DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONNECTING MATERIAL AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING MATERIAL INCLUDING THE SAME

Described is a device for automatically connecting a continuously manufactured material, the device including a fixed roller rotatably fixed, the fixed roller being rotatable about the shaft of the fixed roller, a swing roller connected to the fixed roller and rotatable by the rotation of the fixed roller, the swing roller being rotatable about the shaft of the swing roller, and a holder plate, connected to the fixed roller, rotatable together with the fixed roller, and configured to hold the material. Also described are a system and a method for manufacturing a material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims, under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (a), the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0062415, filed on May 15, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a device for automatically connecting a continuously manufactured material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

A secondary battery is recently expanding its use in various fields, such as an electronic device, an electric vehicle, and an energy storage device. A type widely used as a secondary battery may be, for example, a lithium ion battery.

The electrode of the secondary battery has been generally manufactured through a wet process. However, a dry electrode manufactured through a dry process, which has various advantages, has recently appeared. The advantages may include that a solvent used in the wet process is not needed when manufacturing a dry electrode, that the energy density of the battery may be increased, and that the cost for producing the battery may be reduced. The dry electrode is manufactured by pressing dry electrode powder.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the present disclosure have been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems associated with the existing technologies, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a device for automatically connecting a material, the device configured to automatically connect a continuously manufactured material to a new winder.

The object of the present disclosure is not limited to the foregoing, and other objects not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains (hereinafter, “those skilled in the art”) based on the description below.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a device for automatically connecting a material, the device including a fixed roller rotatably fixed, the fixed roller being rotatable about the shaft of the fixed roller, a swing roller and rotatable by the rotation of the fixed roller, the swing roller being rotatable about the shaft of the swing roller, and a holder plate rotatable together with the fixed roller, and configured to hold the material.

The holder plate may be connected to the fixed roller via the swing roller. The device may further comprise a proximal link configured to connect the swing roller and the fixed roller to each other. The device may further comprise a distal link configured to connect the swing roller and the holder plate to each other. The holder plate may be configured to hold the material by vacuum adsorption. The holder plate may include a plurality of holes for the vacuum adsorption. The holder plate may include a protrusible cutting blade.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a system for manufacturing a material, the system including a working core configured to wind thereon a continuously manufactured material, a connection device configured to automatically connect the material wound on the working core to a standby core, and a tension control device configured to control the tension of the material connected to the standby core.

The connection device may include a first unit configured to hold and cut the material wound on the working core; and a second unit configured to hold the material cut by the first unit and connect the material to the standby core.

The system may include a connection film wound on the standby core and connected to the second unit. The system may further include a tape attached to the connection film to attach thereto the material cut by the first unit.

The tension control device may include a fixed guide configured to pass the material therethrough; and a movement guide configured to pass therethrough the material passing through the fixed guide and vertically movable.

The material may be configured to alternately pass through the fixed guide and the movement guide. The material may be a dry electrode of a battery.

The system may further include a roll press configured to roll a mixture of an electrode active material, a conductive additive, and a binder to continuously manufacture the material.

In still another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a material, the method including winding a continuously manufactured material on a first core, connecting the material to a second core at a first preset time point, and winding the material on the second core.

The method may further include controlling, by the tension control device, a tension of the material while the material is being wound on the second core.

The method may further include detecting, by a winding diameter sensor, the first preset time point while the material is being wound on the first core, wherein the winding diameter sensor is configured to detect an amount of the material wound on the first core.

The method may further include connecting, by the connection device, the material wound on the second core to the first core at a second preset time point; and winding the material on the first core. The second preset time point may be determined based on an amount of the material wound on the second core.

Other embodiments and preferred embodiments of the disclosure are discussed infra.

The above and other features of the disclosure are discussed infra.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Descriptions of specific structures or functions presented in the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely exemplary for the purpose of explaining the embodiments according to the concept of the present disclosure, and the embodiments according to the concept of the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms. In addition, the descriptions should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents and substitutes falling within the idea and scope of the present disclosure.

Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, terms such as “first” and/or “second” may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. For example, a first component could be termed a second component, and similarly, a second component could be termed a first component, without departing from the scope of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

It will be understood that, when a component is referred to as being “connected to” another component, the component may be directly connected to the other component, or intervening components may also be present. In contrast, when a component is referred to as being “directly connected to” another component, there is no intervening component present. Other terms used to describe relationships between components should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals indicate like components. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of illustrating embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural sense, unless specified otherwise. The terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” used in this specification mean that the cited component, step, operation, and/or element does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more of other components, steps, operations, and/or elements.

A dry electrode may be manufactured in the form of an electrode sheet by pressing dry electrode powder using one or more roll presses. The manufactured electrode sheet may be wound into a roll.

When a dry electrode having a predetermined length is wound on one roll core, the roll core or a winder must be replaced with a new winder. Currently, the replacement is performed in such a manner that the production or winding equipment of a dry electrode is stopped and a roll core is replaced manually, which lowers productivity and increases labor consumption.

For other materials of a battery, such as a separator having an excellent tensile strength, there are cases where automation has been made. However, because the dry electrode has a low tensile strength, it is difficult to set up automatic replacement of the roll core in the conventional manufacturing system.

For this reason, the present disclosure provides a system capable of automatically replacing a roll core on which a dry electrode is wound.

As illustrated inFIG.1, a system1of manufacturing dry electrode may manufacture a dry electrode20from a dry electrode powder10. The dry electrode powder10may be a mixture of an electrode active material, a conductive additive, and a binder. A cathode contains a cathode active material as an electrode active material. As a non-limiting example, the cathode active material may be nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) series, lithium ferrophosphate (LFP), lithium cobalt (LCO), or sulfur. An anode may contain an anode active material. As a non-limiting example, the anode active material may be graphite series and may contain silicon. As a non-limiting example, the conductive additive may contain a carbon-based material. In an example, the binder may contain polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR).

The manufactured dry electrode may move in a proceeding direction P and may be wound in the form of a roll using a winder. Particularly, the dry electrode powder10may be rolled using one or more roll presses30a,30bto be formed into the dry electrode20in the form of a continuous sheet. For example, the dry electrode powder10may be primarily pressed while moving in a vertical direction y by an upstream press30aand may be secondarily pressed while moving in a horizontal direction x by a downstream press30b. The dry electrode20may be pressed to have a required thickness while passing through the roll presses30a,30b.

A plurality of rollers40a,40bmay be disposed in the system1. For example, the rollers40a,40bmay include one or more guide rollers40aand one or more dancer rolls40b. The guide rollers40amay be configured to guide the proceeding of the dry electrode20being manufactured, and the dancer rolls40bmay be configured to adjust the tension of the proceeding dry electrode20.

The dry electrode20being manufactured may be wound on a winder or a working core50. The working core50may be configured to be rotatable and may wind thereon the dry electrode20being manufactured.

When the dry electrode20wound on the working core50has a predetermined volume or diameter, the working core50must be replaced with a new working core. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the working core50may be manually replaced with a new working core50. Referring toFIG.2, the system1may be stopped for the replacement. In order to cut the dry electrode20being continuously manufactured, the dry electrode20may be fixed using a stopper70disposed around at least one of the guide rollers40aand may be cut at the working core50side. Then the roll on which the dry electrode20is fully wound may be removed from the working core50. After the dry electrode20fixed to the stopper70is connected to the working core50again, the tension of the dry electrode20may be reset and the dry electrode manufacturing system1operates again. In such a method of manual replacement, operations, such as cutting the dry electrode20and reconnecting the cut dry electrode20to the working core50, may be complicated and difficult. Further, because the connecting operation is manually performed by a worker, there is a concern that an initial quality degradation may occur. Moreover, when the dry electrode manufacturing system1is reconnected to the working core50, the system1may be stopped and the replacement may be performed, which may cause loss of production time.

For this reason, according to a different embodiment of the present disclosure, when the dry electrode20is fully wound on the working core50, the working core50may be automatically replaced with a standby core60, which is a new working core50. According to this embodiment, an automatic connection device capable of automatically replacing the working core50, on which the dry electrode20is fully wound, without worker intervention is proposed.

