KR20230172741A - System for producing electrodes of battery - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is an electrode production system for a secondary battery including a transfer unit for transferring electrodes, wherein the transfer unit includes a suction plate and a belt moving along the suction plate, the suction plate includes a suction area, and the belt includes a suction hole aligned with the suction area, the suction area includes a first area and a second area spaced apart in the left and right directions, and the suction hole is adjacent to the first hole in the front and rear directions. An electrode production system for a secondary battery may be provided, including a second hole, wherein the first hole is disposed to overlap the first area, and the second hole is disposed to overlap the second area.

Description

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

The present invention relates to an electrode production system for secondary batteries.

In general, a chemical battery refers to a battery that includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte and generates electrical energy using a chemical reaction. This includes primary batteries that are disposable and secondary batteries that can be charged and discharged for repeated use. It can be divided into:

The use of secondary batteries is gradually increasing due to the advantage of being able to charge and discharge. Among such secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries have a high energy density per unit weight, and are therefore widely used as a power source for electronic communication devices or in high-output hybrid vehicles.

The electrodes used in these secondary batteries are used as the anode and cathode of the battery and are used to electrically connect the battery to the outside of the battery.

Electrode tabs can be formed on the electrode by notching at regular intervals.

The notched electrode is sealed in the form of a pouch or square or cylindrical can in the stack process and manufactured into a secondary battery.

The electrode material wound in the form of a reel is unwound from the unwinding section and fed into the notching section. And, a plurality of electrode tabs are continuously formed on the electrode material at regular intervals. The electrode on which the tab is formed can be rewound in reel form or cut to a certain size and transported through a transfer unit to be loaded into a magazine.

The transfer unit includes a belt with a plurality of suction holes and a belt drive unit that moves the belt. The electrode on which the tab is formed is adsorbed to the belt and moved to the magazine side. At this time, the belt is located above the electrode, and the electrode does not fall due to the suction force, but is transported to the point where the magazine is located.

At this time, before the electrode reaches the magazine, after notching, it is determined whether the electrode is a defective product or a good product, and only the good product is transferred to the magazine, and the defective product can be separated from the belt and dropped through a separate pusher unit.

However, when a defective product is separated from the belt, the suction holes that adsorb the defective product are opened, and air flows in through the open suction hole, causing a problem in that the belt's adsorption power is weakened. When separating a defective product from the belt, if the suction is released or the suction is maintained without being released, the suction holes that adsorb the defective product are opened, so the belt's adsorption power is inevitably weakened. If the belt's adsorption power becomes weak, the electrode may fall off the belt.

When dropping a defective product, even if the suction is switched to OFF and then back to ON, the moving speed of the belt is so fast that the electrode may fall from the belt before the suction to catch the electrode is maintained. there is a problem.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0089803 (published on August 5, 2015)

The purpose of the present invention is to maintain the suction state of adjacent electrodes even when the suction holes that adsorb the defective products are opened when dropping the defective product of the electrode, and to prevent the electrode from falling from the belt due to insufficient suction power. To provide an electrode production system.

An embodiment is an electrode production system for a secondary battery including a transfer unit for transferring electrodes, wherein the transfer unit includes a suction plate and a belt moving along the suction plate, the suction plate includes a suction area, and the The belt includes a suction hole aligned with the suction area, the suction area includes a first area and a second area spaced apart in the left and right directions, and the suction hole is adjacent to the first hole in the front and rear directions. An electrode production system for a secondary battery may be provided, including a second hole, wherein the first hole is disposed to overlap the first area, and the second hole is disposed to overlap the second area.

The belt may have the first holes and the second holes alternately arranged in the front-back direction.

The first area and the second area may be composed of a plurality of unit areas divided from each other in the front and rear directions.

The defective product discharge area and the non-defective product discharge area may be aligned in different unit areas.

When the first hole is located in the defective product discharge area, the second hole may be located in the good product discharge area.

A defective product discharge area and a cleaning area are disposed in the same unit area, and when the first hole is located in the defective product discharge area, the second hole may be located in the cleaning area.

