Battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing device for a battery capable of easily shortening a cycle time and saving a space for a manufacturing place.SOLUTION: In a manufacturing device for a battery for laminating and forming an electrode foil 2, in which seal members 3 and 4 are joined to four sides, while holding a separator 5 therebetween, a separator web 6 is conveyed while being wound around a first drive roller 12. The separator web 6 wound around the first drive roller 12 is cut on the first drive roller 12 and molded into the rectangular separator 5 corresponding to the electrode foil 2. The separator 5 molded rectangular is conveyed while changing the winding thereof from the first drive roller 12 to the second drive roller 14. An electrode web 7 molded in a belt shape by connecting a number of electrode foils 2 is wound and conveyed correspondingly to the second drive roller 14, around which the separator 5 is wound, and the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7 are joined on the second drive roller 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a battery manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for a battery configured by laminating a large number of battery cells formed by joining a seal member and a separator to a rectangular electrode.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method for manufacturing a power storage module. The power storage module described in this Patent Document 1 is a so-called bipolar type battery, and includes an electrode laminate in which a plurality of bipolar electrodes (electrode plates) provided with positive and negative electrodes on both sides are laminated, and a seal member that surrounds the periphery of the electrode laminate and seals the electrode laminate. The manufacturing method of the power storage module described in this Patent Document 1 includes a step of forming a frame-shaped seal member (primary seal) on the outer edge of the bipolar electrode, a step of attaching a separator on the primary seal, a step of laminating the bipolar electrodes while arranging a communication hole forming member on the primary seal, a step of welding the primary seals together, and a step of further forming a seal member (secondary seal) around the primary seal. In the step of welding the primary seals together, by welding the primary seals together, a communication hole is formed that communicates with the internal space formed between adjacent bipolar electrodes of the electrode laminate in a shape corresponding to the shape of the communication hole forming member.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes an energy storage module and a separator supply device for supplying separators to the manufacturing process of the energy storage module. The energy storage module described in Patent Document 2 is a so-called bipolar battery, similar to the energy storage module described in Patent Document 1, and is formed by stacking multiple bipolar electrodes (electrode plates), each having a positive electrode and a negative electrode on both sides, with separators in between. Furthermore, the separator supply device described in Patent Document 2 includes a sliding surface section that slides the separator horizontally by gravity on an inclined sliding surface, a stopping section that stops the separator that has slid on the sliding surface, a gas ejection section that ejects gas from holes provided on the sliding surface to facilitate the smooth flow of the separator on the sliding surface, a static elimination section that removes the charge accumulated on the separator by charging the gas ejected from the holes in the gas ejection section, thereby making it less likely for the easily charged separator to adhere to the sliding surface, and an adsorption transport section that attracts and adsorbs the separator that has stopped on the sliding surface and supplies it to a predetermined position in the manufacturing process of the energy storage module. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-145102 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-136250 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In the manufacturing method of the energy storage module described in Patent Document 1, a battery cell of a bipolar battery is manufactured by welding a sealing material and a separator to the four sides of a rectangular sheet-shaped bipolar electrode to separate the bipolar electrodes that are to be overlapped with each other. The separator used in the manufacturing process of such a bipolar battery is cut into rectangular sheets corresponding to one set of battery cells and supplied, for example, by a separator supply device described in Patent Document 2. Alternatively, it may be supplied using a transport manipulator such as a robot arm or robot hand.

[0006] In the manufacturing of conventional bipolar batteries described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, the bipolar electrodes are, for example, transported via a web on a roll, cut into rectangular shapes corresponding to a set of battery cells, and then transported to a process where sealing material and separators are welded. Similarly, the separators are cut into rectangular shapes corresponding to a set of battery cells, and each rectangular sheet is transported to a process where the separators are welded. Therefore, in the conventional battery manufacturing technology described above, transport time is required to transport the bipolar electrodes and separators, cut into rectangular or sheet shapes, to the next process. In addition, positioning is required each time the bipolar electrodes and separators are transported to the next process. These factors increase the cycle time in battery manufacturing. Furthermore, the process for cutting the bipolar electrodes and separators is carried out separately from the continuous process flow via web transport. Therefore, a separate space must be secured for carrying out the process of cutting the bipolar electrodes and separators. Thus, conventional battery manufacturing technology still had room for improvement in order to shorten the cycle time and save space in the manufacturing area.