As illustrated inFIG.3, the automatic connection device may include a tension control device100. The tension control device may prevent breakage of a material or the dry electrode20when the system1restarts after automatically connecting the material or the dry electrode20to the standby core60. Specifically, the tension control device100may solve the problem caused by low tensile strength of the dry electrode20and reduce the acceleration or deceleration time of the system1during high-speed operation of the system1. Further, the automatic connection device may include a connection device200configured to automatically connect the dry electrode20to the standby core60.

The tension control device100may control the tension of the dry electrode20when the working core50is replaced, separately from the dancer roll40b. As illustrated inFIG.4, according to an implementation of the present disclosure, the tension control device100may include a base110, a fixed guide120, and a movement guide130.

The fixed guide120and the movement guide130may be mounted to the base110. The fixed guide120may be fixed to the base110, while the movement guide130may be movable on the base110.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the fixed guide120may be disposed above the movement guide130on the base110in the vertical direction y. As illustrated inFIGS.5A and5B, the movement guide130disposed below the fixed guide120may move toward the fixed guide120or away from the fixed guide120. In one implementation, the movement guide130may receive a moving force from a linear actuator140, such as a ball screw.

Referring toFIGS.6A and6B, the dry electrode20may pass through the fixed guide120and the movement guide130, alternately. Accordingly, the tension of the dry electrode20may be adjusted depending on the distance between the movement guide130and the fixed guide120. In the illustrated implementation, three fixed guides120and two movement guides130are shown, but the number thereof is not limited to the illustrated implementation and may be increased or decreased.

As illustrated inFIG.7A, while the dry electrode20is being wound on the working core50, the movement guide130may rotate and descend in a direction away from the fixed guide120. Then, as illustrated inFIG.7B, when the dry electrode20is fully wound on the working core50, the movement guide130may stop at a lowest position. When the working core50is replaced with the standby core60, which is a new working core50, and starts to run again, the system1may operate while maintaining the tension of the dry electrode20as the movement guide130ascends matching the moving speed of the replaced winder (i.e., the new working core50) as illustrated inFIG.7C.

Referring toFIG.8, the connection device200may allow the dry electrode20to be automatically connected to the standby core60when the dry electrode20is fully wound on the working core50.

Full winding of the dry electrode20may be determined by a winding diameter sensor202. In one implementation, the winding diameter sensor202may be disposed around the working core50. The winding diameter sensor202may detect whether the dry electrode20is fully wound on the working core50or whether the dry electrode20is wound on the working core50up to a predetermined diameter or volume.

When the dry electrode20is fully wound on the working core50, the connection device200may connect the dry electrode20being manufactured to the standby core60. To this end, in one implementation, the connection device200includes an upper unit210and a lower unit220. Although the upper unit210and the lower unit220are identical to each other as will be described below, the upper unit210and the lower unit220may operate differently during replacement. According to an implementation of the present disclosure, the connection device200, or the upper unit210and the lower unit220each may include a frame300, a fixed roller310, a swing roller320, and a holder plate330.

Referring toFIGS.9to10, the connection device200may be disposed around the dry electrode20, being manufactured, by the frame300. The connection device200may be fixed at an appropriate position by the frame300in consideration of the size of the dry electrode20being manufactured, the design of the system1, and the like.

The fixed roller310may be connected to the frame300. The fixed roller310may be mounted to the frame300by being rotatable about a shaft312. The fixed roller310may receive a rotational force from a motor314of the fixed roller310. In an implementation, the shaft312of the fixed roller310may be disposed parallel to a rotating axis of the motor314of the fixed roller310via a gear316and engaged therewith to be operatively associated with each other. In a different implementation, as illustrated inFIG.11, a timing belt318, instead of the gear316, may be configured to rotate together with the shaft312of the fixed roller310upon driving of the motor314of the fixed roller310.

The connection device200may include the swing roller320. The swing roller320may be configured to be rotatable. In one implementation, a shaft322of the swing roller320may be rotatable by a motor324of the swing roller320.

A connection structure is provided between the fixed roller310and the swing roller320. In one implementation, the connection structure may include a proximal link340. Specifically, the swing roller320may be connected to the fixed roller310via the proximal link340. One side of the proximal link340may be coupled to the shaft312of the fixed roller310, and the other side of the proximal link340may be coupled to the shaft322of the swing roller320. The swing roller320connected to the fixed roller310via the proximal link340may rotate about the shaft312of the fixed roller310by the rotation of the fixed roller310.