The unit area located in the defective product discharge area may have a longer front-to-back length than other unit areas.

The suction plate includes a protrusion protruding from a lower surface, the first region or the second region is disposed on the protrusion, and the belt includes a groove portion in which the first hole or the second hole is disposed, and The protrusion may be disposed in the groove.

The protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion spaced apart in the left and right directions, the groove portion includes a first groove and a second groove spaced apart in the left and right direction, and the first area is disposed on the first protrusion. The second area may be disposed on the second protrusion, and the groove portion may be disposed on the first groove and the second groove.

The suction area may be formed by penetrating the upper and lower surfaces of the suction plate.

The front-to-back width of the area where the suction hole is formed may be smaller than the front-to-back width of the electrode and larger than the front-to-back width of the electrode tab of the electrode.

According to the embodiment, when dropping a defective product of an electrode, even if the suction holes that adsorbed the defective product are opened, the suction state of the adjacent electrode is maintained, which has the advantage of preventing the electrode from falling from the belt due to insufficient suction power.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing the surroundings of a transfer unit of an electrode production system for secondary batteries according to an embodiment;
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the electrode transported along the transfer unit;
Figure 3 is a side view of the transfer unit and electrode shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the transfer unit and electrode shown in Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the suction plate and belt of the transfer unit;
Figure 6 is a plan view of the suction plate;
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the suction plate;
Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the belt;
Figure 9 is a top view of the belt;
Figure 10 is a diagram showing a state in which electrodes, suction plates, and belts overlap in the up-and-down direction;
Figure 11 is a side view showing the positions of the suction plate, belt, and electrodes with the belt in close contact with the suction plate;
Figure 12 is a conceptual diagram of electrodes, belts, and suction plates arranged along the front-back direction.

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

The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, and the following embodiments may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is limited. It is not limited to the examples below. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art.

The terms used herein are used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Additionally, when used herein, “comprise” and/or “comprising” means specifying the presence of stated features, numbers, steps, operations, members, elements and/or groups thereof. and does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other shapes, numbers, operations, members, elements and/or groups. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the listed items.

Although terms such as first, second, etc. are used herein to describe various members, regions, and/or portions, it is obvious that these members, parts, regions, layers, and/or portions should not be limited by these terms. do. These terms do not imply any particular order, superiority or inferiority, or superiority or inferiority, and are used only to distinguish one member, region or portion from another member, region or portion. Accordingly, a first member, region or portion described below may refer to a second member, region or portion without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings schematically showing embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, variations of the depicted shape may be expected, for example, depending on manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the specific shape of the area shown herein, but should include changes in shape resulting from, for example, manufacturing.

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

Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the surroundings of the transfer unit 10 of an electrode production system for secondary batteries according to an embodiment.

below. The x-axis direction in the drawing represents the front-back direction of the secondary battery electrode production system and represents the transport direction of the electrode, and the y-axis direction in the drawing represents the left and right direction of the secondary battery electrode production system and represents the width direction of the electrode. The z-axis direction represents the vertical direction of the secondary battery electrode production system. Hereinafter, in describing the embodiments, ‘front’ and ‘back’ are based on the transfer direction of the electrode, and ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ are based on the vertical direction.

The electrode is supplied from the unwinding part to the notching part, and an electrode tab is formed in the notching part. The electrode in the form of a sheet with electrode tabs formed is loaded into the transfer unit 10 and transferred to the magazine. If the electrode is determined to be a defective product, the defective electrode (S1) is separated from the belt 200 through a separate pusher.

The electrode (S2) determined to be good is cleaned in the cleaning unit (1) and then transferred to the point where the magazine (3) is located. The good electrode S2 located on the magazine 3 is separated from the belt 200 through the pusher unit 2 and loaded into the magazine 3.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the electrode S transported along the transfer unit 10, FIG. 3 is a side view of the transfer unit 10 and the electrode S shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a transfer unit shown in FIG. 2. This is a top view of (10) and the electrode (S).

