Apparatus and method for handling sheet electrodes

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling sheet electrodes, that is, to a method for handling electrodes according to their sequential supply for downstream processes, typically such as the manufacture of electrochemical cells or semi-finished electrochemical cell products.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for managing sheet electrodes, and more specifically to a method for handling electrodes according to a method in which electrodes are sequentially supplied for a downstream process, such as the manufacture of electrochemical cells or semi-finished electrochemical cell products. Background Technology

[0002] It is the applicant's experience that general apparatuses for manufacturing prismatic electrochemical cells comprise at least one electrode supply magazine, a conveyor belt for transporting electrodes to a workstation, such as a cell assembly station, for example, and one or more manipulators for picking up electrodes from said at least one magazine and placing them on the conveyor belt. An example of an assembly station is described in patent application WO2024 / 074998. A known apparatus of this type for handling sheet electrodes is also disclosed in KR20250071917.

[0003] The electrodes within a single magazine can be arranged in a disordered manner or in stacks, and do not necessarily have to be in an orderly fashion.

[0004] Therefore, the manipulator must not only pick up the electrodes and transport them on the belt, but also, in some cases, move them within space through rotation of one or more axes to arrange them on the belt according to the functionally desired orientation for cell generation.

[0005] In this particular example, the term “orientation” refers to the arrangement of an electrode with one side exposed, both on the magazine and on the belt. More specifically, if the electrode defines a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, and is supported and placed on the second side—thereby exposing the first side—the orientation of the electrode assumes a first orientation. Otherwise, if it is supported and placed on the first side and exposes the second side, the electrode assumes a second orientation. This applies, for example, to both arrangements within the magazine and arrangements on the conveyor belt.

[0006] The applicant noted that widely used solutions of this type present a significant number of problems.

[0007] First of all, picking up electrodes from a magazine with a manipulator is not error-free. For example, when electrodes are supplied from inside the magazine to a stack, picking up the first electrode can cause the electrode below it to also move or the two electrodes to rub against each other; in this case, there is a high risk of damaging the electrode below it.

[0008] Once again, the applicant noted that in order to efficiently pick up electrodes from the magazine and transport them to the belt, the manipulator takes a significant amount of time, which affects the overall speed of cell manufacturing.

[0009] This inherent slowness of the system is further increased if the manipulator is also required to move the electrodes within space along axial rotation to arrange them on the conveyor belt in an orientation different from when the electrodes were picked up.

[0010] The applicant also noted that increasing the speed of the manipulator to reduce working time entails a significant risk of increasing not only the risk of damage to the electrodes when gripped, but also errors in orientation or, more simply, errors in positioning on the belt.

[0011] Furthermore, it is the applicant's experience that the manipulator requires adequate maneuvering space, and therefore the distance between the electrode magazine and the conveyor belt cannot be ignored, affecting both the working time and the precision of electrode positioning.

[0012] To overcome some of these problems, the applicant is aware that solutions having multiple manipulators have been developed in the prior art. On the one hand, these types of solutions appear to accelerate the electrode feeding time to the belt, but on the other hand, the overall configuration of the device is critically complex from a technical perspective, and the space required to move the manipulators and position the magazines is significantly increased.

[0013] An electrochemical cell is a device capable of converting chemical energy into electrical energy (and / or vice versa), such as galvanic cells (primary and secondary), capacitors (including supercapacitors), fuel cells, or electrolytic cells. The present invention seeks, but is not exclusive, a preferred application in the field of producing electrochemical cells for the manufacture of secondary electric batteries, also known as rechargeable batteries, which can be charged and discharged multiple times.

[0014] In particular, the present invention is intended for use in the production of an electrochemical cell comprising a plurality of alternating and stacked positive and negative electrodes, generally of a rectangular shape, together with a separation layer interposed with a dielectric material, which is a so-called prismatic cell.

[0015] A sheet electrode has a substantially flat shape. The term sheet electrode is used herein to refer, for example, to single electrode plates, pouch-type electrodes, or electrode plates coated with at least one separator layer. Generally, a sheet electrode refers to any type of electrode having a substantially plate-like shape and defining two opposing planar faces.

