Device and method for providing a bobbin for a production machine for the energy cell-producing industry, and facility for the energy cell-producing industry

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for providing a bobbin (2) with a wound web-type material for a production machine (3) for the energy cell-producing industry, comprising: - at least one bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7) and - a bobbin handling device (8) which is designed to supply the bobbin (2) to the at least one bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7), wherein - the bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7) and the bobbin handling device (8) are arranged in a common air conditioning chamber (9), and - a lock (10) is provided which is designed such that the bobbin (2) can be conveyed into the air conditioning chamber (9) via the lock.

Description

[0001] Device and method for providing a reel for a production machine of the energy cell producing industry and plant of the energy cell producing industry

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for providing a reel with a wound web-like material for a production machine in the energy cell production industry according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as a corresponding method. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a system for the energy cell production industry.

[0003] It is known in principle from the prior art to use energy cells or energy storage devices in motor vehicles, other land vehicles, ships, aircraft or even in stationary systems such as photovoltaic systems in the form of battery cells or fuel cells, where very large amounts of energy must be stored over long 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.

[0004] The electrode sheets, i.e. the anode and cathode sheets, are usually formed from a so-called daughter coil, which in turn is formed from a mother coil. The mother coil comprises a finite, wound electrode web, the width of this web being too large to form a cell stack. Therefore, the mother coil is first unwound and cut lengthwise so that the width of the electrode web is reduced or several electrode webs of smaller width are formed. An electrode web cut in this way with a reduced width is then rewound as a so-called daughter coil. The daughter coil can then be unwound again in order to create segments from it by transverse cuts, which are then suitable for forming a cell stack.

[0005] The segments in the form of separator sheets are also formed from daughter coils by cutting the web running from the respective daughter coil in the transverse direction.

[0006] The production of the daughter coils usually takes place in a first production machine, which is spatially spaced from a second production machine for cutting and stacking the segments.

[0007] Coils are also commonly referred to as bobbins. Thus, the daughter coils described above can also be referred to as bobbins.

[0008] It is also known from the prior art that, in particular, the cutting into segments and their stacking takes place under predefined climatic conditions in order to reliably ensure a high quality of the cell stacks formed.

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a device for providing a reel with a wound web-like material for a production machine of the energy cell producing industry while maintaining predefined climatic conditions, a corresponding method and a corresponding system for the energy cell producing industry.

[0010] The object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the figures, and the associated description.

[0011] According to a first aspect of this application, the object is achieved by a device for providing a reel with a wound web-like material for a production machine of the energy cell producing industry, comprising at least one reel changing device and a reel handling device which is designed to supply the at least one reel changing device with the reel, wherein the reel changing device and the reel handling device are arranged in a common air conditioning chamber, wherein a lock is provided which is designed such that the reel can be conveyed thereover into the air conditioning chamber.

[0012] The airlock allows air exchange with the environment surrounding the climate control chamber to be reduced when the reel is introduced into the climate control chamber, so that the climatic conditions in the climate control chamber can be maintained at a constant level. The wound material webs from the reels can thus be processed reliably. The climate control chamber preferably includes a climate control device for setting a predefined climate in the climate control chamber. For example, the room temperature, relative humidity, static pressure, and / or air purity can be adjusted or regulated using the climate control device.

[0013] The bobbins can be transported into the climate control chamber via the airlock and positioned there in such a way that they can be reached and picked up by the bobbin handling device. The bobbin handling device then transfers the bobbins to at least one bobbin changing device.

[0014] The at least one reel changing device is preferably designed to rotatably support at least one reel so that its wound material web can be fed to a production machine of the energy cell producing industry.

[0015] A bobbin changing device preferably comprises two mandrels, each of which can rotatably support a bobbin. For example, a first mandrel can hold a bobbin with an unwinding web of material, and a second mandrel can hold a new, unused bobbin. Shortly before the unwinding web of material has completely unwound, it can be joined to the web of material on the unused bobbin; this is then referred to as splicing. The used bobbin is preferably then pulled off the first mandrel and removed from the climate chamber. This can also be done in a similar way via the lock. A new, unused bobbin can then be placed on the first mandrel and then spliced ​​to the unwinding web of material now on the second mandrel.By alternately supplying the first and second mandrel with new, unused bobbins, the production machine can be reliably supplied with a corresponding material web, preferably even without interruption.