2 to 4, the transfer unit 10 includes a suction plate 100 and a belt 200 that moves along the suction plate 100. The suction plate 100 is arranged long along the front-to-back direction (x). The belt 200 is arranged to move along the suction plate 100. And the belt 200 may be arranged to circulate through a motor.

A portion of the belt 200 is located below the suction plate 100. And the electrode S is located on the lower side of the belt 200. The electrode S is adsorbed and transported on the belt 200.

The suction plate 100 is connected to the suction device and provides adsorption force to the electrode (S).

A plurality of suction plates 100 and belts 200 may be arranged along the left and right directions (y) corresponding to the length of the electrodes (S).

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the suction plate 100 and the belt 200 of the transfer unit 10, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the suction plate 100, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the suction plate 100.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7 , a portion of the belt 200 is disposed below the suction plate 100. And the upper surface of the belt 200 contacts the lower surface of the suction plate 100.

The suction plate 100 includes a suction area 110. The suction area 110 is formed to communicate with the suction device and is formed to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the suction plate 100. This suction area 110 may include a first area 111 and a second area 112.

The first area 111 and the second area 112 are each formed to be long along the front-back direction (x). And the first area 111 and the second area 112 are arranged to be spaced apart in the left and right direction (y). Since the suction flow paths of the first area 111 and the second area 112 are physically separated, the suction state of the first area 111 does not affect the suction state of the second area 112. No.

The first area 111 and the second area 112 may each be composed of a plurality of unit areas A1, A2, A3, and A4. A plurality of unit areas are formed by dividing each other in the front-back direction (x). For example, the suction plate 100 may include a first unit area (A1), a second unit area (A2), a third unit area (A3), and a fourth unit area (A4). Since the passage for suction in the first unit area (A1), the second unit area (A2), the third unit area (A3), and the fourth unit area (A4) is separated by a partition wall (P), each unit The suction state of an area does not affect the suction state of other neighboring unit areas.

Referring to FIG. 7, the suction plate 100 includes a protrusion 120 protruding from the lower surface. The protrusion 120 is disposed long along the front-back direction (x). And the suction area 110 is disposed on the protrusion 120. These protrusions 120 increase adhesion to the belt 200 and serve to prevent air from leaking between the belt 200 and the suction plate 100.

The protrusion 120 may include a first protrusion 121 and a second protrusion 122. The first protrusion 121 and the second protrusion 122 are spaced apart in the left and right direction (y). The first area 111 of the suction area 110 is disposed on the first protrusion 121. The second area 112 of the suction area 110 is disposed on the second protrusion 122.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the belt 200, and Figure 9 is a top view of the belt 200.

8 and 9, the belt 200 includes a suction hole 210. The suction hole 210 is aligned with the suction area 110 when the belt 200 is in close contact with the lower surface of the suction plate 100. The suction hole 210 may be formed only in a partial area of the belt 200. The suction hole 210 may include a first hole 211 and a second hole 212. Here, the first hole 211 and the second hole 212 may each be formed by gathering a plurality of holes.

The first holes 211 may be formed at regular intervals along the front-back direction (x). The second holes 212 may also be formed at regular intervals along the front-back direction (x). The first hole 211 and the second hole 212 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the left and right direction (y). And the first hole 211 and the second hole 212 are arranged so as not to overlap each other based on the left and right direction (y).

These first holes 211 and second holes 212 are alternately arranged along the front-back direction (x) so that the suction holes 210 can be arranged in a zigzag shape.

The first hole 211 is aligned with the first area 111 of the suction area 110 when the belt 200 is in close contact with the lower surface of the suction plate 100. And the second hole 212 is aligned with the second area 112 of the suction area 110 when the belt 200 is in close contact with the lower surface of the suction plate 100.

Belt 200 may include grooves 220. The groove portion 220 is formed concavely on the upper surface of the belt 200 disposed facing the suction plate 100. The groove portion 220 is formed long along the front-back direction (x). In order to increase contact with the suction plate 100, an uneven structure may be formed in other areas of the belt 200 excluding the groove 220.

