Supply device for supplying segments of energy cells to a cell stacking device, and method for supplying segments of energy cells to a cell stacking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a supply device (2) for supplying segments (16) of energy cells, in particular of a battery cell, to a cell stacking device (7) and to a method for supplying segments (16) of energy cells to a cell stacking device (7), comprising - a supply device (2) which supplies the segments (16) to the cell stacking device (7) in a successive arrangement in a material flow, wherein - the supply device (2) supplies the segments (16) to the cell stacking device (7) in a successive arrangement in a material flow, - the successive segments (16) are arranged at a respective first distance (A) to one another in the supply device (2), and - the supply device (2) is equipped with a spreading device (6) in which the distance (A) between successive segments (16) in the material flow is increased such that the successive segments (16) have an increased distance (A) to one another in the material flow when supplied to the cell stacking device (7).

Description

[0001] Feeding device for feeding segments of energy cells to a cell stacking device and method for feeding segments of energy cells to a cell stacking device

[0002] The present invention relates to a feeding device for feeding segments of energy cells, in particular a battery cell, to a cell stacking device having the features of the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for feeding segments of energy cells to a cell stacking device having the features of the preamble of claim 14.

[0003] Energy cells or energy storage devices within the meaning of the invention are used, for example, in motor vehicles, other land vehicles, ships, aircraft or also in stationary systems such as photovoltaic systems in the form of battery cells or fuel cells, in which very large amounts of energy must be stored over longer periods of time. For this purpose, such energy cells have a structure consisting of a large number of segments stacked together. These segments are each formed from alternating anode sheets and cathode sheets, which are separated from one another by separator sheets that are also manufactured as segments. The segments are pre-cut during the manufacturing process and then placed on top of one another to form the stacks in the predetermined order and joined together by lamination.The anode and cathode sheets are first cut from a continuous sheet and then individually placed at intervals on a continuous sheet of separator material. This subsequently formed "double-layered" continuous sheet of separator material with the applied anode and cathode sheets is then cut into segments in a second step using a cutting device. In this case, the segments are formed in a double layer, consisting of a separator sheet with an anode or cathode sheet arranged on top.If technically feasible or necessary, the continuous sheets of separator material with the anode and cathode sheets applied can also be stacked on top of each other before cutting, forming a continuous sheet with a first continuous layer of separator material with anode or cathode sheets applied thereon, and a second continuous layer of separator material with anode or cathode sheets applied thereon. This "four-layer" continuous sheet is then cut into segments using a cutting device. In this case, the segments are formed in four layers, with a first separator sheet, an anode sheet, a second separator sheet, and a cathode sheet applied thereon. The advantage of this solution is that one cut can be eliminated.

[0004] Segments within the meaning of this invention are therefore single-layer segments of a separator material, anode material or cathode material, double-layer or four-layer segments of the structure described above.

[0005] Devices for producing battery cells are known, for example, from WO 2016 / 041713 A1 and DE 10 2017 216 213 A1.

[0006] The production of battery cells, for example for electromobility, currently takes place on production lines with an output of 100 to 240 monocells per minute. These operate in some areas or continuously with timed, discontinuous movements, such as back-and-forth movements, and are therefore limited in terms of production output. The majority of existing machines operate using single-sheet stacking methods (e.g., "pick and place"), with the disadvantage of slower processing. Laminating cell formations is not possible here.

[0007] Another well-known approach is a machine with continuously running material webs and timed tools, such as cutting knives and tools for changing the pitch.

[0008] In principle, machines with synchronized movements are limited in terms of performance. Mass-bearing parts, such as fixtures and tools, must be constantly accelerated and decelerated. These processes determine the timing, and a lot of energy is consumed. The mass of the moving parts cannot be reduced arbitrarily. Faster-moving parts often have to endure greater loads and therefore become even more complex and heavier.

[0009] To reduce the production costs of energy cell manufacturing, among other things, the production output of the machines must be increased. One prerequisite for high production output is a high production rate of the energy cell stacks, which are formed from several stacked segments of the type described above.

[0010] To achieve very high production rates, it is desirable to cut the segments from a continuous web at the highest possible piece rate during production. This requires the continuous web to be fed at a correspondingly high feed speed and the segments to be cut from the continuous web at the highest possible cutting frequency. The segments must then be stacked on top of each other to form stacks. One problem that needs to be solved is that the stacking process and the continuous feeding of the segments must be coordinated to enable uninterrupted feeding and stacking of the segments at the desired high transport rate.

[0011] Against this background, the object of the invention is to provide a feeding device and a method for feeding segments for energy cells to a cell stacking system, which are intended to enable the segments to be fed at a high transport rate while simultaneously simplifying the coordination and synchronization of the stacking process in a cell stacking system.

[0012] To achieve this object, a feeding device having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 14 are proposed. Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims, the figures and the associated description.