[0016] The lock preferably comprises a fluidically insulated lock chamber through which the reel can be transported from one environment into the air conditioning chamber. The lock chamber can, for example, be hermetically sealed from the environment and the air conditioning chamber. The lock chamber reduces the exchange of air volume between the air conditioning chamber and the environment when a new reel is introduced into the air conditioning chamber or when a used reel is removed from the air conditioning chamber. The air conditioning system therefore needs to produce less power to compensate for any deviations between the actual climate and the target climate. This reduces the energy consumption of the air conditioning system.

[0017] Preferably, at least one closable ambient door is provided to connect the lock chamber to the environment, and at least one closable climate chamber door is provided to connect the lock chamber to the climate control chamber. Further preferably, a control unit is provided that is configured to control the at least one ambient door and the at least one climate chamber door such that only one of the doors can be opened at a time. This prevents, for example, the simultaneous opening of a climate chamber door and an ambient door; it also prevents, for example, the simultaneous opening of two ambient doors or two climate chamber doors. By opening only one of the doors at a time, the air volume exchange between the climate control chamber and the environment can be further reduced.

[0018] For example, exactly one environmental door and several climate chamber doors can be provided. Alternatively, exactly one climate chamber door and several environmental doors can be provided. Of course, it is also possible to have several environmental doors, for example exactly four, and several climate chamber doors, for example also exactly four.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, it is proposed that the bobbin handling device is configured to automatically, preferably fully automatically, pick up the bobbin and transfer it to the at least one bobbin changing device. Preferably, the handling device is configured to pick up the bobbins from a bobbin carrier. The bobbin handling device can comprise a sensor unit configured to detect the readiness of a bobbin and its readiness position. Furthermore, the bobbin handling device can comprise, for example, a robot arm having a receptacle for holding the bobbin. Furthermore, the robot arm is configured to transfer the bobbin from a transfer position within the climate control chamber to the at least one bobbin changing device.Since the reels are preferably transported via the airlock into the climate control chamber using a reel carrier in the form of a transport trolley, the reel handling device can also be referred to as a depalletizer. The automatic transfer of the reel to the reel changing device can further reduce the exchange of air volume between the climate control chamber and the environment, because an additional air volume exchange that would occur when an operator enters the climate control chamber is prevented.

[0020] The reel handling device is preferably also designed to remove used reels, from which the material web has run out completely or almost completely, from the reel changing device and to transfer them to the said transfer position so that they can be brought from there by means of the reel carrier via the lock out of the air conditioning chamber.

[0021] Preferably, a reel with a wound electrode web or separator web is mounted on at least one reel changing device. Further preferably, the reel is mounted on a receiving mandrel on the reel changing device, so that the reel is rotatably mounted relative to the reel changing device. The electrode web can be an anode web or a cathode web.

[0022] Further preferably, the device comprises exactly four reel changing devices. A first reel changing device supports a reel with an anode web, a second reel changing device supports a reel with a cathode web, and a third and fourth reel changing device each supports a reel with a separator web. Using the reel changing devices thus equipped, the starting materials for forming a monocell can be provided for the production machine of the energy cell producing industry. A monocell consists of a first separator sheet, an anode sheet arranged thereon, a second separator sheet arranged thereon, and a cathode sheet arranged thereon; the monocell can also have the following layer sequence: first separator sheet, cathode sheet arranged thereon, second separator sheet arranged thereon, and an anode sheet arranged thereon.

[0023] The four bobbin changing devices are preferably loaded with the said bobbins by a single, common bobbin handling device. This eliminates the need for additional bobbin changing devices, simplifying the overall design of the device.

[0024] According to a further preferred embodiment, the lock comprises several, preferably parallel, conveyor paths via which the reels can be conveyed into the climate control chamber. Further preferably, each of the conveyor paths is assigned an ambient door and a climate chamber door. The parallel arrangement of the conveyor paths allows the reel handling device to be supplied with different types of reels, for example, with anode web, cathode web, or separator web, almost instantaneously. Furthermore, the conveyor paths each lead to a separate, predefined transfer position, where the reels are transferred to the reel handling device.

[0025] According to a second aspect of this application, the object is achieved by a system for the energy cell production industry, wherein the system comprises a device as described above and at least one production machine, wherein the at least one production machine is arranged completely or partially with the at least one reel changing device and the reel handling device in the climate control chamber. Preferably, the production machine comprises a cutting device and, more preferably, additionally a cell stacking device. By means of the cutting device, the material web running off the reel can be cut in the transverse direction to form segments. By means of the cell stacking device, the segments can then be stacked on top of one another to form a cell stack.It goes without saying that the production machine may comprise further processing units, for example a laminating device and / or a device for forming or attaching conductor flags.

[0026] By arranging the production machine at least partially in the air conditioning chamber, air exchange between the air conditioning chamber and the environment can be further reduced.