[0016] In the cell, the electrodes are stacked on top of each other by superimposing on the planar planes.

[0017] The electrode also presents a protrusion ("tap") intended to define the electrical connection of the electrochemical cell.

[0018] Depending on the shape and positioning of the tabs, the electrodes may have intrinsic asymmetry; therefore, within a stack of electrodes, each of these electrodes must be arranged in the same orientation to have tabs that overlap in a regular alignment.

[0019] An apparatus and method for managing a sheet electrode according to the present invention achieve all the objectives listed above and have the essential features described in the appended independent claims. Other important features are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0020] Conceptually, the present invention considers providing an apparatus for managing sheet electrodes, comprising at least one electrode gripping station in which electrodes are supplied sequentially.

[0021] Preferably, the device is configured for the manufacture of an electrochemical cell or a semi-finished electrochemical cell product.

[0022] Preferably, the device also includes an electrode discharge station comprising a conveyor belt configured with an electrode discharge plane movable along the transport direction of the electrodes.

[0023] Preferably, the gripping means is arranged between the gripping station and the releasing station and is configured to individually pick up an electrode from at least one gripping station and release the electrode onto the releasing plane of the releasing station.

[0024] Additionally, the gripping means preferably includes a support that rotates about a first rotation axis parallel to the release plane and orthogonal to the transfer direction, and the support is controlled by a driving means for driving rotation about the first rotation axis, thereby gripping and releasing occur in two consecutive steps of rotation of the support about the first rotation axis.

[0025] Preferably, a plurality of gripping roller elements are distributed in a regular manner on the periphery of the rotatable support, wherein the roller elements are rotatably rotatably oriented about their own second axis of rotation that is parallel to the first axis of rotation and integrated with each attachment movable relative to the rotatable support. wherein the roller elements comprise at least one cylindrical surface sector equipped with reversible means for holding an electrode and are controlled by a driving means for driving rotation about the first axis of rotation.

[0026] Accordingly, the gripping roller elements are configured to grip each electrode through a rolling motion of the cylindrical surface sector on the plane of the electrode at the gripping station, and to release the electrode onto the release plane by tangential detachment from the cylindrical surface sector.

[0027] According to one aspect of the present invention, the movable attachments are preferably pivotally movable with respect to each hinge axis that is alternately parallel to the first and second rotation axes.

[0028] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the driving means for the support and the gripping roller elements is preferably configured to impart to the rotation of the roller elements a tangential motion locally corresponding to the direction of transport and a translational motion of the second rotation axes not corresponding to the direction of transport when gripping each electrode using the rolling motion by the cylindrical surface sector at the at least one gripping station.

[0029] Additionally, the device may preferably be provided such that the gripping roller elements can sequentially cooperate in contact with the discharge plane, wherein the rotational direction of the gripping roller elements may impart a tangential motion to the cylindrical surface sector that locally corresponds to the conveying direction at the discharge station, and accordingly, the cylindrical surface sectors of the gripping roller elements may discharge the electrode by direct tangential cooperation with the movable discharge plane of the conveyor belt.

[0030] The above device may include at least two gripping stations, wherein the attachments and / or the gripping stations are configured to selectively grip from only one of the stations by a single gripping roller element for each single rotation of the support.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present invention, the device preferably provides that the gripping roller elements are adapted to cooperate sequentially in contact with the discharge plane, wherein the device also includes a discharge roller element comprising at least one cylindrical surface sector within the discharge station, which is rotatable about its own axis of rotation parallel to the first and second axes of rotation and has its own reversible electrode holding means. The discharge roller element is also preferably configured to cooperate tangentially with a single element among the gripping roller elements and the discharge plane of the belt, which is configured to selectively switch between an activation and deactivation setting of the electrode gripping by its own holding means for a tangential motion operation locally corresponding to the conveying direction. The driving means of the gripping roller elements is subsequently configured to reverse the direction of rotation at least near the discharge station when the discharge roller element is switched to the activation setting, so that the cylindrical surface sector can discharge the electrode directly onto the discharge plane in a first orientation when the discharge roller element is switched to the deactivation setting, and when the discharge roller element is switched to the activation setting, discharge the electrode first to the discharge roller element and then discharge from thereto to the discharge plane in a second orientation reversed with respect to the first orientation.

