CN117529837A - Electrode assembly folding apparatus and folding method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrode assembly folding apparatus for folding an electrode assembly in a zigzag shape according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a supply unit that supplies an electrode assembly including two sheet-shaped separators, a second electrode continuously located between inner surfaces of the separators facing each other, and a first electrode alternately located on outer surfaces of the two separators up and down, wherein the first unit body and the second unit body are alternately connected to each other, and the first electrode of the first unit body is located on an upper side and the first electrode of the second unit body is located on a lower side; a holding unit that holds and transfers the first unit body supplied from the supply unit; and a stacking unit stacking the first unit bodies transferred by the holding unit.

Description

Electrode assembly folding apparatus and folding method using the same

Technical Field

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority from korean patent application No. 10-2021-0143662 filed at 10-month 26 of 2021 and korean patent application No. 10-2022-0135549 filed at 10-month 20 of 2022, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The present invention relates to an electrode assembly folding apparatus and a folding method using the same, and more particularly, to an electrode assembly folding apparatus and a folding method using the same that simplify a folding process of an electrode assembly.

Background

In modern society, with the daily use of portable devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, cameras, and digital cameras, the technological development of the related fields of the above-mentioned mobile devices has been activated. In addition, chargeable/dischargeable secondary batteries are used as power sources for Electric Vehicles (EVs), hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), etc., in an attempt to solve the problems of air pollution, etc., caused by existing gasoline vehicles using fossil fuel. Accordingly, the development demand of the secondary battery is increasing.

The secondary batteries commercialized at present are nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, lithium secondary batteries, and the like. Among them, lithium secondary batteries have been attracting attention because of their advantages of free charge and discharge, extremely low self-discharge rate, high energy density, and the like.

The secondary battery may be classified into a cylindrical or prismatic battery in which an electrode assembly is built in a cylindrical or prismatic metal can and a pouch-shaped battery in which an electrode assembly is built in a pouch-shaped case made of stacked aluminum sheets, according to the shape of the battery case.

In addition, the secondary batteries may be classified based on the structure of an electrode assembly having a structure in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked with a separator interposed therebetween. In general, there may be mentioned a jelly-roll (wound) type structure in which a long sheet type positive electrode and a long sheet type negative electrode are wound together with a separator interposed therebetween, a stacked (laminated) type structure in which a plurality of cathodes and anodes cut to a predetermined unit size are sequentially stacked with a separator interposed therebetween, and the like. In recent years, in order to solve the problems associated with the jelly-roll type electrode assembly and the stacked type electrode assembly, a stacked/folded type electrode assembly, which is a combination of the jelly-roll type electrode assembly and the stacked type electrode assembly, has been developed.

Meanwhile, in manufacturing a stacked or stacked/folded electrode assembly, a method is generally employed in which a plurality of bicells are manufactured by sequentially stacking negative electrodes, separators, and positive electrodes stacked or attached to sheet-shaped separators, and then folding the sheet-shaped separators in one direction. However, in this conventional structure, since the bicells are manufactured in advance and then attached to the sheet-shaped separators and then stacked, the manufacturing process is complicated, and the sheet-shaped separators overlap several layers at the side surfaces of the final cells, which causes a problem in that unnecessary gap spaces are generated between the electrodes and the separators.

Further, in addition to the above-described stacking method, a method of manufacturing an electrode assembly using a zigzag stacking method has been conventionally used. The zigzag stacking method is a method of stacking electrode assemblies in which positive and negative electrodes are alternately provided in a process in which a separator unwound from a winding roller moves from side to side and from side to side. However, in the case of adopting the zigzag stacking method, there is a problem in that the cut electrodes must be stored separately, and there is a risk of movement of the supply electrodes during stacking. In addition, in manufacturing a battery cell of a long length, it is difficult to control the tension of the separator, and the progress speed is slow, resulting in a decrease in manufacturing efficiency.

Accordingly, there is a need to develop a new folding apparatus and method that can simplify the process of the above-described stacked or stacked/folded electrode assembly, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and improving durability and stability of the product.

Disclosure of Invention

[ problem ]

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode assembly folding apparatus and a method of using the same, which can simplify a conventional electrode assembly folding process to thereby improve manufacturing efficiency and product quality.

However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described problems, and various extensions can be made within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention.

[ technical solution ]

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electrode assembly folding apparatus for folding an electrode assembly in a zigzag shape, the electrode assembly folding apparatus including: a supply unit that supplies an electrode assembly including two sheet-shaped separators, a second electrode continuously positioned between inner surfaces of the separators facing each other, and a first electrode alternately positioned up and down on outer surfaces of the two separators, wherein the first unit body and the second unit body are alternately connected to each other, wherein the first electrode of the first unit body is positioned on an upper side, and the first electrode of the second unit body is positioned on a lower side; a holding unit that holds and transfers the first unit body supplied from the supply unit; and a stacking unit stacking the first unit bodies transferred by the holding unit.

The holding unit may place the transferred first unit body on the stacking unit, then ascend and move toward the supply unit, and then descend to a position where the holding unit holds the subsequent first unit body.

The holding unit is cyclically moved on a path including a first position and a second position, the first position may be a position where the first unit body is stacked on the stacking unit, and the second position may be a position where the holding unit holds the first unit body supplied by the supply unit.

When the supply unit is located at the left side and the stacking unit is located at the right side, the holding unit may be circulated in the counterclockwise direction.

When the supply unit is located at the right side and the stacking unit is located at the left side, the holding unit may be circulated in the clockwise direction.

The holding unit includes a first holding unit transferring the kth first unit body and a second holding unit transferring the (k+1) th first unit body,

the kth first unit body is stacked on the stacking unit, and then the second holding unit holds the kth+1th first unit body, k may be a natural number.

