Feeding system and dry electrode manufacturing system comprising same

Abstract

The invention discloses a feeding system and method for manufacturing a dry electrode. The system comprises: a roller press for forming a dry electrode mixture into a film; the feeder is used for conveying the mixture; and a flattening machine for continuously flattening the dry electrode mixture on the roller press.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a dry electrode, and more specifically, to a process for manufacturing a dry electrode. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the application of rechargeable batteries has been expanding across various fields, from small electronic devices to large energy storage systems. In particular, with the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, research and development of rechargeable batteries are actively underway.

[0003] Electrodes for secondary batteries are typically manufactured using a wet process. In the wet process, the electrode active materials, binders, and conductive additives contained in the electrode are dissolved in a solvent to prepare a slurry. However, in recent years, the dry process, which does not use the solvents required in the wet process and can increase the energy density of the battery compared to the wet process, has attracted considerable attention.

[0004] In the dry process for manufacturing electrodes, electrode active materials, conductive additives, and binders are mixed to form a mixture without solvents. This mixture is then formed into a dry electrode film using pressing or calendering methods. The dry electrode film is then attached to a current collector, thus completing the electrode manufacturing process.

[0005] Compared to wet processes, dry processes reduce manufacturing time and costs because they do not use solvents in the process, and the film thickness can be adjusted to obtain dry electrode films with high energy density.

[0006] Despite these advantages, the manufacturing technology of dry electrodes is still in its early stages of development, and many technical challenges remain to be addressed for their widespread use. For example, the design of the feeding system needs to take into account the material properties of the dry electrode.

[0007] The above content disclosed in the background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this disclosure, and therefore the above content may contain content that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure addresses the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art, and some embodiments provide a feeding system capable of accelerating the manufacture of dry electrodes and a dry electrode manufacturing system including the feeding system.

[0009] Some embodiments of this disclosure provide a feeding system capable of ensuring the quality of dry electrodes, and a dry electrode manufacturing system including the feeding system.

[0010] According to some forms of this disclosure, a dry electrode mixture feeding system includes a roller press, a feeder configured to supply the dry electrode mixture to the roller press, and a leveler configured to continuously level the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press.

[0011] According to some forms of this disclosure, the dry electrode manufacturing system includes a dry electrode mixture feeding system.

[0012] According to some forms of this disclosure, a method for manufacturing dry electrodes includes: rotating a roller press; supplying a dry electrode mixture to the roller press via a feeder; and leveling the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press using a leveling machine.

[0013] According to some forms of this disclosure, the battery includes a dry electrode manufactured by this method.

[0014] In some embodiments, the feeding system includes: a roller press configured to form a dry electrode mixture into a film; a feeder configured to supply the dry electrode mixture to the roller press; and a leveler configured to continuously level the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press. The leveler may be configured to move in the longitudinal direction of the roller press. The feeder may include a first feeder configured to discretely supply a predetermined amount of dry electrode mixture to the roller press. The first feeder may include: a conveyor configured to transport a plurality of trays, each tray containing a predetermined amount of dry electrode mixture; and a controller configured to adjust the conveyor based on a detected height of the dry electrode mixture on the roller press. A level sensor may be provided to detect the height of the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press, and the controller may stop or continue the operation of the first feeder based on a comparison between the detected height and a predetermined threshold. Based on the detected height being a first height, the controller may stop the first feeder from supplying the dry electrode mixture to the roller press, the first height reaching a line extending from the apex of the roller press. Based on the detected height reaching a second height less than the first height, the controller can continue operation of the first feeder. The feeder may also include a second feeder. The second feeder can contain the dry electrode mixture and can supply the dry electrode mixture to the first feeder. The feeder may also include a third feeder disposed between the first and second feeders, configured to provide flowability to the dry electrode mixture supplied from the first feeder, and the third feeder may also include any one selected from a circular feeder, a screw feeder, or a rotary feeder. The roller press may include a pair of rollers configured to press the dry electrode mixture into a continuous dry electrode film. The dry electrode mixture may contain at least one of an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder, but no solvent. The dry electrode manufacturing system may include a feeding system.

