coating device

Abstract

The present invention provides a coating apparatus that can form a coating film of a predetermined thickness on a predetermined surface of a substrate while shortening the time required to complete die positioning. [Solution] A coating apparatus 100 is provided with a die 31 having a discharge port 32 for discharging a coating liquid, and for coating a predetermined surface of a substrate 1 by discharging the coating liquid from the discharge port and applying it, the apparatus further comprising: a moving mechanism 5 that moves the die in a direction toward and away from the substrate; an angle adjustment mechanism 6 that adjusts the angle of the discharge port with respect to a predetermined surface of the substrate by rotating the die with an axis parallel to the width direction of the substrate as a rotation axis 61; a measuring unit 7 that measures the thickness of the coating film formed on the substrate; and a control unit that controls the operation of the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism, respectively, wherein the control unit controls a drive unit that operates the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism so that the positional relationship between the substrate and the discharge port becomes a positional relationship in which the thickness of the coating film becomes a predetermined thickness based on the measurement results from the measuring unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating apparatus that applies a coating liquid onto a predetermined surface of a substrate to form a coating film.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of lithium-ion batteries, a coating liquid, which is a slurry of electrode material, is applied to a sheet-shaped substrate such as aluminum foil or copper foil conveyed by roll-to-roll to form a coating film, and the formed coating film is dried to form a positive electrode and a negative electrode.

[0003] A coating apparatus used in such a lithium-ion battery manufacturing process includes a conveying mechanism that conveys the substrate in a roll-to-roll manner, and a die having a discharge port for discharging the coating liquid. Then, the coating liquid is discharged from the discharge port of the die and applied to the predetermined surface of the substrate conveyed by the conveying mechanism, thereby forming a coating film on the predetermined surface of the substrate (for example, see Patent Document 1 below).

[0004] Further, in the above coating apparatus, the die is manually moved in the direction in which the discharge port approaches and separates from the substrate, and the angle of the discharge port relative to the predetermined surface of the substrate is adjusted, so that the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port is adjusted, thereby forming a coating film of a predetermined thickness on the predetermined surface of the substrate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] One requirement for the coating apparatus is high accuracy in the thickness of the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate. However, considering productivity, it is also necessary to reduce the time required to adjust the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port, that is, the time required for die positioning.

[0007] However, the above coating apparatus had a problem in that it was difficult to achieve both accuracy in the thickness of the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate and a reduction in the time required for die positioning. Specifically, in the above coating apparatus, the die is positioned by repeatedly performing the following operation: applying the coating liquid to a predetermined surface of the substrate with the die, observing the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, and manually moving the die in the direction in which the discharge port approaches and moves away from the substrate, as well as adjusting the angle of the discharge port relative to the predetermined surface of the substrate. Increasing the number of trials of the above operation improves the accuracy of the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, and it becomes possible to form a coating film of the predetermined thickness on the predetermined surface of the substrate. On the other hand, because the above operation is performed manually, errors are likely to occur between the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate after die positioning and the predetermined thickness, and the number of trials of the above operation required until die positioning is completed increases. As a result, the time required until die positioning is completed becomes longer.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a coating apparatus that can form a coating film having a predetermined thickness on a predetermined surface of a substrate while shortening the time required until the die positioning is completed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention, which solves the above problems, is a coating apparatus that comprises a die having a discharge port for discharging a coating liquid, and forms a coating film on a predetermined surface of a substrate by discharging the coating liquid from the discharge port onto the predetermined surface of the substrate, and further comprises a moving mechanism that moves the die in a direction toward and toward the substrate, the discharge port toward the substrate, an angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts the angle of the discharge port with respect to the predetermined surface of the substrate by rotating the die with an axis parallel to the width direction of the substrate as the axis of rotation, a measuring unit that measures the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, and a control unit that controls the operation of the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism respectively, wherein the control unit controls a drive unit that operates the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism respectively so that the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port becomes a positional relationship in which the thickness of the coating film becomes a predetermined thickness based on the measurement result by the measuring unit.

