Die head

Abstract

To apply a plurality of coating liquids simultaneously.SOLUTION: A die head 10 disclosed in the present invention comprises: a first block 20 including a first manifold 23 to which a first coating liquid is supplied and a second manifold 24 to which a second coating liquid is supplied; a second block 40; a shim 51 disposed between the first block 20 and the second block 40 and forming a first flow path and a second flow path corresponding to the first manifold 23 and the second manifold 24; a first flow control unit 61 that allows the first coating liquid to flow into the first flow path and prohibits the first coating liquid from flowing into the second flow path; and a second flow control unit 51c that allows the second coating liquid to flow into the second flow path and prohibits the second coating liquid from flowing into the first flow path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a die head. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, die heads used for applying a coating liquid are known (for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a die head having, between an upper die plate and a lower die plate, a manifold for spreading the coating liquid from an inlet in the width direction and a slot portion of a certain thickness through which the coating liquid is extruded from the manifold, and a plurality of shim plates in the slot portion for blocking the flow of the coating liquid and forming openings for band-like coating, characterized in that the manifolds are composed of a first manifold on the inlet side and a second manifold on the slot side that are connected to each other, and each shim plate is positioned so that its inner edge is in contact with the second manifold. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-29861 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The ability to simultaneously apply multiple coating liquids using a die head may be desirable from the perspective of improving productivity. However, although the die head of Patent Document 1 has two manifolds (i.e., a first manifold and a second manifold), one coating liquid flows through them in sequence, making it unsuitable for simultaneously applying multiple coating liquids. In this situation, one of the objectives of the present disclosure is to simultaneously apply multiple coating liquids. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a die head, the die head including: a first block having a first manifold to which a first coating liquid is supplied and a second manifold to which a second coating liquid is supplied; a second block; a shim disposed between the first block and the second block and forming a first flow path and a second flow path corresponding to the first manifold and the second manifold; a first flow control section that allows the first coating liquid to flow into the first flow path and prohibits the first coating liquid from flowing into the second flow path; and a second flow control section that allows the second coating liquid to flow into the second flow path and prohibits the second coating liquid from flowing into the first flow path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, multiple coating liquids can be applied simultaneously. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a die head according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a die head, in which the upper block is oriented so that its internal structure can be seen. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view conceptually showing an example of an embodiment in which each coating liquid is applied to a substrate using a die head. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The following describes an embodiment of a die head according to the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples. While the following description may use specific numerical values and materials, other numerical values and materials may be used as long as the effects of the present disclosure are achieved.

[0009] The die head according to the present disclosure is an apparatus for applying a coating liquid (e.g., electrode mixture slurry) to a strip-shaped substrate (e.g., a current collector for a battery or a metal foil), and is generally referred to as a die coater. The type of coating liquid is not particularly limited, but when the coating liquid is an electrode mixture slurry, the die head according to the present disclosure can also be referred to as a die head for electrode mixture slurry. The die head according to the present disclosure includes a first block, a second block, a shim, a first flow control unit, and a second flow control unit. The die head may be a horizontal die head or a vertical die head. The die head may be a single-layer die head or a multi-layer die head.

[0010] The first block has a first manifold to which the first coating liquid is supplied and a second manifold to which the second coating liquid is supplied. The first and second coating liquids may be the same or different. The first coating liquid may be continuously supplied to the first manifold, and the second coating liquid may be continuously supplied to the second manifold. In this case, the first and second coating liquids can be continuously applied to the substrate. The first block may have a flat surface facing the second block. The first and second manifolds may be formed on flat surfaces. The first block may be formed in a generally rectangular prism shape. The first block may have a discharge lip for discharging the first and second coating liquids. The first block may be an upper or lower block of a horizontal die head. The first block may be made of a metal material such as stainless steel. Here, the manifold refers to a groove-like space extending in the width direction of the die head (the direction in which the discharge lip extends).