[0027] According to a third aspect of this application, the object is achieved by a method for providing a strip-like material wound on a reel for a production machine in the energy cell production industry, wherein the method is carried out using the device or system described above. Regarding the technical effects and advantages associated with the proposed method, reference is made to the preceding statements in connection with the device and system.

[0028] Preferably, at least one reel is stored on a reel carrier in an environment of the climate control chamber, wherein the reel carrier loaded with the at least one reel is transported from the environment into the climate control chamber via the lock. Preferably, the reel carrier is movable, more preferably autonomously movable. The reel carrier preferably has a housing in which the one or more reels can be stored. The housing thus forms a transport chamber for the reels, which can be fluidically insulated from the environment. For example, the transport chamber can be hermetically sealed from its environment. The transport chamber can be loaded with the reels via at least one access door.

[0029] Preferably, the reel carrier has at least one transport mandrel inside the transport chamber, on which the reel can be stored for transport. After loading, the at least one transport door is closed, and the reel carrier is moved through the lock in this state. After passing through the lock, the access door within the climate control chamber is opened, and the reel is removed from the transport chamber, preferably by means of the reel handling device.

[0030] Further preferably, the reel carrier comprises two transport mandrels. For example, a new, unused reel can be transported via the lock into the climate control chamber on a first transport mandrel, and a used reel can be transported from the climate control chamber via the lock into the environment on a second receiving mandrel. Alternatively, two new, unused reels can be transported into the climate control chamber simultaneously on the two transport mandrels of the reel carrier. The invention is explained below using preferred embodiments with reference to the attached figures.

[0031] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a plant in the energy cell producing industry; and

[0032] Fig. 2 shows a device for providing a reel for a production machine in the energy cell producing industry in a sectional view from above.

[0033] Figure 1 shows a system 100 for producing cell stacks for the energy cell manufacturing industry. The system 100 comprises a device 1 that serves to provide reels 2 with a wound material web (see Figure 2) for a production machine 3, which is also a component of the system 100.

[0034] The device 1 comprises a climate control chamber 9, in which the production machine 3 is also arranged, so that the production of the cell stacks can take place under predefined climatic conditions. For this purpose, the climate control chamber 9 comprises a climate control device (not shown) via which the temperature, relative humidity, static pressure, and / or air purity can be regulated.

[0035] Furthermore, a lock 10 is provided, via which a reel carrier 22 equipped with reels 2 (see Figure 2) in the form of a movable transport vehicle can be brought from an environment 12 of the air conditioning chamber 9 into the air conditioning chamber 9. In the present embodiment, the reel carrier 22 is an autonomously movable, driverless transport vehicle.

[0036] The lock 10 comprises a lock chamber 11, which can be fluidically isolated from both the environment 12 and the climate control chamber 9. Furthermore, the lock 10 comprises four environmental doors 13, 14, 15, and 16, through which the lock chamber 11 is accessible from the environment 12. Opposite the environmental doors 13, 14, 15, and 16, four climate chamber doors 17, 18, 19, and 20 (see Figure 2) are provided, via which the lock chamber 11 is connected to the climate control chamber 9.

[0037] The reel carrier 22 shown in Figure 1 is in a waiting position in front of the ambient door 15. As soon as the ambient door 15 opens, the reel carrier 22 moves into the lock chamber 11, and the ambient door 15 closes again. Only when the ambient door 15 is completely closed does the climate chamber door 19, located opposite the ambient door 15, open (see Figure 2), so that the reel carrier 22 can be moved into the climate control chamber 9.

[0038] Furthermore, Figure 1 shows that the reel carrier 22 comprises a housing 23 for forming a transport chamber in which the reel 2 can be transported while maintaining a microclimate. In this exemplary embodiment, the microclimate can be maintained by hermetically sealing the transport chamber formed by the housing 23 from the environment. Due to the generally relatively short transport distances and transport times, active control and / or regulation of the climate within the transport chamber is not necessary. In principle, however, it is also possible to equip the reel carrier 22 with a mobile air conditioning system.

[0039] The housing 23 of the reel carrier 22 includes an access door 32 for loading and unloading the reel carrier 22 of the reel 2. The access door 32 is only opened when the reel carrier 22 has arrived in the climate control chamber 9 and the corresponding climate control chamber door 19 is closed. Preferably, the reel carrier 22 is also loaded with new, unused reels 2 within another climate control chamber (not shown).