[0010] According to the above coating apparatus, the control unit controls the drive unit so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the die's discharge port is such that the thickness of the coating film is a predetermined thickness, based on the measurement results from the measuring unit. By operating the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism, the position of the discharge port is adjusted, i.e., the die is positioned. Therefore, compared to the conventional method of manually positioning the die while observing the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, it becomes possible to fine-tune the die positioning so that the error between the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate after die positioning and the predetermined thickness is reduced, thereby shortening the time required to complete die positioning. Consequently, it is possible to form a coating film with a predetermined thickness on the predetermined surface of the substrate while shortening the time required to complete die positioning.

[0011] Furthermore, the control unit may store adjustment condition information that links an instruction value given to the drive unit when controlling the drive unit, and a measurement result obtained by the measuring unit after operating the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism respectively with the drive unit controlled to achieve the instruction value, and measuring the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate. The control unit may also be configured to control the drive unit so that the stored adjustment condition information matches the instruction value linked to the measurement result obtained by the measuring unit that matches the predetermined thickness.

[0012] With this configuration, if the control unit stores adjustment condition information that includes measurement results from the measuring unit that match the thickness of the coating film to be formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate (a predetermined thickness), the drive unit is controlled so that the adjustment condition information corresponds to the instruction value linked to the measurement result, thereby operating the moving mechanism and angle adjustment mechanism to position the die. This allows for faster die positioning than when the moving mechanism and angle adjustment mechanism are operated until the thickness of the coating film measured by the measuring unit reaches the predetermined thickness. Therefore, the time required to complete die positioning can be further reduced.

[0013] The system may also further include a camera unit for photographing the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, and the control unit may determine whether or not there are defects in the coating film based on the results of the camera unit's photography, and if it is determined that there are defects in the coating film, it may be configured to control the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism so that the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port becomes a positional relationship in which no defects occur in the coating film.

[0014] With this configuration, if the control unit determines from the camera's imaging results that there is a defect in the coating, it controls the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port becomes a positional relationship that does not cause defects in the coating, thereby suppressing the occurrence of defects in the coating.

[0015] Alternatively, the die may dispense the coating liquid onto the predetermined surface of the substrate while it is moving, and the control unit may determine whether or not vertical streaks are present in the coating film based on the results captured by the camera unit. If it is determined that vertical streaks are present in the coating film, the control unit may be configured to operate the moving mechanism to widen the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port.

[0016] With this configuration, if the control unit determines, based on the results of the camera's imaging of the coating film, that vertical streaks have formed in the coating film, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism to widen the gap between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port. This reduces the shear force that the coating liquid discharged from the discharge port receives from the substrate as it travels. As a result, the formation of vertical streaks in the coating film can be suppressed.

[0017] Furthermore, the moving mechanism may have a width-moving mechanism that moves the die in the width direction of the substrate, and the control unit may determine whether the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from a predetermined position based on the results of the camera unit, and if it is determined that the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from the predetermined position, it may be configured to control the drive unit that operates the width-moving mechanism so that the position where the coating film is formed becomes the predetermined position.

[0018] With this configuration, if the control unit determines, based on the camera's imaging results, that the position where the coating film is formed is shifted from a predetermined position in the width direction of the substrate (hereinafter referred to as the width direction), it controls the drive unit that operates the width movement mechanism to adjust the position of the die in the width direction so that the position where the coating film is formed becomes the predetermined position. This suppresses the shift in the width direction of the substrate where the coating film is formed.

[0019] Further, the control unit may determine whether or not the dimension in the width direction of the coating film is a predetermined dimension based on the imaging result by the camera unit, and when it is determined that the dimension in the width direction of the coating film is larger than the predetermined dimension, the control unit controls the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism so as to widen the interval between the predetermined surface of the base material and the discharge port, and when it is determined that the dimension in the width direction of the coating film is smaller than the predetermined dimension, the control unit may be configured to control the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism so as to narrow the interval between the predetermined surface of the base material and the discharge port.