[0013] According to the basic idea of ​​the invention, according to claim 1 and claim 14, it is proposed that a spreading device is provided in the feed device, in which the distance between the successive segments in the material flow is increased, so that the successive segments in the material flow in the feed to the cell stacking device have an increased distance from one another. The spreading device increases the distance between the segments, which in turn can generally simplify the coordination and synchronization of the stacking process in the cell stacking device. In order to achieve the high conveying rate in the feed device, the segments can be guided with smaller distances or even in direct contact with one another in the feed device, since the increase in distance is only brought about by the provided spreading device in the feed device itself.Furthermore, in addition to simplifying the stacking process in the cell stacking device, the segments can also be divided into two or more parallel transport paths, e.g., by means of a switch, and then stacked in the cell stacking device in several parallel cell stacking devices. Furthermore, the increased spacing makes it easier to coordinate and synchronize the movements of the stacking processes in the cell stacking device with the feed movement of the continuous web and the segments after cutting.

[0014] The feed device can preferably be formed by a drum run, which enables a very high conveying rate of the segments both in their direct contact with one another or with very small distances.

[0015] The spreading device can preferably be formed by at least a first and a second drum of the drum run, wherein the segments are transferred from a circumferential surface of the first drum to a circumferential surface of the second drum, and the first drum transfers the segments at a first circumferential speed of its circumferential surface, and the second drum receives the segments at a second circumferential speed of its circumferential surface, and the second circumferential speed is greater than the first circumferential speed. During the transfer from the first drum to the second drum, the segments are practically pulled apart by the higher circumferential speed of the second drum and are transported further at the increased distances.The higher peripheral speed of the second drum is also necessary because the segments are pulled apart by the increase in distance to form a chain of segments with a greater length, which, however, must be removed in the same time interval in which the same number of segments were previously fed in with the smaller distances.

[0016] The transfer from the first to the second drum can be simplified by providing a transfer drum between the first and second drums, and driving the transfer drum to a pulsating rotational speed with alternating acceleration and deceleration between the first peripheral speed and the second peripheral speed. The transfer drum receives the segments from the first drum at the first peripheral speed and transfers them to the second drum at the second peripheral speed. The transfer drum accelerates the segments to the higher second peripheral speed during the transition from the first drum to the second drum, so that they are received by the second drum at the higher peripheral speed without slippage.

[0017] It is further proposed that the transfer drum have at least two, preferably three, transfer dies. The transfer dies serve to receive and transport the segments on the transfer drum. By providing at least two, preferably three, transfer dies, the transfer rate of the segments through the transfer drum can be increased. In particular, this can reduce the required rotational speed of the transfer drum to achieve a predetermined transfer rate of the segments.

[0018] It is further proposed that the first drum have a first radius and the second drum have a second radius, with the second radius being larger than the first radius. By dimensioning the radii of the drums as proposed, the different peripheral speeds of the drums can be achieved with the smallest possible differences in the rotational speeds of the drums, whereby the rotational speeds of the drums can even be identical according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0019] Furthermore, the spreading device can also be formed by at least one pitch-changing drum integrated into the drum run, and the pitch-changing drum can have a plurality of transport segments arranged on the circumference, each for transporting a segment of the material flow. The transport segments are movable in the radial direction and / or circumferential direction of the pitch-changing drum, and the segments are moved from the receiving point to the transfer point from a smaller radius to a larger radius and / or in the circumferential direction. The proposed pitch-changing drum allows the spacing increase to be carried out on a rotating drum itself.The increase in the distance between the segments is achieved by the transport segments and their movement, in that the segments held on the transport segments are moved by the transport segments themselves into an alignment with an increased distance from one another. It is further proposed that at least two pitch-changing drums arranged in series be provided in the drum run. By providing at least one additional pitch-changing drum, the increase in distance achieved on a pitch-changing drum can be reduced by a factor corresponding to the number of pitch-changing drums compared to the actual increase in distance.This in turn allows the required relative speeds of the transport segments and the associated accelerations of the transport segments and the segments held thereon to be reduced to the pitch change drum, which in turn leads to lower transverse forces acting on the segments during the distance increase.

[0020] The pitch change drum can preferably increase the distance between the successive segments in the material flow by at least 10 mm, preferably by 13 mm.

[0021] It is further proposed that the spreading device is formed by a belt transport device integrated into the drum run, and that the belt transport device comprises an endless belt driven for a transport movement at a first speed, and the first speed is greater than the speed of the fed segments. The belt transport device increases the spacing of the segments by transporting them away from the feed at the first, higher speed than in the feed. The belt transport device thereby distorts the segments in the direction of their transport direction into a row with greater spacing. The direction of the removal of the segments is predetermined by the orientation of the endless belt, which can be formed, for example, by a flat orientation of the endless belt and a resulting linear direction of the removal.

