Electrode active material peeling inspection device

Abstract

An apparatus for automatically inspecting the degree of peeling of an electrode active material according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a tape providing member that provides a tape; a tape bonding member that presses the tape so that the tape is bonded to the electrode; and an inspection unit that inspects the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode, wherein the electrode and the tape are pressed by the tape bonding member and then separated from each other, causing peeling in the active material of the electrode.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0134889 dated October 19, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of this Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates to an electrode active material peeling inspection device, and more particularly to a device that can automatically perform electrode active material peeling inspection. [Background technology]

[0002] The rapid increase in the use of fossil fuels has led to an increasing demand for alternative and green energy, and as part of this, the most actively researched field is the field of electrochemical power generation and storage.

[0003] Currently, a typical example of an electrochemical element that utilizes such electrochemical energy is a secondary battery, and the range of its use is tending to expand more and more.

[0004] In recent years, with the technological development and increasing demand for portable devices such as portable computers, mobile phones, and cameras, the demand for secondary batteries as energy sources has rapidly increased. Among these, much research has been conducted on lithium secondary batteries, which exhibit high energy density and working potential, long cycle life, and low self-discharge rate, and they have been commercialized and are widely used.

[0005] Furthermore, as interest in environmental issues grows, much research is being conducted into electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles as alternatives to vehicles that use fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel, which are one of the main causes of air pollution. While nickel-metal hydride secondary batteries are primarily used as the power source for such electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, active research is being conducted into the use of lithium secondary batteries, which have high energy density and discharge voltage, and some of them are already at the commercialization stage.

[0006] Such a lithium secondary battery is manufactured by coating a current collector with a positive or negative electrode active material, a binder, and a conductive material in the form of a slurry, followed by drying to form an electrode mixture layer, thereby manufacturing a positive electrode and a negative electrode, interposing a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and incorporating the laminated electrode assembly together with an electrolyte into a battery case.

[0007] The electrode assembly housed in the battery case is a chargeable and dischargeable power generating element consisting of a laminated structure of a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode. It is classified into a jelly roll type in which a long sheet-like positive electrode and a negative electrode coated with an active material are wound up with a separator interposed between them, and a stack type in which multiple positive electrodes and negative electrodes of a predetermined size are stacked in sequence with a separator interposed between them.

[0008] As an electrode assembly with an advanced structure that is a combination of the jelly roll and stack types, a stack / folded type electrode assembly has been developed in which a full cell with a positive electrode / separator / negative electrode structure of a certain unit size or a bi-cell with a positive electrode (negative electrode) / separator / negative electrode (positive electrode) / separator / positive electrode (negative electrode) using a long, continuous separator film.

[0009] In addition, to improve the processability of the conventional stacked electrode assembly and meet the demands of various types of battery cells, a lamination / stacked electrode assembly has also been developed, which has a structure in which unit cells in which electrodes and separators are alternately laminated and bonded are stacked.

[0010] In order to quantitatively analyze the quality of the electrode produced in the electrode manufacturing process of such a secondary battery, for example, the slitting process, the peeled area of ​​the active material of the electrode is calculated.

[0011] According to the prior art, there are international standard methods for tape tests (ASTM D3359, ISO 2409). Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the prior art, in the international standard method, an incision is made artificially and the surface is peeled off with tape to determine the degree of paint film adhesion in five stages.

[0012] More specifically, 1. Select blade 1 according to the required standard and create a grid pattern 3 on coating surface 2. At this time, blade 1 must penetrate coating surface 2 and reach the material surface located below coating surface 2 (see Figure 1). 2. Remove any coating residue using the method specified in the international standard. 3. For hard materials, apply adhesion test tape 4 parallel to the grid pattern and peel it uniformly at a 60-degree angle (ISO standard) within 5 minutes or at a 180-degree angle within 90 seconds (±30 seconds) within 0.5 to 1 second (see Figure 2). 4. Check the morphology of the peeled coating using a magnifying glass or microscope. The degree of peeling is compared to a five-level index (see Figure 3). Because this is visually determined using a magnifying glass or microscope, there is a problem in that it is difficult to quantify the quality of the electrode (e.g., the degree of peeling of the electrode's active material).

