Electrode manufacturing apparatus including a die for forming an insulating layer

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus comprising a coater roller positioned to support an electrode sheet material, a moving space portion on which the electrode sheet material moves due to the rotation of the coater roller, and an insulating layer forming die installed on the moving path of the electrode sheet material, wherein the insulating layer forming die includes a nozzle portion for spraying insulating liquid onto the electrode sheet material, a first angle adjustment portion for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, a second angle adjustment portion for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, and an azimuth angle adjustment portion formed in an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller, and capable of moving the position of the nozzle portion along the arc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrode manufacturing apparatus including a die for forming an insulating layer.

Background Art

[0002] With the development of technologies related to mobile devices and the increasing demand, the demand for secondary batteries has also been rapidly increasing. Among them, lithium secondary batteries are widely used as an energy source for various electronic products, not to mention various mobile devices, because of their high energy density, operating voltage, and excellent storage and life characteristics.

[0003] In such secondary batteries, one of the main research issues is to improve safety. The main cause of battery safety-related accidents is the attainment of an abnormal high-temperature state due to a short circuit between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. That is, in a normal situation, a separator is located between the positive electrode and the negative electrode to maintain electrical insulation. However, in abnormal misuse situations such as when the battery causes overcharging or over-discharging, internal short circuits are caused by dendritic growth or foreign matter in the electrode material, sharp objects such as nails or screws penetrate the battery, or unreasonable deformation is applied to the battery by external force, the conventional separator alone has limitations.

[0004] In addition, separators mainly made of polyolefin resins also have insufficient heat resistance as their heat resistance temperature is about 120 to 160°C. Therefore, when an internal short circuit occurs, there is a problem that the separator shrinks due to the short-circuit reaction heat, the short-circuit part expands, and it reaches a thermal runaway state where more and larger reaction heats are generated.

[0005] Therefore, in order to maintain the insulation of the battery electrodes and reduce the possibility of short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes, an insulating layer is coated on the electrodes, generally on a portion of the positive electrode. For example, the insulating layer can be formed so as to partially overlap the end portion of the active material layer with the portion of the electrode current collector on which the active material layer is not formed (the plain portion). This prevents the positive electrode tab portion and the negative electrode from coming into direct contact when the separator shrinks due to abnormally high temperatures, thereby improving safety. Here, the active material layer can be formed so that its end portion has a slope toward the current collector, depending on the viscosity characteristics of the electrode slurry.

[0006] The insulating layer is formed by spraying an insulating liquid at the desired location, and the spraying of the insulating liquid can be performed via an insulating layer forming die. Conventionally, the insulating layer forming die has been fixed in place, taking into consideration the desired position and thickness of the insulating layer. Here, selecting the appropriate position of the insulating layer forming die is an important issue. For example, if the distance between the active material layer and the insulating layer forming die is too close, a scratching phenomenon occurs in the coated area of ​​the active material layer. If the distance between the active material layer and the insulating layer forming die is increased to prevent this, the thickness of the formed insulating layer becomes excessively thick, the insulating layer may swell due to the electrolyte, and there is a risk of morphological changes such as bending of the electrode shape, and detachment of the insulating layer. In particular, considering that a slope may be formed at the end of the active material layer due to the viscosity characteristics of the electrode slurry, the above problem cannot be solved by conventional insulating layer forming dies.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a die for forming an insulating layer that can thinly and uniformly form an insulating layer at the desired location on the electrode. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] One objective of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an electrode manufacturing apparatus that can significantly prevent scratches on the active material layer, variations in the thickness of the formed insulating layer, and changes in the electrode shape due to an increase in the thickness of the insulating layer, by installing an insulating layer forming die in the electrode manufacturing apparatus that can adjust the position and angle of the nozzle part without damaging the active material layer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] [1] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus comprising a coater roller arranged to support an electrode sheet material, a moving space portion on which the electrode sheet material moves by the rotation of the coater roller, and an insulating layer forming die installed on the moving path of the electrode sheet material, wherein the insulating layer forming die includes a nozzle portion for spraying insulating liquid onto the electrode sheet material, a first angle adjustment portion for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, a second angle adjustment portion for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, and an azimuth angle adjustment portion formed in an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller, and capable of moving the position of the nozzle portion along the arc.

[0010] [2] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in the present invention, the die for forming the insulating layer is installed at a distance from the electrode sheet material.