[0007] This invention was conceived in view of the above-mentioned technical problems, and aims to provide a battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method that can shorten the manufacturing cycle time and save space in the manufacturing area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, this invention provides a battery manufacturing apparatus for forming a battery by joining sealing members to the four sides of a rectangular electrode foil, and stacking the electrode foil with the sealing members joined to it, sandwiching a sheet-like separator between them, comprising: a separator reel that winds and holds a separator web formed from the separator material into a strip shape; a first drive roller that winds and conveys the separator web supplied from the separator reel; a cutting device that cuts the separator web wound on the first drive roller and forms it into a rectangular separator corresponding to the shape and size of the electrode foil; and a device that rewinds and conveys the separator formed into a rectangle on the first drive roller and conveyed from the first drive roller, and also connects a number of electrode foils to each of them. The invention is characterized by comprising: a second drive roller that connects the electrode foils together by joining the sealing members to form an electrode web into a strip shape, and then winds and conveys the electrode web in accordance with the position where the separator is wound; a driven roller installed adjacent to the second drive roller, which rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the second drive roller, and which sandwiches the electrode web between itself and the second drive roller, causing the electrode web wound around the second drive roller to be in close contact with the separator that was previously wound around the second drive roller; and a joining device that joins the separator and the electrode foil on the second drive roller with the electrode foil in the electrode web wound around the second drive roller overlapping the separator that has been rewound from the first drive roller to the second drive roller.

[0009] Furthermore, even if the first drive roller in this invention has a separator adsorption section that sucks the separator web wrapped around the first drive roller and the separator cut into a rectangle by the cutting device from the roll surface of the first drive roller, and transports the separator web and the separator while they are adsorbed to the first drive roller, and a separator levitation section that blows air from the roll surface onto the separator that has been transported while adsorbed to the separator adsorption section, causing the separator to levitate from the first drive roller, In this invention, the second drive roller may include an electrode web adsorption section that sucks the electrode web, which is wound around the second drive roller together with the separator, from the roll surface of the second drive roller and transports the separator and the electrode web while they are adsorbed to the second drive roller, and an electrode web floating section that blows air from the roll surface onto the separator and the electrode web, which have been transported while adsorbed to the electrode web adsorption section and joined to the electrode foil by the joining device, thereby floating the separator and the electrode web away from the second drive roller.

[0010] Furthermore, the separator adsorption portion in this invention may be formed in one region obtained by dividing the roll surface of the first drive roller in the circumferential direction, and the separator floating portion may be formed in the other region of the first drive roller other than the separator adsorption portion. The electrode web adsorption portion in this invention may be formed in one region obtained by dividing the roll surface of the second drive roller in the circumferential direction, and the electrode web floating portion may be formed in the other region of the second drive roller other than the electrode web adsorption portion.

[0011] Furthermore, in this invention, when joining the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web on the second drive roller, the rotation of the first drive roller may be temporarily stopped, and the second drive roller may be continuously rotated while the rotation of the first drive roller is stopped, thereby transporting the electrode web on the second drive roller, and adjusting the spacing of the separators superimposed on the electrode foil to position the separators relative to the electrode foil.

[0012] Furthermore, the bonding apparatus in this invention may include a heating device that heats the bonding portion between the separator and the electrode foil while the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web are overlapping on the second drive roller, and a pressure roller that applies a pressing force to the bonding portion after the bonding portion has been heated by the heating device, and this invention may be configured to weld the separator to the electrode web at the bonding portion.