This groove portion 220 may include a first groove 221 and a second groove 222. The first groove 221 and the second groove 222 are spaced apart in the left and right direction (y). The first protrusion 121 of the suction plate 100 is disposed in the first groove 221, and the second protrusion 122 is disposed in the second groove 222.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the electrode S, the suction plate 100, and the belt 200 overlap in the vertical direction.

Referring to FIG. 10, the electrode S is positioned so that the first area 111 and the second area 112 of the suction plate 100 overlap. And the electrode (S) is positioned to overlap the suction hole (210).

The front-to-back direction (x) width of the area where the suction hole 210 is formed may be smaller than the front-to-back direction (x) width of the electrode (S) and larger than the front-to-back direction (x) width of the power tab of the electrode (S). The suction hole 210 is formed only in a partial area of the belt 200 that contacts the electrode S, and the suction hole 210 is not formed in other areas of the belt 200.

Figure 11 is a side view showing the positions of the suction plate 100, the belt 200, and the electrode (S) when the belt 200 is in close contact with the suction plate 100.

Referring to FIG. 11, the first protrusion 121 of the suction plate 100 is disposed in the first groove 221, so that the first area 111 is aligned with the first hole 211. The second protrusion 122 of the suction plate 100 is disposed in the second groove 222, so that the second area 112 is aligned with the second hole 212. With this groove and protrusion structure, the suction plate 100 and the belt 200 come into contact, thereby preventing air from leaking between the suction plate 100 and the belt 200.

Figure 12 is a conceptual diagram of the electrode S, belt 200, and suction plate 100 arranged along the front-back direction (x).

Referring to FIG. 12 , among the electrodes S that are adjacent in the front-back direction (x), one is disposed to be adsorbed by the first hole 211 and the other is adsorbed by the second hole 212. This is to maintain the suction state of the adjacent electrode (S) even if the suction holes 210 that adsorbed the defective product are opened when the defective product of the electrode (S) is dropped.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the loading section T1, suction to the electrode S is always maintained. However, in the defective product discharge section (T2), where the defective product is discharged by determining whether it is a defective product or a good product, the state in which the suction is maintained and the state in which it is released are repeated in order to drop the defective electrode (S). When the suction is released in the defective product discharge section T2, the defective electrode S is separated from the belt 200 by the pusher device, and the suction hole 210 is opened.

At this time, as air flows in through the open suction hole 210, it may affect maintaining the suction of the neighboring electrode (S). Accordingly, the loading section T1 and the defective product discharge section T2 are aligned in different unit areas of the suction plate 100. That is, the loading section T1 is aligned with the first unit area A1, and the defective product discharge section T2 is aligned with the second unit area A2. Since the first unit area (A1) and the second unit area (A2) are spatially separated, even if the defective electrode (S1) is separated from the belt 200 and the suction hole 210 is opened, the loading section (T1) is not affected in maintaining suction.

The cleaning section (T3) located after the defective product discharge section (T2) is aligned in the same second unit area (A2) as the defective product discharge section (T2). Therefore, if the defective electrode S1 is separated from the belt 200 and the suction hole 210 is opened in the defective product discharge section T2, the suction power may be weakened in the cleaning section T3. However, in the defective product discharge section T2, the first hole 211 is aligned with the first area 111, and in the cleaning section T3, the second hole 212 is aligned with the second area 112. Even if the defective electrode S is separated from the belt 200 and the first hole 211 is opened, the adsorption force realized through the second hole 212 located in the second area 112 is not affected. Therefore, even if the defective electrode S2 is separated from the belt 200, there is an advantage that suction to the electrode S3 in the cleaning section T3 can always be maintained.

The second unit area (A2) may have a longer front-to-back length than the other unit areas (A1, A3, and A4).

The idle section (T4), which is the next section of the cleaning section (T3), always maintains suction to guide the electrode (S3) of the good product to the discharge section (T5) of the good product. Since the idle section (T4) is located in the third unit area (A3), which is different from the second unit area (A2) aligned with the defective product discharge section (T2) and the cleaning section (T3), the suction hole is formed in the defective product discharge section (T2). Even if (210) is opened, the idle section (T4) is not affected by suction.

