Electrode foil manufacturing device and battery

Abstract

To enable uniform pressure-bonding of a powder to a substrate.SOLUTION: An electrode foil manufacturing device 1 includes a feed section 10, a facing section 20, a guide section 30, and a stirring section 50. The feed section 10 feeds a powder to a sheet-like base material 2. The facing section 20 extends in a width direction of the base material 2, the direction being substantially orthogonal to a conveyance direction in which the base material 2 is conveyed. The facing section 20 presses the powder fed by the feed section 10 against the base material 2. The guide section 30 is disposed on an upstream side in a conveyance direction DR1 with respect to the facing section 20 and guides the powder P fed from the feed section 10 to the base material 2. The stirring section 50 is provided between the facing section 20 and the guide section 30 and stirs the powder P present between the facing section 20 and the guide section 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode foil and a battery.

Background Art

[0002] A technique of pressing a powder material onto a base material using a rolling roll is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The powder material supplied to the base material as described in Patent Document 1 is not uniformly pressed onto the base material with the same thickness. Therefore, it is required to press the powder material onto the base material as uniformly as possible.

[0005] An example of the object of the present invention is to uniformly press a powder onto a base material.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The invention according to claim 1 is a supply unit that supplies a powder to a sheet-shaped base material, a facing unit that extends in the width direction of the base material, which is substantially orthogonal to the transport direction in which the base material is transported, and presses the powder supplied by the supply unit against the base material, a guide unit that is disposed upstream of the facing unit in the transport direction and guides the powder supplied from the supply unit to the base material, and a stirring unit that is provided between the facing unit and the guide unit and stirs the powder present between the facing unit and the guide unit, and is a manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil.

[0007] The invention according to claim 4 is a battery having an electrode foil manufactured using the manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to claim 1 or 2.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the above aspect of the present invention, the powder can be uniformly pressure-bonded to the base material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] <First Embodiment> (Manufacturing Apparatus 1 for Electrode Foil) FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for an electrode foil according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of part A shown in FIG. 1. The manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode foil used in a battery. In the first embodiment, the sheet-like base material 2 is used for manufacturing the positive and negative electrodes of the battery. In the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 conveys the base material 2 with an adhesive layer 3 (e.g., undercoat) in the conveying direction DR1, attaches the powder P described later to the adhesive layer 3 (base material 2), and presses it with a pair of press rolls 90 to manufacture an electrode foil.

[0012] (Supply Unit 10) As shown in FIG. 2, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a supply unit 10, an opposing unit 20, and a guide unit 30. The supply unit 10 according to the first embodiment has a housing, and the powder P is stored in the housing. The powder P according to the first embodiment is a granule, and the particle size of the granule is 15 [μm] or more and 110 [μm] or less. More preferably, it is in the range of 60 [μm] ± 30 [μm]. The supply unit 10 supplies the powder P to the conveyed base material 2.

[0013] (Opposing Unit 20) The opposing unit 20 according to the first embodiment has a cylindrical shape. The opposing unit 20 has a shape extending in the width direction DR2 of the base material 2. The width direction DR2 is a direction substantially orthogonal to the conveying direction DR1 in which the base material 2 is conveyed, and is the width direction of the base material 2. In this specification, that the conveying direction DR1 and the width direction DR2 are substantially orthogonal means that the angle formed by the conveying direction DR1 and the width direction DR2 is -5 [°] or more and 5 [°] or less. The roll-shaped opposing unit 20 rotates in the direction opposite to the conveying direction DR1 in a plane orthogonal to the width direction DR2.

[0014] In the first embodiment, the opposing portion 20 faces the pressing roll 90 with the base material 2 interposed therebetween. The opposing portion 20 presses the base material 2 against the pressing roll 90. The opposing portion 20 presses the powder P supplied by the supply unit 10 against the base material 2. The opposing portion 20 presses the powder P against the base material 2 to make the thickness of the powder P adhering to the base material 2 uniform.

[0015] (Guide portion 30) In the first embodiment, the guide portion 30 has a plate-like shape. The guide portion 30 guides the powder P supplied from the supply unit 10 to the base material 2 conveyed in the conveyance direction DR1. The powder P is conveyed along the surface of the guide portion 30 to the base material 2 to be conveyed. The guide portion 30 is disposed upstream of the opposing portion 20 in the conveyance direction DR1. The guide portion 30 is disposed upstream of the supply unit 10 in the conveyance direction DR1.