[0015] In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing a dry electrode includes: rotating a roller press configured to form a dry electrode mixture into a film; supplying the dry electrode mixture to the roller press via a feeder; and leveling the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press using a leveling machine. The method may further include detecting the height of the dry electrode mixture on the roller press using a material level height sensor and controlling the operation of the feeder based on the detected height. The method may include: stopping the feeder when the detected height of the dry electrode mixture reaches a line extending from the apex of the roller press; and continuing the operation of the feeder when the detected height of the dry electrode mixture drops below a predetermined height of the leveling machine. The feeder may include a first feeder configured to discretely supply a predetermined amount of dry electrode mixture to the roller press. The feeder may also include a second feeder and a third feeder, the second feeder being configured to contain a dry electrode mixture mixed by a mixer therein, and the third feeder being configured to discharge the dry electrode mixture to the first feeder while rotating the dry electrode mixture supplied from the second feeder.

[0016] In some embodiments, the battery includes a dry electrode manufactured by the method described above.

[0017] As discussed, the method and system appropriately include the use of a controller or processor.

[0018] In another embodiment, a vehicle is provided that includes the equipment disclosed herein.

[0019] Other aspects and preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be discussed below.

[0020] The above and other features of this disclosure will be discussed below. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The foregoing and other features of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to certain embodiments of this disclosure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which the drawings are given by way of illustration only and therefore do not limit the disclosure, and in the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 The process of manufacturing a dry electrode is illustrated schematically.

[0023] Figure 2 A feeding system and a roller press according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are schematically shown;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a front view of a feeding system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 4This is a plan view of a feeding system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5 The arrangement of the conveyor feeder and roller press in a feeding system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a plan view of a feeding system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 7 It shows from Figure 6 The pallet of the conveyor feeder as viewed from the V1 direction;

[0029] Figure 8 An auxiliary feeder and a conveying feeder according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown;

[0030] Figure 9 The relationship between the leveler and the roller press in a feeding system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0031] Figure 10 This is an operation flowchart of a feeding system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0032] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and present slightly simplified representations of various preferred features illustrating the basic principles of this disclosure. Specific design features of this disclosure (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific intended application and environment of use.

[0033] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent parts of this disclosure throughout the various figures. Detailed Implementation

[0034] For the purpose of explaining the embodiments according to the concepts of this disclosure, the descriptions of specific structures or functions presented in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely exemplary, and the embodiments according to the concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Furthermore, these descriptions should not be construed as limiting oneself to the embodiments described herein, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions falling within the concepts and scope of this disclosure.

[0035] As used herein, the term "dry electrode mixture" refers to a composition of electrode materials—such as electrode active materials, conductive additives, and binders—formulated without the use of liquid solvents. This mixture is typically maintained in a powder or semi-powder state before being pressed into a film.

[0036] As used herein, the term "roll press" refers to a mechanical device comprising at least one pair of rotating rollers configured to press or shape material fed between them into a continuous film. Roll presses are widely used in battery manufacturing to form electrodes from dried mixtures.

[0037] As used herein, the term “feeder” refers to any device or set of devices (e.g., hopper, rotary feeder, conveyor) that transports material from a storage container or mixer to a downstream process, such as a roller press.

[0038] As used in this article, the term "leveling machine" refers to a movable component arranged above a roll press and configured to flatten or distribute bulk material on the roll surface, thereby promoting a uniform thickness of the material for subsequent pressing or calendering.

[0039] As used in this article, the term "level height sensor" refers to a sensing device (such as a radar sensor or other suitable sensor type) that detects the height or depth of material present in a specific area, thereby allowing the control system to maintain optimal feed conditions.

[0040] As used in this document, the term "first feeder" refers to a specific part of the overall feeder system configured to discretely supply predetermined amounts of dry electrode mixture to the roll press, typically via a tray or other volume-based dispensing mechanism.

[0041] As used herein, the term "second feeder" refers to a part of a feeding system that receives the dry electrode mixture and supplies a predetermined amount of the dry electrode mixture to the feeder, such as a first feeder or a third feeder, either discretely or continuously.

[0042] As used in this article, the term "third feeder" refers to the portion of the feeding system located between the first and second feeders, which is given motion (such as rotational or vibratory motion) to facilitate material flow or prevent blockage, bridging, or rat hole formation.

[0043] It should be understood that, as used herein, the terms “vehicle” or “of a vehicle” or other similar terms include motor vehicles in a broad sense, such as passenger cars (including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, and various commercial vehicles), ships (including various vessels and boats), aircraft, etc., and include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other vehicles powered by alternative fuels (e.g., fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As mentioned herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle having two or more power sources, such as a gasoline-powered vehicle and an electric vehicle.