[0013] 4 of the related art, in the case of an electrode production process, the size of the peeled area is very minute, so even slight deviations in the tape pressing pressure, tape peeling angle, and tape peeling speed during the experiment stage result in a large difference in the degree of peeling. As a result, the range of error in the test results of the electrode quality (e.g., the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode) becomes large, which causes a problem of reduced reliability of the test. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the conventional device for inspecting the degree of exfoliation of an electrode active material, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and product quality.

[0015] However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above problems, and can be variously expanded within the scope of the technical ideas included in the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] An apparatus for automatically inspecting the degree of peeling of an electrode active material according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a tape providing member that provides a tape; a tape adhesive member that presses the tape so that the tape adheres to the electrode; and an inspection unit that inspects the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode, where the electrode and the tape are pressed by the tape adhesive member and then separated from each other, which may cause peeling of the active material of the electrode.

[0017] The inspection unit inspects the degree of peeling of the electrode active material based on a ratio of a measurement area to a peeled area, and the measurement area may be an area defined by a predetermined horizontal length and a predetermined vertical length on the surface of the electrode where the peeling has occurred, and the peeled area may be an area where the electrode active material has peeled off and the electrode foil is exposed.

[0018] The inspection unit may inspect the degree of peeling of the electrode active material based on the ratio of the area of ​​the measurement region to the area of ​​the peeled region.

[0019] The measurement area includes a plurality of sub-areas divided at regular intervals in the horizontal and vertical directions to form a grid, and the inspection unit can inspect the degree of peeling of the electrode active material based on the ratio of the number of sub-areas where peeling has occurred to the total number of sub-areas.

[0020] The inspection unit is configured to set a subregion as a peeled subregion if, among the plurality of subregions: the chromaticity of the surface of the subregion of the electrode falls within a predetermined value range; the brightness of the surface of the subregion of the electrode is greater than a predetermined value; or the height of the subregion of the electrode is less than a predetermined value.

[0021] The inspection unit can determine that peeling has occurred if: the chromaticity of the electrode surface falls within a preset value range; the brightness of the electrode surface is greater than a preset value; or the height of the electrode is smaller than a preset value.

[0022] The inspection unit may calculate the degree of peeling of the electrode active material as a score or a grade.

[0023] The tape supplying device may further include a tape collection member that collects the tape that has passed through the tape pressure unit; and a release paper collection member that collects the release paper separated from the adhesive surface of the tape, so that when the tape is provided from the tape providing member, the release paper can be separated from the adhesive surface of the tape and provided.

[0024] The tape providing member may be a tape unwinder that unwinds a wound tape, the tape collecting member may be a tape rewinder that rewinds the tape, and the release paper collecting member may be a release paper rewinder that rewinds the release paper.

[0025] The test device may further include an electrode providing member that provides the electrodes; and an electrode recovering member that recovers the electrodes that have passed through the test unit.

[0026] The electrode may be provided in a roll type.

[0027] The electrode providing member may be an electrode unwinder that unwinds a wound electrode, and the electrode recovering member may be an electrode rewinder that rewinds the electrode.

[0028] The device may further include a table on which the electrode is placed and which supports the electrode.

[0029] The electrode is provided in a sheet type, and the tape adhesive member moves while applying pressure to the surface of the sheet-type electrode to induce peeling of the active material of the electrode, and then the inspection unit passes over the sheet-type electrode to inspect the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode.

[0030] The inspection device further includes a moving box that stores the tape adhesive member and moves over the electrodes; and a driving unit that moves the moving box, wherein the inspection unit is: provided at the rear end of the moving box and moves over the electrodes; or provided separately from the moving box and moves over the electrodes following the movement of the moving box.

[0031] The table may include a suction member capable of adsorbing the sheet-type electrode onto the table, and the suction member may include at least one suction hole.

[0032] The moving box can further store: the tape providing member; a tape recovery member that recovers the tape that has passed through the tape pressure unit; and a release paper recovery member that recovers the release paper separated from the adhesive surface of the tape.

[0033] The tape providing member may be a tape unwinder that unwinds a wound tape, the tape collecting member may be a tape rewinder that rewinds the tape, and the release paper collecting member may be a release paper rewinder that rewinds the release paper.