[0022] It is further proposed that the spreading device is formed by a combination, integrated into the drum run, of a cutting drum driven to rotate and having a plurality of cutting edges arranged on the circumferential surface and a counter drum driven to rotate or stationary and having at least one counter edge, and that the segments are cut to a predetermined length by an endless web fed to the cutting drum at a first speed by the counter edge of the counter drum sliding against each other on the cutting edges of the cutting drum, and that the cutting drum is driven to rotate at a circumferential surface speed which is greater than the first speed of the fed endless web. The cutting drum, together with the counter drum, forms a cutting device in which the segments are cut from the endless web to a predetermined length or width.The cutting drum simultaneously transports the continuous web and the removed segments. Since the peripheral speed of the cutting drum is greater than the speed of the supplied continuous web, the segments are actively transported away from the continuous web by a shorter distance after cutting, so that the cut end of the segment is subsequently spaced from the beginning of the next segment. The segments are thus drawn into a row with increased spacing after cutting. The invention is explained below using preferred embodiments with reference to the attached figures. Herein:

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a manufacturing machine with a cell stacking system with a feeding device, a cell stacking device and a discharge device; and

[0024] Fig. 2 shows a drum run with two successively arranged pitch change drums and two fan wheels with a feed via two transfer drums; and

[0025] Fig. 3 a drum run with two successively arranged pitch change drums and two fan wheels with a feed of the segments via two endless belts; and

[0026] Fig. 4 shows a drum run with two fan wheels and a feed of the segments via two endless belts and a belt transport device that increases the distances between the segments; and

[0027] Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a spreading device formed by a pitch change drum with radially movable transport segments; and

[0028] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a spreading device formed by a pitch change drum with transport segments movable in the circumferential direction; and

[0029] Fig. 7 shows the increase in the distance between the segments on the pitch change drums with the radially moved transport segments; and

[0030] Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a spreading device with two transport drums with different peripheral speeds and two transfer drums arranged between them; and

[0031] Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a spreading device formed by a cutting device with a cutting drum and a counter drum.

[0032] Figure 1 shows a manufacturing machine with a cell stacking system 1, a feed device 2, a discharge device 3, and a cell stacking device 7 arranged between the feed device 2 and the discharge device 3. The feed device 2 further comprises a cutting device 4 on its inlet side. Furthermore, the manufacturing machine comprises a feed of four continuous webs E1-E4, two of the continuous webs E1 and E3 being formed from a separator material, one continuous web E2 from an anode material, and one continuous web E4 from a cathode material. The continuous webs E2 and E4 of the cathode material and the anode material are each cut by means of a cutting device into anodes and cathodes of a predetermined length and width, respectively, which are then placed onto one of the continuous webs E1 and E3 of the separator material, respectively.The joining takes place by first placing the anodes or cathodes cut from the bottommost continuous web E4 individually onto a conveyor belt T. Then, the overlying continuous web E3 of separator material is placed on top. Finally, the anodes or cathodes cut from the continuous web E2 are placed individually onto the continuous web E3 of separator material. These are then covered on top by placing the topmost continuous web E1 of separator material on top. This four-layer continuous web, with the anodes or cathodes on one side, is then fed to a lamination unit L, where they are bonded together to form a solid composite by thermal and / or mechanical energy.

[0033] The laminated four-layer continuous web 5 is then fed into the production machine of the cell stacking system 1 and cut into segments 16 of a predetermined length or width, also referred to as monocells, in the cutting device 4 of the feed device 2. However, it is also conceivable to feed the cell stacking system 1 in the production machine with double-layer segments 16 consisting of only one layer of separator material and an anode or cathode, or even single-layer segments 16, provided that these are to be further processed in a stacked manner. The segments 16 are then fed in the feed device 2 via several transfer drums 8 and reversing drums 9 to various cell stacking devices 15 of the cell stacking device 7, where they are stacked one on top of the other and removed in stack form via the removal device.

[0034] The cutting device 4 is here formed by a pair of drums consisting of a cutting drum with cutting knives 10, which can be seen in Figures 5 and 6, and a counter drum 12 with counter knives 11. It cuts the four-layer continuous web E guided onto the cutting drum or the counter drum 12 by shearing the cutting knives 10 on the counter knives 11 into segments 16 of a predetermined length, which is defined by the spacing of the cutting knives 10 or the counter knives 11, depending on whether the continuous web E is guided onto the cutting drum or the counter drum 12. Starting from the cutting device 4, the cut segments 16 are fed to a spreading device 6 in the feed device 2. The feed device 2 comprises a drum run with a plurality of transport drums, on which the segments 16 are held, for example by vacuum.If the supplied continuous web E is a four-layer web, the segments 16 cut from it correspond to the monocells described above. The segments 16 are used to manufacture energy cells or energy storage devices, which are used, for example, in land vehicles, ships, aircraft, or even stationary devices such as photovoltaic systems, and which serve to store and / or convert electrical energy. The energy stored therein can be used, for example, to operate electric drive units, such as motor vehicles with electric drives.