[0044] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to also include the plural forms. These terms are intended only to distinguish one component from another, and these terms do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the constituent components. It should also be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, it means the presence of the stated feature, integral, step, operation, element, and / or component, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The term “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Throughout the specification, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the word “comprising” and variations such as “including” or “having” will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated elements, but not to exclude any other elements. Furthermore, the terms “unit,” “part,” “component,” and “module” described in the specification refer to a unit for performing at least one function and operation, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and combinations thereof.

[0045] Although exemplary embodiments are described as using multiple units to perform exemplary processes, it should be understood that exemplary processes can also be performed by one or more modules. Furthermore, it should be understood that the term "controller / control unit" refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor and is specifically programmed to perform the processes described herein. The memory is configured to store modules, and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes further described below.

[0046] Furthermore, the control logic of this disclosure can be embodied in a non-volatile computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions that can be executed by a processor, controller, etc. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, optical disc (CD)-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash drive, smart card, and optical data storage device. The computer-readable medium can also be distributed across a network-coupled computer system, enabling it to be stored and executed in a distributed manner, for example, via a telematics server or a controller area network (CAN).

[0047] Unless otherwise specified or obvious from the context, the term “about” as used herein shall be understood to mean within the normal tolerance range in the field, such as within 2 standard deviations of the mean. “About” can be understood as within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. All numerical values ​​provided herein are modified by the term “about” unless otherwise specified in the context.

[0048] Furthermore, in this disclosure, terms such as "first" and / or "second" may be used to describe various components, but these components are not limited by the terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of embodiments of this disclosure, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be referred to as a first component.

[0049] It will be understood that when a component is described as being "connected to" or "in contact with" another component, the component may be directly connected to or in direct contact with the other component, or there may be an intermediate component. Conversely, when a component is described as being "directly connected to" or "in direct contact with" another component, there is no intermediate component. Other terms used to describe the relationship between components should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" and "directly between", "adjacent" and "directly adjacent", etc.).

[0050] Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals denote the same parts. The terminology used herein is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit this disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural meaning unless otherwise specified. The terms “comprising” and / or “including” as used herein mean the presence of the referenced parts, steps, operations, and / or elements, without excluding the presence or addition of one or more other parts, steps, operations, and / or elements.

[0051] This disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Dry electrodes can be prepared from a dry electrode mixture and a current collector in the absence of a solvent. The dry electrode mixture M comprises an electrode active material, a conductive material (conductive additive or conductive agent), and a binder. Furthermore, the dry electrode mixture M may also contain additives.

[0053] The dry electrode can be a cathode or an anode. In some embodiments, when preparing the cathode, the electrode active material includes a cathode active material. As a non-limiting example, the cathode active material can be LCO (LiCoO2), NCM (Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2), NCA (Li(Ni,Co,Al)O2), LMO (LiMnO4), LFP (LiFePO4), or sulfur.

[0054] In some embodiments, when preparing the anode, the electrode active material includes an anodic active material. For example, the anodic active material may be natural graphite, artificial graphite, mesophase carbon microspheres (MCMB), or silicon-based materials.

[0055] The conductive additive can be a carbon-based material. For example, the conductive additive can be carbon black, acetylene black, carbon fiber, or carbon nanotubes.

[0056] The adhesive can be polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or a copolymer containing both.

[0057] As an additive, solid polymer electrolytes such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or oxide-based or sulfide-based solid electrolyte components can be used in part.

[0058] In one embodiment, the dry electrode mixture may comprise 70% to 99.9% by weight of electrode active material, 0.1% to 20% by weight of conductive material, and 0.1% to 20% by weight of binder. Here, 0% to 20% by weight of additives may be added.

[0059] In one embodiment, the dry electrode can be an electrode used in a secondary battery.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, a dry electrode mixture M is formed into a dry electrode film F through a series of film-forming processes in which heat and pressure are applied. First, the dry electrode mixture M, containing electrode active material, conductive material, and binder, is mixed by mixer 10 at a preset time and speed. As a non-limiting example, the dry electrode mixture can be prepared using a rotating high-shear mixer or a fluid mixer using air. The preset time and speed can be adjusted by changing the rotational speed and operating time of mixer 10.