The holding unit may be connected to an upper surface of the first electrode of the first unit body.

The holding unit may be a suction device using a gas suction method.

The holding unit comprises a tubular suction line, which may be provided with a plurality of suction holes.

The plurality of pumping holes may be disposed in a direction extending in the width direction of the electrode assembly.

When the first unit body is transferred by the holding unit, the stacking unit is lowered such that a portion between the previously transferred first unit body and the second unit body adjacent to the previously transferred first unit body and a portion between the second unit body and the transferred first unit body may be folded in opposite directions to each other.

The stacking unit may be raised again so that the transferred first unit cell is stacked on the existing stack.

The electrode assembly folding apparatus may include a detection unit for detecting a position of the first unit body.

At least one of the stacking unit and the first unit moves or rotates in a transfer direction of the electrode assembly or in a width direction of the electrode assembly according to the position information of the first unit detected by the detecting unit, whereby the stacking unit and the first unit may be aligned with each other.

At least one of the holding unit and the first unit moves or rotates in a transfer direction of the electrode assembly or a width direction of the electrode assembly according to the position information of the first unit detected by the detection unit, whereby the holding unit and the first unit can be aligned with each other.

The detecting unit includes a first detecting unit located above the first position, which may be a position where the first unit body is stacked in the stacking unit, and a second detecting unit located above the second position, which may be a position where the holding unit holds the first unit body.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electrode assembly folding method for folding an electrode assembly in a zigzag shape, the method including: supplying an electrode assembly by a supply unit, wherein the electrode assembly includes two sheet-shaped separators, a second electrode is continuously positioned between inner surfaces of the separators facing each other, and first electrodes are alternately positioned on outer surfaces of the two separators up and down, wherein the first unit bodies and the second unit bodies are alternately connected to each other, wherein the first electrodes of the first unit bodies are positioned on an upper side, and the first electrodes of the second unit bodies are positioned on a lower side; holding the first unit body supplied from the supply unit by the holding unit and transferring the first unit body; the first unit body transferred by the holding unit is stacked on the stacking unit, wherein the holding unit places the transferred first unit body on the stacking unit, then rises and moves toward the supply unit, and then descends to a position where it holds the subsequent first unit body.

The holding unit includes a first holding unit transferring a kth first unit body stacked on the stacking unit and a second holding unit transferring a (k+1) th first unit body, and then the second holding unit holds the (k+1) th first unit body, where k may be a natural number.

When the first unit body is transferred by the holding unit, the stacking unit is lowered such that a portion between the previously transferred first unit body and the second unit body adjacent to the previously transferred first unit body and a portion between the second unit body and the transferred first unit body are folded in opposite directions to each other, and the stacking unit may be raised again such that the transferred first unit body is stacked on the existing stack.

The method may further include, before the step of stacking the first unit body, detecting, by the detecting unit, position information of the first unit body; and adjusting the position of the stacking unit or the holding unit based on the position information of the first unit body detected by the detecting unit.

[ beneficial effects ]

According to the embodiments, the electrode assembly folding apparatus and the method of using the same of the present invention may employ a horizontal zig-zag stacking method to prevent movement of electrodes during stacking, reduce the size of process equipment, and maximize the production speed of an electrode assembly.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and other additional effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the appended claims.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a zigzag stacking method of an electrode assembly according to the present invention;

fig. 2 is a side view of an electrode assembly folding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the holding unit according to fig. 2;

fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a holding unit and a stacking unit in an electrode assembly folding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating operations of a holding unit and a detecting unit in an electrode assembly folding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a diagram showing one example of the holding unit included in fig. 2;

fig. 8 is a partial enlarged view of the holding unit shown in fig. 7;

fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the pumping unit shown in fig. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the distal end shown in FIG. 7; and

fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the holding unit included in fig. 2.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. The invention may be modified in various different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

Portions irrelevant to the description will be omitted to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the description.

Further, in the drawings, for convenience of description, the size and thickness of each element are arbitrarily shown, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers, regions, etc. are exaggerated for clarity. In the drawings, the thickness of components and regions are exaggerated for convenience of description.

Furthermore, it will be understood that when an element such as a layer, film, region or sheet is referred to as being "on" or "over" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element, it means that the other intervening elements are not present. Further, the word "on … …" or "above … …" means disposed on or below the reference portion and does not necessarily mean disposed at the upper end of the reference portion toward the opposite direction of gravity. Meanwhile, similarly to the case where it is described as being located "on" or "above" another portion, the case where it is described as being located "under" or "below" another portion will also be understood with reference to the above.

Furthermore, throughout the description, when a portion is referred to as "comprising" or "including" an element, it means that the portion may further comprise other elements without excluding other elements unless the context requires otherwise.

Further, throughout the description, when it is referred to as a "plane", it means that the target portion is observed from above, and when it is referred to as a "cross section", it means that the target portion is observed from the side of the cross section cut vertically.

Hereinafter, an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a zigzag stacking method of an electrode assembly according to the present invention.

In the present invention, the electrode assembly 100 used in the zigzag stacking method may be formed by stacking the long sheet-shaped separator 130 and the electrodes 110 and 120. The membrane 130 may be provided as two elongated sheet-like membranes 130. The two separators 130 may be stacked with the plurality of second electrodes 120 interposed between the inner surfaces of the two separators 130 facing each other. The plurality of second electrodes 120 interposed between the separators 130 may be disposed at intervals from each other in the length direction (x-axis direction). Here, the first electrode 110 may be a positive electrode and the second electrode 120 may be a negative electrode, but this is not necessarily the case.

The first electrode 110 may be located on an outer surface of each of the separators 130. At this time, the plurality of first electrodes 110 may be alternately located on the upper side (+z-axis) or the lower side (-z-axis) of the outer surface of the separator 130. The first electrodes 110 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other on an outer surface of each of the separators 130.

