Transfer device and electrode material heat treatment device including same

Abstract

This transfer device includes: a first transfer unit including a plurality of first rollers and a first driving device for driving the plurality of first rollers and into which a plurality of materials to be treated are introduced; a second transfer unit including a plurality of second rollers, a plurality of alignment areas formed on the plurality of second rollers in the same number as the number of the plurality of materials to be treated, and a second driving device for driving the plurality of second rollers; and a third transfer unit including a plurality of third rollers and a third driving device for driving the plurality of third rollers, and from which the plurality of materials to be treated are discharged, wherein the second transfer unit individually controls the rotational speeds of the plurality of second rollers with the plurality of second driving devices to individually control the transfer speeds of the plurality of materials to be treated, which are transferred in the plurality of alignment areas.

Description

Transfer device and electrode material heat treatment device including the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transport device and an electrode material heat treatment device including the same.

[0002] Heat treatment furnaces, such as electrode material heat treatment devices, apply high temperatures to metals or non-metallic materials to improve their properties. Heat treatment furnaces are categorized into continuous roller hearth furnaces and batch furnaces, depending on how the material is transported. They are used in various sintering processes, including the firing of secondary battery materials.

[0003] Within the heat treatment furnace, materials are transported in containers such as saggers. However, as the size of the furnace increases, the containers become increasingly entangled as they are transported. These entangled containers can become entangled at the furnace exit, creating a bottleneck or damaging the containers and the materials contained within them.

[0004] The above-described information disclosed in the background technology of this invention is only intended to improve understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art.

[0005] The transport device can provide a transport device that individually controls the speed of the transport rollers for each zone so that the material to be treated can be transported properly without being distorted.

[0006] However, the technical problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the problems described above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0007] A transport device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first transport section including a plurality of first rollers and a first driving device driving the plurality of first rollers, into which a plurality of materials to be treated are introduced, a second transport section including a plurality of second rollers, a plurality of alignment areas formed on the plurality of second rollers in the same number as the plurality of materials to be treated, a second transport section including a second driving device driving the plurality of second rollers, and a third transport section including a plurality of third rollers and a third driving device driving the plurality of third rollers, from which a plurality of materials to be treated are discharged, wherein the second transport section individually controls the rotational speeds of the plurality of second rollers by the plurality of second driving devices, so as to individually control the transport speeds of the plurality of materials to be treated transported in the plurality of alignment areas.

[0008] The second transport unit includes a plurality of first sensors and a plurality of second sensors respectively positioned along the first direction in the plurality of alignment areas, and when the second sensor in one of the alignment areas detects the material to be treated, the second transport unit can increase the rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers in an alignment area among the remaining alignment areas in which the first sensor detects the material to be treated and the second sensor does not detect the material to be treated.

[0009] When the second sensor in the alignment area corresponding to the plurality of second rollers with increased rotation speed detects the material to be processed, the second transport unit can lower the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers in the corresponding alignment area.

[0010] The above plurality of second rollers can operate independently of the first driving device of the first transport unit.

[0011] Each of the second rollers included in the plurality of alignment areas includes a pair of rotating members, and the diameter of the rotating member on the outer side of the pair of rotating members may be smaller than the diameter of the rotating member on the inner side.

[0012] The third transport section includes a first stage that is movable and has some of the plurality of third rollers, a second stage that is movable and has the remainder of the plurality of third rollers, a fourth sensor on the first stage adjacent to a boundary between the first stage and the second stage, and a fifth sensor on the second stage, wherein the first stage may be between the second transport section and the second stage.

[0013] If the fifth sensor detects the material to be treated and the fourth sensor does not detect the material to be treated, the third transport unit can raise the second stage after a set time.

[0014] When the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor detect the material to be treated simultaneously, the third transport unit can raise the first and second stages after a set time.

[0015] The third transport section further includes a centering device on both sides of the plurality of third rollers, and the centering device can press the material to be treated in a direction crossing the transport direction of the material to be treated.

[0016] An electrode material heat treatment device includes a plurality of regions through which a material to be treated passes sequentially, wherein the plurality of regions include a preheating region for preheating the material to be treated, a heating region located behind the preheating region for heating the material to be treated to a set temperature, a holding region located behind the heating region for maintaining a temperature corresponding to the heating region, a cooling region located behind the holding region for cooling the material to be treated, and an alignment region located behind the cooling region for aligning the material to be treated, wherein the alignment region may include any one of the aforementioned transport devices.

[0017] However, the effects that can be obtained through the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and other technical effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

[0018] The transport device and electrode material heat treatment device can individually control the rotation speed of a plurality of rollers transporting a plurality of materials to be treated so that the plurality of materials to be treated are transported without meandering.

[0019] The following drawings, attached to this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description of the invention described below, serve to facilitate understanding of the technical concepts of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the matters described in the drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an electrode material heat treatment device.

[0021] Figure 2 schematically shows the plan view of the transport device.

[0022] Figure 3 schematically shows a side view of the transport device.

[0023] Figure 4 shows the second roller.

[0024] Figures 5 and 6 show the second transport section.

[0025] Figures 7 to 19 illustrate the operation of the transport device.

[0026] The transport device includes a first transport section including a plurality of first rollers and a first driving device driving the plurality of first rollers, into which a plurality of materials to be treated are introduced, a second transport section including a plurality of second rollers, a plurality of alignment areas formed on the plurality of second rollers in the same number as the plurality of materials to be treated, a second driving device driving the plurality of second rollers, and a third transport section including a plurality of third rollers and a third driving device driving the plurality of third rollers, from which a plurality of materials to be treated are discharged, wherein the second transport section individually controls the rotational speeds of the plurality of second rollers by the plurality of second driving devices, so as to individually control the transport speeds of the plurality of materials to be treated being transported in the plurality of alignment areas.

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be understood by referring to the description and drawings of the invention. The described embodiments may have various modifications and be implemented in different forms, and are not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, each feature of the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in part or in whole with each other. Each embodiment may be implemented independently or in relation to each other. The described embodiments are provided as examples so that the present disclosure may be thorough and complete, and are intended to fully convey the spirit of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. The present disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions within the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, processes, elements, and techniques that are not necessary for a person skilled in the art to fully understand the embodiments of the present disclosure may not be described.

[0028] Unless otherwise specified, throughout the attached drawings and specifications, identical reference numerals, letters, or combinations thereof indicate identical components, and thus, redundant descriptions thereof may be omitted. Furthermore, to clearly explain the present invention, portions irrelevant to the description have been omitted.

[0029] The relative sizes of elements, layers, and areas in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. The use of hatching and / or shading in the attached drawings is generally provided to clarify boundaries between adjacent elements. Therefore, the presence or absence of hatching or shading does not imply a desirable form or requirement for any particular material, material property, dimension, proportion, commonality between drawing elements, and / or any other characteristic, property, or attribute of an element unless otherwise specified.

[0030] Various embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional examples that are schematic illustrations of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. Therefore, the shapes of the drawings may vary, for example, as a result of manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Furthermore, the specific structural or functional descriptions disclosed herein are merely examples for illustrating embodiments according to the concepts of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein should not be construed as being limited to the shapes of the illustrated regions, and may include, for example, variations in shape due to manufacturing processes.

[0031] The areas depicted in the drawings are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to be limiting and are not intended to be illustrative of the actual shape of the device area. Furthermore, as those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

[0032] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments. However, various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details or with one or more of these details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the various embodiments.

[0033] To facilitate discussion herein, spatially relative terms such as "below," "above," "lower," "top," and the like may be used to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another, as illustrated in the drawings. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass various orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device in the drawings were flipped over, another element or feature described as "below" or "lower" would face "above" the other element or feature. Thus, as exemplary terms, "below" and "lower" can encompass both the above and below orientations. The device can be oriented in other directions (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatially relative descriptions used herein should be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, if a first part is described as being disposed "above" a second part, this can mean that the first part is disposed above or below the second part.

[0034] Additionally, the expression "in plan view" may mean an object is viewed from above, and the expression "in schematic cross-section" may mean a schematic cross-section taken by cutting the object vertically. The term "in side view" may mean that the first object can be above, below, or to the side of the second object, or vice versa. Additionally, the term "overlapping" or "superimposing" may include layer, laminate, plane, extension, covering, or partially covering, or any other suitable term that would be understood and understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The expression "does not overlap" may include meanings such as "away from" or "spaced from", and any other suitable equivalents recognized and understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. The terms "plane" and "surface" may mean that the first object can directly or indirectly face the second object. When a third object is between a first object and a second object, the first object and the second object face each other, but can be understood as indirectly opposing each other.

