Electrode supply device, electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus using same, electrode supply method, and electrode assembly manufacturing method using same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrode supply device, an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus using the same, an electrode supply method, and an electrode assembly manufacturing method using the same, and includes: a magazine unit in which a plurality of electrodes are stored; an electrode pickup unit that picks up and transfers an uppermost electrode among the electrodes stored in the magazine unit; and a double-layer electrode separation unit in which the electrode transferred by the electrode pickup unit is placed, the double-layer electrode separation unit detecting whether the electrode is double-layer and separating the electrode, the double-layer electrode separation unit may be configured to separate two or more of the electrodes stored in the magazine unit when the electrodes are double-layer and picked up by the electrode pick-up unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0000709 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on January 3, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0185680 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 19, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electrode supply device, an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus using the electrode supply device, an electrode supply method, and an electrode assembly manufacturing method using the electrode supply method. Background Art

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries can be recharged and can be formed into a small size with a large capacity. Therefore, a lot of research and development is currently being carried out on secondary batteries. With the development of technology and the increase in demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as energy sources is also increasing sharply.

[0004] Secondary batteries can be divided into button type batteries, cylindrical type batteries, prismatic type batteries and pouch type batteries according to the shape of the battery case. In secondary batteries, the electrode assembly installed in the battery case is a chargeable and dischargeable power generation device having a structure in which electrodes and separators are stacked.

[0005] Electrode assemblies can be roughly classified into: a core-wound electrode assembly in which a separator is inserted between the positive electrode and the negative electrode (each of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is arranged in the form of a sheet coated with an active material), and then the positive electrode, the separator and the negative electrode are wound; a stacked electrode assembly in which a plurality of positive electrodes and negative electrodes are stacked in sequence with a separator sandwiched therebetween; and a stacked folding-type electrode assembly in which stacked unit cells are wound together with a separator having a longer length.

[0006] Electrode assemblies are mostly manufactured by receiving a single electrode from a stockroom in which a plurality of monolithic electrodes are stacked. During the manufacturing process, since the electrodes to be supplied from the plurality of monolithic electrodes stacked in the stockroom are not properly separated, there is a problem of separation of multiple sheets (electrodes) that are delivered while being adhered to each other (adhered electrodes that are adhered together). If the electrodes are adhered together when stacked, the electrode assembly will be defective.

[0007] Therefore, a technology is needed to properly monitor the electrodes to be supplied among the plurality of electrodes stacked in the material storage to prevent the problem of separation of the plurality of electrodes and to separate the electrodes having the problem of separation of the plurality of electrodes when the problem occurs. Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The present invention aims to provide an electrode supply device, an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus using the electrode supply device, an electrode supply method, and an electrode assembly manufacturing method using the electrode supply method.

[0010] Technical Solution

[0011] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply device, comprising: a material storage unit, in which a plurality of electrodes are stored; an electrode picking unit, configured to pick up and transfer the top electrode among the electrodes stored in the material storage unit; and a sticking electrode separation unit, configured to detect whether the electrode transferred by the electrode picking unit and placed on the sticking electrode separation unit is stuck and not separated, and to separate the stuck electrodes, wherein the sticking electrode separation unit is configured to separate the two or more electrodes from each other when two or more electrodes among the electrodes stored in the material storage unit are picked up by the electrode picking unit and not separated.

[0012] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly manufacturing device for manufacturing an electrode assembly, wherein the electrode assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the electrode assembly manufacturing device includes: a first electrode supply unit, the first electrode supply unit is configured to supply the first electrode to the stacking table side; a second electrode supply unit, the second electrode supply unit is configured to supply the second electrode to the stacking table side; a separator supply unit, the separator supply unit is configured to supply the separator to the stacking table side; the stacking table, on which a stack is manufactured, in which the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode are stacked so that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged; and a pressing unit, the pressing unit is configured to heat and press the stack so that the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode adhere to each other, thereby manufacturing the electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the above-mentioned electrode supply device.

[0013] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply method, comprising: picking up the top electrode among the electrodes stacked in a material storage unit by an electrode picking unit (step a); moving the electrode picked up by the electrode picking unit to a sticking electrode separation unit (step b); detecting whether the electrode placed on the sticking electrode separation unit is stuck and not separated (step c); when it is detected that the electrode is stuck and not separated, holding the bottom electrode among the electrodes (step d); and conveying and supplying the electrode not held by the sticking electrode separation unit to the stacking table side by the electrode picking unit (step e).

