Electrode winding system

Abstract

An electrode winding system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a winding device configured to wind an electrode; a temperature control device configured to heat or cool the winding device; a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the winding device; and a control device configured to control the temperature control device according to the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electrode winding system.

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0071085, filed in Korea on June 1, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0071095, filed in Korea on May 30, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0004] A winding roller may be used during the thermal winding of an electrode. During the thermal winding of an electrode using a winding roller, if the surface temperature of the winding roller decreases due to heat loss, the electrode may not be effectively pressed.

[0005] In particular, if temperature loss occurs in the winding roller, it cannot be guaranteed that the temperature loss occurs uniformly over the entire surface of the winding roller. In this case, it is difficult to transmit pressure uniformly across the entire width of the electrode. The non-uniform pressure applied to each part of the electrode during winding may exacerbate the occurrence of electrode swelling.

[0006] In addition, the temperature loss of the roller used for winding may cause the roller to shrink, and this shrinkage of the roller may result in an electrode thickness after winding that is greater than the standard value.

[0007] Therefore, controlling the surface temperature of the winding roller for electrode winding can be regarded as the key to ensuring process efficiency. However, if the temperature of the winding roller is maintained at an extremely high level in order to keep the surface temperature of the winding roller high enough, during the electrode winding process, due to the extremely high winding temperature, wrinkles may occur in the uncoated part of the electrode.

[0008] Therefore, a method needs to be prepared to ensure that the surface temperature of the winding roller for electrode winding can be appropriately controlled and to prevent problems due to the temperature loss of the winding roller. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical Problem

[0010] The present disclosure aims to solve the problems of the related art, and thus the present disclosure is committed to achieving appropriate control of the temperature of the winding roller for winding an electrode.

[0011] The present disclosure is also committed to minimizing the temperature loss on the surface of the winding roller due to the high-speed operation of the electrode during thermal winding.

[0012] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other purposes not mentioned from the following disclosure.

[0013] Technical Solution

[0014] In one aspect of the present disclosure, an electrode winding system is provided, and the electrode winding system includes: a winding device configured to wind an electrode; a temperature adjustment device configured to heat or cool the winding device; a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the winding device; and a control device configured to control the temperature adjustment device according to the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor.

[0015] The winding device may include a pair of winding rollers.

[0016] The temperature adjustment device may be configured to adjust the temperature of the winding device by circulating a fluid, and may be configured to adjust the temperature of the circulating fluid according to information about the temperature of the winding device.

[0017] The fluid may be oil.

[0018] The temperature adjustment device may include heating wires built into the winding device.

[0019] The temperature adjustment device may include: a heating unit configured to raise the temperature of the winding device; and a cooling unit configured to lower the temperature of the winding device.

[0020] The temperature sensor may be configured to measure the surface temperature of the winding device.

[0021] When the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor exceeds a reference value, the control device may control the temperature adjustment device to cool the winding device, and when the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the reference value, the control device may control the temperature adjustment device to heat the winding device.

[0022] The electrode winding system may include a preheating device configured to preheat the electrode before the electrode is wound by the winding device.

[0023] The preheating device may be configured to preheat the electrode by an NIR heating method.

[0024] The winding device may be a secondary winding device configured to perform secondary winding after the primary winding of the electrode by a primary winding device is completed.

[0025] The electrode winding system may include a preheating device configured to preheat the electrode before the electrode is wound by the winding device, and the preheating device may be configured to preheat the electrode after winding by the primary winding device and before winding by the secondary winding device.

[0026] Advantageous effects

[0027] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature of the winding roller for winding the electrode can be appropriately controlled.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, during thermal winding, the temperature loss on the surface of the winding roller due to the high-speed operation of the electrode can be minimized.

[0029] However, the advantageous effects obtainable by the present disclosure are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other advantageous effects not mentioned from the following disclosure. Description of the drawings

[0030] The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and are used together with the foregoing disclosure to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an electrode winding system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a temperature adjustment device for controlling the temperature of the winding device of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 3 is a diagram showing that the flow path density is formed differently according to the position in the winding device of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the structure in which a heating wire is installed in the winding device of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the temperature adjustment device of the present disclosure includes a heating unit and a cooling unit.

[0036] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the temperature sensor of the present disclosure is configured to measure the temperature of the winding device in a non-contact manner.

[0037] Figure 7 is a diagram showing an electrode winding system including a preheating device.