The connection device200may further include the holder plate330. The holder plate330may be rotatable about a shaft332of the holder plate330. In one implementation, the shaft332of the holder plate330may be rotated by a motor334of the holder plate330.

Between the swing roller320and the holder plate330, a connection structure may be provided. The connection structure may include a distal link350. The holder plate330may be connected to the swing roller320via the distal link350. The shaft332of the holder plate330may be coupled to one side of the distal link350, and the shaft322of the swing roller320may be coupled to the other side of the distal link350.

As illustrated inFIGS.12A and12B, when the motor314of the fixed roller310operates, the swing roller320and the holder plate330connected to the shaft312of the fixed roller310via the proximal link340and the distal link350may rotate about the shaft312of the fixed roller310.

As illustrated inFIGS.13A and13B, the swing roller320may rotate about the shaft322of the swing roller320by the operation of the motor324of the swing roller320, and the holder plate330connected to the shaft322of the swing roller320via the distal link350may also rotate together therewith.

Referring toFIGS.14A and14B, by the operation of the motor334of the holder plate330, the holder plate330may rotate about the shaft332of the holder plate330.

As illustrated inFIG.15, the holder plate330may be connected to a connection film360configured to connect the standby core60and the dry electrode20to each other. Further, a tape362for connection of the dry electrode20may be attached to the connection film360. The replacement operation for the connection film360and the tape362will be described in more detail below with reference toFIGS.17A,17B,18A, and18B.

Referring toFIG.16, in one implementation, a plurality of holes336may be arranged in the holder plate330for vacuum adsorption. Some of the plurality of holes336may be formed in a first area of the holder plate330, and the rest of the plurality of holes336may be formed in a second area330bof the holder plate330. Vacuum provided on the first area330aand vacuum provided on the second area330bmay be controlled separately from each other. In other words, adsorption may be performed in the first area330abut not in the second area330b, and vice versa. Further, adsorption may be performed simultaneously in the first area330aand the second area330b.

According to an implementation of the present disclosure, the holder plate330may include a protrusible cutting blade338. The cutting blade338may cut the dry electrode20wound on the working core50to discontinue vacuum at the working core50side, thus separating the dry electrode20wound on the working core50. For example, after cutting the dry electrode20, vacuum on the first area330aof the holder plate330may be discontinued. Then the dry electrode20wound on the working core50may be separated from the holder plate330and from the dry electrode20being continuously manufactured. In this state, the vacuum on the second area330bof the holder plate330may be maintained so that the dry electrode20being continuously manufactured may be held by the holder plate330.

The standby core60may include the connection film360wound thereon. The connection film360may be used for smoothly connecting the dry electrode20to a new roll core and for prevention of breakage of the dry electrode20. As a non-limiting example, the connection film360may be a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.

The tape362may be attached to an end of the connection film360. The tape362may be attached to the dry electrode20being manufactured, which is to be placed on the second area330b, thereby facilitating connecting seams.

The controller400may be configured to control the system1. For example, the controller400may receive a detection signal from the winding diameter sensor202, recognize a full winding of the working core50in operation based on the received detection signal, and determine when to replace the working core50. Further, the controller400may change the position of the movement guide130of the tension control device100to control the tension of the dry electrode20after replacing the working core50. Furthermore, the controller400may control the operation of the connection device200.

Hereinafter, the operation of the connection device200is described in detail with reference toFIGS.17A,17B,18A, and18B.

So as to replace the fully wound winder or working core50, the working core50and the standby core60may switch their roles. In other words, while the dry electrode20is continuously manufactured, the working core50may become the standby core60and the standby core60may become the working core50. When the dry electrode20is fully wound on the working core50at the lower side in the illustrated implementation shown inFIG.1and others, the dry electrode20is automatically connected to the standby core60at the upper side. Here, the standby core60at the upper side becomes the working core50, and the working core50at the lower side becomes the standby core60.

InFIGS.17A and17B, the winder at the lower side may work as the working core50. While the working core50winds thereon the dry electrode20, the connection film360is wound on the standby core60at the upper side. For example, the connection film360may be pre-connected to the standby core60by a worker, while the working core50winds thereon the dry electrode20. The connection film360connected to the standby core60is connected to the upper unit210of the connection device200. Specifically, in order to facilitate connection between the connection film360and the dry electrode20to be held by the holder plate330of the upper unit210, the tape362may be attached to the end of the connection film360.