[0061] Here, the dry electrode mixture M is a powder in a state in which the electrode active material, conductive material, and binder are appropriately mixed and dispersed by mixer 10 to form a film when pressed by film-forming equipment (i.e., roller press 20). It can be said that the dry electrode mixture M is appropriately mixed and dispersed through the fiberization of the binder and the composite of the conductive material.

[0062] The dry electrode mixture M mixed in mixer 10 can be formed into a film using a film-forming device. Specifically, the dry electrode mixture M mixed in mixer 10 can be guided to feeder 12 or to roller press 20. The dry electrode mixture M can first be pressed into a film in upstream roller press 20. Upstream roller press 20 rotates while providing pressing force to form the dry electrode mixture M into a film. The dry electrode mixture M, which has first been formed into a film, can be further pressed in downstream roller press 30, and the thickness of the dry electrode mixture M can be adjusted by pressing. Then, the dry electrode film F (the film formed from the dry electrode mixture) is wound by winder 40. Subsequently, the dry electrode film F is attached or laminated to a current collector to form a dry electrode.

[0063] Due to the high adhesion and large rest angle of the dry electrode mixture M, the feeding technology of the dry electrode mixture M plays a very important role in the manufacture of dry electrodes. When feeding the dry electrode mixture M, a simple feeding method may damage the roller press and cause various problems, such as density differences, which may lead to cracking or inconsistent thickness of the finished dry electrode film.

[0064] To address the aforementioned issues, a feeding system was designed to control the flow of the dry electrode mixture M supplied to the roller press 20. However, this feeding system uses a shaking method to cause the dry electrode mixture M to fall into the roller press 20 in granular form, thus requiring a dust collector. This can lead to raw material loss during operation and makes it difficult to accelerate the manufacturing of dry electrodes.

[0065] Therefore, this disclosure provides a feeding system that can ensure the quality of dry electrodes and accelerate their manufacturing without the aforementioned problems, and provides a dry electrode manufacturing system including this feeding system. The feeding system 100 can be arranged in... Figure 1 The location of the feeder 12 in the middle.

[0066] refer to Figure 2 The roller press 20, as a film-forming device, includes a pair of rollers 20a and 20b. Rollers 20a and 20b can form a film from a dry electrode mixture M supplied from the feed system 100 by applying heat or pressure, or both, while rotating. Specifically, rollers 20a and 20b can press the dry electrode mixture M supplied to the region R1 defined by rollers 20a and 20b.

[0067] like Figure 3As shown, the feeding system 100 can supply a dry electrode mixture to the roller press 20. According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the feeding system 100 includes a leveler 110. The leveler 110 can level the dry electrode mixture M located on the roller press 20. Specifically, the leveler 110 can level the dry electrode mixture M supplied to region R1. The operation of the leveler 110 enables continuous processing without affecting the quality of the dry electrode mixture M. "Continuous processing" can mean continuously forming a film by preventing excessive dry electrode mixture M from being drawn into the roller press 20 within a short period of time during the operation of the roller press 20. When the roller press 20 is operated while the dry electrode mixture M accumulates in region R1, due to the characteristics of the dry electrode mixture M, excessive dry electrode mixture (especially cathode dry electrode mixture) is drawn into the roller press 20. This can cause cracking or inconsistent thickness of the finished film as described above. This disclosure solves the problem by using a leveling machine 110, thus enabling the continuous and uninterrupted production of dry electrode films F.

[0068] The leveling machine 110 can be suspended above the roller press 20. In one embodiment, the leveling machine 110 can be suspended above the roller press 20 by a support frame 112.

[0069] refer to Figure 4 The leveling machine 110 can be configured to be movable. While supplying the dry electrode mixture M to region R1, the leveling machine 110 can move continuously in the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) and level the dry electrode mixture M accumulated in region R1. In one example, the leveling machine 110 can be moved relative to the support frame 112. Specifically, the leveling machine 110 can be moved in the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction) of the roller press 20. In one example, the leveling machine 110 can be moved relative to the support frame 112 by a linear conveying machine (e.g., a linear motor). As shown in the embodiment, the leveling machine 110 can include multiple leveling machines separated from each other. In another embodiment, a single leveling machine 110 can be provided. In yet another embodiment, the leveling machine 110 can have a single body, but can have a relatively long length.