[0014] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly manufacturing method, which is used to manufacture an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrode assembly manufacturing method comprising: supplying the first electrode to the stacking table side; supplying the second electrode to the stacking table side; supplying the separator to the stacking table side; manufacturing a stack by stacking the first electrode, the separator and the second electrode on the stacking table; and heating and pressing the stack so that the first electrode, the separator and the second electrode adhere to each other, thereby manufacturing the electrode assembly, wherein at least one of supplying the first electrode to the stacking table side and supplying the second electrode to the stacking table side includes the above-mentioned electrode supplying method.

[0015] Beneficial Effects

[0016] The electrode supply device and the electrode supply method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can prevent the multi-electrode separation problem caused by the contact between the electrode surfaces or the contact between the electrode surfaces and the separator.

[0017] The electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus and the electrode assembly manufacturing method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can prevent the multi-electrode separation problem. Therefore, when the electrode assembly is manufactured by the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus and the electrode assembly manufacturing method, the productivity can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an electrode supply device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 2 is a view illustrating an electrode pickup unit and a stuck electrode separation unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating an electrode supplying device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 4 is a plan view schematically illustrating an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 is a front view illustrating a concept of an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a general electrode assembly.

[0024] Figure 7is a conceptual diagram illustrating a pressing process in an electrode assembly manufacturing method or an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] [Description of Reference Numerals and Symbols]

[0026] 10: Electrode assembly

[0027] 11: First electrode

[0028] 12: Second electrode

[0029] 14: Diaphragm

[0030] 100: Electrode assembly manufacturing equipment

[0031] 110: Stacking table

[0032] 120: Diaphragm supply unit

[0033] 121: Diaphragm heating unit

[0034] 122: Diaphragm roller

[0035] 130: First electrode supply unit

[0036] 131: First electrode placement platform

[0037] 133: First electrode roller

[0038] 134: First Cutter

[0039] 135: First conveyor belt

[0040] 136: First electrode supply head

[0041] 140: Second electrode supply unit

[0042] 141: Second electrode placement platform

[0043] 143: Second electrode roller

[0044] 144: Second Cutter

[0045] 145: Second conveyor belt

[0046] 146: Second electrode supply head

[0047] 150: first electrode stacking unit

[0048] 151: First suction head

[0049] 153: First mobile unit

[0050] 160: Second electrode stack unit

[0051] 161: Second suction head

[0052] 163: Second mobile unit

[0053] 170: Maintaining the institution

[0054] 171: First holding mechanism

[0055] 172: Second holding mechanism

[0056] 180: Pressing unit

[0057] 181: First pressing block

[0058] 182: Second pressing block

[0059] 183, 184: Press heater

[0060] 210: Material storage unit

[0061] 220: Electrode Pickup Unit

[0062] 221: Electrode suction head

[0063] 222: Electrode fixing unit

[0064] 223: Electrode transfer unit

[0065] 230, 230a, 230b: Adhesion electrode separation unit

[0066] 231: Lower electrode suction head

[0067] 232: Board

[0068] 241: Top electrode

[0069] 242, 242a, 242b: lower electrode

[0070] S: Stacked pieces DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in various forms and is not limited to the configuration described herein.

[0072] In the present specification, when a part “includes,” “contains,” or “has” a constituent element, unless otherwise specifically stated, it does not mean that another constituent element is excluded but means that another constituent element may be further included.

[0073] In this specification, “p to q” means a range of “greater than or equal to p and less than or equal to q”.

[0074] In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of related known technologies which may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

[0075] In this specification, the function of the "electrode magazine unit" is to stack electrodes in a certain space, like bullets in a magazine.

[0076] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply device, which includes: a material storage unit 210, in which a plurality of electrodes are stored; an electrode picking unit 220, which is configured to pick up and transfer the top electrode among the electrodes stored in the material storage unit 210; and a sticking electrode separation unit 230, which is configured to detect whether the electrode transferred by the electrode picking unit 220 and placed on the sticking electrode separation unit is stuck and not separated, and to separate the stuck electrodes, wherein the sticking electrode separation unit 230 is configured to separate the two or more electrodes from each other when two or more electrodes among the electrodes stored in the material storage unit 210 are picked up by the electrode picking unit 220 but not separated.

