Patent Description:
The present invention relates to an electrode connecting device capable of aligning and connecting two sheets (or films) in a longitudinal direction, an electrode connecting method, and a notching machine comprising same.

Generally, secondary batteries refer to chargeable and dischargeable batteries unlike primary batteries that are not chargeable. Such a secondary battery is being widely used in phones, laptop computers, camcorders, electric vehicles, and the like.

The secondary battery comprises an electrode assembly and a case that accommodates the electrode assembly, and the electrode assembly has a structure in which electrodes and separators are alternately stacked. Here, the electrode tab is formed at each of the electrodes.

Also, the electrode tab is manufactured through a notching process, and the notching process comprises a winding roller, on which a band-shaped sheet is wound, a notching part, which notches an uncoated portion of the sheet supplied from the winding roller to manufacture an electrode tab, and a collecting roller, which collects the sheet in which the electrode tab is manufactured.

Here, when all the sheet wound on the winding roller has been supplied in the notching process, a new winding roller is mounted after removing the used winding roller, and then the notching process is performed again.

Here, the notching operation is performed after connecting an end portion of the sheet remaining in the used winding roller to an end portion of a sheet wound on the new winding roller.

However, when the sheet remaining in the used winding roller is connected to the sheet wound on the new winding roller, a notching defect occurs as a stepped region is generated.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide an electrode connecting device, an electrode connecting method, and a secondary battery notching machine comprising same, by which an used sheet and a new sheet can be aligned and connected to each other in a longitudinal direction. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the generation of a stepped region between the used sheet and the new sheet, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a notching defect during a notching process.

The present invention for solving the above problems provides an electrode connecting device for connecting an end of a preceding sheet to an end of a succeeding sheet, the electrode connecting device comprising: an arrangement member provided with an arrangement part on which the end of the preceding sheet is located adjacent to or overlapping with the end of the succeeding sheet; and a guide member comprising a guide bar which is provided movable between a support position to support a side portion of the preceding sheet and a side portion of the succeeding sheet during connecting of the end of the preceding sheet to the end of the succeeding sheet and a retreat position not to interfere with movements of the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet.

The arrangement member further may comprise a pathline which is provided at the support position and indicates the support position at which the guide bar is positioned.

The electrode connecting device may further comprise a detection member which detects the side portion of the preceding sheet and the side portion of the succeeding sheet that are supported on the guide bar of the guide member, wherein the detection member comprises a first detection sensor, which is provided on one side of the guide bar and detects the side portion of the preceding sheet, and a second detection sensor, which is provided on the other side of the guide bar and detects the side portion of the succeeding sheet.

The arrangement part may comprise one side-arrangement surface, on which the end of the preceding sheet is disposed, and the other side-arrangement surface, on which the end of the succeeding sheet is disposed, wherein the electrode connecting device comprises a cutting member, and when the end of the preceding sheet disposed on the one side-arrangement surface is disposed overlapping with the end of the succeeding sheet disposed on the other side-arrangement surface, the cutting member cuts overlapping portions of the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet and correspondingly matches the end of the preceding sheet with the end of the succeeding sheet.

A cutting groove, into which the cutting member is inserted, may be formed between the one side-arrangement surface and the other side-arrangement surface.

The electrode connecting device may further comprise an adhesive member which connects the end of the preceding sheet disposed on the one side-arrangement surface to the end of the succeeding sheet disposed on the other side-arrangement surface.

The adhesive member may comprise an adhesive tape which is attached to the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet and connects and aligns the end of the preceding sheet to the end of the succeeding sheet.

The electrode connecting device may further comprise a suction member provided with a first suction, which adheres the preceding sheet to the one side-arrangement surface through a suction force, and a second suction, which adheres the succeeding sheet to the other side-arrangement surface through a suction force.

The pathline may have a rod shape and be separably coupled to a coupling groove formed in a surface of the arrangement member.

Also, the present invention provides an electrode connecting method for connecting an end of a preceding sheet to an end of a succeeding sheet, the electrode connecting method comprising: a process (a) of moving a guide member forward so that a guide bar of the guide member is moved from a retreat position of an arrangement member to a support position; a process (b) of correspondingly arranging the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet on an arrangement part of the arrangement member, wherein the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet are arranged adjacent to or overlapping with each other by supporting, on the guide bar, a side portion of the preceding sheet and a side portion of the succeeding sheet; and a process (c) of attaching an adhesive tape of an adhesive member to the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet, which are arranged on the arrangement part of the arrangement member, so that the end of the preceding sheet is connected to the end of the succeeding sheet.