[0035] Figure 2 shows a cell stacking system 1 with a feed device 2, two transfer drums 8, a reversing drum 6, and a cell stacking device 7 with two cell stacking devices 15, each in the form of a compartment drum. Between the transfer drums 8 and the cell stacking devices 15, an insertion drum 24 is provided, which takes over the segments 16 from the transfer drums 8 and transfers them to the compartment drums. Furthermore, a spreading device 6 is integrated into the feed device 2, which can be formed, for example, by one or more pitch-changing drums 13 according to Figures 5 or 6, by two transport drums 22 according to Figure 8, or by a counter-drum 12 of the cutting device 4 of Figure 9, which counter-drum is driven at a speed V2 that is greater than the speed V1 of the fed endless web 5.

[0036] The compartment drums are formed by a plurality of side walls extending spirally from the center to the outside, forming compartments that are open towards the outside. Due to the spiral shape of the side walls, the compartments are open tangentially in the circumferential direction, so that the segments 16 are inserted tangentially into the compartments of the compartment wheel by the insertion drums 24 in a circumferential discharge movement. During this insertion movement, the compartment wheels perform a continuous rotary movement, by means of which the segments 16 are transported away and free compartments are moved into the receiving position to receive the subsequent segments 16. The segments 16 are released by the segments 16 being moved tangentially out of the compartments of the fan wheel again, whereby the discharge movement can be deliberately assisted by the direction of the compartments and the inertial forces acting on the segments 16.

[0037] The stacking of the segments 16 by fan wheels can be carried out in parallel by dividing the segments 16 fed from the first transfer drum 8 to the left in the illustration in Figure 2 into two material streams, for example, by transferring every second segment 16 to the reversing drum 9 and guiding it to the further transfer drum 8, from which they are then delivered into the second fan wheel via an insertion drum 24 using the same principle. The segments 16 not transferred to the reversing drum 9 are then delivered in parallel to the first fan wheel, as described above.Alternatively, the segments 16 can also be alternately delivered completely to one of the fan wheels and stacked above it, so that during the stacking of the segments 16, the stack previously built up by the other fan wheel can be transported away via one fan wheel, and the other fan wheel can be put back into the state for stacking a new stack.

[0038] Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment to Figure 2, the feed device 2 of which is identical to the embodiment shown in Figure 2 up to the transfer drum 8. However, this embodiment differs in the further transport of the segments 16 from the transfer drum 8, in that two driven endless belts 26 and 27 running one above the other are provided, between which the segments 16 are introduced from the transfer drum 8 with their increased distances A from one another. The endless belts 26 and 27 form a first belt transport device 28, which transports the segments 16 away from the transfer drum 8 and feeds them to the cell stacking device 7. The segments 16 are then diverted via a switch 29 either to a second belt transport device 25 or transported without diversion to a third belt transport device 30.The segments 16 are then each fed by the second belt transport device 25 and the third belt transport device 30 to a cell stacking device 15 in the form of a fan wheel of the type described above. The switch 29 can feed the segments 16 alternately to the second and third belt transport devices 25 and 30, so that the segments 16 are stacked parallel to one another via the fan wheels. Alternatively, the segments 16 can also be fed in groups via one of the two belt transport devices 25 or 30 to only one of the fan wheels, wherein the switch 29 feeds the segments 16 to the other belt transport device and thus to the other fan wheel when the predetermined number of segments 16 has been fed to one fan wheel and stacked above it. During this time, the previously formed stack can be removed.

[0039] Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention, in which a spreading device 6 in the form of a fourth belt transport device 31 and a first belt transport device 28 is provided in the feed device 2. The fourth belt transport device 31 comprises two driven endless belts 32 and 33, which are arranged opposite one another and enclose a transport channel between them for transporting the segments 16. The feed device 2 comprises a drum run with a transfer drum 8, in which various testing devices and ejection devices for testing the segments 16 and ejecting the defective segments 16 can be provided. The embodiment of Figure 4 differs from the embodiment of Figure 3 in that the segments 16 are still transferred from the transfer drum 8 with the small spacing, and the increase in the spacing A only occurs during the subsequent transport of the segments 16.For this purpose, the fourth belt transport device 31 is provided, which transports the segments 16 away from the transfer drum 8 at a first speed V1. The downstream first belt transport device 28 takes over the segments 16 from the fourth belt transport device 31 and transports them further at a higher speed V2, whereby the distances A between the segments 16 are increased. The distance between the fourth belt transport device 31 and the first belt transport device 28 is selected in conjunction with the first speed V1 such that the segments 16 briefly rest against both belt transport devices 31 and 28 during the transfer from the fourth belt transport device 31 to the first belt transport device 28 and are therefore practically actively transported away by the fourth belt transport device 31 due to the higher speed V2 of the first belt transport device 28.The segments 16 are essentially carried along by the first belt transport device 28. Alternatively, the distance between the two belt transport devices 31 and 28 can also be selected such that the first speed V1 is sufficient to completely transport the segments 16 from the fourth belt transport device 31 to the first belt transport device 28, so that the first belt transport device 28 only transports the segments 16 away at the higher speed V2 when the segments 16 are no longer transported by the fourth belt transport device 31.