[0013] On the other hand, this invention is a method for manufacturing a battery in which sealing members are joined to the four sides of a rectangular electrode foil, and the electrode foil to which the sealing members are joined is laminated with a sheet-like separator in between, wherein the separator material is supplied from a separator reel that winds and holds a separator web formed into a strip, the separator web is wound onto a first drive roller and conveyed, the separator web wound onto the first drive roller is cut on the first drive roller by a cutting device to form a rectangular separator corresponding to the shape and size of the electrode foil, the separator formed into a rectangle on the first drive roller and conveyed from the first drive roller is wound onto a second drive roller from the first drive roller. The method is characterized by the following steps: replacing and transporting the separator web and separator on the first drive roller, while simultaneously transporting the separator web and separator on the first drive roller, the electrode web, which is formed into a strip shape by joining the sealing members to each of the numerous electrode foils to connect the electrode foils to each other, is wound onto the second drive roller in the same position as the separator is wound on the second drive roller and transported, the electrode foils on the electrode web wound on the second drive roller are superimposed on the separator that has been transferred from the first drive roller to the second drive roller, and the separator and the electrode foils are joined by a joining device while the separator and the electrode foils are superimposed on the second drive roller.

[0014] Furthermore, in this invention, when winding the electrode web onto the second drive roller, a driven roller installed adjacent to the second drive roller and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the second drive roller may be used to sandwich the electrode web between the second drive roller and the driven roller, thereby bringing the electrode web into close contact with the separator that was previously wound onto the second drive roller.

[0015] Furthermore, in this invention, the separator web supplied from the separator reel and wound around the first drive roller, and the separator cut into a rectangular shape by the cutting device, are sucked from the roll surface of the first drive roller by the separator suction section provided on the first drive roller and transported while being adsorbed to the first drive roller, and air is blown from the roll surface onto the separator being transported while being adsorbed to the separator suction section provided on the first drive roller, causing the separator to float away from the first drive roller, The electrode web, which is wrapped around the second drive roller together with the separator, is sucked from the roll surface of the second drive roller by the electrode web adsorption section provided on the second drive roller, and the separator and the electrode web are transported while adsorbed to the second drive roller. The electrode web levitation section provided on the second drive roller is then used to blow air from the roll surface onto the separator and the electrode web, which have been transported while adsorbed to the electrode web adsorption section and joined to the electrode foil by the joining device, thereby levitating the separator and the electrode web from the second drive roller.

[0016] Furthermore, in this invention, the separator adsorption portion may be formed in one region obtained by dividing the roll surface of the first drive roller in the circumferential direction, and the separator floating portion may be formed in the other region of the first drive roller other than the separator adsorption portion; the electrode web adsorption portion may be formed in one region obtained by dividing the roll surface of the second drive roller in the circumferential direction, and the electrode web floating portion may be formed in the other region of the second drive roller other than the electrode web adsorption portion.

[0017] Furthermore, in this invention, when joining the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web on the second drive roller, the rotation of the first drive roller may be temporarily stopped, and the second drive roller may be continuously rotated while the rotation of the first drive roller is stopped, thereby transporting the electrode web on the second drive roller, and adjusting the spacing of the separators superimposed on the electrode foil to position the separators relative to the electrode foil.

