Patent Publication Number: US-2023136322-A1

Title: Cutting device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2021/010004, filed on Mar. 12, 2021, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-046171, filed on Mar. 17, 2020, the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a cutting device. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     As in-vehicle batteries, for example, laminate-type batteries have been developed. Such a battery has a structure in which a container contains a laminated electrode assembly, in which multiple positive electrode plates and multiple negative electrode plates are alternatively laminated with a separator in between, and an electrolyte. The formation of the laminated electrode assembly may involve the work of cutting a continuous electrode plate into pieces and the work of cutting a continuous separator into pieces. When an electrode plate or a separator is cut, foreign matters such as dust is generated. If these foreign matters adhere to the electrode plate, a short circuit or the like may be caused, which may lead to deterioration of the quality of the laminated electrode assembly. Regarding this, Patent Literature 1 discloses a foreign material removal device that brings, after cutting a long electrode material to a predetermined length, an adhesive roll to come into contact with a cut surface of the electrode material so as to thereby remove a foreign material from the cut surface.
     Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-4738   

     In the conventional foreign material removal device described above, foreign materials can be removed by bringing an adhesive roll into contact with a cut surface of an electrode material, and the removed foreign materials can be attached to the adhesive roll and kept (collected). However, this foreign material removing device has a configuration in which the adhesive roll is brought into contact with the cut surface after the cut electrode material is conveyed to the downstream side. In this case, foreign materials that have fallen after the cutting and before the contact with the adhesive roll cannot be attached to the adhesive roll. Foreign materials that do not adhere to the adhesive roll may fly up onto a conveyance line and adhere to the electrode plate, which may cause deterioration in the quality of the laminated electrode assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure has been made in view of such a situation, and a purpose thereof is to provide a technology for improving the quality of laminated electrode assemblies. 
     One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a cutting device. The cutting device includes: a cutting blade that advances toward and recedes from a continuous body of electrode plates or separators so as to cut the continuous body; and a cleaning member that advances and recedes together with the cutting blade and comes into contact with a cutting section of the continuous body and cleans the cutting section. 
     Optional combinations of the aforementioned constituting elements, and implementations of the present disclosure in the form of methods, apparatuses, and systems may also be practiced as additional modes of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike in several Figures, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic view of a laminated electrode assembly manufacturing device including a cutting device according to an embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a sectional view that schematically illustrates part of the cutting device; 
         FIG.  3    is a front view that schematically illustrates the cutting device; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view schematically illustrating a cutter holder; 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic view of the cutter holder viewed from a sliding direction; 
         FIG.  6 A  is a perspective view of the cutter holder in a receding position; 
         FIG.  6 B  is a schematic view of the cutter holder in a receding position when viewed from the sliding direction; 
         FIG.  7 A  is a perspective view of the cutter holder in an advancing position; 
         FIG.  7 B  is a schematic view of the cutter holder in an advancing position when viewed from the sliding direction; 
         FIG.  8 A  is a perspective view of the cutter holder according to a first exemplary variation; 
         FIG.  8 B  is a diagram schematically illustrating a first cleaning member; and 
         FIG.  8 C  is a diagram schematically illustrating a second cleaning member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described based on a preferred embodiment with reference to the figures. The embodiments do not limit the present disclosure and are shown for illustrative purposes, and not all the features described in the embodiments and combinations thereof are necessarily essential to the present disclosure. The same or equivalent constituting elements, members, and processes illustrated in each drawing shall be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicative explanations will be omitted appropriately. 
     The scales and shapes shown in the figures are defined for convenience&#39;s sake to make the explanation easy and shall not be interpreted limitatively unless otherwise specified. Terms like “first”, “second”, etc., used in the specification and claims do not indicate an order or importance by any means unless specified otherwise and are used to distinguish a certain feature from the others. Some of the components in each figure may be omitted if they are not important for explanation. 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic view of a laminated electrode assembly manufacturing device including a cutting device according to an embodiment. A laminated electrode assembly manufacturing device  1  is a continuous drum-type manufacturing device in which multiple drums are combined. Performing each process of cutting, heating, bonding, laminating, and the like of electrode bodies and separators on the drums enables high-speed and continuous manufacturing of laminated electrode assemblies. The laminated electrode assemblies may be used, for example, for lithium-ion secondary batteries. 
     The laminated electrode assembly manufacturing device  1  includes a first electrode cutting drum  2 , a first electrode heating drum  4 , a second electrode cutting drum  6 , a second electrode heating drum  8 , a bonding drum  10 , a separator cutting drum  12 , and a laminating drum  14 . 
     The first electrode cutting drum  2  is a drum that cuts a continuous body of multiple first electrode plates into multiple individual first electrode plates and conveys the plates. In the present embodiment, the first electrode is a negative electrode. To the first electrode cutting drum  2 , a strip-shaped first electrode continuous body N as the continuous body of multiple first electrode plates is supplied. The first electrode continuous body N includes a first electrode current collector and a first electrode active material layer. The first electrode active material layer is laminated on the first electrode current collector. In the present embodiment, the first electrode active material layer is laminated on both sides of the first electrode current collector. However, the first electrode active material layer may be laminated on only one side of the first electrode current collector. 