Here, the electrodes 110 and 120 and the separator 130 may be connected to each other. When the electrodes 110 and 120 are attached to the separator 130, not only can a firm electrode assembly 100 be formed, but also shrinkage of the separator 130 can be prevented, further improving the safety of the battery. At this time, the electrodes 110 and 120 may be bonded to the separator 130 using an adhesive material, or a bonding method such as lamination using heat and pressure may be used.

The electrode assembly 100 may even be described in the form of a plurality of unit cells 101 and 102 connected to each other. That is, the electrode assembly 100 used in the zigzag stacking method in the present invention may be described as a form in which the first unit cell 101 (in which the first electrode 110 is located in the upper side (+z-axis) direction) and the second unit cell 102 (in which the first electrode 110 is located in the lower side (-z-axis) direction) are alternately connected to each other.

Meanwhile, the electrode assembly 100 of the present embodiment may be folded from a sheet form by a zigzag stacking method in which the electrodes 110 and 120 are disposed on the long sheet-shaped separator 130, thereby being manufactured in a stacked form. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the "stacked electrode assembly 100" folded by the zigzag stacking method is referred to as "stack 190".

Specifically, the sheet electrode assembly 100 may be manufactured into the stack 190 by folding the connection portions between the first unit body 101 and the second unit body 102 in opposite directions to each other. Here, the connection portion may be a portion in which the electrodes 110 and 120 are not disposed in the electrode assembly 100 and only the separator 130 is present.

As shown in fig. 1, a connection portion between the first unit body 101 and the second unit body 102 is folded toward one side p1, and a connection portion between the second unit body 102 and the adjacent first unit body 101 of the second unit body 102 is folded toward the other side p 2. Thus, the separator 130 located on the lower surface of the first unit body 101 may be in contact with the first electrode 110 located on the lower surface of the second unit body 102, and the separator 130 located on the upper surface of the second unit body 102 may be in contact with the first electrode 110 located on the upper surface of the first unit body 101.

When the stack 190 is manufactured by such a folding method, a process of separately manufacturing a single bicell may be omitted, thereby manufacturing the stack 190 in a simpler and easier manner than the related art, and reducing the battery manufacturing cost and time.

Next, an electrode assembly folding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The electrode assembly folding apparatus of the present invention can achieve simplification of the manufacturing apparatus by implementing the zigzag stacking method in the horizontal direction, and can minimize damage to the electrode by using the holding unit by using the pumping method.

Fig. 2 is a side view of an electrode assembly folding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a diagram of an operation of the holding unit according to fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the holding unit and the stacking unit in the electrode assembly folding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating operations of a holding unit and a detecting unit in an electrode assembly folding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the electrode assembly 100 shown in the following drawings, for convenience of understanding, in the electrode assembly 100 shown in fig. 1, two separators 130 and a plurality of second electrodes 120 are shown in simplified form, and the second electrodes 120 are interposed between inner surfaces of the two separators 130 facing each other. Meanwhile, the first electrode 110 is shown on the outer surface of the separator 130.

Referring to fig. 2 to 4, the electrode assembly folding apparatus 200 of the present embodiment may include a supply unit 210 for supplying the sheet-shaped electrode assemblies 100, a stacking unit 220 on which the electrode assemblies 100 folded in a zigzag shape are positioned on the stacking unit 220, and a holding unit 230 holding a portion of the electrode assemblies 100 supplied from the supply unit 210 and moving the portion of the electrode assemblies 100 to the stacking unit 220. Further, referring to fig. 5 and 6, the electrode assembly folding apparatus 200 of the present embodiment may include a detection unit 240.

The supply unit 210 may move the electrode assembly 100 in an initial state, i.e., the sheet-shaped electrode assembly 100, in one direction (x-axis direction). The supply unit 210 may take the form of a conveyor belt. The supply unit 210 may continuously move along a prescribed track, thereby continuously moving the sheet-like electrode assembly 100 in the direction in which the stacking unit 220 is located.

The stacking unit 220 supports the stack 190 folded in a zigzag shape and allows additional first unit cells 101 or second unit cells 102 to be stacked on the existing stack 190 by moving. The stacking unit 220 may be in the form of a table or a plate. The stacking unit 220 may also be provided with a holder (not shown) that holds the stack 190. The grippers may have a spindle structure, and for example, 2 to 4 grippers may be provided along the overall length direction (y-axis) of the stack 190 on each side of the stack unit 220. The stacking unit 220 may be moved mainly up and down, or may be precisely moved up and down or left and right, so that the first unit body 101 or the second unit body 102 transferred by the holding unit 230 corresponds to the upper surface of the existing stack 190 placed on the stacking unit 220. In some cases, the stacking unit 220 may be cyclically moved in a direction opposite to the circulation direction of the holding unit 230. At this time, the movement of the stacking unit 220, i.e., the position adjustment, may be based on the position information transmitted from the detecting unit 240.

The holding unit 230 may move the first unit body 101 or the second unit body 102 to the stacking unit 220. In order to ensure that the sheet-shaped electrode assembly 100 is folded in a zigzag shape, the holding unit 230 may move the first unit body 101, in which the first electrode 110 is placed on the upper surface, to the stacking unit 220. The holding unit 230 may move the second unit body 102 in addition to the first unit body 101, but the following will mainly describe allowing the holding unit 230 to move the first unit body 101.