[0034] The tape adhesive tape may further include a tape separating member that separates a moving path of the tape from a moving path of the electrode so that the tape adhered to the electrode by the tape adhesive member can be peeled off.

[0035] The tape adhesive member may be a pressure roller.

[0036] The adhesive of the tape may be any one selected from the group including acrylic adhesives and silicone adhesives.

[0037] The tape adhesive member may pressurize the tape and the electrode with a force having any one value selected from the range of 1 kgf to 5 kgf for any one time period selected from the range of more than 0 seconds to 1 second or less.

[0038] The electrodes may be a cylindrical jellyroll electrode assembly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0039] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce errors by quantifying the inspection of the degree of exfoliation of an electrode active material. Furthermore, since the inspection of the degree of exfoliation of an electrode active material is performed using automated equipment, it is possible to maximize the production efficiency of electrode assemblies and improve the quality of the produced electrode assemblies.

[0040] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] 1 shows a conventional method for inspecting electrode active material peeling. [Figure 2] 1 shows a conventional method for inspecting electrode active material peeling. [Figure 3] 1 shows a conventional method for inspecting electrode active material peeling. [Figure 4] 1 shows a conventional method for inspecting electrode active material peeling. [Figure 5] 1 shows an electrode active material peeling inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 shows an electrode active material peeling inspection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] An example of recognizing a peeled region by measuring the difference in electrode height (step) using the inspection device shown in FIG. 5 is shown. [Figure 8] 1 shows comparative experimental data results between an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a conventional technique. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0043] In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description will be omitted and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0044] In addition, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those shown. Thicknesses are exaggerated to clearly show various layers and regions in the drawings. In addition, the thicknesses of some layers and regions are exaggerated in the drawings for the convenience of explanation.

[0045] Furthermore, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other part is said to be "on" or "above" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly above" that part, but also the case where there are other parts in between. Conversely, when a part is said to be "directly above" another part, it means that there are no other parts in between. Furthermore, being "on" or "above" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean being located "on" or "above" the opposite direction of gravity.

[0046] Also, throughout the specification, when a part is said to "comprise" a certain element, this means that it may further include other elements, rather than excluding other elements, unless otherwise specified.

[0047] Also, throughout the specification, "in a plane" means a portion of the subject matter viewed from above, and "in cross section" means a portion of the subject matter viewed from the side along a vertical cross section.

[0048] An electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0049] The electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 includes an electrode providing member (electrode unwinder) 110, an electrode recovery member (electrode rewinder) 120, a tape providing member (tape unwinder) 130, a release paper recovery member (release paper rewinder) 140, a table 150, a tape bonding member 160, a tape recovery member (tape rewinder) 170, an electrode guide member 180, a tape separating member 190, and an inspection unit 200. In addition, a transfer roller 210 may be further included.

[0050] First, in FIG. 5, the electrode providing member 110 is illustrated as an electrode unwinder 110, the electrode collecting member 120 is illustrated as an electrode rewinder 120, the release paper collecting member 140 is illustrated as a release paper rewinder 140, and the tape collecting member 170 is illustrated as a tape rewinder 170, each in a roll form, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient if the electrode 10, tape 20, and release paper 30 can be provided and collected, respectively.

[0051] The electrode unwinder 110 unwinds a jelly roll manufactured and wound in an electrode manufacturing process to provide an electrode 10 for inspecting the degree of peeling. In this case, the jelly roll may be wound and provided in the electrode manufacturing process, for example, after a slitting process. The unwound electrode 10 moves via a transfer roller 210.

[0052] Meanwhile, the tape 20 is unwound and provided by the tape unwinder 130. As will be described later, the tape 20 is attached to the electrode 10 and then removed to measure the degree of peeling of the electrode 10. The tape 20 and the release paper 30 attached to the adhesive surface of the tape 20 are wound together, and as the tape is unwound by the tape unwinder 130, the release paper 30 is separated from the tape 20. The separated release paper 30 is immediately collected (rewound) by the release paper rewinder 140.

[0053] The tape 20 is broadly composed of an adhesive 21 and a film 22 that supports the adhesive components. The release paper 30 is separated from the adhesive surface as described above. The adhesive 21 is preferably an adhesive that adheres to the electrode 10 and then separates, allowing a portion of the electrode active material of the electrode 10 to be peeled off, but does not remain on the surface of the electrode 10. The adhesive 21 may be, for example, any one selected from the group including acrylic adhesives and silicone adhesives. The film 22 may be, for example, PET.