[0040] Figure 5 shows a further possible embodiment of the feed device 2 with the cutting device 4 and the spreading device 6, in which the spreading device 6 is formed by a pitch changing drum 13, as can be provided, for example, in the feed devices 2 of the embodiments of Figures 2 or 3.

[0041] The endless web 5 is fed to the cutting device 4, which here is designed as a counter drum 12 with a plurality of counter knives 11 and cutting knives 10 directed towards the circumference of the counter drum 12. The endless web 5 is gripped by the counter drum 12 of the cutting device 4 in a rotary transport movement and fed further to the pitch changing drum 13. In this case, the endless web 5 is cut on the cutting device 4 by means of the cutting knives 10 by shearing on the counter knives 11 of the counter drum 12 into segments 16 of a predetermined length. After the endless web 5 has been cut, the segments 16 rest against the outer surface of the counter drum 12 and are held to the outer surface of the counter drum 12, for example by means of negative pressure. Furthermore, the segments 16 lie directly against each other, ie without a gap or with only a very small gap of e.g. 1 mm, and are only separated from each other by the separating cuts.The segments 16 are then transported on the counter drum 12 by the rotary movement to a takeover point I and are taken over by the pitch change drum 13 at the takeover point I.

[0042] Alternatively, instead of the counter drum 12, a cutting device 4 can be used, in which the endless web 5 and / or the segments 16 are cut and fed to the pitch-changing drum 13 in a straight, i.e., flat, feed movement. Furthermore, the cutting device 4 can also comprise any desired curved or deflected feed movement to implement different guide paths for the endless web 5 or the segments 16. The only important thing is that the already cut segments 16 are fed into the transfer point I in direct contact with one another or in as close a relationship as possible.

[0043] The pitch change drum 13 comprises a drum base body 17 and a plurality of transport segments 18 arranged radially outwardly on the drum base body 17, as can also be seen in the enlarged lower illustration of Figure 5. The pitch change drum 13 is driven to rotate clockwise in the direction of the arrow by a drive device (not shown) that is pivotally connected to the drum base body 17. For this purpose, an electric motor can be provided as the drive device, which drives the drum base body 17 directly or via a gear.The transport segments 18 are held radially movable on the drum base body 17 and each have a curved surface on their outer side with a radius identical to the rotational axis D of the drum base body 17, so that when pulled towards the drum base body 17 they form a circular, cylindrical shell surface of the pitch change drum 13 with a radius R1. The transport segments 18 have on their radial outer side a receiving surface 19 with a length directed in the circumferential direction of the pitch change drum 13, which corresponds to the length of the segments 16 cut from the endless web 5. The transport segments 18 can be provided in the region of their receiving surfaces 19 with compressed air openings, which can be subjected to negative pressure for receiving and holding the segments 6.

[0044] Furthermore, a control device (not shown) is provided, which controls the movement of the transport segments 18, explained in more detail below, during their rotation from the receiving point I to a transfer point II. The control device can be a control cam that is stationary relative to the rotating drum base body 17, against which the transport segments 18 rest with a control projection (not shown). Alternatively or additionally, the movement of the transport segments 18 can also be controlled by actuators via an electrical control system.

[0045] The movement of the transport segments 18 relative to the drum base body 17 is controlled such that the transport segments 18 are drawn toward the drum base body 17 as they pass through the transfer point I and thereby abut one another in the circumferential direction with a very small spacing, preferably directly. The radius of the outer surface of the transport segments 18 in the transfer point I corresponds to the radius R1. The cut segments 16 are fed from the cutting device 4 in the transfer point I in an arrangement directly adjacent to one another or in an arrangement with very small spacings and are taken over by the transport segments 18 of the pitch-changing drum 13.The rotational movement of the pitch-changing drum 13 and the movement of the transport segments 18 relative to the feed movement of the cutting device 4, in this case relative to the rotational movement of the counter drum 12, are synchronized in such a way that the separating cuts between the segments 16 and the separation points of the transport segments 18 ideally coincide at the transfer point I, so that one segment 16 is transferred to a transport segment 18. Starting from the transfer point I, the transport segments 18 are extended radially outwards during the further rotational movement of the pitch-changing drum 13. In the process, the distances A between the transport segments 18 and the segments 16 held thereon are increased. The segments 16 are thereby practically pulled apart and separated.The spaced-apart segments 16 are then taken over and transported away at the transfer point II by a downstream transfer device 14 on a larger radius R2 with increased spacing A. The transfer device 14 is designed here as a transport drum, which in turn is driven to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the pitch-changing drum 13. However, it is equally conceivable to provide a device as the transfer device 14 in which the separated and spaced-apart segments 16 are removed in a flat or otherwise curved path of movement. In principle, any desired path of movement can be provided when designing the cutting device 4 and the transfer device 14, which can be individually adapted to the geometric specifications of the higher-level system.