[0035] When an element, layer, region, or component is referred to as being "formed by," "connected to," or "coupled to," another element, layer, region, or component, it may be directly formed by, connected to, or coupled to, another element, layer, region, or component, or indirectly formed by, connected to, or coupled to another element, layer, region, or component. Furthermore, "formed by," "connected to," or "coupled to" may collectively refer to direct or indirect combinations or connections of elements, layers, regions, or components, and integral or non-integral combinations or connections, such that one or more elements, layers, regions, or components may be present. For example, when an element, layer, region, or component is referred to as being "electrically connected to" or "electrically coupled to" another element, layer, region, or component, it may be directly electrically connected to or coupled to, or may be electrically coupled to, another element, layer, region, or component. However, "direct connection" or "direct bonding" may mean that one component is directly connected or bonded to another component without an intermediate component, or is on another component. In addition, in the present specification, when a part of a layer, film, region, guide plate, etc. is formed on another part, the direction of formation is not limited to the upper direction, and may include that the part is formed on the side or bottom. Conversely, when a part of a layer, film, region, guide plate, etc. is formed "under" another part, it may include not only the case where the part is "directly under" the other part, but also the case where another part is between the part and the other part. Meanwhile, other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between," "directly between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", may be interpreted similarly.Additionally, when an element or layer is referred to as being "between" two elements or layers, it may be the only element between the two elements or layers, or there may be other elements between them.

[0036] For the purposes of this specification, phrases such as "at least one or more" or "either" do not limit the order of the individual elements. For example, phrases such as "at least one of X, Y, and Z," "at least one of X, Y, or Z," or "at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z" can include X alone, Y alone, Z alone, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z. Similarly, phrases such as "at least one of A and B" and "at least one of A or B" can include A, B, or A and B. In general, the term "and / or" as used herein can include any combination of one or more associated list items. For example, phrases such as "A and / or B" can include A, B, or A and B.

[0037] Although the terms "first," "second," "third," and the like may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or cross-sections, such elements, components, regions, layers, and / or cross-sections are not limited by such terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or cross-section from another element, component, region, layer, or cross-section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or cross-section described below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or cross-section without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Describing an element as a "first" element does not require or imply the presence of a second element or other elements. The terms "first," "second," and the like may also be used herein to distinguish different categories or sets of elements. For clarity, the terms "first," "second," and the like may each represent a "first category (or first set)," a "second category (or second set)," etc.

[0038] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "an" are intended to include the plural forms, and the plural forms are intended to include the singular forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The terms "comprise," "include," and "have," when used herein, may mean to specify the presence of stated features, integers, or steps. These expressions do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other functions, steps, operations, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0039] If one or more embodiments can be implemented differently, a particular process sequence may be performed differently from the order described. For example, two processes described in succession may be performed substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order from the described order.

[0040] The terms "substantially," "about," "approximately," and similar terms are used as terms of approximation rather than degree, and may imply satisfying the inherent range of variation (e.g., variation due to limitations of the measurement system) of a measured or calculated value. For example, "about" could mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, 20%, 10%, or 5% of the stated value.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries, for example, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the relevant art and / or the context of this specification, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0042] Fig. 1 schematically shows an electrode material heat treatment device (1), Fig. 2 schematically shows a plan view of a transport device (10), Fig. 3 schematically shows a side view of a transport device (10), Fig. 4 shows a second roller (210), Figs. 5 and 6 show a second transport unit (200), and Figs. 7 to 19 show the operation of the transport device (10).

[0043] An electrode material heat treatment device (1) according to one embodiment is a device that heat-treats a material to be treated (O) to change its physical properties, and can be used to process metals, alloys, and other materials. For example, the electrode material heat treatment device (1) can be used to sinter a material to be treated (O), which is an anode active material and / or cathode active material for a secondary battery. For example, the material to be treated (O) can be a raw material for a cathode active material of a lithium ion battery, such as LC0 (LiCoO2), NCM (Li(Ni, Co, Mn)O2), NCA (Li(Ni, Co, Al)O2), LMO (LiMn2O4), LFO (LiFePO4), etc. The material to be treated (O) is accommodated in a case, such as a sagger, and can be transported within the electrode material heat treatment device (1) by rollers.

[0044] For example, an electrode material heat treatment device (1) includes a plurality of regions through which a material to be treated (O) passes sequentially, and the plurality of regions include a preheating region (2) for preheating the material to be treated (O), a heating region (3) located behind the preheating region (2) for heating the material to be treated (O) to a set temperature, a holding region (4) located behind the heating region (3) for maintaining a temperature corresponding to the heating region (3), a cooling region (5) located behind the holding region (4) for cooling the material to be treated (O), and an alignment region (6) located behind the cooling region (5) for aligning the material to be treated (O), and the alignment region (6) may include a transport device (10) described below.

[0045] For example, the electrode material heat treatment device (1) is a roller-hearth type electrode material heat treatment device and may include a plurality of regions through which the material to be treated (0) passes sequentially. For example, the electrode material heat treatment device (1) may include a preheating region (2), a heating region (3), a maintenance region (4), a cooling region (5), and an alignment region (6). In addition, the electrode material heat treatment device (1) may further include an inlet region (7) and an outlet region (8) located at the front and rear ends of the electrode material heat treatment device (1), respectively.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 1, the inlet area (7) may be located at the very front of the electrode material heat treatment device (1). The inlet area (7) may include a door (not shown) for the entry of the material to be treated (0), and the material to be treated (0) may enter the inside of the electrode material heat treatment device (1) through the inlet area (7). The inlet area (7) may function as a buffer, curtain, etc. to prevent disturbance caused by external air when the material to be treated (0) is charged into the electrode material heat treatment device (1).

[0047] The preheating zone (2) is located between the inlet zone (7) and the heating zone (3) and can preheat the material to be treated (O) and transfer it to the heating zone (3). The preheating zone (2) can preheat the material to be treated (O) to prevent excessive load from being applied to the heating zone (3). When the material to be treated (O) is a lithium transition metal compound, it contains a large amount of oxygen, so that moisture may be generated in the material to be treated (O) during the heat treatment process. The preheating zone (2) may further include a moisture discharge hood (not shown) to smoothly remove and discharge the moisture. The preheating zone (2) can preheat the material to be treated (O) to 50°C to 200°C, or 70°C to 150°C, or 90°C to 120°C. The preheating zone (2) can receive high-temperature gas from a supply pipe to preheat the material to be treated (O). Alternatively, the preheating zone (2) can preheat the material to be treated (O) through a separate heater.

[0048] The heating zone (3) is located behind the preheating zone (2) and can heat the material to be treated (O) to a predetermined temperature. The heating zone (3) can heat the material to be treated (O) using a high-temperature gas or can heat the material to be treated (O) using a heater. The heating zone (3) includes a heater, and the heater can heat the material to be treated (O). The heating temperature of the heater can vary depending on the type of the material to be treated (O). The heater can heat the material to be treated (O) to 500°C to 1500°C, or 700°C to 1400°C, or 800°C to 1300°C, or 950°C to 1250°C, or 700°C to 900°C, or 300°C to 400°C.

[0049] The maintenance zone (4) is located at the rear of the heating zone (3) and can perform heat treatment by maintaining the heated material to be treated (O) at a temperature similar to that of the heating zone (3). That is, the material to be treated (O) can be first heated in the preheating zone (2), then heated to a temperature for heat treatment in the heating zone (3), and then heat treated in the maintenance zone (4) while being maintained at the heat treatment temperature.

[0050] The cooling zone (5) is located at the rear of the maintenance zone (4) and can cool the material to be treated (O) that has been heat-treated in the maintenance zone (4). The cooling zone (5) can cool the material to be treated (O) using low-temperature gas. The material to be treated (O) that has passed through the cooling zone (5) can be discharged to the outside of the electrode material heat treatment device (1).

[0051] For example, one or more of the preheating zone (2), the heating zone (3), the holding zone (4) and the cooling zone (5) may include a supply pipe for supplying gas to the inside and an exhaust pipe for exhausting gas generated during the heat treatment process to the outside.

[0052] The alignment zone (6) is located at the rear end of the cooling zone (5) and can align the material to be treated (0). When a plurality of material to be treated (0) passes through the heating zone (3), the holding zone (4), and the cooling zone (5), the alignment may be misaligned and cause a meandering. For example, each of the plurality of zones may include rollers for transporting the material to be treated (0). These rollers may change into a concave shape, for example, in a downward direction, such that the center region of the roller sags due to a high temperature environment and / or the weight of the material to be treated (0). As a result, the contact state with the material to be treated (0) may be different depending on the region of the roller, such as the center region and the edge region, and the driving transmission force of the roller may be different depending on the position of the material to be treated (0), which may cause a meandering. To this end, the alignment zone (6) may include a transport device (10) for transporting and aligning the plurality of material to be treated (0).