[0011] [3] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [2], the electrode manufacturing apparatus further includes a position adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the die for forming the insulating layer.

[0012] [4] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [3], the position adjustment unit includes at least one of the following: a first linear guide formed along the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material; a second linear guide formed along a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material; and a third linear guide for adjusting the position of the insulating layer forming die in the height direction.

[0013] [5] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [4], the electrode sheet material includes a current collector and an active material layer disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the current collector, and the nozzle portion is adjusted in position and angle so that an insulating liquid is sprayed onto the active material layer.

[0014] [6] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [5], the active material layer includes at least one inclined portion toward the current collector and a flat portion partitioned excluding the inclined portion, and the nozzle portion is configured such that the spray position and angle of the insulating liquid are adjusted so that an insulating layer is formed on at least a part of the inclined portion.

[0015] [7] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [6], the current collector includes a plain portion adjacent to the inclined portion on which no active material layer is formed, and the nozzle portion has an adjustable spray position and angle for insulating liquid such that an insulating layer is formed continuously over at least a portion of the inclined portion and at least a portion of the plain portion.

[0016] [8] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [7], the insulating layer forming dies are a plurality, and the plurality of insulating layer forming dies are arranged sequentially in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material.

[0017] [9] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [8], the position and angle of each nozzle portion included in the plurality of insulating layer forming dies are adjusted to form two or more insulating layers.

[0018]

[10] The present invention provides an electrode manufacturing apparatus in which, in any one or more of the above [1] to [9], the electrode manufacturing apparatus further includes a drying section which is located behind the spray position of the nozzle section with respect to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a die for forming an insulating layer. The die for forming the insulating layer includes an angle adjustment unit (a first angle adjustment unit and a second angle adjustment unit) for adjusting the injection angle of the nozzle unit, and an azimuth angle adjustment unit capable of adjusting the position of the nozzle unit so as to be orthogonal to the rotation axis of the coater roller. Thereby, the distance between the nozzle part of the die for forming the insulating layer and the application position of the insulating liquid can be minimized to a level where scratches or displacements do not occur in the active material layer, the insulating layer can be formed thinly and uniformly, and it is possible to realize an electrode having excellent quality.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram for explaining an electrode manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a plan view for explaining the positions of the coater roller and the azimuth angle adjustment unit in the electrode manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional electrode manufacturing apparatus.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] First, before describing the present invention, terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. The inventors should interpret them in meanings and concepts consistent with the technical idea of the present invention in accordance with the principle that they can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain their invention in the best way.

[0022] On the other hand, the terms used in this specification are merely used to explain exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless they have clearly different meanings in the context.

[0023] In this specification, terms such as "comprising", "including", or "having" are intended to specify that there are implemented features, numbers, steps, components, or combinations thereof, and should be understood not to preclude in advance the existence or possibility of addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, components, or combinations thereof.

[0024] Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail. When attaching reference numerals to the components of each drawing, the same components can have, as far as possible, the same reference numerals even if they are shown on different drawings. Further, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that a specific description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof may be omitted.

[0025] Electrode Manufacturing Apparatus The present invention relates to an electrode manufacturing apparatus, and specifically, to an electrode manufacturing apparatus for a lithium secondary battery.

[0026] Specifically, referring to FIG. 1, the electrode manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a coater roller 10 disposed to support an electrode sheet material 20, a moving space portion 30 in which the electrode sheet material 20 moves due to the rotation of the coater roller 10, and an insulating layer forming die 40 installed on the moving path of the electrode sheet material 20. The insulating layer forming die 40 includes a nozzle portion 41 that injects an insulating liquid onto the electrode sheet material 20, a first angle adjusting portion 42 that adjusts the angle of the nozzle portion 41 in the moving direction of the electrode sheet material 20, a second angle adjusting portion 43 that adjusts the angle of the nozzle portion 41 in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the electrode sheet material 20, and an azimuth angle adjusting portion 44 that is formed by drawing an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller 10 and is configured to move the position of the nozzle portion 41 along the arc.

[0027] The coater roller 10 is disposed to support the electrode sheet material 20.

[0028] The coater roller 10 may be a cylindrical roller, as shown in Figure 1, and as the coater roller 10 rotates, the electrode sheet material 20 can be transferred in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20 (machine direction, MD).

