Abstract:
The present invention relates to a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle which can manufacture electric rolls by conveying and winding an electrode from the electric rolls without breakage when the electrode rolls are manufactured by using electrode rolls in which an electrode is configured in a direction to fill the electrode rolls in a box at a high integration in a manufacturing process of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle that is configured by stacking electrode rolls in a sealed (cylindrical or angular) box. The present invention provides a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle, which can prevent a breakage when an electrode is conveyed, by providing a guide roller at a moving position of the electrode on an external surface of a conveying roller.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority to and all the benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0061738, filed on May 22, 2014, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Disclosure 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle which can manufacture electric rolls by conveying and winding an electrode from the electric rolls without breakage when the electrode rolls are manufactured by using electrode rolls in which an electrode is configured in a direction to fill the electrode rolls in a box at a high integration in a manufacturing process of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle that is configured by stacking electrode rolls in a sealed (cylindrical or angular) box. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, a lithium ion rechargeable battery has recently begun to be commercially available since it is difficult to solve a stability problem because lithium has too large reactivity. The lithium ion rechargeable battery has many advantages compared with other types of rechargeable batteries. 
         [0006]    First, the weight of the lithium metal is smaller than any other metals, and thus the lithium metal has a significantly large energy density. Second, the lithium metal has a large electromotive force. Third, the lithium metal has no memory effect. Accordingly, the lithium ion rechargeable battery can be discharged even when the lithium ion rechargeable battery is not completely discharged. Herein, the memory effect indicates a property that a rechargeable battery needs to be completely discharged to charge the rechargeable battery. Fourth, a power loss caused by self-discharge is very small. 
         [0007]    This lithium ion rechargeable battery can be quickly charged by using an intercalation reaction of lithium ions in which a charging reaction of a negative electrode is relatively quickly performed, and can serve as a high-voltage battery with stability in using lithium ions. Accordingly, the lithium ion rechargeable battery has mainly been used in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone or a laptop computer, and has recently been employed in a battery for an electric vehicle, since the lithium ion rechargeable battery has a large charging capacity and can be reduced in size. 
         [0008]    The lithium ion rechargeable battery is completed by forming a cathode and an anode by coating a metal foil (Al foil or Cu foil) with an active material therefor, by forming a jelly roll by inserting a separator between the two electrodes and winding them, by inserting the formed jelly roll into a cylindrical or angular metal vessel, and by filling and sealing an electrolyte is filled and sealed. 
         [0009]    Herein, the jelly roll (electrode roll) is completed by winding an anode electrode plate, a separator on the anode electrode plate, and a cathode electrode plate the separator and surrounding the cathode as the uppermost part on the anode with the separator therebetween such that the separator is positioned on the surface, and finally processing the separator. 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a structure of a jelly roll, and  FIG. 2  illustrates a completely manufactured shape. 
         [0011]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , in an electrode plate  10 , an electrode is formed such that electrode plates of a cathode and an anode are externally exposed to one end thereof. Then, as shown in  FIG. 2 , electrode plate  10  includes electrode  11  which is wound such that a positive polarity (+) and a negative polarity (−) are formed, thereby completing a jelly roll. 
         [0012]    An angular battery for an electric vehicle needs to be manufactured in small size and light weight to have most efficient performance in consideration of fuel efficiency and its run time, and the electrode plate is required to be filled inside in as high integration as possible. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, to fill more electrode plates in a space having the same size, when a plate area is increased, the capacity is also proportionally increased. In view of this, an electrode plate roll has been commercially available to increase an area of the electrode plate in proportion to an electrode space formed at one side by removing a portion of electrodes to be arranged in the same direction to form positive and negative polarities at the other end thereof. 
         [0014]      FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  illustrate an example of an electrode roll for an angular battery for a new electric vehicle which increases a volume ratio. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , in an electrode plate  20 , electrodes  21  are formed by partially removing the electrode part. Then, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the battery roll is wound such that a positive polarity (+) and a negative polarity (−) are formed in the same direction. 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the electrode  21  is formed according to the interval of the electrodes  21  such that the positive polarity (+) and the negative polarity (−) are provided in the same positions to be stacked. 