[0032] In a different aspect of the present invention, the driving means of the support and the gripping roller elements is also preferably configured to impart to the rotation of the roller elements a tangential motion locally incompatible with the transfer direction and a translational motion of the second rotation axis incompatible with the transfer direction when gripping each electrode using the rolling motion by the cylindrical surface sector at the at least one gripping station.

[0033] Preferably, the discharge station provides a discharge roller element comprising at least one cylindrical surface sector having its own reversible means for holding an electrode, which rotates about its own rotation axis parallel to the first and second rotation axes in turn, wherein the discharge roller element can also cooperate in contact with the discharge plane of the belt, wherein the discharge roller element is configured for tangential motion locally corresponding to the conveying direction, wherein the gripping roller elements can cooperate in contact with the discharge roller element in turn, so that the gripping roller element can discharge the electrode first onto the discharge roller element and from thereto onto the discharge plane.

[0034] The device according to these aspects may therefore include, in turn, preferably at least two gripping stations, wherein the attachments and / or the gripping stations are configured to selectively grip from only one of the stations by a single gripping roller element for each single rotation of the support.

[0035] The above-mentioned grazing station preferably includes stacked electrode magazines.

[0036] Preferably, the magazines can move toward or away from the rotatable support.

[0037] At least the driving means of the support and the gripping roller elements are preferably independent or controlled independently.

[0038] Preferably, the device includes an acting means configured to control the movement of the movable attachments.

[0039] Preferably, the holding means includes an adsorption means.

[0040] A method for managing sheet electrodes for manufacturing an electrochemical cell or a semi-finished electrochemical cell product according to the present invention is provided, wherein electrodes are individually picked up from at least one gripping station and released onto an electrode release plane movable along the direction of transport of the electrodes, which is preferably performed by a gripping means comprising a support rotatably about a first axis of rotation parallel to the release plane and orthogonal to the direction of transport, wherein the support is rotated about the first axis of rotation, and wherein gripping and release occur within two consecutive steps of rotation of the rotatably support about the first axis of rotation. Preferably, a plurality of gripping roller elements are distributed in a regular manner on the outer circumference of the rotatably support, wherein the roller elements are rotatably along their own second axis of rotation, which is parallel to the first axis of rotation and integrated with each attachment movable about the rotatably support; wherein the roller elements comprise at least one cylindrical surface sector that performs reversible retention of the electrodes.

[0041] Preferably, according to the above method, the gripping roller elements pick up each electrode through the rolling motion of the cylindrical surface sector on the plane of the electrode at the gripping station and release it onto the release plane by tangential separation from the cylindrical surface sector.

[0042] According to one aspect, in the rolling motion when gripping the electrode, the roller elements rotate in a tangential motion that is locally in agreement with the direction of transfer, whereby the second axis of rotation is translated into a translation motion that is inconsistent with the direction of transfer by the effect of the rotation of the support.

[0043] Preferably, the gripping roller elements sequentially cooperate in contact with the discharge plane, and the cylindrical surface sectors perform tangential motion on the discharge plane that locally coincides with the conveying direction, wherein the cylindrical surface sectors of the gripping roller elements discharge the electrode by direct tangential cooperation with the movable discharge plane (XY) of the conveyor belt.

[0044] In one aspect of the present invention, a single gripping roller element selectively picks up an electrode from one of a plurality of gripping stations for each single rotation of the support.

