second laser irradiation spot) are physically There is a problem in that a notching defect occurs because the cutting line by the second laser cannot accurately follow the line where the active material is removed by the first laser because it is not done simultaneously in one place but is separated by a certain distance or more.

In addition, in the laser notching method, an optical system for generating and controlling the first laser and an optical system for generating and controlling the second laser are separately configured, so that the two lasers must be controlled separately, and a scanner in each optical system is separately provided. There is a problem that a considerable cost is required to configure the notching equipment.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0001077 (2021.01.06. Publication)

Accordingly, the embodiment is intended to solve the above problems, notching is performed without stopping the electrode, and ablation and electrode cutting are performed at the same time in one place, thereby facilitating matching the ablation line with the cutting line. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode production system for a secondary battery that allows an electrode cutting line to be stably formed within the ration area.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The embodiment includes an unwinding unit for unwinding and supplying an electrode including a coated unit and an uncoated unit, and a notching unit disposed behind the unwinding unit and notching the electrode to form an electrode tab. As a system, a first meandering adjustment unit disposed between the unwinding unit and the notching unit to adjust the traveling direction of the electrode, and a first meandering adjustment unit disposed between the unwinding unit and the notching unit to adjust the tension of the electrode supplied to the notched unit. A densor unit for adjusting, a feeding unit disposed behind the notching unit, and a rewinding unit disposed behind the feeding unit and rewinding the notched electrode, wherein the notching unit includes a first laser for irradiating a first beam; A second laser for irradiating a second beam. A laser irradiation unit including an optical member forming paths of the first beam and the second beam, and a controller moving a reflective mirror of the laser irradiation unit along a notching line of an electrode, wherein the optical member comprises the notching line On the top, the first spot of the first beam and the second spot of the second beam are disposed spaced apart from each other by a first distance, and the size of the first spot is greater than the size of the second spot of the first beam. A path and a path of the second beam are formed, and the control unit uses the reflection mirror to follow the movement trajectory of the spot of the first beam in which the spot of the second beam precedes, and the first beam and the second beam It is possible to provide an electrode production system for a secondary battery in which path formation of a beam is simultaneously controlled and the electrode is continuously supplied to the notched portion.

It may further include an inspection unit disposed behind the feeding unit to inspect the notched electrode, and a marking unit disposed between the inspection unit and the rewinding unit to punch and mark electrodes determined to be defective by the inspection unit.

The denser unit may be disposed between the unwinder unit and the first meandering control unit, and the first meandering control unit may be disposed between the unwinding unit and the notching unit.

The first meandering control unit may be disposed between the unwinding unit and the denser unit, and the denser unit may be disposed between the first meandering control unit and the notching unit.

The feeding unit includes a belt unit including an upper belt in contact with the upper surface of the electrode and a lower belt in contact with the lower surface of the electrode, a base connected to the belt unit, and a second meandering adjustment unit coupled to the base, , The second meandering adjustment unit includes a first block coupled to a first rail and the base to be slidably coupled to the first rail along the width direction of the electrode perpendicular to the transport direction of the electrode; It includes a first driving unit connected to the block, and the first driving unit is connected to the measurement unit to feedback-control the position of the belt unit in the width direction so that the first height measured by the measurement unit coincides with a reference value. .

The marking unit includes a punching unit and an air supply unit connected to the punching unit, and the air supply unit supplies air to the punching unit through a first line to lower the punching unit, and a branch line branched from the first line The scrap of the electrode punched by the punching unit may be pushed out through the air discharged into the air.

The electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer laminated on the current collector, the first beam ablates the active material layer, and the second beam ablates the current collector exposed by the ablation of the first beam. can be cut.

The optical member may set the size of the first spot to be larger than the size of the second spot by adjusting one of the focal length of the first beam and the focal length of the second beam.

The optical member includes a lens unit disposed on the path of the first beam and the path of the second beam to form a spot of the first beam and a spot of the second beam on the notching line; A beam expander disposed between the second laser and the optical member on the path of the two beams, and the beam expander adjusts the focal length of the second beam passing through the lens unit to increase the size of the first spot. It may be set larger than the size of the second spot.

The optical member includes a lens unit disposed on the path of the first beam and the path of the second beam to form a spot of the first beam and a spot of the second beam on the notching line; An optical refracting unit disposed on a path of one beam, wherein the optical refracting unit refracts the first beam such that an incident angle of the first beam to the lens unit and an incident angle of the second beam to the lens unit are different. can make it

The embodiment has the advantage of being able to produce electrodes at high speed by performing notching without stopping the electrodes.

In the embodiment, the first laser and the second laser are structurally moved together, but through an optical member, the separation distance between the first spot and the second spot is greatly reduced, and the trajectory of the first spot is followed directly by the second spot There is an advantage in that the process of removing the active material by performing ablation in the notched area and the process of notching the ablated area proceed together at a very close distance (within about 10 mm).

In addition, the process of removing the active material by reducing the distance between the first spot and the second spot by performing ablation and the process of notching the ablated area are performed at a very close distance, so that the active material removal area and the cutting line for notching are matched. It is very easy to do.

According to the embodiment, since the active material is removed in advance from the area where the notching is performed, even if a current collector including a material with a low melting point is used, heat transferred from the active material melts the current collector and generates burrs. There is an advantage in preventing a short circuit from occurring due to contact of a burr with the active material.

