Electrode supply device, electrode assembly manufacturing device using the same, electrode supply method, and electrode assembly manufacturing method using the same

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode supply device, a manufacturing device for an electrode assembly using the same, an electrode supply method, and a manufacturing method for an electrode assembly using the same.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing dates of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0000709 filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on January 3, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0185680 filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 19, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electrode supply device, an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus using the same, an electrode supply method, and an electrode assembly manufacturing method using the same. [Background technology]

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries are rechargeable and have the potential to be miniaturized and have large capacities. Due to technological developments and increasing demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing.

[0004] Secondary batteries are classified into coin-type batteries, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries depending on the shape of the battery case. The electrode assembly installed inside the battery case of a secondary battery is a power generating element that can be charged and discharged and is made up of a laminated structure of electrodes and a separator.

[0005] The electrode assemblies can be broadly classified into a jelly-roll type in which a sheet-like positive electrode and negative electrode coated with an active material are wound up with a separator interposed between them, a stack type in which a number of positive electrodes and negative electrodes are stacked in order with a separator interposed between them, and a stack-and-fold type in which a stack-type unit cell is wound up with a long separator film.

[0006] In most cases, the electrode assemblies are manufactured by supplying individual electrodes from a magazine in which a plurality of single electrodes are stacked. In this process, if the electrodes to be supplied are not properly separated from the plurality of single electrodes stacked in the magazine, the electrodes may be transported while still stuck together, resulting in a defect in the electrode assembly. If the electrodes are stacked while still separate, the electrode assembly may be defective.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can properly detect whether a supply electrode is different from the multiple electrodes stacked in the magazine and separate the different electrodes when they are detected. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode supply device, an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus using the same, an electrode supply method, and an electrode assembly manufacturing method using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply device including: a magazine unit that stores a plurality of electrodes therein; an electrode pickup unit that picks up and transfers the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stored in the magazine unit; and a dissimilar electrode separation unit on which the electrodes transferred by the electrode pickup unit are placed and that detects whether the electrodes are dissimilar and separates them, wherein the dissimilar electrode separation unit separates the two or more electrodes from each other when two or more electrodes among the electrodes stored in the magazine unit are picked up by the electrode pickup unit as dissimilar electrodes.

[0010] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first and second electrodes, the apparatus comprising: a first electrode supply unit that supplies the first electrode to a stack table; a second electrode supply unit that supplies the second electrode to the stack table; a separation membrane supply unit that supplies the separation membrane to the stack table; a stack table that manufactures a laminate in which the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode are stacked in a configuration in which the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged alternately; a press unit that heats and pressurizes the laminate to bond the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly; and at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the electrode supply device.

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply method including the steps of: picking up an uppermost electrode among electrodes stacked inside a magazine unit with an electrode pickup unit (step a); moving the electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit to a different electrode separation unit (step b); detecting whether the electrodes placed on the different electrode separation unit are different (step c); grasping the lowermost electrode among the electrodes if a different electrode is detected (step d); and transporting an electrode not grasped by the different electrode separation unit and supplying it to a stack table side by the electrode pickup unit (step e).

[0012] Finally, one embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first and second electrodes, the method including the steps of: supplying the first electrode to a stack table; supplying the second electrode to the stack table; supplying the separation membrane to the stack table; stacking the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode on the stack table to manufacture a laminate; and a heat press step of heating and pressurizing the laminate to bond the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the steps of supplying the first electrode to the stack table; and supplying the second electrode to the stack table includes the electrode supply method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The electrode supply device and the electrode supply method according to the embodiments of the present invention can prevent defects due to contact between electrode surfaces or between an electrode surface and a separator.