The holding unit 230 may be movable between a first position located at the stacking unit 220 and a second position spaced apart from the first position, wherein the first unit body 101 is located at a position closest to the first position. The first position is a position of the first unit body 101 stacked on the existing stack (i.e., the previously stacked electrode assembly) in the stacking unit 220, and the second position is a position at which the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101 supplied from the supply unit 210. Here, the first position and the second position may be fixed positions, and in particular, may be positions defined according to a state before the first unit body 101 is held by the holding unit 230 and moved toward the stacking unit 220. Further, here, the first position may be located at a position farther from the second position in the transfer direction (x-axis direction) of the electrode assembly 100.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the holding unit 230 is lowered to the second position (-z-axis direction) to hold the first unit body 101, and moves the first unit body 101 to the first position in the transfer direction (x-axis direction) of the electrode assembly 100. After the stacking of the first unit body 101 is completed, it may be lifted up from the first position (+z-axis direction), moved in the opposite direction to the transfer direction (-x-axis direction), lowered down, and then returned to the second position.

That is, the holding unit 230 may circulate on a path including the first position and the second position. In the example of fig. 2, the supply unit 210 is located at the left side of the drawing, the stacking unit 220 is located at the right side of the drawing, and the holding unit 230 moves along a counterclockwise path. However, the present invention is not limited to those shown, and when the supply unit 210 and the stacking unit 220 are symmetrically disposed as shown in fig. 2, they may be modified and changed to match various environments in which the present invention is implemented, for example, to be able to move along a clockwise path. It can be moved up and down or left and right more precisely so that the first unit body 101 or the second unit body 102 transferred by the holding unit 230 corresponds to the upper surface of the existing stack 190 placed on the stacking unit 220.

Meanwhile, when the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101 and moves the first unit body 101 to the stacking unit 220, the stacking unit 220 moves as follows. The stacking unit 220 moves to the lower side (in the-z axis direction) together with the previously transferred first unit body 101. Thus, folding is performed between the previously transferred first unit body 101 and the second unit body 102 adjacent to the previously transferred first unit body 101. In addition, when the first unit body 101 is stacked on the stacking unit 220, the holding unit 230 is driven at a constant speed in the transfer direction (x-axis direction) of the first unit body 101, so that the stacking unit 220 can also be synchronized with the holding unit 230 and move together in the x-axis direction. After the stacking of the first unit body 101 is completed, in order to ensure that the subsequent second unit body 102 is stacked, the moving speed of the stacking unit 220 in the-x axis direction may be faster than the returning speed of the holding unit 130. Further, the stacking unit 220 is moved upward (+z-axis direction) again such that the second unit body 102 is stacked on the previously transferred first unit body 101, and the electrode assembly is folded in a zigzag shape, i.e., a Z-shape. At this time, the stacking unit 220 is located at a position lower than the position of the first unit body 101 and the second unit body 102 when the previously transferred first unit body 101 is stacked. Thus, each time the transferred first unit bodies 101 are stacked in sequence, the stacking unit 220 stacks the first unit bodies 101 at a position lower than before by the height of the first unit bodies 101 and the second unit bodies 102 described above. Accordingly, the electrode assembly 100 is folded and stacked on the stacking unit 220 in a zigzag shape.

The number of the holding units 230 may be two or more. The holding unit 230 may include a first holding unit 230a and a second holding unit 230b. The first holding unit 230a transfers the kth first unit, and the second holding unit 230b may transfer the (k+1) th first unit, k being a natural number. As shown in fig. 2 to 4, after the first holding unit 230a completes the movement of the first unit body 101 to the stacking unit 220, the second holding unit 230b located at the second position may hold the first unit body 101 and move the first unit body 101 to the first position while moving from the first position to the second position (e.g., immediately after rising from the first position and immediately before moving in a direction opposite to the transfer direction of the first unit body 101). If two or more holding units are thus provided, the movement of the first unit body 101 to the stacking unit 220 may be continuously performed. At this time, in order to ensure that no collision occurs between the holding units 230, it is preferable that one of the holding units completes the stacking of the first unit body 101, and then the other holding unit holds the first unit body 101.

The holding unit 230 may use a pumping function. Specific examples of the holding unit 230 and its structure will be described in detail later with reference to fig. 7 to 11.

The detecting member 240 may be used to align the first unit cell 101 or the second unit cell 102 to a constant position of the existing stack 190 during the stacking of the electrode assembly 100. The detecting part 240 may be used to align the first unit body 101 with the holding part 230 or the stacking part 220.

That is, at least one of the stacking unit 220 and the first unit 101 is moved or rotated in the transferring direction of the electrode assembly or in the width direction of the electrode assembly according to the position information of the first unit 101 detected by the detecting unit 240, so that the stacking unit 220 and the first unit 101 may be aligned with each other.

Further, at least one of the holding unit 230 and the first unit 101 is moved or rotated in a transfer direction of the electrode assembly or a width direction of the electrode assembly according to the position information of the first unit 101 detected by the detection unit 240 such that the holding unit 230 and the first unit 101 are aligned with each other. More specifically, the detection unit 240 may be used to detect the position of the holding unit 230 or the first unit body 101, the first unit body 101 being the target of the holding unit 230. The detection unit 240 may detect the position of the holding unit 230 or the first unit 101 before the holding unit 230 holds the first unit 101 or after the holding unit holds the first unit 101. Further, the detection unit 240 may detect a position of the stacking unit 220, the holding unit 230, or the first unit body 101 before the first unit body 101 is stacked on the stacking unit 220.

The detection unit 240 may be used to detect the position of the target based on the acquired image. The detection unit 240 may include a camera with image acquisition capabilities. The detection unit 240 may also be referred to as "vision". Further, the detecting unit 240 of the present embodiment or the folding apparatus 200 of the present embodiment may include a control unit capable of performing data processing, which may detect a position value of the first unit body 101, the stacking unit 220, or the holding unit 230 from an image acquired by the detecting unit 240. Further, the folding apparatus 200 may include a storage unit storing the detected position value. Here, each position may be calculated as a (x, y, θ) value. At this time, the θ value may represent the inclination angle of the first unit body 101 with respect to the xy plane. Here, the x-axis may be a transfer direction of the electrode assembly 100, and the y-axis may be a width direction of the electrode assembly 100.