[0020] According to this configuration, when the control unit determines that the dimension in the width direction of the coating film is larger than the predetermined dimension based on the imaging result by the camera unit, the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism is controlled so as to widen the interval between the predetermined surface of the base material and the discharge port, thereby reducing the dimension in the width direction of the coating film, and when it is determined that the dimension in the width direction of the coating film is smaller than the predetermined dimension, the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism is controlled so as to narrow the interval between the predetermined surface of the base material and the discharge port, thereby increasing the dimension in the width direction of the coating film. This makes it possible to set the dimension in the width direction of the coating film to the predetermined dimension. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the coating apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to form a coating film having a predetermined thickness on a predetermined surface of a base material while shortening the time required until the positioning of the die is completed. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing the coating apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram for explaining the coating apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining the coating apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing the coating apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0023] [First Embodiment] The coating apparatus in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the three axes of the orthogonal coordinate system are defined as X, Y, and Z, the horizontal directions are expressed as the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the XY plane (that is, the vertical direction) is expressed as the Z-axis direction. In the present embodiment, an example in which the coating apparatus is used for forming a positive electrode or a negative electrode of a lithium ion battery will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the coating apparatus 100 in the present embodiment. Figure 2 and Figure 3 are diagrams for explaining the coating apparatus 100 in the present embodiment, Figure 2 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow B in Figure 1. Note that in Figure 2 and Figure 3, the coating roll 21 and the supply mechanism 4 are omitted from the illustration.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the coating apparatus 100 includes a transport mechanism 2 that transports the base material 1, and a coating mechanism 3 that applies a coating liquid, which is an electrode material, to a predetermined surface of the base material 1. Then, the coating mechanism 3 applies the coating liquid to the predetermined surface of the base material 1 being transported by the transport mechanism 2, thereby forming a coating film on the predetermined surface of the base material 1. Thereby, the positive electrode or the negative electrode of the lithium ion battery is formed.

[0026] The base material 1 is a metal foil that serves as a battery electrode plate of a lithium ion battery, and an aluminum foil or the like is used when constituting a positive electrode, and a copper foil or the like is used when constituting a negative electrode. This base material 1 is a strip-shaped sheet that is long in one direction, and is transported by the transport mechanism 2 so as to pass through each part constituting the coating apparatus 100.

[0027] The coating liquid is, for example, a slurry obtained by mixing an active material, a binder, and a conductive auxiliary agent with a solvent, and is used as a material for a battery electrode plate of a lithium ion battery. This coating liquid is applied to the predetermined surface of the base material 1 by the coating mechanism 3, whereby a coating film is formed.

[0028] The transport mechanism 2 is for continuously transporting the substrate 1 in its longitudinal direction and employs a roll-to-roll system in which multiple rolls rotate to transport the substrate 1. In this embodiment, only the coating roll 21 that guides the substrate 1 to the location where the coating liquid is applied by the coating mechanism 3 is shown. This coating roll 21 is positioned opposite the discharge port 32 of the die 31 of the coating mechanism 3 and holds the substrate 1 from the back side of a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 with a predetermined gripping angle. This allows the substrate 1 to be transported while maintaining a constant distance from the discharge port 32 of the die 31.

[0029] The coating mechanism 3 is for forming a coating film on a predetermined surface of a substrate 1 that is transported by the transport mechanism 2 by applying a coating liquid to that predetermined surface of the substrate 1. The coating mechanism 3 comprises a die 31 having a discharge port 32 for discharging the coating liquid, and a supply mechanism 4 for supplying the coating liquid to the die 31.

[0030] The die 31 is formed to be elongated in one direction, and is elongated along the width direction (Y-axis direction shown in Figure 1) which is perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1 in the in-plane direction of the substrate 1. The coating roll 21 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the die 31 such that the rotation axis direction of the coating roll 21 and the longitudinal direction of the die 31 are parallel. In the following description, the width direction which is perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1 in the in-plane direction of the substrate 1 will also be referred to as the width direction in the description of the die 31, etc.