[0077] In this specification, "electrode" refers to electrodes and / or electrode semi-finished products. In addition, "electrode semi-finished products" refer to all electrode-related semi-finished products manufactured in the process of manufacturing electrode assemblies and secondary batteries including electrode assemblies, such as coated electrodes, rolled electrodes, and grooved electrodes. That is, in this specification, electrodes or electrode semi-finished products can be stacked in a storage unit.

[0078] In the electrode supply device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of electrodes stored in the magazine unit 210 may be sequentially stacked. The electrode supply device is characterized in that an electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine unit 210 is fixed. Due to the above characteristics, only the uppermost electrode may be separated more easily, and the problem of separation of a plurality of electrodes due to contact between electrode surfaces may be prevented.

[0079] Therefore, when the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention manufactures an electrode assembly, productivity may be improved.

[0080] The electrode supply device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a magazine unit 210 storing and stacking a plurality of electrodes. The magazine unit 210 performs a function of storing and stacking electrodes.

[0081] The electrode supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode pickup unit 220 that picks up an uppermost electrode among electrodes stacked in the magazine unit 210 and transfers the electrode to the stuck electrode separation unit 230 or the stacking stage.

[0082] More specifically, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrode pickup unit 220 may include: an electrode fixing unit 222 for fixing the uppermost electrode; and an electrode conveying unit 223 for conveying the uppermost electrode to the adhesion electrode separation unit 230 or the stacking stage.

[0083] In this specification, the function of the "electrode fixing unit" is to pick up the top electrode among the multiple electrodes stored in the material storage unit 210, and the function of the "adhesion electrode separation unit" is to maintain the lower surface of the electrode in contact with the top electrode among the electrodes stacked in the material storage unit 210, so they are functionally different.

[0084] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrode fixing unit 222 includes an electrode suction head 221 , and may fix the uppermost electrode using a suction force of the electrode suction head 221 .

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, if the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up the uppermost electrode and two or more electrodes together, the stuck electrode separation unit 230 may separate other electrodes contacting the uppermost electrode from the uppermost electrode.

[0086] For reference, the electrode pickup unit 220 should only pick up one electrode among the electrodes stored in the storage unit 210. However, due to the bonding force between the electrodes, the vacuum adsorption force between the electrodes, etc., the electrodes are adhered to each other, and two or more electrodes may be picked up together, which is the so-called multi-electrode separation problem. Multi-electrode separation can be understood as two or more electrodes adhering together.

[0087] In an exemplary embodiment, reference Figure 1 , the adhered electrode separation unit 230 may be disposed between the material storage unit 210 and a placement table or a stacking table described below.

[0088] More specifically, refer to Figure 2 The adhesion electrode separation unit 230 may include a plate 232 including a lower electrode suction head 231 that may perform vacuum suction on a lower surface of an electrode 242 (hereinafter referred to as “lower electrode”) that contacts the uppermost electrode 241 .

[0089] That is, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the adhesion electrode separation unit 230 may include a plate 232, which includes a lower electrode suction head 231, which can perform vacuum suction on the lower surface of the lower electrode 242 in contact with the uppermost electrode 241, and the electrode picking unit 220 may include: an electrode fixing unit 222, which fixes the uppermost electrode 241; and an electrode conveying unit 223, which conveys the uppermost electrode fixed by the electrode fixing unit 222 to the stacking table, and the electrode fixing unit 222 may include an electrode suction head 221, which can perform vacuum suction on the upper surface of the uppermost electrode.

[0090] Here, the lower surface of the lower electrode refers to the direction opposite to the pickup direction of the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine unit 210. In other words, the lower surface of the lower electrode refers to the surface opposite to the surface facing the uppermost electrode among the two opposite surfaces of the lower electrode.

[0091] The stuck electrode separation unit 230 fixes the lower surface of the lower electrode 242 in contact with the uppermost electrode, so that the electrode pickup unit 22 can pick up and transfer only the uppermost electrode 241 among two or more electrodes placed on the stuck electrode separation unit 230 .

[0092] Although the electrode pickup unit 220 and the adhered electrode separation unit 230 are described as picking up or fixing the electrodes by vacuum adsorption, they are not limited thereto. For example, any method capable of fixing the electrodes may be used without any limitation.

[0093] For example, the electrode pickup unit 220 and the sticking electrode separation unit 230 may physically fix the electrode using tape, etc. Alternatively, the electrode pickup unit 220 and the sticking electrode separation unit 230 may fix the electrode by means of electrostatic force between the electrode and the electrode fixing unit 222 and between the electrode and the plate 232 .