         [0017]    As the battery roll is manufactured in this way, the electrode portion of one end of the conventional battery roll can be formed as the electrode plate, thereby increasing the capacity is proportionally increased. Accordingly, a battery roll providing more capacity can be stacked in the same space (angular battery), thereby increasing an entire battery capacity. 
         [0018]    However, in the case where the same electrode plate as illustrated in  FIG. 3  is conveyed and wound by using a conveying roller in the conventional winding device, when passing through the conveying roller, the electrode part is wound and moved upwardly, causing breakage (being torn). As a result, an error is generated in a winding operation of the battery roll, and thus a production rate may deteriorate and an error may be generated. 
         [0019]    The present invention relates to a conveying unit for an electrode plate in a device for winding a battery roll including an electrode plate in which an electrode part is partially removed and a positive polarity and a negative polarity are formed at one end thereof in the same direction. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0020]    The present invention relates to a conveying unit for an electrode plate including an electrode of which a portion is removed such that the electrode can be wound in a predetermined direction, and provides a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle, which can prevent a breakage when an electrode is conveyed, by providing a guide roller at a moving position of the electrode on an external surface of a conveying roller. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0021]    An aspect of the present invention features winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle, including a conveying roller configured to convey an electrode plate; a fixing shaft mounted and fixed to a body panel and coupled to the conveying roller to serve as a rotational shaft and to facilitate coupling and fixing of a guide fixing portion to a front end of the conveying roller; the guide fixing portion coupled and fixed to the fixing shaft to fix a guide roller; and the guide roller coupled and fixed to the guide fixing portion and disposed on an external surface of the conveying roller to guide an electrode of the electrode plate while being rotated by the electrode plate via the conveying roller. The guide fixing portion may be configured to adjust a mounting angle of the guide roller with respect to adjust a mounting position of the conveying roller and the guide roller, and the guide roller includes two or more guide rollers, and may be mounted at the guide fixing portion in consideration of a force that is applied to the electrode plate according to a conveying path of the electrode plate. 
       Advantageous Effects 
       [0022]    According to the aspect of the present invention, in a manufacturing process of an electrode roll in which an electrode is configured in one direction, when an electrode part is conveyed, the electrode can be guided by a guide roller, thereby preventing the electrode from being broken. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates a structure of a conventional electrode plate. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a structure of an electrode roll formed of a conventional electrode plate. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates a structure of an electrode plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates a structure of an electrode roll formed of an electrode plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a structure for adjusting a length of a guide roller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a structure of a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional side view illustrating a structure of a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is a front view illustrating a structure of a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  to  FIG. 12  are a mounting example illustrating a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and specifically  FIG. 10  is a front view,  FIG. 11  is a perspective view, and  FIG. 12  is a perspective view illustrating a state of the winding conveying unit in which an electrode plate has not been mounted. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    A winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 12 . 
         [0035]    The winding conveying unit of the present exemplary embodiment includes a conveying roller  100  for an electrode plate  500 , a fixing shaft  300  mounted and fixed to a body panel  600  and coupled to the conveying roller  100  to serve as a rotational shaft and to facilitate coupling and fixing of a guide fixing portion  200  to a front end of the conveying roller  100 , the guide fixing portion  200  coupled and fixed to the fixing shaft  300  to fix a guide roller  400 , and the guide roller  400  coupled and fixed to the guide fixing portion  200  and disposed on an external surface of the conveying roller  100  to guide an electrode  501  of the electrode plate  500  while being rotated by the electrode plate  500  via the conveying roller  100 . 