[0031] The die 31 has a discharge port 32 for discharging the coating liquid, a manifold 33 that is long in the width direction and stores the coating liquid, and a slit 34 connecting the discharge port 32 and the manifold 33. Specifically, the die 31 is constructed by combining a first divided body 31a, which has a tapered upstream lip 35 and a groove, and a second divided body 31b, which has a tapered downstream lip 36 and a groove, with a roughly U-shaped shim 37 sandwiched between them. The manifold 33 and the slit 34 are formed inside, and the discharge port 32 is formed between the upstream lip 35 and the downstream lip 36. The discharge port 32 opens to the same length as the slit 34 in the width direction.

[0032] The supply mechanism 4 is for supplying the coating liquid to the die 31 and includes a tank 41 for storing the coating liquid, a supply passage 42 connecting the manifold 33 and the tank 41, and a pump (not shown) for transporting the coating liquid. When the coating liquid stored in the tank 41 is supplied to the manifold 33 through the supply passage 42 by the pump, it is discharged from the discharge port 32 through the slit 34. As a result, the coating liquid is applied to a predetermined surface of the substrate 1, and a coating film is formed.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the coating apparatus 100 is further equipped with a moving mechanism 5 that moves the die 31 in a direction toward and away from the substrate 1, and an angle adjustment mechanism 6 that rotates the die 31 to adjust the angle of the discharge port 32 with respect to a predetermined surface of the substrate 1. By operating the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 respectively, the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1.

[0034] Let me explain in detail. The moving mechanism 5 includes a first moving mechanism 51 that moves the die 31 in a direction perpendicular to the width direction (the X-axis direction shown in Figure 1) within the wall surface of the slit 34 which is long in the width direction that forms the slit 34, that is, within the top surface of the second divided body 31b shown in Figure 1, and a second moving mechanism 52 that moves the die 31 in the vertical direction (the Z-axis direction shown in Figure 1).

[0035] The first moving mechanism 51 is for moving the die 31 in the X-axis direction and includes a support base 53 that supports the die 31, rails 54 provided on the support base 53, a carriage 55 that travels on the rails 54, and a drive unit (not shown) that drives the carriage 55. The rails 54 are rod-shaped members formed to be long in the X-axis direction, and multiple rails are provided on the support base 53 so as to be aligned along the width direction. The carriage 55 is configured to travel on the multiple rails 54 while holding the die 31. The drive unit drives the carriage 55, causing the carriage 55 to travel on the multiple rails 54 and move the die 31 in the X-axis direction.

[0036] The second moving mechanism 52 is for moving the die 31 in the Z-axis direction and includes a base 56 that supports the die 31 and the support base 53, a lifting section 57 that connects the support base 53 and the base 56 and raises and lowers the support base 53, and a drive unit (not shown) that drives the lifting section 57. The lifting section 57 is configured to raise and lower the support base 53 by extending and retracting in the vertical direction. By driving the lifting section 57 with the drive unit, the lifting section 57 is extended and retracted to raise and lower the support base 53, and the die 31 is moved in the Z-axis direction.

[0037] The angle adjustment mechanism 6 includes a rotating shaft portion 61 for rotating the die 31 and a drive unit (not shown) for driving the rotating shaft portion 61. The rotating shaft portion 61 is a rotation axis parallel to the width direction and is connected to each end of the die 31 in the width direction and is rotatably held by the carriage 55. By driving the rotating shaft portion 61 with the drive unit, the rotating shaft portion 61 is rotated, causing the die 31 to rotate and the angle of the discharge port 32 with respect to a predetermined surface of the base material 1 is adjusted. It is preferable that the center of the rotating shaft portion 61 is connected to each end of the die 31 in the width direction such that its rotation axis center passes through the center of gravity of the die 31. This allows the die 31 to rotate stably.

[0038] Then, the movement mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 move the die 31 in a direction toward and away from the substrate 1, and adjust the angle of the discharge port 32 with respect to a predetermined surface of the substrate 1. By adjusting the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, that is, the distance between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 and the angle of the discharge port 32 with respect to the predetermined surface of the substrate 1, the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 is adjusted. Specifically, when the amount of coating liquid discharged from the discharge port 32 is constant, adjusting the distance between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 to increase the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 increases, and adjusting the distance between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 to decrease the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 decreases.