[0014] The electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus and the electrode assembly manufacturing method according to the embodiments of the present invention can prevent the mismatch defect phenomenon, and therefore, when an electrode assembly is manufactured using the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus and the electrode assembly manufacturing method, productivity can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates an electrode supply apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an electrode pickup unit and a different electrode separator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 10 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates an electrode supply device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]1 is a front view showing the concept of an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional electrode assembly. [Figure 7] 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a pressing process of a manufacturing method or apparatus for an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0016] 10...electrode assembly 11...1st electrode 12...Second electrode 14...Separation membrane 100 Electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus 110 Stack Table 120...Separation membrane supply section 121 Separation membrane heat section 122 Separation membrane roll 130...1st electrode supply section 131 First electrode seating table 133 First electrode roll 134 First cutter 135 First conveyor belt 136 First electrode supply head 140...Second electrode supply section 141 Second electrode seating table 143 Second electrode roll 144 Second cutter 145 - Second conveyor belt 146 Second electrode supply head 150 First electrode stack section 151 First suction head 153 First moving part 160 Second electrode stack section 161 Second suction head 163 Second moving part 170 ···Holding mechanism 171 First holding mechanism 172 Second holding mechanism 180 ···Press Department 181 First pressure block 182 Second pressure block 183 Press heater 184 Press heater 210 ···Magazine Department 220 Electrode pickup unit 221 Electrode suction head 222...electrode fixing part 223...electrode transfer section 230...Different electrode separation section 230a...Different electrode separation section 230b...Different electrode separation section 231 Lower electrode suction head 232 Plate 241 Top electrode 242 Lower electrode 242a...Lower electrode 242b...lower electrode S ···Laminate DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein.

[0018] In this specification, when a part is said to "comprise" a certain component, this means that it may further include other components, rather than excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0019] In this specification, "p to q" means "not less than p and not more than q."

[0020] In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of related publicly known techniques that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

[0021] In this specification, the term "electrode magazine" refers to a section in which electrodes are stacked in a certain space, like bullets in a magazine.

[0022] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode supply device including a magazine unit 210 storing a plurality of electrodes therein; an electrode pickup unit 220 that picks up and transfers the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stored in the magazine unit 210; and a dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 that places the electrodes transferred by the electrode pickup unit 220, detects whether the electrodes are dissimilar, and separates them, wherein the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 separates the two or more electrodes from each other when two or more electrodes among the electrodes stored in the magazine unit 210 are dissimilarly picked up by the electrode pickup unit 220.

[0023] In this specification, the term "electrode" refers to the electrode and / or a semi-finished electrode product. The semi-finished electrode product refers to any semi-assembled electrode-related product, such as a coated electrode, a rolled electrode, or a notched electrode, which is manufactured in the process of manufacturing an electrode assembly and a secondary battery including the electrode assembly. That is, in this specification, the magazine unit may be stacked with electrodes or semi-finished electrode products.

[0024] In an electrode supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of electrodes housed in the magazine unit 210 may be stacked in order. The electrode supplying device is characterized in that it fixes the electrode that is in contact with the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine unit 210. This feature makes it easier to separate only the uppermost electrode, and prevents mis-layer defects due to contact between electrode surfaces.

[0025] As a result, when an electrode assembly is manufactured using the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, productivity can be improved.

[0026] The electrode supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a magazine unit 210 in which a plurality of electrodes are stored and stacked. The magazine unit 210 functions to store and stack the electrodes.

[0027] The electrode supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode pickup unit 220 that picks up the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit 210 and transfers the electrode to the electrode separator 230 or the stack table side.

[0028] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode pickup unit 220 may include an electrode fixing unit 222 that fixes the uppermost electrode; and an electrode transport unit 223 that transports the uppermost electrode to the different electrode separation unit 230 or the stack table side.

[0029] In this specification, the "electrode fixing portion" has the function of picking up the uppermost electrode among the multiple electrodes stored inside the magazine portion 210, and the "different electrode separating portion" has the function of grasping the underside of the electrode that is in contact with the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine portion 210, and they differ in terms of their functionality.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode fixing part 222 includes an electrode suction head 221, and the uppermost electrode can be fixed by the suction force of the electrode suction head 221.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the different electrode separation unit 230 can separate other electrodes in contact with the uppermost electrode when the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up two or more electrodes together with the uppermost electrode.

[0032] Incidentally, the electrode pickup unit 220 is supposed to pick up only one electrode stored in the magazine unit 210, but when two or more electrodes are picked up stuck together due to the adhesive force between the electrodes, the vacuum suction force between the electrodes, etc., this is called a mismatch defect. Mismatch can be understood as two or more electrodes that are stuck together.

[0033] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 1, the different electrode separator 230 may be located between the magazine unit 210 and a seating table or a stack table, which will be described later.

[0034] More specifically, referring to FIG. 2, the different electrode separation portion 230 may include a plate 232 including a lower electrode suction head 231 capable of vacuum suctioning the underside of an electrode 242 (hereinafter referred to as the lower electrode) in contact with the uppermost electrode 241.