[0029] The electrode sheet material 20 may be in sheet form. Specifically, although not shown in Figure 1, the electrode sheet material can be transferred to the coater roller when the electrode roll on which the electrode sheet material is wound is unwound, and the coater roller supports the transferred electrode sheet material, and the electrode sheet material can move in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material by the rotation of the coater roller.

[0030] The electrode sheet material 20 may be a positive electrode sheet material or a negative electrode sheet material, and more specifically, it may be a positive electrode sheet material.

[0031] The electrode sheet material 20 may include a current collector 21 and an active material layer 22 disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the current collector 21. The active material layer 22 may be disposed on one or both sides of the current collector 21. The nozzle portion 41, described later, can be adjusted in position and angle to spray insulating liquid onto the active material layer 22.

[0032] Specifically, the active material layer 22 may include an inclined portion 221 that slopes toward the current collector 21 at at least one end, and a flat portion 222 that is partitioned excluding the inclined portion 221. The inclined portion 221 may be formed by the viscosity characteristics of the electrode slurry for forming the active material layer 22. Here, the insulating layer 50, which will be described later, may be formed by coating at least a portion of the inclined portion 221. Alternatively, the nozzle portion 41, which will be described later, can be adjusted to spray the insulating liquid at a position and angle such that the insulating layer is formed on at least a portion of the inclined portion 221.

[0033] Furthermore, the current collector 21 may further include a plain area adjacent to the inclined portion 221 where the active material layer 22 is not formed. Here, the insulating layer 50, which will be described later, can be formed continuously over at least a portion of the inclined portion 221 and at least a portion of the plain area. Alternatively, the nozzle portion 41, which will be described later, can be adjusted to spray the insulating liquid at a position and angle such that the insulating layer 50 is formed continuously over at least a portion of the inclined portion 221 and at least a portion of the plain area.

[0034] The electrode sheet material 20, current collector 21, and active material layer 22 can be any substance or component known in this field without limitation.

[0035] The current collector is not particularly limited as long as it does not cause chemical changes in the battery and has high conductivity. Specifically, the current collector may include at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, titanium, calcined carbon, and aluminum-cadmium alloy. For example, if the electrode or active material layer is the positive electrode or positive electrode active material layer, the current collector may include aluminum, and if the electrode or active material layer is the negative electrode or negative electrode active material layer, the current collector may include copper.

[0036] The current collector can be used in various forms, such as films, sheets, foils, nets, meshes, porous materials, foams, and nonwoven fabrics. The current collector may also include a polymer layer and metal layers disposed on both sides of the polymer layer, and the metal layers may include at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, titanium, calcined carbon, and aluminum-cadmium alloys.

[0037] The active material layer 22 may contain active material.

[0038] Specifically, when the active material is a negative electrode active material, the negative electrode active material (electrode active material) can be, for example, a compound that allows for reversible intercalation and deintercalation of lithium. Specific examples of negative electrode active materials include carbonaceous materials such as artificial graphite, natural graphite, graphitized carbon fiber, and amorphous carbon; metallic compounds that can alloy with lithium, such as Si, Al, Sn, Pb, Zn, Bi, In, Mg, Ga, Cd, Si alloys, Sn alloys, or Al alloys; metallic oxides that can be doped and dedoped with lithium, such as SiOβ (0<β<2), SnO2, vanadium oxide, and lithium vanadium oxide; or composites containing the metallic compounds and carbonaceous materials, such as Si-C composites or Sn-C composites. One or more of these mixtures can be used. Furthermore, a metallic lithium thin film may be used as the negative electrode active material. In addition, both low-crystallinity carbon and high-crystallinity carbon can be used as carbon materials. Typical examples of low-crystalline carbon include soft carbon and hard carbon, while typical examples of high-crystalline carbon include amorphous, plate-like, flaky, spherical, or fibrous natural or artificial graphite, Kish graphite, pyrolytic carbon, mesophase pitch-based carbon fiber, meso-carbon microbeads, mesophase pitches, and high-temperature calcined carbon such as petroleum or coal tar pitch-derived cokes.