[0046] Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the pitch-changing drum 13, in which the transport segments 18 of the pitch-changing drum 13 are not moved in the radial direction, but instead in the circumferential direction of the drum base body 17. Starting from the transfer point I, the transport segments 18 are accelerated in the direction of rotation of the drum base body 17, thereby increasing the distances A between the transport segments 18 and between the segments 16 held thereon.The segments 16 are thus transferred from the cutting device 4 to the pitch change drum 13 in the same way as in the exemplary embodiment in Figure 1 at the transfer point I with a very small spacing or in an arrangement directly adjacent to one another, and are transferred at the transfer point II in an arrangement with increased spacing A to the transfer device 14, preferably at a speed in the transfer point II that is increased or the same as the speed in the transfer point I. In order for the transport segments 18 to subsequently lie adjacent to one another again at the transfer point I with the smaller spacings or directly adjacent to one another after passing through the transfer point II, they are decelerated again with respect to the rotational movement of the drum base body 17 after the segments 16 have been transferred to the transfer device 14, as a result of which the spacings A are reduced again until the transfer point I is reached.Both movement sequences of the transport segments 18 shown in Figures 5 and 6 lead to an increase in the distances A between the transport segments 18 themselves and the segments 16 transported on the transport segments 18, as described above. Of course, the movement sequences can also be combined, provided that the distance increase is to be made even greater, for example, or if more favorable conditions for the transfer of the segments 6 at transfer point II can be achieved.

[0047] Figure 7 shows the continuous web 5 and the segments 16 cut from it in isolation. The continuous web 5 is fed to the cutting device 4 and cut in the cutting device 4. The segments 16 are still directly adjacent to one another in the cutting device 4, which is why no gaps are yet visible here. Only after the segments 16 have been taken over from the pitch-changing drum 13 are the gaps A between the segments 16 increased until the segments 16, with their increased gaps A, are transferred to another pitch-changing drum 13, in which the gaps A are increased again until they are finally taken over by the takeover device 14.The distances A are thus increased stepwise in the pitch change drums 13, wherein each of the pitch change drums increases the distance A of the segments 16 by at least 10 mm, preferably by 13 mm, so that the segments 16 are finally transferred to the transfer device 14 with a distance of 27 mm, taking into account an initial distance A of 1 mm.

[0048] Figure 7 shows a further spreading device 6, which comprises a first drum 20 and a second drum 21 as well as two transfer drums 22 arranged between them. The spreading device 6 is therefore preferably suitable for integration into a feed device 2 with a drum run, as provided in Figures 2 and 3. The first drum 20 and the two drums 21 are driven to rotate with different peripheral speeds of the outer surfaces on which the segments 16 are held. The outer surface of the second drum 21 has a higher peripheral speed than the outer surface of the first drum 20. These different peripheral speeds can be achieved by different radii of the two drums 20 and 21 and / or different rotational speeds of the drums 20 and 21.The different peripheral speeds can also be achieved by having the drums 20 and 21 have identical rotational speeds, and the second drum 21 has a larger radius than the first drum 20. Furthermore, the two drums 20 and 21 can also have identical radii and thus be designed identically, with the second drum 21 in this case being driven at a higher rotational speed than the first drum 20.

[0049] Between the two drums 20 and 21, two transfer drums 22, each with three transfer stamps 23, are provided. These transfer drums are driven to perform a pulsating rotary motion and take over the segments 16 with their transfer stamps 23 from the first drum 20 at the lower peripheral speed and transfer them to the second drum 21 at the higher peripheral speed. The transfer drums 22 are each driven to perform pulsating rotary motions between the lower peripheral speed of the first drum 20 and the higher peripheral speed of the second drum 21, with the directions of rotation of the transfer drums 22 being opposite to the directions of rotation of the first and second drums 20 and 21.