[0094] In addition, the adhesion electrode separation unit 230 according to the present invention can fix the lower electrode by vacuum adsorption, and then a physical force can be applied to the adhesion electrode separation unit 230 or the electrode from the outside. For example, after the adhesion electrode separation unit 230 fixes the electrode by vacuum adsorption, vibration can be applied to the plate 232 or wind force can be applied between the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode.

[0095] Specifically, the adhesion electrode separation unit 230 may be provided with a plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231, which may perform vacuum adsorption on the lower electrode. The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be arranged in pairs, wherein each pair of lower electrode suction heads is paired with each other. The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be arranged on the plate 232 so that they may slide on the plate 232 in a horizontal direction.

[0096] The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 adsorb and fix the lower electrode and apply a vibration force to the lower electrode when vibrating. When the lower electrode suction heads 231 are spread in the longitudinal direction of the lower electrode when vibrating, if a plurality of electrodes are adhered together and placed on the adhered electrode separation unit 230, the lower electrode suction heads 231 can apply a physical force to separate the electrodes from each other.

[0097] The operation of deploying the plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be an operation of slightly retracting and deploying the lower electrode suction heads in a direction horizontal to the electrode placed on the plate 232. That is, the operation may be an operation of moving the paired lower electrode suction heads closer to each other and then away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the lower electrode.

[0098] The electrode supplying device according to the present invention may include at least one adhered electrode separating unit 230 .

[0099] When the electrode picking-up unit 220 picks up two lower electrodes in addition to the uppermost electrode, the electrode supply device may include two stuck electrode separating units 230 .

[0100] refer to Figure 3 , the first adhesion electrode separation unit 230a fixes the lower electrode 242b that is not in contact with the uppermost electrode 241, and the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up the uppermost electrode 241 and the lower electrode 242a in contact with the uppermost electrode again and transfers them to the second adhesion electrode separation unit 230b.

[0101] Then, the second adhesion electrode separation unit 230 b fixes the lowermost electrode 242 a again, and the electrode pickup unit 220 separates the uppermost electrode 241 from the lowermost electrode 242 a and transfers the uppermost electrode 241 to the stacking stage.

[0102] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plate 232 may further include: a sensor unit (not shown) which determines whether two or more electrodes are stacked on one surface of the plate 232; and a control unit (not shown) which, when the sensor unit determines that two or more electrodes are stacked, starts the lower electrode suction head 231 to perform vacuum suction on the lower surface of the lower electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode.

[0103] Alternatively, when the sensor unit determines that only one electrode is stacked on one surface of the plate 232 , the control unit does not start vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231 .

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 and the electrode suction head 221 may be greater than the bonding force between the two or more electrodes stacked on the adhered electrode separation unit 230. In this case, the bonding force may include any one of a physical adsorption force, an electrostatic force, and an adhesion force between the two or more electrodes picked up by the electrode pickup unit 220.

[0105] The vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 and the electrode suction head 221 may be the same.

[0106] For example, when two electrodes are stacked on the adhered electrode separation unit 230 , each of the two electrodes may be separated by respective vacuum suction forces of the electrode suction head 221 and the lower electrode suction head 231 .

[0107] Alternatively, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 may be greater than the vacuum suction force of the electrode suction head 221. Therefore, when the two electrodes are separated, the electrode fixed to the lower electrode suction head 231 may be prevented from being separated from the lower electrode suction head 231.

[0108] Alternatively, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 may be smaller than the suction force of the electrode suction head 221 .

[0109] For example, when one electrode is stacked on the adhered electrode separation unit 230 and the control unit starts vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231 , the electrode stacked on the adhered electrode separation unit 230 should be transferred to the placement stage or the stacking stage by the electrode pickup unit 220 .

[0110] Therefore, in the case where the above conditions are satisfied, the electrode pickup unit 220 can easily transfer the electrodes stacked on the stuck electrode separation unit 230 to the installation stage or the stacking stage.

[0111] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an electrode placement table may be further included, on which the electrodes delivered by the electrode supply unit are placed and aligned. The electrodes placed on the electrode placement table may be stacked on the stacking table by means of an electrode stacking unit, which will be described below.