[0018] Furthermore, the bonding apparatus in this invention may include a heating device that heats the bonding portion between the separator and the electrode foil while the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web are overlapping on the second drive roller, and a pressure roller that applies a pressing force to the bonding portion after the bonding portion has been heated by the heating device, and in this invention, the separator may be welded to the electrode web at the bonding portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The battery covered by this invention is formed by joining sealing members to all four sides of a rectangular electrode foil that serves as a current collector or electrode plate, and then stacking a number of electrode foils, each with a sealing member joined to it, with a separator in between. Conventional batteries are manufactured, for example, by moving a sheet of separator, cut in a separate process, onto a single electrode foil with a sealing member joined to it, one sheet at a time. As a result, a lot of time is required for transporting, positioning, and centering the separator. In contrast, in the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of this invention, a strip-shaped separator material (separator web) wound on a separator reel, and electrode foils (electrode webs) that have been joined in a previous process and connected in a strip shape, are transported via a first drive roller and a second drive roller, respectively. The separator web is transported while being wound around the first drive roller, and is cut on the first drive roller to form a rectangular sheet-shaped separator. The sheet-shaped separator is transferred from the first drive roller to the second drive roller and transported. Meanwhile, the electrode web is wound onto the second drive roller and transported, and is superimposed on the separator that was previously wound onto the second drive roller. Then, on the second drive roller, the electrode foil of the electrode web and the separator are joined together. For example, the joining portion is heated and pressurized to weld the electrode foil and the separator together. When winding the separator onto the second drive roller, the spacing of the separators wound onto the second drive roller can be arbitrarily adjusted by controlling the rotation of the first and second drive rollers, respectively. In other words, the positioning of the separator relative to the electrode foil of the electrode web can be easily performed.

[0020] Thus, in the battery manufacturing apparatus and method of this invention, the separator and electrode foil are transported via a web, and the separator is cut and the separator and electrode foil are joined within this web transport flow. Therefore, the cycle time for manufacturing batteries can be shortened compared to the case where the separator is cut and transported in a separate process. In addition, space is not required for separate processes to cut and join the separator, thus saving space in the manufacturing area.

[0021] Therefore, according to the battery manufacturing apparatus and method of this invention, it is possible to easily shorten the cycle time of battery manufacturing and save space at the manufacturing site.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing an overview of the basic manufacturing process of the battery to be manufactured according to this invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview (image) of the components (electrode foil, seal member, and separator) of the battery (battery cell) to be manufactured according to this invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an overview (image) of the battery manufacturing method using the battery manufacturing apparatus of this invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the battery manufacturing apparatus of this invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a process diagram showing an overview of the specific manufacturing process of the battery to be manufactured according to this invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the battery manufacturing apparatus of this invention and the specific manufacturing process of the battery using the manufacturing apparatus (mainly the supply and conveyance process of the separator web and the electrode web). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the battery manufacturing apparatus of this invention and the specific manufacturing process of the battery using the manufacturing apparatus (mainly the cutting process of the separator and the heating process of the electrode foil). [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the battery manufacturing apparatus of this invention and the specific manufacturing process of the battery using the manufacturing apparatus (mainly the pressing process of the separator and the electrode foil). [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the battery manufacturing apparatus of this invention and the specific manufacturing process of the battery using the manufacturing apparatus (mainly the conveyance process of the battery cell and the position adjustment of the separator). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] Embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments shown below are merely examples of how this invention can be implemented and do not limit the invention.

[0024] The battery targeted by this embodiment of the invention is constructed by laminating foil-shaped current collectors (electrode foils) coated with materials (active materials) that form the positive and negative electrodes, with a separator in between. In particular, bipolar batteries, in which the positive and negative electrodes are formed on both sides of the electrode foil, require high-precision positioning when laminating the electrode foils and separators. The battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method in this embodiment of the invention achieve a reduction in the battery manufacturing cycle time and space saving in the manufacturing area, even when manufacturing such bipolar batteries. It should be noted that the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method in this embodiment of the invention are not limited to the bipolar batteries described above, but may also be used to manufacture so-called monopolar batteries, in which a current collector with a positive electrode and a current collector with a negative electrode are laminated with a separator in between.

[0025] Figure 1 shows a schematic manufacturing process (process diagram) of a battery manufactured using the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method according to an embodiment of this invention. This process diagram (or flowchart) in Figure 1 shows the basic process or overall flow of the process when manufacturing a battery, and as will be described later, the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method according to an embodiment of this invention mainly focuses on the manufacturing of the battery in "Process P3 (Separator Bonding Process)" described later.