         [0036]    The fixing shaft  300  is mounted and fixed to the body panel  600  by the fixing unit  310 , and includes a conveying roller coupling portion  301  to which the conveying roller  100  is coupled. At a front side and a rear side of the conveying roller coupling portion  301 , a bearing  320  is coupled between the conveying roller  100  and the conveying roller coupling portion  301 , and resultantly the conveying roller  100  is rotatable on the conveying roller coupling portion  301 . A fixing ring coupling portion  301   a  to which a fixing ring  330  for fixing the fixing shaft  300  is coupled is formed at a front end of the conveying roller coupling portion  301  to which the conveying roller  100  is coupled. A guide roller fixing and coupling portion  302  to which the guide fixing portion  200  is coupled is formed at an end of the conveying roller coupling portion  301 . 
         [0037]    The guide fixing portion  200  includes a fixing shaft coupling portion  201  coupled to the guide fixing and coupling portion  302  and fixed by the fixing unit  210 , and a guide roller fixing portion  202  to which the guide roller  400  is coupled and fixed. 
         [0038]    Further, the guide roller  400  includes a roller fixing shaft  410  coupled and fixed to the guide roller fixing portion  202  to couple and fix a roller portion  420  and to serve as a rotational shaft, and the roller portion  420  for guiding a part of the electrode plate  500  via the conveying roller  100  and the electrode  501  thereof. The roller portion  420  is rotatable on the roller fixing shaft  410  since a bearing  440  is mounted between the roller fixing shaft  410 , the fixing unit  420 , and the roller portion  430 . 
         [0039]    The roller fixing shaft  410  includes a guide fixing portion  410   a  coupled to the guide roller fixing portion  202  and fixed by the fixing unit  220 , and a roller coupling portion  410   b  to which the roller portion  420  is coupled together with the bearing  440  at an opposite end thereto. The roller coupling portion  410   b  is coupled together with the bearing  440  to allow the roller portion  420  to rotate and to move backward and forward. 
         [0040]    That is, the roller coupling portion  410   b  is configured to facilitate movement of the roller portion  420  to adjust a position which faces the conveying roller  100 . 
         [0041]    In addition, an elastic ring coupling groove is formed along an external circumferential surface of the conveying roller  100 , and an elastic ring  110  is engaged with the elastic ring coupling groove to contact the guide roller  400 , and thus a gap between the conveying roller  100  and the guide roller  400  is formed such that the electrode  501  of the electrode plate  500  passes therethrough without being bent. 
         [0042]    That is, the electrode  501  can stably pass through the gap between the conveying roller  100  and the guide roller  400  as the guide roller  400  is rotated without being loaded by the electrode  501  that moves when the electrode  501  enters the guide roller  400  according to the rotation of the conveying roller  100 . 
         [0043]    The distance between the guide roller  400  and the conveying roller  100  may be 0.5 mm. 
         [0044]    With this structure, the winding conveying unit for an electrode plate of a rechargeable battery for an electric vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is provided as a conveying unit for an electrode plate in a device for conveying and winding an electrode plate having an electrode of which a part is removed, and at least one guide roller  400  is provided along an external surface of a conveying roller to prevent breakage of the electrode in an conveying operation as subject matters. 
         [0045]    The fixing shaft  300  is mounted to the body panel  600 , and the conveying roller  100  is coupled to be rotatable on the fixing shaft  300 . The guide fixing portion  200  is mounted to the front end of the conveying roller  100 , and thus the guide roller  400  is mounted to the guide fixing portion  200 . Accordingly, a plurality of the guide rollers  400  can be mounted on the external surface of the conveying roller  100  at a predetermined interval. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the fixing shaft  300  includes the conveying roller coupling portion  301  and the guide fixing and coupling portion  302  positioned at the front end thereof, and is coupled together with the bearing  320  to the conveying roller  100  such that the conveying roller  100  is rotatable. 
         [0047]    Finally, the fixing ring  330  is coupled to the fixing ring coupling portion  301   a  of the conveying roller coupling portion  301  by the fixing unit  340 . As such, a coupling structure in which the conveying roller  100  is stably rotatable on the conveying roller coupling portion  301  is completed. 
         [0048]    A fixing shaft coupling portion  201  of the guide fixing portion  200  is coupled to the guide fixing and coupling portion  302 , and fixed by a fixing unit  210  from a lower end thereof. 