[0035] That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 includes a plate 232 including a lower electrode suction head 231 capable of vacuum suction to the underside of the lower electrode 242 that is in contact with the uppermost electrode 241, the electrode pickup unit 220 includes an electrode fixing unit 222 that fixes the uppermost electrode 241; and an electrode transport unit 223 that transports the uppermost electrode fixed by the electrode fixing unit 222 toward the stack table, and the electrode fixing unit 222 may include an electrode suction head 221 that is capable of vacuum suction to the upper surface of the uppermost electrode.

[0036] Here, the lower surface of the lower electrode refers to the opposite side to the pickup direction of the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit 210. In other words, the lower surface of the lower electrode refers to the opposite side of the surface facing the uppermost electrode among both opposing surfaces of the lower electrode.

[0037] The dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 fixes the underside of the lower electrode 242 that is in contact with the uppermost electrode, thereby enabling only the uppermost electrode 241 of the two or more electrodes placed on the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 to be picked up and transported by the electrode pickup unit 22.

[0038] Although the electrode pickup unit 220 and the different electrode separator 230 are described as picking up or fixing the electrodes by vacuum suction, the present invention is not limited to this and any means can be used as long as it can fix the electrodes.

[0039] For example, the electrode pickup unit 220 and the dissimilar electrode separator 230 may physically fix the electrodes using adhesive tape, etc. Alternatively, the electrode pickup unit 220 and the dissimilar electrode separator 230 may fix the electrodes using electrostatic forces between the electrodes and the electrode fixing unit 222 and between the electrodes and the plate 232.

[0040] After the dissimilar electrode separator 230 according to the present invention fixes the lower electrode by vacuum suction, a physical force can be applied from the outside to the dissimilar electrode separator 230 or the electrode. For example, after the dissimilar electrode separator 230 fixes the electrode by vacuum suction, vibrations can be applied to the plate 232 or air can be blown between the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode.

[0041] More specifically, the different electrode separator 230 may include a plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 capable of vacuum-sucking the lower electrode. The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be provided in a plurality of pairs. The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be arranged on the plate 232 so as to be slidable horizontally on the plate.

[0042] The plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 suction and fix the lower electrodes, and then vibrate to apply a vibration force to the lower electrodes. The lower electrode suction heads 231 then expand in the longitudinal direction of the lower electrodes while vibrating, and if there are multiple electrodes in the dissimilar electrode separator 230, they can apply a physical force to separate them from each other.

[0043] The operation of expanding the plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 may be an operation of slightly contracting and then expanding the plurality of lower electrode suction heads 231 in a direction parallel to the electrode placed on the plate 232. That is, the operation may be an operation of bringing the paired lower electrode suction heads close to each other in the length direction of the lower electrode and then expanding so as to move apart again.

[0044] The electrode supply device according to the present invention may include at least one electrode separator 230 .

[0045] When the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up two lower electrodes other than the uppermost electrode, the electrode supply device may include two different electrode separators 230.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 3, the first dissimilar electrode separator 230a fixes the lower electrode 242b that does not contact the uppermost electrode 241 to the dissimilar electrode separator 230a, and the electrode pickup unit 220 picks up the uppermost electrode 241 and the lower electrode 242a that contacts the uppermost electrode again and transfers them to the second dissimilar electrode separator 230b.

[0047] Then, the second electrode separator 230b again fixes the bottom electrode 242a, and the electrode pickup unit 220 separates the top electrode 241 from the bottom electrode 242a and transfers it to the stack table.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the plate 232 may further include a sensor unit (not shown) that determines whether two or more electrodes are stacked on one surface of the plate 232; and a control unit (not shown) that starts vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231 against the lower surface of the lower electrode that is in contact with the uppermost electrode when the sensor unit determines whether two or more electrodes are stacked.

[0049] Alternatively, when the sensor unit determines that only one electrode is stacked on one surface of the plate 232, the control unit does not start vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 and the electrode suction head 221 may be greater than the bonding force between the two or more electrodes stacked on the different electrode separator 230. In this case, the bonding force may include any of a physical adsorption force, an electrostatic force, and an adhesive force between the two or more electrodes picked up by the electrode pickup unit 220.

[0051] The vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 and the vacuum suction force of the electrode suction head 221 may be the same.

[0052] For example, when two electrodes are stacked on the different electrode separator 230, the two electrodes may be separated by the vacuum suction forces of the electrode suction head 221 and the lower electrode suction head 231, respectively.