[0026] First, in process P1 (electrode foil cutting process), the electrode foil material, which is supplied in roll form via web transport, is cut into rectangular electrode foils corresponding to a set of battery cells (a pair of electrode foils and a separator). After the electrode foils are cut, they are transported via web transport with gaps to allow for welding of sealing members in the subsequent process (process P2).

[0027] In process P2 (sealant bonding process), a sealing member is welded to all four sides of the rectangularly cut electrode foil. The electrode foils, which were cut in the previous process (process P1) and transported with gaps between them, are joined to the sealing member in process P2, connecting the front and rear electrode foils to each other, and are transported as a strip-shaped electrode web.

[0028] In step P3 (separator bonding step), the electrode foil, which has been transported as an electrode web, is bonded to the separator. The separator is held on a separator reel, where the separator material (separator web), which has been formed into a strip shape, is wound up. In step P3, the separator web supplied from the separator reel is cut into rectangular sheet-shaped separators corresponding to a set of battery cells. The cut separators are transported and positioned relative to the electrode foil of the electrode web, and the separators and electrode foils are superimposed. Then, the separators and electrode foils are transported in a positioned and superimposed state, and the separators and electrode foils are bonded together. The battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method in this embodiment of the invention focus on this step P3, and a detailed description of the manufacturing process will be given later.

[0029] In process P4 (battery cell cutting process), the electrode foil to which the separator is bonded is cut. That is, a pair of battery cells, consisting of electrode foil and separator, is cut from the electrode web to which the separator is bonded, and a battery cell 1 as shown in Figure 2 below is manufactured.

[0030] Figure 2 shows the components of a battery, specifically a battery cell 1, that is manufactured according to an embodiment of this invention. The battery cell 1 shown in Figure 2 forms a bipolar battery (not shown) as an example, and is mainly composed of electrode foils 2, sealing members 3 and 4, and a separator 5.

[0031] The electrode foil 2 is a rectangular, foil-shaped current collector. One surface (the upper surface 2a in the example shown in Figure 2) is coated with a material that forms the positive electrode (positive electrode active material, not shown), and the other surface (the lower surface 2b in the example shown in Figure 2) is coated with a material that forms the negative electrode (negative electrode active material, not shown).

[0032] The sealing members 3 and 4 are joined to the four sides of the rectangular electrode foil 2, sealing the electrolyte (not shown) between adjacent battery cells 1 when the battery cells 1 are stacked. In the example shown in Figure 2, the sealing member 3 is attached to the long side of the rectangular electrode foil 2, and the sealing member 4 is attached to the short side of the rectangular electrode foil 2.

[0033] The separator 5 is a rectangular, sheet-like or thin-piece insulator that, when battery cells 1 are stacked, is sandwiched between adjacent battery cells 1 to prevent short circuits between adjacent current collectors, i.e., electrode foils 2. Therefore, the separator 5 is attached to one side of a single electrode foil 2 (the top surface 2a in the example shown in Figure 2).

[0034] As described above, a set of battery cells 1 is formed by joining sealing members 3 and 4 and a separator 5 to a rectangular electrode foil 2. A bipolar battery is formed by stacking a predetermined number of these battery cells 1 in the thickness direction of the electrode foil 2 and providing electrode terminals (not shown) at both ends in the stacking direction.

[0035] Figure 3 shows a schematic (image) of the battery manufacturing method in an embodiment of this invention. In the battery manufacturing method in this embodiment of the invention, the material for the separator 5, i.e., the separator web 6, which is formed into a strip shape, is transported via the web while the rectangular separator 5 is cut out and the separator 5 is joined to the electrode foil 2. Similarly, the electrode web 7, which is formed into a strip shape by attaching sealing members 3 and 4, is transported via the web while the separator 5 and electrode foil 2 are joined as described above. By transporting the separator web 6 and the electrode web 7 via the web, and performing the cutting, positioning, and joining of the separator 5 and electrode foil 2 during the web transport process, separate processes outside of web transport can be eliminated or reduced. At the same time, movement and transport from other processes can be eliminated or reduced. Therefore, the cycle time when manufacturing batteries can be shortened and the manufacturing space can be reduced.