[0038] Figure 8 is a diagram showing an electrode winding system including a primary winding device and a secondary winding device.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing an electrode winding system configured to perform preheating after the first winding and before the second winding. Detailed implementation mode

[0040] The preferred implementation modes of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before the description, it should be understood that the terms used in the specification and claims should not be construed as limited to the general and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that allows the inventor to appropriately define the terms for the best interpretation. Therefore, the description presented herein is only a preferred example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that other equivalent solutions and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0041] First, with reference to Figure 1 , the electrode winding system of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an electrode winding system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] With reference to Figure 1 , the electrode winding system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a winding device 10, a temperature adjustment device 20, a temperature sensor 30, and a control device 40.

[0043] The winding device 10 may be configured to wind the electrode E. The winding device 10 may include, for example, a pair of winding rollers 11. The temperature adjustment device 20 may be configured to heat or cool the winding device 10. The temperature sensor 30 may be configured to measure the temperature of the winding device 10. The control device 40 may be configured to control the temperature adjustment device 20 according to the temperature of the winding device 10 measured by the temperature sensor 30.

[0044] The electrode winding system of the present disclosure may be configured to measure the temperature of the winding device 10 during the process of winding the electrode E, and control the heating and / or cooling operation of the temperature adjustment device 20 with reference to the measured temperature. Therefore, the electrode winding system of the present disclosure may control the temperature of the winding device 10 during the process of winding the electrode E so that the temperature of the winding device 10 does not exceed the appropriate temperature range required for winding the electrode E.

[0045] When performing hot winding, if the temperature of the winding roller 11 drops below the reference temperature, the linear pressure applied to the electrode E may increase. As a result, the expansion generated on the electrode E may become severe. In addition, if the winding temperature is insufficient, the winding roller 11 may contract. As a result, the thickness of the electrode E after winding may increase compared to the target thickness. On the contrary, when performing hot winding, if the winding temperature exceeds the reference temperature, the electrode E may be damaged by heat. For example, if the winding temperature is too high, wrinkles may occur in the uncoated portion of the electrode E, which may make the winding process impossible.

[0046] Considering these problems, the electrode winding system of the present disclosure can be configured to automatically control the winding temperature. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the winding temperature of the electrode E from dropping severely and making effective winding impossible, or prevent the winding temperature of the electrode E from rising severely and damaging the electrode E.

[0047] At the same time, the electrode E wound by the electrode winding system of the present disclosure can be an electrode for a secondary battery. The electrode E may include an electrode current collector and an electrode active material layer coated on one or both sides of the electrode current collector. The electrode E can be conveyed in one direction. The electrode E can be conveyed in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1 . The electrode E can be wound while passing between a pair of winding rollers 11, thereby reducing its thickness.

[0048] Next, the temperature adjustment device 20 of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 . Figure 2 FIG. is a diagram showing a temperature adjustment device for controlling the temperature of the winding device of the present disclosure.

[0049] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the temperature adjustment device 20 of the present disclosure can be configured to adjust the temperature of the winding device 10 by circulating a fluid. The temperature adjustment device 20 can be configured to adjust the temperature of the circulating fluid according to the temperature information of the winding device 10 measured by the temperature sensor 30.

[0050] In this way, the electrode winding system of the present disclosure can include a temperature adjustment device 20 configured to adjust the temperature of the winding device 10, thereby improving the winding quality by appropriately maintaining the winding temperature.

[0051] The temperature adjustment device 20 may include a flow path P for the circulation of a fluid. The flow path P may be configured to pass through the interior of the winding roller 11. The fluid passing through the flow path P may be, for example, oil. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and water, gas, etc. may also be used as the fluid for controlling the temperature. The flow path P may be in contact with the inner surface of the winding roller 11. Thus, according to the temperature of the fluid flowing through the flow path P, the outer periphery of the winding roller 11 may be heated or cooled by heat conduction. The temperature adjustment device 20 may include a chamber for supplying the fluid to the flow path P. The fluid heated or cooled in the chamber or in a separate device may pass through the interior of the winding roller 11 through the flow path P and then flow back to the chamber.

[0052] The temperature adjustment device 20 may include a fluid heating device configured to heat the fluid for temperature adjustment. The temperature adjustment device 20 may include a valve configured to allow or block the circulation of the fluid through part or all of the flow path P. The operation of the temperature adjustment device 20 may be controlled by the control device 40 so as to maintain the temperature of the winding device 10 within a range suitable for winding.