[0011] The second block may have a flat surface opposite to the flat surface of the first block. The second block may be a middle block in a horizontal multi-layer die head or an upper block in a horizontal single-layer die head. In the former case, the second block may be formed in a generally triangular prism shape, and in the latter case, the second block may be formed in a generally quadrangular prism shape. The second block may be made of a metal material such as stainless steel. The material of the second block may be the same as or different from the material of the first block.

[0012] The shim is disposed between the first block and the second block. The shim forms a first flow path corresponding to the first manifold and a second flow path corresponding to the second manifold. The first flow path and the second flow path may be offset from each other in the width direction of the die head. The shim may have two or more hollow portions for forming the first flow path and the second flow path. The shim may be made of a metal material such as stainless steel. The material of the shim may be the same as or different from the material of each block.

[0013] The first flow control section controls the flow of the first coating liquid. Specifically, the first flow control section allows the first coating liquid to flow into the first flow path and prohibits the first coating liquid from flowing into the second flow path. As a result, the first coating liquid in the first manifold flows only into the first flow path and is discharged from the die head without mixing with the second coating liquid. The discharged first coating liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate. The first flow control section may be formed by a fitting member, which will be described later, or may be formed by a part of the first block. In the former case, the effective width dimension of the first manifold can be changed by replacing the fitting member. In the latter case, the effective width dimension of the first manifold can be fixed.

[0014] The second flow control unit controls the flow of the second coating liquid. Specifically, the second flow control unit allows the second coating liquid to flow into the second flow path and prohibits the second coating liquid from flowing into the first flow path. As a result, the second coating liquid in the second manifold flows only into the second flow path and is discharged from the die head without mixing with the first coating liquid. The discharged second coating liquid is applied to the surface of the substrate.

[0015] The die head according to the present disclosure having the above configuration can simultaneously apply a first coating liquid and a second coating liquid to a substrate. That is, the first coating liquid is supplied to the first manifold and then flows only through the first flow path to be applied to the substrate, while the second coating liquid is supplied to the second manifold and then flows only through the second flow path to be applied to the substrate. During this process, the first and second coating liquids do not mix with each other due to the action of the first and second flow control units. The advantages of simultaneously applying the first and second coating liquids compared to sequential application of multiple coating liquids include improved productivity and the ability to achieve a uniform thickness for the resulting coating film. Regarding the latter advantage, when multiple coating liquids are applied sequentially to a substrate having a previously formed coating film, the coating liquid tends to swell near the edge of the previously formed coating film when a new coating liquid is applied to the substrate. This can result in uneven thickness for the subsequently formed coating film. In contrast, when a plurality of coating liquids (that is, a first coating liquid and a second coating liquid) are applied simultaneously, such problems are less likely to occur, and the thickness of each coating liquid can be made uniform.

[0016] The first flow control section may be formed of a fitting member fitted to occupy at least a portion of the space in the first manifold corresponding to the second flow path. The fitting member may allow the first coating liquid to flow out only from the space in the first manifold corresponding to the first flow path. The fitting member may prohibit the first coating liquid from flowing out from the space in the first manifold corresponding to the second flow path. The fitting member may occupy the entire space in the first manifold corresponding to the second flow path. The space in the first manifold corresponding to the first flow path refers to a space in the first manifold that overlaps with the first region in the width direction of the die head, where the first flow path exists. The space in the first manifold corresponding to the second flow path refers to a space in the first manifold that overlaps with the second region in the width direction of the die head, where the second flow path exists. The fitting member may be fixed to the first block by screws or bolts. The fitting member may be made of a metal material such as stainless steel. The material of the fitting member may be the same as or different from the material of the first block. As described above, when the first flow control section is formed using a fitting member, the size of the space in the first manifold corresponding to the first flow path can be easily changed to any size by changing the size of the fitting member.

[0017] The linear expansion coefficient of the material of the fitting member may be 0.9 to 1.1 times the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block. During use, the die head may experience temperature changes due to heat transfer from the coating liquid. Therefore, the die head may experience thermal expansion or thermal contraction during use. By setting the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the fitting member close to the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block, problems such as misalignment between the first manifold and the fitting member can be suppressed even when such thermal expansion or thermal contraction occurs.