[0039] Furthermore, specifically, when the active material is a positive electrode active material, the positive electrode active material (electrode active material) is not particularly limited, and any positive electrode active material well known in the art can be used without restriction. Specifically, the positive electrode active material may be a layered compound such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) or lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2), or a compound substituted with one or more transition metals; lithium iron oxide such as LiFe3O4; lithium manganese oxide such as Li1+c1Mn2-c1O4 (0≦c1≦0.33), LiMnO3, LiMn2O3, LiMnO2; lithium copper oxide (Li2CuO2); vanadium oxide such as LiV3O8, V2O5, Cu2V2O7; or LiNi1-c2Mc2O2 (where M is selected from the group consisting of Co, Mn, Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, B, and Ga). Examples include Ni-site type lithium nickel oxide represented by the chemical formula LiMn2-c3Mc3O2 (where M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Fe, Cr, Zn, and Ta, and satisfies 0.01 ≤ c3 ≤ 0.1) or Li2Mn3MO8 (where M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn); and LiMn2O4 in which part of the Li in the chemical formula is substituted with an alkaline earth metal ion, but are not limited to these.

[0040] The active material layer may further optionally contain, in addition to the active material, a binder, a conductive material, and / or a thickening agent.

[0041] The aforementioned binders include polyvinylidene fluoride polymer, polyvinyl alcohol, styrene butadiene rubber, polyethylene oxide, carboxyl methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cyanoethyl pullulan, cyanoethyl polyvinyl alcohol, cyanoethyl cellulose, and cyanoethyl sucrose. The binder polymer may be any one selected from the group consisting of sucrose, pullulan, polymethyl methacrylate, polybutylacrylate, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylacetate, polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate, polyarylate, and low molecular weight compounds with a molecular weight of 10,000 g / mol or less, or a mixture of two or more of these.

[0042] The conductive material is not particularly limited as long as it does not cause a chemical change in the battery and is conductive. Examples of usable conductive materials include graphite such as natural graphite and artificial graphite; carbon black such as carbon black, acetylene black, Ketjen black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black, and thermal black; conductive fibers such as carbon fibers and metal fibers; conductive tubes such as carbon nanotubes; metal powders such as fluorocarbon, aluminum, and nickel powder; conductive whiskers such as zinc oxide and potassium titanate; conductive metal oxides such as titanium oxide; and conductive materials such as polyphenylene derivatives.

[0043] An example of the aforementioned thickening agent is carboxymethylcellulose (CMC).

[0044] The active material layer can be manufactured by adding an active material, selectively a binder, a conductive material, a thickener, etc., to a solvent to produce an active material slurry, and then applying the active material slurry to a current collector, drying it, and rolling it. Water, NMP, etc., can be used as the solvent.

[0045] When forming an active material layer 22 on the electrode sheet material 20, the electrode manufacturing apparatus may further include an active material layer forming die (not shown). The active material layer forming die can spray or discharge an active material slurry. The active material layer forming die can be installed in the moving space section 30 so as to be separated from the electrode sheet material 20. The spraying of the active material slurry by the active material layer forming die and the spraying of the insulating liquid by the insulating layer forming die, described later, may be performed substantially simultaneously or at different times. Specifically, the spraying of the active material slurry by the active material layer forming die may be performed at the target position, followed by the spraying of the insulating liquid by the insulating layer forming die. Alternatively, the spraying of the active material slurry by the active material layer forming die may be performed at the target position, followed substantially simultaneously by the spraying of the insulating liquid by the insulating layer forming die.

[0046] The moving space 30 is provided as a location where the electrode sheet material 20 moves due to the rotation of the coater roller 10. Specifically, the moving space 30 provides a moving path (MD) through which the electrode sheet material 20 moves due to the rotation of the coater roller 10.

[0047] As illustrated in Figure 1, the moving space 30 may include one or more support rollers 31 arranged along the direction of movement MD of the electrode sheet material 20. The support rollers 31 can play a role in supporting the electrode sheet material 20 so that it is easily transferred along the direction of movement. Alternatively, the support rollers 31 can play a role in changing the movement path of the electrode sheet material 20 to a desired position.

[0048] The insulating layer forming die 40 can be provided for the purpose of forming an insulating layer by spraying an insulating liquid onto the electrode sheet material 20.

[0049] The insulating layer forming die 40 is installed on the movement path of the electrode sheet material 20. Specifically, the insulating layer forming die 40 can be installed at a distance from the electrode sheet material 20. Alternatively, the insulating layer forming die 40 can be installed at a predetermined distance from the coater roller 10. More specifically, the insulating layer forming die 40 can be arranged so that the nozzle portion 41 (discharge port) is at a distance from the coater roller 10 and perpendicular to the rotation axis r of the coater roller 10. Such an orthogonal arrangement can be achieved by the first angle adjustment unit 42, the second angle adjustment unit 43, and the azimuth angle adjustment unit 44, which will be described later.