[0053] Alternatively, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 may be greater than the vacuum suction force of the electrode suction head 221. Therefore, when separating the two electrodes, the electrode fixed to the lower electrode suction head 231 can be prevented from being separated from the lower electrode suction head 231.

[0054] Alternatively, the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head 231 may be smaller than the suction force of the electrode suction head 221 .

[0055] For example, when one electrode is stacked on the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 and the control unit starts vacuum suction of the lower electrode suction head 231, the electrode stacked on the dissimilar electrode separation unit 230 must be transferred to a mounting table or stack table by the electrode pickup unit 220.

[0056] Therefore, if the above conditions are met, the electrode pickup unit 220 may easily transfer the electrodes stacked on the electrode separator 230 to the seating table or stack table.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode supply device may further include an electrode seating table on which the electrodes transferred by the electrode supply device are seated and aligned, and the electrodes seated on the electrode seating table may be stacked on a stack table by an electrode stacking unit (described later).

[0058] One embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first and second electrodes, the apparatus including: a first electrode supply unit that supplies the first electrode to a stack table; a second electrode supply unit that supplies the second electrode to the stack table; a separation membrane supply unit that supplies the separation membrane to the stack table; a stack table that manufactures a stack in which the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode are stacked such that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately disposed between the folded separation membrane; and a press unit that heats and pressurizes the stack to bond the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the electrode supply device.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit includes the electrode supply device.

[0060] That is, at least one or both of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit may utilize the electrode supply device according to the present invention to supply the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

[0061] That is, an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode supply unit that supplies electrodes to a stack table, and the electrode supply unit may include an electrode seating table on which the electrodes are seated before being stacked on the stack table by the electrode stacking unit. The electrodes transferred by the electrode supply device according to the present invention may be seated on the electrode seating table and aligned in position. The aligned electrodes may be stacked on the stack table by the electrode stacking unit. The electrodes may be first electrodes or second electrodes.

[0062] In one embodiment, the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus of the present invention may alternately arrange first and second electrodes between the folded separators. Manufacturing a laminate in which the first and second electrodes are alternately arranged between the folded separators is called zigzag folding. However, the electrode supply apparatus of the present invention is not limited to electrode assemblies manufactured by the zigzag folding method and may also be applied to other processes, i.e., lamination and stacking (L&S) processes.

[0063] In this specification, the laminate may correspond to an unfinished electrode assembly, and the uppermost and lowermost ends of the electrode assembly may correspond to the upper and lower surfaces of the laminate, respectively, or the bottom and top surfaces of the unfinished electrode assembly.

[0064] That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode supply unit may include the first electrode supply device, and the second electrode supply unit may include the second electrode supply device. The first electrode supply device and the second electrode supply device may each be the electrode supply device according to the present invention.

[0065] Also, referring to Figures 4 and 5, in the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode supply unit 130 may include a first electrode seating table 131 on which the first electrode is seated before being stacked on the stack table 110 by the first electrode stacking unit 150, and the second electrode supply unit 140 may include a second electrode seating table 141 on which the second electrode is seated before being stacked on the stack table 110 by the second electrode stacking unit 160.

[0066] The first electrode stacking unit 150 may include a first suction head 151 and a first moving unit 153. The first suction head 151 can vacuum-suck the first electrode 11 seated on the first electrode seating table 131.

[0067] The second electrode stacking unit 160 can stack second electrodes on the stack table 110. Here, the second electrode stacking unit 160 may have the same structure as the above-described first electrode stacking unit 150. In this case, the second electrode stacking unit 160 may include a second suction head 161 and a second moving unit 163.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode 11, the separation membrane 14, and the second electrode 12 are stacked so that the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are alternately arranged between the folded separation membranes. In this case, a method in which the stack table moves left and right, a method in which the separation membrane 14 moves left and right, or a method in which the stack table rotates may be used, and conventional techniques in the relevant field may be applied to this.

[0069] The electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a stack table moving unit that moves the stack table 110 left and right, or a separation membrane guide unit that moves the separation membrane left and right. The stack table moving unit and the separation membrane guide unit may be configured in any manner as long as they function to move the stack table 110 and the separation membrane left and right, respectively, and devices commonly used in the art may be used.

[0070] The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a holding mechanism 170 for holding and fixing the laminate during the manufacturing process of the laminate.