[0070] The feeding system 100 may include multiple feeders 120, 130, and 140. Feeders 120, 130, and 140 can supply the dry electrode mixture M to the roller press 20. Feeders 120, 130, and 140 can prevent bridging or rat holes caused by the characteristics of the dry electrode mixture, while accelerating the manufacturing of the dry electrode.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the plurality of feeders 120, 130, and 140 may include a hopper 120. The hopper 120 may be supplied with a dry electrode mixture M mixed by the mixer 10. In one example, the dry electrode mixture M from the mixer 10 may be delivered to the hopper 120 by vacuum.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the plurality of feeders 120, 130, and 140 may include an auxiliary feeder 130. The auxiliary feeder 130 may include rotatable blades to apply rotational force to the dry electrode mixture M supplied from the hopper 120 to facilitate the discharge of the dry electrode mixture M. Furthermore, the auxiliary feeder 130 may prevent rat holes or bridging in the dry electrode mixture M within the hopper 120. As a non-limiting example, the auxiliary feeder 130 may be a circular feeder. As another non-limiting example, the auxiliary feeder 130 may be a rotary feeder. As yet another non-limiting example, the auxiliary feeder 130 may be a screw feeder. However, the auxiliary feeder 130 is not limited thereto, and any feeder configured to facilitate the discharge of the dry electrode mixture M within the hopper 120 may be used.

[0073] In one embodiment, the hopper 120 and the auxiliary feeder 130 can be directly connected to each other. The dry electrode mixture M in the hopper 120 can be directly moved to the auxiliary feeder 130. In one example, the hopper 120 and the auxiliary feeder 130 can be connected to each other, and the connected hopper 120 and auxiliary feeder 130 can be supported by a support structure 132.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the plurality of feeders 120, 130, and 140 may include a conveying feeder 140. The conveying feeder 140 may deliver the dry electrode mixture M discharged from the hopper 120 or from the auxiliary feeder 130 toward the roller press 20. For this purpose, in one example, the conveying feeder 140 may include a conveying section 142. As a non-limiting example, the conveying section 142 may be a transport machine.

[0075] For example, when the hopper 120 or auxiliary feeder 130 conveys the dry electrode mixture M in the gravity direction (-z-axis direction), the conveying feeder 140 can convey the dry electrode mixture M in a generally horizontal direction (x-axis direction). In the illustrated embodiment, the conveying feeder 140 is shown conveying the dry electrode mixture M only in the horizontal direction (x-axis direction). However, the conveying feeder 140 can be tilted relative to the horizontal direction (x-axis direction) to convert the flow of the dry electrode mixture M in the gravity direction (-z-axis direction) into flow in the horizontal direction (x-axis direction).

[0076] The conveyor feeder 140 ultimately delivers the dry electrode mixture M to the roller press 20 in the gravity direction (-z-axis direction). The conveyor feeder 140 can be arranged above the roller press 20 and below the hopper 120 or auxiliary feeder 130 in the gravity direction (-z-axis direction). For example, the conveyor feeder 140 can be supported by a mounting frame 144 and can be arranged in a vertical position lower than the hopper 120 or auxiliary feeder 130 via the mounting frame 144. The dry electrode mixture M discharged from the hopper 120 or auxiliary feeder 130 can fall onto the conveyor feeder 140.

[0077] In one implementation, such as Figure 5 As shown, regarding the relationship between the roller press 20 and the conveyor feeder 140, it is preferable that the conveyor feeder 140 is arranged in the outer radius region R2 of the roller 20b relative to the center line CL of the roller 20b adjacent to the conveyor feeder 140.

[0078] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The conveyor feeder 140 can be supplied with dry electrode mixture M from hopper 120 or auxiliary feeder 130, and delivers the dry electrode mixture M to roller press 20. Figure 6 In this context, "P" indicates the conveying direction of the dry electrode mixture M. In one embodiment, the feeder 140 can discretely supply and contain the dry electrode mixture M. For this purpose, according to one embodiment, the feeder 140 may include a plurality of trays 146 configured to be connected to each other. Each tray 146 is configured to be mounted on the conveyor section 142 and contains a predetermined amount of the dry electrode mixture M. Therefore, the dry electrode mixture M contained in one tray 146 can be separate from the dry electrode mixture M contained in another tray 146.