     Each of the first electrode current collector and the first electrode active material layer can be made of a publicly-known material and has a publicly-known structure. The first electrode current collector may be, for example, constituted by foil or a porous body made of copper, aluminum, or the like. The first electrode active material layer may be formed by applying, onto a surface of the first electrode current collector, first electrode mixture slurry containing a first electrode active material, a binder, a dispersant, and the like and by drying and rolling the applied film. The thickness of the first electrode current collector may be in the range from 3 μm to 50 μm inclusive, for example. Also, the thickness of the first electrode active material layer may be in the range from 10 μm to 100 μm inclusive, for example. 
     The first electrode cutting drum  2  includes multiple holding heads arranged in a circumferential direction of the drum, and a cutting blade that cuts the first electrode continuous body N into multiple individual first electrode plates. Each of the multiple holding heads includes a holding surface that adsorbs and holds the first electrode continuous body N. The holding surface of each holding head faces outward from the first electrode cutting drum  2 . The first electrode continuous body N supplied to the first electrode cutting drum  2  is conveyed by the rotation of the first electrode cutting drum  2  while being adsorbed and held by the holding surfaces of the multiple holding heads. 
     Each of the multiple holding heads rotates around the central axis of the first electrode cutting drum  2  and can also move in a circumferential direction of the drum independently of other holding heads. Relative movement of each holding head is achieved by mounting thereon a motor that is different from the motor used to rotate the first electrode cutting drum  2 . The independent driving of the holding heads enables adjustment of the positions of cutting by the cutting blade in the first electrode continuous body N and also enables adjustment of the positions of the individually divided first electrode plates, for example. 
     The first electrode cutting drum  2  adsorbs and holds the supplied first electrode continuous body N and rotates to convey the first electrode continuous body N. At a cutting position  16  schematically illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the first electrode cutting drum  2  cuts the first electrode continuous body N to produce the first electrode plates. The first electrode continuous body N is cut by the cutting blade at a position between adjacent holding heads, so that multiple individual first electrode plates are obtained. Each first electrode plate thus obtained is conveyed while being adsorbed and held by each holding head. The positions of the multiple produced first electrode plates are monitored by a camera or the like. 
     The first electrode heating drum  4  is disposed in close proximity to the first electrode cutting drum  2 . Before the proximity position between the first electrode cutting drum  2  and the first electrode heating drum  4 , the speed of a holding head of the first electrode cutting drum  2  is temporarily increased or decreased until it becomes substantially identical with the linear velocity of the first electrode heating drum  4 . As a result, the relative speed of the holding head with respect to the first electrode heating drum  4  becomes substantially zero. At the timing when the relative speed becomes substantially zero, the holding head discharges, to the first electrode heating drum  4  side, the first electrode plate that the holding head has adsorbed and held. 
     The first electrode heating drum  4  rotates while adsorbing and holding the first electrode plates discharged from the first electrode cutting drum  2  and preheats the first electrode plates with a built-in heater. The preheating is performed to thermally bond a first electrode plate and a separator in the subsequent bonding process. Although the first electrode plates are heated at a heating position  18  in the present embodiment, the position is not limited thereto. For example, the first electrode plates may be heated in the entire circumferential area of the first electrode heating drum  4 . 
     The second electrode cutting drum  6  is a drum that cuts a continuous body of multiple second electrode plates into multiple individual second electrode plates and conveys the plates. In the present embodiment, the second electrode is a positive electrode. To the second electrode cutting drum  6 , a strip-shaped second electrode continuous body P as the continuous body of multiple second electrode plates is supplied. The second electrode continuous body P includes a second electrode current collector and a second electrode active material layer. The second electrode active material layer is laminated on the second electrode current collector. In the present embodiment, the second electrode active material layer is laminated on both sides of the second electrode current collector, but the second electrode active material layer may be laminated on only one side of the second electrode current collector. 
     Each of the second electrode current collector and the second electrode active material layer can be made of a publicly-known material and has a publicly-known structure. The second electrode current collector may be, for example, constituted by foil or a porous body made of stainless steel, aluminum, or the like. The second electrode active material layer may be formed by applying, onto a surface of the second electrode current collector, second electrode mixture slurry containing a second electrode active material, a binder, a dispersant, and the like and by drying and rolling the applied film. The thickness of the second electrode current collector may be in the range from 3 μm to 50 μm inclusive, for example. Also, the thickness of the second electrode active material layer may be in the range from 10 μm to 100 μm inclusive, for example. 
     The second electrode cutting drum  6  includes multiple holding heads arranged in a circumferential direction of the drum, and a cutting blade that cuts the second electrode continuous body P into multiple individual second electrode plates. Each of the multiple holding heads includes a holding surface that adsorbs and holds the second electrode continuous body P. The holding surface of each holding head faces outward from the second electrode cutting drum  6 . The second electrode continuous body P supplied to the second electrode cutting drum  6  is conveyed by the rotation of the second electrode cutting drum  6  while being adsorbed and held by the holding surfaces of the multiple holding heads. 