[0050] Specifically, the insulating layer forming die 40 includes a nozzle portion 41 for spraying insulating liquid onto the electrode sheet material 20, a first angle adjustment portion 42 for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion 41 in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20, a second angle adjustment portion 43 for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion 41 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20, and an azimuth angle adjustment portion 44 formed in an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller 10, which allows the position of the nozzle portion 41 to move along the arc.

[0051] For example, Figure 3 illustrates a conventional electrode manufacturing apparatus. In this conventional electrode manufacturing apparatus, an insulating layer forming die 40' is fixedly positioned at a distance from the coater roller 10 or electrode sheet material 20. Referring to Figure 3, in terms of the distance between the nozzle portion of the insulating layer forming die 40' and the application position, if the distance between the nozzle portion of the insulating layer forming die 40' and the application position is too short, the amount of insulating liquid discharged can be minimized. However, this can lead to problems where the nozzle portion or the structure of the insulating layer forming die scratches or pushes out adjacent active material layers, resulting in damage to the structure of the active material layers and causing poor electrode quality. In particular, the step difference between the active material layer and the current collector is at the level of approximately 100 to 500 μm, making it very difficult for the insulating layer forming die 40' to spray the insulating liquid without damaging the active material layers. On the other hand, if the distance between the nozzle portion of the insulating layer forming die 40' and the application position is too long, the amount of insulating liquid discharged is excessive, resulting in the formation of a thick insulating layer. This could lead to morphological changes such as the electrode bending due to the electrolyte swollen the insulating layer, and the detachment of the insulating layer. On the other hand, in terms of the angle between the nozzle portion of the insulating layer forming die 40' and the coating position, it is important to adjust the position of the nozzle portion so that it is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the coater roller 10. For example, if the spray direction of the nozzle portion is inclined and not perpendicular to the rotation axis of the coater roller 10, a scratching phenomenon of the active material layer may occur in areas where the distance between the nozzle portion and the coater roller 10 is short, and in areas where the distance between the nozzle portion and the coater roller 10 is far, there may be a problem of variation in the thickness of the insulating layer or a decrease in processability.

[0052] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the electrode manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes an insulating layer forming die 40, the insulating layer forming die 40 is characterized by including an angle adjustment unit (first angle adjustment unit 42 and second angle adjustment unit 43) for adjusting the spray angle of the nozzle unit 41 and an azimuth angle adjustment unit 44 that can adjust the position of the nozzle unit 41 so as to be perpendicular to the rotation axis of the coater roller 10. As a result, the distance between the nozzle unit 41 of the insulating layer forming die 40 and the insulating liquid application position can be minimized to a level in which scratches or displacement of the active material layer does not occur, the insulating layer can be formed thinly and uniformly, and an electrode with excellent quality can be realized.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the electrode manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the position and angle of the nozzle portion 41 can be easily and precisely adjusted so that an insulating layer is formed at the desired position. As a result, the insulating layer can be formed with a thin and uniform thickness, the amount of insulating liquid used to form the insulating layer is significantly reduced, and this is advantageous in terms of cost reduction.

[0054] The nozzle portion 41 can be provided as a location from which insulating liquid is sprayed or discharged. The nozzle portion 41 may include a discharge port from which the insulating liquid is dispersed and a discharge path for transporting the insulating liquid to the discharge port.

[0055] The spraying method of the nozzle section 41 can be selected from, but is not limited to, thermal spray, compressed air spray, ultrasonic spray, etc.

[0056] The first angle adjustment unit 42 adjusts the angle of the nozzle unit 41 in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20 (machine direction, MD) or in the longitudinal direction of the electrode sheet material 20, and the second angle adjustment unit 43 adjusts the angle of the nozzle unit 41 in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20 (transverse direction, TD) or in the width direction of the electrode sheet material 20. For example, when attempting to form an insulating layer over the inclined portion of the active material layer formed at the end of the electrode and the plain portion of the current collector, the spray angle of the nozzle unit 41 can be adjusted via the first and second angle adjustment units so that the spray direction of the nozzle unit 41 is directed toward the inclined portion.

[0057] Furthermore, the azimuth angle adjustment section 44 is formed in an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller 10. This allows the position of the nozzle section 41 to be moved along the arc centered on the rotation axis.