[0053] In the drawings of the present application, only the structure in which the winding roller 11 disposed on one side of the electrode E is connected to the temperature adjustment device 20 is shown. However, this is for convenience of illustration, and the temperature adjustment device 20 may be connected to both of the pair of winding rollers 11.

[0054] Next, with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a structure in which the flow path P is formed with different densities at various positions inside the winding roller 11 will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram showing that the flow path density is formed differently according to the position in the winding device according to the present disclosure.

[0055] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 , in the flow path P, the arrangement density in the region (A region) adjacent to both ends in the rotation axis direction of the winding roller 11 (the direction parallel to the Y axis) may be higher than the arrangement density in the region (B region) adjacent to the center.

[0056] In this case, when hot winding is performed, more heat may be transferred to the edge (A region) of the winding roller 11, and the heat loss rate in this region may be relatively high. By transferring more heat to the region (A region) with a relatively high heat loss, the temperature deviation of the entire surface area in contact with the electrode E of the winding roller 11 can be reduced. This can produce the effect of forming a constant thickness over the entire surface area of the electrode E in the rotation axis direction of the winding roller 11.

[0057] Next, with reference to Figure 4 and Figure 1 and Figure 3 , an embodiment in which a heating wire L is disposed in the temperature adjustment device 20 of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 4This is a diagram showing the structure in which a heating wire is installed inside the winding device of the present disclosure.

[0058] Referring to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the temperature adjustment device 20 may include a heating wire L built into the winding device 10. In this case, the amount of electric current flowing through the heating wire L can be controlled by the control device 40, so as to ensure that the temperature of the winding device 10 is maintained within a range suitable for winding.

[0059] Meanwhile, although not shown in the figure, similar to the case described with reference to Figure 3 , the arrangement density of the heating wire L in the region (region A) adjacent to both ends in the rotation axis direction of the winding roller 11 may be higher than that in the region (region B) adjacent to the center.

[0060] In this case, when thermal winding is performed, more heat can be transferred to the edge (region A) of the winding roller 11, and the heat loss rate in this region may be relatively high. By transferring more heat to the region (region A) with relatively high heat loss, the temperature deviation of the entire surface region where the electrode E contacts the winding roller 11 can be reduced. This can produce the effect of forming a constant thickness over the entire surface region of the electrode E along the rotation axis direction of the winding roller 11.

[0061] Next, referring to Figure 5 and Figure 1 , embodiments of the temperature adjustment device 20 of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the temperature adjustment device of the present disclosure includes a heating unit and a cooling unit.

[0062] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 5 , the temperature adjustment device 20 may include a heating unit and a cooling unit. The heating unit may be configured to increase the temperature of the winding device 10. The cooling unit may be configured to decrease the temperature of the winding device 10.

[0063] In this way, if the temperature adjustment device 20 is configured to include both a heating unit and a cooling unit at the same time, when the surface temperature of the winding roller 11 does not reach the appropriate temperature for winding the electrode E or exceeds the appropriate temperature, winding can be effectively performed through rapid temperature adjustment. If the temperature adjustment device 20 only includes a heating unit for increasing the temperature of the winding roller 11, when heat loss occurs in the winding roller 11 and the winding temperature drops below the reference temperature, this situation can be quickly handled through the operation of the heating unit. However, if the winding temperature exceeds the reference temperature, it is difficult to quickly control the temperature. In other words, even if the operation of the heating unit is stopped to reduce the temperature of the winding roller 11, it is difficult to quickly control the temperature because it takes a long time for the temperature of the winding roller 11 to naturally decrease.

[0064] The heating unit can be configured, for example, to heat a fluid such that the temperature of the fluid is higher than the temperature of the winding roller 11 and use the heated fluid to heat the winding roller 11. Alternatively, the heating unit can be configured, for example, to use a heating wire to heat the winding roller 11. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various types of heating units configured to increase the temperature of the winding roller 11 can be applied.

[0065] The cooling unit can be configured, for example, to cool a fluid such that the temperature of the fluid is lower than the temperature of the winding roller 11 and use the cooled fluid to cool the winding roller 11. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various types of cooling units configured to decrease the temperature of the winding roller 11 can be applied.

[0066] Next, with reference to Figure 6 and Figure 1 , an exemplary form of the temperature sensor 30 of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the temperature sensor of the present disclosure is configured to measure the temperature of the winding device in a non-contact manner.