[0039] In this embodiment, the coating apparatus 100 adjusts the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, i.e., the positioning of the die 31, using the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6, so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 is a predetermined thickness. The angle adjustment mechanism 6 basically adjusts the angle of the discharge port 32 so that the coating liquid is discharged in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined surface of the substrate 1.

[0040] If, in the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the die 31 is positioned manually as in a conventional coating apparatus, it becomes difficult to achieve both accuracy in the thickness of the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and a reduction in the time required for positioning the die 31.

[0041] Specifically, in the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment, when the die 31 is positioned manually, as in conventional coating apparatuses, the die 31 is positioned by repeatedly performing the following operations: applying the coating liquid to a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 with the die 31, observing the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1, and manually moving the die 31 in the direction in which the discharge port 32 approaches and moves away from the predetermined surface of the substrate 1, while also adjusting the angle of the discharge port 32 with respect to the predetermined surface of the substrate 1. Increasing the number of trials of the above operation improves the accuracy of the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1, and allows for the formation of a coating film of a predetermined thickness on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1. However, because the above operation is performed manually, errors are more likely to occur in the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 after the die 31 is positioned, and the number of trials of the above operation required to complete the positioning of the die 31 increases. As a result, the time required to complete the positioning of the die 31 becomes longer.

[0042] In contrast, the coating apparatus 100 in this embodiment further includes a measuring unit 7 for measuring the thickness of the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6, respectively. The drive units of the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 are electrically powered (for example, motors), and the control unit controls each drive unit so that the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 becomes such that the thickness of the coating film is the predetermined thickness, based on the measurement results from the measuring unit 7. In other words, in this embodiment, the coating apparatus 100 operates the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6, respectively, by controlling the drive units based on the measurement results from the measuring unit 7, thereby positioning the die 31.

[0043] Let me explain in detail. The measuring unit 7 is for measuring the thickness of the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 by the die 31, and is located downstream of the die 31 in the transport direction of the substrate 1. This measuring unit 7 is, for example, an infrared sensor and is configured to measure the thickness of the coating film non-contact. The measurement result from the measuring unit 7 is then transmitted to the control unit.

[0044] The control unit controls the operation of the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 by controlling the drive units provided in each of them. This control unit is, for example, composed of a general-purpose computer device. The control unit then positions the die 31 by controlling the respective drive units based on the measurement results from the measuring unit 7 to operate the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 until the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that the thickness of the coating film measured by the measuring unit 7 reaches a predetermined thickness.

[0045] In this embodiment, the coating apparatus 100 controls the respective drive units by the control unit so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that the thickness of the coating film is a predetermined thickness, based on the measurement results from the measuring unit 7. This controls the movement mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 to position the die 31. Compared to conventional coating apparatuses where the die 31 is manually positioned while observing the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1, it is possible to fine-tune the die 31 so that the error between the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 after the die 31 is positioned and the predetermined thickness is reduced, thereby shortening the time required to complete the positioning of the die 31. Therefore, it is possible to form a coating film with a predetermined thickness on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 while shortening the time required to complete the positioning of the die 31.

[0046] Furthermore, the control unit in this embodiment stores adjustment condition information that links the instruction value given to each drive unit when controlling each drive unit, and the measurement result obtained by the measuring unit 7 after the moving mechanism 5 and angle adjustment mechanism 6 have been operated by each drive unit controlled to meet the instruction value, and the thickness of the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1.

[0047] The control unit then controls the drive unit so that the instruction value is linked to the measurement result from the measuring unit 7 that matches the predetermined thickness in the stored adjustment condition information. Specifically, before positioning the die 31, if there is adjustment condition information that includes a measurement result from the measuring unit 7 that matches the input value of the thickness of the coating film to be formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 (the predetermined thickness), the control unit controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 so that the instruction value is linked to the measurement result in that adjustment condition information. This makes it possible to complete the positioning of the die 31 at a higher speed than when the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 are operated by trial and error until the thickness of the coating film in the measurement result from the measuring unit 7 becomes the predetermined thickness. Therefore, it is possible to form a coating film with a predetermined thickness on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 while further shortening the time required to complete the positioning of the die 31.

