Thickness measurement system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thickness measuring system, and more particularly to a thickness measuring system that can significantly reduce measurement errors caused by the positional relationship between the object to be measured and the sensor when measuring the thickness of a pouch, and can significantly reduce thickness measurement errors in the pouch corners, which are formed by curved surfaces with large and diverse curvatures. The thickness measurement system according to the present invention includes a stage device including a mounting section on which an object to be measured is placed, and a moving section for moving the mounting section; a displacement sensor device including a first displacement sensor located on one side of the object and measuring the distance to the object, and a second displacement sensor located on the other side of the object and measuring the distance to the object; and a processing device that obtains the thickness value of the object based on the measurements of the first and second displacement sensors. The displacement sensor device performs measurement only when the angle of incidence, which is the angle that the light emitted from the first or second displacement sensor makes with the normal perpendicular to the surface of the object to be measured, is within a predetermined angle, and does not perform measurement if it falls outside the predetermined angle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross-reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0066356, filed on May 23, 2023, and all the contents disclosed in the document of the Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a thickness measurement system that can significantly reduce measurement errors due to the positional relationship between a measurement object and a sensor during pouch thickness measurement, and particularly relates to a thickness measurement system that can significantly reduce thickness measurement errors in a pouch corner portion formed of a curved surface with a large and diverse curvature.

Background Art

[0003] Rechargeable secondary batteries can be classified into cylindrical secondary batteries, prismatic secondary batteries, pouch-type secondary batteries, etc., according to their structures and manufacturing methods. Among these, a pouch-type secondary battery is manufactured by accommodating an electrode assembly in a pouch sheet and then sealing the pouch sheet. Since it has a simpler structure and a larger capacity per unit volume compared to other types of secondary batteries, it is widely used in automotive batteries or energy storage devices.

[0004] More specifically, a pouch-type secondary battery is generally manufactured by forming a cup-shaped recess in a pouch sheet, accommodating an electrode assembly in the cup, folding the pouch sheet so that one area of the pouch sheet covers the electrode assembly, and then forming a sealing portion that seals around the electrode assembly.

[0005] On the other hand, a pouch-type secondary battery is provided with electrode leads protruding so that it can be electrically connected to an external configuration. At this time, the sealing portion is formed to cover the electrode leads.

[0006] To assemble a pouch battery, a pouch case is required in which the cup portion is molded to match the shape of the electrode assembly, which consists of a negative electrode, a separator membrane, a positive electrode, and another separator membrane stacked in an intersecting pattern. Here, the cup portion may be molded using a mold (pouch molding device).

[0007] In this case, if the thickness of the pouch decreases due to molding, there is a risk of cracking. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the pouch thickness so that it does not become thinner than the appropriate value. For this reason, it is necessary to accurately measure the thickness of the pouch.

[0008] However, conventional methods had a problem where accurate thickness measurement was difficult due to large measurement errors caused by the positional relationship between the pouch surface and the sensor. This problem was even more pronounced in the curved parts of the pouch.

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the corner portion of a conventional pouch. Referring to Figure 1, the pouch corner portion, located at the vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped pouch shown in Figure 1, is formed by curved surfaces with a wide variety of curvatures, making it a portion where significant thickness measurement errors can occur.

[0010] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how a conventional thickness measuring sensor measures pouch thickness. Referring to Figure 2, when the light emitted by the thickness measuring sensor reaches the pouch surface at an oblique angle during thickness measurement with a conventional thickness measuring device, an inaccurate thickness is measured.

[0011] This explains the principle by which the thickness measuring device measures thickness. The upper and lower displacement sensors each emit light, and after the emitted light strikes the pouch surface, it returns to the respective displacement sensors. In this process, the distance between each displacement sensor and the pouch surface is measured. That is, the distance between the upper displacement sensor and the pouch and the distance between the lower displacement sensor and the pouch can all be determined. Since the distance between the upper and lower displacement sensors is a fixed value, the thickness of the pouch can be determined by subtracting the distance from the upper displacement sensor to the pouch and the distance from the lower displacement sensor to the pouch, respectively, from the distance between the two sensors. The principle of determining the thickness of an object using displacement sensors is already common knowledge in the industry, so further detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0012] Referring to Figure 2, the incident angle θ is the angle between the normal vector V perpendicular to the surface of the object pouch and the light emitted from the displacement sensor. If the pouch thickness measured by the displacement sensor is t', then the measured value t' is measured to be a value even larger than the actual thickness of the pouch, t.