[0079] According to this disclosure, since the feeder 140 is arranged below the hopper 120 or auxiliary feeder 130 in the gravity direction (-z-axis direction), the dry electrode mixture M can be supplied to the roller press 20 with relatively low potential energy. Furthermore, since a predetermined amount of dry electrode mixture M is separated and placed in the tray 146, and supplied to the roller press 20 in a predetermined volume or in batches, dust can be minimized, thereby preventing raw material loss due to the use of a dust collector. Moreover, according to this disclosure, since there is no need to use a method of scattering the dry electrode mixture M, but rather batches of dry electrode mixture M can be supplied to the roller press 20, a large amount of dry electrode mixture M can be supplied to the roller press 20 per hour compared to using conventional methods, thereby greatly improving the processing speed.

[0080] In one instance, one or more auxiliary feeders 130 may be arranged. For example... Figure 8 As shown, two or more auxiliary feeders 130 can be provided to supply the dry electrode mixture M to a tray 146 of the conveying feeder 140. By doing so, the supply of the dry electrode mixture M can be increased to further improve the processing speed.

[0081] The feeding system 100 may also include a material level height sensor 150. In one embodiment, the material level height sensor 150 may be mounted on the support frame 112 and arranged above and beside the roller press 20.

[0082] The material level sensor 150 can detect the height of the dry electrode mixture M accumulated in region R1. As a non-limiting example, the material level sensor 150 can be a radar sensor. Radar sensors can be useful because they are not affected by plastic materials. However, the type of material level sensor 150 is not limited to this, and other known types of sensors can be used.

[0083] refer to Figure 9 The material level height sensor 150 can detect the height T1 of the dry electrode mixture M in region R1. Height T1 can be the tangent of the apex of contact rollers 20a and 20b. Furthermore, the material level height sensor 150 can detect the height T2 of the dry electrode mixture M. Height T2 can be a predetermined height of the dry electrode mixture M at which the dry electrode mixture M in region R1 has not reached the leveler 110.

[0084] The feeding system 100 may also include a controller 160. The controller 160 can control the operation of the feeding system 100.

[0085] In one embodiment, controller 160 is configured to control the rotation of feeder 140. Controller 160 can control the rotational operation and stopping of feeder 140 to control the amount of dry electrode mixture M fed into roller press 20.

[0086] In one embodiment, the controller 160 is configured to communicate with a material level height sensor 150. When the material level height sensor 150 detects that the dry electrode mixture M has reached a height T1, the controller 160 can stop the rotational operation of the feeder 140. It has been shown that continuous processing is difficult to perform when the dry electrode mixture M accumulates in region R1 above height T1. According to this disclosure, continuous processing can be performed by preventing the dry electrode mixture M from accumulating in region R1 above height T1. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that continuous processing can be performed by cooperating with the leveling machine 110. Therefore, when the height of the dry electrode mixture M in region R1 has not reached the leveling machine 110, the controller 160 can operate the feeder 140 so that the dry electrode mixture M is supplied to the roller press 20.

[0087] The feeding system 100 according to some embodiments of this disclosure operates as follows.

[0088] refer to Figure 10 In operation S100, the roller press 20 is operated to form the dry electrode mixture M into a film. Furthermore, in operation S110, during the rotation of the roller press 20, the leveler 110 is configured to level the dry electrode mixture M in region R1 as it moves continuously along the longitudinal direction (y-axis direction).

[0089] To form the dry electrode mixture M into a film, the dry electrode mixture M is supplied to the trays 146 of the conveyor feeder 140 via the hopper 120 or the auxiliary feeder 130. In operation S120, the controller 160 can control the rotation of the conveyor feeder 140 so that the dry electrode mixture M in each tray 146 is sequentially supplied to the roller press 20.

[0090] The material level height sensor 150 is configured to detect the height of the dry electrode mixture M in area R1. First, in operation S130, the material level height sensor 150 detects whether the dry electrode mixture M has reached height T1. When the material level height sensor 150 detects that the dry electrode mixture M has reached height T1, in operation S140, the controller 160 stops the operation of the feeder 140. Simultaneously, the roller press 20 rotates, and the leveler 110 also performs a leveling operation.

[0091] The material level height sensor 150 is configured to continuously detect the height of the dry electrode mixture M in region R1. In operation S150, the material level height sensor 150 can determine whether the dry electrode mixture M has reached height T2. When the material level height sensor 150 detects that the dry electrode mixture M has reached height T2, in operation S160, the controller 160 activates the conveyor feeder 140. Therefore, according to this disclosure, the amount of dry electrode mixture M on the roller press 20 can be continuously adjusted while the film-forming process is continuously executed without interruption.