     Each of the multiple holding heads rotates around the central axis of the second electrode cutting drum  6  and can also move in a circumferential direction of the drum independently of other holding heads. Relative movement of each holding head is achieved by mounting thereon a motor that is different from the motor used to rotate the second electrode cutting drum  6 . The independent driving of the holding heads enables adjustment of the positions of cutting by the cutting blade in the second electrode continuous body P and also enables adjustment of the positions of the individually divided second electrode plates, for example. 
     The second electrode cutting drum  6  adsorbs and holds the supplied second electrode continuous body P and rotates to convey the second electrode continuous body P. At a cutting position  20  schematically illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the second electrode cutting drum  6  cuts the second electrode continuous body P to produce the second electrode plates. The second electrode continuous body P is cut by the cutting blade at a position between adjacent holding heads, so that multiple individual second electrode plates are obtained. Each second electrode plate thus obtained is conveyed while being adsorbed and held by each holding head. The positions of the multiple produced second electrode plates are monitored by a camera or the like. 
     The second electrode heating drum  8  is disposed in close proximity to the second electrode cutting drum  6 . Before the proximity position between the second electrode cutting drum  6  and the second electrode heating drum  8 , the speed of a holding head of the second electrode cutting drum  6  is temporarily increased or decreased until it becomes substantially identical with the linear velocity of the second electrode heating drum  8 . As a result, the relative speed of the holding head with respect to the second electrode heating drum  8  becomes substantially zero. At the timing when the relative speed becomes substantially zero, the holding head discharges, to the second electrode heating drum  8  side, the second electrode plate that the holding head has adsorbed and held. 
     The second electrode heating drum  8  rotates while adsorbing and holding the second electrode plates discharged from the second electrode cutting drum  6  and preheats the second electrode plates with a built-in heater. The preheating is performed to thermally bond a second electrode plate and a separator in the subsequent bonding process. Although the second electrode plates are heated at a heating position  22  in the present embodiment, the position is not limited thereto. For example, the second electrode plates may be heated in the entire circumferential area of the second electrode heating drum  8 . 
     The bonding drum  10  is a drum that forms a continuous laminated body in which unit laminated bodies, which each are constituted by a first separator, a first electrode plate, a second separator, and a second electrode plate, are continuously arranged. The bonding drum  10  is disposed in close proximity to the first electrode heating drum  4  and the second electrode heating drum  8 . To the bonding drum  10 , a strip-shaped first separator continuous body S 1 , in which multiple first separators are continuously arranged, and a strip-shaped second separator continuous body S 2 , in which multiple second separators are continuously arranged, are supplied. On a surface of each of the first separator continuous body S 1  and the second separator continuous body S 2 , a thermal bonding layer is provided. The thermal bonding layer has a property of developing no adhesiveness at room temperature but developing adhesiveness when heated. The thermal bonding layer may be, for example, a thermoplastic layer containing a thermoplastic polymer, which develops adhesiveness based on plastic deformation of the thermoplastic polymer caused by heating. 
     Also, to the bonding drum  10 , multiple first electrode plates are supplied from the first electrode cutting drum  2  via the first electrode heating drum  4 , and multiple second electrode plates are supplied from the second electrode cutting drum  6  via the second electrode heating drum  8 . A first electrode plate is rotationally conveyed while being preheated on the first electrode heating drum  4  and is discharged, to the bonding drum  10  side, at the proximity position between the first electrode heating drum  4  and the bonding drum  10 . A second electrode plate is rotationally conveyed while being preheated on the second electrode heating drum  8  and is discharged, to the bonding drum  10  side, at the proximity position between the second electrode heating drum  8  and the bonding drum  10 . 
     The first separator continuous body S 1 , each first electrode plate, the second separator continuous body S 2 , and each second electrode plate are supplied to the bonding drum  10  at positions provided in the enumerated order from the upstream side of the rotational direction of the bonding drum  10 . Accordingly, the first separator continuous body S 1  is supplied to the bonding drum  10  first at a certain position. The first separator continuous body S 1  is adsorbed and held by the bonding drum  10  and rotationally conveyed. Subsequently, at a position on the downstream side of the supply position of the first separator continuous body S 1 , the first electrode plates are supplied from the first electrode heating drum  4  to the bonding drum  10  and placed on the first separator continuous body S 1 . The multiple first electrode plates are arranged on the first separator continuous body S 1  at predetermined intervals in the conveying direction of the first separator continuous body S 1 . 
