Patent Description:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically supplying an electrode in various processes for manufacturing a secondary battery and an automatic electrode supply method, and more particularly to an apparatus capable of successively supplying an electrode, the apparatus including a plurality of chuck splicing units each configured to supply an electrode, and an automatic electrode supply method using the same.

With technological development of mobile devices, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, camcorders, and digital cameras, and an increase in the demand therefor, research on secondary batteries, which are capable of being charged and discharged, has been actively conducted. In addition, secondary batteries, which are energy sources substituting for fossil fuels causing air pollution, have been applied to an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (P-HEV), and therefore there is an increasing necessity for development of secondary batteries.

Such a secondary battery includes an electrode assembly in which electrodes and separators are alternately stacked and a case configured to receive the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly, which is a power-generating element configured to have a structure in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked in the state in which a separator is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, is classified as a jelly-roll type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which a long sheet type positive electrode and a long sheet type negative electrode, to which active materials are applied, are wound in the state in which a separator is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, or a stacked type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which a plurality of positive electrodes having a predetermined size and a plurality of negative electrodes having a predetermined size are sequentially stacked in the state in which separators are interposed respectively between the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes.

A stacked/folded type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which mono-cells, each of which has a positive electrode/separator/negative electrode structure of a predetermined unit size, or bicells, each of which has a positive electrode (negative electrode)/separator/negative electrode (positive electrode)/separator/positive electrode (negative electrode) structure, are folded using a continuous separation film having a long length, has been developed as an electrode assembly having an improved structure, which is a combination of the jelly-roll type electrode assembly and the stacked type electrode assembly.

In addition, a laminated/stacked type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which unit cells, in each of which electrodes and separators are alternately stacked and laminated, are stacked in order to improve processability of a conventional stacked type electrode assembly and to satisfy the demand for secondary batteries having various shapes, has also been developed.

A positive electrode used for such an electrode assembly is manufactured by applying a mixture of a positive electrode active material, a conductive agent, and a binder to a positive electrode current collector, such as metal foil, and drying the mixture. A filler may be further added as needed.

In addition, a negative electrode is manufactured by applying a negative electrode material to a negative electrode current collector, such as metal foil, and drying the negative electrode material. Ingredients described above in connection with the positive electrode may be further optionally included as needed.

There is an increasing necessity for an apparatus capable of stably and successively supplying an electrode in an electrode and electrode assembly manufacturing process in order to improve productivity of a secondary battery manufacturing process and to reduce a process defect rate.

<CIT> discloses a secondary battery electrode production system including a plurality of electrode reels configured to store an electrode material in a wound state in order to successively supply the electrode material, an unwinding portion configured to successively supply the electrode material from the plurality of electrode reels, a line position control (LPC) sensor or an edge position control (EPC) sensor, and a meandering adjustment means configured to align the position of the electrode material such that the electrode material moves along a predetermined movement path. However, the above patent publication relates only to a system capable of producing an electrode from an electrode material at high speed and does not disclose an apparatus capable of successively supplying an electrode in various processes for production of a secondary battery. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to develop technology therefor.

Further prior art is described <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically supplying an electrode in succession in various processes for manufacturing a secondary battery and an automatic electrode supply method.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic electrode supply apparatus and an automatic electrode supply method capable of preventing distortion or fracture defect of an electrode due to positional deviation between a traveling electrode and a standby electrode in the above processes.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an automatic electrode supply apparatus including a first chuck splicing unit including a splicing portion having a traveling electrode located thereon and a second chuck splicing unit including a splicing portion having a standby electrode located thereon, wherein each of the first and second chuck splicing units includes an edge position control, EPC, sensor configured to measure the position of the edge of a corresponding one of the traveling electrode and the standby electrode, wherein the EPC sensor can avoid distortion or fracture defect of the electrode due to the positional deviation between the traveling electrode and the standby electrode, and wherein the EPC sensor comprises a controller configured to compensate the position of the edge of the electrode.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the present invention, the splicing portion may include a splicing plate and an electrode cutter and may be movable in a direction parallel to a floor surface.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the present invention, the splicing plate may include an upper plate and a lower plate, each of the upper plate and the lower plate having a suction hole, configured to suction an electrode in order to fix the electrode, formed in the surface thereof contacting the electrode, and an incision recess provided between the upper plate and the lower plate, the incision recess being configured to allow the electrode cutter to be moved therein.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the present invention, each of the first and second chuck splicing units may further include a lower support member configured to support the chuck splicing unit, an upper support member located above the lower support member, the upper support member being configured to support the splicing portion, and a rotary shaft located between the lower support member and the upper support member, the rotary shaft being configured to rotate the upper support member.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the present invention, the upper support member may include a horizontal portion and a vertical portion.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the present invention, the chuck splicing unit may further include a splicing portion support member located on the vertical portion of the upper support member, the splicing portion support member being configured to support the splicing portion.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the present invention, the EPC sensor may be fixed to the vertical portion of the upper support member or to the splicing portion support member.