[0071] When the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12 is stacked on the stack table 110, the holding mechanism 170 can grip the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12 and fix it to the stack table 110. The holding mechanism 170 includes, for example, a first holding mechanism 171 and a second holding mechanism 172, and can fix both sides of the first electrode 11 or the second electrode 12.

[0072] 7 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the press unit 180 may further include a pair of pressurizing blocks 181, 182 and press heaters 183, 184 that heat the pressurizing blocks 181, 182, and the pair of pressurizing blocks 181, 182 may move in directions opposite to each other to apply surface pressure to the laminate, and the laminate may be heated by the press heaters 183, 184. In this case, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pair of pressurizing blocks 181, 182 may include the press heaters 183, 184 inside.

[0073] In one embodiment of the present invention, the stack may be heated by a heater contained within the stack table.

[0074] The pressure and temperature conditions for the heating and pressing by the pressing unit 180 are the same as those for the heat pressing step described below, and the same applies to the time (time conditions) for applying the heat and pressure.

[0075] Here, the pressure condition refers to the pressure applied by the pair of pressurizing blocks (or the pressurizing block for the stack table), and the temperature condition refers to the temperature of heat applied by a press heater or a heater included inside the stack table.

[0076] An electrode supplying method according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of picking up an uppermost electrode from among electrodes stacked inside a magazine unit, and separating two or more of the picked-up electrodes.

[0077] In detail, the electrode supply method includes a step (a) of picking up the uppermost electrode of a plurality of electrodes stacked inside a magazine unit with an electrode pickup unit; a step (b) of moving the electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit to a different electrode separation unit; a step (c) of detecting whether the electrodes placed on the different electrode separation unit are different; a step (d) of gripping the lowermost electrode among the electrodes if a different electrode is detected; and a step (e) of the electrode pickup unit transporting the electrodes not gripped by the different electrode separation unit and supplying them to a stack table side.

[0078] In other words, steps (a) to (e) may be included in the step of separating the two or more picked-up electrodes.

[0079] In an electrode supply method according to an embodiment of the present invention, when two or more electrodes are picked up from the magazine, the plurality of electrodes are separated. This feature makes it easier to separate only the top electrode, and prevents a mismatch error caused by two electrodes being supplied to the stack table.

[0080] As a result, when an electrode assembly is manufactured using the method for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, productivity can be improved.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include cutting sheet-shaped electrodes and stacking the electrodes in the magazine section.

[0082] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include cutting a sheet-like electrode and stacking two or more cut electrodes in the magazine unit.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, step (a) may include the step of the electrode pickup unit vacuum-sucking an upper surface of an uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the magazine unit to pick up the uppermost electrode.

[0084] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step (d) is a step in which the dissimilar electrode separator vacuum-sucks the lower surface of the lower electrode that is in contact with the uppermost electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit, thereby fixing the lower electrode.

[0085] In detail, (step d) may include a step of starting vacuum suction of the underside of a lower electrode that is in contact with an uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked in the dissimilar electrode separation portion when it is determined that two or more electrodes are stacked in the dissimilar electrode separation portion.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present invention, step (e) is a step in which two or more electrodes are separated by the vacuum suction force of the electrode pickup unit and the dissimilar electrode separation unit, and the uppermost electrode fixed to the electrode pickup unit is transferred to the stack table.

[0087] In another embodiment of the present invention, the electrode supplying method may include a step (d-1) of not starting vacuum suction in the dissimilar electrode separation section when it is determined that one electrode has been stacked on the dissimilar electrode separation section. For example, the electrode supplying method of the present invention may include (d-1) instead of (d).

[0088] In one embodiment of the present invention, the attraction force acting on the electrode not gripped by the dissimilar electrode separator in step (e) and the force gripping the bottom electrode in step (d) may be greater than the bonding force between the dissimilar electrodes. For example, the bonding force may include any of a physical attraction force, an electrostatic force, and an adhesive force between the top electrode and the bottom electrode.

[0089] In the (e) step, the suction force acting on the electrode not gripped by the different electrode separator may be the same as the force gripping the lowermost electrode in the (d) step.

[0090] As described above, when this condition is met, the uppermost electrode and the lower electrode can be efficiently supplied separately to the stack table by the electrode suction head and the lower electrode suction head.

[0091] Alternatively, in the (d) step, the force gripping the lowermost electrode may be greater than the suction force acting on the electrode not gripped by the different electrode separator in the (e) step.