According to the embodiment, there is an advantage in that the size of the first spot and the size of the second spot can be easily changed by adjusting the focal length of the second beam for notching.

According to the embodiment, by changing the shape of the first beam performing the ablation and configuring the shape of the first spot as a square, the overlapping of the first spots is prevented, and the current collector is damaged by the first beam. There are advantages to avoiding this.

According to the embodiment, by controlling the movement of two laser beams with one scanner, there is an advantage of facilitating the configuration of an optical system and having price competitiveness.

In addition, according to the embodiment, by adjusting the divergence angle of one of the first beam or the second beam, the focusing distance is made different from each other to make the first spot and the second spot different in size, and a large spot is used for ablation, and the size There is an advantage that a small spot can be used for notching.

In addition, according to the embodiment, by rotating the light refracting unit to change the angle at which the first beam enters the scanner, the first spot of the first beam rotates at the same interval around the second spot of the second beam, always maintaining a constant distance It has the advantage of being able to maintain the distance between the first spot and the second spot very close so that ablation and notching can be performed at the same time at almost the same point.

1 is a front view showing an electrode production system for a secondary battery according to an embodiment;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of the notching portion shown in Figure 1;
3 shows a side view of an electrode;
4 is a plan view of the electrode shown in FIG. 2;
5 is a view showing an example of a notching line of an electrode;
6 is a view showing another example of a notching line of an electrode;
7 is a side view of an electrode on which ablation has been performed;
8 is a diagram showing a first spot and a second spot;
9 is a view showing a first beam refracted at a predetermined angle in an optical refracting unit;
10 is a view showing a first spot and a second spot moving along a notching line entering a section (2) from section (1) shown in FIG. 5;
11 is a view showing relative positions of a first spot and a second spot in the first area shown in FIG. 10;
12 is a view showing the relative positions of a first spot and a second spot in the second area shown in FIG. 10;
13 is a view showing relative positions of a first spot and a second spot in a third area shown in FIG. 10;
14 is a view showing a first spot and a second spot moving along a notching line entering a section (3) from section (2) shown in FIG. 5;
15 is a view showing relative positions of a first spot and a second spot in a fourth area NL4 shown in FIG. 14;
16 is a view showing relative positions of a first spot and a second spot in a fifth area NL shown in FIG. 14;
17 is a view showing a process of securing the size of the first spot of the first beam by adjusting the focal length of the second beam;
18 is a view showing a process of changing the shape of a first beam by a beam shaper;
19 is a side view of an electrode in a state in which ablation is performed with a first beam whose shape is changed by the beam shaper shown in FIG. 18;
20 is a view showing the shape of the first spot of the first beam whose shape is changed by the beam shaper shown in FIG. 18;
21 is a plan view showing an electrode;
22 is a diagram showing the camber amount of the electrode;
23 is a view showing an electrode with a relatively smaller camber amount than the electrode shown in FIG. 22;
A diagram showing an electrode S having a relatively large camber amount than the electrode shown in FIG. 24;
25 is a view showing an electrode on which an electrode tab is formed;
26 is a side view of the feeding unit;
27 is a view showing a feeding unit moving in the width direction of an electrode;
28 is a view showing a first height of a coating part in an electrode tab;
29 is a view showing the configuration of a base moving in the transfer direction of the electrode;
30 is a view showing a marking unit.

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

However, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to some of the described embodiments, but may be implemented in a variety of different forms, and if it is within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, one or more of the components among the embodiments can be selectively implemented. can be used by combining and substituting.

In addition, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention, unless explicitly specifically defined and described, can be generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It can be interpreted as meaning, and commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, can be interpreted in consideration of contextual meanings of related technologies.

Also, terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

In this specification, the singular form may also include the plural form unless otherwise specified in the phrase, and when described as "at least one (or more than one) of A and (and) B and C", A, B, and C are combined. may include one or more of all possible combinations.

Also, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used to describe components of an embodiment of the present invention.

These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the term is not limited to the nature, order, or order of the corresponding component.

In addition, when a component is described as being 'connected', 'coupled' or 'connected' to another component, the component is not only directly connected to, combined with, or connected to the other component, but also with the component. It may also include the case of being 'connected', 'combined', or 'connected' due to another component between the other components.

In addition, when it is described as being formed or disposed on the "top (above) or bottom (bottom)" of each component, the top (top) or bottom (bottom) is not only a case where two components are in direct contact with each other, but also one A case in which another component above is formed or disposed between two components is also included. In addition, when expressed as "up (up) or down (down)", it may include the meaning of not only an upward direction but also a downward direction based on one component.

The electrode production system for secondary batteries is a device for automatically and continuously producing electrodes used in secondary batteries.

1 is a front view showing a system for producing an electrode for a secondary battery according to an embodiment. below. The x-axis direction of the figure is the transport direction of the electrode, the y-axis direction of the figure represents the front-back direction of the secondary battery electrode production system, and represents the width direction of the electrode, and the z-axis direction of the figure is secondary battery electrode production Indicates the height direction of the system. Hereinafter, in describing the embodiment, 'front' and 'rear' are based on the transfer direction of the electrode, and 'upper' and 'lower' are based on the height direction.