[0036] Figure 4 shows a schematic (image) of the manufacturing apparatus used to realize the manufacturing of a battery by the battery manufacturing method in the embodiment of this invention described above. The battery manufacturing apparatus 10 shown in Figure 4 (in the example shown in Figure 4, a bipolar battery) comprises, as its main components, a separator reel 11, a first drive roller 12, a cutting device 13, a second drive roller 14, a driven roller 15, and a joining device 16.

[0037] The separator reel 11 winds up and holds the separator web 6 (the material for the separator 5), which is formed into a strip. In the battery manufacturing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment of the invention, the separator web 6 is transported from the separator reel 11 and supplied to the first drive roller 12, which will be described next.

[0038] The first drive roller 12 is a roller driven by a power source such as a motor (not shown), and it winds and conveys the separator web 6 supplied from the separator reel 11 and the separator 5 cut on the first drive roller 12 by the cutting device 13 described later. In the example shown in Figure 4, an auxiliary roller 17 is provided between the separator reel 11 and the first drive roller 12, at a position adjacent to the first drive roller 12. The auxiliary roller 17 applies a predetermined tension to the separator web 6 supplied from the separator reel 11, and brings the separator web 6 wound around the first drive roller 12 into close contact with the roll surface 12a of the first drive roller 12. The roll surface 12a of the first drive roller 12 has a cutter groove 12b formed therein, which slides on or guides the cutting edge (not shown) of the cutter 13b of the cutting device 13 when the separator web 6 is cut by the cutting device 13 described later.

[0039] Furthermore, the first drive roller 12 has a separator adsorption portion 18 and a separator floating portion 19.

[0040] The separator suction unit 18 sucks the separator web 6, which is wrapped around the first drive roller 12, and the separator 5, which has been cut into a rectangular shape by the cutting device 13 (described later), from the roll surface 12a of the first drive roller 12, causing the separator web 6 and separator 5 to adhere to the roll surface 12a. The separator suction unit 18 is formed in one of the regions obtained by dividing the roll surface 12a of the first drive roller 12 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, in the circumferential direction of the roll surface 12a, the separator suction unit 18 is formed in the region where the separator web 6 and separator 5 are conveyed, between the portion where the auxiliary roller 17 and the roll surface 12a are in contact and the portion where the second drive roller 14 (described later) and the roll surface 12a are in contact. The separator adsorption unit 18, for example, connects a vacuum pump (not shown) to fine ventilation holes (not shown) formed on the roll surface 12a, and operates the vacuum pump to draw in air, thereby adsorbing the separator web 6 and separator 5 to the roll surface 12a in the aforementioned region.

[0041] The separator levitation portion 19 blows air from the roll surface 12a onto the separator 5, which has been transported while adsorbed to the separator adsorption portion 18, causing the separator 5 to levitate from the roll surface 12a of the first drive roller 12. In other words, it releases the separator 5, which was in close contact with the roll surface 12a, from the roll surface 12a. The separator levitation portion 19 is formed in the area of ​​the first drive roller 12 other than the separator adsorption portion 18. Specifically, the separator levitation portion 19 is formed in the area between the part where the second drive roller 14 (described later) and the roll surface 12a are in contact, and the part where the auxiliary roller 17 and the roll surface 12a are in contact in the circumferential direction of the roll surface 12a, where the separator 5 is rewound onto the second drive roller 14 and nothing is transported on the first drive roller 12. The separator levitation section 19, for example, connects a compressor (not shown) to fine ventilation holes (not shown) formed on the roll surface 12a, and discharges compressed air from the ventilation holes on the roll surface 12a, thereby levitating the separator 5 from the roll surface 12a at the point where the separator 5 is wound from the first drive roller 12 to the second drive roller 14, that is, at the point where the second drive roller 14 and the roll surface 12a come into contact.