[0013] In other words, the relationship t' = t / cosθ holds. In particular, such errors sometimes occurred more frequently at the pouch corners corresponding to the vertices of the rectangular pouch. These pouch corners are formed by curved surfaces with a wide variety of curvatures, making them areas where thickness measurement errors are more likely to occur.

[0014] However, the pouch corner at this location is the thinnest part of the pouch, and it is formed while stretching. Therefore, this pouch corner is particularly prone to cracking, making the need to resolve such thickness measurement errors even greater. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0015] The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a thickness measurement system that can significantly reduce measurement errors due to the positional relationship between the object to be measured and the sensor when measuring the thickness of a pouch, and in particular can significantly reduce thickness measurement errors in the pouch corner portion which is formed by curved surfaces of large and diverse curvatures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] The thickness measurement system according to the present invention includes a stage device including a mounting section on which an object to be measured is placed, and a moving section for moving the mounting section; a displacement sensor device including a first displacement sensor located on one side of the object and measuring the distance to the object, and a second displacement sensor located on the other side of the object and measuring the distance to the object; and a processing device that obtains the thickness value of the object based on the measurements of the first and second displacement sensors. The displacement sensor device performs measurement only when the angle of incidence, which is the angle that the light emitted from the first or second displacement sensor makes with the normal perpendicular to the surface of the object to be measured, is within a predetermined angle, and does not perform measurement if it falls outside the predetermined angle.

[0017] The first and second displacement sensors can be positioned on one and the other side of the curved surface, respectively, to measure points on the curved surface of the object.

[0018] At least one of the first or second displacement sensor includes a light-receiving lens that receives reflected light reflected from the surface of an object, and a sensor body to which the light-receiving lens is attached and to which light that has passed through the light-receiving lens is incident. When the incident angle is within a predetermined angle, the reflected light is incident on the light-receiving lens and the sensor body, and when the incident angle is outside the predetermined angle, the reflected light may not be incident on the light-receiving lens and the sensor body.

[0019] The given angle can become even smaller as the diameter of the light-receiving lens decreases.

[0020] The given angle can have a value between 0° and 1° (degree).

[0021] The processing device can obtain the thickness value of the object only when the incident angle is within a predetermined angle, and when the angle is outside the predetermined angle, the thickness value of the object may not be obtained. The sensor gauge may further include at least one of the first displacement sensor or the second displacement sensor that moves upward or downward.

[0022] The moving part may include a linear moving part that moves the placement part in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions, which are three axes orthogonal to each other in a three-dimensional space.

[0023] The moving part includes a posture control plate whose one side is connected to the placement part and the other side extends in a direction away from the displacement sensor device. The linear moving part is connected to the posture control plate and moves the posture control plate in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions, thereby moving the placement part in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions.

[0024] The linear moving part includes a column part that is connected to the other side of the posture control plate and supports the other side, includes a screw structure, an x-axis gauge that moves the column part in the x-axis, includes a screw structure, a y-axis gauge that moves the column part in the y-axis, and includes a screw structure and a z-axis gauge that moves the column part in the z-axis.

[0025] The moving part may include a rotational moving part that rotates the placement part in a three-dimensional space.

[0026] The moving part includes a posture control plate whose one side is connected to the placement part and the other side extends in a direction away from the displacement sensor device. The rotational moving part is connected to the posture control plate and rotates the posture control plate, thereby rotating the placement part.

[0027] The rotational movement part is connected to the other side part of the attitude control plate to support the other side part, and includes a column part having a rectangular shape on the upper surface facing the attitude control plate, a first gauge installed on the column part for moving the attitude control plate upward or downward from a point corresponding to one side corner part of the rectangular shape, and a second gauge installed on the column part for moving the attitude control plate upward or downward from a point corresponding to the corner part on the opposite side of the position where the first gauge is provided and having a rectangular shape.