[0054] The tape 20 provided by the tape unwinder 130 and from which the release paper 30 has been separated moves to the tape adhesive member 160. In some cases, the movement of the tape 20 may be guided by a transfer roller 210 or the like. Because the tape 20 has a thin and elongated shape, the tape 20 may move laterally along its movement path or may have a partially bent angle during movement. Therefore, the transfer roller 210 can correct the path of the tape 20 and correct the angle of the tape so that the tape 20 can accurately pass through a predetermined position on the tape adhesive member 160. The transfer roller 210 can guide the movement of the tape 20 by contacting the surface of the tape 20 opposite the adhesive surface.

[0055] The tape 20 provided by the tape unwinder 130 and from which the release paper 30 has been separated, and the electrode 10 provided by the electrode unwinder 110, pass under the tape adhesive member 160. At this time, the active material layer of the electrode 10 and the adhesive surface of the tape 20 pass facing each other, and the tape adhesive member 160 presses the surface of the tape 20 opposite the adhesive surface. For effective pressure, a table 150 may be further provided, and the tape adhesive member 160 presses the surface of the electrode 10 and tape 20 opposite the adhesive surface of the tape 20 as they pass over the table 150. At this time, the foil of the electrode 10 passes in contact with the table 150. The traveling speed of the electrode 10 and tape 20 is, for example, 40 mm / min to 450 mm / min, or may be 300 mm / min. The tape adhesive member 160 applies pressure to the electrode 10 and the tape 20 with, for example, a force of 1 kgf to 5 kgf or a force of 2 kgf for a time longer than 0 seconds and less than 1 second, or for 0.2 seconds. At this time, for example, the length of the area where the electrode 10 and the tape 20 are adhered to each other is about 1 mm to 30 mm, and the width is about 20 mm to 70 mm. Alternatively, the length of the adhered area is about 15 mm, and the width is about 45 mm. However, the present invention is not limited to the above numerical values, and various modifications and variations can be made to suit the environment in which the present invention is applied.

[0056] When the tape 20 is adhered to the electrode 10 by the tape adhesive member 160 and then peeled off, peeling of the electrode 10 (more specifically, the electrode active material) occurs. On the other hand, if the tape 20 is peeled off after being adhered to the electrode 10 for a certain length of time, the upper end portion of the active material layer of the electrode 10 may be peeled off by the adhesive. Because the electrode 10 only needs to be peeled off to inspect the degree of peeling, the tape adhesive member 160 may have a rounded pressure surface, for example, to press the tape 20 and the electrode 10 together, minimizing the area of ​​adhesion. The tape adhesive member 160 may be, for example, a roller, as shown in FIG. 5 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and there are no limitations on the shape or structure of the tape adhesive member 160, as long as the above-mentioned objectives are achieved. For example, the tape adhesive member 160 may not be a roller, but may have a rounded pressure surface, or the tape adhesive member 160 may be a rod-shaped pressure surface with a narrow width. Various modifications and variations are possible.

[0057] Furthermore, since the electrode 10 and the tape 20 only need to meet and contact each other at the position where they are pressed by the pressure surface of the tape adhesive member 160, a guide member may be further provided at the front and / or rear end of the tape adhesive member 160 to separate the electrode 10 and the tape 20 and transport them along their respective movement paths. The embodiment of FIG. 5 further includes an electrode guide member 180 that guides the electrode 10 to the tape adhesive member 160. Also, a tape separating member 190 is further provided that separates the movement path of the tape 20 from the movement path of the electrode 10 so that the tape 20 adhered to the electrode 10 by the tape adhesive member 160 can be immediately peeled off. The separated tape 20 is recovered (rewinded) by a tape rewinder 170.

[0058] According to this embodiment of the present invention, when the tape 20 is adhered to the electrode 10 and then peeled off, the electrode 10 and the tape 20 are always adhered to each other at the same angle by the tape adhesive member 160, pressed with the same pressure, and separated from each other at the same angle. Furthermore, additional components such as the electrode guide member 180 and the tape separating member 190 can more accurately maintain the adhesion angle and separation angle between the electrode 10 and the tape 20 at a consistent level. This significantly reduces deviations when inspecting the degree of peeling of the electrode active material, as described below. This serves to increase the accuracy and reliability of the peeling inspection.