[0092] As mentioned above, if this is satisfied, the electrode (or the bottom electrode) fixed to the lower electrode suction head can be prevented from being separated from the lower electrode suction head due to the suction force acting on the electrode that is not gripped by the dissimilar electrode separation part in (step e).

[0093] Alternatively, if only the uppermost electrode is picked up in step (a), the suction force acting on the underside of the lower electrode in step (d) may be non-existent or may be smaller than the suction force acting on the electrode not gripped by the dissimilar electrode separation portion in step (e).

[0094] As described above, if this is satisfied, it is possible to prevent the problem that the uppermost electrode stacked in the different electrode separator is not transferred to the stack table in step (d) due to the force gripping the lowermost electrode.

[0095] The electrode supplying method according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include the step of the electrode pickup unit transferring the electrodes that are not fixed to the first dissimilar electrode separator to a second dissimilar electrode separator.

[0096] In this case, in the step (b), the different electrode separator may be a first different electrode separator.

[0097] That is, in the electrode supply method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of separating the two or more picked-up electrodes by two or more different electrode separators is repeated, thereby preventing different electrode defects in the electrode assembly.

[0098] That is, in the electrode supplying method according to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of the different electrode separators may be arranged in succession, and the steps (b) to (e) may be repeated a plurality of times.

[0099] In one embodiment of the present invention, step (d) may include a step of vacuum-sucking the lower surface of the lowermost electrode with a plurality of lower electrode suction heads; and a step of separating the separate electrodes from each other by horizontally moving the plurality of lower electrode suction heads toward and away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes while vibrating.

[0100] That is, in the (d) step, in addition to the lower electrode bonding force of the lower electrode suction head, the lower electrode suction head may vibrate or an air supply unit may be provided above the dissimilar electrode separation unit to inject air between the dissimilar electrodes, thereby separating the dissimilar electrodes from each other.

[0101] One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separation membrane disposed between the first and second electrodes, the method including the steps of: supplying the first electrode to a stack table; supplying the second electrode to the stack table; supplying the separation membrane to the stack table; stacking the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode on the stack table to manufacture a laminate; and a heat press step of heating and pressurizing the laminate to bond the first electrode, separation membrane, and second electrode to manufacture an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the steps of supplying the first electrode to the stack table; and supplying the second electrode to the stack table includes the above-described electrode supply method.

[0102] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the steps of supplying the first electrode to the stack table side and the step of supplying the second electrode to the stack table side includes the electrode supply method.

[0103] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of stacking the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode on a stack table to manufacture a stack includes: (S1) stacking the second electrode on the stack table; (S2) stacking the separator on the stack table so that the separator covers an upper surface of the second electrode stacked on the stack table; (S3) stacking a first electrode on a surface of the separator covering the upper surface of the second electrode opposite to a surface in contact with the second electrode; (S4) providing the separator to cover the upper surface of the first electrode; (S5) stacking the second electrode on a surface of the separator covering the upper surface of the first electrode opposite to the surface that contacts the first electrode; and (S6) further providing the separator to cover the upper surface of the second electrode; The steps (S1) to (S6) may be repeated one or more times, which means that the electrodes are first stacked on the stack table.

[0104] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of stacking the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode on a stack table to manufacture a stack includes: (SS1) stacking separation membranes on the stack table; (SS2) stacking a first electrode on the upper surface of the separator; (SS3) providing the separator to cover the upper surface of the first electrode; (SS4) stacking the second electrode on the surface of the separator covering the upper surface of the first electrode opposite to the surface that contacts the first electrode; and (SS5) further providing the separator to cover the upper surface of the second electrode; The steps (SS1) to (SS5) may be repeated one or more times, which means that the separation membrane is first stacked on the stack table.

[0105] In one embodiment of the present invention, steps (S4), (S6), (SS3), and (SS5), i.e., the steps of further supplying a separator to cover the top surface of the first electrode or the second electrode, may be performed by moving the stack table left and right, moving the separator left and right, or rotating the stack table. That is, the separator may be folded in a zigzag pattern, and the stack may be manufactured by a zigzag folding process in which the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately disposed between the folded separators.

[0106] The electrode supply method of the present invention is not limited to the zigzag folding process as described in the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus, but can also be applied to other types of processes.

