Slot die coating equipment

Abstract

A slot die coating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lower die, an upper die disposed above the lower die to form a slot, and a shim disposed between the lower die and the upper die to adjust the width of the slot, and at least one camera is disposed on the underside of the upper die to measure the shim.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0186960, dated December 28, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a slot die coating apparatus, and more particularly to a slot die coating apparatus that can minimize the occurrence of errors during processing. [Background technology]

[0003] Recently, with the depletion of fossil fuels causing rising energy prices and increasing concerns about environmental pollution, the demand for environmentally friendly alternative energy sources has become an essential factor for future life. As a result, research into various power generation technologies, such as nuclear, solar, wind, and tidal power, is ongoing, and there is also great interest in power storage devices to use the energy produced in this way more efficiently.

[0004] In particular, with technological development and increased demand for mobile devices, the demand for batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing, and as a result, much research is being conducted into batteries that can meet various demands.

[0005] Typically, there is a high demand for lithium secondary batteries such as lithium ion batteries and lithium ion polymer batteries, which have advantages such as high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability.

[0006] Secondary batteries are also classified according to the structure of the electrode assembly, which is a stacked structure of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes. Representative examples include a jelly-roll type electrode assembly, in which long sheet-like positive and negative electrodes are wound with a separator interposed therebetween, and a stack type electrode assembly, in which a plurality of positive and negative electrodes cut into units of a predetermined size are stacked in sequence with a separator interposed therebetween. Recently, to address the issues associated with the jelly-roll type and stack type electrode assemblies, a stack / folding type electrode assembly has been developed, which is a hybrid of the jelly-roll type and stack type electrode assemblies, in which unit cells, each of which includes a predetermined number of positive and negative electrodes stacked with a separator interposed therebetween, are positioned on a separator film and then wound in sequence.

[0007] Secondary batteries can also be classified according to the shape of the case into cylindrical secondary batteries in which the electrode assembly is housed in a cylindrical case, prismatic secondary batteries in which the electrode assembly is housed in a prismatic case, and pouch secondary batteries in which the electrode assembly is housed in a pouch-shaped case made of a laminate sheet.

[0008] To manufacture such a secondary battery, an electrode assembly is placed in a case, an electrolyte is injected, and the case is sealed. The electrode assembly is then assembled by assembling unit cells, each stacked in a three- or five-layer structure with a separator between the positive and negative electrodes. The positive and negative electrodes can be manufactured by applying a slurry to an electrode current collector, drying it, and pressing it. A slot die coating device is used to apply the slurry. A slot die coating device uses a non-pulsating pump or piston pump to supply fluids, such as slurries, adhesives, hard coatings, and ceramics, between processed upper and lower dies to coat substrates, films, glass plates, sheets, and other materials to a consistent thickness.

[0009] The slot die coating device used in the manufacture of electrodes continuously applies slurry to the electrode current collector in a fixed direction. A die coater shim is placed between the two dies of the slot die coating device to form an outlet through which the slurry is discharged.

[0010] The shim can have various shapes depending on the type of slurry to be applied and can be made replaceable depending on the process to be applied. However, this shim replacement process is performed by measuring the new shim to be replaced and placing it in the correct position between the upper and lower dies before assembling. However, this measurement and assembly process can cause errors or damage to the shim. Furthermore, during the coating process after assembly, it is necessary to check whether the shim is damaged and whether it has been inserted correctly. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a slot die coating apparatus that can reduce measurement errors or user errors that may occur during shim replacement and assembly processes in the slot die coating apparatus.

[0012] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and can be variously expanded within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] A slot die coating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lower die, an upper die disposed above the lower die to form a slot, and a shim disposed between the lower die and the upper die to adjust the width of the slot, and at least one camera is disposed on the underside of the upper die to measure the shim.

[0014] A barcode containing shape information of the shim may be formed on one surface of the shim facing the upper die.

[0015] The at least one camera makes it possible to recognize the information contained in the barcode.

[0016] The lower surface of the upper die may include at least one receiving portion recessed from the lower surface.