[0059] The electrode 10 in which peeling has been induced is transported by a transport member (such as a transport roller), and the surface of the electrode 10 in which peeling has been induced is measured by the inspection unit 200. The inspection unit 200 is a vision unit, and may be, for example, a camera or an optical sensor. The inspection unit 200 measures the surface of the electrode 10 in which peeling has occurred within a region of a certain horizontal length and a certain vertical length (hereinafter referred to as the "measurement region"). At this time, the measurement is performed at an increased magnification. For example, the surface of the electrode 10 may be measured at a magnification of 5 to 50, or 5. The inspection unit 200 determines whether or not peeling has occurred on the surface of the electrode 10 by measuring differences in color or brightness, or differences in electrode height (steps), etc.

[0060] More specifically, if the range of a predetermined chromaticity, a predetermined brightness, or a predetermined difference in electrode height (step) is exceeded, i.e., if at least one of the chromaticity, brightness, and electrode height deviates from the predetermined value, it can be recognized as a region where the active material of electrode 10 has peeled off and the foil has been exposed (hereinafter referred to as a "peeled region").

[0061] If the height of the electrode 10 is smaller than a predetermined value, it can be recognized as a peeled region. For example, when recognizing a peeled region based on the difference in height of the electrode 10, a region where the thickness of the active material after rolling has dropped to, for example, 60% or less can be recognized as a peeled region. FIG. 7 shows an example of recognizing a peeled region by measuring the difference in electrode height (step) using the electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 according to the embodiment of FIG. 6. In this example, a pancake roll-shaped electrode 10 having a width of 20 mm to 90 mm and a thickness of 200 μm or less is provided in sheet form and attached to a table 150. A tape adhesive member 160 or a moving box 220 containing the tape adhesive member 160 is moved at a speed of 300 mm / min, and a tape 20 is adhered to the sheet-shaped electrode 10 and then peeled off, inducing peeling. The tape 20 is 25 mm wide and has an adhesive strength of 9 gf / cm. At this time, the photograph in FIG. 7 is for the case where the measurement width is 300 μm, and the enlarged photograph in FIG. 7 shows the screen observed at 5x magnification.

[0062] If the brightness of the surface of the electrode 10 is greater than a preset value, it can be recognized as a peeled region. For example, when recognizing a peeled region based on the brightness difference of the electrode 10, the region where the foil is exposed and the region where the active material is applied can be recognized based on the light intensity received by the optical sensor of the inspection unit 200. The region where the foil is exposed is indicated by a light intensity of about 24,000 or more, while the region where the active material is applied is indicated by a light intensity of about 8,000. The region where the foil is exposed (i.e., the peeled region) can be recognized based on this difference in light intensity.

[0063] When the chromaticity of the surface of the electrode 10 falls within a preset range of values, it can be recognized as a peeled region. For example, when recognizing a peeled region based on the chromaticity difference of the electrode 10, if the optical sensor recognizes a brass color, for example, the corresponding portion can be recognized as a region where the foil is exposed (i.e., a peeled region).

[0064] The inspection unit 200 inspects the degree of peeling based on the ratio of the measurement area to the peeled area, for example, the ratio of the area of ​​the measurement area to the area of ​​the peeled area.

[0065] In addition, the ratio of the measurement area to the peeled area can be set into multiple sections to subdivide the degree of peeling. The ratio of the measurement area to the peeled area and the degree of peeling can be stored in advance in a table. Meanwhile, the calculation of the ratio of the measurement area to the peeled area and the peeling degree inspection can be performed by a processor provided in the inspection unit 200 or by a remotely connected processor.