[0058] The azimuth angle adjustment unit 44, due to the features described above, can adjust the position of the nozzle portion 41 so that it is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the coater roller 10. This makes it possible to minimize the distance between the nozzle portion 41 of the insulating layer forming die 40 and the insulating liquid application position to a level in which scratches or displacement of the active material layer does not occur. Furthermore, it is preferable that the position and angle of the insulating layer forming die 40 can be adjusted according to the following conditions: the angle and length of the inclined portion of the active material layer differ depending on the viscosity of the electrode slurry used to form the active material layer, and the thickness and length of the insulating layer differ depending on the viscosity and amount of insulating liquid applied. If the angle of the nozzle portion 41 is adjusted by installing only the first angle adjustment unit 42 and the second angle adjustment unit 43 without introducing the azimuth angle adjustment unit 44, it is difficult to finely adjust the distance between the position where the insulating layer of the electrode is formed and the insulating liquid spray position of the insulating layer forming die 40, and it is difficult to adjust the thickness of the insulating layer considering the diffusivity due to the viscosity of the insulating liquid, the speed of the discharged insulating liquid, the discharge amount, etc. On the other hand, the azimuth angle adjustment section 44 must be formed in an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller 10. If only the height of the nozzle section 41 (for example, in a direction simultaneously perpendicular to the MD and TD of the electrode sheet material 20) is adjusted instead of the azimuth angle adjustment section 44, it becomes difficult to form the insulating layer forming die 40 and the coater roller 10 orthogonally at the desired position, making it difficult to adjust the thickness of the insulating layer considering factors such as the diffusivity due to the viscosity of the insulating liquid, the speed of the discharged insulating liquid, and the discharge amount.

[0059] The angle of the arc traced by the azimuth angle adjustment unit 44 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, greater than 0° and 360° or less, more specifically greater than 0° and 270° or less, more specifically greater than 0° and 180° or less, and most specifically 90°.

[0060] The radius R2 of the arc traced by the azimuth angle adjustment unit 44 is at least one times the radius R1 of the coating roller, specifically, it may be between one and three times, but is not particularly limited.

[0061] The first angle adjustment unit 42, the second angle adjustment unit 43, and the azimuth angle adjustment unit 44 allow for precise adjustment of the position and angle of the nozzle unit 41.

[0062] Specifically, the electrode sheet material 20 may include a current collector 21 and an active material layer 22 disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the current collector 21, and the nozzle portion 41 may be adjusted in position and angle to spray insulating liquid onto the active material layer 22. The active material layer 22 may also include an inclined portion 221 that slopes toward the current collector 21 at at least one end and a flat portion 222 that is separated from the inclined portion 221, and the nozzle portion 41 may be adjusted in position and angle to spray insulating liquid so that an insulating layer 50 is formed on at least a portion of the inclined portion 221. The current collector 21 may also include a plain portion adjacent to the inclined portion 221 where the active material layer 22 is not formed, and the nozzle portion 41 may be adjusted in position and angle to spray insulating liquid so that an insulating layer 50 is formed continuously over at least a portion of the inclined portion 221 and at least a portion of the plain portion. For example, the angle between the insulating liquid spraying direction of the nozzle portion 41 and the current collector or electrode sheet material may be 5° to 45°, preferably 15° to 35°. Within this range, problems such as the active material layer being scratched by the insulating layer forming die 40 can be prevented, and problems such as the current collector being pressed by the discharge of the insulating liquid and the insulating layer being coated thickly can be prevented.

[0063] Furthermore, the electrode manufacturing apparatus may further include a position adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the insulating layer forming die 40. The position adjustment unit may be provided to adjust the position of the insulating layer forming die 40 itself, rather than the angle of the nozzle portion 41. For example, the position adjustment unit may include at least one of a first linear guide 46 formed along the direction of movement MD of the electrode sheet material 20, a second linear guide 45 formed along the direction TD perpendicular to the direction of movement TD of the electrode sheet material 20, and a third linear guide 47 for adjusting the position of the insulating layer forming die in the height direction H. This allows the position of the insulating layer forming die 40 to be adjusted according to the first linear guide 45, the second linear guide 46, and / or the third linear guide 47. Here, the height direction H of the insulating layer forming die 40 may mean a direction perpendicular to both the MD direction and the TD direction.