[0017] Each of the at least one camera may be disposed within each of the at least one housing.

[0018] The upper die may further include a transparent window disposed in the opening of the receiving portion and flush with the lower surface of the upper die.

[0019] The shim may be formed to be replaceable.

[0020] The slot may be formed to correspond to a portion where the shim is not located.

[0021] The shim may include a base extending along the longitudinal direction of the slot die coating apparatus, and a plurality of guides extending from the base in the width direction of the slot die coating apparatus.

[0022] The slots may be formed corresponding to spaces between adjacent ones of the plurality of guides. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a slot die coating apparatus that reduces measurement errors or user errors that may occur during shim replacement and assembly processes in the slot die coating apparatus.

[0024] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating a slot die coating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II′ of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a view showing the underside of the upper die of FIG. 1; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not necessary for the explanation will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0028] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown in the drawings. In the drawings, thicknesses are exaggerated to clearly show various layers and regions. In the drawings, thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation.

[0029] Furthermore, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other part is said to be "on" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly on" the other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly on" another part, it means that there is no other part in between. Furthermore, being "on" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being "on" in the opposite direction of gravity.

[0030] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain element, this does not mean that it can further include other elements, unless otherwise specified.

[0031] Throughout the specification, "on a plane" means when the target part is viewed from above, and "on a cross section" means when the target part is cut vertically and viewed from the side.

[0032] Hereinafter, a slot die coating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0033] FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing a slot die coating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II' in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view showing the underside of the upper die in FIG. 1.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a slot die coating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a lower die 110, an upper die 120 disposed above the lower die 110 and forming a slot 230 through which a slurry flows, and a shim 200 disposed between the lower die 110 and the upper die 120 and adjusting the width and shape of the slot 230.

[0035] The lower die 110 and the upper die 120 are assembled with one surface facing each other. At this time, the opposing surface of the lower die 110 and the upper die 120 is formed larger than the size of the shim 200 so as to surround the outer surface of the shim 200. As a result, the assembled slot die coating apparatus 100 can be configured so that the shim 200 does not protrude outward.

[0036] The lower die 110 may have a supply hole 112 through which a slurry is supplied from the outside and an internal space 111 in which the slurry supplied from the outside is stored. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the supply hole and the internal space may be formed in the upper die 120 or in both the upper and lower dies.

[0037] A shim 200 is disposed between the lower die 110 and the upper die 120. Therefore, the lower die 110 and the upper die 120 are spaced apart by the thickness of the shim 200, forming a slot 230 inside the slot die coating apparatus 100. The slurry stored in the internal space 111 flows along the slot 230 and can be discharged to the outside through the discharge port. The discharge port may be formed in the space between the end of the lower die 110 and the end of the upper die 120 at the end of the slot 230. This discharge port is formed thin and long, and the slot die coating apparatus 100 moves at a constant speed over the current collector, allowing the slurry to be applied widely and uniformly onto the electrode current collector.

[0038] The shim 200, which adjusts the width and shape of the slot 230, may have various shapes depending on the pattern to be coated. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, the slot die coating apparatus 100 may include a base 210 formed long on the opposite side of the end forming the discharge port along the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction in the drawing) of the slot die coating apparatus 100, and a plurality of guides 220 extending from the base 210 toward the discharge port. The plurality of guides 220 essentially includes two guides 220 formed on both ends of the base 210 to maintain the spacing between the lower die 110 and the upper die 120, and may also include a plurality of guides 220 formed between the two guides 220 formed on both ends. In other words, the number and width of the guides 220 can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type of pattern to be formed by the slurry to be coated from the discharge port. For example, if only two guides 220 are formed on both ends of the base 210, the slurry coated from the discharge port between them may form a single wide pattern, and additional guides 220 may be added to form a stripe-shaped pattern.

[0039] A barcode 400 containing design information for the shim 200 may be formed on one surface of the shim 200, particularly on the surface facing the upper die 120. The barcode 400 can be recognized by a camera (described later) and provide information about the currently installed shim 200 when designing a new shim 200. Such information may include the thickness and width of the shim 200, the thickness or width of each of the guide 220 and the base 210, the spacing between the guides 220, etc.