[0016] (Adjusting portion 40) FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view when the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 is viewed from above. In FIG. 3, the description of the supply unit 10 and the guide portion 30 is omitted. The manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment further includes an adjusting portion 40. The adjusting portion 40 is provided at the end portion 21 of the opposing portion 20 in the width direction DR2 and adjusts the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21.

[0017] In the first embodiment, the adjusting portion 40 may include a hinge 41, a plate-like rotating portion 42, and a plate-like fixing portion 43. The fixing portion 43 is provided at the end portion 21. The rotating portion 42 is rotatable via the hinge 41 with respect to the direction in which the fixing portion 43 extends (conveyance direction DR1). In FIG. 3, the rotating portion 42 rotates at a rotation angle of θ1 toward the inside in the width direction DR2. Thus, the adjusting portion 40 according to the first embodiment is configured to be rotatable with respect to the conveyance direction DR1.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the state of the adjustment unit 40 when the rotating portion 42 is open toward the outside in the width direction DR2. The adjustment unit 40 according to the first embodiment may adjust the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21 according to the amount of the powder P covering the base material 2. Specifically, the adjustment unit 40 may adjust the amount of the powder P guided to the vicinity of the end portion 21 according to the so-called deposition (the amount of the powder P per unit area of the surface of the base material 2) in the vicinity of the end portion 21. That is, the adjustment unit 40 according to the first embodiment may adjust the angle at which the rotating portion 42 rotates according to the deposition in the vicinity of the end portion 21.

[0019] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the rotating portion 42 is open at the rotation angle θ2 toward the outside in the width direction DR2, the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21 increases. And, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the rotating portion 42 is open at the rotation angle θ1 toward the inside in the width direction DR2, the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21 decreases. In this way, the adjustment unit 40 may adjust the angle at which the rotating portion 42 opens to adjust the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21. Incidentally, assuming that the rotation angle θ in the direction in which the rotating portion 42 closes toward the inside in the width direction DR2 is positive and the rotation angle in the direction in which the rotating portion 42 opens toward the outside in the width direction DR2 is negative, the range of the rotation angle θ of the rotating portion 42 is preferably -1.0 [°] ≤ θ ≤ 1.0 [°].

[0020] (Function and effect) As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes the supply unit 10, the opposing unit 20, and the adjustment unit 40. The adjustment unit 40 is provided at the end portion 21 of the opposing unit 20 in the width direction DR2 and adjusts the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21. Generally, compared with the portion other than the vicinity of the end portion of the opposing unit, the variation in the deposition (the amount of the powder per unit area of the surface of the base material) in the vicinity of the end portion of the opposing unit is large. However, in the first embodiment, by providing the adjustment unit 40, the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21 can be adjusted, so that the variation in the deposition in the vicinity of the end portion 21 of the opposing unit 20 can be suppressed. Thereby, the powder P can be uniformly adhered to the base material 2. Therefore, the powder P can be uniformly crimped to the base material 2.

[0021] Furthermore, the adjustment unit 40 may be configured to be rotatable with respect to the transport direction DR1. Thereby, a mechanism for adjusting the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21 can be simply configured.

[0022] Furthermore, the adjustment unit 40 may adjust the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21 according to the amount of the powder P covering the base material 2. By measuring the amount (deposition) of the powder P covering the base material 2 and adjusting the amount of the powder P guided to the end portion 21, the powder P can be more accurately and evenly attached to the base material 2.

Example

[0023] Hereinafter, examples will be described. In order to calculate the appropriate range of the rotation angle θ, evaluations were performed under the following conditions.

[0024] <Implementation Conditions> The rotation angle θ and the relationship between the rotation angle θ and the amount of powder at the end portion were evaluated with the rotation angle (θ1 in FIG. 3) in the closing direction toward the inner side in the width direction being positive and the rotation angle (θ2 in FIG. 4) in the opening direction toward the outer side in the width direction DR2 being negative.