[0018] The second flow control section may be formed by a part of a shim that blocks an opening in the second manifold corresponding to the first flow path. For example, the die head may be formed by a first block, a second block, a shim having the second flow control section, and the first flow control section. In this case, the second flow control section can be easily formed by simply adjusting the shape of the shim. The opening in the second manifold corresponding to the first flow path refers to the part of the opening in the first manifold that overlaps with the first region in the width direction of the die head. Note that the second flow control section may be formed by an element separate from the shim.

[0019] The linear expansion coefficient of the material of the shim may be 0.9 to 1.1 times the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block. As described above, the die head may undergo thermal expansion or thermal contraction during use. In response to this, by setting the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the shim close to the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block, problems such as misalignment between the first manifold and the shim can be suppressed even if such thermal expansion or thermal contraction occurs.

[0020] As described above, according to the present disclosure, the first and second flow control sections function to simultaneously apply multiple coating liquids. Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the thicknesses of multiple coating films formed by the multiple coating liquids can be made uniform.

[0021] An example of a die head according to the present disclosure will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. The components described above can be applied to the components of the die head of the example described below. The components of the die head of the example described below can be modified based on the above description. Furthermore, the matters described below may be applied to the above embodiment. Among the components of the die head of the example described below, components that are not essential to the die head according to the present disclosure may be omitted. Note that the diagrams shown below are schematic and do not accurately reflect the shapes and numbers of actual components.

[0022] 1 to 3, the die head 10 of this embodiment is configured as a horizontal multi-layer die head, but is not limited to this. The die head 10 includes an upper block 20, a lower block 30, a middle block 40, a first shim 51, a second shim 52, a first fitting member 61, and a second fitting member 62.

[0023] The upper block 20 is disposed on one side (the upper side in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) in the vertical direction (the Z direction in each drawing). The upper block 20 is formed in a generally rectangular prism shape extending in a first horizontal direction (the X direction in each drawing). The upper block 20 has a first flat surface 22 for forming slit-shaped first and second flow paths (not shown). The upper block 20 has a discharge lip 21 for discharging the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 in a second horizontal direction (the Y direction in each drawing). The upper block 20 has a first manifold 23 to which the first coating liquid L1 is supplied and a second manifold 24 to which the second coating liquid L2 is supplied. The first and second manifolds 23 and 24 are supplied with the first and second coating liquids L1 and L2 from a supply means (not shown) via supply paths (not shown). The upper block 20 is made of a metal material. The upper block 20 is an example of a first block.

[0024] The lower block 30 is disposed on the other side in the vertical direction (the lower side in FIGS. 1 and 2). The lower block 30 is formed in a generally rectangular prism shape extending in the first horizontal direction. The lower block 30 has a second flat surface 32 for forming slit-shaped third and fourth flow paths (not shown). The lower block 30 has a discharge lip 31 for discharging the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 in the second horizontal direction. The lower block 30 has a third manifold 33 to which the first coating liquid L1 is supplied and a fourth manifold 34 to which the second coating liquid L2 is supplied. The third manifold 33 and the fourth manifold 34 are supplied with the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 from a supply means (not shown) via supply paths (not shown). The lower block 30 is made of a metal material. The lower block 30 is an example of a third block.

[0025] The middle block 40 is disposed between the upper block 20 and the lower block 30. The middle block 40 is formed in a generally triangular prism shape extending in the first horizontal direction. The middle block 40 has a third flat surface 41 facing the first flat surface 22 of the upper block 20, and a fourth flat surface 42 facing the second flat surface 32 of the lower block 30. The middle block 40 is made of a metal material. The middle block 40 is an example of a second block.