In the process (a), a pathline may be provided at the support position to indicate the support position at which the guide bar is positioned.

The process (b) may further comprise a detection process of detecting the side portion of the preceding sheet and the side portion of the succeeding sheet, which are supported on the guide bar, through a detection member that comprises a first detection sensor and a second detection sensor, wherein in the detection process, the side portion of the preceding sheet supported on the guide bar is detected by the first detection sensor, and the side portion of the succeeding sheet supported on the guide bar is detected by the second detection sensor.

The process (b) may further comprise a process of, when the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet arranged in the arrangement part are not matched, overlapping the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet so that the non-matched portions are present in overlapping portions, wherein the electrode connecting method further comprises, between the process (b) and the process (c), a process (b1) of cutting the overlapping portions of the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet by a cutting member and correspondingly matching the end of the preceding sheet with the end of the succeeding sheet.

The process (b) may further comprise a process of adhering and fixing the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet to the arrangement part by a suction member.

Also, a notching machine according to the present invention comprise the electrode connecting device.

The electrode connecting device according to the present invention may align and connect the end of the preceding sheet to the end of the succeeding sheet. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the generation of the stepped region between the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the defect during the sheet notching.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so as to be easily carried out by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. However, the present invention may be embodied in various different forms, and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Also, in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description will be omitted to clearly describe the present invention, and similar elements will be designated by similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

An electrode connecting device <NUM> according to a first embodiment of the present invention is to align and connect an end of a sheet that precedes (hereinafter, referred to as a preceding sheet) to an end of a sheet that succeeds (hereinafter, referred to as a succeeding sheet) in a longitudinal direction, thereby preventing the generation of a stepped region between the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet.

That is, referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the electrode connecting device <NUM> according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises: an arrangement member <NUM> provided with an arrangement part <NUM> on which the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> is located adjacent to or overlapping with the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>; and a guide member <NUM> comprising a guide bar <NUM> which is provided movable between a support position (a position 'A' indicated in <FIG>) to support a side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and a side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> during connecting of the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> to the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> and a retreat position (a position 'B' indicated in <FIG>) not to interfere with movements of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the succeeding sheet <NUM>. Accordingly, the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet may be arranged correspondingly, and as a result, the end of the preceding sheet may be aligned and connected to the end of the succeeding sheet.

Hereinafter, the electrode connecting device <NUM> according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the electrode connecting device <NUM> according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises an arrangement member <NUM>, an alignment means <NUM> provided with a driving member <NUM> and a guide member <NUM>, a detection member <NUM>, a cutting member <NUM>, a suction member <NUM>, and an adhesive member <NUM>.

Also, the preceding sheet <NUM> has a long sheet shape, and an uncoated portion <NUM> with no electrode active material is formed on one side thereof in the width direction. Also, the succeeding sheet <NUM> has a long sheet shape, and an uncoated portion <NUM> with no electrode active material is formed on one side thereof in the width direction.

Here, the preceding sheet <NUM> and the succeeding sheet <NUM> has the same polarity. That is, the preceding sheet <NUM> and the succeeding sheet <NUM> may be a positive electrode sheet or a negative electrode sheet.

The arrangement member <NUM> comprises: a fixed part <NUM> provided on one side (the left side of the arrangement member when viewed in <FIG>); an arrangement part <NUM> which is provided on the other side (the right side of the arrangement member when viewed in <FIG>) and on which the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are arranged so as to correspond to each other; and a pathline <NUM> provided at a support position A indicated between the fixed part <NUM> and the arrangement part <NUM>.

The fixed part <NUM> serves to support the guide member <NUM> comprising the guide bar <NUM> that moves to a retreat position B. That is, the fixed part <NUM> has a flat surface so that the guide member horizontally moves forward or backward thereon.

The arrangement part <NUM> serves to correspondingly arrange the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>. That is, the arrangement part <NUM> comprises: one side-arrangement surface <NUM> which is provided in one surface on the other side (the upper surface on the right side of the arrangement member when viewed in <FIG>) and on which the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> is located; and the other side-arrangement surface <NUM> which is provided in the other surface on the other side (the lower surface on the right side of the arrangement member when viewed in <FIG>) and on which the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> is located.