The electrode production system for a secondary battery according to the embodiment is characterized by including a notching part 1 using a laser in order not to stop the electrode during the notching process. In addition, in the secondary battery electrode production system according to the embodiment, the electrode unwound from the unwinding unit (UW) is notched to the notching unit (1) and then re-wound to the rewinding unit (RW) (roll-to-roll). roll) method.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the secondary battery electrode production system may further include a first meandering adjusting unit 2, a feeding unit 300, an inspection unit 400, and a marking unit 500. there is.

Between the first meandering adjusting unit 2 and the notching unit 1, a denser unit DC for adjusting the tension of the electrode supplied to the notching unit 1 may be disposed. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the denser part DC may be disposed between the unwinding part UW and the first meandering adjusting part 2 .

The unwinding unit UW continuously supplies electrodes formed of a strip-shaped metal plate. An electrode formed of a strip-shaped metal plate extending horizontally from the unwinding part UW at the mouth side is supplied to the first meandering adjusting part 2 .

The first meandering adjusting unit 2 may detect the boundary between the coated part and the non-coated part of the electrode and adjust the meandering of the electrode. The coated portion corresponds to an area where the active material layer is applied to the current collector, and the uncoated portion corresponds to an area where the active material layer is not applied to the current collector.

The densityr part DC adjusts the tension of the electrode so that the electrode can be continuously supplied to the notching part 1 in response to the change in the supply speed of the electrode.

The notching portion 1 is disposed behind the denser portion DC to form an electrode tab on the electrode. In order to perform notching without stopping the electrode, the notching part 1 proceeds with notching through a laser rather than a mold.

The feeding unit 300 is disposed behind the notching unit 1 and serves to guide the notched electrode to the inspection unit 400 .

The inspection unit 400 is disposed behind the feeding unit 300 and can determine whether there is a defect in the notched electrode through image information of the electrode.

The marking unit 500 is disposed at the rear of the inspection unit 400 and marks electrodes determined to be defective by the inspection unit 400 .

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the notching portion 1 shown in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 1 , the notching part 1 may include a laser irradiation part 100 and a control part 200. The laser irradiation unit 100 is a device that generates a beam for performing ablation and notching on an electrode and transfers the generated beam to the electrode. The control unit 200 is a device that moves the reflection mirror 133 of the laser irradiation unit 100 along the notching line of the electrode.

Also, the laser irradiator 100 may include a first laser 110, a second laser 120, and an optical member 130. The first laser 110 generates a first beam V1. The first beam V1 may be an IR laser. The first beam V1 removes the active material by performing ablation on the notched area of the electrode. The second laser 120 generates a second beam V2. The second beam V2 may be a green laser. The second beam V2 is ablated to perform notching in the current collector region from which the active material is removed.

An irradiation direction of the first laser 110 and an incident direction of the second laser 120 may be different from each other. For example, the direction of irradiation of the first laser 110 and the direction of incidence of the second laser 120 may be perpendicular to each other, or the direction of incidence may be variously configured according to the configuration of the optical system.

The optical member 130 generates a path of the first beam V1 and a path of the second beam V2 reaching the electrode. The optical member 130 may include a lens unit 131, an optical refraction unit 132, a moving reflective mirror 133, and a dichronic mirror 134. Based on the path of the first beam V1 , the optical refraction unit 132 , the dichroic mirror 134 , the moving reflective mirror 133 , and the lens unit 131 may be disposed in that order. Based on the path of the second beam V2 , the dichroic mirror 134 , the moving reflection mirror 133 , and the lens unit 131 may be disposed in this order.

The scanner 160 is composed of a reflection mirror 133 and a lens unit 131, and in the embodiment of the present invention, two lasers - a first beam V1 and a second beam V2 with one scanner 160 - is simultaneously controlled so that the first spot (S1) and the second spot (S2) move along the notching line.

The scanner 160 is moved by the controller 200. Specifically, the controller 200 moves the reflection mirror 133 of the scanner 160. Reflection mirror 133 is composed of two mirrors moving in the x-axis and y-axis.

The lens unit 131 forms a first spot S1 of the first beam V1 and a second spot S2 of the second beam V2. The lens unit 131 separates the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 from each other on the reference plane T indicating the position of the electrode. The lens unit 131 may be any one of an F-theta lens, a telecentric lens, and a scan lens.

The optical refracting unit 132 is disposed in front of the first laser 110 so that the first spot S1 of the first beam V1 is spaced apart from the second spot S2 and the reference plane T. It is a device that refracts (V1) at a predetermined angle. The optical refraction unit 132 may be a prism (optical wedge) or an acoustic-optic modulator. In addition, various optical devices capable of refracting the emission angle of the beam to the light refracting unit 132 may be used.

The moving reflection mirror 133 is disposed between the dichroic mirror 134 and the lens unit 131 to transmit the first beam V1 and the second beam V2 transmitted from the dichroic mirror 134 to the lens unit. It serves as a guide to (131). The moving reflection mirror 133 may be composed of two mirrors having different reflection directions.

The dichronic mirror 134 is disposed in front of the optical refraction unit 132 and is disposed in front of the second laser 120 to generate the first beam V1 refracted by the optical refraction unit 132. The second beam V2 irradiated from the second laser 120 may be reflected and transmitted to the reflection mirror 133 side. That is, the dichroic mirror 134 transmits the first beam V1 and reflects the second beam V2, and can selectively transmit or reflect the incident beam. A variety of mirrors that perform this function may be used as the dichroic mirror 134.