[0045] In another aspect of the present invention, the gripping roller elements are sequentially cooperate in contact with the release plane and are also provided with a release roller element comprising at least one cylindrical surface sector that is rotatable about its own axis of rotation parallel to the first and second axis of rotation and performs reversible retention of an electrode, wherein the release roller element also cooperates tangentially with a single element among the gripping roller elements and the release plane of the belt and performs tangential motion locally corresponding to the direction of transport on the release plane, wherein the method provides selectively switching the release roller element between an activation and deactivation setting of retention for the electrode and reversing the direction of rotation of the gripping roller elements at least near the release plane when the release roller element is switched to the activation setting, and accordingly, the cylindrical surface sector releases the electrode directly onto the release plane in a first orientation when the release roller element is switched to the deactivation setting, and when the release roller element is switched to the activation setting, the electrode is first released to the release roller element and from thereto to the release plane in a second orientation reversed with respect to the first orientation. It emits in an orientation.

[0046] According to another aspect, in the rolling motion when gripping the electrode, the roller elements rotate in a tangential motion that is locally inconsistent with the direction of transport, whereby the second axis of rotation is translated into a translational motion that coincides with the direction of transport due to the effect of the rotation of the support.

[0047] Preferably, a discharge roller element may be provided comprising at least one cylindrical surface sector that is rotatably rotated about its own axis of rotation parallel to the first and second axis of rotation and performs reversible retention of the electrode, wherein the discharge roller element also cooperates tangentially with the discharge plane of the belt and performs tangential motion locally corresponding to the conveying direction on the discharge plane, wherein the gripping roller elements cooperate sequentially in contact with the discharge roller element to first discharge the electrode onto the discharge roller element, and the electrode is subsequently discharged onto the discharge plane by this.

[0048] A method according to this aspect may therefore, in turn, precede a single gripping roller element selectively picking up an electrode from one of the plurality of gripping stations for each single rotation of the support.

[0049] Preferably, at least the rotation of the support and the rotation of the gripping roller elements are provided to be controlled independently.

[0050] The above electrodes are preferably retained on the cylindrical surface sector by applying adsorption.

[0051] Preferably, the emitted electrode is moved along the transport direction and stacked on the stacking table of the assembly station.

[0052] The apparatus and method of the present invention enable electrodes to be sequentially supplied and managed via downstream transport with high production speed and reliability. Rolling gripping prevents the risk of multiple sheets being pulled together simultaneously due to friction occurring between the sheets. In specific aspects of the present invention, it is also possible to select the orientation in which the electrodes are released by selecting gripping from multiple gripping stations or by selectively flipping the electrodes from a single gripping station. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0053] The features and advantages of the apparatus and method according to the present invention will be explained more clearly in a non-limiting manner in the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electrode gripping step in an apparatus and method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a device according to a first aspect of the present invention, and FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b associated therewith are views of sheet electrodes managed by each magazine of the device of FIG. 2 from one side. FIG. 3 is a side view of a device according to a second aspect of the present invention. Figure 4 schematically shows a sheet electrode viewed from one side. FIG. 5 is a side view of a device according to a third aspect of the present invention. FIGS. 6a through 6d schematically illustrate successive steps of a method that can be performed with the apparatus of FIG. 5. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0054] With reference to the drawings above, and referring to FIGS. 1, FIGS. 2, FIGS. 2a and FIGS. 2b from the first aspect of the present invention, the device includes an electrode (E) discharge station (3) having a conveyor belt composed of a discharge plane (XY) of electrodes that is movable along the transport direction (Y) of the electrodes (E).

[0055] The electrode gripping means (2) includes a support (21) rotatable about a first rotation axis (X1) that is parallel to the discharge plane (XY) and orthogonal to the transport direction (Y). The rotatable support (21) is controlled by a driving means (not shown) for driving rotation about the first rotation axis (X1), thereby gripping and discharge occurring in two consecutive steps in which the support (21) rotates about the first rotation axis (X1).

[0056] Grafting takes place at a grafting station (1), in which case there are two grafting stations, providing, for example, two magazines (1a) and (1b) of sheet electrodes stacked and placed side by side by respective hoppers. Inside each magazine, the sheet electrodes have a homogeneous orientation, which varies from magazine to magazine. That is, as can be seen, for example in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b, in magazine A, all electrodes have one side facing upward, and in magazine B, the opposite side faces upward, where the two sides are distinguished by the position of the electrical contact protrusion (so-called tab). The electrode placement plane at the grafting station may preferably be parallel to the release plane (XY), but more generally, a condition of parallel to the first rotation axis (X1) is sufficient.