[0053] For example, the alignment region (6) may further include a supply pipe for supplying gas to the inside and an exhaust pipe for exhausting the gas to the outside. The supply pipe of the alignment region (6) may provide an atmosphere gas corresponding to the inside of the electrode material heat treatment device (1). A plurality of workpieces (0) may be cooled by the atmosphere gas, and the exhaust pipe of the alignment region (6) may exhaust the atmosphere gas supplied through the supply pipe. In this case, the workpieces (0) may be gradually cooled while passing through the cooling region (5) and the alignment region (6), thereby preventing quality degradation that may occur during the cooling process.

[0054] The outlet area (8) may be located at the rear end of the alignment area (6). The outlet area (8) may include a door (not shown) for removing the material to be treated (0), and the material to be treated (0) may be discharged outside the electrode material heat treatment device (1) through the outlet area (8). The discharge area (8) may serve as a buffer, curtain, etc. to prevent disturbance with the outside air when the material to be treated (0) is extracted outside the electrode material heat treatment device (1).

[0055] Regarding the transport device (10) of the alignment area (6), the transport device (10) is located at the rear end of the cooling area (5) and can transport and align a plurality of heat-treated materials (0). The transport device (10) can align a plurality of heat-treated materials (O) loaded on a new material or the like and sequentially transport them in the outward direction of the electrode material heat treatment device (1).

[0056] For example, the transport device (10) may include a first transport unit (100), a second transport unit (200), and a third transport unit (300).

[0057] For example, the transport device (10) includes a first transport section (100) including a plurality of first rollers (110) and a first driving device (120) driving the plurality of first rollers (110), into which a plurality of materials to be treated (O) are introduced, a second transport section (200) including a plurality of second rollers (210), a plurality of alignment areas (230) formed on the plurality of second rollers (210) in the same number as the plurality of materials to be treated (O), a second transport section (200) including a second driving device (220) driving the plurality of second rollers (210), and a third transport section (300) including a plurality of third rollers (310) and a third driving device (320) driving the plurality of third rollers (310) and from which a plurality of materials to be treated (O) are discharged, and the second transport section (200) includes a plurality of second driving devices (220) By individually controlling the rotation speed of the second roller (210), the transport speed of multiple processing materials (O) transported in multiple alignment areas (230) can be individually controlled.

[0058] The first transport unit (100) is located at the inlet side where a plurality of materials to be treated (O) that have completed the heat treatment process are introduced, and can transfer the plurality of materials to be treated (O) to the second transport unit (200). In the drawing, the number of materials to be treated (O) introduced into the first transport unit (100) is shown as 6, but the number of materials to be treated (O) may vary depending on the size and specifications of the electrode material heat treatment device (1), and may be, for example, 5 or less or 7 or more.

[0059] For example, the first transport unit (100) may include a first roller (110) and a first driving device (120).

[0060] A plurality of first rollers (110) may be arranged in a second direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction in FIG. 2) intersecting with a first direction, which is a transport direction of the material to be treated (O) (e.g., the X-axis direction in FIGS. 1 and 2). The first roller (110) may include a rotational shaft (111) and a plurality of rotational members (112) provided on the rotational shaft (111). Each first roller (110) may have adjacent first rollers (110) and rotational members (112) arranged in an alternating manner, so that edges of the material to be treated (O) may not fall into the space between the rotational members (112) during transport. The drawing shows ten first rollers (110), but the number of first rollers (110) may vary depending on the number and size of the materials to be treated (O) being transported, and for example, the number of first rollers (110) may be 9 or less or 11 or more. The drawing shows ten rotating members (112) per one first roller (110), but the number of rotating members (112) may vary depending on the number and size of the materials to be treated (O) being transported, and for example, the number of rotating members (112) may be 9 or less or 11 or more.

[0061] The first driving device (120) can control the rotation speed of a plurality of first rollers (110) to adjust the transport speed of the material to be treated (O). The first driving device (120) can be a hydraulic or electric motor or cylinder. The first driving device (120) can rotate the plurality of first rollers (110) at a predetermined speed to transfer the plurality of materials to be treated (O) to the second transport unit (200). For example, the first driving device (120) can control the speed at which the material to be treated (O) is transferred to the second transport unit (200) by adjusting the rotation speed of the plurality of first rollers (110) in consideration of the position and state of the material to be treated (O) transferred from the second transport unit (200) and the third transport unit (300). For example, the first driving device (120) can control the rotation speed of the plurality of first rollers (110) to be constant or increase the rotation speed. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the first driving device (120) can individually control the rotation speed of the plurality of first rollers (110) or control them all equally.

[0062] The second transfer unit (200) can receive a plurality of materials to be treated (O) from the first transfer unit (100) and transfer them to the third transfer unit (300). The second transfer unit (200) can be located between the first transfer unit (100) and the third transfer unit (300).

[0063] For example, the second transport unit (200) can align a plurality of materials to be treated (O) that are being transported from the first transport unit (100) and transfer them to the third transport unit (300). The second transport unit (200) can control the transport speed of each of the plurality of materials to be treated (O) so that the plurality of materials to be treated (O) are transported in a row.

[0064] For example, the second transport unit (200) may include a second roller (210) and a second driving device (220).

[0065] A plurality of second rollers (210) may be arranged side by side in a direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIG. 2) intersecting with the transport direction of the material to be treated (O) (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIGS. 1 and 2). The second roller (210) may include a rotational shaft (211) and a plurality of rotational members (212) provided on the rotational shaft (211).

[0066] For example, the plurality of second rollers (210) may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction and the second direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of second rollers (210) may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction (e.g., the X-axis direction of FIG. 2), which is the transport direction of the material to be treated (O). In addition, the plurality of second rollers (210) may be spaced apart from each other in the second direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIG. 2) intersecting the first direction. The rotation speeds of the plurality of second rollers (210) may be individually controlled by the second driving device (220).

[0067] For example, a plurality of second rollers (210) can form the same number of rows as a plurality of materials to be treated (O). As shown in Fig. 2, six materials to be treated (O) can each enter the second rollers (210) forming six rows in the first direction.

[0068] Although the drawing shows that each row of second rollers (210) includes five second rollers (210), the number of second rollers (210) may vary depending on the number and size of the materials to be treated (O) being transported, and for example, the number of second rollers (210) may be four or less or six or more. Although the drawing shows two rotating members (212) per one second roller (210), the number of rotating members (212) may vary depending on the number and size of the materials to be treated (O) being transported, and for example, the number of rotating members (212) may be at least two.

[0069] For example, a plurality of second rollers (210) may be operated by the second conveyance (200) and may operate independently of the first conveyance (100). The plurality of second rollers (210) may rotate or have their rotation speeds controlled by the second driving device (220) of the second conveyance (200) and may not be connected to the first driving device (120). The change in the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) may be controlled only by the second driving device (220), and the low-speed rotation or high-speed rotation of the plurality of second rollers (210) may be independent of the first driving device (120). That is, the operation of the plurality of second rollers (210) is independent of the first driving device (120), and the configuration of the conveyance device (10) may be simplified by not including any connecting member with the first driving device (120).

[0070] For example, a plurality of second rollers (210) can define a plurality of alignment areas (230).

[0071] The plurality of alignment areas (230) may refer to areas where the plurality of second rollers (210) support the plurality of materials to be treated (O). For example, the plurality of alignment areas (230) may be partitioned by the plurality of second rollers (210) included in one row. As shown in FIG. 2, if the plurality of second rollers (210) form six rows, the plurality of alignment areas (230) may also be partitioned into six. In addition, the number of alignment areas (230) may be the same as the number of materials to be treated (O) being transported. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when six materials to be treated (O) enter the second transport unit (200), each material to be treated (O) may enter each of the six alignment areas (230). The rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers (210) included in each alignment area (230) can be controlled by the second driving device (220), thereby adjusting the transport speed of each of the materials to be processed (O).

[0072] The plurality of second rollers (210) included in the plurality of alignment areas (230) may have different sizes. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, one alignment area (230) may have one second roller (210) and a pair of rotating members (212) in the second direction. And as shown in FIG. 4, among the pair of rotating members (212), the diameter R2 of the rotating member (212) located outside in the second direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIG. 4) may be smaller than the diameter R1 of the rotating member (212) located inside. Accordingly, the material to be treated (O) transported on the alignment area (230) may be transported by the second transport unit (200) by rotating outward by θ in the second direction, and may be transported without interfering with the adjacent material to be treated (O).