[0066] Furthermore, the inspection unit 200 can divide the measurement area on the surface of the electrode 10 into a plurality of sub-areas in a grid pattern (e.g., by (x, y) coordinates) at regular intervals in both the horizontal and vertical directions, and measure the chromaticity, brightness, or step of each sub-area. For each sub-area, if the chromaticity, brightness, or step exceeds a predetermined range, as described above, the sub-area is recognized (set) as a region where peeling has occurred (hereinafter referred to as a "peeled sub-area"). That is, if the chromaticity of the surface of the electrode sub-area falls within a predetermined range, if the brightness of the surface of the electrode sub-area is greater than a predetermined value, or if the height of the electrode sub-area is less than a predetermined value, the sub-area can be set as a peeled sub-area. For more specific examples of chromaticity, brightness, and step, see the examples above.

[0067] The degree of peeling can be examined by dividing the number of peeled sub-regions by the total number of sub-regions to calculate the ratio of the number of peeled sub-regions to the total number of sub-regions.

[0068] The inspection unit 200 may classify the degree of peeling of the electrode active material into pass, fail, pending judgment, etc., or may indicate it in various ways, such as a numerical score or a grade system, etc. Additionally, the degree of process improvement by reducing the degree of peeling may be indicated by a score.

[0069] The electrode 10 that has passed through the inspection unit 200 is collected (rewound) again by the electrode rewinder 20.

[0070] Hereinafter, an electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0071] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the electrode 10 is placed in sheet form on a table 150, and the electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 moves to induce peeling of the electrode active material, and then the inspection unit 200 measures the degree of peeling.

[0072] More specifically, the tape adhesive member 160 and the inspection unit 200 of the electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 according to the embodiment of Fig. 6 can move on the table 150. By moving the tape adhesive member 160, the tape providing member (tape unwinder) 130, the release paper recovery member (release paper rewinder) 140, the tape adhesive member 160, the tape recovery member (tape rewinder) 170, and the tape separating member 190 can all move.

[0073] To facilitate such movement, a moving box 220 and a driving unit 230 may be additionally included. The moving box 220 may house a tape providing member (tape unwinder) 130, a release paper collecting member (release paper rewinder) 140, a tape bonding member 160, a tape collecting member (tape rewinder) 170, and a tape separating member 190. An inspection unit 200 may also be housed therein. If necessary, a transport roller 210 may also be housed therein.

[0074] The moving box 220 moves on the table 150 (more specifically, on the electrode 10 fixed on the table 150). The drive unit 230 is coupled to the moving box 220 to enable the moving box 220 to move. The drive unit 230 may be composed of rails and wheels 230a that move along the rails, as shown in Fig. 6, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is sufficient if the drive unit can move the moving box 220 to suit the environment in which the present invention is implemented.

[0075] The table 150 may further include an adsorption member 150a on its upper surface. The adsorption member 150a may be connected to a separate vacuum pump (not shown) for gas adsorption (suction). The sheet-like electrode 10 may be adsorbed onto the adsorption member 150a. The adsorption member 150a may include at least one adsorption hole. A plurality of adsorption holes may be provided to cover a larger surface. When the adsorption member 150a begins its suction function through the adsorption holes, the sheet-like electrode 10 is adsorbed onto the table 150. If necessary, the table 150 may further include fixing members (not shown) for fixing both ends of the sheet-like electrode 10 in addition to the adsorption member 150a.

[0076] 6, the sheet-like electrode 10 is attracted to the table 150, so the electrode unwinder 110 and the electrode rewinder 120 do not have to be provided. Also, the electrode guide member 180 may be omitted depending on the circumstances.

[0077] When the sheet-like electrode 10 is adsorbed onto the table 150, the tape adhesive member 160 moves while applying pressure to the sheet-like electrode 10, inducing peeling of the active material of the electrode. The driving unit 230 moves the moving box 220 over the sheet-like electrode 10 along the sheet-like electrode 10. As the moving box 220 moves, the tape adhesive member 160 provided on the moving box 220 applies pressure to the tape 20 to adhere it onto the sheet-like electrode 10, and the tape separating member 190 provided on the moving box 220 peels the tape 20 from the sheet-like electrode 10, inducing peeling of the sheet-like electrode 10 (more specifically, the electrode active material).

[0078] Next, the inspection unit 200 passes over the sheet-like electrode 10 in which peeling has been induced, and measures the surface of the electrode 10 in which peeling has been induced. The inspection unit 200 may be provided at the rear end of the moving box 220, or may be provided separately from the moving box 220 and move over the sheet-like electrode 10 following the moving box 220, and various modifications and variations are possible.