[0050] The transfer drums 22 thus practically form an interface between the first drum 20, which rotates at the lower peripheral speed, and the second drum 21, which rotates at the higher peripheral speed. Due to their pulsating rotary drive movement, they enable the segments 16 to be taken over and transferred from the first drum 20 to the second drum 21 with as little slippage as possible, despite the different peripheral speeds of the two drums 20 and 21. After being taken over from the first drum 20 by the transfer punches 23, the segments 16 are accelerated by the pulsating rotary drive movement of the transfer drum 22 until they are transferred to the second drum and are then decelerated again to take over a segment 16. The transfer drums 22 are accelerated and decelerated during one revolution in a number of acceleration and deceleration processes corresponding to the number of transfer punches 23.A further advantage of the transfer drums 22 is that the segments 16 are rotated once during transfer from the first to the second drum 20, 21, thus keeping them in the same orientation on the drums 20 and 21. Furthermore, the transfer drums 22 enable identical rotation directions of the two drums 20 and 21 due to the intermediate transfer and transfer of the segments 16. This simplifies the overall further transport and / or stacking of the segments 16.

[0051] Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of a

[0052] The drum run can be integrated with a spreading device 6, in which the endless web 5 is guided onto a counter drum 12 of a cutting device 4 and there, as described above, is cut into segments 16 of a predetermined length by the cutting blades 10 sliding along the counter blades 11 of the counter drum 12. In this case, the spreading device 6 is implemented in that the counter drum 12 is driven to a rotational speed with a peripheral speed V2 of the outer surface which is greater than the feed speed V1 of the endless web 5. As a result, the segments 16 are pulled apart after cutting on the counter drum 12 with their distances A increasing and are transferred to a transfer drum 8 with the increased distances A.

[0053] List of reference symbols

[0054] 1 cell stacking system

[0055] 2 Feeding device

[0056] 3 discharge device

[0057] 4 Cutting device

[0058] 5 Endless track

[0059] 6 Spreading device

[0060] 7 Cell stacking device

[0061] 8 transfer drum

[0062] 9 Deflection drum

[0063] 10 Cutting edge

[0064] 11 Counter edge

[0065] 12 Counter drum

[0066] 13 Pitch change drum

[0067] 14 Transfer device

[0068] 15 Cell stacking device

[0069] 16 segments

[0070] 17 Drum body

[0071] 18 Transport segment

[0072] 19 takeover area

[0073] 20 First drum

[0074] 21 Second drum

[0075] 22 Transfer drum

[0076] 23 Transfer stamps

[0077] 24 Insertion drum

[0078] 25 Second belt transport device

[0079] 26 endless belt

[0080] 27 endless belt

[0081] 28 First belt transport device

[0082] 29 Switch 30 Third belt transport device

[0083] 31 Fourth belt transport device

[0084] 32 endless belt

[0085] 33 endless belt

[0086] E1- E4 endless track

[0087] T Conveyor belt L Laminating unit

[0088] A distance

[0089] I Acceptance point

[0090] II Transfer point

[0091] D Rotation axis R1 Radius

[0092] R2 radius

[0093] V1 speed

[0094] V2 speed

Claims

Claims:

1. Feeding device (2) for feeding segments (16) of energy cells, in particular a battery cell, to a cell stacking device (7), wherein -the feeder (2) feeds the segments (16) in a material stream in a successive arrangement of the cell stacking device (7), wherein -the successive segments (16) in the feed device (2) each have a first distance (A) from each other, characterized in that -in the feed device (2) a spreading device (6) is provided in which the distance (A) of the successive segments (16) in the material flow is increased, so that the successive segments (16) in the material flow in the feed to the cell stacking device (7) have an increased distance (A) to each other.

2. Feeding device (2) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the feeding device (2) is formed by a drum run.