     Subsequently, at a position on the downstream side of the supply position of the first electrode plates, the second separator continuous body S 2  is supplied to the bonding drum  10  and placed over the multiple first electrode plates. Thereafter, the first separator continuous body S 1 , multiple first electrode plates, and second separator continuous body S 2  are pressurized by a thermocompression bonding roller  24 , at a position on the downstream side of the supply position of the second separator continuous body S 2 . Accordingly, the first separator continuous body S 1 , each first electrode plate, and the second separator continuous body S 2  are bonded together. Subsequently, at a position on the downstream side of the position of pressure bonding by the thermocompression bonding roller  24 , the second electrode plates are supplied from the second electrode heating drum  8  to the bonding drum  10  and placed on the second separator continuous body S 2 . The multiple second electrode plates are arranged on the second separator continuous body S 2  at predetermined intervals in the conveying direction of the second separator continuous body S 2 . Also, the multiple second electrode plates are bonded to the second separator continuous body S 2  by the pressing force of the second electrode heating drum  8 . 
     Through the process described above, the first separator continuous body S 1 , multiple first electrode plates, second separator continuous body S 2 , and multiple second electrode plates are laminated in this order and bonded to each other, forming a continuous laminated body  26 . The continuous laminated body  26  has a structure in which the unit laminated bodies, which each are constituted by a first separator, a first electrode plate, a second separator, and a second electrode plate, are continuously connected by the first separator continuous body S 1  and the second separator continuous body S 2 . The continuous laminated body  26  is conveyed from the bonding drum  10  to the separator cutting drum  12 . By halting the supply of the second electrode plates from the second electrode cutting drum  6  side, three-layered unit laminated bodies without the second electrode plates may be produced after every fixed number of pieces. The electrode plates of which supply is halted may also be the first electrode plates. 
     The separator cutting drum  12  is a drum that cuts the first separator continuous body S 1  and the second separator continuous body S 2  in the continuous laminated body  26  to obtain multiple individual unit laminated bodies. The separator cutting drum  12  includes multiple holding heads arranged in a circumferential direction of the drum, and a cutting blade that cuts the continuous laminated body  26  into multiple individual unit laminated bodies. Each of the multiple holding heads includes a holding surface that adsorbs and holds the continuous laminated body  26 . The holding surface of each holding head faces outward from the separator cutting drum  12 . The continuous laminated body  26  supplied to the separator cutting drum  12  is conveyed by the rotation of the separator cutting drum  12  while being adsorbed and held by the holding surfaces of the multiple holding heads. 
     Each of the multiple holding heads rotates around the central axis of the separator cutting drum  12  and may also be capable of moving in a circumferential direction of the drum independently of other holding heads. Relative movement of each holding head is achieved by mounting thereon a motor that is different from the motor used to rotate the separator cutting drum  12 . The independent driving of the holding heads enables adjustment of the positions of cutting by the cutting blade in the continuous laminated body  26  and also enables adjustment of the positions of the individually divided unit laminated bodies, for example. 
     The separator cutting drum  12  adsorbs and holds the supplied continuous laminated body  26  and rotates to convey the continuous laminated body  26 . At a cutting position  28  schematically illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the separator cutting drum  12  cuts the continuous laminated body  26  to produce the unit laminated bodies. The continuous laminated body  26  is cut by the cutting blade at a position between adjacent holding heads, so that multiple individual unit laminated bodies are obtained. At the time, in the continuous laminated body  26 , the first separator continuous body S 1  and the second separator continuous body S 2  are cut at a position between electrode plates that are adjacent in the conveying direction of the continuous laminated body  26 . Each unit laminated body thus obtained is conveyed while being adsorbed and held by each holding head. A holding head discharges, to the laminating drum  14  side, a unit laminated body that the holding head has adsorbed and held. The positions of the multiple produced unit laminated bodies are monitored by a camera or the like. 
     The laminating drum  14  is a drum that laminates multiple unit laminated bodies on a lamination stage  30  to form a laminated electrode assembly. The laminating drum  14  includes multiple laminating heads arranged in a circumferential direction of the drum. Each laminating head includes a holding surface that adsorbs and holds a unit laminated body. The holding surface of each laminating head faces outward from the laminating drum  14 . Each of the multiple laminating heads rotates around the central axis of the laminating drum  14  and can also move in a circumferential direction of the drum independently of other laminating heads. Relative movement of each laminating head is achieved, for example, by a cam provided on the laminating drum  14 . 
     With the independent driving of the laminating heads, while the rotation of the laminating drum  14  can be maintained at a constant angular velocity, each laminating head can be placed in a stop state at a laminating position facing the lamination stage  30 . By bringing a laminating head to be in a stop state at a position facing the lamination stage  30 , the unit laminated body adsorbed and held by the laminating head can be discharged onto the lamination stage  30  with high positional accuracy. 
     The lamination stage  30  is disposed immediately beneath the laminating drum  14 . On the lamination stage  30 , the unit laminated bodies discharged from the laminating drum  14  are sequentially laminated. Thus, a laminated electrode assembly is formed. The lamination stage  30  can be driven in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction perpendicular to each other. Also, a tilt angle on an X-Y plane of the lamination stage  30  can be adjusted. This enables adjustment of the positions in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction and the tilt angle of a unit laminated body discharged from the laminating drum  14 , with respect to a unit laminated body already laminated on the lamination stage  30 . 