In addition, the present invention provides an automatic electrode supply method including (i) preparing a traveling electrode on a splicing plate of a first chuck splicing unit, (ii) preparing a standby electrode on a splicing plate of a second chuck splicing unit, (iii) rotating the second chuck splicing unit to move the splicing plate having the standby electrode prepared thereon so as to face the splicing plate having the traveling electrode prepared thereon, (iv) measuring the position of the edge of the standby electrode using an EPC sensor, (v) calculating positional deviation between the edge of the traveling electrode and the edge of the standby electrode, (vi) moving the splicing plate having the standby electrode prepared thereon to correct the positional deviation, and (vii) laminating the plate having the standby electrode suctioned thereto and the plate having the traveling electrode suctioned thereto with each other to connect the traveling electrode and the standby electrode to each other.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention, step (i) may include allowing the splicing plate to suction the traveling electrode and cutting the portion of the suctioned traveling electrode under the upper plate using the electrode cutter.

Also, in the automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention, step (ii) may include attaching a connection tape to one surface of the end of the standby electrode and allowing the standby electrode having the connection tape attached thereto to be suctioned to the lower part of the splicing plate of the second chuck splicing unit.

Also, the automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention may further include (viii) separating the connected electrodes from the splicing plates after step (vii).

An automatic electrode supply apparatus and an automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention have an advantage in that a plurality of chuck splicing units having the same function and structure is used to successively supply an electrode, whereby it is possible to successively supply an electrode while minimizing loss in production time in various processes for manufacturing a secondary battery.

In addition, the automatic electrode supply apparatus and the automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention have an advantage in that an EPC sensor is used to measure positional deviation and the measured positional deviation is corrected, whereby it is possible to prevent distortion or fracture defect of an electrode due to positional deviation between a traveling electrode and a standby electrode, which may occur when the electrode is successively supplied.

Hereinafter, an automatic electrode supply apparatus and an automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a schematic view of an automatic electrode supply apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first chuck splicing unit <NUM>, at which a traveling electrode A is located, and a second chuck splicing unit <NUM>, at which a standby electrode B is located.

The first chuck splicing unit <NUM> includes a lower driving means <NUM> disposed abutting a floor surface, the lower driving means being configured to support the first chuck splicing unit <NUM>, a lower support member <NUM> located on the lower driving means <NUM>, an upper support member <NUM> located above the lower support member <NUM>, and a rotary shaft <NUM> located between the lower support member <NUM> and the upper support member <NUM>, the rotary shaft being configured to rotate the upper support member <NUM>.

In addition, the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> includes a splicing portion support member <NUM> located on the upper support member <NUM>, a splicing portion driving means <NUM> located on the splicing portion support member <NUM>, the splicing portion driving means being configured to drive a splicing portion <NUM>, the splicing portion <NUM> being located on the splicing portion driving means <NUM>, the splicing portion <NUM> being configured to suction an electrode, an edge position control (EPC) sensor <NUM>, and a winding roll holder <NUM> located on the upper support member <NUM>, the winding roll holder being configured to hold an electrode winding roll.

Respective components of the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> will be described in detail. First, the lower driving means <NUM> may be realized by an assembly of a linear motion (LM) guide and a servomotor such that the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> can be rectilinearly moved in one direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any of various known devices capable of performing rectilinear reciprocation may be used.