In this optical member 130, the second spot S2 of the second beam V2 transmitted through the lens unit 131 is disposed on the optical axis of the lens unit 131 and is located at the focal point of the lens unit 131. can do. The first beam V1 is refracted at an angle by the optical refraction unit 132, reflected by the reflection mirror 133, transmitted through the lens unit 131, and spaced apart from the second spot S2 on the reference plane T. It is arranged as a first spot (S1). In the case of the second beam V2, the divergence angle of the second beam V2 is adjusted while passing through the beam expander 135 so that the focus is focused on the reference plane T. That is, the focal length is defocused to the reference plane (T), and eventually the size of the first spot (S1) becomes larger than the second spot (S2) when the reference plane (T) is the standard. Ablation of the electrode is performed in the first spot S1 having a large size, and notching is performed in a second spot S2 having a small size.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an electrode, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the electrode shown in FIG. 3 .

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the electrode 10 may include a current collector 11 and an active material layer 12 stacked on one surface and the other surface of the current collector 11 , respectively. The current collector 11 is configured to transmit current to or receive current from the active material layer 12 , and may be made of copper or aluminum. In the embodiment, the current collector 11 made of aluminum will be described as a standard.

The electrode 10 can be divided into a holding part 10A where the active material layer 12 is located, and a non-coated part 10B having only the current collector 11 without the active material layer 12 . In the notching process, a portion of the holding portion 10A and a portion of the uncoated portion 10B may be notched and removed. After notching, the remaining uncoated portion 10B may be utilized as an electrode 10 tab.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the notching line NL of the electrode 10 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , the notching line NL of the electrode 10 may have several sections having different directions. For example, the notching line NL of the electrode 10 is formed from the edge of the uncoated portion 10B forward toward the holding portion 10A, as shown in (1) of FIG. 2), formed along the left and right direction of the electrode 10 in the holding portion 10A, and formed backward from the holding portion 10A toward the edge of the uncoated portion 10B, as shown in (C) of FIG. may be a continuous line.

6 is a view showing another example of the notching line NL of the electrode 10 .

Referring to FIG. 6, as another example of the notching line NL of the electrode 10, as shown in (1) of FIG. 6, starting from the edge of the uncoated portion 10B and formed forward, ), formed along the left-right direction of the electrode 10 in the holding portion 10A, and formed backward from the holding portion 10A toward the edge of the uncoated portion 10B as shown in (C) of FIG. , as shown in (D) of FIG. 6, it may be formed along the left-right direction of the electrode 10 from the uncoated portion 10B to the notching line NL of the next electrode 10.

The controller 200 may move the reflection mirror 133 of the scanner 160 along the notching line NL shown in FIG. 5 or the notching line NL shown in FIG. 6 . As the reflection mirror 133 moves, the first beam V1 and the second beam V2 move along the notching line NL.

7 is a side view of the electrode 10 on which ablation has been performed.

Referring to FIG. 7 , when ablation is performed in the first spot S1 , the active material layer 12 on one surface of the current collector 11 is removed by the first beam V1 . As the second spot S2 passes through the area where the active material layer 12 is removed, notching is performed by the second beam V2. When the active material layer 12 is first removed from the area to be notched through the first beam V1, the heat transferred from the active material layer 12 melts the current collector 11 and forms a bur protruding out of the cut surface. occurs and when a plurality of electrodes are stacked up and down, it is possible to prevent a problem in which a short circuit occurs due to contact with each other.

8 is a diagram illustrating a first spot S1 and a second spot S2.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 are spaced apart from each other by a first distance. Also, the center C1 of the first spot S1 and the center C2 of the second spot S2 may be disposed on the notching line NL, respectively. The first distance L1 may be defined as a distance between the centers of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 on the notching line NL.

The first distance L1 may be within a range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm. Although the first laser 110 and the second laser 120 are physically far apart. The user may set the first distance L1 through the optical member 130 so that the second spot S2 can directly pass through the area where the first spot S1 passed on the notching line NL. That is, the user may set the distance between the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 by adjusting the emission angle of the first beam V1 using the optical refraction unit 132 .

The size of the first spot S1 may be within a range of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm. The size of the second spot S2 may be smaller than 0.1 mm.

FIG. 9 is a view showing the first beam V1 refracted at a predetermined angle by the light refracting unit 132 .

Referring to FIG. 9 , the light refracting unit 132 refracts the first beam V1 at a predetermined angle R1 with respect to the optical axis OA. This makes the angle of incidence of the first beam V1 to the lens unit 131 inclined with the optical axis of the lens unit 131, so that the first distance L1 between the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 is is to secure

In addition, the light refracting unit 132 may be formed to rotate about the optical axis OA. This may change the direction of the notching line NL from the front-back direction to the left-right direction. Correspondingly, the separation direction of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 is aligned with the notching line NL. It is for changing the position of 1 spot (S1). The optical refraction unit 132 rotates on the basis of the optical axis OA, so that the first spot of the first beam V1 rotates around the second spot in a circle and adjusts to be disposed in front and behind along the notching line NL. can A motor (not shown) may be provided to rotate the light refracting unit 132 . A prism, an optical wedge, an acoustic optic modulator, or the like, which is an optical element capable of causing refraction, may be used as the optical refraction unit 132 .

FIG. 10 is a view showing a first spot S1 and a second spot S2 moving along a notching line NL entering from section (1) to section (2) shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relative positions of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 in the first area NL1 shown in FIG. 10 .