[0048] Furthermore, if there is no adjustment condition information including a measurement result from the measuring unit 7 that matches the input value of the thickness of the coating film to be formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 (the predetermined thickness), the control unit controls the respective drive units to operate the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 so that the instruction value is linked to the measurement result of the coating film thickness that has the closest thickness to the predetermined thickness among the measurement results from the measuring unit 7 included in the adjustment condition information stored in the control unit. As a result, the die 31 is positioned so that the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that the thickness of the coating film in the measurement result from the measuring unit 7 is close to the predetermined thickness, and the moving mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 are operated to position the die 31 until the thickness of the coating film in the measurement result from the measuring unit 7 becomes the predetermined thickness. Therefore, even if there is no adjustment condition information that includes a measurement result from the measuring unit 7 that matches the input value of the thickness of the coating film to be formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 (a predetermined thickness), it becomes possible to complete the positioning of the die 31 faster than if the movement mechanism 5 and angle adjustment mechanism 6 were operated by trial and error from scratch until the thickness of the coating film in the measurement result from the measuring unit 7 became the predetermined thickness.

[0049] As described above, with the coating apparatus 100, the control unit controls the respective drive units so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that the thickness of the coating film is a predetermined thickness, based on the measurement results from the measuring unit 7. By doing so, the movement mechanism 5 and the angle adjustment mechanism 6 are operated to position the die 31. Therefore, compared to the conventional method of manually positioning the die 31 while observing the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1, it becomes possible to fine-tune the positioning so that the error between the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 after the die 31 is positioned and the predetermined thickness is reduced, thereby shortening the time required to complete the positioning of the die 31. Consequently, it is possible to form a coating film with a predetermined thickness on a predetermined surface of the substrate while shortening the time required to complete the positioning of the die 31.

[0050] Furthermore, by shortening the time required for the die 31 to be positioned, the amount of coating liquid applied from the die 31 onto a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 can be reduced until the thickness of the coating film reaches a predetermined thickness, as measured by the measuring unit 7.

[0051] [Second Embodiment] Next, the coating apparatus 100 in the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4. The coating apparatus 100 in this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes a camera unit 8 for photographing the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1, and adjusts the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 based on the results of the photography by the camera unit 8. In the following description, specific details of points that are the same as in the first embodiment will be omitted, and the differences will be described in detail.

[0052] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the coating apparatus 100 in this embodiment.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, the coating apparatus 100 in this embodiment further includes a camera unit 8 for photographing the coating film formed on a predetermined surface of the substrate 1. The camera unit 8 is positioned above the substrate 1 to photograph the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate 1. The image or video of the coating film captured by this camera unit 8 is transmitted to the control unit as the shooting result.

[0054] The control unit stores images of cases where defects occur in the coating. The control unit then analyzes the images captured by the camera unit 8 to determine whether or not there are defects in the coating. If it determines that there are defects in the coating, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that no defects occur in the coating.

[0055] In this embodiment, the control unit determines whether or not vertical streaks are present in the coating film based on the image captured by the camera unit 8. If the control unit determines that vertical streaks are present in the coating film based on the image captured by the camera unit 8, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 in order to widen the gap between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32. Vertical streaks are streaks that appear on the surface of the coating film along the transport direction of the substrate 1, and are caused by the coating liquid discharged from the discharge port 32 being stretched by excessive shear force from the moving substrate 1.

[0056] Furthermore, the moving mechanism 5 in this embodiment has a width moving mechanism 9. The width moving mechanism 9 is for moving the die 31 in the width direction (Y-axis direction shown in Figure 4) of the base material 1, and includes a second base 91 that supports the base 56, rails 92 provided on the second base 91, a carriage 93 that travels on the rails 92, and a drive unit (not shown) that drives the carriage 93. Multiple rails 92 are provided so as to be aligned along the X-axis direction. The carriage 93 is configured to travel on multiple rails 92 while supporting the base 56. The drive unit drives the carriage 93, causing the carriage 93 to travel on the multiple rails 92 and move the die 31 in the width direction.

[0057] In this embodiment, the control unit determines, based on the image captured by the camera unit 8, whether the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from a predetermined position. If the control unit determines, based on the image captured by the camera unit 8, that the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from a predetermined position, it controls the drive unit to move the carriage 93 and adjust the position of the die 31 in the width direction so that the position where the coating film is formed becomes the predetermined position.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit determines whether the dimensions of the coating film in the width direction are predetermined based on the results captured by the camera unit 8. If the control unit determines, based on the results captured by the camera unit 8, that the dimensions of the coating film in the width direction are greater than predetermined, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 in order to widen the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32. If the control unit determines, based on the results captured by the camera unit 8, that the dimensions of the coating film in the width direction are smaller than predetermined, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 in order to narrow the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32.

[0059] Furthermore, the determination of whether or not there are defects in the coating film based on the camera unit 8's imaging results by the control unit in this embodiment, and the adjustment of the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 when it is determined that there are defects in the coating film, may be performed simultaneously with or before / after the adjustment of the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, which is performed based on the measurement results of the measurement unit 7 by the control unit as described in the first embodiment, so that the thickness of the coating film becomes a predetermined thickness.

[0060] In this case, the predetermined thickness refers to the thickness of the coating film when an error occurs within a predetermined tolerance range, centered around the ideal coating film thickness that is completely free from the target thickness during coating film formation. The predetermined tolerance range is the range within which the thickness of the coating film formed in a subsequent process (in this embodiment, a lithium-ion battery) is acceptable as a good product, even if an error occurs from the ideal coating film thickness that is completely free from the target thickness during coating film formation.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the control unit determines that there is a defect in the coating film based on the results captured by the camera unit 8, it may not only adjust the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, but also control the operation of the pump of the supply mechanism 4 to adjust the amount of coating liquid supplied to the die 31 in order to prevent such defects from occurring. Specifically, for example, if the control unit determines that vertical streaks have occurred in the coating film based on the results captured by the camera unit 8, and also determines that the width dimension of the coating film is smaller than a predetermined dimension, it may control the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 to widen the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 in order to prevent vertical streaks from occurring in the coating film, and may also control the pump to increase the amount of coating liquid supplied to the die 31 so that the amount of coating liquid discharged from the discharge port 32 increases, in order to make the width dimension of the coating film the predetermined dimension.

[0062] As described above, with the coating apparatus 100, if the control unit determines from the results of the camera unit 8 that there is a defect in the coating film, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism 5 so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that no defect occurs in the coating film, thereby suppressing the occurrence of defects in the coating film.

[0063] Furthermore, if the control unit determines, based on the results of the camera unit 8's imaging of the coating film, that vertical streaks have formed in the coating film, it controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism so as to widen the gap between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32. This reduces the shear force that the coating liquid discharged from the discharge port 32 receives from the substrate 1 as it travels. As a result, the formation of vertical streaks in the coating film can be suppressed.

[0064] Furthermore, if the control unit determines, based on the image captured by the camera unit 8, that the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from a predetermined position, it controls the drive unit to operate the width movement mechanism 9 to adjust the position of the die 31 in the width direction so that the position where the coating film is formed becomes the predetermined position. This suppresses the shift in the width direction of the substrate 1 where the coating film is formed.

[0065] Furthermore, if the control unit determines, based on the results captured by the camera unit 8, that the widthwise dimension of the coating film is larger than a predetermined dimension, it controls the drive unit to operate the movement mechanism 5 so as to widen the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, thereby reducing the widthwise dimension of the coating film. Conversely, if the control unit determines that the widthwise dimension of the coating film is smaller than a predetermined dimension, it controls the drive unit to operate the movement mechanism 5 so as to narrow the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, thereby increasing the widthwise dimension of the coating film. This makes it possible to set the widthwise dimension of the coating film to a predetermined dimension.