In addition, the upper support member <NUM> includes a horizontal portion <NUM> and a vertical portion <NUM>. The winding roll holder <NUM> is located on the horizontal portion <NUM>, and a guide roller <NUM> configured to transfer a roll type electrode is fixed to the vertical portion.

The splicing portion driving means <NUM> may be realized by an assembly of an LM guide, a rack and pinion, and a driving means, such as a servomotor or an actuator, such that the splicing portion <NUM> can be rectilinearly reciprocated on the splicing portion support member <NUM>. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any of various known devices capable of performing rectilinear reciprocation may be used.

In addition, the splicing portion <NUM> includes an electrode cutter <NUM> configured to cut an electrode and a splicing plate <NUM> configured to suction the electrode.

<FIG> is a schematic view of a splicing plate <NUM> according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The splicing plate <NUM> will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>. The splicing plate <NUM> includes an upper plate <NUM>, a lower plate <NUM>, an incision recess <NUM> provided between the upper plate <NUM> and the lower plate <NUM>, the incision recess being configured to allow the electrode cutter <NUM>, which is configured to cut an electrode, to be moved therein, and suction holes <NUM> formed in the upper plate and the lower plate.

Next, the EPC sensor <NUM>, which is a sensor configured to measure the position of the edge of an electrode in order to determine the extent to which the position of the electrode deviates, may be fixed to the vertical portion <NUM> of the upper support member or to the splicing portion support member <NUM>. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The EPC sensor may measure the position of the edge of an electrode, and may be located at another portion of the chuck splicing unit within a range within which the operation of other devices is not disturbed.

In addition, the EPC sensor includes: a detector configured to measure a position;.

Any of various kinds of already known EPC sensors may be used.

The second chuck splicing unit <NUM> is a device having the same structure and function as the first chuck splicing unit <NUM>. Consequently, the description of the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> can be referred to and a detailed description of respective components of the second chuck splicing unit will be omitted.

<FIG> is a schematic view of an automatic electrode supply apparatus according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG> is identical to <FIG> except that the standby electrode B is located at the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> and the traveling electrode A is located at the second chuck splicing unit <NUM>.

That is, in this construction, the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> and the second chuck splicing unit <NUM>, which have the same structure, are alternately used to successively supply an electrode to a manufacturing process, and loss in time necessary to introduce the standby electrode is minimized.

The automatic electrode supply apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. Hereinafter, a method of automatically supplying an electrode using the automatic electrode supply apparatus will be described.

An automatic electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes (i) a step of preparing a traveling electrode A on the splicing plate <NUM> of the first chuck splicing unit <NUM>, (ii) a step of preparing a standby electrode B on the splicing plate <NUM> of the second chuck splicing unit <NUM>, (iii) a step of rotating the second chuck splicing unit to move the splicing plate <NUM>, on which the standby electrode is prepared, to a position at which the splicing plate <NUM> faces the splicing plate <NUM>, on which the traveling electrode is prepared, (iv) a step of measuring the position of the edge of the standby electrode using the EPC sensor <NUM>, (v) a step of calculating positional deviation between the edges of the traveling electrode and the standby electrode, (vi) a step of moving the splicing plate having the standby electrode prepared thereon to correct the positional deviation, (vii) a step of laminating the plate having the standby electrode suctioned thereto and the plate having the traveling electrode suctioned thereto with each other to connect the traveling electrode and the standby electrode to each other, and (viii) a step of separating the connected electrodes from the splicing plates.

Respective steps will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. First, step (i) includes a step of moving the splicing plate <NUM> of the first chuck splicing unit <NUM> in a direction toward the traveling electrode A and allowing the plate to suction the traveling electrode A using the suction holes formed in one surface of the plate and a step of cutting the portion of the traveling electrode under the upper plate <NUM> through the incision recess <NUM> using the electrode cutter <NUM> in order to connect the standby electrode B to the traveling electrode A suctioned by the plate, as shown in <FIG>.