9 to 11, in the section (1) shown in FIG. 5, the first area NL1 of the notching line NL extending straight forward from the edge of the uncoated portion 10B toward the holding portion 10A. ), the rotation of the light refraction unit 132 may be adjusted so that the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 are aligned side by side in the front-back direction. For example, in the first region NL1 , the light refracting unit 132 may be located at the origin of rotation. In the first area NL1, the first spot S1 advances ahead of the second spot S2, and the moving directions of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 are determined by the reflection mirror 133. It is regulated. The first area NL1 corresponds to the uncoated area 10B, and the first laser 110 may be in an off state in the first area NL1.

The curved section transitioning from section (1) to section (2) shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to the second area NL2 of the notching line NL. The second area NL2 may correspond to the holding part 10A. Accordingly, in the second area NL2 , the first laser 110 may be in an on state. By adjusting the reflection mirror 133, the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 move along the second area NL2, which is a curved section, and the optical refraction part 132 rotates to make the first spot ( The position of S1) is changed.

FIG. 12 is a view showing relative positions of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 in the second area NL2 shown in FIG. 10 .

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 12 , as the light refracting unit 132 rotates, the first spot S1 passes through the area where the second spot S2 passes in advance, so that the first spot S1 passes through the second spot S1. It starts to move along the circular trajectory O centered on the spot S2.

FIG. 13 is a view showing the relative positions of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 in the third area NL3 shown in FIG. 10 .

Corresponding to the section (2) shown in FIG. 5, a straight section moving along the left and right directions corresponds to the third area NL3 of the notching line NL. The third area NL3 may correspond to the holding part 10A. Accordingly, in the third region NL3, the first laser 110 may be in an on state. As the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 move along the third area NL3, which is a straight section, the light refracting unit 132 continues to rotate in response to the movement of the first spot S1. can be changed to a position rotated 90° from the origin.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a first spot S1 and a second spot S2 moving along a notching line NL entering from section (2) to section (3) shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relative positions of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 in the fourth area NL4 shown in FIG. 14 .

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15 , the curved section transitioning from section (2) to section (3) shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to the fourth area NL4 of the notching line NL. The fourth area NL4 may correspond to the holding part 10A. Accordingly, in the fourth area NL4, the first laser 110 may be in an on state. As the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 move along the fourth area NL4, which is a curved section, the light refracting unit 132 rotates in response to this, and the position of the first spot S1 changes. do.

As the light refracting unit 132 rotates, the first spot S1 passes through the area where the second spot S2 passes in advance, so that the first spot S1 has a circular shape centered on the second spot S2. It starts moving again along the trajectory (O).

FIG. 16 is a view showing the relative positions of the first spot S1 and the second spot S2 in the fifth area NL shown in FIG. 14 .

In the section (3) shown in FIG. 5, the first spot S1 is formed in the front-back direction in the fifth area NL5 of the notching line NL that goes straight backward from the holding part 10A toward the uncoated part 10B. Rotation of the light refracting unit 132 may be adjusted so that the and the second spot S2 are aligned side by side. For example, the position of the first spot S1 may be changed to a position rotated by 180° from the origin. Since the fifth area NL5 corresponds to the uncoated area 10B, the first laser 110 may be in an off state.

17 is a diagram illustrating a process of securing the size of the first spot S1 of the first beam V1 by adjusting the focal length of the second beam V2.

2 and 17, by adjusting the focal length of the second beam (V2), it is possible to secure the first spot (S1) having a larger size than the size of the second spot (S2).

To this end, the optical member 130 may include a beam expander 135 (Beam Expander). The beam expander 135 may be disposed between the second laser 120 and the dichroic mirror 134 on the path of the second beam V2. The beam expander 135 may adjust the focal length of the second beam V2 passing through the lens unit 131 . The beam expander 135 changes the focal position of the second beam V2 by changing the divergence angle of the second beam V2. In this embodiment, the focus position is changed from S2' to S2. So, when the position of S2 is the reference plane (T), the first spot of the first beam (V1) is also S1, not S1', and the size is increased.

In other words, since the focus S1' of the first beam V1 and the focus S2' of the second beam V2 are matched at the focal length FL1 of the lens unit 131, the first spot S1 ) and the size difference between the second spot S2 is not large. When the focal length of the second beam V2 is changed from FL1 to FL2 through the beam expander 135, the second beam V2 is in focus at the changed focal length FL2, but the focal length of the first beam V1 In this case, the size of the first spot S1 may be increased. The optical member 130 may be designed so that the reference plane T is located at the changed second focal length FL2.

18 is a diagram illustrating a process of changing the shape of the first beam V1 by a beam shaper.

Referring to FIG. 18 , the shape of the first spot S1 that is easy to notch can be implemented by changing the shape of the first beam V1 . To this end, the optical member 130 may include a beam shaper 136 (Beam Shaper). The beam shaper 136 may be disposed between the first laser 110 and the optical refraction part 132 on the path of the first beam V1. The beam shaper 136 may implement a rectangular spot shape having a constant width w by converting the first beam V1 ′ of a Gaussian beam shape into a flat top shape.

FIG. 19 is a side view of the electrode 10 in a state in which ablation is performed with the first beam V1 whose shape is changed by the beam shaper 136 shown in FIG. 18 .