3. Feeding device (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that -the spreading device (6) is formed by at least one first and one second drum (20,21) of the drum barrel, wherein -the segments (16) are transferred from a lateral surface of the first drum (20) to a lateral surface of the second drum (21), and -the first drum (20) transfers the segments (16) at a first circumferential velocity of their lateral surface in a transfer point (I), and -the second drum (21) receives the segments (16) with a second circumferential speed of its lateral surface, and -the second circumferential speed is greater than the first circumferential speed. Feeding device (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that -a transfer drum (22) is provided between the first and second drums (20, 21), and -the transfer drum (22) is driven to a fluctuating rotational speed with alternating acceleration and deceleration between the first circumferential speed and the second circumferential speed, wherein -the transfer drum (22) receives the segments (16) from the first drum (20) at the first peripheral speed and transfers the segments (16) to the second drum (21) at the second peripheral speed. Feeding device (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that -the transfer drum (22) has at least two, preferably three, transfer dies (23). Feeding device (2) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that -the first drum (20) a first radius and the second Drum (21) has a second radius, wherein the second radius is larger than the first radius. Feeding device (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that the first drum (20) and the second drum (21) have the same rotational speed. Feeding device (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that -the spreading device (6) is formed by at least one division-changing drum (13) integrated into the drum barrel, which -a plurality of transport segments (18) arranged around the circumference for transporting one segment (16) of the material flow each, wherein -the transport segments (18) are movable in the radial direction and / or circumferential direction of the division change drum (13), and -the segments (16) are moved from the receiving point to the transfer point from a smaller radius to a larger radius and / or in the circumferential direction. Feeding device (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that - in the drum run at least two division-changing drums (13) arranged in series are provided. Feeding device (2) according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that -the division change drum (13) the distance between the successive segments (16) in the material flow enlarged by at least 10 mm, preferably by 13 mm. Feeding device (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that -the spreading device (6) is formed by a belt transport device (25, 28, 31) integrated into the drum running, and -the belt transport device (25, 28, 31) comprises an endless belt (26, 27) driven to a transport movement at a first speed, and -the first speed is greater than the speed of the fed segments (16). Feeding device (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that -the spreading device (6) is formed by a combination integrated into the drum run of a cutting drum driven to a rotary motion with a plurality of cutting edges arranged on the circumferential surfaces and a counter drum (12) driven to a rotary motion or stationary with at least one counter edge, and -the segments (16) of an endless web (5) fed to the cutting drum and / or the counter drum (12) at a first speed are cut to a predetermined length by the opposite edge of the counter drum (12) sliding against the cutting edges of the cutting drum, and -the cutting drum is driven to a rotary motion with a circumferential speed of the outer surface which is greater than the initial speed of the supplied material Continuous conveyor (5). Cell stacking system (1) with a feeding device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that -a cell stacking device (7) with at least one fan wheel is provided. Method for feeding segments (16) of energy cells to a cell stacking device (7), with -a feeding device (2) which feeds the segments (16) in a material stream in a successive arrangement of the cell stacking device (7), wherein -the successive segments (16) at the entrance to the feed device (2) each have a first distance to each other, characterized in that -the feed device (2) has a spreading device (6) in which the distance (A) between the successive segments (16) in the material stream is increased, such that the successive segments (16) in the material stream in the feed to the cell stacking device (7) have a second distance to each other which is greater than the first distance. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that the segments (16) are transported in the feed device (2) in a drum cycle. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that -the spreading device (6) is formed by at least a first and a second drum (20, 21) of the drum cycle, where -the segments (16) of a lateral surface of the first drum (20) are transferred to a surface of the second drum (21), and -the first drum (20) transfers the segments (16) at a first circumferential velocity of its lateral surface in a transfer point, and -the second drum (20) takes over the segments (16) with a second circumferential speed of its lateral surface, and -the second circumferential speed is greater than the first circumferential speed.

17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that a transfer drum (22) is provided between the first and the second drum (20, 21), and -the transfer drum (22) is driven to a fluctuating rotational speed with alternating acceleration and deceleration between the first circumferential speed and the second circumferential speed, wherein -the transfer drum (22) takes over the segments (16) from the first drum (20) at the first peripheral speed and transfers the segments (16) to the second drum (21) at the second peripheral speed.

18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the transfer drum (22) has at least two, preferably three, transfer dies (23).

19. Method according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that -the first drum (20) has a first radius and the second drum (21) has a second radius, the second radius being larger than the first radius.

20. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the first drum (20) and the second drum (21) are each driven to identical rotational speeds by means of a drive device.

21. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the spreading device (6) is formed by at least one division change drum (13) integrated into the drum run, and -the division change drum (13) has a plurality of transport segments (18) arranged around its circumference, each for a segment (16) of the material flow, wherein -the transport segments (18) are movable in the radial direction and / or circumferential direction of the division change drum (13), and -the segments (16) are moved from a receiving point (I) to a transfer point (II) from a smaller radius (R1) to a larger radius (R2) and / or in the circumferential direction.

22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that at least two division change drums (13) arranged in series are provided in the drum run.

23. Method according to one of claims 21 or 22, characterized in that -the division change drum (13) the distance between the The diameter of successive segments (16) in the material flow from the receiving point (I) to the transfer point (II) is increased by at least 10 mm, preferably 13 mm.

24. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that -the spreading device (6) is formed by a belt transport device (25, 28) integrated into the drum running, and -the belt transport device (25, 28) comprises an endless belt (26, 27) driven to a transport movement at a first speed, wherein -the first speed of the belt transport device (25,28) is greater than the speed of the fed segments (16).

25. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the spreading device (6) is formed by a combination integrated into the drum run of a cutting drum driven to a rotary motion with a plurality of cutting edges arranged on the circumferential surfaces and a counter drum (12) driven to a rotary motion or stationary with at least one counter edge, and -the segments (16) of an endless web (5) fed to the cutting drum and / or to the counter drum (12) at a first speed are cut to a predetermined length by the opposite edge of the counter drum (12) sliding against the cutting edges of the cutting drum, and -the cutting drum and / or the counter drum (12) is driven to a rotary motion with a circumferential speed of the cylindrical surface which is greater than the first Ge- speed of the supplied continuous orbit (5). 5

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