     At least one of the first electrode cutting drum  2 , the second electrode cutting drum  6 , or the separator cutting drum  12  is constituted by a cutting device  100  according to the present embodiment described below. In the following, citing the case where the first electrode cutting drum  2  is constituted by the cutting device  100  as an example, the structure of the cutting device  100  will be described. 
       FIG.  2    is a sectional view that schematically illustrates part of a cutting device  100 .  FIG.  3    is a front view that schematically illustrates the cutting device  100 .  FIG.  2    illustrates half of a cross section of the cutting device  100 .  FIG.  3    illustrates the cutting device  100  observed from the direction of arrow A in  FIG.  2   . In  FIG.  3   , the illustration of each part is simplified or omitted as appropriate. Further, in the present embodiment, as an example, a cutting unit  104  is provided on a one-to-one basis for each holding head  116 . However,  FIG.  3    shows only some cutting units  104 . Also, the interval between adjacent holding heads  116  is shown wider than the actual interval. 
     The cutting device  100  constituting the first electrode cutting drum  2  includes a drum section  102  and a cutting unit  104 . The drum section  102  includes a drum drive unit  106 , a rotating shaft  108 , a disk unit  110 , multiple head drive units  114 , and multiple holding heads  116 . The drum drive unit  106  is constituted by a publicly-known motor or the like. The rotating shaft  108  has a cylindrical shape and is connected at one end to the drum drive unit  106 . The rotating shaft  108  corresponds to the central axis of the first electrode cutting drum  2 . The rotating shaft  108  rotates by means of the driving of the drum drive unit  106 . 
     The center of the disk unit  110  is connected to the other end side of the rotating shaft  108 . The disk unit  110  protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft  108  and extends perpendicularly to an axial direction of the rotating shaft  108 . On a circumferential edge part of the disk unit  110 , an arc guide  118  is provided. 
     The multiple head drive units  114  are arranged in a circumferential direction of the disk unit  110 . Each head drive unit  114  includes a bracket  120 , a motor  122 , and a small gear  124 . The bracket  120  has a substantial U-shape in cross section, and both sides of the substantial U-shape sandwich an edge of the disk unit  110  via the arc guide  118 . The motor  122  is supported by the bracket  120 . For the motor  122 , a publicly-known motor may be used. The small gear  124  is connected to the rotating shaft of the motor  122  and rotates by means of the driving of the motor  122 . 
     The small gear  124  meshes with a large gear  126  fixed to the disk unit  110  side. The large gear  126  of the present embodiment is fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft  108 . The large gear  126  is provided over the entire circumference of the rotating shaft  108 . When the motor  122  is driven, the drive torque is transmitted to the large gear  126  that meshes with the small gear  124 . This allows each head drive unit  114  to move independently on the circumference of the disk unit  110  along the arc guide  118 . 
     The multiple holding heads  116  are supported respectively by the head drive units  114 . Accordingly, the multiple holding heads  116  are arranged in a circumferential direction of the disk unit  110 . Each holding head  116  rotates around the rotating shaft  108  by means of the rotation of the disk unit  110  and, besides the move by means of the rotation of the disk unit  110 , each holding head  116  can also move by means of a head drive unit  114 . 
     Each holding head  116  includes a holding surface  128  that faces the protruding direction of the disk unit  110 , i.e., faces outward from the circumference of the drum section  102 . On the holding surface  128 , an adsorption hole (not illustrated) is provided to adsorb and hold a continuous body Wa of works W, and a work W obtained individually by dividing the continuous body Wa. Since air is sucked through the adsorption hole, the continuous body Wa or a work W is adsorbed and held by the suction force. 
     The continuous body Wa is a cutting target of the cutting device  100  and is a constituent member of the laminated electrode assembly. More specifically, the continuous body Wa is a continuous body of electrode plates or a continuous body of separators. The continuous body of electrode plates is the above-mentioned first electrode continuous body N or the second electrode continuous body P. The continuous body of separators is the first separator continuous body S 1  or the second separator continuous body S 2 . The continuous body of separators includes not only the first separator continuous body S 1  alone or the second separator continuous body S 2  alone but also the first separator continuous body S 1  or the second separator continuous body S 2  in the state of forming part of the continuous laminated body  26 . The work W is an electrode plate, a separator, or a unit laminated body. In the case of the first electrode cutting drum  2 , the continuous body Wa is the first electrode continuous body N, and the work W is the first electrode plate. The continuous body Wa is conveyed by the rotation of the disk unit  110  while being adsorbed and held by the holding surfaces  128  of the multiple holding heads  116 . 
     The cutting unit  104  is a mechanism that cuts the continuous body Wa into multiple individual works W. In the present embodiment, a cutting unit  104  is provided on a one-to-one basis for each holding head  116 . The cutting unit  104  moves together with the holding head  116  so as to cut the continuous body Wa. The cutting unit  104  does not have to be provided on a one-to-one basis for the holding head  116 , and the cutting unit  104  may move independently of the holding head  116 . 