[0040] For the coordinated opening and closing of the ambient doors 13, 14, 15, 16 and climate chamber doors 17, 18, 19, 20, the device 1 further comprises a control unit 21. This is designed to open only one of the doors 16-20 at a time, because in this way the air exchange between the environment 12 and the climate chamber 9 can be reduced.

[0041] The bobbins 2 brought into the air conditioning chamber 9 through the lock 10 are then fed to the production machine 3 by means of a bobbin handling device 8 and by means of four bobbin changing devices 3-6 (cf. Figure 2), which are also located within the air conditioning chamber 9.

[0042] The production machine 3 comprises a cutting device (not shown) and a cell stacking device (also not shown). Using the cutting device, the material webs unwound from the reels 2 can be cut in the transverse direction to form segments. Using the cell stacking device, the segments are then stacked on top of one another to form a cell stack. In this embodiment, the production machine 3 is arranged entirely within the air-conditioning chamber 9.

[0043] Figure 2 shows the device 1 in a sectional view from above. It can be seen that the opposing pairs of the ambient doors 13-16 and the climate chamber doors 17-20 define four parallel conveying paths of the lock 10.

[0044] It can also be seen that the bobbin handling device 8 and the four bobbin changing devices 4, 5, 6 and 7 are arranged within the air conditioning chamber 9.

[0045] Between the ambient door 13 and the climate chamber door 17 there is a first conveying path of the lock 10, which leads to a first transfer position 24 arranged within the climate chamber 9.

[0046] Between the ambient door 14 and the climate chamber door 18 there is a second conveying path of the lock 10, which leads to a second transfer position 25, which is arranged within the climate chamber 9.

[0047] Between the ambient door 15 and the climate chamber door 19 there is a third conveying path of the lock 10, which leads to a third transfer position 26, which is arranged within the climate chamber 9.

[0048] Between the ambient door 16 and the climate chamber door 20 there is a fourth conveying path of the lock 10, which leads to a fourth transfer position 27, which is arranged within the climate chamber 9.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown here, each of the transfer positions 24, 25, 26 or 27 can be assigned an intermediate storage 28, 28, 29 or 31 in which at least one reel 2 can be temporarily stored.

[0050] The reel carrier 22 located in the lock chamber 11 in Figure 2 is moved into the transfer position 24 after the climate chamber door 17 is opened.

[0051] In this embodiment, the bobbin carrier 22 comprises two transport mandrels (not shown), each for storing a bobbin 2. A new, unused bobbin 2 can be brought into the climate control chamber 9 on a first transport mandrel. A second transport mandrel of the bobbin carrier 22 can be loaded with a used bobbin 2 in the climate control chamber 9.

[0052] For example, a used bobbin 2 can be stored in the intermediate storage 28. As soon as the bobbin carrier 22 has reached the first transfer position 24 and the climate chamber door 17 has been closed and the transport chamber of the bobbin carrier 22 has been opened, the used bobbin 2 can be pushed by the handling device 8 from the intermediate storage 28 onto the empty transport mandrel of the bobbin carrier 22. The new, unused bobbin 2 can then be removed from the other transport mandrel of the bobbin carrier 22 by the handling device 8 and transferred to one of the bobbin changing devices 3-6. Alternatively, the two transport mandrels can also be used to transport two bobbins 2 into the climate chamber 9 simultaneously.In this case, the new, unused reels 2 can be conveyed further to one of the reel changing devices 4, 5, 6 or 7, also via one of the intermediate storage devices 28, 29, 30 and / or 31.

[0053] In this embodiment, the reel changing device 4 is equipped with two reels 2, each comprising a wound cathode web; the reel changing device 4 is equipped with two reels 2, each comprising a wound anode web; the reel changing device 5 is equipped with two reels 2, each comprising a separator web; and the reel changing device 6 is equipped with two reels 2, each comprising a separator web. Of course, the reel changing devices 4 to 7 can also be arranged in an alternative sequence.

[0054] In this embodiment, each of the bobbin changing devices 4-7 comprises two receiving mandrels, namely a first receiving mandrel for a running-off bobbin 2 and a second receiving mandrel for a new, unused bobbin 2, so that the material web of an almost completely run-off bobbin 2 can be spliced ​​to the material web of a new, unused bobbin.

[0055] In this exemplary embodiment, the transfer positions 24-27 are each assigned to a specific type of bobbin 2. At the transfer position 24, only bobbins 2 with wound cathode webs are delivered; at the transfer position 25, only bobbins 2 with wound anode webs; and at the transfer positions 26 and 27, only bobbins 2 with wound separator webs. Of course, an alternative assignment of bobbin types to transfer positions 24-27 is also possible. The bobbins 2 provided at the transfer positions 24 to 27 are then transferred to the corresponding bobbin changing devices 4 to 7 by the bobbin handling device 8.