[0057] Referring again to the support (21), a plurality of gripping roller elements (22) are distributed in a regular manner on its outer circumference. The roller elements are rotatable about their own second axis of rotation (X2), which is parallel to the first axis of rotation (X1) and integrated with each attachment (23) that is movable with respect to the rotatable support. Preferably, for example, arm-shaped attachments are pivotally movable about each hinge axis (X3) that is successively parallel to the first and second axes of rotation (X1) and (X2), and may be coupled with an actuator means configured to control the pivoting movement of the attachments, either passively or by controlling the pivoting movement.

[0058] The roller element (22) is, for example, a unique roller having a complete circular cylindrical unfolding, and comprises at least one cylindrical surface sector equipped with a reversible means for holding an electrode, for example, an adsorption means, and is controlled by a driving means for driving rotation about each second rotation axis (X2).

[0059] In this way, the gripping roller element (22) is configured to grip each electrode (E) through rolling motion of a cylindrical surface sector on the electrode plane at the gripping station, and to release the electrode onto the release station by tangential separation from the cylindrical surface sector that held and held the electrode.

[0060] In relation to gripping, the electrode is picked up by the gripping means without any creep. The gripping means actually picks up the electrode from the gripping station through a purely rotational movement consisting of two motion components: a rotational component about the axis of rotation (X2) and a translational component about the translational direction (Z1) which is, in turn, parallel to the emission plane (XY). In this embodiment, once again, the motion configuration is achieved, for example, by configuring the rotatable support (21) and the gripping roller element (22) in misaligned rotational directions; specifically, the rotational direction (R1) is counterclockwise and the rotational direction (R2) of the gripping rollers (22) is clockwise. In practice, in this case, when gripping each electrode at the gripping station with rolling motion of the cylindrical surface sector, a tangential motion is generated with respect to the gripping roller element (22) that is locally misaligned with the transport direction (Y), whereas the translational motion along the direction (Z1) matches the motion in the transport direction (Y).

[0061] As illustrated, when two or more gripping stations are provided, it is advantageous to provide rollers (22) to selectively grip one or the other of the stacked electrode stations to select the desired orientation for the electrode to be emitted. Differentiation of the gripping input can be performed in various ways, for example, by activating and deactivating adsorption in a timely manner, or by controlling the movement of the hoppers by making them movable when moving toward or away from a rotatable support, or by controlling the pivot movement of the movable attachments (23).

[0062] Moving on to discharge, in this case, since the rotation direction (R2) does not allow for proper interaction with the movement of the belt and the resulting movement plane XY, the discharge is not directed directly onto the XY plane. Accordingly, a discharge roller element (31) is provided that includes at least one cylindrical surface sector having its own rotation axis (X4) which rotates about a self-rotating axis (X4) parallel to the first and second rotation axes (X1, X2) in turn and is equipped with its own reversible means for holding an electrode. The discharge roller element (31) is also configured with a rotation direction (R3) capable of performing tangential motion locally corresponding to the transport direction (Y) so as to cooperate tangentially with the discharge plane (XY). The gripping roller elements (22) can cooperate sequentially tangentially with the discharge roller element (31) one by one according to the rotation of the rotatable support (21), so that each gripping roller element first discharges an electrode to the discharge roller element (31), and the electrode is discharged from therewith with proper motion onto the discharge plane (XY).

[0063] Now, referring to FIG. 3, the device according to another aspect of the present invention differs from the one just described only in the different configurations of the rotational directions of the support (2') and the gripping roller (22'). In this case, the rotational direction of the former (R1') is clockwise and the rotational direction of the latter (R2') is counterclockwise. When gripping each electrode, the rolling motion generated by the cylindrical surface sector involves a tangential motion locally corresponding to the transport direction (Y) and a translational motion not corresponding to the same transport direction (Y), and the electrodes are fed toward the discharge station by first moving away from the discharge station and then reaching it from above. In this case, the rotational direction of the gripping rollers (22') is also already compatible with the direction required for engagement with the belt for unloading purposes, and accordingly, unloading occurs through direct interaction between the gripping rollers and the belt without the need for additional discharge rollers.