[0112] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly manufacturing device for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrode assembly manufacturing device including: a first electrode supply unit, which is configured to supply the first electrode to the stacking table side; a second electrode supply unit, which is configured to supply the second electrode to the stacking table side; a separator supply unit, which is configured to supply the separator to the stacking table side; a stacking table, on which a stack is manufactured, in which the first electrode, the separator and the second electrode are stacked so that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged between the folded parts of the separator; and a pressing unit, which is configured to heat and press the stack so that the first electrode, the separator and the second electrode adhere to each other, thereby manufacturing the electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the above-mentioned electrode supply device.

[0113] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the above-mentioned electrode supply device.

[0114] That is, at least one or both of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit may supply the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, using the electrode supply device according to the present invention.

[0115] In other words, the electrode assembly manufacturing equipment according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode supply unit for supplying electrodes to the stacking table, and the electrode supply unit may include an electrode placement table, and the electrode is placed on the electrode placement table before the electrode stacking unit stacks the electrode on the stacking table. In addition, the electrode transmitted by the electrode supply device according to the present invention can be placed and aligned on the electrode placement table. The aligned electrodes can be stacked on the stacking table by means of the electrode stacking unit. In addition, the electrode can be a first electrode or a second electrode.

[0116] In an exemplary embodiment, the electrode assembly manufacturing device of the present invention may alternately arrange the first electrode and the second electrode between the folded portions of the separator. A stack in which the first electrode and the second electrode are stacked between the folded portions of the separator in an alternating arrangement is referred to as a zigzag fold. However, the electrode supply device of the present invention is not limited to an electrode assembly manufactured by a zigzag folding method, and may also be applied to other types, i.e., a lamination and stacking (L&S) process.

[0117] In this specification, the stack may correspond to an unfinished electrode assembly. In addition, in this specification, the top and bottom ends of the electrode assembly may be located at positions corresponding to the upper and lower surfaces of the stack, or at positions corresponding to the bottom and top surfaces of the unfinished electrode assembly, respectively.

[0118] That is, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode supply unit may include a first electrode supply device, and the second electrode supply unit may include a second electrode supply device. The first electrode supply device and the second electrode supply device may each be an electrode supply device according to the present invention.

[0119] In addition, reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the electrode assembly manufacturing equipment 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode supply unit 130 may include a first electrode placement table 131, on which the first electrode is placed before being stacked on the stacking table 110 with the help of the first electrode stacking unit 150, and the second electrode supply unit 140 may include a second electrode placement table 141, on which the second electrode is placed before being stacked on the stacking table 110 with the help of the second electrode stacking unit 160.

[0120] The first electrode stack unit 150 may include a first suction head 151 and a first moving unit 153. The first suction head 151 may vacuum-suction the first electrode 11 seated on the first electrode seating stage 131.

[0121] The second electrode stacking unit 160 may stack the second electrode on the stacking stage 110. Here, the second electrode stacking unit 160 may have the same structure as the first electrode stacking unit 150. In this case, the second electrode stacking unit 160 may include a second suction head 161 and a second moving unit 163.

[0122] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in order to stack the first electrode 11, the diaphragm 14, and the second electrode 12 so that the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are alternately arranged between the folded portions of the diaphragm, a method of moving the stacking table left and right, a method of moving the diaphragm 14 left and right, or a method of rotating the stacking table can be used, and general techniques in the related field can be applied to such methods.

[0123] The electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a stacking stage moving unit for moving the stacking stage 110 left and right or a diaphragm guide unit for moving the diaphragm left and right. In addition, the forms of the stacking stage moving unit and the diaphragm guide unit are not limited as long as they respectively play the functions of moving the stacking stage 110 left and right and the diaphragm, and devices commonly used in the relevant field can be used.

[0124] The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a holding mechanism 170 for clamping and fixing the stack in the process of manufacturing the stack.

[0125] When the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12 is stacked on the stacking stage 110, the holding mechanism 170 may clamp and fix the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12 to the stacking stage 110. For example, the holding mechanism 170 may include a first holding mechanism 171 and a second holding mechanism 172, and may fix both sides of the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12.

[0126] In reference Figure 7 In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pressing unit 180 may further include a pair of pressing blocks 181 and 182 and pressing heaters 183 and 184 for heating the pressing blocks 181 and 182, wherein the pair of pressing blocks 181 and 181 may move in directions facing each other to perform surface pressing on the stack, and the pressing heaters 183 and 183 may heat the stack. In this case, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pair of pressing blocks 181 and 182 may include the pressing heaters 183 and 184 therein.