[0064] The electrode manufacturing apparatus may further include a drying section (not shown) positioned behind the spray position of the nozzle section 41, with reference to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20. The drying section dries the insulating liquid dispersed from the nozzle section 41, facilitating the formation of an insulating layer.

[0065] The drying means for the drying section is not particularly limited, and for example, a hot air method, a direct heating method, an induction heating method, etc., can be used. Specifically, drying by the drying section can be carried out at 50°C to 180°C.

[0066] The electrode manufacturing apparatus may further include a recovery roller (not shown) for winding up the electrode sheet material 20 on which the insulating layer is formed. Specifically, the recovery roller may be positioned behind the spray position of the nozzle section 41 with respect to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20. More specifically, if the electrode manufacturing apparatus further includes a drying section, the recovery roller may be positioned behind the position of the drying section with respect to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material 20.

[0067] The aforementioned dies for forming the insulating layer may be in multiple locations.

[0068] The plurality of dies for forming insulating layers can be arranged in sequence in the direction MD of movement of the electrode sheet material.

[0069] Each nozzle portion included in the plurality of insulating layer forming dies can be adjusted in position and angle to form two or more insulating layers.

[0070] For example, the multiple dies for forming insulating layers are arranged in sequence so that they are adjacent to each other in the direction MD of movement of the electrode sheet material, and then their respective angle adjustment units and azimuth adjustment units can be adjusted to form two or more insulating layers.

[0071] Furthermore, the plurality of insulating layer forming dies can be arranged sequentially in the direction TD perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material. In this case, the plurality of insulating layer forming dies can simultaneously form insulating layers on the two inclined portions 221 formed at both ends of the active material layer.

[0072] Furthermore, some of the multiple dies for forming insulating layers may be placed on one surface of the electrode sheet material, while the rest may be placed on the other surface of the electrode sheet material. In this case, insulating layers may be formed on both sides of the electrode sheet material.

[0073] The embodiments of the present invention described above can be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments detailed below. Embodiments of the present invention are provided to give a more complete explanation of the invention to a person of average skill in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10 Coater rollers, 20 Electrode sheet material 21 Current collector 211 Plain section 22 Active material layer 221 Slope 222 Flat area 30 Movable Space Section 31 Support roller 40 Die for forming insulating layer 41 Nozzle section 42 1st angle adjustment section 43 Second angle adjustment section 44 Azimuth adjustment section 45, 46 Position adjustment section 45. Second Linear Guide 46. ​​First Linear Guide 47 Third Linear Guide 50 Insulating layer

Claims

1. A coater roller positioned to support the electrode sheet material, A moving space in which the electrode sheet material moves due to the rotation of the coater roller, The electrode sheet material includes an insulating layer forming die installed on the movement path of the electrode sheet material, An electrode manufacturing apparatus comprising an insulating layer forming die, a nozzle portion for spraying insulating liquid onto the electrode sheet material, a first angle adjustment portion for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, a second angle adjustment portion for adjusting the angle of the nozzle portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, and an azimuth angle adjustment portion formed in an arc around the rotation axis of the coater roller, which allows the position of the nozzle portion to move along the arc.

2. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the die for forming the insulating layer is installed at a distance from the electrode sheet material.

3. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a position adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the die for forming the insulating layer.

4. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the position adjustment unit includes at least one of a first linear guide formed along the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, a second linear guide formed along a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material, and a third linear guide for adjusting the position of the insulating layer forming die in the height direction.

5. The electrode sheet material includes a current collector and an active material layer disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the current collector. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle portion is adjusted in position and angle so that an insulating liquid is sprayed onto the active material layer.

6. The active material layer includes at least one inclined portion toward the current collector and a flat portion separated from the inclined portion, The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle portion is adjusted so as to form an insulating layer on at least a portion of the inclined portion, by adjusting the spraying position and angle of the insulating liquid.

7. The current collector includes a plain portion adjacent to the inclined portion where no active material layer is formed, The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the nozzle portion is configured such that the spray position and angle of the insulating liquid are adjusted so that an insulating layer is continuously formed over at least a portion of the inclined portion and at least a portion of the plain portion.

8. The aforementioned dies for forming the insulating layer are multiple, The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of dies for forming insulating layers are arranged in order in the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material.

9. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the position and angle of each nozzle portion included in the plurality of insulating layer forming dies are adjusted to form two or more insulating layers.

10. The electrode manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying section positioned behind the spray position of the nozzle section with reference to the direction of movement of the electrode sheet material.

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