         [0049]    A guide roller fixing portion  202  is formed at an upper end of the guide fixing portion  200 , and thus the guide roller  400  is coupled and fixed to the guide roller fixing portion  202 . As a result, as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , the guide fixing portion  200  is formed on an external surface of the conveying roller  100  at a predetermined interval. 
         [0050]    In this case, the elastic ring  110  is coupled to the external surface of the conveying roller  100  to allow the guide roller  400  to contact the elastic ring  110 , and thus a gap is formed between the conveying roller  100  and the guide roller  400  to allow the electrode  501  to pass therethrough. 
         [0051]    The guide roller fixing portion  202  is formed in a semi-circular shape to adjust a mounting position of the guide roller  400 , i.e., a mounting angle of the guide roller  400  with respect to the conveying roller  100 . 
         [0052]    The guide roller fixing portion  202  is formed to have a curvature of the conveying roller  100 . Accordingly, even when the guide roller  400  is coupled thereto at any position, the guide roller  400  can be mounted on the external surface of the conveying roller  100  at the same interval. 
         [0053]    The distance between the guide roller  400  and the conveying roller  100  is in a range of 0.1 to 0.2 mm. 
         [0054]    The roller fixing shaft  410  of the guide roller  400  is coupled to the guide roller fixing portion  202  and is fixed thereto by the fixing unit  220 . The roller portion  420  is coupled to the roller fixing shaft  410  at an opposite end thereto through the bearing  440  to have a rotating structure. 
         [0055]    The fixing unit  430  is coupled to the roller portion  420  through the bearing  440 , thereby completing this coupling. 
         [0056]    It is possible to conveniently insert the electrode plate  500  by forming the fixing unit  430  to have an inclination surface in an external direction. 
         [0057]    At least one guide roller  400  can be mounted, and a mounting angle with respect to the conveying roller  100  according to the mounting position. 
         [0058]      FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7  illustrate a mounting example of a winding conveying unit for an electrode plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0059]    In the present exemplary embodiment, three guide rollers  400  are mounted ( FIGS. 5-8 ), and the mounting angle with respect to the conveying roller  100  is adjusted according to the mounting position. 
         [0060]    Although three conveying rollers  100  are mounted in the present exemplary embodiment, three or more conveying rollers  100  may be mounted to provide more conveying paths. 
         [0061]    The conveying unit mounted as such inserts the electrode  501  into an inside thereof, i.e., the electrode plate  500  is inserted from an end of the fixing unit  430  in an lengthwise direction of the guide roller  400  to between the conveying roller  100  and the guide roller  400 . 
         [0062]    The electrode plate  500  can be easily inserted since the fixing unit  430  has the inclination surface. 
         [0063]    In this case, as shown in  FIG. 6 , it is possible to adjust a position of the guide roller  400  by moving the roller portion  420  backward and forward on the roller coupling portion  410   b  according to the position of the electrode  501 . 
         [0064]    When a winding device is operated after the mounting, the electrode plate  500  is pulled to be conveyed along each conveying roller  100 . In this case, the conveying roller  100  and the guide roller  400  that is closely pressed toward the electrode plate  500  guide the electrode  501  to suppress rolling and upward movement, thereby preventing the breakage. 
         [0065]    The guide roller  400  that is rotated without load by the electrode plate  500  conveyed by the conveying roller  100  contacts the electric ring  110  coupled along the external surface of the conveying roller  100 , thereby allowing the conveying electrode  501  to stably pass therethrough by an electric force supplied by the elastic ring  110 . 
         [0066]    As shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , the guide roller  400  is mounted at each position of the conveying roller  100  to hold the electrode  501  along paths along which the conveying roller  100  is rolled and conveyed, thereby preventing the electrode  501  from being torn. 
         [0067]    Accordingly, a force-applying position at which a force is applied to the electrode  501  of the electrode plate  500  is changed according to the curvature and mounting position of the conveying roller  100 . As a result, it is possible to allow the conveying roller  100  to stably pass therethrough without breakage of the electrode  501  by mounting the guide roller  400  in consideration of the force-applying position.