[0127] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the stack may be heated using a heater included inside the stacking stage.

[0128] The conditions of pressure and temperature for heating and pressing by the pressing unit 180 can be applied to the conditions described below for the heating-pressing step. The same applies to the time (time conditions) of the heating and pressing process.

[0129] Here, the pressure condition refers to the pressure applied by a pair of pressing blocks (or pressing blocks of the stacking stage), and the temperature condition refers to the temperature of heat applied by a pressing heater or a heater inside the stacking stage.

[0130] The electrode supply method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of: picking up an uppermost electrode among electrodes stacked in a magazine unit; and separating two or more picked-up electrodes.

[0131] Specifically, an electrode supply method is provided, which includes the following steps: picking up the top electrode among the electrodes stacked in the material storage unit by an electrode picking unit (step a); moving the electrode picked up by the electrode picking unit to the adhesion electrode separation unit (step b); detecting whether the electrode placed on the adhesion electrode separation unit is adhered and not separated (step c); when it is detected that the electrode is adhered and not separated, holding the bottom electrode of the electrode (step d); and conveying and supplying the electrode not held by the adhesion electrode separation unit to the stacking table side by the electrode picking unit (step e).

[0132] In other words, steps (a) to (e) may be included in the step of separating two or more picked-up electrodes.

[0133] The electrode supply method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a feature of separating multiple electrodes when picking up two or more electrodes from a material storage unit. Due to the above feature, it is easier to separate only the uppermost electrode, and the problem of multiple electrode separation in which two electrodes are supplied when supplying electrodes to a stacking station can be prevented.

[0134] Therefore, when the electrode assembly is manufactured by the electrode assembly manufacturing method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, productivity may be improved.

[0135] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrode assembly manufacturing method may further include the steps of cutting the electrode into a sheet form and stacking the electrode in a magazine unit.

[0136] More specifically, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrode assembly manufacturing method may further include the steps of cutting the electrode into a sheet form, and stacking two or more cut electrodes in a magazine unit.

[0137] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, step (a) may include the following steps: vacuum-sucking an upper surface of an uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine unit by an electrode pickup unit, and picking up the uppermost electrode.

[0138] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, step (d) is a step of vacuum-sucking a lower surface of the lower electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit by the adhered electrode separation unit, thereby fixing the lower electrode.

[0139] Specifically, step (d) may include the following steps: when it is determined that two or more electrodes are stacked on the adhered electrode separation unit, starting vacuum suction on the lower surface of the lower electrode contacted by the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked on the adhered electrode separation unit.

[0140] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, step (e) is a step of separating two or more electrodes by vacuum suction force of an electrode pickup unit and a stuck electrode separation unit, and transferring an uppermost electrode fixed to the electrode pickup unit to a stacking stage.

[0141] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrode supply method may include the following step (d-1): when it is determined that an electrode is stacked on the adhesion electrode separation unit, the vacuum suction of the adhesion electrode separation unit is not started. For example, the electrode supply method of the present invention may include step (d-1) instead of step (d).

[0142] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the suction force acting on the electrode not held by the adhesion electrode separation unit in step (e) and the force holding the lowermost electrode in step (d) may be greater than the binding force between the adhesion electrodes. For example, the binding force may include any one of a physical adsorption force, an electrostatic force, and an adhesion force between the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode.

[0143] Furthermore, the suction force acting on the electrodes not held by the adhered electrode separation unit in step (e) may be the same as the force holding the lowermost electrode in step (d).

[0144] If the above conditions are met, the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode can be effectively separated and supplied to the stacking stage by the electrode suction head and the lower electrode suction head.

[0145] Alternatively, the force holding the lowermost electrode in step (d) may be greater than the suction force acting on the electrode not held by the adhered electrode separation unit in step (e).

[0146] When the above conditions are met, the electrode (or the lowermost electrode) fixed to the lower electrode suction head can be prevented from being separated from the lower electrode suction head by the suction force acting on the electrode not held by the adhesion electrode separation unit in step (e).

[0147] Alternatively, when only the uppermost electrode is picked up in step (a), the suction force acting on the lower surface of the lower electrode in step (d) does not work, or may be smaller than the suction force acting on the electrode not held by the adhesion electrode separation unit in step (e).