Meanwhile, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the detection unit 240 is described as "detecting" a position value or position information of a specific configuration, including detecting the position value or position information through an arithmetic processing procedure of the control unit. That is, the detection unit 240 is described as an example of a configuration including acquiring an image and calculating positional information of each configuration as (x, y, θ) values from the image.

The position value and the position information of the first unit body 101 confirmed by the detection unit 240 may be used to correct the position of the stacking unit 220. The stacking unit 220 and the detecting unit 240 may be connected through wired/wireless network communication, or may be connected through an input/output terminal and a cable. Further, the stacking unit 220 may include a control unit, and the position information may be processed by the control unit to adjust the position of the stacking unit 220.

In one example, the position information of the first unit body 101 detected by the detection unit 240 may be transmitted to the stacking unit 220 before the first unit body 101 is stacked on the stacking unit 220. The detection unit 240 may detect the position information of the stacking unit 220, and the transmitted position information of the first unit body 101 may be compared with the current position information of the stacking unit 220. The stacking unit 220 may move or rotate according to the position information of the first unit body 101, the stacking unit 220, or the holding unit 230 from the detecting unit 240. The stacking unit 220 may be adjusted by moving a difference between the current position and the position of the first unit body 101 in the x-axis or y-axis direction, or by rotating at an inclination angle θ such that the transferred first unit body 101 corresponds to the existing stack 190. Here, rotation may refer to rotation relative to the xy plane. Since the first unit body 101 thus shifted or tilted is transferred to the adjusted stacking unit 190, the first unit body 101 may be stacked so as to be aligned on the existing stack 190.

In one example, the position information of the first unit body 101 detected by the detection unit 240 may be transmitted to the holding unit 230 before the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101. The transmitted position information of the first unit body 101 may be compared with the position information of the holding unit 230. According to the comparison value, the holding unit 230 may be adjusted by moving in the x-axis or y-axis direction or by rotating the inclination angle θ. Since the displaced or inclined first unit body 101 is held by the adjusted holding unit 230, the first unit body 101 can be accurately held at the second position by the holding unit 230. In this way, not only the stacking unit 220 but also the holding unit 230 can adjust the position based on the position information transmitted from the detecting part 240. The holding unit 230 may be connected to the detecting unit 240 through wired/wireless network communication, or may be connected through an input/output terminal and a cable. Further, the holding unit 230 may include a control unit, and the position information may be processed by the control unit to adjust the position of the holding unit 230.

Meanwhile, herein, calculating a difference between the position information of the two configurations and adjusting the position of the stacking unit 220 or the holding unit 230 according to the difference may be performed by a separate control unit. Here, the control unit may be included in the folding apparatus 200 of the electrode assembly, or in a host system of the folding apparatus 200. The folding apparatus 200 or the hose system may include a communication unit in order to receive or transmit the processing result of the control unit.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, the number of the detection units 240 may be two or more. The detection unit 240 may include a first detection unit 240a and a second detection unit 240b.

The detection unit 240 may acquire an image within a predetermined range at a fixed position. The first detecting unit 240a may be located at a first position and the second detecting unit 240b may be located at a second position.

For example, in fig. 5, the first detecting unit 240a is used to detect the position information of the first stacked first unit body 101 and the stacking unit 220, and then in fig. 6, it may be used to detect the position information of the second stacked first unit body 101 and the stacking unit 220.

The first detecting unit 240a may acquire a position value of the first unit body 101 moved by the holding unit 230 at the first position, the stacking unit 220, or the first unit body 101 stacked on the stacking unit 220. The first detecting unit 240a detects a position value of the first unit body 101 stacked on the stacking unit 220, and thus can be used to confirm whether the stacked first unit body 101 is stacked side by side with the existing stack 190. Further, the first detecting unit 240a may grasp a position value of the first unit body 101 and the stacking unit 220 before the moving first unit body 101 is stacked, the position value being usable to allow the first unit body 101 to be stacked side by side with the existing stack 190.

Further, in fig. 5, the second detecting unit 240b serves to detect the position information of the second stacked first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230, and then in fig. 6, it can serve to detect the position information of the third stacked first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230.

The second detecting unit 240b may acquire the position value of the first unit body 101 held by the holding unit 230 and predetermined to be held by the holding unit 230 or previously held at the first position by the holding unit 230. The second detecting unit 240b may grasp a position value of the held first unit body 101, which may be used to adjust the position of the stacking unit 220. Here, the position value of the held first unit body 101 may be calculated based on the position where the holding unit 230 picks up the first unit body 101. The position value of the first unit body 101 held in this way may be calculated as a relative value between the holding unit 230 and the first unit body 101. Further, the second detecting unit 240b may grasp the position values of the holding unit 230 and the first unit body 101 before the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101, and may use the position values to match them.

Next, the holding unit 230 of the present embodiment will be described in more detail.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing one example of the holding unit included in fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged view of the holding unit shown in fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the pumping unit shown in fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the distal end shown in fig. 7.

Referring to fig. 7, the holding unit 230 of the present embodiment may be provided as a pumping device to which a gas pumping method is applied. The holding unit 230 may include a moving unit 232 moving the holding unit 230, a suction unit 234 temporarily attached to the target by sucking gas and lifting the target, and an end block 237 connected to an end of the suction unit 234.