[0067] With reference to Figure 1 and Figure 6 , the temperature sensor 30 can be configured to measure the surface temperature of the winding roller 11. The temperature sensor 30 can be configured to measure the temperature of the outer circumference of the winding roller 11 in contact with the electrode E.

[0068] For effective winding, the surface temperature of the winding roller 11 in direct contact with the electrode E during winding needs to be maintained within an appropriate range. In terms of productivity, the transfer speed of the electrode E within the system for manufacturing the electrode E needs to be maintained at a certain level or higher. However, when thermal winding is performed, as the transfer speed of the electrode E increases, heat loss on the surface of the winding roller 11 may occur more quickly. Therefore, by directly measuring the surface temperature of the winding roller 11 and quickly compensating for the heat loss on the surface of the winding roller 11 with reference to the surface temperature, the winding quality can be improved.

[0069] The temperature sensor 30 can be configured, for example, to measure the surface temperature of the winding roller 11 in a non-contact manner. The temperature sensor 30 can be configured to provide information about the measured surface temperature of the winding roller 11 to the control device 40.

[0070] Meanwhile, the drawings of the present application only show the case where the temperature sensor 30 is disposed at a position corresponding to one of a pair of winding rollers 11, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other words, the temperature sensor 30 of the present disclosure can be configured to measure the temperatures of both of the pair of winding rollers 11. For example, at least one pair of temperature sensors 30 can be provided, and each of the pair of temperature sensors 30 can be configured to measure the temperature of each of the pair of winding rollers 11.

[0071] Next, with reference toFigure 1 The control device 40 of the present disclosure will be described in more detail.

[0072] Referring to Figure 1 , when the temperature of the winding device 10 measured by the temperature sensor 30 exceeds the reference value, the control device 40 can control the temperature regulating device to cool the winding device 10; and when the temperature of the winding device 10 measured by the temperature sensor 30 is lower than the reference value, the control device 40 can control the temperature regulating device to heat the winding device.

[0073] In this way, the electrode winding system of the present disclosure can ensure that an appropriate winding temperature is continuously maintained by including the control device 40, which controls the temperature of the winding roller 11 through the temperature regulating device 20 according to the temperature of the winding device 10 measured by the temperature sensor 30.

[0074] Cooling of the winding device 10 can mean active cooling (such as circulation of a fluid having a temperature lower than the measured temperature) in the case where the temperature of the winding roller 11 is measured to be higher than the appropriate reference temperature range for winding. Conversely, cooling of the winding device 10 can mean passive cooling by not heating the winding roller 11 to reduce the temperature of the winding roller 11. As described above, heating of the winding device 10 can mean heating using fluid circulation and / or using heating wires.

[0075] The control device 40 of the present disclosure does not necessarily refer to a component physically separated from the temperature regulating device 20. That is, the temperature regulating device 20 and the control device 40 of the present disclosure can be provided as an integrated device.

[0076] Next, referring to Figure 7 and Figure 1 , the preheating device 50 of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an electrode winding system including a preheating device.

[0077] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 7 , the electrode winding system of the present disclosure can include a preheating device 50. The preheating device 50 can be configured to preheat the electrode E before the electrode E is wound by the winding device 10.

[0078] When the electrode E is wound after being preheated using the preheating device 50, a rapid loss of the surface temperature of the winding roller 11 as winding progresses can be prevented. Since the electrode E is preheated, the temperature of the electrode E can increase, thereby minimizing the temperature difference between the surface of the winding roller 11 and the electrode E. As a result, when the electrode E comes into contact with the winding roller 11, heat loss occurring on the surface of the winding roller 11 can be minimized. In addition, since heat loss on the surface of the winding roller 11 during the winding process is minimized, the temperature of the winding roller 11 can be more easily controlled by the temperature regulating device 20.

[0079] The preheating device 50 can be configured to heat the electrode E by, for example, an NIR (near-infrared) heating method. For example, the preheating device 50 can be an NIR oven.

[0080] In the drawings of the present application, the preheating device 50 is only shown as being arranged on one side of the electrode E, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The preheating device 50 can be provided on both sides of the electrode E respectively.

[0081] Next, with reference to Figure 8 , the electrode winding system of the present disclosure configured to perform multiple windings will be described. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an electrode winding system including a primary winding device and a secondary winding device.