Effect of the Invention

[0028] The thickness measurement system according to the present invention can significantly reduce the measurement error due to the positional relationship between the measurement object and the sensor during the measurement of the pouch thickness. In particular, it can significantly reduce the thickness measurement error in the pouch corner part formed by a curved surface with a large and diverse curvature.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a corner part from a conventional pouch. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view showing the posture in which a conventional thickness measurement sensor measures the pouch thickness. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the thickness measurement system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view showing the posture in which the light emitted from the displacement sensor is perpendicularly incident on the surface of the object. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view showing the posture in which the pouch thickness value is measured in the state shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view showing the posture in which the light emitted from the displacement sensor is obliquely incident on the surface of the object. [Figure 8a] It is a perspective view showing the posture in which the moving part moves the placement part along the x-axis. [Figure 8b] It is a conceptual diagram showing the process of searching for the position of the pouch corner part in the process of moving the placement part along the x-axis. [Figure 9a] This is a perspective view illustrating how the moving part moves the mounting part along the y-axis. [Figure 9b] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the process of finding the position of the pouch corner as the mounting section moves along the y-axis. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view illustrating a thickness measurement system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing the rotating movement part of the thickness measuring system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, viewed from below the attitude control plate. [Figure 12] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the principle of measuring the thickness of the pouch corner using a rotating mechanism. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that they can be easily implemented by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. However, the present invention may be embodied in a variety of different forms and is not limited to or restricted by the following embodiments.

[0031] In order to clearly explain the present invention, detailed descriptions of relevant prior art that are irrelevant to the description or that would unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention have been omitted. In this specification, when assigning reference numerals to components in each drawing, the same or similar reference numerals are used for components that are the same or similar throughout the specification.

[0032] Furthermore, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be interpreted in a manner limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but rather should be interpreted in a manner consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principle that inventors may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe their invention.

[0033] Example 1 Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a thickness measurement system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of portion A in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how light emitted from the displacement sensor is incident perpendicularly on the surface of the object. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how the pouch thickness value is measured in the state shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating how light emitted from the displacement sensor is incident at an oblique angle on the surface of the object. Figure 8a is a perspective view illustrating how the moving part moves the mounting part along the x-axis. Figure 8b is a conceptual diagram illustrating the process of finding the position of the pouch corner while the mounting part is moving along the x-axis. Figure 9a is a perspective view illustrating how the moving part moves the mounting part along the y-axis. Figure 9b is a conceptual diagram illustrating the process of finding the position of the pouch corner while the mounting part is moving along the y-axis.

[0034] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes a stage device 100, a displacement sensor device 200, and a processing device (not shown).

[0035] Here again, the stage device 100 includes a mounting section 110 and a moving section 120. The mounting section 110 may be configured on which the object P to be measured for thickness is placed. Here, the object P may be a secondary battery pouch. The secondary battery pouch may be formed in a multilayer structure. When the side containing the electrode assembly housed inside the pouch is considered the inside, it may have a three-layer structure consisting of a polypropylene (PP) layer, an aluminum (Al) layer, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from the innermost layer. Alternatively, it may have a structure consisting of a polypropylene (PP) layer, an aluminum (Al) layer, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and nylon (Ny) layers. The thickness measuring system 10 according to the present invention can measure the thickness of the entire pouch, which is the entire multilayer structure, or it can measure the thickness of only one layer within the multilayer structure. For example, it can measure the thickness of only the aluminum layer within the pouch layers. The light L used during thickness measurement may be a laser, infrared light, or light L of various wavelengths as needed. The mounting section 110 may be the part on which such an object pouch P is placed. The pouch may have a cup portion in which an electrode assembly is housed. To accommodate this cup-shaped pouch, the mounting section 110 may have a recessed groove. This recessed groove may have a shape corresponding to the pouch cup portion.

[0036] The movable unit 120 may be configured to move the mounting unit 110. The movable unit 120 can move the mounting unit 110 in a straight line. It can be moved in a straight line to a position where thickness measurement can be performed. For thickness measurement, a displacement sensor located on one side of the object (or pouch) P and a displacement sensor located on the other side are used, and the movable unit 120 can position the mounting unit 110 between these two displacement sensors.