[0148] When the above conditions are met, it is possible to avoid the problem that the uppermost electrode stacked on the adhesion electrode separation unit cannot be transferred to the stacking stage due to the force holding the lowermost electrode in step (d).

[0149] The electrode supplying method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include the step of transferring the electrode not fixed to the first adhered electrode separating unit to the second adhered electrode separating unit by means of an electrode pickup unit.

[0150] In this case, in step (b), the adhesion electrode separation unit may be a first adhesion electrode separation unit.

[0151] That is, the electrode supplying method according to one embodiment of the present invention can prevent the problem of separating a plurality of electrodes in an electrode assembly by repeating the step of separating two or more pickup electrodes through two or more stuck electrode separation units.

[0152] In other words, in the electrode supplying method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of adhered electrode separation units may be continuously arranged, and steps (b) to (e) may be repeated a plurality of times.

[0153] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, step (d) may include the following steps: vacuum adsorbing the lower surface of the lowermost electrode by a plurality of lower electrode suction heads; and separating the adhered electrodes from each other by horizontally moving the plurality of lower electrode suction heads toward and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes while vibrating.

[0154] In other words, in step (d), in addition to the lower electrode bonding force of the lower electrode suction head, the lower electrode suction head may also vibrate, or an air supply unit may be provided above the adhesion electrode separation unit to spray air between the adhesion electrodes, thereby separating the adhesion electrodes from each other.

[0155] An embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly manufacturing method, which is used to manufacture an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrode assembly manufacturing method comprising the following steps: supplying the first electrode to the stacking table side; supplying the second electrode to the stacking table side; supplying the separator to the stacking table side; manufacturing a stack by stacking the first electrode, the separator and the second electrode; and heating and pressing the stack so that the first electrode, the separator and the second electrode adhere to each other, thereby manufacturing the electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the step of supplying the first electrode to the stacking table side and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stacking table side includes the electrode supplying method according to any one of claims 8 to 12.

[0156] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the step of supplying the first electrode to the stacking stage side and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stacking stage side includes an electrode supply method.

[0157] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the step of manufacturing a stack by stacking a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode on a stacking stage may include the following steps:

[0158] (S1) stacking a second electrode on a stacking table;

[0159] (S2) stacking the separator on the stacking table so that the separator covers the upper surface of the second electrode stacked on the stacking table;

[0160] (S3) stacking the first electrode on a surface of the separator covering the upper surface of the second electrode opposite to the surface contacting the second electrode;

[0161] (S4) additionally supplying a separator to cover the upper surface of the first electrode;

[0162] (S5) stacking a second electrode on a surface of the separator covering the upper surface of the first electrode opposite to the surface contacting the first electrode; and

[0163] (S6) additionally supplying a separator to cover the upper surface of the second electrode, and

[0164] It may be configured to repeat steps (S1) to (S6) one or more times. That is, this case refers to the case where the electrodes are first stacked on the stacking table.

[0165] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the step of manufacturing a stack by stacking a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode on a stacking stage may include the following steps:

[0166] (SS1) stacking the diaphragms on a stacking table;

[0167] (SS2) stacking a first electrode on an upper surface of the separator;

[0168] (SS3) additionally supplying a separator to cover the upper surface of the first electrode;

[0169] (SS4) stacking a second electrode on a surface of the separator covering the upper surface of the first electrode opposite to the surface contacting the first electrode; and

[0170] (SS5) additionally supplying a separator to cover the upper surface of the second electrode, and

[0171] It may be configured to repeat steps (SS1) to (SS5) one or more times. That is, this case refers to the case where the diaphragms are first stacked on the stacking table.

[0172] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, step (S4), step (S6), step (SS3), and step (SS5) (i.e., a step of additionally supplying a separator to cover the upper surface of the first electrode or the second electrode) may be performed by one of a method in which the stacking stage moves left and right, a method in which the separator moves left and right, and a method in which the stacking stage rotates. That is, the separator may be folded into a "Z" shape, and a stack may be manufactured by a "Z" shape folding process, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged between the folded portions of the separator.

[0173] As described in the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus, the electrode supply method of the present invention is not limited to the Z-folding process, but can also be applied to other types of processes.

[0174] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, this is only for the purpose of describing the present invention in detail, and the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited thereto. Obviously, within the technical concept of the present invention, those skilled in the art can implement various embodiments.