[0073] For example, a plurality of materials to be treated (O) that have entered the first conveying section (100) may collide with each other while traveling on a plurality of first rollers (110) or may be misaligned due to a slight speed difference between the plurality of first rollers (110). In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of materials to be treated (O) may rotate inward and meander. In order to align this meandering, the diameter of the rotating member (212) on the outer side of the plurality of second rollers (210) may be smaller than the diameter of the rotating member (212) on the inner side. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the materials to be treated (O) that are transported on each alignment area (230) may rotate outward in the second direction by θ to resolve the meandering state.

[0074] For example, R2 may be 1.05 to 1.2 times R1. When R2 is less than 1.05 times R1, the material to be treated (O) may not rotate sufficiently, which may cause interference between the material to be treated (O). When R2 is more than 1.2 times R1, the material to be treated (O) may rotate excessively, which may cause the vertex of the material to be treated (O) to contact the adjacent material to be treated (O), and the material to be treated (O) may be excessively tilted in the height direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction in FIG. 3). For example, R2 may be 1.1 to 1.15 times R1. For example, the difference between R2 and R1 may be set so that the rotation angle θ of the material to be treated (O) satisfies 5 to 20 degrees. For example, the difference between R2 and R1 may be set so that the rotation angle θ of the material to be treated (O) satisfies 10 to 15 degrees.

[0075] For example, the diameter difference between the plurality of rotational members (212) included in the plurality of alignment regions (230) may be different from each other. For example, the diameter difference between the plurality of rotational members (212) located at the center in the second direction may be greater than the diameter difference between the plurality of rotational members (212) located at the outside in the second direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of alignment regions (230) may include a pair of first alignment regions (230-1) located at the center in the second direction, a pair of second alignment regions (230-2) adjacent to the pair of first alignment regions (230-1) and located at the outside in the second direction, and a pair of third alignment regions (230-3) adjacent to the pair of second alignment regions (230-2) and located at the outermost side in the second direction. And the diameter difference of a pair of rotating members (212) included in a pair of first alignment regions (230-1) may be smaller than the diameter difference of a pair of rotating members (212) included in a pair of second alignment regions (230-2). Also, the diameter difference of a pair of rotating members (212) included in a pair of second alignment regions (230-2) may be smaller than the diameter difference of a pair of rotating members (212) included in a pair of third alignment regions (230-3). Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the material to be treated (O) in a pair of third alignment areas (230-3) can rotate outward by the largest angle θ1, the material to be treated (O) in a pair of second alignment areas (230-2) can rotate outward by an angle θ2 smaller than θ1, and the material to be treated (O) in a pair of third alignment areas (230-3) can rotate outward by an angle θ3 smaller than θ2. Depending on the operating conditions of the transport device (10), as shown in FIG. 2, there are cases where the material to be treated (O) on the outside among the plurality of material to be treated (O) rotates inward more while passing through the first transport section (100).The transport device (10) can resolve the meandering state of a plurality of treatment materials (O) by further rotating the treatment materials (O) on the outside through a configuration regarding the difference in diameter of the above-mentioned rotation member (212).

[0076] The second driving device (220) can control the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) to adjust the transport speed of the material to be treated (O). The second driving device (220) can be a hydraulic or electric motor or cylinder. The second driving device (220) can individually control the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210). For example, the second driving device (220) can correspond to each of the plurality of alignment areas (230) defined by the plurality of second rollers (210). In addition, the second driving device (220) can control the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) defining each alignment area (230) so that the plurality of material to be treated (O) can be transported in a single line without meandering. For example, the second driving device (220) can cause the second roller (210) to rotate at the same rotation speed as the first roller (110), or at a rotation speed that is faster or slower than the rotation speed of the first roller (110).

[0077] For example, the second driving device (220) may be provided in the same number as the plurality of alignment areas (230), and may be located below each of the plurality of alignment areas (230). In other words, the plurality of second driving devices (220) may not be spaced apart from the plurality of second rollers (210), and may be located below the plurality of second rollers (210) when viewed from a plan view. Therefore, not only can the overall size of the transport device (10) be reduced in the width direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction of FIG. 2), but also the plurality of second driving devices (220) and the plurality of second rollers (210) can be simply connected. For example, unlike a conventional transport device in which multiple rotation axes connecting a driving device and rollers pass through different rollers, multiple second driving devices (220) are directly connected to multiple second rollers (210) directly below, thereby simplifying the connection mechanism between the second driving devices (220) and the second rollers (210), and facilitating maintenance and repair.

[0078] For example, the second drive unit (220) may include an actuator (221), an input gear (222), a transmission gear (223), a connecting shaft (224), a connecting belt (225), and a gear box (226).

[0079] The actuator (221) is a member that drives the second driving device (220), and may be a hydraulic or electric motor or cylinder. For convenience of explanation, the following description will focus on the case where the actuator (221) is an electric motor. The actuator (221) may be provided with an input gear (222) on one side. When the actuator (221) operates, the input gear (222) rotates, and the transmission gear (223) mounted on the connecting shaft (224) may rotate. The connecting shaft (224) is located below the plurality of second rollers (210) and may be connected to the plurality of second rollers (210) through a connecting belt (225) and a gear box (226). Accordingly, when the actuator (221) operates, the input gear (222) rotates, causing the transmission gear (223) to rotate, thereby allowing the connecting shaft (224) to rotate. In addition, the second roller (210) connected to the connecting shaft (224) through the connecting belt (225) and gear box (226) mounted on the connecting shaft (224) also rotates, thereby allowing the rotational speed of the second roller (210) to be controlled.

[0080] For example, the second transport unit (200) may include a first sensor (241) and a second sensor (242).

[0081] The first sensor (241) is adjacent to the entrance side of the second transport unit (200) and can detect whether the material to be treated (0) has entered the second transport unit (200). In addition, the first sensor (241) can detect the position of at least one material to be treated (0) that has entered the second transport unit (200).

[0082] The first sensor (241) may be provided in plurality, and may be located on at least one of the inner upper surface and inner lower surface of the second transport unit (200) facing the upper or lower surface of the material to be treated (0). For example, the first sensor (241) may be located on the upper or lower surface of the second roller (210). The first sensors (241) are included in each of the plurality of alignment areas (230) and may detect the position of the material to be treated (0) on the plurality of alignment areas (230). At this time, the number of first sensors (241) may be the same as the number of the plurality of alignment areas (230). That is, the first sensors (241) may be located in an area corresponding to the plurality of alignment areas (230) in a vertical direction (for example, the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis and the Y-axis in FIG. 2) on an imaginary dotted line extending in the second direction (for example, the Y-axis direction in FIG. 2).

[0083] The first sensor (241) detects whether a plurality of materials to be treated (0) have entered and their positions and transmits them to the second transport unit (200), and the second transport unit (200) controls the second driving device (220) based on the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (O) detected by the first sensor (241) to adjust the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210).

[0084] The second sensor (242) is located adjacent to the exit side of the second transport unit (200) and is spaced apart from the first sensor (241) and can detect whether the material to be treated (0) enters at the said location. In addition, the second sensor (242) can detect the position of at least one material to be treated (0) at the exit side of the second transport unit (200).

[0085] A plurality of second sensors (242) may be provided, and may be on the inner upper surface or inner lower surface of the second transport unit (200) facing the upper surface or lower surface of the material to be treated (0). For example, the second sensors (242) may be on the upper or lower surface of the second roller (210). The second sensors (242) are respectively located in the plurality of alignment areas (230) and may detect the positions of the material to be treated (0) on the plurality of alignment areas (230). At this time, the number of second sensors (242) may be the same as the number of the plurality of alignment areas. That is, the second sensors (242) may be located in areas corresponding to the plurality of alignment areas (230) in a vertical direction (for example, the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis of FIG. 2) on an imaginary dotted line extending in the second direction (for example, the Y-axis direction of FIG. 2).

[0086] The second sensor (242) detects the positions of a plurality of materials to be treated (0) and transmits them to the second transport unit (200), and the second transport unit (200) controls the second driving device (220) based on the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (O) detected by the second sensor (242) to adjust the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210).

[0087] Meanwhile, when being transported from the first transport unit (100), due to collisions or interferences between the materials to be treated (O), a plurality of materials to be treated (O) may not enter the second transport unit (200) in a lined-up state, and a positional difference may occur in the transport direction as shown in FIG. 2. In order to compensate for this positional difference between the plurality of materials to be treated (O), the positions of other materials to be treated (O) may be compensated according to the position of the material to be treated (O) located at the leading edge. For example, the second transport unit (200) may control the rotational speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) in the alignment area (230) corresponding to the second sensor (242) that first detected the material to be treated (O) among the plurality of second sensors (242) in the plurality of alignment areas (230). In order to enable the treatment material (O) located at the leading edge and the remaining treatment materials (O) to be transported in a row, the second driving device (220) can increase the rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers (210) included in a plurality of alignment areas (230) that support the remaining treatment materials (O) except for the treatment material (O) located at the leading edge.