[0037] The displacement sensor device 200 may be a device for measuring the thickness of an object P. The displacement sensor device 200 can measure the thickness of an object P using light L. The displacement sensor device 200 may include a first displacement sensor 210 and a second displacement sensor 220. The first displacement sensor 210 may be a sensor located on one side of the object P and measuring the distance to the object P. The second displacement sensor 220 may be a sensor located on the other side of the object P and measuring the distance to the object P. Referring to Figure 4, the first displacement sensor 210 may be located on the upper side of the pouch cup portion of the object P, and the second displacement sensor 220 may be located on the lower side of the pouch cup portion. The first displacement sensor 210 may irradiate the upper surface of the pouch cup portion with light L, and the second displacement sensor 220 may irradiate the lower surface of the pouch cup portion with light L. Therefore, the moving unit 120 can move the pouch P, which is the object, so that it is positioned between the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220.

[0038] In particular, the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220 can be positioned on one side and the other side of the curved surface of the pouch, which is the object P, in order to measure the curved surface points of the pouch. Referring to Figure 4, the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220 can measure the thickness of the corner portion, which corresponds to the vertex C of the pouch cup portion. For this reason, the mounting unit 110 may be inclined so that its posture has a constant incline. The mounting unit 110 can then move the pouch P to a position where a virtual straight line connecting the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220 passes through the corner portion of the pouch.

[0039] The first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220 each emit light L, and after the emitted light L strikes the surface of the pouch, which is the object P, it returns to each displacement sensor. During this process, the distance between each displacement sensor and the surface of the pouch is measured. In other words, the distance between the first displacement sensor 210 and the pouch, and the distance between the second displacement sensor 220 and the pouch can all be determined.

[0040] The processing device (not shown) may be a device that obtains the thickness value of object P based on the measurements of a first displacement sensor 210 and a second displacement sensor 220. Since the distance between the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220 is a fixed value, the processing device can obtain the thickness measurement value of object P pouch by subtracting the distance from the first displacement sensor 210 to the pouch and the distance from the second displacement sensor 220 to the pouch in order from the distance between the two sensors.

[0041] Referring to Figures 5 to 7, in the thickness measurement system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the displacement sensor device 200 is characterized in that measurement is performed only when the incident angle θ, which is the angle that the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 or the second displacement sensor 220 makes with the normal V perpendicular to the surface of the object P to be measured, is within a predetermined angle, and measurement is not performed when it falls outside the predetermined angle.

[0042] Referring to Figure 5, at least one of the first displacement sensor 210 or the second displacement sensor 220 may include a light-receiving lens L and a sensor body 212. The light-receiving lens 211 may be a lens that receives reflected light L reflected from the surface of the object P. The sensor body 212 may be the part to which the light-receiving lens 211 is attached at the bottom and to which the light L that has passed through the light-receiving lens 211 is incident. The sensor body 212 may have a cylindrical shape.

[0043] If the incident angle θ is within a predetermined angle, reflected light L may be incident on the light-receiving lens 211 and the sensor body 212. Here, the predetermined angle can have a value between 0° and 1° (degrees). Figure 5 illustrates the case where the incident angle is 0 degrees. In this case, the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 strikes the surface of the object P, is reflected, and then enters the light-receiving lens 211 again, passes through the light-receiving lens 211, and enters the sensor body 212. In this case, the distance between the first displacement sensor 210 and the surface of the object P may be measured.

[0044] Referring to Figure 6, in the thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, when the incident angle θ is 0 degrees or within the predetermined angle, the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 strikes the upper surface of the object P, is reflected, and returns to the light receiving lens 211 and sensor body 212. Similarly, the light L emitted from the second displacement sensor 220 strikes the lower surface of the object P, is reflected, and returns to the light receiving lens 211 and sensor body 212. In this case, the thickness t of the pouch can be measured without error. Here, measuring without error may mean measuring with the accuracy required for industrial purposes. An example of a displacement sensor used in this case may be an interferometer sensor.