[0064] For all other aspects, the illustrative considerations already developed for the previous embodiment are applicable to the solution of FIG. 3.

[0065] Now moving on to the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6d, and referring to it now, and avoiding new descriptions of elements clearly borrowed from previous embodiments, this embodiment shares the kinematics of the rotatable support (21'') and the gripping roller (22'') with the second embodiment (the embodiment of FIG. 3), as illustrated more explicitly graphically in FIG. 6a with respect to the direction of motion of the gripping roller and its translational motion, and this figure indicates a translational direction (Yinv) inconsistent with Y and a counterclockwise rotational direction (R2'').

[0066] However, in this case, the possibility is provided to pick up from a single gripping station and to selectively unload the electrode on the release plane (XY) in the same orientation as when picked up or in an inverted orientation. In this regard, for greater clarity, the two opposite side edges of the electrode (E) in FIG. 4 are labeled a and b, where edge a is closest to, for example, the tab (T) and edge b is farthest away, and it is clear that a specific order of advance where edge b precedes edge a (the reference is, for example, the transfer direction Y) indicates a specific (first) orientation, and the opposite order indicates an inverted orientation; that is, the two orientations correspond to one or the other of the two sides of the electrode turned toward the gripping means from the pickup station.

[0067] In this embodiment, the gripping roller elements (22'') can sequentially cooperate in a tangential direction with the release plane (XY) to perform direct unloading, as seen in the second embodiment. The electrode (E) picked up by the gripping roller elements (22'') is sent toward the release plane in the state of FIG. 6b. FIG. 6c shows a method in which the counterclockwise rotational direction (R2'') in which gripping was performed by the gripping roller is maintained during the release phase, thereby directly and properly releasing the electrode by tangential cooperation with the belt. Thus, unloading will always occur in an orientation (first) that corresponds to the initial orientation (edge ​​b is always in the front or leading state in the conveying direction).

[0068] However, a discharge roller element (31'') is provided that is rotatable about its own rotation axis (X4) parallel to the first and second rotation axes (X1, X2) in turn. As with the discharge roller (31) of the first embodiment, it comprises at least one cylindrical surface sector equipped with its own reversible means for holding an electrode. However, the discharge roller (31'') is configured to have its own rotation direction (R3'') for tangential motion that is locally coincident with the transport direction, and can cooperate tangentially with both the single gripping roller element (22'') and the discharge plane (XY) appearing in the discharge step.

[0069] The discharge roller (31'') is also configured to selectively switch between an activation and deactivation setting of the electrode (E) gripping by its own holding means. This switching may occur depending on the activation or deactivation of the holding means, for example, pneumatic means, or even the alternating movement of the roller axis. Additionally, when the discharge roller element is switched to the activation position by a suitably configured driving means, the gripping roller elements may reverse their direction of rotation at least near the discharge station.

[0070] FIG. 6d illustrates the latter situation in which the discharge roller (31'') reverses its rotational direction so that it is now clockwise, and discharges the electrode first to the discharge roller element (31'') that has been switched to the activation setting, and then discharges from thereto in a second orientation reversed with respect to the first orientation in the discharge plane (XY). In fact, the reversed rotational direction (R2" for the gripping roller. inv It can be seen from the drawing that due to the effect of ), edge a is now at the front; since this direction is no longer compatible with direct unloading onto the belt, the two rollers are replaced and thus discharge is carried out by a discharge roller (31'') having a rotational direction (counterclockwise) compatible with the tangential involvement of unloading onto the belt.

[0071] Therefore, it is evident that by switching the release roller element (31'') to activation and simultaneously reversing the rotation direction of the gripping roller element, the release of the electrode on the XY plane is obtained in a second orientation reversed with respect to that obtained in the rotation direction (R2) maintained in the rotation direction of the other switching (deactivation) and gripping stage. Thus, the orientation in which the electrode is released can be selectively determined by selecting from two available operating modes, which can be used, for example, to selectively reverse electrodes having heterogeneous orientations within a magazine to arrange them all in the same orientation, or to selectively reverse batches based on different downstream process needs starting from a homogeneous magazine.