[0088] For example, when one of the plurality of second sensors (242) detects the material to be treated (O) first, the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of the second roller (210) for the alignment area (230) where the first sensor (241) detects the material to be treated (O) in the alignment area (230) other than the alignment area (230) where the second sensor (242) is located. In other words, the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of the second roller (210) for the alignment area (230) where the material to be treated (O) passes through the first sensor (241). Accordingly, even if the material to be treated (O) has not entered the point where the first sensor (241) is located, the rotation speed of the second roller (210) may be increased so that rattling or the like may not occur during the process of the material to be treated (O) being transferred from the first transport unit (100) to the second transport unit (200). In contrast, in the remaining alignment area (230), the rotation speed of the second roller (210) may be maintained without being increased for the alignment area (230) where the first sensor (241) has not detected the material to be treated (0). In this case, among the material to be treated (0) included in one group, the subsequent material to be treated (0) entering the area may be managed separately, and may be discharged separately after the remaining material to be treated (0) excluding the subsequent material to be treated (0) are discharged.

[0089] For example, when the second sensor (242) in the alignment area (230) corresponding to the plurality of second rollers (210) with a high rotation speed detects the material to be treated (O), the second transport unit (200) can lower the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) in the corresponding alignment area (230). In detail, when the second sensor (242) in the alignment area (230) corresponding to the plurality of second rollers (210) with a high rotation speed detects the material to be treated (O), the first sensor (241) corresponding to the alignment area (230) may not detect the material to be treated (0) because the material to be treated (0) passes through it, and the second transport unit (200) can lower the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) in the corresponding alignment area (230).

[0090] The first sensor (241) and the second sensor (242) are sufficient if they can detect a plurality of objects to be treated (O), and may be any one of various types of sensors, such as a plurality of optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, laser sensors, vision cameras, and electromagnetic sensors. For example, the first sensor (241) and the second sensor (242) are laser sensors that can detect the positions of a plurality of objects to be treated (O) by irradiating light onto the plurality of objects to be treated (O) and receiving the reflected light.

[0091] For example, the first sensor (241) and the second sensor (242) may be located on one side of the second transport unit (200) facing the side of the material to be treated (0). In this case, each of the first sensor (241) and the second sensor (242) may be provided in one or more units. When each of the first sensor (241) and the second sensor (242) is provided in multiple units, each sensor may be provided in a number less than or equal to the number of alignment areas (230).

[0092] For example, the second transport unit (200) includes a plurality of first sensors (241) and a plurality of second sensors (242) each located in a first direction in a plurality of alignment areas (230), and when the second sensor (242) in one of the alignment areas (230) detects the material to be treated (O), the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) in the alignment areas (230) among the remaining alignment areas (230) in which the first sensor (241) detects the material to be treated (O) and the second sensor (242) does not detect the material to be treated (O).

[0093] For example, when a second sensor (242) in an alignment area (230) corresponding to a plurality of second rollers (210) with a high rotation speed detects a material to be processed (O), the second transport unit (200) can lower the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) in the corresponding alignment area (230).

[0094] The third transport unit (300) is located at the rear end of the transport device (10) and can discharge a plurality of materials to be treated (O) transferred from the first transport unit (100) and the second transport unit (200) to the outside of the transport device (10). For example, the third transport unit (300) can re-align and discharge a plurality of materials to be treated (O) that have been aligned once in the second transport unit (200).

[0095] For example, the third transfer unit (300) includes a first stage (331) that is movable and has some of a plurality of third rollers (310), a second stage (332) that is movable and has the remainder of the plurality of third rollers (310), a fourth sensor (342) on the first stage (331) adjacent to the boundary between the first stage (331) and the second stage (332), and a fifth sensor (343) on the second stage (332), and the first stage (331) may be between the second transfer unit (200) and the second stage (332).

[0096] For example, the third transport unit (300) may include a third roller (310) and a third driving device (320).

[0097] A plurality of third rollers (310) may be arranged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, which is the transport direction of the material to be treated (O). The third rollers (310) may include a rotational shaft (311) and a plurality of rotational members (312) provided on the rotational shaft (311). Each third roller (310) may have an adjacent third roller (310) and a rotational member (312) staggered, so that edges of the material to be treated (O) may not fall into the space between the rotational members (312) during transport. Although eight third rollers (310) are shown in the drawing, the number of third rollers (310) may vary depending on the number and size of the material to be treated (O) being transported, and the number of third rollers (310) may be seven or less or eight or more. The drawing shows ten rotating members (312) on one third roller (310), but the number of rotating members (312) may vary depending on the number and size of the materials to be processed (O) being transported, and the number of rotating members (312) may be 9 or less or 11 or more.

[0098] The third driving device (320) can control the rotation speed of a plurality of third rollers (310) to adjust the transport speed of the material to be treated (O). The third driving device (320) can be a hydraulic or electric motor or cylinder. The third driving device (320) can rotate the plurality of third rollers (310) at a predetermined speed to discharge the plurality of material to be treated (O) to the outside of the transport device (10). For example, the third driving device (320) can control the speed at which the material to be treated (O) is discharged to the outside by adjusting the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310) in consideration of the position and state of the material to be treated (O) being transported from the second transport unit (200).

[0099] For example, the third driving device (320) can control the rotation speed of a plurality of third rollers (310) to be constant or increase the rotation speed. In addition, the third driving device (320) can individually control the rotation speed of a plurality of third rollers (310) included in a first stage (331) described below and a plurality of third rollers (310) included in a second stage (332). For example, the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310) included in the first stage (331) can be increased or decreased compared to, or maintained the same as, the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310) included in the second stage (332). However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the third driving device (320) can individually control the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310) or control them all to be the same.

[0100] For example, the third transport unit (300) may include a first stage (331) and a second stage (332).

[0101] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) are areas where a plurality of third rollers (310) are provided. The first stage (331) and the second stage (332) are supported by the first lift (371) and the second lift (372), respectively, and can be independently raised and lowered by the first lift (371) and the second lift (372). For example, in the transport direction of the material to be treated (O), some of the plurality of third rollers (310) may be on the first stage (331) and some may be on the second stage (332). The first stage (331) and the second stage (332) may be raised and lowered depending on the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (O).

[0102] For example, when a plurality of materials to be treated (O) enter the second stage (332) and move to an area corresponding to the stopper (360), the third transport unit (300) can raise the second stage (332). For example, when all of the plurality of materials to be treated (O) enter the plurality of third rollers (310) provided in the second stage (332), the second stage (332) can be raised by the second lift (372) to form a step with the first stage (331). In this state, the centering device (350) described later can enter the second stage (332) to align the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (O). And when a plurality of processing materials (0) are aligned, the second stage (332) can be lowered again, and the stopper (360) can be lowered on the transport path so that a plurality of processing materials (0) can be discharged from the third transport section (300).

[0103] For example, the third transport unit (300) may include a third sensor (341), a fourth sensor (342), and a fifth sensor (343).

[0104] The third sensor (341) may be adjacent to the inlet side of the third transport unit (300). The third sensor (341) may be adjacent to the second transport unit (200) rather than the center of the third transport unit (300) in the transport direction of the material to be treated (O). The third sensor (341) may be on the first stage (331). The third sensor (341) may detect whether the material to be treated (0) enters the third transport unit (300). In addition, the third sensor (341) may detect the position of at least one material to be treated (0) at the inlet side of the third transport unit (300).

[0105] For example, the third sensor (341) may be provided in one or more units. When one third sensor (341) is provided, the third sensor (341) may be located on one side of the third transport unit (300) facing the side of the material to be treated (0). In addition, when a plurality of third sensors (341) are provided, the number of third sensors (341) is less than or equal to the number of alignment areas (230), and may correspond to the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (0), for example, the plurality of alignment areas (230). The third sensor (341) detects the position of at least one material to be treated (0) and transmits it to the third transport unit (300), and the third transport unit (300) controls the third driving device (320) based on the position of the material to be treated (O) detected by the third sensor (341) to adjust the rotation speed of a plurality of third rollers (310).