In the non-defective product discharge section (T5), which is the next section of the idle section (T4), the process of maintaining or releasing suction to separate the good product from the belt 200 is repeated. In a state where the suction is released, the good electrode (S) is separated from the belt 200 through the pusher unit and loaded into the magazine. Even if the electrode (S) of the good product is separated from the belt 200 and the second hole 212 is opened, the fourth unit area (A4) where the good product discharge section (T5) is located is physically connected to the third unit area (A3). Because it is separated, the idle section (T4) is not affected by suction.

When the first hole 211 is aligned with the first area 111 in the defective product discharge section T2, the second hole 212 may be aligned with the second area 112 in the good product discharge section T5. .

In this way, the defective product discharge section T2 is suctioned through the first area 111, and the other adjacent section is suctioned through the second area 112 divided from the first area 111, There is an advantage in that suction can be stably maintained in other adjacent sections regardless of whether suction is maintained or released in the defective product discharge section T2 or the suction hole 210 is opened. In addition, since the suction area 110 is divided into a plurality of physically partitioned unit areas, there is an advantage that suction is not affected in sections where the unit areas are different.

Above, specific embodiments of the electrode production system for secondary batteries of the present invention have been described, but it is obvious that various implementation modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined by the claims and equivalents thereof as well as the claims described later.

That is, the above-described embodiments should be understood in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims to be described later rather than the detailed description, and the meaning and scope of the claims and All changes or modified forms derived from the equivalent concept should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

10: transfer unit
100: Suction plate
110: Suction area
111: first area
112: Second area
120: protrusion
121: first protrusion
122: second protrusion
200: belt
210: Suction hole
211: Hole 1
212: 2nd hole
220: Home Department

Claims (11)

An electrode production system for secondary batteries including a transfer unit for transferring electrodes,
The transfer unit
It includes a suction plate and a belt moving along the suction plate,
The suction plate includes a suction area,
The belt includes a suction hole aligned with the suction area,
The suction area includes a first area and a second area that are spaced apart in the left and right directions,
The suction hole includes a first hole and a second hole that are adjacent in the front and rear directions,
The first hole is disposed to overlap the first area, and the second hole is disposed to overlap the second area. According to claim 1,
The belt is a secondary battery electrode production system in which the first holes and the second holes are alternately arranged along the front-back direction. According to claim 1,
The first area and the second area are a secondary battery electrode production system comprised of a plurality of unit areas divided from each other in the front and rear directions. According to clause 3,
An electrode production system for secondary batteries in which defective product discharge areas and good product discharge areas are aligned in different unit areas. According to clause 4,
An electrode production system for a secondary battery in which, when the first hole is located in the defective product discharge area, the second hole is located in the good product discharge area. According to clause 3,
A defective product discharge area and a cleaning area are disposed in the same unit area, and when the first hole is located in the defective product discharge area, the second hole is located in the cleaning area. According to clause 3,
A secondary battery electrode production system wherein the unit area located in the defective product discharge area has a longer front-to-back length than other unit areas. According to claim 1,
The suction plate includes a protrusion protruding from a lower surface,
The first area or the second area is disposed on the protrusion,
The belt includes a groove in which the first hole or the second hole is disposed,
An electrode production system for a secondary battery, wherein the protrusion is disposed in the groove. According to clause 8,
The protrusion includes first and second protrusions spaced apart in the left and right directions,
The groove portion includes a first groove and a second groove spaced apart in the left and right directions,
The first area is disposed on the first protrusion, and the second area is disposed on the second protrusion,
The electrode production system for a secondary battery wherein the groove portion is disposed in the first groove and the second groove. According to claim 1,
The suction area is formed by penetrating the upper and lower surfaces of the suction plate. According to claim 1,
The front-to-back width of the area where the suction hole is formed is smaller than the front-to-back width of the electrode and larger than the front-to-back width of the electrode tab of the electrode.

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