Referring to fig. 8 and 9, the suction unit 234 may include at least one or more suction lines 235 therein. The suction line 235 may be provided in the form of a tube having a circular, square, or other cross-sectional shape. Multiple suction lines 235 may be provided to cover a wider surface. For example, the suction line 235 may be provided with three. As shown in fig. 9, a plurality of suction holes 236 may be formed in the suction line 235. The suction hole 236 may be provided in a direction extending from the width direction (y-axis direction) of the first unit body 101 or the electrode assembly 100. When the suction unit 234 starts the suction function, external air flows into the suction unit 234, specifically, through the suction hole 236 into the suction line 235, thereby enabling the target, i.e., the first unit 101 located at the lower side of the suction unit 234, to be attached to the suction unit 234. As the number of the suction holes 236 increases, the performance of the suction unit 234 may be maximized. However, when there is a restriction in the suction flow rate, the large number of suction holes 236 may adversely deteriorate the suction performance.

Referring to fig. 10, a block 237 is a portion connected to the end of the suction unit 234, and may be located at an end of the holding unit 230. The block 237 may include a block connection hole 238 connected to the suction line 235 and a block suction hole 239 for sucking gas similar to the suction hole 236 of the suction line 235. When the block suction hole 239 is formed in the block 237, the end of the first unit 101 can be well attached to the suction unit 234, so that the holding and moving performance of the first unit 101 can be further improved.

Meanwhile, fig. 7 to 10 show an example of the holding unit 230, and the holding unit 230 of this embodiment may be provided in another form.

Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the holding unit included in fig. 2. Referring to fig. 11, the holding unit 230 of the present embodiment is a suction device to which a gas suction method is applied, and may be provided as a bellows type suction cup. The bellows type holding unit 230 may suck in gas through a suction hole opened to a lower portion. The bellows type suction cup may be provided such that the cross section of the bellows type suction cup has a reverse taper as shown in fig. 11 (a), and may also be provided with corrugations on the circumferential surface of the bellows type suction cup as shown in fig. 11 (b), thereby coping with external forces and having a buffering effect, minimizing damage to the object. One of the above bellows-type suction cups may be provided in the holding unit 230, or a plurality of suction cups may be provided to cover a larger area, as needed.

In describing the holding unit 230 above, the holding unit 230 having the gas sucking function is mainly described. However, the holding unit 230 may be provided without a gas sucking function, and in one example, the holding unit 230 may be provided in the form of a clamp or a gripper that grips, fixes, and moves the target. However, since the electrode assembly 100 of the present embodiment is formed to be connected to the plurality of units 101 and 102, unnecessary tension may be generated in the electrode assembly 100 when the holder unit 230 is used in a clamping manner. Further, when the holding unit 230 grips the units 101 and 102 in the form of a clamp or a gripper and stacks the units 101 and 102 on the existing stack 190, a portion of the holding unit 230 is located between the existing stack 190 and the unit bodies 101 and 102, so that the electrodes 110 and 120 or the separator 130 may be damaged during the disassembly of the grip unit 230. Further, the holding unit 230 of the present embodiment is attached to and released from the unit bodies 101 and 102 by being raised or lowered in the z-axis direction, but in the case of the holding unit 230 in the form of a clamp or a gripper, the unit bodies 101 and 102 are clamped and lowered by being moved back and forth toward the unit bodies 101 and 102 in the y-axis direction, which causes problems of somewhat complicated operation and increased operation time.

A method of folding the electrode assembly of the present embodiment will be described below. The folding method described below is an electrode assembly folding method using the electrode assembly folding apparatus 200 described above. Accordingly, the folding method of the electrode assembly includes all the contents related to the above-described folding apparatus 200, and thus, a detailed description of the overlapped contents is omitted.

It should be noted in advance that the numerals S1000 to S1500 in parentheses below are not shown in the drawings but are shown for convenience in distinguishing each step.

The electrode assembly manufacturing method (S1000) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101 of the electrode assembly 100 supplied from the supply unit 210 (S1100), the holding unit 230 transfers the first unit body 101 to the stacking unit 220 (S1200), the stacking unit 220 moves to the lower side (S1300), and the first unit body 101 transferred by the holding unit 230 is stacked on the stack 190 placed on the stacking unit 220 (S1400).

In step (S1100), the holding of the first unit body 101 may be performed by sucking gas into the holding unit 230. For example, the step (S1100) may include the steps of: a step of lowering the holding unit 230 toward the first unit body 101 (S1110); a step of starting an operation of the suction function of the holding unit 230 (S1120); a step (S1130) of flowing the gas into the suction line 235 through the suction hole 236 of the holding unit 230; and a step of attaching the holding unit 230 and the first unit body 101 (S1140).

At this time, the holding unit 230 may be located at the second position.

Meanwhile, the first unit body 101 held by the holding unit 230 is then formed into a stack 190, wherein in order to stack the first unit bodies 101 side by side on the stack 190, it may be preferable that the holding unit 230 always holds a specific position of the first unit body 101 in step (S1100). Therefore, the present embodiment may further include a step of acquiring position information by the detection unit 240 to match the positions of the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230. The detecting unit 240 located above the second position used herein may be a second detecting unit 240b.

For example, the detection unit 240 may detect the positions of the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230 such that the positions of the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230 correspond to each other before the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101.

In this case, the step (S1100) may include a step of detecting the position information of the first unit body 101 or the holding unit 230 by the detecting unit 240, and a step of adjusting the position of the holding unit 230 according to the position information of the detecting unit 240 such that the positions of the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230 correspond to each other. In addition, before the step of adjusting the position of the holding unit 230, a step of comparing the position information of the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230 may be further included.

The above-described steps may be performed before the step of lowering the holding unit 230 toward the first unit body 101 (S1110) or before the step of starting the pumping function of the holding unit 230 (S1120).