[0056] A used reel 2 can be transferred by means of the reel handling device 8 from the respective reel changing device 4, 5, 6 or 7 at one of the transfer positions 24, 25, 26 or 27 to the reel carrier 22 so that it can be disposed of via the lock 10.

[0057] Furthermore, the autonomously moving reel carriers 22 are controlled and / or regulated by a dedicated control unit or by the control unit 21 shown in Figure 1 such that they only pass through the lock 10 when the respective transfer position 24, 25, 26, or 27 is also free. This ensures that the transfer positions 24-27 can be approached unhindered and prevents unnecessary opening of the lock chamber 11.

[0058] The production machine 3 shown in Figure 1 is supplied with the corresponding material webs via the reel changing devices 4-7, which are unwound from the reels 2 rotatably mounted in the reel changing devices 4-7. List of reference symbols:

[0059] 1 device

[0060] 2 reels

[0061] 3 production machines

[0062] 4 bobbin changing device

[0063] 5 Bobbin changing device

[0064] 6 Bobbin changing device

[0065] 7 Bobbin changing device

[0066] 8 Bobbin handling device

[0067] 9 Climate control chamber

[0068] 10 Lock

[0069] 11 Lock chamber

[0070] 12 Surroundings

[0071] 13 Surrounding door

[0072] 14 Surrounding door

[0073] 15 Surrounding door

[0074] 16 Surrounding door

[0075] 17 Climate chamber door

[0076] 18 Climate chamber door

[0077] 19 Climate chamber door

[0078] 20 Climate chamber door

[0079] 21 Control unit

[0080] 22 bobbin carriers

[0081] 23 housings

[0082] 24 Transfer position

[0083] 25 Transfer position

[0084] 26 Transfer position

[0085] 27 Transfer position

[0086] 28 interim storage facilities

[0087] 29 Intermediate storage Intermediate storage Intermediate storage Access door facility

Claims

Claims:

1. Device (1) for providing a bobbin (2) with a wound web-shaped material for a production machine (3) of the energy cell manufacturing industry, comprising - at least one reel changing device (4, 5, 6, 7), and - a bobbin handling device (8) which is configured to supply the at least one bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7) with the bobbin (2), characterized in that - the bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7) and the bobbin handling device (8) are arranged in a common air conditioning chamber (9), wherein - a lock (10) is provided which is designed in such a way that the bobbin (2) can be conveyed through it into the air conditioning chamber (9).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that - the lock (10) comprises a flow-insulated lock chamber (11) through which the bobbin (2) can be conveyed from an environment (12) into the air conditioning chamber (9).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that - for connecting the lock chamber (11) to the surroundings (12) at least one lockable surrounding door (13, 14, 15, 16) is provided, and - for connecting the lock chamber (11) to the air conditioning system- The circulating chamber (9) is provided with at least one closable climate chamber door (17, 18, 19, 20). Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that - a control unit (21) is provided which is configured to control the at least one ambient door (13, 14, 15, 16) and the at least one climate chamber door (17, 18, 19, 20) such that only one of the doors is open at any given time. Device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that - exactly one ambient door (13, 14, 15, 16) and several climate chamber doors (17, 18, 19, 20) are provided. Device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that - exactly one climate chamber door (17, 18, 19, 20) and several surrounding doors (13, 14, 15, 16) are provided. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the bobbin handling device (8) is configured to automatically pick up the bobbin (2) and transfer it to the at least one bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - on at least one bobbin exchange device (4, 5, 6, 7) a bobbin (2) with a wound electrode track or The separator track is mounted. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the sluice (10) comprises several, preferably parallel, conveying paths via which reels (2) can be conveyed into the air conditioning chamber (9). Plant (100) for the energy cell manufacturing industry, characterized in that - the system (100) comprises a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims and at least one production machine (3), wherein - the at least one production machine (3) is arranged completely or partially with the at least one bobbin changing device (4, 5, 6, 7) and the bobbin handling device (8) in the air conditioning chamber (9). Method for providing a strip-shaped material wound on a bobbin (2) for a production machine (3) of the energy cell manufacturing industry, characterized in that - the method (200) is carried out using the device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9 or using the system (100) according to claim 10. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that - at least one bobbin (2) is stored in an environment (12) of the air conditioning chamber (9) on a bobbin carrier (22), wherein - the bobbin loaded with at least one bobbin (2) carrier (22) is transported via the lock (10) from the environment (12) into the air conditioning chamber (9).

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