Seal material supply device

Abstract

To provide a seal material supply device that can shorten the process time when supplying new and old seal materials joined together. [Solution] The sealant supply device is a sealant supply device that continuously supplies sealant to the uncoated portion of the edge of a current collector coated with electrodes, and comprises a pair of main body parts arranged to sandwich the old sealant and the new sealant, a welding part provided on each of the pair of main body parts for welding the old sealant and the new sealant together, and a half-cut part provided on each of the pair of main body parts for cutting off the excess portions of the old sealant and the new sealant, and while conveying the old sealant and the new sealant, the welding part welds the old sealant and the new sealant together and at the same time cuts off the excess portions of the old sealant and the new sealant together.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sealing material supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses that when supplying an insulating tape for an electrochemical element by an automatic supply device, the new and old rolls are joined together for supply.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The automatic supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is large-scale and is composed of five processes: terminal cutting of the insulating tape, terminal fixing, new roll switching, new roll pulling out, and connection of new and old rolls. Therefore, it takes a long time for supply. Along with this, space, cost, and furthermore, an accumulator for continuous supply also needs to be installed for a long time.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a sealing material supply device capable of shortening the process time when joining and supplying new and old sealing materials.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The sealant supply device according to this disclosure is a sealant supply device for continuously supplying sealant to the uncoated portion of the edge of a current collector coated with electrodes, comprising: a pair of main body parts arranged to sandwich old sealant and new sealant; welding parts provided on each of the pair of main body parts for welding the old sealant and the new sealant together; and half-cut parts provided on each of the pair of main body parts for cutting off excess portions of the old sealant and the new sealant, wherein the old sealant and the new sealant are transported while the welding parts weld them together and the half-cut parts cut off excess portions of the old sealant and the new sealant together. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the process time when supplying new and old sealing materials joined together can be shortened. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of a sealing material supply device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the operation of the sealing material supply device according to the embodiment when old sealing material and new sealing material are joined together. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A sealing material supply device according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable or substantially identical to those that are replaceable by those skilled in the art.

[0010] The configuration of the sealing material supply device according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The sealing material supply device according to the embodiment is a device for supplying sealing material. The sealing material supply device 1, for example, when manufacturing battery cells such as lithium-ion batteries, continuously supplies sealing material to the uncoated portion of the edge of the current collector (current collector foil) W to which electrodes are coated, as shown in Figure 1.

[0011] The sealant supply device 1 performs a process of joining the old and new sealant when the sealant being supplied to the current collector W is running low. In this embodiment, the sealant before replacement (currently being supplied) is referred to as the old sealant S1, the roll on which the old sealant S1 is wound is referred to as the old roll R1, the sealant after replacement is referred to as the new sealant S2, and the roll on which the new sealant S2 is wound is referred to as the new roll R2. Figure 1 shows the state in which the tip of the new sealant S2 is pulled out by a predetermined length in order to join the new sealant S2 to the old sealant S1 when the old sealant S1 currently being supplied is running low. The length to which the new sealant S2 is pulled out is at least below the half-cut section 12B.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the sealing material supply device 1 comprises a pair of main body parts 11A, 11B, a pair of half-cut parts 12A, 12B, a pair of receiving parts 13A, 13B, and a pair of welding parts 14A, 14B.

[0013] The main body sections 11A and 11B are attached to a press device (not shown) and are positioned, for example, between the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2. The main body sections 11A and 11B are configured to be movable toward each other by the press device. The main body section 11A is provided with a half-cut section 12A, a receiving section 13A, and a welding section 14A. The main body section 11B is provided with a half-cut section 12B, a receiving section 13B, and a welding section 14B.

[0014] The half-cut section 12A is for cutting off the excess portion of the old sealant S1. By approaching the receiving section 13B, the half-cut section 12A cuts off the excess portion of the old sealant S1. The half-cut section 12A also cuts off the upstream end of the old sealant S1. Furthermore, the tip of the half-cut section 12A and the center of the receiving section 13B are arranged coaxially.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, there are old sealing material S1 and new sealing material S2 between the half-cut section 12A and the receiving section 13B. However, by controlling the stroke amount (movement amount) of the half-cut section 12A relative to the receiving section 13B, only the old sealing material S1 is cut by the half-cut section 12A.