Referring to FIG. 19, according to the first beam V1' having a Gaussian beam shape, when the active material layer 12 is removed, the area HA that heats the active material layer 12 located in the ablation area is significantly The sharp central portion of the large, Gaussian-shaped first beam V1' becomes surplus energy exceeding the average energy when viewed from the energy point of view, and the surplus energy also damages the collector DA. (Upper part of FIG. 19) see picture)

When the first beam V1 is converted into a flat top shape by the beam shaper 136, the area HA that heats the active material layer 12 located in the ablation area can be precisely In addition, since the surplus energy part is greatly reduced in terms of energy, there is an advantage of not damaging the current collector. That is, according to the first beam V1 'of the Gaussian beam shape, a loss area may occur due to excessive energy irradiation to the current collector 11. When the first beam V1 is converted to a flat top shape , it is possible to prevent the current collector from being damaged (see the lower figure in FIG. 19).

FIG. 20 is a view showing the shape of the first spot S1 of the first beam V1 whose shape is changed by the beam shaper 136 shown in FIG. 18 .

Referring to FIG. 20 , in the first beam V1 having a Gaussian beam shape, the shape of the first spot S1 is circular. Therefore, there is a disadvantage in that the edge of the area where ablation is progressing is uneven, and the first spot (S1) is a structure inevitably overlapping. On the other hand, since the shape of the first spot (S1) of the first beam (V1) converted to a flat top shape is a rectangle, there is an advantage that the edge of the area where the ablation is progressing is straight and neat, and the first There is an advantage that the spots S1 do not overlap.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when notching is performed by the first beam V1 and the second beam V2, the electrode may be momentarily stationary. That is, the conveyor for moving the electrode repeats movement and stop, and notching may be performed by the first beam V1 and the second beam V2 while the electrode is stopped.

Conversely, laser notching may be performed using the first beam V1 and the second beam V2 while the electrode continues to move.

Notching while the electrode is moving is usually used in a roll-to-roll (electrode is unrolled from a roll, notched, and then wound around a roll) structure. The desired electrode pattern is obtained by adjusting the movement of the laser according to the movement speed of the electrode by measuring the speed and feeding back the information to the device that controls the movement of the laser. Therefore, there is an advantage in that high-speed operation is possible.

21 is a plan view showing the electrode S.

Referring to FIG. 21 , the electrode S may be divided into a coated portion Sa and a non-coated portion Sb. The coating part (Sa) is a part where the active material layer is located, and the non-coating part (Sb) is a part without the active material layer. It can be.

A sensor S2 may be disposed right in front of the notching part 1 . The sensor S2 detects the boundary Q between the coated portion Sa and the non-coated portion Sb. When the first meandering adjustment unit 2 determines that the boundary Q is out of the reference line through the sensor K2, the electrode S determines that the electrode S is meandering, so that the boundary Q is aligned with the reference line. ) to adjust the driving direction.

Meanwhile, the measuring unit S1 is located immediately behind the notching unit 1 and senses the first height (W in FIG. 25 ) of the coating unit Sa in the electrode tab Sc. The measurement unit S1 is determined by the difference in the camber amount of the electrode S. This is to determine if there is an error in notching.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the camber amount of the electrode S, FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the electrode S having a relatively smaller camber amount than the electrode S shown in FIG. 22, and the electrode S shown in FIG. 24 It is a drawing showing the electrode (S) with a relatively large camber amount than (S).

A variety of electrodes S with different amounts of camber can be supplied. For example, the camber amount CB' of the electrode S shown in FIG. 23 is relatively smaller than the camber amount CB of the electrode S shown in FIG. 22, whereas the electrode S shown in FIG. 24 The camber amount CB″ of ) may be relatively greater than the camber amount CB of the electrode S shown in FIG. 23 . Here, the amount of camber represents the degree of curvature of the electrode S, and is expressed as a difference between the position of the non-coated portion Sb at the end of the electrode S and the normal position of the non-curved portion Sb. can This amount of camber may be expressed based on the width direction (y) of the electrode (S).

In this way, when the camber amount is different for each electrode S, since the boundary Q between the coated portion Sa and the non-coated portion Sb is different for each electrode S, the forward travel of the electrode S in the sensor K2 Even if confirmed, defects may occur in the electrode tab Sc during the notching process.

The measurement unit K1 is disposed at the boundary Q between the coated unit Sa and the non-coated unit Sb, and considering the length of the entire electrode S disposed along the transport direction x, the sensor K2 Since the point at which ) is located is only one point, even if the boundary Q between the coated portion Sa and the non-coated portion Sb in the sensor K2 is in the correct position, the electrode S may meander during the notching process. .

In order to solve this problem, the measurement unit K1 is disposed immediately behind the notching unit 1, and transmits control information to the second meander adjusting unit 330 of the feeding unit 300 in correspondence with the electrodes S having different camber amounts. to provide.

25 is a view showing an electrode S on which an electrode tab Sc is formed.

Referring to FIG. 25 , the measurement unit S1 may acquire an image of the electrode S coming out of the notching unit 30 . The measurement unit K1 measures the first height W of the coated portion Sa in the electrode tab Sc based on the width direction y of the electrode S in the obtained image. During notching, the electrode tab Sc is notched to form a portion of the coated portion Sa along with the non-coated portion Sb by the first height W. If the first height W differs from the reference value due to the difference in camber of the electrode S, a defect may occur in the electrode tab Sc. The measuring unit K1 may include a vision camera or a sensor.