[0092] By repeating a series of operations, a dry electrode manufacturing system can produce dry electrodes.

[0093] According to some forms of this disclosure, the dry electrode manufacturing system includes a feeding system 100.

[0094] According to some forms of this disclosure, batteries can be manufactured using a dry electrode manufacturing system.

[0095] The feeding system described in this article is used in a process for forming a film from a dry electrode mixture. However, the feeding system can also be used in processes for forming other powder-type films.

[0096] It is evident from the above description that this disclosure provides the following effects.

[0097] According to this disclosure, a feeding system capable of accelerating the manufacture of dry electrodes and a dry electrode manufacturing system including the feeding system are provided.

[0098] According to this disclosure, a feeding system capable of ensuring the quality of dry electrodes and a dry electrode manufacturing system including the feeding system are provided.

[0099] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly recognize other effects not mentioned herein based on the above description.

[0100] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and drawings, and that various substitutions, modifications and alterations can be made without departing from the technical concept of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A feeding system, comprising: A roller press configured to form a film from a dry electrode mixture; A feeder configured to supply the dry electrode mixture to the roller press; as well as A leveling machine is configured to level the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press.

2. The feeding system according to claim 1, wherein, The leveling machine is configured to move along the length of the roller press.

3. The feeding system according to claim 1, wherein, The feeder includes a first feeder configured to discretely supply a predetermined amount of the dry electrode mixture to the roller press.

4. The feeding system according to claim 3, wherein, The first feeder includes: The conveying unit is configured to transport multiple trays, each tray containing a predetermined amount of the dry electrode mixture, and The controller is configured to adjust the conveyor based on the detected height of the dry electrode mixture on the roller press.

5. The feeding system of claim 4 further includes a material level height sensor configured to detect the height of the dry electrode mixture located on the roller press, and the controller stopping or continuing the operation of the first feeder based on a comparison between the detected height and a predetermined threshold.

6. The feeding system according to claim 4, wherein, When the detected height is a first height, the controller is configured to stop the first feeder from supplying the dry electrode mixture to the roller press, the first height being a line extending from the apex of the roller press.

7. The feeding system according to claim 6, wherein, When the detected height reaches a second height that is less than the first height, the controller is configured to continue the operation of the first feeder.

8. The feeding system according to claim 3, wherein, The feeder also includes: Second feeder, and The second feeder contains the dry electrode mixture and is configured to supply the dry electrode mixture to the first feeder.

9. The feeding system according to claim 8, wherein, The feeder also includes a third feeder, and The third feeder is arranged between the first feeder and the second feeder and is configured to provide flowability to the dry electrode mixture supplied from the first feeder.

10. The feeding system according to claim 9, wherein, The third feeder includes any one of a circular feeder, a screw feeder, or a rotary feeder.

11. The feeding system according to claim 1, wherein, The roller press includes a pair of rollers configured to press the dry electrode mixture into a continuous dry electrode film.

12. The feeding system according to claim 1, wherein, The dry electrode mixture contains electrode active materials, conductive materials, and binders, but no solvents.

13. A dry electrode manufacturing system, comprising the feeding system according to claim 1.

14. A method for manufacturing a dry electrode, the method comprising: The roller press is rotated, and the roller press is configured to form a film from a dry electrode mixture; The dry electrode mixture is supplied to the roller press via a feeder; as well as The dry electrode mixture located on the roller press is leveled by a leveling machine.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: The height of the dry electrode mixture on the roller press is detected by a material level height sensor; as well as The operation of the feeder is controlled based on the detected height.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising: The feeder is stopped when the height of the detected dry electrode mixture reaches a line extending from the apex of the roller press.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: When the height of the detected dry electrode mixture drops below a predetermined height of the leveling machine, the operation of the feeder continues.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The feeder includes a first feeder configured to discretely supply a predetermined amount of the dry electrode mixture to the roller press.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The feeder also includes: A second feeder, configured to contain the dry electrode mixture mixed by the mixer; and A third feeder is configured to discharge the dry electrode mixture to the first feeder while rotating the dry electrode mixture supplied from the second feeder.

20. A battery comprising a dry electrode manufactured by the method of claim 14.

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