Claims

1. An electrode supply device, comprising: A material storage unit, in which a plurality of electrodes are stored; an electrode picking unit configured to pick up and transfer an uppermost electrode among the electrodes stored in the storage unit; as well as a stuck electrode separation unit configured to detect whether the electrode transferred by the electrode pickup unit and placed on the stuck electrode separation unit is stuck and not separated, and to separate the stuck electrode, The adhered electrode separation unit is configured to separate the two or more electrodes from each other when two or more electrodes among the electrodes stored in the material storage unit are picked up by the electrode picking unit without being separated.

2. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The adhesion electrode separation unit includes a plate, the plate includes a lower electrode suction head, and the lower electrode suction head is configured to suck a surface of the electrode that is not in contact with the electrode pickup unit, The electrode pickup unit includes: an electrode fixing unit configured to fix the uppermost electrode; and an electrode conveying unit configured to convey the uppermost electrode to the adhesion electrode separation unit or the stacking station, and Wherein, the electrode fixing unit comprises an electrode suction head, and the electrode suction head can perform vacuum suction on the upper surface of the uppermost electrode.

3. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The adhesion electrode separation unit further comprises: a sensor unit configured to determine whether the electrodes transferred from the storage unit are adhered without being separated; and A control unit configured to control so that a lowermost electrode among the two or more electrodes is fixed when the sensor unit determines that the two or more electrodes are adhered but not separated.

4. The electrode supply device according to claim 2, wherein: The vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head is greater than the bonding force of the two or more electrodes.

5. The electrode supply device according to claim 4, wherein: The binding force is any one of a physical adsorption force, an electrostatic force, and an adhesive force between the two or more electrodes.

6. The electrode supply device according to claim 3, wherein: The adhesion electrode separation unit is provided in plurality, and When the sensor unit determines that three or more electrodes are adhered but not separated, the three or more electrodes are separated one by one, so that all electrodes except the uppermost electrode are separated from each other.

7. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The adhesion electrode separation unit comprises a lower plate, on which the placed electrodes are placed, and in which a plurality of electrode lower surface suction heads are arranged, and The plurality of electrode bottom surface suction heads are configured to perform horizontal movement operations toward and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrode while vibrating, thereby preventing the electrodes from sticking and not separating.

8. An electrode assembly manufacturing device for manufacturing an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrode assembly manufacturing device comprising: a first electrode supply unit configured to supply the first electrode to a stacking stage side; a second electrode supply unit configured to supply the second electrode to the stacking stage side; a diaphragm supply unit configured to supply the diaphragm to the stacking table side; the stacking station on which a stack is manufactured in which the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode are stacked so that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged; as well as a pressing unit configured to heat and press the stack so that the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode adhere to each other, thereby manufacturing an electrode assembly, Wherein, at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit comprises the electrode supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. An electrode supply method, the electrode supply method comprising: The electrode picking unit picks up the top electrode among the electrodes stacked in the material storage unit (step a); Moving the electrode picked up by the electrode picking unit to an adhesion electrode separation unit (step b); Detecting whether the electrodes placed on the adhesion electrode separation unit are adhered and not separated (step c); When it is detected that the electrodes are adhered but not separated, maintaining the lowermost electrode among the electrodes (step d); and The electrodes not held by the stuck electrode separation unit are transferred and supplied to the stacking stage side by the electrode pickup unit (step e).

10. The electrode supply method according to claim 9, wherein: The step (d) includes performing vacuum suction on the lower surface of the electrode that is not in contact with the electrode pickup unit.

11. The electrode supply method according to claim 9, wherein: The step (d) comprises: The lower surface of the lowermost electrode is vacuum-sucked by a plurality of electrode lower surface suction heads; and The stuck electrodes are separated from each other by a horizontal movement operation in which the plurality of electrode lower surface suction heads move toward and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrode while vibrating.

12. The electrode supply method according to claim 9, wherein: The adhesion electrode separation units are arranged in a plurality of successive arrangements, and Wherein, steps (b) to (e) are repeated multiple times.

13. A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly, the method for manufacturing an electrode assembly comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method comprising: supplying the first electrode to the stacking stage side; supplying the second electrode to the stacking stage side; supplying the diaphragm to the stacking table side; manufacturing a stack by stacking the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode on the stacking stage; as well as heating and pressing the stack so that the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode adhere to each other, thereby manufacturing an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of supplying the first electrode to the stacking stage side and supplying the second electrode to the stacking stage side includes the electrode supply method according to any one of claims 9 to 12 .

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