[0026] The first shim 51 is disposed between the upper block 20 and the middle block 40. The first shim 51 is formed in a thin plate shape. The first shim 51 has a first hollow portion 51a that communicates with the first manifold 23 of the upper block 20 and forms a first flow path through which the first coating liquid L1 supplied to the first manifold 23 flows. The first hollow portion 51a communicates with a space in the first manifold 23 that is not blocked by the first fitting member 61, but does not communicate with the second manifold 24. In other words, the first fitting member 61 allows the first coating liquid L1 to flow into the first flow path but prevents the first coating liquid L1 from flowing into the second flow path. The first shim 51 has a second hollow portion 51b that communicates with the second manifold 24 of the upper block 20 and forms a second flow path through which the second coating liquid L2 supplied to the second manifold 24 flows. The second hollow portion 51b communicates with an opening portion of the second manifold 24 that is not blocked by a part of the first shim 51 (hereinafter also referred to as the first blocking portion 51c), but does not communicate with the first manifold 23. In other words, the first blocking portion 51c allows the second coating liquid L2 to flow into the second flow path but prohibits the second coating liquid L2 from flowing into the first flow path. The first hollow portion 51a and the second hollow portion 51b are offset from each other in the first horizontal direction. The first shim 51 is made of a metal material. The material of the first shim 51 is the same as the material of the upper block 20, but is not limited to this. The first shim 51 is an example of a shim. The first blocking portion 51c is an example of a second flow control portion.

[0027] The second shim 52 is disposed between the lower block 30 and the middle block 40. The second shim 52 is formed in a thin plate shape. The second shim 52 has a third hollow portion 52a that communicates with the third manifold 33 of the lower block 30 and forms a third flow path through which the first coating liquid L1 supplied to the third manifold 33 flows. The third hollow portion 52a communicates with a space in the third manifold 33 that is not blocked by the second fitting member 62, but does not communicate with the fourth manifold 34. In other words, the second fitting member 62 allows the first coating liquid L1 to flow into the third flow path but prevents the first coating liquid L1 from flowing into the fourth flow path. The second shim 52 has a fourth hollow portion 52b that communicates with the fourth manifold 34 of the lower block 30 and forms a fourth flow path through which the second coating liquid L2 supplied to the fourth manifold 34 flows. The fourth hollow portion 52b communicates with an opening portion of the fourth manifold 34 that is not blocked by a part of the second shim 52 (hereinafter also referred to as the second blocking portion 52c), but does not communicate with the third manifold 33. In other words, the second blocking portion 52c allows the second coating liquid L2 to flow into the fourth flow path but prohibits the second coating liquid L2 from flowing into the third flow path. The third hollow portion 52a and the fourth hollow portion 52b are offset from each other in the first horizontal direction. The third hollow portion 52a overlaps with the first hollow portion 51a of the first shim 51 in the vertical direction. The fourth hollow portion 52b overlaps with the second hollow portion 51b of the first shim 51 in the vertical direction. The second shim 52 is made of the same material as the lower block 30, but is not limited to this. The second blocking portion 52c is an example of a fourth flow control portion.

[0028] The first fitting member 61 is formed in a bar shape extending in the first horizontal direction and fitting into the first manifold 23. The first fitting member 61 is fitted into the first manifold 23 so as to occupy at least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the space corresponding to the second flow path, and allows the first application liquid L1 to flow out only from the space corresponding to the first flow path in the first manifold 23. The first fitting member 61 has a fifth flat surface 61a that is flush with the first flat surface 22 when fitted into the first manifold 23. The first fitting member 61 may be fitted into the first manifold 23 by a clearance fit. The first fitting member 61 is fixed to the upper block 20 by bolts (not shown). The first fitting member 61 is made of the same material as the upper block 20, but is not limited to this. The first fitting member 61 is an example of a fitting member. The first fitting member 61 is an example of a first flow control portion.

[0029] The second fitting member 62 is formed in a bar shape extending in the first horizontal direction and fitting into the third manifold 33. The second fitting member 62 is fitted into the third manifold 33 so as to occupy at least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the space corresponding to the fourth flow path, and allows the first application liquid L1 to flow out only from the space corresponding to the third flow path in the third manifold 33. The second fitting member 62 has a sixth flat surface 62a that is flush with the second flat surface 32 when fitted into the third manifold 33. The second fitting member 62 may be fitted into the third manifold 33 by a clearance fit. The second fitting member 62 is fixed to the lower block 30 by bolts (not shown). The second fitting member 62 is made of the same material as the lower block 30, but is not limited to this. The second fitting member 62 is an example of a third flow control section.

[0030] Using the die head 10 having the above-described configuration, the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 can be applied to the strip-shaped substrate 100 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the outlines of the first and second shims 51 and 52 are indicated by solid lines, the outlines of the first to fourth manifolds 23, 24, 33, and 34 are indicated by dashed lines, and the areas where the first and second fitting members 61 and 62 are present are indicated by diagonal hatching. The figure also illustrates how the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 are continuously applied to the substrate 100 being transported in the direction indicated by the arrow. In this embodiment, the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 are the same type of coating liquid, but for ease of explanation, the boundary between them is indicated by a dashed line. Furthermore, the first coating liquid L1 and the second coating liquid L2 may be different types of coating liquids.

[0031] <<Notes>> The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques. (Technology 1) a first block having a first manifold to which a first coating liquid is supplied and a second manifold to which a second coating liquid is supplied; The second block and a shim disposed between the first block and the second block, the shim forming a first flow path and a second flow path corresponding to the first manifold and the second manifold; a first flow control section that allows the first coating liquid to flow into the first flow path and prohibits the first coating liquid from flowing into the second flow path; a second flow control section that allows the second coating liquid to flow into the second flow path and prohibits the second coating liquid from flowing into the first flow path; A die head comprising: (Technology 2) the first flow control section is formed by a fitting member fitted into the first manifold so as to occupy at least a part of a space corresponding to the second flow path, The die head according to Technology 1, wherein the fitting member allows the first coating liquid to flow out only from a space in the first manifold that corresponds to the first flow path. (Technology 3) The die head according to technique 2, wherein the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the fitting member is 0.9 to 1.1 times the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block. (Technology 4) The die head according to any one of techniques 1 to 3, wherein the second flow control section is formed of a part of the shim that closes an opening portion of the second manifold that corresponds to the first flow path. (Technology 5) The die head according to technique 4, wherein the linear expansion coefficient of the constituent material of the shim is 0.9 to 1.1 times the linear expansion coefficient of the constituent material of the first block. [Industrial Applicability]

[0032] The present disclosure can be used in die heads. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 10: Die head 20: Upper Block (1st Block) 21: Discharge lip 22: 1st flat surface 23: First manifold 24: Second manifold 30: Lower Block (3rd Block) 31: Discharge lip 32:Second flat surface 33: 3rd manifold 34: 4th manifold 40: Middle Block (2nd Block) 41:Third flat surface 42:Fourth flat surface 51: First Sim (Sim) 51a: 1st hollow part 51b: 2nd hollow part 51c: First blocking section (second flow control section) 52: Second Sim 52a: Third hollow part 52b: 4th hollow part 52c: Second blocking section (fourth flow control section) 61: First fitting member (fitting member, first flow control portion) 61a: 5th flat surface 62: Second fitting member (third flow control portion) 62a: 6th flat surface 100: Base material L1: First coating liquid L2: 2nd coating liquid

Claims

1. a first block having a first manifold to which a first coating liquid is supplied and a second manifold to which a second coating liquid is supplied; A second block; a shim disposed between the first block and the second block, the shim defining a first flow passage and a second flow passage corresponding to the first manifold and the second manifold; a first flow control section that allows the first coating liquid to flow into the first flow path and prohibits the first coating liquid from flowing into the second flow path; a second flow control section that allows the second coating liquid to flow into the second flow path and prohibits the second coating liquid from flowing into the first flow path; A die head comprising:

2. the first flow control section is formed by a fitting member fitted into the first manifold so as to occupy at least a portion of a space corresponding to the second flow path, The die head according to claim 1 , wherein the fitting member allows the first coating liquid to flow out only from a space in the first manifold that corresponds to the first flow path.

3. The die head according to claim 2 , wherein the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the fitting member is 0.9 to 1.1 times the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block.

4. The die head according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second flow control section is formed of a part of the shim that blocks an opening portion of the second manifold that corresponds to the first flow path.

5. The die head according to claim 4 , wherein the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the shim is 0.9 to 1.1 times the linear expansion coefficient of the material of the first block.

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