Here, the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are arranged to correspond to the one side-arrangement surface <NUM> and the other side-arrangement surface <NUM>, respectively.

The pathline <NUM> is intended to indicate the support position A. That is, the pathline <NUM> serves as a reference point for matching the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> which are arranged in the arrangement part <NUM>. This pathline <NUM> is elongated in a conveyance direction of the preceding sheet (the left-right direction when viewed in <FIG>) and may be indicated as a straight line or dotted line on the surface of the arrangement member <NUM> between the fixed part <NUM> and the arrangement part <NUM>. Here, the pathline <NUM> may be indicated by a color such as red or yellow so as to increase indication capability.

Particularly, referring to an enlarged view of <FIG>, the pathline <NUM> may be provided detachably from the surface of the arrangement member <NUM>. That is, the pathline <NUM> may have a rod shape and be separably coupled to a coupling groove <NUM> formed in the surface of the arrangement member <NUM>. Also, the thickness of the pathline <NUM> in the full width direction (the width direction of the sheet perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheet) is <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably <NUM> to <NUM>, and may be made of a nonmetal material to increase strength.

The alignment means <NUM> serves to match and align the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet, which are arranged on the arrangement part, with each other. That is, the alignment means <NUM> comprises: a driving member <NUM> fixed to the fixed part <NUM>; and a guide member <NUM> provided with a guide bar <NUM> which is moved forward to the pathline <NUM> by the driving member <NUM> and supports the end of the preceding sheet and the end of succeeding sheet so that both the ends are positioned at the support position A at which the pathline is positioned.

The driving member <NUM> comprises a cylinder, and the cylinder moves the guide member <NUM> forward toward the pathline <NUM> so that the guide bar <NUM> is positioned to the support position A at which the pathline <NUM> is provided, or moves the guide member <NUM> backward to the retreat position B so as to prevent the occurrence of interference when the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet move. Here, the driving member <NUM> moves the guide member <NUM> forward so that a supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM>, on which the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are supported, is positioned to match the pathline <NUM>.

Also, the arrangement member <NUM> may comprise a position detection sensor which detects the supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM>, which is positioned at the pathline <NUM>, and stops the driving member <NUM>. That is, the position detection sensor may accurately position the supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM> to the pathline <NUM>.

The guide member <NUM> serves to support the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet so that both the ends are positioned to the pathline <NUM>. That is, the guide member <NUM> comprises the guide bar <NUM> which is moved forward to the pathline <NUM> by the driving member <NUM> and supports a side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> (the left side portion of the preceding sheet in the width direction when viewed in <FIG>) and a side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> (the left side portion of the succeeding sheet in the width direction when viewed in <FIG>). Accordingly, the guide bar <NUM> simultaneously supports the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, and as a result, the preceding sheet <NUM> may be positioned to match the succeeding sheet <NUM>.

The detection member <NUM> serves to detect whether the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet are supported on the guide bar. That is, the detection member <NUM> comprises a first detection sensor <NUM>, which is provided on one side of the supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM> and detects the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM>, and a second detection sensor <NUM>, which is provided on the other side of the supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM> and detects the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM>.

Through the detection member <NUM> having the above configuration, it may be known that both the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are supported on the guide bar <NUM>, when detection signals are generated in the first detection sensor <NUM> and the second detection sensor <NUM>. Also, when the detection signal is generated in only one of the first detection sensor <NUM> and the second detection sensor <NUM>, it may be known that only one of the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> is supported on the guide bar <NUM>. In addition, when the detection signal is not generated in both the first detection sensor <NUM> and the second detection sensor <NUM>, it may be known that both the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are not supported on the guide bar <NUM>.

Thus, according to the detection signals, it may be conveniently confirmed by the detection member <NUM> whether the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are supported on the guide bar <NUM>, that is, whether the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are positioned at the support position A. Also, the detection member may be provided as a pressure sensor.

Also, as illustrated in <FIG>, when an end surface <NUM> of the preceding sheet <NUM> and an end surface <NUM> of the succeeding sheet <NUM> arranged in the arrangement part are not matched, the end surface <NUM> of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end surface <NUM> of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, which are not matched, are arranged overlapping with each other and then cut through the cutting member <NUM>, and thus the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> may be correspondingly matched with the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>.