[0079] For other methods of measuring the degree of peeling and inspection by the inspection unit 200, please refer to the description given above in the embodiment of Fig. 5. Also, during the operation of the tape unwinder 130, release paper rewinder 140, tape adhesive member 160, tape rewinder 170, tape separating member 190, inspection unit 200, and transfer roller 210, operation methods other than those described above in Fig. 6 overlap with those described above in the embodiment of Fig. 5, so please refer to the description given above in Fig. 5.

[0080] For reference, in the electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 of Figure 6, the tape adhesive member 160 and the inspection unit 200 move above the sheet-like electrode 10, while in the electrode active material peeling inspection device 100 of Figure 5, the electrode 10 moves below the tape adhesive member 160 and the inspection unit 200.

[0081] However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and may involve a case where the tape adhesive member 160, the inspection unit 200, and the electrode 10 do not all move. Alternatively, a combination of the embodiments of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 may be implemented. For example, various methods may be implemented, such as moving only one of the tape adhesive member 160, the inspection unit 200, and the electrode 10 depending on the situation, or moving all of the tape adhesive member 160, the inspection unit 200, and the electrode 10 in opposite directions. FIG. 8 shows experimental data results comparing the inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention with those of the prior art. More specifically, the graph shows the measured values ​​of the degree of peeling of samples produced when electrodes of the same composition were slit under different conditions.

[0082] The experimental data for the comparative example related to the prior art was obtained by disassembling 100 jelly rolls and counting the number of jelly rolls that exhibited peeling of 150 μm or more as a percentage. The x-axis of the graph in Figure 8 represents electrode samples produced when electrodes of the same composition were slit under different conditions, and the y-axis represents the peeling rate (i.e., degree of peeling) for Example 1 and the comparative example of the present invention. Figure 8 shows that the frequency of electrode peeling in the comparative example (more specifically, the linear analysis results for the comparative example) and the peeling rate (degree of peeling) for the electrode in Example 1 show a similar tendency.

[0083] In summary, according to the above-described embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to quantitatively inspect the degree of exfoliation of the electrode active material and reduce errors. Furthermore, since the inspection of the degree of exfoliation of the electrode active material is performed using automated equipment, it is possible to maximize the production efficiency of electrode assemblies and improve the quality of the produced electrode assemblies.

[0084] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the appended claims also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10: Electrode 20: Tape 30: Release paper 100: Electrode active material peeling inspection device 110: Electrode unwinder 120: Electrode rewinder 130: Tape unwinder 140: Release paper rewinder 150: Table 160: Tape adhesive material 170: Tape rewinder 180: Electrode guide member 190: Tape separation member 200: Inspection unit 210: Transfer roller 220: Moving Box 230: Drive unit

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically inspecting the degree of peeling of active material on an electrode, a tape providing member for providing a tape; a tape adhesive member that applies pressure to the tape so that the tape is adhered to the electrode; and an inspection unit for inspecting the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode; the electrode and the tape are pressed by the tape adhesive member and then separated from each other, causing peeling of the active material of the electrode; the inspection unit inspects the degree of peeling of the electrode active material based on a ratio of the measurement area to the peeled area; the measurement area is a specified area on the surface of the electrode where the peeling has occurred, the specified area being a specified horizontal length and a specified vertical length; The peeled region is a region where the electrode active material is peeled off and the electrode foil is exposed.

2. The inspection device according to claim 1 , wherein the inspection unit inspects the degree of peeling of the electrode active material based on a ratio of an area of ​​the measurement region to an area of ​​the peeled region.

3. the measurement area includes a plurality of sub-areas divided at regular intervals in the horizontal and vertical directions into a grid-like pattern; The testing device of claim 1 , wherein the testing unit tests the degree of peeling of the electrode active material based on a ratio of the number of sub-regions where peeling has occurred to the total number of sub-regions.

4. The inspection unit includes: the chromaticity of the surface of the sub-region of the electrode falls within a preset range of values; the brightness of the surface of the sub-region of the electrode is greater than a preset value; 4. The inspection device according to claim 3, further comprising: a step of: setting the subregion of the electrode as a peeled subregion when the height of the subregion is smaller than a preset value.