     Each cutting unit  104  has a cutter holder  130  and a cutter drive unit  132 . The cutter holder  130  is supported by a bracket  120 . The cutter holder  130  can slide in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of the continuous body Wa. The cutter drive unit  132  has a motor  134 , a rack rail  136 , and a pinion  138 . 
     The rack rail  136  is provided on the cutter holder  130 . The rack rail  136  extends in the axial direction of the drum section  102 . The motor  134  is supported by the bracket  120 . For the motor  134 , a publicly-known motor can be used. To the rotating shaft of the motor  134 , a pinion  138  is connected. The pinion  138  is meshed with the rack rail  136 . The rack rail  136  and the pinion  138  constitute a rack and pinion mechanism; when the motor  134  is driven to rotate the pinion  138 , the drive torque is transmitted to the rack rail  136 , which causes the cutter holder  130  to slide. 
     The cutter holder  130  has a holder body  140 , a cutting blade  142 , and a cleaning member  144 .  FIG.  4    is a perspective view schematically illustrating the cutter holder  130 .  FIG.  5    is a schematic view of the cutter holder  130  viewed from a sliding direction B. 
     The holder body  140  is a long plate-like body extending in the sliding direction B of the cutter holder  130 . The holder body  140  is disposed such that two main surfaces facing each other face the conveyance direction C of the continuous body Wa. One end of the holder body  140  faces the holding surface  128  side while the cutter holder  130  is in a receding position described later. One end of the holder body  140  is provided with a slit  146  extending in the sliding direction B and is divided into a first arm  148   a  and a second arm  148   b  by the slit  146 . The first arm  148   a  and the second arm  148   b  are aligned in the thickness direction of the continuous body Wa. The other end of the holder body  140  is provided with the rack rail  136  (see  FIG.  2   ). 
     At one end of the holder body  140 , cutting blades  142  is supported. The cutting blades  142  of the present embodiment are constituted by a pair of circular blades  150   a  and  150   b . The circular blade  150   a  is supported at the distal end of the first arm  148   a , and the circular blade  150   b  is supported at the distal end of the second arm  148   b . The circular blades  150   a  and  150   b  are arranged in the thickness direction of the continuous body Wa. 
     Further, the first arm  148   a  and the second arm  148   b  each support a cleaning member  144 . On the first arm  148   a , the cleaning member  144  is located closer to the base end side of the first arm  148   a  than the circular blade  150   a . In the same way, on the second arm  148   b , the cleaning member  144  is located closer to the base end side of the second arm  148   b  than the circular blade  150   b . Therefore, when the cutter holder  130  is in the receding position described later, each cleaning member  144  is located farther from the continuous body Wa than the cutting blade  142 . 
     The cleaning members  144  of the present embodiment are brushes with multiple bristles bundled together. Each cleaning member  144  has a bristle bundle  152  and a bristle bundle holder  154 . The orientation of a pair of cleaning members  144  is determined such that the respective bristle bundles  152  face each other. Each hair bundle  152  is disposed on the line of motion of a corresponding cutting blade  142 . 
     The sliding of the cutter holder  130  can allow the cutting blades  142  and the cleaning members  144  to advance toward and recede from the continuous body Wa.  FIG.  6 A  is a perspective view of the cutter holder  130  in a receding position.  FIG.  6 B  is a schematic view of the cutter holder  130  in a receding position when viewed from the sliding direction B.  FIG.  7 A  is a perspective view of the cutter holder  130  in an advancing position.  FIG.  7 B  is a schematic view of the cutter holder  130  in an advancing position when viewed from the sliding direction B. In  FIG.  2   , the cutter holder  130  in a receding position is illustrated with a solid line, and the cutter holder  13  in an advanced position is illustrated with a broken line. 
     The circular blade  150   a  and the circular blade  150   b  are displaced from each other when viewed from the sliding direction B of the cutter holder  130 , in other words, the advancing or receding direction of the cutting blades  142 , and the respective cutting edges of the blades overlap each other when viewed from the conveyance direction C of the continuous body Wa. Further, the positions of the circular blade  150   a  and the circular blade  150   b  with respect to a holding surface  128  are determined such that the continuous body Wa can pass between the two blades when the cutter holder  130  slides. The pair of cleaning members  144  are disposed so as to sandwich the continuous body Wa when viewed from the advancing or receding direction of the cutting blades  142 . One of the cleaning members  144  is disposed such that the tip of the corresponding bristle bundle  152  is in contact with one surface of the continuous body Wa. The other cleaning member  144  is disposed such that the tip of the corresponding bristle bundle  152  is in contact with the opposite surface of the continuous body Wa. 
     When the cutter holder  130  slides toward an advancing position from a receding position, the cutting blades  142  advance toward the continuous body Wa, and the circular blades  150   a  and  150   b  rotate to cut the continuous body Wa. The cutting blades  142  pass between two adjacent holding heads  116  to advance toward or recede from the continuous body Wa. When the cutting blades  142  move to the advancing position, the continuous body Wa and an end of the work W enter the slit  146 . This avoids interference between the holder body  140  and the continuous body Wa and interference between the holder body  140  and the work W. 