[0016] The half-cut section 12B is for cutting off the excess portion of the new sealant S2. This half-cut section 12B cuts off the excess portion of the new sealant S2 by approaching the receiving section 13A relatively closely. The half-cut section 12B also cuts off the downstream starting end of the new sealant S2. Furthermore, the tip of the half-cut section 12B and the center of the receiving section 13A are arranged coaxially.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, new sealing material S2 and old sealing material S1 are present between the half-cut section 12B and the receiving section 13A. By controlling the stroke amount (movement amount) of the half-cut section 12B relative to the receiving section 13A, only the new sealing material S2 is cut by the half-cut section 12B.

[0018] The receiving portion 13A functions as a support when the new sealant S2 is cut by the half-cut portion 12B. The receiving portion 13B also functions as a support when the old sealant S1 is cut by the half-cut portion 12A.

[0019] The welding parts 14A and 14B are composed of a hot iron or the like. The welding parts 14A and 14B are arranged coaxially with each other. Also, as shown in part A of FIG. 2, for example, the welding parts 14A and 14B approach each other and press the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 from both sides, thereby welding the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2.

[0020] Note that instead of the welding parts 14A and 14B, a heat gun that welds the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 with hot air, a device that adheres the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 with an adhesive, a device that adheres the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 with a tape, or the like may be used.

[0021] A plurality of free rollers 15 are arranged on the seal path line L1 along which the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 are conveyed. Also, a free roller 16 is arranged on the main conveyance line L2 along which the current collector W is conveyed.

[0022] In the seal material supply device 1, as shown in FIG. 2, while conveying the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2, the welding parts 14A and 14B weld the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2. At the same time, the surplus portions of the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 are cut by the half-cut parts 12A and 12B.

[0023] Note that FIG. 2 shows an example in which the main body parts 11A and 11B approach each other to simultaneously weld the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 and cut the surplus portions. Different from this, for example, either one of the main body parts 11A and 11B may approach the other to simultaneously weld the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 and cut the surplus portions.

[0024] In the seal material supply device according to the embodiment described above, the welding of the old and new seal materials to the current collector W and the cutting of excess portions can be performed in a single process. That is, according to the seal material supply device according to the embodiment, the welding of the old seal material S1 and the new seal material S2, the cutting of excess portions of the old seal material S1, and the cutting of excess portions of the new seal material S2 can be performed simultaneously, thereby shortening the process time when supplying the old and new seal materials joined together. Furthermore, according to the seal material supply device according to the embodiment, the old and new seal materials can be cut at desired positions, so the old and new seal materials can be welded together while minimizing the amount of excess.

[0025] Furthermore, in the sealing material supply device according to this embodiment, the length of the excess portion of the old sealing material S1 and the new sealing material S2 can be shortened by narrowing, for example, the distance between the half-cut portion 12A and the receiving portion 13A, and the distance between the half-cut portion 12B and the receiving portion 13B. This makes it possible to minimize the generation of excess portion when welding the old and new sealing materials together.

[0026] Furthermore, in order to minimize the excess portion of the new sealing material S2, it is necessary to detect the position of the tip of the new sealing material S2, but the method of detection is not particularly limited. For example, the distance from the free roller 15 located at the top in Figure 1 to the half-cut portion 12A, and the circumference of the free roller 15 are known in advance. Therefore, the position of the tip of the new sealing material S2 can be detected by detecting the rotation speed of the free roller 15 with a sensor (not shown). Alternatively, a sensor may be attached to the main body 11B to detect the position of the tip of the new sealing material S2.

[0027] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0028] For example, Figures 1 and 2 explain the situation assuming that there is little old sealant S1 remaining and that the old sealant S1 and new sealant S2 are joined together. However, if there is plenty of old sealant S1 remaining, only the old sealant S1 can be supplied. In this case, only the old sealant S1 is transported in the seal pass line L1, and the new roll R2 is set in the position shown in Figure 1 before being pulled out. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 1. Sealing material supply device 11A,11B Main body 12A, 12B Half-cut section 13A, 13B Receiving part 14A,14B Welded part 15,16 Free Roller L1 Seal Pass Line L2 Main Conveyor Line R1 Old Roll R2 New Role S1 Old sealant S2 New sealant W current collector

Claims

[Claim 1] A sealing material supply device that continuously supplies sealing material to the uncoated portion of the edge of a current collector coated with electrodes, A pair of main body parts are positioned with the old sealant and the new sealant sandwiched between them, Each of the pair of main body sections is provided with a welding section for welding the old sealing material and the new sealing material, Each of the pair of main body sections is provided with a half-cut section for cutting off the excess portions of the old seal material and the new seal material, Equipped with, While conveying the old seal material and the new seal material, the welding section welds the old seal material and the new seal material together, and at the same time, the half-cut section cuts off the excess portions of the old seal material and the new seal material. Sealant supply device.

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