26 is a side view of the feeding unit 300, and FIG. 27 is a view showing the feeding unit 300 moving in the width direction (y) of the electrode S.

Referring to FIGS. 25 to 27 , a second meander adjustment unit 330 may be disposed in the feeding unit 300 . The feeding unit 300 continuously supplies the electrode S to the inspection unit 400 by continuously moving the electrode S passing through the notching unit 1 in a traction method. The feeding unit 300 may pull the electrodes S at different speeds or tensions that are periodically repeated.

Since the feeding part 300 is disposed behind the notching part 1 and continuously pulls the electrode S, it is very easy to control the running direction of the electrode S. In particular, since the measuring unit K1 and the feeding unit 300 are very close in terms of the transfer direction (x) of the electrode S, even if the position of the electrode S is changed a little, the meandering of the electrode S becomes a regular run. It has the advantage of being able to change quickly.

The feeding unit 300 may include a belt unit 310, a base 320, and a second meandering adjustment unit 330.

The belt unit 310 may include an upper belt 311 and a lower belt 312 .

The upper belt 311 is in contact with the upper surface of the electrode S. The upper belt 311 includes the front roller F1 disposed at the apex of the triangle, the rear roller R1 and the drive roller C1 connected to the motor. ) and can be driven. The front roller F1 may be disposed in front of the drive roller C1, and the rear roller R1 may be disposed behind the drive roller C1.

The lower belt 312 is in contact with the upper surface of the electrode S. The lower belt 312 includes a front roller F2 disposed at the apex of the inverted triangle, a drive roller connected to the rear roller R2 and a motor. It can be driven by being mounted on (C2). The front roller F2 may be disposed in front of the driving roller C2, and the rear roller R2 may be disposed behind the driving roller C2.

The base 320 supports the belt part 310 .

The second meandering adjustment unit 330 may be disposed below the base 320 . The second meandering adjusting unit 330 moves the base 320 in the width direction y of the electrode S to change the position of the belt unit 310 in the width direction y, thereby feeding the feeding unit 300. It serves to adjust the pulling direction of the electrode (S) by the

The second meandering adjustment unit 330 may include a first rail 331, a first block 332, and a first driving unit 333. The first block 332 may be slidably coupled to the first rail 331 . The first rail 331 is disposed along the width direction y of the electrode S. And the first block 332 is connected to the first driving unit 333 and the base 320 . The first driving unit 333 may be formed by combining a driving source such as a motor and a power transmission member such as a screw connected to the motor. When the first driving unit 333 operates and the first block 332 moves along the first rail 331, the position of the belt unit 310 in the width direction (y) is changed, and the electrode S is pulled. direction is changed

Meanwhile, the first rail 331 may include a 1-1 rail 331a disposed relatively forward and a 1-2 rail 331b disposed relatively rearward. And the first block 332 may include a 1-1 block 322a coupled to the 1-1 rail 331a and a 1-2 block 322b coupled to the 1-2 rail 331b. can

28 is a view showing the first height W of the coating portion Sa in the electrode tab Sc.

Referring to FIGS. 26 to 28 , the second meandering adjusting unit 330 receives the first height W measured by the measuring unit K1. If the received first height (W) is different from the reference value (W'), the belt unit ( 310) is changed in the width direction (y).

29 is a view showing the configuration of the base 320 moving in the transfer direction of the electrode (S).

Referring to FIG. 29 , the base 320 may include a plate 321, a second rail 322, a second block 323, and a second driving unit 324. The plate 321 is connected to the belt unit 310 to support the belt unit 310 . The second block 323 is slidably coupled to the second rail 322 . The second rail 322 may be disposed along the transport direction of the electrode S. And the second block 323 is connected to the second driving unit 324 and the plate 321 . The second driving unit 324 may be formed by combining a driving source such as a motor and a power transmission member such as a screw connected to the motor. When the second driving unit 324 operates and the second block 323 moves along the second rail 322, the position of the belt unit 310 in the conveying direction (x) is changed. When the position of the conveying direction (x) of the belt part 310 is changed, the distance (L) between the measurement part K1 and the belt part 310 may be adjusted in the conveying direction (x). At this time, the criterion for the distance L between the measurement unit K1 and the belt unit 310 may be the tips P of the front rollers F1 and F2 of the belt unit 310 .

The operator may adjust the distance L between the measurement unit K1 and the belt unit 310 in various ways in response to meandering conditions.

30 is a view showing the marking unit 500.

Referring to FIG. 30 , the marking unit 500 is disposed behind the inspection unit 400 and serves to punch and mark the electrode S determined to be defective.

The marking unit 500 may include a punching unit 510 and an air supply unit 520 connected to the punching unit 510 . The air supply unit 520 supplies air through the first line L1 to move the punching unit 510 downward with pneumatic pressure. The punching unit 510 contacts the electrode S and marks a defective electrode by punching a portion of the electrode S. In the marking unit 500 , a branch line L2 branched from the first line L1 may extend to the punching unit 510 . Through the branch line (L2), the discharged air plays a role of facilitating suction of the scrap (Sa) by blowing out the scrap (Sa) generated by punching.

In the above, the electrode production system for a secondary battery according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been examined in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

One embodiment of the present invention described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not limiting, and the scope of the present invention will be indicated by the claims to be described later rather than the detailed description above. And it should be construed that all changes or transformable forms derived from the meaning and scope of these claims as well as their equivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present invention.