     The cleaning members  144  advance toward the continuous body Wa together with the cutting blades  142 . The cleaning members  144  move across the continuous body Wa in the width direction following the cutting blades  142 . At that time, the cleaning members  144  come into contact with the cutting section of the continuous body Wa and clean the cutting section. More specifically, the cutting section of the continuous body Wa passes between the pair of cleaning members  144  facing each other. This allows the cutting section to be brushed on both sides of the continuous body Wa. 
     When metal foil constituting the electrode plate or resin film constituting the separator is cut with the cutting blades  142 , burrs may be produced on the cutting section. In contrast, when the pair of cleaning members  144  advance together with the cutting blades  142 , the cutting section is brushed with the bristle bundles  152 , brushing away the burrs. The burr pieces that have been brushed away are collected by a collection machine  162  (see  FIG.  2   ). The collection machine  162  is composed of, for example, an air suction machine or the like. 
     When the holder body  140  in the advancing position goes back to the receding position, the cutting blades  142  pass through the cutting section of the continuous body Wa. The cleaning members  144  also come into contact with the cutting section of the continuous body Wa and clean the cutting section at the time of the receding. This allows burrs left after the cleaning when the holder body  140  advances to be brushed off. In addition to the cleaning of the cutting section by the cleaning members  144 , the cutting device  100  may also perform cleaning by air blowing or air suction and removal of electricity from the cutting section by an ionizer. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the operations of the drum drive unit  106 , the head drive units  114 , and the cutter drive unit  132  are controlled by the control device  156 . The control device  156  may be implemented by an element such as a CPU or memory of a computer or by a circuit as a hardware configuration, and by a computer program or the like as a software configuration.  FIG.  2    illustrates a functional block implemented by cooperation of such components. Therefore, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the functional blocks may be implemented in a variety of manners by a combination of hardware and software. 
     The control device  156  receives image data from a camera that images the first electrode cutting drum  2  and, based on the positions of each holding head  116  and each cutting unit  104  and the like derived from the image data, the control device  156  can control the operation of each part. The control device  156  may also acquire information from a sensor other than the camera to control the operation of each part. The control device  156  can also control the operation of each part based on a preset operation program. 
     Although the above description describes a case in which the first electrode cutting drum  2  is constituted by the cutting device  100 , the second electrode cutting drum  6  or the separator cutting drum  12  may be constituted by the cutting device  100 . When the second electrode cutting drum  6  is constituted by the cutting device  100 , the continuous body Wa is the second electrode continuous body P, and the works W are the second electrode plates. Also, when the separator cutting drum  12  is constituted by the cutting device  100 , the continuous body Wa is the continuous laminated body  26 , and the works W are the unit laminated bodies. 
     As described above, the cutting device  100  according to the present embodiment includes cutting blades  142  that advance toward or recede from a continuous body Wa of electrode plates or separators so as to cut the continuous body Wa and cleaning members  144  that advance or recede along with the cutting blades  142  and come into contact with a cutting section of the continuous body Wa so as to clean the cutting section. By causing the cleaning members  144  to advance and recede together with the cutting blades  142  so as to bring the cleaning members to come into contact with the cutting section and clean the cutting section, the cutting section can be cleaned immediately after the cutting of the continuous body Wa. Therefore, foreign materials produced by cutting can be collected at an earlier stage. This can reduce miss collection of foreign matters and improve the quality of laminated electrode assemblies. Further, since the cutting process of the continuous body Wa and the cleaning process of the cut surface can be performed almost simultaneously, the throughput as well as the quality of the works W can be improved. 
     When the electrode plate or the separator is cut with the cutting blades  142  as described above, burrs may be produced on the cutting section. Burrs generated at the cutting section may be connected to the continuous body Wa or the works W and may not be able to be removed from the cutting section by air suction, air blowing, or the like. Burrs remaining in the cutting section may detach from the cutting section due to vibration or other causes during the conveyance of the continuous body Wa or the works W and may contaminate the conveyance line. Further, if burrs remain on the works W, the burrs may cause, for example, a short circuit in the laminated electrode assembly. In contrast, by bringing the cleaning members  144  to come into contact with the cutting section so as to clean the cutting section, more burrs generated in the cutting section can be removed and collected. This can improve the quality of laminated electrode assemblies. 
     Further, the cleaning members  144  according to the present embodiment are disposed so as to sandwich the continuous body Wa when viewed from the advancing or receding direction of the cutting blades  142 . This allows the cutting section to be cleaned from both sides of the continuous body Wa. Therefore, the possibility of burrs remaining in the cutting section can be further reduced, and the quality of laminated electrode assemblies can be further improved. 