[0045] Referring to Figure 7, in the thickness measurement system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, if the incident angle θ is greater than a predetermined angle, that is, if the incident angle deviates from the predetermined angle, the reflected light L may not be incident on the light-receiving lens 211 and the sensor body 212. The light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 may hit the upper surface of the object P, be reflected, and not return to the light-receiving lens 211 and the sensor body 212. The light L emitted from the second displacement sensor 220 may also hit the lower surface of the object P, be reflected, and not return to the light-receiving lens 211 and the sensor body 212. In this case, it is not possible to obtain a measurement value from at least one of the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220.

[0046] If, in this case as well, measurements could be obtained using the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220, an inaccurate value t' with errors would be measured. Here, t' should have been measured as t / cosθ, which is a value even larger than t, the actual thickness of the pouch, as explained above. However, the thickness measurement system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention does not derive a measurement value in such inaccurate cases. The thickness measurement system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can eliminate errors in this manner.

[0047] The predetermined angle mentioned above may vary depending on the diameter of the light-receiving lens 211. If the diameter of the light-receiving lens 211 is large, the predetermined angle may be large, and it may become even smaller as the diameter of the light-receiving lens 211 decreases. In the thickness measurement system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the predetermined angle has a value between 0° and 1° (degrees), which allows for the measurement of the pouch thickness with significantly reduced error.

[0048] Based on this principle, the processing device obtains the thickness value of the object P only when the angle of incidence is within a predetermined angle, and when it deviates from the predetermined angle, it is unable to obtain the thickness value of the object P.

[0049] As described above, the thickness measuring system 10 of the present invention can significantly reduce measurement errors caused by the positional relationship between the object to be measured P and the sensor when measuring the thickness of a pouch, and in particular can significantly reduce thickness measurement errors in the pouch corners, which are formed by curved surfaces with large and diverse curvatures.

[0050] Referring to Figure 3, the thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention may further include a sensor gauge 400. At least one of the first displacement sensor 210 or the second displacement sensor 220 can be moved upward or downward. More specifically, the sensor gauge may include an upper sensor gauge 410 and a lower sensor gauge 420. The upper sensor gauge 410 can move the first displacement sensor 210 in the vertical direction. The lower sensor gauge 420 can move the second displacement sensor 220 in the vertical direction.

[0051] Referring to Figure 3, in the thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, the moving part 120 may further include a linear moving part 121. The linear moving part 121 may be configured to move the mounting part 110 in three-dimensional space along three mutually orthogonal axes, namely the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. The moving part 120 may also include a posture control plate 123, where one side of the posture control plate 123 is connected to the mounting part 110, and the other side extends in a direction away from the displacement sensor device 200. The linear moving part 121 is connected to the posture control plate 123 and moves the posture control plate 123 in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions, thereby moving the mounting part 110 in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions. The posture control plate 123 may be configured to move while stably supporting the mounting part 110. Furthermore, the mounting point where the mounting section 110 is placed and the configuration that allows the mounting section 110 to move may be configured to be separated by a predetermined distance from each other. In this way, it is possible to secure ample space for the mounting section 110 to be placed.

[0052] Specifically, the linear movement section 121 may include a column section 124, an x-axis gauge 121-1, a y-axis gauge 121-2, and a z-axis gauge 121-3. The column section 124 may be a part connected to the other side of the attitude control plate 123 and supporting the other side. The x-axis gauge 121-1 may include a screw structure and be a gauge configuration that moves the column section 124 along the x-axis. The y-axis gauge 121-2 may include a screw structure and be a gauge configuration that moves the column section 124 along the y-axis. The z-axis gauge 121-3 may include a screw structure and be a gauge configuration that moves the column section 124 along the z-axis.

[0053] When the x-axis gauge 121-1 moves the column portion 124 along the x-axis, the column portion 124 moves the attitude control plate 123 connected to the column portion 124 along the x-axis, and as a result, the mounting portion 110 placed on the attitude control plate 123 can move along the x-axis.

[0054] Using the same method, when the y-axis gauge 121-2 moves the column portion 124 along the y-axis, the column portion 124 moves the attitude control plate 123 connected to the column portion 124 along the y-axis, and as a result, the mounting portion 110 placed on the attitude control plate 123 can move along the y-axis.