5. The inspection unit includes: The chromaticity of the surface of the electrode falls within a predetermined range of values; the brightness of the surface of the electrode is greater than a predetermined value; 2. The inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising: a detecting unit configured to detect the occurrence of peeling when the height of the electrode is smaller than a preset value.

6. The inspection device according to claim 1 , wherein the inspection unit calculates the degree of peeling of the electrode active material by a score or a grade.

7. An apparatus for automatically inspecting the degree of peeling of an active material of an electrode, comprising: a tape providing member for providing a tape; a tape adhesive member that applies pressure to the tape so that the tape is adhered to the electrode; an inspection unit for inspecting the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode; a tape recovery member that recovers the tape that has passed through the tape adhesive member; and a release paper recovery member that recovers the release paper separated from the adhesive surface of the tape; the electrode and the tape are pressed by the tape adhesive member and then separated from each other, causing peeling of the active material of the electrode; When the tape is provided from the tape providing member, the release paper is separated from the adhesive surface of the tape.

8. the tape providing member is a tape unwinder that unwinds the wound tape, the tape recovery member is a tape rewinder that rewinds the tape, 8. The inspection device according to claim 7, wherein the release paper recovery member is a release paper rewinder that rewinds the release paper.

9. an electrode-providing member that provides the electrode; and The inspection device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrode recovery member that recovers the electrode that has passed through the inspection unit.

10. The testing device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode is provided in a roll type.

11. the electrode providing member is an electrode unwinder that unwinds a wound electrode; The inspection device according to claim 9 , wherein the electrode recovery member is an electrode rewinder that rewinds the electrode.

12. The testing device of claim 1 , further comprising a table on which the electrode is placed and which supports the electrode.

13. The electrode is provided in a sheet type, The tape adhesive member moves while pressing the surface of the sheet-type electrode to induce peeling of the active material of the electrode, The inspection device according to claim 12, wherein the inspection unit then passes over the sheet-type electrode to inspect the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode.

14. An apparatus for automatically inspecting the degree of peeling of an active material of an electrode, comprising: a tape providing member for providing a tape; a tape adhesive member that applies pressure to the tape so that the tape is adhered to the electrode; an inspection unit for inspecting the degree of peeling of the active material of the electrode; a table on which the electrodes are placed and which supports the electrodes; a moving box that stores the tape adhesive member and moves over the electrodes; and a drive unit for moving the moving box; the electrode and the tape are pressed by the tape adhesive member and then separated from each other, causing peeling of the active material of the electrode; The electrode is provided in a sheet type, The tape adhesive member moves while pressing the surface of the sheet-type electrode to induce peeling of the electrode active material, Next, the inspection unit passes over the sheet-type electrode and inspects the degree of peeling of the electrode active material, The inspection unit includes: The moving box is provided at the rear end thereof and moves on the electrodes; an inspection device that is provided separately from the moving box and moves over the electrodes following the movement of the moving box;

15. 14. The inspection device according to claim 13, wherein the table includes a suction member capable of suctioning the sheet-type electrode onto the table, the suction member including at least one suction hole.

16. The moving box is the tape providing member; a tape recovery member that recovers the tape that has passed through the tape adhesive member; and 15. The inspection device according to claim 14, further comprising a release paper recovery member that recovers the release paper separated from the adhesive surface of the tape.

17. the tape providing member is a tape unwinder that unwinds a wound tape, the tape recovery member is a tape rewinder that rewinds the tape, 17. The inspection device according to claim 16, wherein the release paper recovery member is a release paper rewinder that rewinds the release paper.

18. The inspection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a tape separating member that separates a moving path of the tape from a moving path of the electrode so that the tape adhered to the electrode by the tape adhesive member can be peeled off.

19. The inspection device according to claim 1 , wherein the tape adhesive member is a pressure roller.

20. 2. The inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive of the tape is any one selected from the group consisting of an acrylic adhesive and a silicone adhesive.

21. 2. The inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the tape adhesive member presses the tape and the electrode with a force having any one value selected from the group consisting of 1 kgf to 5 kgf for any one time period selected from the group consisting of more than 0 seconds and 1 second or less.

22. 10. The testing device of claim 1, wherein the electrode is a cylindrical jelly roll electrode assembly.

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