On the other hand, it may be difficult for the holding unit 230 to always hold a specific position of the first unit body 101 due to the moving characteristic of the first unit body 101. Accordingly, after the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101, it is desirable to grasp the relative positional information between the held first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230, and move the stacking unit 220 on the basis thereof to form the stack 190 side by side. For example, the detection unit 240 may detect the position of the first unit body 101 or the holding unit 230 after the holding unit 230 holds the first unit body 101. Here, the detection unit 240 may detect a relative position between the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230. The detection unit 240 may grasp the position of the first unit body 101 through the position of the holding unit 230. The detection unit 240 may calculate a position value at which the holding unit 230 picks up the first unit body 101 and detects the position value of the first unit body 101 based on the position value. For example, the detection unit 240 may check whether the holding unit 230 is connected to the center of the first unit body 101 and coupled to the edge of the first unit body 101, thereby grasping the position information of the first unit body 101.

In this case, the electrode assembly folding method (S1000) of the present embodiment may further include a step of detecting position information of the holding unit 230 or the held first unit body 101 by the detecting unit 240 after the step (S1100). Further, after the above-described steps, the method may further include a step of transmitting the position information detected by the detection unit 240 to the stacking unit 220.

The above steps are not necessarily performed immediately after the step (S1100), but should be performed within a range in which the position information can be detected by the detection unit 240.

Further, the electrode assembly folding method (S1000) of the present embodiment may include all steps of using the detection unit 240 to correspond to the first unit body 101 and the holding unit 230 before the holding of the holding unit 230, or all steps of using the detection unit 240 to acquire the position information of the held first unit body 101 after the holding of the holding unit 230, and may include only one of the steps.

In step (S1200), the holding unit 230 may be moved from the second position to the first position. The holding unit 230 may transfer the first unit body 101 from the second position to the first position toward the stacking unit 220. Here, the suction function of the holding unit 230 may be in a state of starting the operation thereof, and the lower surface of the holding unit 230 and the upper surface of the first unit body 101 may be in a state of being attached to each other.

In step (S1300), the stacking unit 220 may move to the lower side. When the holding unit 230 moves from the second position to the first position, the stacking unit 220 may move to the lower side. Here, the lower side may refer to a lower side with respect to one surface of the electrode assembly 100 transferred from the supply unit 210. In the stacking unit 220, an existing stack 190 that has been formed may be located. When the upper surface of the existing stack 190 is moved to the lower side, at the time of transfer of the first unit body 101, a portion between the second unit body 102 placed in the transfer direction (x-axis direction) of the first unit body 101 and the transferred first unit 101 is folded to one side p1, and a portion between the second unit body 102 and the existing stack 190 is folded to the other side p2, so that the electrode assembly 100 may be folded in a zigzag shape.

At this time, the position information acquired by the detection unit 240 may be used to stack the first unit cells 101 side by side on the existing stack 190. The stacking unit 220 may adjust a position according to the position information acquired by the detecting unit 240, and may allow the first unit body 101 to be stacked side by side on the existing stack 190.

In this case, the step (S1300) may include a step (S1310) of adjusting the position of the stacking unit 220 using the position information received from the detecting unit 240. Further, before the step of adjusting the position of the stacking unit 220, a step of comparing the position information of the first unit body 101 and the stacking unit 220 may be included.

Here, the above-described step (S1310) may be performed before the stacking unit 220 is moved to the lower side, or may be performed while the stacking unit 220 is moved to the lower side, or may be performed after that. I.e., step (S1310) may be performed before step (S1400).

Here, the position information received from the detection unit 240 may include position information detected by the second detection unit 240 b.

Specifically, after the holding unit 230 is held at the second position, the second detecting unit 240b may detect the held position information of the first unit body 101 and may transmit the information to the stacking unit 220. The stacking unit 220 may adjust the position of the stacking unit 220 based on the position information of the first unit body 101.

Therefore, as described above, before step (S1310), a step of the second detection unit 240b detecting the position information of the holding unit 230 or the held first unit body 101, and a step of transmitting the position information detected by the second detection unit 240 to the stacking unit 220 may be performed.

Further, the position information received from the detection unit 240 may include position information detected by the first detection unit 240 a.

Further, the first detecting unit 240a may detect the current position of the stacking unit 220 or the position of the first unit body 101 before the first unit body 101 moved from the first position is stacked, and may transmit the above position to the stacking unit 220. The stacking unit 220 may adjust the position of the stacking unit 220 based on such position information.

Therefore, before step (S1310), a step of the first detection unit 240a detecting the position information of the first unit body 101 or the stacking unit 220, and a step of the first detection unit 240a transmitting the detected position information to the stacking unit 220 may be performed.

Further, in step (S1400), the transferred first unit body 101 may be located on the stacking unit 220. The first unit body 101 may be stacked on the existing stack 190 of the stacking unit 220. Accordingly, on the upper surface of the existing stack 190, the second unit body 102 located on the far side of the transfer direction (x-axis direction) of the first unit body 101 and the transferred first unit body 101 can be stacked.

Meanwhile, the sensing unit 240, specifically, the first sensing unit 240a, may be used to confirm whether the stacked first unit body 101 is stacked side by side with the existing stack 190. If the first unit cells 101 are not stacked side by side, the corresponding stack 190 may be determined to be defective and discharged to the outside of the process.

Therefore, the electrode assembly folding method (S1000) of the present embodiment may further include a step (S1500) of the detecting unit 240 confirming whether the first unit body 101 and the existing stack 190 correspond to each other after the step (S1400). Here, the above steps may be performed by the first detection unit 240 a.

Accordingly, the step of the detection unit 240 confirming whether the first unit body 101 corresponds to the existing stack 190 (S1500) may be embodied as a step of the first detection unit 240a detecting the position of the stacked first unit body 101, stack 190, or stack unit 220, a step of comparing the position information of the first unit body 101 and stack 190, and a step of determining that the first unit body 101 is defective if it does not correspond to the existing stack 190.