[0025] <Evaluation Results> FIG. 5 is a graph plotting the relationship between the amount of powder at the end portion and the rotation angle. The horizontal axis in FIG. 5 indicates the amount of powder at the end portion, and the vertical axis indicates the rotation angle of the optimal rotating portion with respect to the amount of powder at the end portion. Note that the “amount of powder at the end portion” indicates the ratio between the average value of the amount of powder attached to the base material when viewed over the entire base material and the amount of powder attached to the base material near the end portion. For example, in the graph of FIG. 5, when the amount of powder at the end portion is 0.9 (90%), it means that the amount of powder near the end portion is 10% less than the above average value. And the graph of FIG. 5 shows that when the amount of powder at the end portion is 0.9, the optimal rotation angle is about -1.0 [°].

[0026] As an example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the rotation angle θ satisfies -1.0 [°] ≤ θ ≤ 1.0 [°], it can be seen that the ratio between the amount of powder near the end portion and the above average value is within ±10%. To control the amount of powder more precisely, preferably, -0.2° ≤ θ ≤ 0.2°. When the implementation conditions are different, an optimal amount of powder can be obtained by appropriately adjusting the rotation angle and the like. <Second Embodiment> FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a plan view when the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 6 is viewed from above. In FIG. 7, the description of the guide portion 30 and the supply portion 10 is omitted. Different from the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment includes a stirring portion 50.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6, the stirring portion 50 according to the second embodiment is provided between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30. The stirring portion 50 according to the second embodiment stirs the powder P1 existing between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30 by rotating. In the second embodiment, the stirring portion 50 rotates counterclockwise.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 7, the stirring portion 50 according to the second embodiment has a shape extending in the width direction DR2. The stirring portion 50 according to the second embodiment may include a driving portion 51 and blade portions 52. By the driving portion 51 rotating the blade portions 52, the powder P is stirred. As shown in FIG. 7, the blade portions 52 may be configured in a direction in which the powder P moves toward the inside of the width direction DR2.

[0029] As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment includes a supply portion 10, an opposing portion 20, a guide portion 30, and a stirring portion 50. By providing the stirring portion 50, it is possible to suppress the formation of powder lumps of the powder P in the region R between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30. Thereby, the powder P can be adhered to the base material 2 without unevenness. Therefore, the powder P can be uniformly crimped to the base material 2.

[0030] Furthermore, the stirring unit 50 may adjust the degree of stirring according to the amount of the powder P covering the base material 2. More specifically, for example, the rotation speed of the stirring unit 50 may be adjusted according to the deposition (the amount of the powder P per unit area of the surface of the base material 2). Thereby, the powder P can be more accurately and uniformly crimped to the base material 2.

[0031] (Modification example) FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 in the modification example. FIG. 9 is a plan view when the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 8 is viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 8, a flat plate 80 may be provided between the press roll 90 and the opposing portion 20. And in the modification example, the opposing portion 20 may press the plate 80 via the base material 2 and attach the powder P to the base material 2.

[0032] Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the stirring unit 50 in the modification example may include a plurality of drive units 51. Further, the blade portion 52 in the modification example may have a spiral shape.

[0033] <Third Embodiment> FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment. Different from the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment includes a flow path setting unit 60. The flow path setting unit 60 according to the third embodiment is provided between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30 and sets the flow path of the powder P1 existing between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30. The flow path setting unit 60 according to the third embodiment has a plate-like shape extending in the width direction DR2.

[0034] By providing the flow path setting unit 60, the region R between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30 is divided into a region R1 and a region R2. That is, a region R1 is formed between the guide portion 30 and the flow path setting unit 60, and a region R2 is formed between the opposing portion 20 and the flow path setting unit 60.

[0035] Region R1 is a storage section where the powder P supplied from the supply section 10 is stored. The powder P supplied from the supply section 10 first lands on the storage section. In the vertical direction DR3 (= the direction in which gravity acts, the up-down direction), the height of the upper edge 61 of the flow path setting section is higher than the height of the upper surface 63 of the powder P stored in the storage section (region R1).

[0036] Region R2 is a reverse flow path where the powder P supplied to the base material 2 flows backward. The flow of the powder P supplied to the base material 2 will be described. The supply section 10 according to the third embodiment first supplies the powder P to the storage section (region R1). Then, the powder P supplied to the region R1 is conveyed to the base material 2 along the D1 direction. A part of the powder P conveyed to the base material 2 is directly conveyed in the conveyance direction DR1. Another part of the powder P conveyed to the base material 2 is conveyed to the upper edge 61 of the flow path setting section 60 along the D2 direction by the opposing section 20. That is, the powder P flows backward toward the upper edge 61. Then, the powder P that has reached the upper edge 61 gets over the flow path setting section 60 and lands on the upper surface 63 (see arrow D3).