[0066] Furthermore, the control unit determines whether or not there are defects in the coating film based on the results captured by the camera unit 8, and if it is determined that there are defects in the coating film, it adjusts the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32. This adjustment is performed simultaneously with or before / after the adjustment of the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32, based on the measurement results of the measurement unit 7, so that the coating film thickness is the predetermined thickness. Therefore, the die 31 can be positioned so that the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 is such that the coating film is of the predetermined thickness and does not produce defects in the coating film.

[0067] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the configurations and combinations thereof in the above embodiments are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications to the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the second embodiment described above, an example was described in which the control unit controls the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism 5 so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32 becomes a positional relationship that does not cause defects in the coating film when the control unit determines that there is a defect in the coating film based on the results of the camera unit 8. However, not only the moving mechanism 5 but also the angle adjustment 6 may be operated to adjust the positional relationship between the predetermined surface of the substrate 1 and the discharge port 32. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 100 Coating device 1 Base material 2. Conveying mechanism 21 Coating Roll 3. Coating mechanism 31 Die 31a 1st division body 31b Second division body 32 Discharge port 33 Manifold 34 slits 35 Upper lip 36 Lower lip 37 Sims 4 Supply mechanism 41 tanks 42 Supply route 5 Moving mechanism 51 1st movement mechanism 52 Second movement mechanism 53 Support stand 54 rails 55 Carriage 56 Base 57 Lifting section 6 Angle adjustment mechanism 61 Rotating shaft section 7 Measuring part 8 Camera section 9 Width movement mechanism 91 Second base 92 rails 93 Carriage

Claims

1. Equipped with a die having a discharge port for dispensing a coating liquid, A coating apparatus that forms a coating film on a predetermined surface of a substrate by discharging a coating liquid from the discharge port onto the predetermined surface of the substrate, A moving mechanism that moves the die in a direction toward and away from the substrate at the discharge port, An angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts the angle of the discharge port with respect to the predetermined surface of the substrate by rotating the die with an axis parallel to the width direction of the substrate as the axis of rotation, A measuring unit for measuring the thickness of the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, The system further comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the aforementioned moving mechanism and the aforementioned angle adjustment mechanism, The coating apparatus is characterized in that the control unit controls the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism, respectively, so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port becomes such that the thickness of the coating film is a predetermined thickness, based on the measurement results from the measuring unit.

2. The coating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit stores adjustment condition information linked to an instruction value given to the drive unit when controlling the drive unit, and a measurement result obtained by the measuring unit after the drive unit has operated the moving mechanism and the angle adjustment mechanism respectively to obtain the instruction value, and the control unit controls the drive unit to obtain the instruction value linked to the measurement result obtained by the measuring unit that matches the predetermined thickness in the stored adjustment condition information.

3. The system further includes a camera unit for photographing the coating film formed on the predetermined surface of the substrate, The coating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit determines whether or not there are defects in the coating film based on the results captured by the camera unit, and if it is determined that there are defects in the coating film, controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism so that the positional relationship between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port becomes a positional relationship in which no defects occur in the coating film.

4. The die dispenses the coating liquid onto the predetermined surface of the substrate while it is in motion. The coating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit determines whether or not vertical streaks are present in the coating film based on the results captured by the camera unit, and if it determines that vertical streaks are present in the coating film, controls the drive unit to operate the moving mechanism to widen the gap between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port.

5. The aforementioned moving mechanism has a width moving mechanism that moves the die in the width direction of the base material, The coating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit determines, based on the results of the camera unit's imaging, whether the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from a predetermined position, and if it determines that the position where the coating film is formed is shifted in the width direction from the predetermined position, it controls the drive unit to operate the width movement mechanism so that the position where the coating film is formed becomes the predetermined position.

6. The control unit determines, based on the results captured by the camera unit, whether the dimensions in the width direction of the coating film are predetermined dimensions. If it is determined that the width dimension of the coating film is larger than the predetermined dimension, the drive unit that operates the moving mechanism is controlled to widen the gap between the predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port. The coating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that when it is determined that the width dimension of the coating film is smaller than the predetermined dimension, the drive unit controls the movement mechanism to narrow the distance between a predetermined surface of the substrate and the discharge port.

Images