The cutting member <NUM> serves to cut the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet, which correspond to each other, so that the ends are matched with each other. That is, the cutting member <NUM> may ascend or descend toward the arrangement member <NUM>, and comprises a cutting blade <NUM> that cuts the overlapping portions of the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet when descending. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the generation of a stepped region between the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet, and the end of the preceding sheet may be correspondingly matched with the end of the succeeding sheet.

Also, a cutting groove <NUM>, into which the cutting blade <NUM> of the cutting member <NUM> is inserted, is formed between the one side-arrangement surface <NUM> and the other side-arrangement surface <NUM>. Accordingly, the cutting blade <NUM> of the cutting member <NUM> is inserted into the cutting groove after passing through the overlapping portions of the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet, and thus the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet may be accurately cut.

The suction member <NUM> serves to adhere and fix the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet arranged on the arrangement part or suction and remove foreign substances remaining on the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet. That is, the suction member <NUM> comprises a first suction <NUM>, which adheres the preceding sheet <NUM> disposed on the one side-arrangement surface to the one side-arrangement surface <NUM> through a suction force, and a second suction <NUM>, which adheres the succeeding sheet <NUM> disposed on the other side-arrangement surface to the other side-arrangement surface <NUM> through a suction force.

Here, the first suction <NUM> suctions air through a plurality of suction holes formed in the one side-arrangement surface and adheres the preceding sheet <NUM> to the one side-arrangement surface <NUM>, and the second suction <NUM> suctions air through a plurality of suction holes formed in the other side-arrangement surface <NUM> and adheres the succeeding sheet <NUM> to the other side-arrangement surface <NUM>.

Thus, the suction member <NUM> may remove the foreign substances remaining on the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet and fix the sheets immovably with respect to the arrangement part.

The adhesive member <NUM> serves to align and inseparably connect the end of the preceding sheet disposed on the one side-arrangement surface to the end of the succeeding sheet disposed on the other side-arrangement surface. That is, the adhesive member <NUM> comprises an adhesive body <NUM>, which is provided in the guide bar <NUM> positioned on the same horizontal line as the cutting groove, and an adhesive tape <NUM>, which is provided in the adhesive body <NUM> and is attached to and covers the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> and which aligns and inseparably connects the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> to the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>.

Thus, the electrode connecting device <NUM> according to the first embodiment of the present invention may align the connect the end of the preceding sheet to the end of the succeeding sheet without the generation of stepped regions, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a defect during a notching process.

Hereinafter, an electrode connecting method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the electrode connecting method according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a method for connecting an end of a preceding sheet to an end of a succeeding sheet, the electrode connecting method comprising: a process (a) of moving a guide bar <NUM> of a guide member <NUM> to a support position A at which a pathline <NUM> of an arrangement member <NUM> is provided; a process (b) of arranging the end of the preceding sheet and the end of the succeeding sheet so that both the ends are matched with an arrangement part <NUM> of the arrangement member <NUM>; and a process (c) of connecting the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> to the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> by using an arrangement member <NUM>. Here, when the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> is not matched with the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, the method further comprises a process (b1) of positioning the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> so that both the ends overlap with each other, and then cutting both the ends by using a cutting member <NUM> so that both the ends are matched with each other.

In the process (a), the guide member <NUM> is moved forward by using a driving member <NUM> provided in fixed part <NUM> of the arrangement member <NUM>, and the guide bar <NUM> of the guide member <NUM> is positioned to the pathline <NUM> of the arrangement member <NUM>. Here, a supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM> is positioned to match the pathline <NUM>.

In the process (b), the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are arranged so as to correspond to each other on the arrangement part <NUM> of the arrangement member <NUM>. Here, a side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and a side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are supported on the supporting surface 221a of the guide bar <NUM>. Thus, the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are arranged to correspond to each other.

For one example, the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> is located on one side-arrangement surface <NUM> of the arrangement part <NUM>, and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> is located on the other side-arrangement surface <NUM> of the arrangement part <NUM>.

Also, the process (b) may further comprise a detection process of detecting the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, which are supported on the guide bar <NUM>, through a detection member <NUM>. That is, in the detection process, the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> supported on the guide bar <NUM> is detected by a first detection sensor <NUM> of the detection member <NUM>, and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> supported on the guide bar <NUM> is detected by a second detection sensor <NUM> of the detection member <NUM>. Thus, it may be conveniently confirmed whether the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are supported on the guide bar <NUM>.