[0037] Also, in a cross-section orthogonal to the width direction DR2, the first interval t1 between the flow path setting section 60 and the opposing section 20 is larger than the second interval t2 between the opposing section 20 and the base material 2. The first interval t1 is the shortest distance between the flow path setting section 60 and the opposing section 20. The second interval t2 is the shortest distance between the opposing section 20 and the base material 2 (adhesive layer 3).

[0038] Also, in a cross-section orthogonal to the width direction DR2, the second interval t2 is smaller than the third interval t3 between the lower edge 62 of the flow path setting section 60 and the base material 2 (adhesive layer 3) in the vertical direction DR3. The third interval t3 is the shortest distance between the lower edge 62 and the base material 2 (adhesive layer).

[0039] As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 for an electrode foil according to the third embodiment includes a supply unit 10, a facing unit 20, a guide unit 30, and a flow path setting unit 60. By providing the flow path setting unit 60, it is possible to suppress the formation of powder aggregates of the powder P in the region R between the facing unit 20 and the guide unit 30. Thereby, the powder P can be adhered to the base material 2 without unevenness. Therefore, the powder P can be uniformly pressure-bonded to the base material 2.

[0040] Furthermore, in the vertical direction DR3, the height of the upper end edge 61 of the flow path setting unit 60 may be higher than the height of the upper surface 63 of the powder P stored in the storage unit (region R1). Thereby, since the powder P that has flowed back from the reverse flow path (region R2) can be flowed back into the storage unit (region R1) again, the powder P can be effectively reused.

[0041] Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 1 for an electrode foil according to the third embodiment may include a suction unit 70 (not shown) that sucks the powder P accumulated in the reverse flow path (region R2). Thereby, even if no limit is provided for the height of the upper end edge 61 as described above, the powder P can be effectively reused.

[0042] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, but these are examples of the present invention, and various configurations other than the above can also be adopted.

[0043] In the embodiment, the facing unit 20 may have a plate-like shape instead of a cylindrical shape.

[0044] In the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 for an electrode foil may further include a stirring unit 50 in addition to the adjustment unit 40.

[0045] In the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 for an electrode foil may further include a flow path setting unit 60 in addition to the adjustment unit 40.

[0046] Hereinafter, examples of reference embodiments are appended. 1. A supply unit that supplies powder to a sheet-like base material, An opposing part that extends in the width direction of the base material, which is substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction in which the base material is conveyed, and presses the powder supplied by the supply unit against the base material. A guide part that is disposed upstream of the opposing part in the conveyance direction and guides the powder supplied from the supply unit to the base material. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a stirring part that is provided between the opposing part and the guide part and stirs the powder present between the opposing part and the guide part. 2. In the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to 1., The stirring part adjusts the degree of stirring according to the amount of the powder covering the base material. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus. 3. In the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to 1. or 2., The opposing part has a cylindrical shape. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus. A battery having an electrode foil manufactured using the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to any one of 1. to 3.

Explanation of Signs

[0047] 1 Manufacturing apparatus 2 Base material 3 Adhesive layer 10 Supply unit 20 Opposing part 21 End 30 Guide part 40 Adjusting part 41 Hinge 42 Rotating part 43 Fixed part 50 Stirring part 51 Driving part 52 Blade part 60 Flow path setting part 80 Plate 90 Press roll DR1 Conveyance direction DR2 Width direction DR3 Vertical direction P Powder

Claims

1. A supply unit that supplies powder to a sheet-shaped base material, An opposing part that extends in the width direction of the base material, which is substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction in which the base material is conveyed, and presses the powder supplied by the supply unit against the base material, A guide part that is disposed upstream of the opposing part in the conveyance direction and guides the powder supplied from the supply unit to the base material, An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus comprising a stirring part that is provided between the opposing part and the guide part and stirs the powder present between the opposing part and the guide part.

2. The electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stirring part adjusts the degree of stirring according to the amount of the powder covering the base material.

3. The electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opposing part has a cylindrical shape.

4. A battery having an electrode foil manufactured using the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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