[0106] The fourth sensor (342) may be located on one side of the third transport unit (300) and spaced apart from the third sensor (341). The fourth sensor (342) may be spaced from the center of the third transport unit (300) toward the inlet side of the third transport unit (300) in the transport direction of the material to be treated (O). The fourth sensor (342) may be located on the first stage (331). For example, the fourth sensor (342) may be located in an area adjacent to the end of the first stage (331) adjacent to the boundary between the first stage (331) and the second stage (332). The fourth sensor (342) may detect the position of at least one material to be treated (0).

[0107] For example, the fourth sensor (342) may be provided in one or more units. When one fourth sensor (342) is provided, the fourth sensor (342) may be located on one side of the third transport section (300) facing the side of the material to be treated (0). In addition, when a plurality of fourth sensors (342) are provided, the number of fourth sensors (342) is less than or equal to the number of alignment areas (230), and may correspond to the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (0), for example, the plurality of alignment areas (230). The fourth sensor (342) detects the position of at least one material to be treated (0) and transmits it to the third transport unit (300), and the third transport unit (300) controls the third driving device (320) based on the position of the material to be treated (O) detected by the fourth sensor (342) to adjust the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310), the position of the first lift (371), etc.

[0108] The fifth sensor (343) may be located on one side of the third transport unit (300) and spaced apart from the fourth sensor (342). The fifth sensor (343) may be spaced from the center of the third transport unit (300) toward the exit side of the third transport unit (300) in the transport direction of the material to be treated (O). The fifth sensor (343) may be located on the second stage (332). For example, the fifth sensor (343) may be located adjacent to an end of the second stage (332) opposite to an end of the second stage (332) rather than an end of the second stage (332) adjacent to the first stage (331). The fifth sensor (343) may be located in a front area of ​​the stopper (360). The fifth sensor (343) may detect the position of at least one material to be treated (0). The fifth sensor (343) can detect the presence or absence of the material to be treated (0) in the area in front of the stopper (360). Here, the area in front of the stopper (360) is an area located in front of the stopper (360) adjacent to the stopper (360) in the transport direction, and may mean an area in which the material to be treated (0) is restricted from moving forward by the stopper (360).

[0109] For example, the fifth sensor (343) may be provided in one or more units. When one fifth sensor (343) is provided, the fifth sensor (343) may be located on one side of the third transport section (300) facing the side of the material to be treated (0). In addition, when a plurality of fifth sensors (343) are provided, the number of fifth sensors (343) is less than or equal to the number of alignment areas (230), and may correspond to the positions of the plurality of materials to be treated (0), for example, the plurality of alignment areas (230). The fifth sensor (343) detects the position of at least one material to be treated (0) and transfers it to the third transport unit (300), and the third transport unit (300) controls the third driving device (320) based on the position of the material to be treated (0) detected by the fifth sensor (343) to adjust the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310), the position of the second lift (372), etc.

[0110] For example, a plurality of materials to be treated (0) provided to a third conveyor (300) through a second conveyor (200) can be moved at high speed to an area corresponding to a fifth sensor (343). In detail, a plurality of materials to be treated (0) included in a first group can be aligned within a set error range in the process of being moved to an area corresponding to a second sensor (242) by a plurality of second rollers (210) in a second conveyor (200). Thereafter, the materials to be treated (0) of the first group can be moved at high speed to a third conveyor (300) by the second rollers (210) of the second conveyor (200).

[0111] Next, the plurality of materials to be treated (0) included in group 1 can be moved at high speed by the third roller (310) of the third transport unit (300) to an area in front of the stopper (360), for example, an area where forward movement is restricted by the stopper (360). The plurality of materials to be treated (0) included in group 1 may not be moved forward by the stopper (360) and may be aligned through physical contact with the stopper (360).

[0112] For example, as the processing material (0) of the first group moves to the third conveyor (300), the processing material (0) may not be detected by the second sensor (242). In this case, the second driving device (220) of the second conveyor (200) may adjust the rotation speed of the second roller (210) to a low speed again. Thereafter, a plurality of processing materials (0) of the second group located behind the first group may be provided to the second conveyor (200), and the above-described process is repeated.

[0113] For example, if the fifth sensor (343) detects the material to be treated (0), the third transport unit (300) can operate the second lift (372) after a predetermined time to raise the second stage (332). Here, the third transport unit (300) can operate the second lift (372) to raise the second stage (332) if the fifth sensor (343) detects the material to be treated (0) and the fourth sensor (342) does not detect the material to be treated (0).

[0114] For example, when the fifth sensor (343) detects the material to be treated (0), the third transport unit (300) can operate the centering device (350) described later to align a plurality of materials to be treated (O). Here, the second stage (332) may be in an elevated state. At this time, the stopper (360) described later may be in an elevated state to prevent forward movement of the material to be treated (0).

[0115] The third sensor (341) to the fifth sensor (343) are sufficient if they can detect a plurality of objects to be treated (O), and may be any one of various types of sensors, such as a plurality of optical sensors, ultrasonic sensors, laser sensors, vision cameras, and electromagnetic sensors. For example, the third sensor (341) to the fifth sensor (343) are laser sensors that can detect the positions of a plurality of objects to be treated (O) by irradiating light onto the plurality of objects to be treated (O) and receiving the reflected light.

[0116] For example, if the fifth sensor (343) detects the material to be treated (O) and the fourth sensor (342) does not detect the material to be treated (O), the third transport unit (300) can raise the second stage (332) after a set time.

[0117] For example, when the fourth sensor (342) and the fifth sensor (343) simultaneously detect the material to be treated (O), the third transport unit (300) can raise the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) after a set time.

[0118] For example, the third transport unit (300) may include a centering device (350).

[0119] The centering device (350) is located on one side and the other side of the plurality of third rollers (310), respectively, and can align the plurality of materials to be treated (O) as they enter the plurality of third rollers (310). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the centering device (350) may be located in pairs on both sides of the plurality of third rollers (310). The pair of centering devices (350) is a type of pusher that moves forward and backward by a cylinder, and can align the plurality of materials to be treated (O) placed on the plurality of third rollers (310) by pressing them in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, which is the transport direction of the materials to be treated (O). The centering device (350) may be located in an area corresponding to the second stage (332). In addition, the centering device (350) may further be located in an area corresponding to a part of the first stage (331).

[0120] For example, the centering device (350) may enter the second stage (332) so that the second stage (332) rises and the plurality of processing materials (O) are aligned in the second direction while the plurality of processing materials (O) are stopped by the stopper (360) that has moved upward along the transport path.

[0121] For example, the third transport unit (300) may include a stopper (360).

[0122] The stopper (360) is located at the rear end of the third conveyor (300) and stops and aligns a plurality of processing materials (O) conveyed from the third conveyor (300). For example, the stopper (360) may be located in the second stage (332). In addition, the stopper (360) may be located between the first and second third rollers (310) based on the exit of the third conveyor (300) among the plurality of third rollers (310) included in the second stage (332).

[0123] The stopper (360) may be provided to be movable in the up-and-down direction from the surface of the third roller (310). For example, the stopper (360) may rise upward from the surface of the third roller (310) when the alignment of the material to be treated (0) is in progress, thereby restricting the movement of the material to be treated (0). Accordingly, a plurality of material to be treated (O) may be stopped and aligned while coming into contact with the stopper (360). In addition, the second stage (332) mentioned above may rise while the plurality of material to be treated (O) come into contact with the stopper (360) and come into stoppage, and a pair of centering devices (350) may align the plurality of material to be treated (O) in the second direction.

[0124] For example, the stopper (360) can be set as a basic mode in a state where it is raised higher than a plurality of third rollers (310). Then, when a plurality of materials to be treated (O) come into contact with the stopper (360) and are aligned, the stopper (360) is lowered, and then the plurality of materials to be treated (O) can be discharged from the third conveyor (300). When the plurality of materials to be treated (O) are all discharged from the third conveyor (300), the stopper (360) can be raised again.

[0125] The third transport unit (300) can stop a plurality of third rollers (310) included in the second stage (332) or reduce the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310) while the stopper (360) is raised.

[0126] The stopper (360) may include a plurality of main bodies made of a polymer material and a plurality of elastic members connecting the plurality of main bodies. The main bodies are made of a polymer such as PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) and may be in direct contact with a plurality of materials to be treated (O). A plurality of main bodies may be provided, and an elastic member such as a spring connecting the main bodies may be provided between each main body part. The main bodies and the elastic members may absorb impact generated when in contact with the material to be treated (O).

[0127] In addition, the stopper (360) can be lowered downward from the surface of the third roller (310) after alignment by the centering device (350). As a result, the stopper (360) can provide a discharge path for the aligned processing materials (0), and the aligned plurality of processing materials (0) can be moved to the outside of the third transport section (300) after lowering the second stage (332). Accordingly, the embodiment can effectively align and transport the plurality of processing materials (0).