[0072] The discharge roller element is dependent on its own actuating means.

[0073] In all presented embodiments, an assembly or stacking station (not shown in the drawings) located downstream of the emission plane XY and including a stacking plane may follow behind the device, where positive and negative electrodes are alternately deposited to form an electrochemical cell or a semi-finished electrochemical cell product.

[0074] The properties of parallelism and orthogonality used in this description should be understood as excluding variations within a range of + or - 5 degrees from the ideal value. The term "direction" should be understood as an oriented direction, that is, a vector having a direction.

[0075] Roller elements are understood as actual full-length rollers, that is, regular or irregular rollers, or angular sectors or parts of rollers with incomplete length.

[0076] The present invention has been described to date with reference to its preferred embodiments. Other embodiments related to the same core of the invention may exist, all of which are understood to fall within the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims

Claim 1 A device for handling sheet electrodes, comprising: at least one electrode gripping station to which electrodes are supplied sequentially; an electrode releasing station comprising a conveyor belt having an electrode releasing plane movable along the conveying direction of the electrodes; and gripping means arranged between the electrode gripping station and the releasing station and configured to individually pick up an electrode from the at least one electrode gripping station and release the electrode onto the releasing plane of the releasing station; wherein the gripping means comprises a support member rotatable about a first rotation axis parallel to the releasing plane and orthogonal to the conveying direction—the support member is controlled by a driving means for driving the rotation about the first rotation axis, thereby causing gripping and releasing to occur in two consecutive rotation steps of the support member rotating about the first rotation axis—; and a plurality of gripping roller elements regularly distributed on the periphery of the rotatable support—the gripping roller elements are rotatable along their own second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation being integral with each attachment movable relative to the rotatable support, and the gripping roller elements each comprise at least one cylindrical surface sector equipped with a reversible means for holding the electrode and are controlled by a driving means for driving rotation about each of the second axis of rotation—;A device comprising, whereby, the gripping roller elements are configured to grip each electrode through a rolling motion of the cylindrical surface sector on the plane of the electrode at the electrode gripping station, and to release the electrode onto the release plane by tangential detachment from the cylindrical surface sector. Claim 2 A device according to claim 1, wherein the movable attachments are pivotally movable with respect to each hinge axis parallel to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis in turn. Claim 3 A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving means of the support and the gripping roller elements is configured to impart to the rotation of the gripping roller elements a tangential motion locally corresponding to the transfer direction and a translational motion of the second rotation axis discordant to the transfer direction when gripping each electrode using the rolling motion by the cylindrical surface sector at the at least one electrode gripping station. Claim 4 A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving means of the support and the gripping roller elements is also configured to impart to the rotation of the gripping roller elements a tangential motion locally incompatible with the transfer direction and a translational motion of the second rotation axis incompatible with the transfer direction when gripping each electrode using the rolling motion by the cylindrical surface sector at the at least one electrode gripping station. Claim 5 In paragraph 3, the gripping roller elements are sequentially capable of cooperating in tangency with the discharge plane, and the rotational direction of the gripping roller elements can impart tangential motion at the discharge station to the cylindrical surface sector that locally corresponds to the conveying direction, and accordingly, the cylindrical surface sectors of the gripping roller elements are capable of discharging the electrode by direct tangential cooperation with the movable electrode discharge plane of the conveyor belt. Claim 6 In claim 5, the gripping roller elements are sequentially cooperative in contact with the discharge plane, and the device further comprises a discharge roller element comprising at least one cylindrical surface sector within the discharge station that is rotatable about its own axis of rotation—which is in turn parallel to the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation—and has its own reversible electrode holding means, wherein the discharge roller element is further cooperative tangentially with a single element among the gripping roller elements and the discharge plane of the conveyor belt and is configured to selectively switch between an active setting and a deactivated setting for gripping the electrode by its own holding means for tangential motion locally corresponding to the conveying direction, and the driving means of the gripping roller elements is configured to reverse the direction of rotation at least near the discharge station when the discharge