[0082] With reference to Figure 8 , the electrode winding system of the present disclosure can include a primary winding device 60 and a secondary winding device 10. That is, with reference to Figure 1 The winding device 10 of the present disclosure described can be a secondary winding device 10, which is configured to perform secondary winding after the primary winding is completed. The temperature adjustment performed by the temperature adjustment device 20, the temperature sensor 30, and the control device 40 of the present disclosure can be performed only for the secondary winding device 10. Of course, both the primary winding device 60 and the secondary winding device 10 can be configured to maintain the surface temperature of the winding rollers 61, 11 within a certain range. However, in terms of process efficiency, when it is intended to control the temperature of only one winding device, it may be more advantageous to control the temperature of the secondary winding device 20.

[0083] As the electrode E undergoes primary winding and secondary winding, the thickness of the electrode E can decrease successively. In this case, managing the process conditions during secondary winding may be more difficult than managing the process conditions during primary winding. Therefore, it may be necessary to control the surface temperature of the winding roller 11 of the secondary winding device 10 to manage the process conditions during secondary winding.

[0084] Next, with reference to Figure 9 and Figure 8 , the time point for preheating in the case where the electrode winding system of the present disclosure is configured to perform primary winding and secondary winding will be explained. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an electrode winding system configured to perform preheating after primary winding and before secondary winding.

[0085] With reference to Figure 9 and Figure 8 , the preheating device 50 of the present disclosure can be configured to preheat the electrode E after the winding performed by the primary winding device 60 is completed and before the winding by the secondary winding device 10.

[0086] In this case, the winding quality can be improved by secondary winding. In addition, in this case, the temperature loss rate of the winding roller 11 of the secondary winding device 10 can be reduced, thereby further improving the winding quality.

[0087] In the drawings of the present application, only an electrode winding system configured to perform preheating after winding by the primary winding device 60 and before winding by the secondary winding device 10 is shown, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other words, the preheating device 50 of the present disclosure can be arranged to perform preheating both before the primary winding and before the secondary winding. However, if only one preheating process is applied considering process efficiency, it may be advantageous to perform preheating after the primary winding is completed and before the secondary winding is executed. This is because it may be more difficult to manage the process conditions of the secondary winding than those of the primary winding.

[0088] Meanwhile, in the present application Figure 9 the temperature regulating device 20, the temperature sensor 30, and the control device 40 are not depicted, but these components can be applied to control the temperature of the secondary winding device 10 and can additionally be applied to control the temperature of the primary winding device 10.

[0089] The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that although the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, they are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0090] [Reference Signs]

[0091] E: Electrode

[0092] 10: Winding device (primary winding device)

[0093] 11: Winding roller

[0094] 20: Temperature regulating device

[0095] P: Flow path

[0096] L: Heating wire

[0097] 30: Temperature sensor

[0098] 40: Control device

[0099] 50: Preheating device

[0100] 60: Winding device (secondary winding device)

[0101] 61: Winding roller

Claims

1. An electrode winding system, the electrode winding system comprising: A winding device configured to wind an electrode; A temperature adjustment device configured to heat or cool the winding device; A temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the winding device; And A control device configured to control the temperature adjustment device according to the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor.

2. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The winding device includes a pair of winding rollers.

3. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The temperature adjustment device is configured to adjust the temperature of the winding device by circulating a fluid, and the temperature adjustment device is configured to adjust the temperature of the circulated fluid according to information about the temperature of the winding device.

4. The electrode winding system according to claim 3, Among them, The fluid is oil.

5. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The temperature adjustment device includes heating wires built into the winding device.

6. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The temperature adjustment device includes: A heating unit configured to raise the temperature of the winding device; and A cooling unit configured to lower the temperature of the winding device.

7. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The temperature sensor is configured to measure the surface temperature of the winding device.

8. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, When the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor exceeds a reference value, the control device controls the temperature adjustment device to cool the winding device, and when the temperature of the winding device measured by the temperature sensor is lower than the reference value, the control device controls the temperature adjustment device to heat the winding device.

9. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The electrode winding system includes a preheating device configured to preheat the electrode before the electrode is wound by the winding device.

10. The electrode winding system according to claim 9, Among them, The preheating device is configured to preheat the electrode by an NIR heating method.

11. The electrode winding system according to claim 1, Among them, The winding device is a secondary winding device configured to perform secondary winding after the primary winding of the electrode by a primary winding device is completed.

12. The electrode winding system according to claim 11, in, The electrode winding system includes a preheating device configured to preheat the electrode before the electrode is wound by the winding device, and Wherein, the preheating device is configured to preheat the electrode after the winding by the primary winding device is completed and before the winding by the secondary winding device.

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