[0128] In addition, although it has been described that the second stage (332) rises when the fifth sensor (343) detects the treatment material (0), it is not limited thereto, and for example, both the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) may rise.

[0129] For example, not only the fifth sensor (343) but also the fourth sensor (342) can detect the material to be treated (0). In this case, the third transport unit (300) can operate the first lift (371) and the second lift (372) after a predetermined time to simultaneously raise the first stage (331) and the second stage (332).

[0130] If the fourth sensor (342) and the fifth sensor (343) detect the material to be treated (0), this may mean that the alignment of the material to be treated (0) is abnormal. For example, this may mean that at least one material to be treated (0) is located in the boundary area of ​​the first stage (331) and the second stage (332), or at least one material to be treated (0) remains in the first stage (331). In this case, if only the second stage (332) is raised, the material to be treated (0) located in the boundary area of ​​the two stages (331, 332) may overturn. To prevent this, in the above case, both stages (331, 332) may be raised to prevent overturning.

[0131] In addition, when both the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) are raised as described above, alignment can be performed through the centering device (350). For example, the centering device (350) may be in an area corresponding to the second stage (332) and a portion of the first stage (331). Accordingly, the centering device (350) can align the processing material (0) located on the second stage (332) by applying pressure in the second direction. In addition, the centering device (350) can align the processing material (0) located on the boundary between the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) or on the first stage (331) corresponding to the centering device (350) by applying pressure within the pressure range.

[0132] Afterwards, the stopper (360), the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) can be lowered, and the third transport unit (300) can rotate the third roller (310) in the area corresponding to the second stage (332) to first discharge the material to be treated (0) in the area. Subsequently, the third transport unit (300) can rotate the third roller (310) in the area corresponding to the boundary of the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) and / or the first stage (331) to discharge the remaining material to be treated (0).

[0133] Accordingly, the embodiment can effectively align and transport a plurality of materials to be treated (0). In addition, the embodiment can prevent problems such as the materials to be treated (0) overturning from occurring even if the materials to be treated (0) are abnormally aligned during the alignment process.

[0134] The operation of the following transport device (10) can be explained.

[0135] A plurality of materials to be treated (O) enter the first conveyor (100) (Fig. 7). The plurality of materials to be treated (O) can form a plurality of groups. For example, one group includes a total of six materials to be treated (O), and after the materials to be treated (O) of the first group enters the first conveyor (100), the materials to be treated (O) of the second group can enter the first conveyor (100). For example, when the materials to be treated (O) of the first group enters the second conveyor (200) from the first conveyor (100), the materials to be treated (O) of the second group can enter the first conveyor (100). The materials to be treated (O) of the first group that entered first meander as they pass through the multiple areas, and thus their alignment is broken. For example, the materials to be treated (0) can meander as they pass through the multiple areas, and their alignment can be broken. Each of the plurality of regions may have rollers for transporting the material to be treated (0). These rollers may change into a shape in which the center region of the roller sags, for example, becomes concave downward, due to a high temperature environment and / or the weight of the material to be treated (0). As a result, the contact state with the material to be treated (0) may be different for each region of the roller, such as the center region and the edge region of the roller, and the driving transmission force of the roller may be different depending on the position of the material to be treated (0), which may cause meandering. In addition, as the material to be treated (O) is transported, vibration may cause the material contained therein to drift, causing the material to shake, or the material to be treated (O) may collide with each other, causing meandering. Such meandering may also occur in the second group of material to be treated (O) that enters later. Here, the first transport unit (100) may control the first driving device (120) to cause the plurality of first rollers (110) to rotate at the same rotational speed.

[0136] In the drawing below, it can be explained with the treatment material (0) of group 1 as the center.

[0137] Next, the first group of materials to be treated (O) enters the second conveyor (200) (Fig. 8). The plurality of materials to be treated (O) included in the first group can enter the second conveyor (200) so as to correspond to the plurality of alignment areas (230), respectively. During this process, the first sensor (241) of the second conveyor (200) can detect the entry of the first group of materials to be treated (O) into the second conveyor (200). For example, six materials to be treated (O) can enter each of the six alignment areas (230), one by one. Here, the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) of the second conveyor (200) can be the same as the rotation speed of the plurality of first rollers (110).

[0138] The next group of materials to be treated (O) are transported by a plurality of second rollers (210) and meander, and one of the materials to be treated (O) is detected by the second sensor (242) first (Fig. 9). Here, the remaining materials to be treated (O) may not yet be detected by the second sensor (242). When one of the second sensors (242) detects the materials to be treated (O) first, the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) to align the positions between the plurality of materials to be treated (O).

[0139] For example, the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) included in the remaining alignment areas (230) excluding the alignment area (230) corresponding to the second sensor (242) that detects the material to be treated (O) first among the plurality of second sensors (242). That is, the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers (210) that transport the remaining materials to be treated (O) so as to align the positions of the remaining materials to be treated (O) based on the position of the material to be treated (O) located at the frontmost end in the transport direction of the materials to be treated (O). Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10, a group of materials to be treated (O) can be transported while being aligned in a single row. For example, when the second transport unit (200) increases the rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers (210), the second transport unit (200) can increase the rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers (210) provided in the alignment area (230) where the processing material (O) detected by the first sensor (241) but not yet detected by the second sensor (242) is located.

[0140] For example, when the second sensor (242) detects all of the processing materials (O) of a group 1, the second transport unit (200) can equally control the rotation speeds of the plurality of second rollers (210) included in the plurality of alignment areas (230). For example, the second driving device (220) can individually control the rotation speeds of the plurality of second rollers (210) included in the plurality of alignment areas (230).

[0141] In addition, as described above, the plurality of second rollers (210) included in the plurality of alignment areas (230) may have different sizes. As a result, the processing material (0) of a group that has entered the second conveyance (200) can rotate by a set angle in each alignment area (230). Accordingly, the processing material (0) included in each of the plurality of alignment areas (230) can minimize the deviation in the degree of rotation compared to a non-whirling reference value.

[0142] Next, the first group of the processing material (O) can pass through the second sensor (242) in a firstly aligned state and move to the third conveying unit (300). At this time, the first group of the processing material (0) that has passed through the second sensor (242) can move at high speed to an area corresponding to the fifth sensor (343). That is, the second driving device (220) can adjust the rotation speed of the second roller (210) in the second conveying unit (200) to high speed. When the first group of the processing material (0) moves to the third conveying unit (300), the processing material (0) may not be detected by the second sensor (242). In this case, the second driving device (220) of the second conveying unit (200) can adjust the rotation speed of the second roller (210) to low speed again (Fig. 11).

[0143] Next, the first group of materials to be treated (O) enters the third conveyor (300) (Fig. 12). In the third conveyor (300), the first group of materials to be treated (0) can move at high speed to the area corresponding to the fifth sensor (343). That is, the third driving device (320) can quickly adjust the rotation speed of the third roller (310) in the third conveyor (300). During this process, the third sensor (341) of the third conveyor (300) can detect the first group of materials to be treated (O).

[0144] Next, the processing material (O) of the first group passes through the fourth sensor (342), and at least one processing material (O) is detected by the fifth sensor (343) (Fig. 13). The processing material (0) included in the first group can be moved at high speed to the area in front of the stopper (360) by the third roller (310) of the third conveying unit (300), for example, to the area where forward movement is restricted by the raised stopper (360). Accordingly, at least one processing material (0) included in the first group is located in the area in front of the stopper (360) and detected by the fifth sensor (343).

[0145] As shown in the following Figures 14 and 15, the treatment material (O) of group 1 may be detected by the fifth sensor (343), and the fourth sensor (342) may not detect the treatment material (0) of group 1. For example, after a predetermined time has passed from the time when the treatment material (0) of group 1 is detected by the fifth sensor (343), the treatment material (0) of group 1 may pass through, and the fourth sensor (342) may not detect the treatment material (0) of group 1.

[0146] That is, the third transport unit (300) can determine that all of the plurality of treatment materials (0) included in the first group have moved normally when the fifth sensor (343) detects the treatment material (0) and at least one of the third sensor (341) and the fourth sensor (342) does not detect the treatment material (0). In addition, the third transport unit (300) can control the third driving device (320) to reduce the rotation speed of the plurality of third rollers (310) included in the second stage (332) or cause the plurality of third rollers (310) to stop.