[0040] Such shims 200 may be provided interchangeably with various shapes depending on the pattern to be obtained. That is, if a new shape is required, a shim 200 with a new shape or thickness can be designed and formed so as to be replaceably disposed between the lower die 110 and the upper die 120. However, errors may occur when a worker directly disposes and assembles the new shim 200 between the lower die 110 and the upper die 120. Furthermore, in the process of designing a new shim 200, in order to obtain information (such as thickness, shape, and position) of the existing shim 200, the entire assembly must be disassembled and carried out, and design errors may occur in this process as well.

[0041] In other words, designing and assembling a new shim 200 requires design information for the interior of the slot die coating apparatus 100, particularly information about the shim 200 between the lower die 110 and the upper die 120. However, a means is required to obtain this information by an operator performing actual measurements and to prevent errors from occurring during the disassembly and assembly process of the slot die coating apparatus 100. For this reason, in this embodiment, at least one camera 300 is disposed on the lower surface 122 of the upper die 120.

[0042] The camera 300 may be formed in a receiving portion 121 formed in a recessed shape inward from the lower surface 122 of the upper die 120. In this case, one camera 300 may be disposed in one receiving portion 121. A transparent window 310 may be disposed in the opening of the receiving portion 121 so as to be flush with the lower surface 122 of the upper die 120. Such a transparent window 310 can maintain the shape of the slot 230 and also prevent the camera 300 from being damaged by the slurry.

[0043] The camera 300 can directly photograph the shape of the shim 200 placed below the camera 300 and transmit the information to an operator who designs a new shim 200. In other words, the dimensions of the newly designed shim 200 can be matched to the dimensions of the slot die coating apparatus 100 using information about the shim 200 already included in the slot die coating apparatus 100, such as the thickness, width, and shapes and proportions of the guide 220 and base 210.

[0044] The camera 300 may also have a sensor function for recognizing the barcode 400. The information obtained by recognizing the barcode 400, which contains information about the shim 200, can be used to design a new shim 200. As explained above, it may be possible to provide information about the shim 200 by directly measuring the shape or dimensions of the shim 200 using the camera 300, but in addition, by storing detailed information about the shim 200 itself in the barcode 400 and recognizing this, it becomes possible to provide more detailed and accurate information.

[0045] As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of an operator actually measuring the shim 200 for information on the shim 200 can be omitted, thereby preventing various errors or mistakes that may occur during the actual measurement step, and at the same time, the processing state (information) of the shim 200 can be accurately and quickly grasped without the need for actual measurement. Therefore, since the shim 200 can be precisely processed according to the design and assembled at the correct position, process errors can be minimized and process efficiency can be improved.

[0046] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 100: Slot die coating equipment 110: Lower die 120: Upper die 200: Sim 300: Camera 400: Barcode

Claims

1. a lower die; an upper die disposed above the lower die and forming a slot; a shim interposed between the lower die and the upper die to adjust the width of the slot; A slot die coating apparatus, wherein at least one camera for measuring the shim is disposed on the underside of the upper die.

2. The slot die coating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a barcode containing information about the shape of the shim is formed on one surface of the shim facing the upper die.

3. 3. The slot die coating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one camera recognizes information contained in the bar code.

4. The slot die coating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the upper die includes at least one receiving portion recessed from the lower surface.

5. The slot die coating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the at least one camera is disposed within each of the at least one housing.

6. 6. The slot die coating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the upper die further includes a transparent window disposed in the opening of the housing and flush with the lower surface of the upper die.

7. The slot die coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shim is replaceable.

8. The slot die coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slot is formed in a portion where the shim is not located.

9. 9. The slot die coating apparatus of claim 8, wherein the shim includes a base extending along the longitudinal direction of the slot die coating apparatus, and a plurality of guides extending from the base in the width direction of the slot die coating apparatus.

10. The slot die coating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the slot is formed in a space between adjacent ones of the plurality of guides.

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