[0055] The z-axis gauge 121-3 can also be operated in the same manner. When the z-axis gauge 121-3 moves the column portion 124 along the z-axis, the column portion 124 moves the attitude control plate 123 connected to the column portion 124 along the z-axis, and in doing so, the mounting portion 110 placed on the attitude control plate 123 can move along the z-axis.

[0056] The light L emitted from the displacement sensor can be adjusted via the x-axis gauge 121-1, y-axis gauge 121-2, and z-axis gauge 121-3 to be precisely positioned at the pouch corner.

[0057] Figure 8a is a perspective view illustrating the movement of the movable part 120 as it moves the mounting part 110 along the x-axis. Figure 8b is a conceptual diagram illustrating the process of finding the position of the pouch corner as the mounting part 110 moves along the x-axis.

[0058] In Figure 8a, the mounting section 110 is shown moving along the x-axis in directions F and B. In this case, the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 can trace a trajectory on the pouch surface. In Figures 8a and 8b, the x-axis light L irradiation line traced by the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 on the pouch surface, which is the object P, is shown as XL. Referring to Figure 8b, as the mounting section 110 moves along the x-axis, the displacement measured by the first displacement sensor 210 changes from L1 to L2, becoming increasingly larger. Then, at the moment it passes through L2, the displacement measured by the first displacement sensor 210 decreases further. In this case, the largest displacement (i.e., the largest distance from the first displacement sensor 210 to the pouch surface) is at the x-axis position of the pouch corner C, so the x-axis gauge 121-1 can be adjusted so that the mounting section 110 stops at this largest displacement.

[0059] Figure 9a is a perspective view illustrating the movement of the movable part 120 as it moves the mounting part 110 along the y-axis. Figure 9b is a conceptual diagram illustrating the process of finding the position of the pouch corner as the mounting part 110 moves along the y-axis.

[0060] Figure 9a illustrates the movement of the mounting section 110 along the y-axis in the L and R directions. In this case, the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 can trace a trajectory on the pouch surface. In Figures 9a and 9b, the y-axis light L irradiation line traced by the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 on the pouch surface, which is the object P, is shown as YL. Referring to Figure 9b, as the mounting section 110 moves along the y-axis, the displacement measured by the first displacement sensor 210 changes from S1 to S2, becoming increasingly larger. Then, at the moment it passes through L2, the displacement measured by the first displacement sensor 210 decreases further. In this case, the largest displacement (i.e., the largest distance from the first displacement sensor 210 to the pouch surface) occurs at the y-axis position of the pouch corner, so the y-axis gauge 121-2 can be adjusted so that the mounting section 110 stops at this largest displacement.

[0061] In the case of the z-axis gauge 121-3, the pouch object P placed on the mounting section 110 can be adjusted to be positioned between the first displacement sensor 210 and the second displacement sensor 220.

[0062] Example 2 Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating a thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the rotational movement unit 122 of the thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, viewed from below the attitude control plate 123. Figure 12 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the principle of measuring the thickness of the pouch corner portion as the mounting unit 110 rotates due to the rotational movement unit 122.

[0063] Embodiment 2 of the present invention differs from Embodiment 1 in that it includes a thickness measuring system 10 with a rotating moving part 122.

[0064] We will omit as much of the content common to Example 1 as possible and explain Example 2 focusing on the differences. In other words, it is self-evident that any content not explained in Example 2 can be considered as content from Example 1.

[0065] Referring to Figure 10, the moving part 120 of the thickness measuring system 10 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention may include a rotating moving part 122 that rotates the mounting part 110 in three-dimensional space. It may also include a posture control plate 123. The posture control plate 123 may be configured such that one side is connected to the mounting part 110 and the other side extends in a direction away from the displacement sensor device 200. In this case, the rotating moving part 122 is connected to the posture control plate 123 and rotates the posture control plate 123, thereby causing the mounting part 110 to rotate.

[0066] Specifically, referring to Figures 10 and 11, the rotating movement section 122 may include a column section 124, a first gauge 122-1, and a second gauge 122-2.