[0147] For example, as shown in Fig. 15, when the movement of the first group of materials to be treated (O) restricted by the stopper (360) is all detected by the fifth sensor (343) and the set time has elapsed, the third roller (310) can be stopped. Thereafter, the second lift (372) can raise the second stage (332) to form a step with the first stage (331). In this state, the forward movement of the first group of materials to be treated (0) can be restricted by the raised stopper (360). When the second lift (372) is raised and the first group of materials to be treated (O) is stopped, a pair of centering devices (350) enters in the second direction to align the first group of materials to be treated (O) (Fig. 16). A pair of centering devices (350) can pressurize the first group of treatment materials (O) in the second direction so that the first group of treatment materials (O) are aligned and pressed in the second direction.

[0148] As shown in the following Figures 17 and 18, the stopper (360) can be lowered, and the centering device (350) can be returned to its original position. In addition, the second stage (332) can be lowered. Then, the third conveying unit (300) can rotate the plurality of third rollers (310) included in the second stage (332) again or return them to their original rotation speed, thereby discharging the first group of the processing material (O) in the outward direction of the electrode material heat treatment device (1).

[0149] For example, the processing material (O) of group 1 may be detected by the fifth sensor (343), and the processing material (0) of group 1 may also be detected by the fourth sensor (342). For example, even after a predetermined time has passed since the fifth sensor (343) detected the processing material (0) of group 1, some of the processing materials (0) of group 1 may not move a set distance and may be detected by the fourth sensor (342). That is, when both the fourth sensor (342) and the fifth sensor (343) detect the processing material (0), the third transport unit (300) may determine that the alignment state is disturbed because multiple processing materials (0) included in group 1 are being transported abnormally.

[0150] For example, at least one treatment material (0) included in group 1 may mean that at least one of the treatment materials (O) of group 1 is located in the boundary area of ​​the first stage (331) and the second stage (332), as shown in FIG. 19, or at least one treatment material (0) remains in the first stage (331). In this case, if only the second stage (332) is raised, the treatment material (0) located in the boundary area of ​​the two stages (331, 332) may overturn. To prevent this, both the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) may be raised to prevent overturning.

[0151] For example, the third transport unit (300) can control the third driving device (320) to stop the plurality of third rollers (310) included in the first stage (331) and the second stage (332). Thereafter, the first lift (371) and the second lift (372) can raise the first stage (331) and the second stage (332), respectively. In this state, the forward movement of the processing material (0) of group 1 can be restricted by the raised stopper (360).

[0152] Next, while the first group of materials to be treated (O) is stationary, a pair of centering devices (350) may enter in the second direction to align the first group of materials to be treated (O). The pair of centering devices (350) may press the first group of materials to be treated (O) in the second direction so that the first group of materials to be treated (O) are aligned in close contact in the second direction.

[0153] For example, the centering device (350) may be located in an area corresponding to the second stage (332) and a portion of the first stage (331). Accordingly, the centering device (350) may align the processing material (0) located on the second stage (332) by applying pressure in the second direction. In addition, the centering device (350) may align the processing material (0) located on the boundary between the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) or on the first stage (331) corresponding to the centering device (350) by applying pressure within a pressure range.

[0154] Next, the stopper (360) can be lowered, and the centering device (350) can return to its original position. In addition, the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) can be lowered. Then, the third transport unit (300) can rotate the third roller (310) in the area corresponding to the second stage (332) to first discharge the material to be treated (0) in the area. Subsequently, the third transport unit (300) can rotate the third roller (310) in the area corresponding to the boundary of the first stage (331) and the second stage (332) and / or the first stage (331) to discharge the remaining material to be treated (0).

[0155] Although not shown in the drawing, the second group of materials to be treated (0) can be transported at a low speed on the first transport unit (100) toward the second transport unit (200) during the process of aligning the first group of materials to be treated (0). In addition, the second group of materials to be treated (0) can be transported to the second transport unit (200) after the alignment process of the first group of materials to be treated (0) is completed and discharged from the third transport unit (300), and can be aligned like the first group of materials to be treated (0) through the process described above.

[0156] In contrast, the second group of materials to be treated (0) can be transported to the second transport unit (200) during the process of aligning the first group of materials to be treated (0). The second group of materials to be treated (0) can enter the second transport unit (200) at the time when the first group proceeds with a set step. Here, the set step may be any one of a pressurization step by a centering device (350), a lowering step of a stage, and a lowering step of a stopper (360), but is not limited thereto, and may vary depending on the number and size of the materials to be treated (0), and the alignment speed of the second and third transport units (200, 300). For example, when the first group of materials to be treated (O) enters the third transport unit (300) from the second transport unit (200), the second group of materials to be treated (O) can enter the second transport unit (200) from the first transport unit (100). For example, when the third sensor (341) of the third transport unit (300) detects the first group of the treatment material (O), the second group of the treatment material (O) can enter the second transport unit (200) from the first transport unit (100).

[0157] A transport device (10) according to one embodiment can individually control the rotation speed of a plurality of rollers transporting a plurality of materials to be treated (O) to align a plurality of materials to be treated (O) that are meandering.

[0158] A transport device (10) according to one embodiment is provided with a plurality of second driving devices (220) having the same number of processing materials (O), and can individually control the rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers (210) of a plurality of alignment areas (230) provided in a second transport unit (200).

[0159] According to one embodiment, a transport device (10) can prevent interference and collision between materials to be processed (O) by setting a diameter difference in the rotating members (212) of a plurality of second rollers (210) provided in a second transport unit (200).

[0160] A transport device (10) according to one embodiment can effectively align a plurality of materials to be treated (0), and can prevent the materials to be treated (0) from overturning even when at least one material to be treated (0) is aligned in an abnormal state during the alignment process.

[0161] While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, these are merely examples. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and equivalent alternative embodiments are possible based on the embodiments described herein. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined based on the appended claims.

[0162] The present invention can be used in an industry related to a transport device and an electrode material heat treatment device including the same.

Claims

1. A first conveying section including a plurality of first rollers and a first driving device for driving the plurality of first rollers, and into which a plurality of materials to be treated are introduced; A second conveying unit including a plurality of second rollers, a plurality of alignment areas formed on the plurality of second rollers in the same number as the plurality of processing materials, and a second driving device driving the plurality of second rollers; and A third conveying section including a plurality of third rollers and a third driving device driving the plurality of third rollers, and through which a plurality of materials to be treated are discharged; A transport device in which the second transport unit individually controls the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers by the plurality of second driving devices, thereby individually controlling the transport speed of the plurality of processing materials transported in the plurality of alignment areas.

2. In paragraph 1, The second transport unit includes a plurality of first sensors and a plurality of second sensors each located in the first direction in the plurality of alignment areas, A transport device in which, when a second sensor in one of the alignment areas detects the material to be treated, the second transport unit increases the rotation speed of a plurality of second rollers in an alignment area in which the first sensor detects the material to be treated and the second sensor does not detect the material to be treated among the remaining alignment areas.

3. In paragraph 2, A transport device in which, when a second sensor in an alignment area corresponding to a plurality of second rollers with a high rotation speed detects the material to be processed, the second transport unit lowers the rotation speed of the plurality of second rollers in the corresponding alignment area.

4. In paragraph 1, A transport device in which the plurality of second rollers operate independently from the first driving device of the first transport unit.

5. In paragraph 1, Each of the second rollers included in the plurality of alignment areas includes a pair of rotating members, A transport device wherein the above pair of rotating members has a diameter of the rotating member on the outer side smaller than a diameter of the rotating member on the inner side.

6. In paragraph 1, The above third transport unit A first stage having some of the plurality of third rollers and being capable of being raised and lowered; A second stage capable of being lifted having the remainder of the plurality of third rollers; A fourth sensor on the first stage adjacent to the boundary of the first stage and the second stage; and Including a fifth sensor on the second stage, The first stage is a transport device located between the second transport section and the second stage.

7. In paragraph 6, A transport device in which, when the fifth sensor detects the material to be treated and the fourth sensor does not detect the material to be treated, the third transport unit raises the second stage after a set time.

8. In paragraph 6, A transport device in which, when the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor simultaneously detect the material to be treated, the third transport unit raises the first stage and the second stage after a set time.

9. In paragraph 6, The third transport section further includes a centering device on both sides of the plurality of third rollers, The centering device is a transport device that pressurizes the material to be treated in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the material to be treated.

10. Contains multiple areas through which the treated material passes sequentially, The above multiple areas are, A preheating zone for preheating the above-mentioned treatment material; A heating zone located behind the above preheating zone and heating the above treatment material to a set temperature; A maintenance zone located behind the heating zone and maintaining a temperature corresponding to the heating zone; A cooling area located behind the above maintenance area and cooling the above treatment material; and It is located behind the cooling area and includes an alignment area for aligning the processing material, An electrode material heat treatment device, wherein the alignment area includes a transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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