Also, the process (b) may further comprise an adhering process of adhering and fixing the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, which are arranged on the arrangement part <NUM>, to the arrangement part <NUM> through a suction member <NUM> or removing foreign substances that remain on the preceding sheet <NUM> and the succeeding sheet <NUM>. That is, in the adhering process, the preceding sheet <NUM> is adhered to the one side-arrangement surface <NUM> through a suction force generated by a first suction <NUM> of the suction member <NUM>, and the succeeding sheet <NUM> is adhered to the other side-arrangement surface <NUM> through a suction force generated by a second suction <NUM> of the suction member <NUM>.

Also, when an end surface <NUM> of the preceding sheet <NUM> and an end surface <NUM> of the succeeding sheet <NUM> arranged in the arrangement part <NUM> are not matched, the process (b) may further comprise a process of arranging the end surface <NUM> of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end surface <NUM> of the succeeding sheet <NUM> so that the non-matched portions thereof overlap with each other.

Also, the method further comprises a process (b1) of cutting the overlapping portions of the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> and matching the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> with the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>.

The process (b1) is performed between the process (b) and the process (c). That is, in the process (b1), the center of the overlapping portions of the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> is cut through the cutting member <NUM>, and thus the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are matched to correspond to each other.

In the process (c), the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, which are arranged on the arrangement part <NUM> of the arrangement member <NUM>, are connected to each other, while being aligned, through the adhesive member <NUM>. That is, in the process (c), the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> is attached to the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> by using an adhesive tape <NUM> of the adhesive member <NUM> provided in the guide member <NUM>.

Also, when the process (c) is completed, the first detection sensor <NUM> and the second detection sensor <NUM> detect again the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM>, respectively. Here, when both the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> and the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> are detected, the guide bar is moved backward to the retreat position, and then an operation for conveying a sheet is resumed. Here, when at least one of the side portion of the preceding sheet <NUM> or the side portion of the succeeding sheet <NUM> is not detected, a failure signal is generated, and an operator connects again the end of the preceding sheet <NUM> to the end of the succeeding sheet <NUM> as in the manufacturing method described above.

Hereinafter, in describing another embodiment of the present invention, components having the same functions as those in the foregoing embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and their duplicated description will be omitted.

The secondary battery notching machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention may comprise the electrode connecting device <NUM> according to the first embodiment described above, and accordingly, a plurality of sheets continuously input to the notching machine may be connected without the generation of stepped regions.

That is, as illustrated in <FIG>, the secondary battery notching machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises: a supply roller <NUM> that supplies a wound sheet; a notching device <NUM> that notches an uncoated portion <NUM> of a sheet <NUM> supplied by the supply roller <NUM> and forms an electrode tab 11a; and a collecting roller <NUM> that collects the sheet <NUM> on which the electrode tab 11a is formed.

Here, all the sheet <NUM> wound on the supply roller <NUM> has been supplied, and then a sheet is supplied through a new supply roller <NUM>. Here, the used sheet supplied to the notching device (hereinafter, referred to as a preceding sheet <NUM>) is connected to a new sheet (hereinafter, referred to as a succeeding sheet <NUM>), and an electrode connecting device <NUM> is used herein.

That is, the electrode connecting device <NUM> comprises an arrangement member <NUM>, an alignment means <NUM> provided with a driving member <NUM> and a guide member <NUM>, a detection member <NUM>, a cutting member <NUM>, a suction member <NUM>, and an adhesive member <NUM>.

Here, the electrode connecting device <NUM> has the same configuration and function as the electrode connecting device according to the first embodiment, and accordingly, duplicated descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Thus, the secondary battery notching machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises the electrode connecting device and thus may continuously supply a plurality of sheets without stepped regions.

Claim 1:
An electrode connecting device for connecting an end of a preceding sheet to an end of a succeeding sheet, the electrode connecting device comprising:
an arrangement member provided with an arrangement part on which the end of the preceding sheet is located adjacent to or overlapping with the end of the succeeding sheet; and
a guide member comprising a guide bar which is provided movable between a support position to support a side portion of the preceding sheet and a side portion of the succeeding sheet during connecting of the end of the preceding sheet to the end of the succeeding sheet and a retreat position not to interfere with movements of the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet.