Electrode supply device, manufacturing device for electrode assembly using the same, electrode supply method, and manufacturing method for electrode assembly using the same

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode supply device, a manufacturing device for an electrode assembly using the same, an electrode supply method, and a manufacturing method for an electrode assembly using the same.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing dates of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0000709, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on January 3, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0185680, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 19, 2023, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electrode supply device, a manufacturing device for an electrode assembly using the same, an electrode supply method, and a manufacturing method for an electrode assembly using the same.

Background Art

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries can be recharged, and due to the potential for miniaturization and increased capacity, a lot of research and development has been carried out in recent years. With the development of technology and the increasing demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source has increased rapidly.

[0004] Secondary batteries are classified into coin-type batteries, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries according to the shape of the battery case. The electrode assembly mounted inside the battery case in a secondary battery is a power generation element capable of charge and discharge, which has a laminated structure of electrodes and a separator.

[0005] The electrode assembly can be broadly classified into a jelly-roll type in which a separator is interposed between a sheet-like positive electrode and a negative electrode coated with an active material and wound up, a stack type in which a large number of positive electrodes and negative electrodes are sequentially laminated with a separator interposed therebetween, and a stack-and-folding type in which unit cells of the stack type are wound up with a long separation film.

[0006] The electrode assembly is manufactured by supplying individual electrodes from a magazine in which a plurality of single electrodes are stacked. In such a process, among the plurality of single electrodes stacked in the magazine, the separation of the electrode to be supplied is not appropriately performed, and a defective non-separated sheet occurs in which a plurality of electrodes are transferred while sticking to each other. If the electrodes are stacked while remaining non-separated, there is a problem that a defect occurs in the electrode assembly.

[0007] Therefore, among the plurality of electrodes stacked in the magazine, there is a situation where a technique for appropriately detecting non-separated sheets of the electrodes for supply and separating them when non-separated sheets occur is required.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode supply device, a manufacturing device for an electrode assembly using the same, an electrode supply method, and a manufacturing method for an electrode assembly using the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention includes a magazine unit in which a plurality of electrodes are housed; an electrode pickup unit that picks up and transfers the uppermost electrode among the electrodes housed inside the magazine unit; and a non-separated electrode separation unit on which the electrode transferred by the electrode pickup unit is placed and that senses and separates whether or not the electrodes are non-separated. When two or more electrodes among the electrodes housed in the magazine unit are non-separated and picked up by the electrode pickup unit, the non-separated electrode separation unit separates the two or more electrodes from each other, and provides an electrode supply device.

[0010] One embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the apparatus including: a first electrode supply unit that supplies the first electrode to the stack table side; a second electrode supply unit that supplies the second electrode to the stack table side; a separation membrane supply unit that supplies the separation membrane to the stack table side; a stack table on which a laminate in which the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode are stacked is manufactured in a form in which the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged; a press unit that heats and presses the laminate to bond between the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly; and at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the electrode supply device, thereby providing an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly.

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply method including: a step (step a) of picking up the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit with an electrode pickup unit; a step (step b) of moving the electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit to a different-electrode separation unit; a different-electrode sensing step (step c) of sensing whether the electrodes placed on the different-electrode separation unit are different; a step (step d) of gripping the lowermost electrode among the electrodes when different electrodes are sensed; and a step (step e) of transferring the electrodes not gripped by the electrode pickup unit to the different-electrode separation unit and supplying them to the stack table side.

[0012] Finally, an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method including: supplying the first electrode to the stack table side; supplying the second electrode to the stack table side; supplying the separation membrane to the stack table side; stacking the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode on the stack table to produce a laminate; and a heat press step of heating and pressing the laminate to bond between the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the step of supplying the first electrode to the stack table side and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stack table side includes the electrode supply method, and provides a method for manufacturing an electrode assembly.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] The electrode supply device and the electrode supply method according to the embodiment of the present invention can prevent defective lamination caused by contact between electrode surfaces or contact between an electrode surface and a separation membrane.

[0014] The manufacturing device and the manufacturing method of the electrode assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention can prevent the defective lamination phenomenon. Therefore, when manufacturing the electrode assembly with the manufacturing device and the manufacturing method of the electrode assembly, the productivity can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0016] 10 ··· Electrode assembly 11 ··· First electrode 12 ··· Second electrode 14 ··· Separation membrane 100 ··· Manufacturing apparatus for electrode assembly 110 ··· Stack table 120 ··· Separation membrane supply section 121 ··· Separation membrane heating section 122 ··· Separation membrane roll 130 ··· First electrode supply section 131 ··· First electrode landing table 133 ··· First electrode roll 134 ··· First cutter 135 ··· First conveyor belt 136 ··· First electrode supply head 140 ··· Second electrode supply section 141 ··· Second electrode landing table 143 ··· Second electrode roll 144 ··· Second cutter 145 ··· Second conveyor belt 146 ··· Second electrode supply head 150 ··· First electrode stack section 151 ··· First suction head 153 ··· First moving section 160 ··· Second electrode stack section 161 ··· Second suction head 163 ··· Second moving section 170 ··· Holding mechanism 171 ··· First holding mechanism 172 ··· Second holding mechanism 180 ··· Press section 181 ··· First pressing block 182 ··· Second pressing block 183 ··· Press heater 184 ··· Press heater 210 ··· Magazine section 220 ··· Electrode pickup section 221 ··· Electrode suction head 222 ··· Electrode fixing section 223 ··· Electrode transfer section 230 ··· Separation section for different electrodes 230a ··· Separation section for different electrodes 230b ··· Separation section for different electrodes 231 ··· Lower electrode suction head 232 ··· Plate 241 ··· Topmost electrode 242 ··· Lower electrode 242a ··· Lower electrode 242b ··· Lower electrode S ··· Stacked product

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail so that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can easily implement it. However, the present invention can be embodied in various different forms and is not limited only to the configurations described here.

[0018] In this specification, when a certain part "includes" a certain component, this means that, unless otherwise stated, it does not exclude other components but may further include other components.

[0019] In this specification, "p to q" means "p or more and q or less".

[0020] In describing the present invention, a detailed description of related known technologies that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

[0021] In this specification, the "electrode magazine part" functions to stack electrodes in a certain internal space, like bullets in a cartridge.

[0022] One embodiment of the present invention includes a magazine part 210 that houses a plurality of electrodes therein; an electrode pick-up part 220 that picks up and transfers the uppermost electrode among the electrodes housed inside the magazine part 210; and a non-uniform electrode separation part 230 that places the electrode transferred by the electrode pick-up part 220 and senses and separates whether the electrodes are non-uniform. When two or more electrodes among the electrodes housed in the magazine part 210 are non-uniformly picked up by the electrode pick-up part 220, the non-uniform electrode separation part 230 separates the two or more electrodes from each other, providing an electrode supply device.

[0023] In this specification, the "electrode" means including the electrode and / or a semi-finished product of the electrode. Also, the semi-finished product of the electrode means all semi-assembled products related to the electrode, such as a coated electrode, a rolled electrode, a notched electrode, etc., which are manufactured in the process of manufacturing an electrode assembly and a secondary battery including the electrode assembly. That is, in this specification, electrodes or semi-finished products of electrodes may be stacked in the magazine part.

[0024] In the electrode supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of electrodes housed in the magazine part 210 may be sequentially stacked. The electrode supply device is characterized by fixing the electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine part 210. Due to the above feature, only the uppermost electrode can be more easily separated, and non-uniform layer defects caused by contact between electrode surfaces can be prevented.

[0025] As a result, when manufacturing an electrode assembly with the manufacturing apparatus for an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, productivity can be improved.

[0026] The electrode supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a magazine unit 210 in which a plurality of electrodes are stored and stacked. The magazine unit 210 functions to store and stack the electrodes.

[0027] The electrode supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode pickup unit 220 that picks up the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit 210 and transfers the electrode to the different-sheet electrode separation unit 230 or the stack table side.

[0028] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode pickup unit 220 may include an electrode fixing unit 222 that fixes the uppermost electrode; and an electrode transfer unit 223 that transfers the uppermost electrode to the different-sheet electrode separation unit 230 or the stack table side.

[0029] In this specification, the "electrode fixing unit" functions to pick up the uppermost electrode among the plurality of electrodes stored inside the magazine unit 210, and the "different-sheet electrode separation unit" functions to grasp the lower surface of the electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine unit 210, and they are different in their functional aspects.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode fixing unit 222 includes an electrode suction head 221, and the uppermost electrode can be fixed by the suction force of the electrode suction head 221.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up the uppermost electrode and two or more electrodes together, the different-sheet electrode separation unit 230 can separate the other electrodes in contact with the uppermost electrode.

[0032] Incidentally, the electrode pickup unit 220 must pick up only one electrode stored in the magazine unit 210. However, when two or more electrodes are picked up stuck together due to the bonding force between the electrodes, the vacuum adsorption force between the electrodes, etc., this is called a defective multi-sheet. Multi-sheet can be understood as two or more electrodes being stuck together (sticked).

[0033] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 1, the multi-sheet electrode separation unit 230 may be located between the magazine unit 210 and an anchoring table or a stacking table described later.

[0034] More specifically, referring to FIG. 2, the multi-sheet electrode separation unit 230 may include a plate 232 including a lower electrode suction head 231 capable of vacuum suction with respect to the lower surface of the electrode 242 (hereinafter referred to as the lower electrode) in contact with the uppermost electrode 241.

[0035] That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the multi-sheet electrode separation unit 230 includes a plate 232 including a lower electrode suction head 231 capable of vacuum suction with respect to the lower surface of the lower electrode 242 in contact with the uppermost electrode 241. The electrode pickup unit 220 includes an electrode fixing unit 222 that fixes the uppermost electrode 241; and an electrode transfer unit 223 that transfers the uppermost electrode fixed by the electrode fixing unit 222 to the stacking table side. The electrode fixing unit 222 may include an electrode suction head 221 capable of vacuum suction with respect to the upper surface of the uppermost electrode.

[0036] Here, the lower surface of the lower electrode means the direction opposite to the pickup direction of the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit 210. That is, the lower surface of the lower electrode means the opposite surface of the two opposing surfaces of the lower electrode, which is the surface opposite to the surface facing the uppermost electrode.

[0037] The different-electrode separating unit 230 fixes the lower surface of the lower electrode 242 in contact with the uppermost electrode, enabling only the uppermost electrode 241 among the two or more electrodes placed on the different-electrode separating unit 230 to be picked up and transferred by the electrode pickup unit 22.

[0038] It is described that the electrode pickup unit 220 and the different-electrode separating unit 230 pick up or fix electrodes by vacuum adsorption, but it is not limited thereto, and there is no particular limitation as long as it is a means capable of fixing electrodes.

[0039] For example, the electrode pickup unit 220 and the different-electrode separating unit 230 can physically fix electrodes such as an adhesive tape. Or, the electrode pickup unit 220 and the different-electrode separating unit 230 can fix electrodes by electrostatic force between the electrode and the electrode fixing part 222 and between the electrode and the plate 232.

[0040] And, after the different-electrode separating unit 230 according to the present invention fixes the lower electrode by vacuum adsorption, a physical force can be applied to the different-electrode separating unit 230 or the electrode from the outside. For example, after the different-electrode separating unit 230 fixes the electrode by vacuum suction, vibration can be applied to the plate 232, or wind can be blown between the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode.

[0041] Specifically, the different-electrode separating unit 230 may include a plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 capable of vacuum-adsorbing the lower electrode. The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be provided in a plurality of pairs that are paired with each other. The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be arranged on the plate 232 so as to be slidable horizontally on the plate.

[0042] After the plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 adsorb and fix the lower electrode, a vibration force is applied to the lower electrode while vibrating. Then, the lower electrode suction head 231 expands in the longitudinal direction of the lower electrode while vibrating, and if a plurality of electrodes are misaligned in the misaligned electrode separation unit 230, a physical force can be applied to separate them from each other.

[0043] The operation of expanding the plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be an operation of slightly contracting and then expanding the plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 in a direction horizontal to the electrodes placed on the plate 232. That is, it may be an operation of bringing the paired lower electrode suction heads closer to each other in the length direction of the lower electrode and then expanding them so as to separate again.

[0044] The electrode supply device according to the present invention may include at least one or more of the misaligned electrode separation units 230.

[0045] When the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up two lower electrodes other than the uppermost electrode, the electrode supply device may include two misaligned electrode separation units 230.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 3, in the first misaligned electrode separation unit 230a, a lower electrode 242b that does not contact the uppermost electrode 241 is fixed to the misaligned electrode separation unit 230a, and the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up the uppermost electrode 241 and a lower electrode 242a in contact with the uppermost electrode again and transfers them to the second misaligned electrode separation unit 230b.

[0047] Then, the second misaligned electrode separation unit 230b fixes the lowermost electrode 242a again, and the electrode pickup unit 220 separates the uppermost electrode 241 from the lowermost electrode 242a and transfers it to the stack table.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the plate 232 includes a sensor unit (not shown) for determining whether two or more electrodes are stacked on one surface of the plate 232; and when it is determined by the sensor unit that two or more electrodes are stacked, a control unit (not shown) for starting vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231 with respect to the lower surface of the lower electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode may be further included.

[0049] Alternatively, when the sensor unit determines that only one electrode is stacked on one surface of the plate 232, the control unit does not start vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum suction forces of the lower electrode suction head 231 and the electrode suction head 221 may be greater than the bonding force between two or more electrodes stacked in the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230. At this time, the bonding force may include any one of physical adsorption force, electrostatic force, and adhesive force between two or more electrodes picked up by the electrode pickup unit 220.

[0051] And the vacuum suction forces of the lower electrode suction head 231 and the electrode suction head 221 may be the same.

[0052] For example, when two electrodes are stacked in the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230, each of the two electrodes may be separated by the respective vacuum suction forces of the electrode suction head 221 and the lower electrode suction head 231.

[0053] Alternatively, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 may be greater than the vacuum suction force of the electrode suction head 221. Therefore, when separating the two electrodes, it is possible to prevent the electrode fixed to the lower electrode suction head 231 from separating from the lower electrode suction head 231.

[0054] Alternatively, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 may be smaller than the suction force of the electrode suction head 221.

[0055] For example, when one electrode is stacked on the different-layer electrode separation unit 230 and the control unit starts the vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231, the electrode stacked on the different-layer electrode separation unit 230 must be transferred to the landing table or the stack table by the electrode pickup unit 220.

[0056] Therefore, when the above conditions are satisfied, it may be easy for the electrode pickup unit 220 to transfer the electrode stacked on the different-layer electrode separation unit 230 to the landing table or the stack table.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, an electrode landing table on which the electrodes transferred by the electrode supply device land and are aligned in position may be further included. The electrodes landed on the electrode landing table can be stacked on the stack table by an electrode stacking unit described later.

[0058] One embodiment of the present invention is a manufacturing apparatus for an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the manufacturing apparatus for an electrode assembly including: a first electrode supply unit that supplies the first electrode to the stack table side; a second electrode supply unit that supplies the second electrode to the stack table side; a separation film supply unit that supplies the separation film to the stack table side; a stack table on which a laminate in which the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode are stacked is manufactured in such a manner that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately disposed between the folded separation films; and a press unit that heats and presses the laminate to bond between the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the electrode supply device.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the electrode supply device.

[0060] That is, at least one or both of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit may supply the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, using the electrode supply device according to the present invention.

[0061] That is, the manufacturing apparatus for the electrode assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode supply unit that supplies electrodes to a stack table, and the electrode supply unit may include an electrode landing table on which the electrodes are landed before being stacked on the stack table by the electrode stacking unit. Further, on the electrode landing table, the electrodes transferred by the electrode supply device according to the present invention can land and their positions can be aligned. The electrodes with aligned positions can be stacked on the stack table by the electrode stacking unit. Also, the electrodes may be the first electrode or the second electrode.

[0062] In one embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus for the electrode assembly of the present invention may alternately arrange the first electrode and the second electrode between the separation membranes to be folded. Manufacturing a laminate in which the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged between the separation membranes to be folded is called Zig Zag Folding. However, the electrode supply device of the present invention is not limited to the electrode assembly manufactured by the Zig Zag Folding method, and is also applicable to other forms, that is, the Lamination and Stacking (L&S) process.

[0063] In this specification, the laminate can correspond to an unfinished electrode assembly. Also, in this specification, the uppermost end and the lowermost end of the electrode assembly may be at positions corresponding to the upper surface and the lower surface of the laminate, respectively, or may also be at positions corresponding to the bottom surface and the upper surface of the unfinished electrode assembly.

[0064] That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode supply unit may include the first electrode supply device, and the second electrode supply unit may include the second electrode supply device. The first electrode supply device and the second electrode supply device may each be an electrode supply device according to the present invention.

[0065] Also, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in a manufacturing apparatus 100 for an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode supply unit 130 includes a first electrode landing table 131 on which the first electrode lands before being stacked on the stack table 110 by the first electrode stack unit 150, and the second electrode supply unit 140 includes a second electrode landing table 141 on which the second electrode lands before being stacked on the stack table 110 by the second electrode stack unit 160.

[0066] The first electrode stack unit 150 may include a first suction head 151 and a first moving unit 153. The first suction head 151 can vacuum-suck the first electrode 11 landed on the first electrode landing table 131.

[0067] The second electrode stack unit 160 can stack the second electrode on the stack table 110. Here, the second electrode stack unit 160 may have the same structure as the aforementioned first electrode stack unit 150. At this time, the second electrode stack unit 160 may include a second suction head 161 and a second moving unit 163.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, in order for the first electrode 11, the separation membrane 14, and the second electrode 12 to be stacked in such a manner that the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are alternately arranged between the folded separation membranes, a method in which the stack table moves left and right, a method in which the separation membrane 14 moves left and right, or a method in which the stack table rotates may be used. Regarding this, ordinary techniques in the art can be applied.

[0069] The manufacturing apparatus of the electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a stack table moving unit that moves the stack table 110 left and right; or a separation membrane guide unit that moves the separation membrane left and right. Further, the stack table moving unit and the separation membrane guide unit are not limited in form as long as they each function to move the stack table 110 and the separation membrane left and right, and an apparatus commonly used in the art can be used.

[0070] The manufacturing apparatus of the electrode supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a holding mechanism 170 that holds and fixes the laminate during the process of manufacturing the laminate.

[0071] The holding mechanism 170 can hold and fix the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12 to the stack table 110 when the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12 is laminated on the stack table 110. The holding mechanism 170 includes, for example, a first holding mechanism 171 and a second holding mechanism 172, and can fix both sides of the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12.

[0072] In an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 7, the pressing unit 180 may further include a pair of pressing blocks 181, 182 and pressing heaters 183, 184 that heat the pressing blocks 181, 182, and the pair of pressing blocks 181, 182 move in a direction facing each other to perform surface pressing on the laminate, and the pressing heaters 183, 184 may heat the laminate respectively. At this time, in an embodiment of the present invention, the pair of pressing blocks 181, 182 may include the pressing heaters 183, 184 inside.

[0073] In an embodiment of the present invention, heating the laminate may be by heating with a heater included inside the stack table.

[0074] The pressure conditions and temperature conditions of heating and pressurization by the press unit 180 are applicable to the description of the conditions in the heat press stage described later. The same applies to the time (time condition) when heating and pressurization are applied.

[0075] Here, the pressure condition means the pressure applied by the pair of pressurizing blocks (or the pressurizing block with respect to the stack table), and the temperature condition means the temperature of the heat applied by the press heater or the heater included inside the stack table.

[0076] The electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of picking up the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit and a step of separating two or more picked-up electrodes.

[0077] Specifically, a step (step a) of picking up (pick up) the uppermost electrode among the plurality of electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit with an electrode pickup unit; a step (step b) of moving the electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit to a separate electrode separation unit; a separate electrode sensing step (step c) of sensing whether the electrodes placed on the separate electrode separation unit are separated; when separation is sensed, a step (step d) of grasping the lowermost electrode among the electrodes; and a step (step e) of the electrode pickup unit transferring the electrodes not grasped by the separate electrode separation unit and supplying them to the stack table side. An electrode supply method including these steps is provided.

[0078] In other words, steps (a) to (e) may be included in the step of separating the two or more picked-up electrodes.

[0079] The electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that when two or more electrodes are picked up from the magazine, the plurality of electrodes are separated. Due to this feature, only the uppermost electrode can be more easily separated, and when supplying electrodes to the stack table, it is possible to prevent the defective separation of two electrodes being supplied.

[0080] As a result, when manufacturing an electrode assembly by the method for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, productivity can be improved.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include a step of cutting a sheet-like electrode and a step of laminating the electrode on the magazine unit.

[0082] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include a step of cutting a sheet-like electrode and laminating two or more cut electrodes on the magazine unit.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step (a), the electrode pickup unit may include a step of vacuum-sucking the upper surface of the uppermost electrode among the electrodes laminated on the magazine unit to pick up the uppermost electrode.

[0084] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step (d), the different-electrode separation unit vacuum-sucks the lower surface of the lower electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit to fix the lower electrode.

[0085] Specifically, in the step (d), when it is determined that two or more electrodes are laminated on the different-electrode separation unit, the step may include starting vacuum-sucking the lower surface of the lower electrode in contact with the uppermost electrode among the electrodes laminated on the different-electrode separation unit.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step (e), two or more electrodes are separated by the vacuum suction forces of the electrode pickup unit and the different-electrode separation unit, and the uppermost electrode fixed to the electrode pickup unit is transferred to the stack table.

[0087] In another embodiment of the present invention, when it is determined that one electrode is stacked on the different-layer electrode separation part, the different-layer electrode separation part may include a stage (stage d-1) where vacuum suction is not started. For example, the electrode supply method of the present invention may include (stage d-1) instead of (stage d).

[0088] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the (e stage), the suction force acting on the electrode not grasped by the different-layer electrode separation part and the force for grasping the lowermost electrode in the (d stage) may be greater than the bonding force between the different-layer electrodes. For example, the bonding force may include any one of physical adsorption force, electrostatic force, and adhesive force between the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode.

[0089] And in the (e stage), the suction force acting on the electrode not grasped by the different-layer electrode separation part may be the same as the force for grasping the lowermost electrode in the (d stage).

[0090] As described above, when this is satisfied, the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode can be efficiently separated and supplied to the stack table by the electrode suction head and the lower electrode suction head.

[0091] Or, in the (d stage), the force for grasping the lowermost electrode may be greater than the suction force acting on the electrode not grasped by the different-layer electrode separation part in the (e stage).

[0092] As described above, when this is satisfied, the electrode (or the lowermost electrode) fixed to the lower electrode suction head can be prevented from being separated from the lower electrode suction head by the suction force acting on the electrode not grasped by the different-layer electrode separation part in the (e stage).

[0093] Alternatively, when only the uppermost electrode is picked up in the step (a), the suction force acting on the lower surface of the lower electrode in the step (d) may not act, or may be smaller than the suction force acting on the electrodes not held by the non-uniform electrode separating portion in the step (e).

[0094] As described above, when this condition is satisfied, it is possible to prevent the problem that the uppermost electrode stacked on the non-uniform electrode separating portion is not transferred to the stack table by the force of gripping the lowermost electrode in the step (d).

[0095] The electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a step of the electrode pickup unit transferring an electrode not fixed to the first non-uniform electrode separating portion to a second non-uniform electrode separating portion.

[0096] At this time, in the step (b), the non-uniform electrode separating portion may be a first non-uniform electrode separating portion.

[0097] That is, the electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention can prevent non-uniform defects in the electrode assembly by repeating the step of separating the two or more picked-up electrodes by two or more non-uniform electrode separating portions.

[0098] That is, in the electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of non-uniform electrode separating portions may be arranged continuously, and the steps (b) to (e) may be repeated a plurality of times.

[0099] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step (d) may include a step of vacuum-sucking the lower surface of the lowermost electrode with a plurality of lower electrode suction heads; and a step of separating the misaligned electrodes from each other through a horizontal movement operation in which the plurality of lower electrode suction heads approach and move away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrode while vibrating.

[0100] That is, in addition to the bonding force of the lower electrode of the lower electrode suction head, in the (d step), the lower electrode suction head vibrates, or an air supply part is provided above the different electrode separation part, and air is injected between the different electrodes to separate the different electrodes from each other.

[0101] One embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method comprising: supplying the first electrode to the stack table side; supplying the second electrode to the stack table side; supplying the separation film to the stack table side; stacking the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode on the stack table to produce a laminate; and a heat press step of heating and pressurizing the laminate to bond between the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the step of supplying the first electrode to the stack table side; and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stack table side includes the aforementioned electrode supply method.

[0102] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the step of supplying the first electrode to the stack table side and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stack table side includes the aforementioned electrode supply method.

[0103] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of stacking the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode on the stack table to produce a laminate includes: (S1) stacking the second electrode on the stack table; (S2) stacking the separation film on the stack table so that the separation film covers the upper surface of the second electrode stacked on the stack table; (S3) stacking the first electrode on the opposite surface of the separation film covering the upper surface of the second electrode that contacts the second electrode; (S4) further supplying the separation film to cover the upper surface of the first electrode; (S5) Stacking the second electrode on the opposite surface of the separation membrane that contacts the first electrode and covers the upper surface of the first electrode; and (S6) Further supplying the separation membrane to cover the upper surface of the second electrode, including The steps (S1) to (S6) may be repeated one or more times. That is, in this case, it means the case where the electrodes are stacked first on the stack table.

[0104] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of stacking the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode on the stack table to manufacture a laminate is (SS1) Stacking the separation membrane on the stack table; (SS2) Stacking the first electrode on the upper surface of the separation membrane; (SS3) Further supplying the separation membrane to cover the upper surface of the first electrode; (SS4) Stacking the second electrode on the opposite surface of the separation membrane that contacts the first electrode and covers the upper surface of the first electrode; and (SS5) Further supplying the separation membrane to cover the upper surface of the second electrode, including The steps (SS1) to (SS5) may be repeated one or more times. That is, in this case, it means the case where the separation membrane is stacked first on the stack table.

[0105] In one embodiment of the present invention, the steps (S4), (S6), (SS3), and (SS5), that is, the steps of further supplying the separation membrane to cover the upper surface of the first electrode or the second electrode may each be performed in one of the following ways: the stack table moves left and right, the separation membrane moves left and right, and the stack table rotates. That is, the separation membrane may be folded in a zigzag manner, and the laminate may be manufactured by a zigzag folding process in which the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged between the folded separation membranes.

[0106] The electrode supply method of the present invention is not limited to the zigzag folding process as described in the manufacturing apparatus of the electrode assembly, and can also be applied to other forms of processes.

[0107] As described above, the present invention has been described in detail through specific examples, but this is for specifically explaining the present invention, and the manufacturing apparatus of the electrode assembly according to the present invention is not limited thereto. It can be said that various implementations are possible by those having ordinary knowledge in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

Claims

1. A magazine section for housing a plurality of electrodes therein; An electrode pick-up section for picking up and transferring the uppermost electrode among the electrodes housed inside the magazine section; and A non-uniform electrode separation section on which the electrode transferred by the electrode pick-up section is placed, and which senses and separates whether the electrodes are non-uniform. The electrode supply device includes: When two or more electrodes among the electrodes housed in the magazine section are made non-uniform and picked up by the electrode pick-up section, the non-uniform electrode separation section separates the two or more electrodes from each other.

2. The non-uniform electrode separation section includes a plate including a lower electrode suction head for sucking one surface of an electrode not in contact with the electrode pick-up section; The electrode pick-up section includes an electrode fixing section for fixing the uppermost electrode; and an electrode transfer section for transferring the uppermost electrode to the non-uniform electrode separation section or the stack table side. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode fixing section includes an electrode suction head capable of vacuum-sucking the upper surface of the uppermost electrode.

3. The non-uniform electrode separation section includes a sensor section for determining whether the electrodes transferred from the magazine section are non-uniform; and When it is determined by the sensor section that two or more electrodes are non-uniform, a control section for controlling to fix the lowermost electrode among the two or more electrodes. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. The electrode supply device according to claim 2, wherein the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head is greater than the bonding force of the two or more electrodes.

5. The electrode supply device according to claim 4, wherein the bonding force is any one of physical adsorption force, electrostatic force, and adhesive force between the two or more electrodes.

6. A plurality of non-uniform electrode separation sections are provided. When it is determined by the sensor section whether three or more electrodes are stacked, the remaining electrodes except the uppermost electrode are separated one by one in order so that all of them are separated from each other. The electrode supply device according to claim 3.

7. The non-uniform electrode separation section includes a lower plate on which the placed electrode is placed and a plurality of lower electrode suction heads provided on the lower plate. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lower electrode suction heads prevent the electrodes from being stacked on top of each other through a horizontal movement operation in which they approach and move away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes while vibrating.

8. An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first electrode supply unit that supplies the first electrode to the stack table side; a second electrode supply unit that supplies the second electrode to the stack table side; a separation film supply unit that supplies the separation film to the stack table side; a stack table on which a laminate in which the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode are laminated in such a manner that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately arranged is manufactured; a press unit that heats and presses the laminate to bond between the first electrode, the separation film, and the second electrode to manufacture the electrode assembly; and at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit is the electrode supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly including.

9. Picking up (pick up) the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine section with an electrode pickup section (step a); Moving the electrode picked up by the electrode pickup section to a non-stacked electrode separation section (step b); A non-stacked sensing step (step c) of sensing whether the electrodes placed on the non-stacked electrode separation section are stacked on top of each other; When non-stacking is detected, grasping the lowermost electrode among the electrodes (step d); and A step (step e) in which the electrode pickup section transfers the electrode not grasped by the non-stacked electrode separation section and supplies it to the stack table side An electrode supply method including.

10. The electrode supply method according to claim 9, wherein the step d includes a step of vacuum-sucking the lower surface of the electrode not in contact with the electrode pickup section.

11. The step d is Vacuum-adsorbing the lower surface of the lowermost electrode with a plurality of electrode lower surface suction heads; and Separating the stacked electrodes from each other through a horizontal movement operation in which the plurality of electrode lower surface suction heads approach and move away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes while vibrating The electrode supply method according to claim 9 including.

12. A plurality of non-stacked electrode separation sections are arranged continuously, The electrode supply method according to claim 9, wherein the steps b to e are repeated a plurality of times.

13. A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method comprising: supplying the first electrode to the stack table side; supplying the second electrode to the stack table side; supplying the separation membrane to the stack table side; stacking the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode on the stack table to produce a laminate; and a heat pressing step of heating and pressurizing the laminate to bond between the first electrode, the separation membrane, and the second electrode to manufacture the electrode assembly wherein at least one of the step of supplying the first electrode to the stack table side and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stack table side includes the electrode supply method according to any one of claims 9 to 12. A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly.

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