Next, referring to <FIG>, step (ii) includes a step of attaching a connection tape C to one surface of the end of the standby electrode B so as to be connected to the traveling electrode and a step of allowing the standby electrode having the connection tape attached thereto to be suctioned to the lower part of the splicing plate <NUM> of the second chuck splicing unit <NUM>.

Also, in step (v), i.e. the step of calculating positional deviation, the positional deviation is calculated based on the value of the position of the edge of the standby electrode measured in step (iv) and the value of the position of the edge of the traveling electrode. Here, the traveling electrode is an electrode that has already been introduced into the process before step (i). The value of the position of the edge of the traveling electrode is frequently measured before introduction into the process and during the process in order to prevent meandering of the traveling electrode. The value of the position of the edge of the traveling electrode may not be additionally measured while the automatic electrode supply method according to the present invention is performed.

Meanwhile, not only the EPC sensor described above but also any one selected from among all measurement devices capable of measuring the position of an edge, such as various kinds of known sensors and cameras, may be used as the device configured to measure the position of each of the traveling electrode and the standby electrode.

Next, referring to <FIG>, in step (vi), the splicing plate <NUM> having the standby electrode suctioned thereto is finely moved in a predetermined direction (a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the splicing plate is moved in order to suction the traveling electrode and the plates are moved in order to laminate the traveling electrode and the standby electrode with each other and that is parallel to the ground, i.e. a Y-axis direction in <FIG>), in order to correct the positional deviation.

After step (viii), the connected electrodes are introduced into the manufacturing process using a transfer roller <NUM>, whereby production is continuously performed. Referring to <FIG>, the standby electrode is prepared in the first chuck splicing unit <NUM>, in which the traveling electrode was located conventionally, such that the standby electrode is connected to the traveling electrode according to steps (i) to (viii) described above after the traveling electrode prepared in the second chuck splicing unit <NUM> is consumed, whereby it is possible to minimize loss in time incurred for electrode replacement.

Meanwhile, a method of using the lower driving means <NUM> or <NUM> to drive the entirety of the chuck splicing unit, a method of providing a separate driving means (not shown) on the splicing portion support member <NUM> or <NUM> to drive only the splicing portion <NUM> or <NUM>, or a method of providing a separate driving means (not shown) between the splicing portion support member <NUM> or <NUM> and the vertical portion <NUM> or <NUM> of the upper support member to simultaneously drive the splicing portion support member <NUM> or <NUM> and the splicing portion <NUM> or <NUM> may be used as a method of moving the splicing plate <NUM> or <NUM> in the predetermined direction (the Y-axis direction) in order to correct the positional deviation. Here, any of various known driving means capable of performing rectilinear reciprocation may be used as the driving means described above.

Also, it is preferable that position correction be performed to the extent to which it is possible to minimize distortion or fracture defect of the electrode due to the positional deviation between the traveling electrode and the standby electrode.

Specifically, Table <NUM> below shows a change in the number of defects depending on the positional deviation between the traveling electrode and the standby electrode in the process of connecting the standby electrode using the automatic electrode supply apparatus after the traveling electrode wound on the traveling electrode winding roll is consumed.

As shown in Table <NUM> above, it is preferable that the positional deviation (the path line deviation) be corrected to <NUM> or less in order to prevent distortion or fracture defect of the electrode due to the positional deviation between the traveling electrode and the standby electrode. More preferably, it can be seen that a very small number of defects due to the positional deviation occurs in the case in which the positional deviation is corrected to less than <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An automatic electrode supply apparatus configured to automatically supply an electrode in various processes for manufacturing a secondary battery, the automatic electrode supply apparatus comprising:
a first chuck splicing unit (<NUM>) comprising a splicing portion (<NUM>) having a traveling electrode (A) located thereon; and
a second chuck splicing unit (<NUM>) comprising a splicing portion (<NUM>) having a standby electrode (B) located thereon,
characterized in that each of the first and second chuck splicing units (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises an edge position control, EPC, sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to measure a position of an edge of a corresponding one of the traveling electrode (A) and the standby electrode (B),
wherein the EPC sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>) can avoid distortion or fracture defect of the electrode due to the positional deviation between the traveling electrode (A) and the standby electrode (B), and wherein the EPC sensor (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises a controller configured to compensate the position of the edge of the electrode.