As inFIG.17A, when the winding diameter sensor202detects full winding of the working core50, the connection device200may start to operate by the controller400.

In the lower unit220, rotation of the shaft312of the fixed roller310of the lower unit220may cause the swing roller320and the holder plate330to rotate toward the dry electrode20. The swing roller320of the lower unit220may be rotated about the shaft322of the swing roller320and may be brought into contact with the dry electrode20. Then the holder plate330of the lower unit220may be rotated about the shaft332and may be positioned to be parallel with the dry electrode20to hold or adsorb the dry electrode20. While the dry electrode20is adsorbed on the holder plate330, the cutting blade338may be protruded from the lower unit220to cut the dry electrode20. In the holder plate330of the lower unit220, vacuum adsorption in the second area330bmay continue and vacuum adsorption in first area330amay be ceased to separate the fully wound winder at the lower side from the system1.

In the upper unit210, in the state in which the connection film360is connected, the fixed roller310, the swing roller320, and the holder plate330may rotate about the shaft312of the fixed roller310towards the dry electrode20. Then the holder plate330of the upper unit210may be disposed in a tilted position rotated substantially vertically with respect to the dry electrode20. The upper unit210maintains the tilted position until the dry electrode20is cut by the lower unit220.

Referring toFIG.17B, when cutting by the lower unit220is completed, the upper unit210may rotate towards the dry electrode20. Specifically, the upper unit210may rotate about the shaft312of the fixed roller310, and the holder plate330of the upper unit210may be brought into contact with the dry electrode20. Because the tape362is attached to the holder plate330of the upper unit210brought into contact with the dry electrode20, the tape362may be connected to the dry electrode20. Adsorption by the lower unit220may be stopped and the standby core60is rotated, so that the dry electrode20connected to the standby core60is wound on the standby core60. The holder plate330of the upper unit210may be rotated about the shaft332of the holder plate330in a direction away from the dry electrode20. The lower unit220may be rotated about the shaft312of the fixed roller310of the lower unit220in a direction away from the dry electrode20. Here, the tension control device100may be operated to control the tension of the dry electrode20so that the dry electrode20may be wound on a new working core50at the upper side without breakage.

As such, the winder at the upper side, which was the standby core60in the standby state, may be switched to serve as the working core50and wind thereon the dry electrode20. Then the roll core at the lower side may be switched to the standby state and becomes the standby core60.

FIGS.18A and18Billustrate a process in which the dry electrode20is alternatingly connected to the standby core60at the lower side after completing winding of the core60at the upper side ofFIGS.17A and17B. The operation inFIGS.18A and18Bmay be performed in the same manner as the operation inFIGS.17A and17Band only the direction is opposite, so redundant descriptions will be omitted.

Although a dry electrode is described as an example in this specification, the connection device according to the present disclosure may be used not only for manufacturing the dry electrode but also for manufacturing other materials having a low tensile strength. The present disclosure may enable automatic connection of a material having a low tensile strength, such as a dry electrode.

According to the present disclosure, the workload of a worker for reconnecting a material may be reduced, and the quality of the connected portion of the material may be improved.

Further, according to the present disclosure, a tension control device may adjust the tension of a material when the material is connected to a new winder, thereby preventing breakage of the material.

According to the present disclosure, a material may be automatically connected to a new winder, thereby reducing the time for manual connection and increasing yield.

As is apparent from the above description, the present disclosure provides the following effects.

According to the present disclosure, there may be a device configured to automatically connect a continuously manufactured material to a new winder.

Specifically, according to the present disclosure, there may be a device for automatically connecting a material, the device capable of preventing breakage of the material having a low tensile strength.

Further, according to the present disclosure, a continuously manufactured material may be automatically connected to a new winder, thereby increasing productivity.

Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to what has been described above, and other effects not mentioned herein will be clearly recognized by those skilled in the art based on the above description.

It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that the present disclosure described above is not limited by the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and various substitutions, modifications and changes are possible within a range that does not depart from the technical idea of the present disclosure.