After the above steps are completed, the holding unit 230 may be lifted up to wait for the next operation, or may be moved opposite to the transfer direction to transfer the first unit body 101. Further, when the above steps are performed by the first holding unit 230a, the second holding unit 230b may perform the above steps again after performing the above steps (S1100).

By repeating the above steps, the first unit body 101 and the second unit body 102 can be continuously stacked on the stacking unit 220, and the stacking height of the stack 190 can be increased. The stack 190 formed through the above-described steps may be stacked in a zigzag stacking manner in a horizontal direction, thereby being rapidly and accurately stacked. In addition, the stack 190 formed through the above-described steps may minimize damage by performing movement of the electrodes using a pumping device of a pumping method.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention as defined in the appended claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[ description of reference numerals ]

110: first electrode

120: second electrode

130: diaphragm

190: stacking

200: electrode assembly folding apparatus

210: supply unit

220: stacked unit

230: holding unit

232: mobile unit

234: suction unit

235: suction line

236: suction hole

237: block and method for manufacturing the same

238: block connecting hole

239: block suction hole

240: detection unit

Claims (20)

1. An electrode assembly folding apparatus for folding an electrode assembly in a zigzag shape, the apparatus comprising:

a supply unit that supplies an electrode assembly including two sheet-shaped separators, a second electrode continuously located between inner surfaces of the separators facing each other, and a first electrode alternately located on outer surfaces of the two separators up and down, wherein the first unit body and the second unit body are alternately connected to each other, and the first electrode of the first unit body is located at an upper side and the first electrode of the second unit body is located at a lower side;

A holding unit that holds and transfers the first unit body supplied from the supply unit; and

and a stacking unit stacking the first unit body transferred by the holding unit.

2. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holding unit places the transferred first unit body on the stacking unit, then rises and moves toward the supply unit, and then descends to a position where the holding unit holds the subsequent first unit body.

3. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holding unit is cyclically moved in a path including a first position and a second position,

the first position is a position where the first unit body is stacked on the stacking unit,

the second position is a position where the holding unit holds the first unit body supplied from the supply unit.

4. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

when the supply unit is located at the left side and the stacking unit is located at the right side, the holding unit is circulated in the counterclockwise direction.

5. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

When the supply unit is located on the right side and the stacking unit is located on the left side, the holding unit is circulated in the clockwise direction.

6. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holding unit includes a first holding unit transferring the kth first unit body and a second holding unit transferring the (k+1) th first unit body,

the kth first unit body is stacked on the stacking unit, and then the second holding unit holds the kth+1th first unit body,

k is a natural number.

7. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holding unit is attached to an upper surface of the first electrode of the first unit body.

8. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holding unit is a suction device using a gas suction method.

9. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the holding unit includes a tubular suction line, and the suction line is provided with a plurality of suction holes.

10. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the plurality of suction holes are disposed in a direction extending in a width direction of the electrode assembly.

11. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when the first unit body is transferred by the holding unit, the stacking unit is lowered such that a portion between a previously transferred first unit body and a second unit body adjacent to the previously transferred first unit body and a portion between the second unit body and the transferred first unit body are folded in opposite directions to each other.

12. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the stacking unit is raised again so that the transferred first unit cell is stacked on the existing stack.

13. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

and a detection unit for detecting a position of the first unit body.

14. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

at least one of the stacking unit and the first unit moves or rotates in a transfer direction of the electrode assembly or in a width direction of the electrode assembly according to the position information of the first unit detected by the detecting unit, whereby the stacking unit and the first unit are aligned with each other.

15. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

at least one of the holding unit and the first unit moves or rotates in a transfer direction of the electrode assembly or a width direction of the electrode assembly according to the position information of the first unit detected by the detection unit, whereby the holding unit and the first unit are aligned with each other.

16. The electrode assembly folding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the detection unit comprises a first detection unit and a second detection unit,

the first detection unit is located above the first position,

the second detection unit is positioned above the second position,

the first position is a position where the first unit body is stacked in the stacking unit, and

the second position is a position where the holding unit holds the first unit body.

17. An electrode assembly folding method for folding an electrode assembly in a zigzag shape, the method comprising:

supplying an electrode assembly by a supply unit, wherein the electrode assembly includes two sheet-shaped separators, a second electrode is continuously positioned between inner surfaces of the separators facing each other, and first electrodes are alternately positioned on outer surfaces of the two separators up and down, wherein first unit bodies and second unit bodies are alternately connected to each other, and the first electrodes of the first unit bodies are positioned at an upper side, and the first electrodes of the second unit bodies are positioned at a lower side;

Holding the first unit body supplied from the supply unit by a holding unit and transferring the first unit body; and

stacking the first unit body transferred by the holding unit on the stacking unit,

wherein the holding unit places the transferred first unit body on the stacking unit, then rises and moves toward the supply unit, and then descends to a position where the holding unit holds the subsequent first unit body.

18. The electrode assembly folding method according to claim 17, wherein:

the holding unit includes a first holding unit transferring the kth first unit body and a second holding unit transferring the (k+1) th first unit body,

the kth first unit body is stacked on the stacking unit, and then the second holding unit holds the kth+1th first unit body,

k is a natural number.

19. The electrode assembly folding method according to claim 17, wherein:

when the first unit body is transferred by the holding unit, the stacking unit is lowered such that a portion between a previously transferred first unit body and a second unit body adjacent to the previously transferred first unit body and a portion between the second unit body and the transferred first unit body are folded in opposite directions to each other, and

The stacking unit is raised again so that the transferred first unit body is stacked on the existing stack.

20. The electrode assembly folding method according to claim 17, wherein:

before the step of stacking the first unit body, the method further includes:

detecting, by the detection unit, position information of the first unit body; and

the position of the stacking unit or the holding unit is adjusted based on the position information of the first unit body detected by the detecting unit.