[0067] The column portion 124 is connected to the other side of the attitude control plate 123 and supports the other side, and its upper surface facing the attitude control plate 123 may have a rectangular shape. The column portion 124 can have the shape of a rectangular prism with a rectangular upper surface.

[0068] The first gauge 122-1 is installed on the column portion 124 and may be configured to move the attitude control plate 123 upward or downward at a point corresponding to one corner of the rectangular shape. In this case, the attitude control plate 123 may be moved upward or downward using the principle of a screw.

[0069] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the first gauge 122-1 can be positioned at point I of the attitude control plate 123. Point I may be the part of the attitude control plate 123 that corresponds to one corner of the rectangular portion corresponding to the upper surface of the column portion 124. The first gauge 122-1 is connected to this point I. The first gauge 122-1 may be installed on the column portion 124 with a threaded shape on its outer surface.

[0070] When the first gauge 122-1 is rotated in one direction H1, it can push the I point of the attitude control plate 123 upward to U1. Conversely, when the first gauge 122-1 is rotated in the opposite direction G1, it can lower the I point of the attitude control plate 123 downward to D1. In this manner, the first gauge 122-1 can rotate the attitude control plate 123. That is, although the attitude control plate 123 is fixed at the J point, it operates in a way that only lifts the I point, allowing the attitude control plate 123 to rotate.

[0071] When the attitude control plate 123 rotates, the mounting part 110 installed on the attitude control plate 123 may also rotate. The rotational movement of the mounting part 110 allows the pouch object P to rotate as well.

[0072] The second gauge 122-2 is installed on the column portion 124 and may be configured to move the attitude control plate 123 upward or downward at a point corresponding to the corner opposite the location where the first gauge 122-1 is installed, in a rectangular shape.

[0073] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the second gauge 122-2 can be positioned at the J-point of the attitude control plate 123. The J-point may be the part of the attitude control plate 123 that corresponds to the other corner of the rectangular portion corresponding to the upper surface of the column portion 124. The second gauge 122-2 is connected to this J-point. The second gauge 122-2 may be installed on the column portion 124 with a threaded shape on its outer surface.

[0074] When the second gauge 122-2 is rotated in one direction H2, it can push the J point of the attitude control plate 123 upward U2. Conversely, when the second gauge 122-2 is rotated in the opposite direction G2, it can lower the J point of the attitude control plate 123 downward D2. In this manner, the second gauge 122-2 can rotate the attitude control plate 123. When the attitude control plate 123 rotates, the mounting part 110 installed on the attitude control plate 123 can also rotate. The rotational movement of the mounting part 110 allows the pouch object P to rotate as well.

[0075] Figures 12a and 12b illustrate how light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 is reflected by the pouch surface PL when the mounting section 110 rotates by the first gauge 122-1 or the second gauge 122-2. Figure 12a shows the state in which light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 cannot be received again after being reflected by the pouch surface PL.

[0076] In this state, when the object P rotates according to the first gauge 122-1 or the second gauge 122-2, it may reach the state shown in Figure 12b. In this case, the incident angle θ of the light L emitted from the first displacement sensor 210 may be within a predetermined angle. As a result, the light L reflected from the pouch surface PL can be received in the sensor body 212 via the light receiving lens 211. In this case, a sufficiently accurate thickness measurement can be obtained without error. If there is an error, the erroneous thickness measurement can be removed by not measuring the thickness.

[0077] As described above, the thickness measurement system of the present invention can significantly reduce measurement errors caused by the positional relationship between the object being measured and the sensor when measuring the thickness of a pouch, and in particular can significantly reduce thickness measurement errors in the pouch corners, which are formed by curved surfaces with large and diverse curvatures.