[0107] Although the present invention has been described in detail above through specific examples, these examples are merely for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, and the electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is not limited thereto. It is possible for a person skilled in the art to implement various embodiments within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. a magazine section in which multiple electrodes are stored; an electrode pickup unit that picks up and transfers the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stored inside the magazine unit; and A different electrode separation unit on which the electrodes transferred by the electrode pickup unit are placed, detects whether the electrodes are different, and separates them. Including, The electrode separation unit separates two or more electrodes from each other when two or more electrodes among the electrodes stored in the magazine unit are picked up by the electrode pickup unit as different electrodes.

2. the different electrode separator includes a plate including a lower electrode suction head that attracts one surface of the electrode that is not in contact with the electrode pickup unit, the electrode pickup unit includes an electrode fixing unit that fixes the uppermost electrode; and an electrode transport unit that transports the uppermost electrode toward the different electrode separating unit or a stack table, The electrode supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode fixing portion includes an electrode suction head capable of vacuum-suctioning an upper surface of the uppermost electrode.

3. The different electrode separating unit is a sensor unit that determines whether the electrodes transferred from the magazine unit are different electrodes; and a control unit that performs control so as to fix the electrode at the bottom layer among the two or more electrodes when the sensor unit determines that the two or more electrodes are different layers; 10. The electrode feeder of claim 1, further comprising:

4. 3. The electrode supply device according to claim 2, wherein the vacuum suction force of the lower electrode suction head is greater than the bonding force of the two or more electrodes.

5. 5. The electrode supply device according to claim 4, wherein the bonding force is any one of a physical adsorption force, an electrostatic force, and an adhesive force between the two or more electrodes.

6. A plurality of the different electrode separation portions are provided, 4. The electrode supply device according to claim 3, wherein when the sensor unit determines whether three or more electrodes are stacked, the remaining electrodes except for the uppermost electrode are separated one by one in order so as to be separated from each other.

7. the different electrode separator includes a lower plate on which the mounted electrode is placed and a plurality of lower electrode suction heads installed on the lower plate, 2. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lower electrode suction heads prevent the electrodes from being separated by horizontal movement in which the lower electrode suction heads move toward and away from each other in a longitudinal direction of the electrodes while vibrating.

8. An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly, comprising: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first electrode supply unit that supplies the first electrode to the stack table side; a second electrode supply unit that supplies the second electrode to the stack table side; a separation membrane supply unit that supplies the separation membrane to the stack table side; a stack table on which a stack is produced in which the first electrodes, separators, and second electrodes are stacked in such a manner that the first electrodes and the second electrodes are alternately arranged; a press unit that applies heat and pressure to the laminate to bond the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode together to produce the electrode assembly; and 8. The electrode supply device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrode supply unit and the second electrode supply unit is an electrode supply device. An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly, comprising:

9. a step (a) of picking up the uppermost electrode among the electrodes stacked inside the magazine unit by an electrode pickup unit; a step (b) of moving the electrode picked up by the electrode pickup unit to a different electrode separation unit; a different electrode detecting step (step c) of detecting whether the electrodes placed on the different electrode separating unit are different; If a different sheet is detected, gripping the lowermost electrode of the electrodes (step d); and a step (e) in which the electrode pickup unit transfers the electrodes not gripped by the different electrode separator and supplies them to a stack table; An electrode supply method comprising:

10. The electrode supply method of claim 9 , wherein the step d comprises vacuum-suctioning a lower surface of the electrode that is not in contact with the electrode pickup unit.

11. The step d is vacuum-sucking the lower surface of the lowermost electrode with a plurality of electrode lower surface suction heads; and Separating the separated electrodes from each other by horizontally moving the lower surface suction heads of the electrodes toward or away from each other in a longitudinal direction of the electrodes while vibrating.

10. The electrode supply method of claim 9, comprising:

12. a plurality of the different electrode separation portions are arranged continuously; 10. The electrode supply method of claim 9, wherein steps b to e are repeated multiple times.

13. 1. A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly, comprising: manufacturing an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, supplying the first electrode to a stack table side; providing the second electrode to a stack table side; supplying the separation membrane to a stack table; stacking the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode on a stack table to form a stack; and and heat pressing the laminate to bond the first electrode, the separator, and the second electrode together to manufacture the electrode assembly. Including, A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly, wherein at least one of the steps of supplying the first electrode to a stack table side and supplying the second electrode to a stack table side includes the electrode supply method described in any one of claims 9 to 12.

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