roller element is switched to the active setting, so that the cylindrical surface sector can discharge the electrode directly onto the discharge plane in a first orientation when the discharge roller element is switched to the deactivated setting, and the discharge roller element A device capable of, when switched to an activation setting, first emitting the electrode to the emission roller element and then emitting the electrode from thereto to the emission plane in a second orientation flipped with respect to the first orientation. Claim 7 In claim 4, the device comprises, wherein the discharge station includes a discharge roller element comprising at least one cylindrical surface sector having its own rotation axis—which is in turn parallel to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis—and having its own reversible means for holding an electrode, wherein the discharge roller element is also capable of cooperating in contact with the discharge plane of the conveyor belt, and the discharge roller element is configured for tangential motion locally corresponding to the conveying direction, and the gripping roller elements are capable of cooperating in contact with the discharge roller element in sequence, so that the gripping roller element can discharge the electrode first to the discharge roller element and then discharge the electrode from thereto to the discharge plane. Claim 8 A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the driving means for the rotatable support and the driving means for the rotation of the gripping roller elements is independent or independently controlled. Claim 9 A method for managing a sheet electrode for manufacturing an electrochemical cell or a semi-finished electrochemical cell product, wherein the method comprises, by means of a gripping means, picking up an electrode individually from at least one electrode gripping station and releasing the electrode onto a release plane of the electrode that is movable along the transfer direction of the electrode, and wherein the gripping means comprises: a support rotatable about a first rotation axis parallel to the release plane and orthogonal to the transfer direction—the support rotatable about the first rotation axis, wherein gripping and release occur within two consecutive rotation steps of the rotatable support about the first rotation axis—; a plurality of gripping roller elements regularly distributed on the periphery of the rotatable support—the gripping roller elements rotatable along their own second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis, wherein the second rotation axis is integrated with each attachment movable with respect to the rotatable support, and the gripping roller elements comprise at least one cylindrical surface sector that performs reversible retention of the electrode. A method wherein the gripping roller elements pick up the electrode at the electrode gripping station through the rolling motion of the cylindrical surface sector on the plane of the electrode, and release the electrode by tangential detachment from the cylindrical surface sector on the release plane. Claim 10 A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the rolling motion when gripping the electrode, the gripping roller elements rotate in a tangential motion locally corresponding to the transfer direction, and the second rotation axis is translated into a translational motion inconsistent with the transfer direction due to the effect of the rotation of the support. Claim 11 A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the rolling motion when gripping the electrode, the gripping roller elements rotate in a tangential motion that is locally inconsistent with the direction of transport, and the second axis of rotation is translated into a translational motion that is inconsistent with the direction of transport by the effect of the rotation of the support. Claim 12 A method according to claim 10, wherein the gripping roller elements sequentially cooperate in contact with the discharge plane, and the cylindrical surface sectors perform tangential motion on the discharge plane that locally coincides with the conveying direction, and the cylindrical surface sectors of the gripping roller elements discharge the electrode by direct tangential cooperation with the movable discharge plane of the conveyor belt. Claim 13 In claim 12, for each single rotation of the support, a single gripping roller element selectively picks up an electrode from one of the plurality of electrode gripping stations. Claim 14 In claim 11, a discharge roller element is provided that is rotatably about its own axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation in turn, and comprises at least one cylindrical surface sector that performs reversible retention of the electrode, the discharge roller element also cooperates tangentially with the discharge plane of the conveyor belt and performs tangential motion locally corresponding to the conveying direction on the discharge plane, and the gripping roller elements cooperate in a contact state with the discharge roller element in turn to first discharge the electrode onto the discharge roller element, and the electrode is subsequently discharged from thereon to the discharge plane. Claim 15 In paragraph 14, a single gripping roller element selectively picks up an electrode from one of a plurality of electrode gripping stations for each single rotation of the support. Claim 16 A method according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the emitted electrode is moved along the transfer direction and the electrode is stacked on the stacking plane of the assembly station.

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