1: notching part 2: first meandering adjustment part
100: laser irradiation unit 110: first laser
120: second laser 130: optical member
131: lens unit 132: optical refraction unit
133 reflection mirror 134 dichroic mirror
135: beam expander 136: beam shaper
200: control unit 300: feeding unit
400: inspection unit 500: marking unit

Claims (10)

An unwinding part (UW) for unwinding and supplying electrodes including a coated part and a non-coating part, and a notching part (1) disposed behind the unwinding part (UW) and notching the electrode to form an electrode tab As an electrode production system for a secondary battery comprising,
a first meandering adjusting unit 2 disposed between the unwinding unit UW and the notching unit 1 to adjust the running direction of the electrode;
a densityr part (DC) disposed between the unwinding part (UW) and the notching part (1) to adjust the tension of the electrode supplied to the notching part (1);
A feeding unit 300 disposed behind the notching unit 1; And
A rewinding unit (RW) disposed behind the feeding unit 300 to rewind the notched electrode,
The notching part 1,
A first laser 110 for irradiating a first beam V1 and a second laser 120 for irradiating a second beam V2. A laser irradiation unit 100 including an optical member 130 forming paths of the first beam V1 and the second beam V2; and
A control unit 200 for moving the reflective mirror 133 of the laser irradiation unit 100 along the notching line NL of the electrode 10,
In the optical member 130, on the notching line NL, the first spot S1 of the first beam V1 and the second spot S2 of the second beam V2 are at a first distance. It is spaced apart, and the path of the first beam (V1) and the path of the second beam (V2) are formed such that the size of the first spot (S1) is greater than the size of the second spot (S2),
The control unit 200 uses the reflection mirror 133 so that the spot of the second beam V2 follows the movement trajectory of the spot of the first beam V1 that precedes the first beam V1. And simultaneously controlling the path formation of the second beam (V2),
The electrode production system for a secondary battery in which the electrode is continuously supplied to the notching part (1). According to claim 1,
An inspection unit 400 disposed behind the feeding unit 300 to inspect the notched electrode; and
A secondary battery electrode production system further comprising a marking unit 500 disposed between the inspection unit 400 and the rewinding unit (RW) to punch and mark the electrode determined to be defective in the inspection unit 400. According to claim 2,
The denser part (DC) is disposed between the unwinding part (UW) and the first meander control part (2),
The first meander control unit (2) is disposed between the unwinding unit (UW) and the notching unit (1) electrode production system for a secondary battery. According to claim 2,
The first meander control unit 2 is disposed between the unwinding unit UW and the denser unit DC,
The densityr part (DC) is a secondary battery electrode production system disposed between the first meander control part (2) and the notching part (1). According to claim 1,
The feeding unit 300 is
A belt part 310 including an upper belt 311 in contact with the upper surface of the electrode and a lower belt 312 in contact with the lower surface of the electrode, and a base 320 connected to the belt part 310, Including a second meandering adjustment unit 330 coupled to the base 320,
The second meandering adjustment unit 330 is coupled to the first rail 331 and the base 320 to be slid along the width direction of the electrode perpendicular to the transport direction of the electrode on the first rail 331 It includes a first block 332 that is coupled to the first block 332 and a first driving unit 333 connected to the first block 332,
The first driving unit 333 is connected to the measuring unit K1 and feedback-controls the position of the belt unit 310 in the width direction so that the first height measured by the measuring unit K1 coincides with a reference value. Electrode production system for secondary batteries. According to claim 2,
The marking unit 500 includes a punching unit 510 and an air supply unit 520 connected to the punching unit 510,
The air supply unit 520 supplies air to the punching unit 510 through a first line to lower the punching unit 510, and through the air discharged to a branch line branched from the first line, An electrode production system for a secondary battery, characterized in that pushing the scrap of the electrode punched by the punching unit 510. According to claim 1,
The electrode 10 includes a current collector 11 and an active material layer 12 laminated on the current collector 11,
The first beam (V1) ablate the active material layer 12,
The second beam (V2) is a secondary battery electrode production system for cutting the current collector (11) exposed by the ablation of the first beam (V1). According to claim 7,
The optical member 130 adjusts any one of the focal length of the first beam V1 and the focal length of the second beam V2 to change the size of the first spot S1 to the second spot. Secondary battery electrode production system set larger than the size of (S2). According to claim 7,
The optical member 130 is disposed on the path of the first beam V1 and the path of the second beam V2, and the spot and the first beam V1 on the notching line NL. A lens unit 131 for forming a spot of the second beam V2 and a beam expander disposed between the second laser and the optical member on the path of the second beam V2,
The beam expander adjusts the focal length of the second beam V2 passing through the lens unit, thereby setting the size of the first spot S1 to be larger than the size of the second spot S2. production system. According to claim 7,
The optical member 130 is disposed on the path of the first beam V1 and the path of the second beam V2, and the spot and the first beam V1 on the notching line NL. A lens unit 131 forming a spot of the second beam V2 and a light refraction unit 132 disposed on the path of the first beam V1,
The light refracting unit 132 is such that the incident angle of the first beam V1 with respect to the lens unit 131 and the incident angle of the second beam V2 with respect to the lens unit 131 are different from each other. (V1) An electrode production system for a secondary battery that bends.

Images