[0078] Although the present invention has been described in part by limited embodiments and drawings, it is not limited thereto, and various implementations are possible by persons with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, within the equivalent scope of the technical concept of the present invention and the claims described below. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 10: Thickness measurement system 100: Stage equipment 110: Mounting section 120: Mobile Unit 121: Linear movement section 121-1: x-axis gauge 121-2: Y-axis gauge 121-3: Z-axis gauge 122: Rotating movement part 122-1: Gauge 1 122-2: Gauge 2 123: Attitude control plate 124: Pillar part 200: Displacement sensor device 210: First displacement sensor 211: Light-receiving lens 212: Sensor body 220: Second displacement sensor L:Light P: Object XL: Light irradiation line on the x-axis of the object surface YL: Y-axis light irradiation line on the surface of the object. PL: Pouch surface line

Claims

1. A stage device including a mounting section on which an object to be measured for thickness is placed, and a moving section for moving the aforementioned mounting section; A displacement sensor device including a first displacement sensor located on one side of the object and measuring the distance to the object, and a second displacement sensor located on the other side of the object and measuring the distance to the object; and The processing apparatus includes a method for obtaining the thickness value of the object based on the measurements of the first displacement sensor and the second displacement sensor, The displacement sensor device is A thickness measurement system in which measurement is performed only when the angle of incidence, which is the angle that the light emitted from the first displacement sensor or the second displacement sensor makes with the normal perpendicular to the surface of the object to be measured, is within a predetermined angle, and measurement is not performed when it falls outside the predetermined angle.

2. The thickness measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the first displacement sensor and the second displacement sensor are positioned on one side and the other side of the curved surface of the object, respectively, in order to measure the curved surface points of the object.

3. At least one of the first displacement sensor or the second displacement sensor is A light-receiving lens that accepts reflected light reflected from the surface of an object; and The sensor body includes the light-receiving lens to which the light that has passed through the light-receiving lens is incident, If the incident angle is within the predetermined angle, the reflected light is incident on the light-receiving lens and the sensor body. The thickness measuring system according to claim 1, wherein if the incident angle deviates from the predetermined angle, the reflected light is not incident on the light-receiving lens and the sensor body.

4. The thickness measuring system according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined angle becomes smaller as the diameter of the light-receiving lens decreases.

5. The thickness measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined angle has a value between 0° and 1° (degree).

6. The aforementioned processing apparatus is The thickness measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the thickness value of the object is obtained only when the angle of incidence is within the predetermined angle, and the thickness value of the object cannot be obtained when it is outside the predetermined angle.

7. The thickness measuring system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor gauge for moving at least one of the first displacement sensor or the second displacement sensor upward or downward.

8. The aforementioned movable part is The thickness measuring system according to claim 1, further comprising a linear movement unit for moving the mounting unit in three mutually orthogonal axes, namely the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions, in three-dimensional space.

9. The aforementioned movable part is One side is connected to the mounting part described above, and the other side includes an attitude control plate that extends in a direction away from the displacement sensor device. The thickness measuring system according to claim 8, wherein the linear movement unit is connected to the attitude control plate and moves the attitude control plate in the x, y, and z directions, thereby moving the aforementioned positioning unit in the x, y, and z directions.

10. The linear movement section is A column portion connected to the other side of the attitude control plate and supporting the other side; An x-axis gauge including a screw structure, which moves the column portion along the x-axis; A y-axis gauge including a screw structure, which moves the column portion along the y-axis; and The thickness measuring system according to claim 9, comprising a screw structure and a z-axis gauge for moving the column portion along the z-axis.

11. The aforementioned movable part is The thickness measuring system according to claim 1 or 8, further comprising a rotational movement unit for rotating the mounting unit in three-dimensional space.

12. The aforementioned movable part is One side is connected to the mounting part described above, and the other side includes an attitude control plate that extends in a direction away from the displacement sensor device. The thickness measuring system according to claim 11, wherein the rotational movement unit is connected to the attitude control plate and rotates the attitude control plate, thereby rotating the aforementioned mounting unit.

13. The aforementioned rotating moving part is A column portion connected to the other side of the attitude control plate and supporting the other side, with an upper surface facing the attitude control plate having a rectangular shape; A first gauge installed on the column portion, which moves the attitude control plate upward or downward at a point corresponding to one corner of the rectangular shape; and The thickness measuring system according to claim 12, further comprising a second gauge installed on the column portion, which moves the attitude control plate upward or downward from a point corresponding to the corner opposite the position where the first gauge is provided in a rectangular shape.

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