     Also, the cleaning members  144  of the present embodiment are brushes with multiple bristles bundled together. This allows for proper adjustment of the force applied to the cutting section of the continuous body Wa. Thus, it is possible to suppress damage to the works W and the continuous body Wa while peeling off burrs adhering to the cutting section. For example, if adhesive rolls are used as the cleaning members  144  when the continuous body Wa is the first electrode continuous body N or the second electrode continuous body P, the active material layer may adhere to the adhesive rolls and peel off. In contrast, by using brushes for the cleaning members  144 , the active material layer can be prevented from peeling off. 
     Described above is a detailed explanation on the embodiments of the present disclosure. The above-described embodiments merely show specific examples for carrying out the present disclosure. The details of the embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure, and many design modifications such as change, addition, deletion, etc., of the constituent elements may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure defined in the claims. New embodiments resulting from added design change will provide the advantages of the embodiments and variations that are combined. In the above-described embodiments, the details for which such design change is possible are emphasized with the notations “according to the embodiment”, “in the embodiment”, etc. However, design change is also allowed for those without such notations. Optional combinations of the above constituting elements are also valid as embodiments of the present disclosure. Hatching applied to a cross section of a drawing does not limit the material of an object to which the hatching is applied. 
     First Exemplary Variation 
       FIG.  8 A  is a perspective view of a cutter holder  130  according to a first exemplary variation.  FIG.  8 B  is a diagram schematically illustrating a first cleaning member.  FIG.  8 C  is a diagram schematically illustrating a second cleaning member.  FIG.  8 A  illustrates the cutter holder  130  in a receding position. In the embodiment, while the cutter holder  130  is in the receding position, cleaning members  144  are provided only on the side farther from the continuous body Wa than cutting blades  142 . On the other hand, in the present exemplary variation, cleaning members  144  are provided so as to sandwich cutting blades  142  in the sliding direction B of the cutter holder  130 . 
     In other words, the cleaning members  144  according to the present exemplary variation include first cleaning members  158  that are disposed on the side farther from the continuous body Wa than the cutting blades  142  and second cleaning members  160  that are disposed on the side closer to the continuous body Wa than the cutting blades  142 , when the cutting blades  142  are in a receding position from the continuous body Wa. Further, a first arm  148   a  and a second arm  148   b  each have a first cleaning member  158  and a second cleaning member  160 . The orientation of a pair of first cleaning members  158  is determined such that the respective bristle bundles  152  face each other. In the same manner, the orientation of a pair of second cleaning members  160  is determined such that the respective bristle bundles  152  face each other. 
     By providing the first cleaning member  158  and the second cleaning member  160  so as to sandwich the cutting blades  142  in the sliding direction B of the cutter holder  130 , the cut surface of the continuous body Wa can be brushed with the first cleaning member  158  and the second cleaning member  160  at the time of the receding of the cutting blades  142 . This allows for collection of more foreign matters produced by cutting, and the quality of laminated electrode assemblies can be improved. 
     Further, rather than making the brush stiffer and reducing the number of brushings, it is better to make the brush more pliant and increase the number of brushings since more burrs can be peeled off while reducing the possibility of damage to the continuous body Wa and the works W. Therefore, according to the present exemplary variation, the quality of laminated electrode assemblies and batteries can be further improved. 
     Preferably, the dimension T 2  of the second cleaning member  160  in an extension direction C of the continuous body Wa is larger than the dimension T 1  of the first cleaning member  158  in the extension direction C of the continuous body Wa. When the continuous body Wa is cut, two sections that have been cut may be separated in the conveyance direction C of the continuous body Wa. For this reason, more burrs can be removed from the cut surface by making the dimension T 2  of the second cleaning member  160 , which mainly cleans the cutting section when the cutter holder  130  recedes, to be larger than the dimension T 1  of the first cleaning member  158 , which mainly cleans the cutting section when the cutter holder  130  advances. Further, by making the dimension T 1  of the first cleaning member  158  to be smaller than the dimension T 2  of the second cleaning member  160 , the size of the cleaning mechanism and even the size of the cutter holder  130  can be reduced while suppressing the decrease in the efficiency of removing burrs. 
     The cutter holder  130  may be provided with only one of the first cleaning member  158  and the second cleaning member  160 . The cutter holder  130  of the embodiment corresponds to a configuration in which the second cleaning member  160  is deleted from the cutter holder  130  of the present exemplary variation, i.e., a configuration in which only the first cleaning member  158  is provided. If only one of the first cleaning member  158  and the second cleaning member  160  is to be provided in the cutter holder  130 , it is more preferable to provide the first cleaning member  158 . This is because when the first cleaning member  158  is provided, the cut surface can be cleaned sooner after the cutting of the continuous body Wa compared to a case where the second cleaning member  160  is provided, and the cutter holder  130  is cleaned twice, at the time of the advancing of the cutter holder  130  and at the time of the receding of the cutter holder  130 , further improving the collection efficiency of the burr pieces. 
     Another Exemplary Variation 
     A cutting device  100  is not limited to a roll type in which the continuous body Wa is conveyed in the circumferential direction of the drum and may also be of a stage type in which the continuous body Wa is conveyed in the horizontal direction or the like, for example.