[0042] The cutting device 13 cuts the separator web 6 wrapped around the first drive roller 12 on the first drive roller 12, forming a rectangular separator 5 that corresponds to the shape and size of the electrode foil 2. The cutting device 13 is, for example, a "cutter roll" with a cutter 13b on a movable roller 13a, as shown in Figure 4. The cutter 13 is brought into contact with the roll surface 12a at a predetermined position on the first drive roller 12 around which the separator web 6 is wrapped, and is moved in the width direction of the first drive roller 12 and the movable roller 13a to cut the separator web 6 and cut out and form a rectangular separator 5.

[0043] The second drive roller 14 is positioned in close proximity to or adjacent to the first drive roller 12, and rewinds and transports the separator 5 that has been formed into a rectangular shape on the first drive roller 12 and transported from the first drive roller 12. At the same time, the second drive roller 14 winds and transports the electrode web 7, which has been formed into a strip shape by connecting the electrode foils 2 by joining sealing members 3 and 4 to each of the electrode foils 2, in accordance with the position where the separator 5 is wound.

[0044] Furthermore, the second drive roller 14 has an electrode web adsorption portion 20 and an electrode web floating portion 21.

[0045] The electrode web adsorption section 20 attracts the electrode web 7, which is wrapped around the second drive roller 14 together with the separator 5, from the roll surface 14a of the second drive roller 14, and transports the separator 5 and electrode web 7 while they are adsorbed to the second drive roller 14. The electrode web adsorption section 20 is formed in one of the regions obtained by dividing the roll surface 14a of the second drive roller 14 in the circumferential direction. Specifically, in the circumferential direction of the roll surface 14a, the electrode web adsorption section 20 is formed in the region where the separator 5 and electrode web 7 are transported, between the portion where the first drive roller 12 and the roll surface 14a are in contact and the portion where the pressure roller 24 (described later) and the roll surface 14a are in contact. The electrode web adsorption unit 20, for example, connects a vacuum pump (not shown) to fine ventilation holes (not shown) formed on the roll surface 14a, and operates the vacuum pump to draw in air, thereby adsorbing the separator 5 and electrode web 7 onto the roll surface 12a in the aforementioned region.

[0046] The electrode web levitation portion 21 blows air from the roll surface 14a onto the separator 5 and electrode web 7, which have been transported while adsorbed to the electrode web adsorption portion 20, causing the separator 5 and electrode web 7 to levitate from the roll surface 14a of the second drive roller 14. In other words, it releases the separator 5 and electrode web 7, which were in close contact with the roll surface 14a, from the roll surface 14a. The electrode web levitation portion 21 is formed in the other region of the second drive roller 14, excluding the electrode web adsorption portion 20. Specifically, the electrode web levitation portion 21 is formed in the region between the portion where the pressure roller 24 and the roll surface 14a are in contact, and the portion where the first drive roller 12 and the roll surface 14a are in contact in the circumferential direction of the roll surface 14a, where the separator 5 and electrode web 7 are separated from the second drive roller 14 and wrapped around another driven roller 22 adjacent to the second drive roller 14, and nothing is transported on the second drive roller 14. The electrode web levitation section 21, for example, connects a compressor (not shown) to fine ventilation holes (not shown) formed in the roll surface 14a, and discharges compressed air from the ventilation holes in the roll surface 14a, thereby levitating the separator 5 and electrode web 7 from the roll surface 14a at the point where they separate from the second drive roller 14 after passing the pressure roller 24. The driven roller 22 applies a predetermined tension to the separator 5 and electrode web 7 as they are transported away from the second drive roller 14, and adjusts the transport direction (direction of travel) of the separator 5 and electrode web 7.

[0047] The driven roller 15 is installed adjacent to the second drive roller 14 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the second drive roller 14. At the same time, the driven roller 15 sandwiches the electrode web 7, which is transported from the previous process (not shown), between itself and the second drive roller 14, and brings the electrode web 7, which is wrapped around the second drive roller 14, into close contact with the separator 5 that is already wrapped around the second drive roller 14.

[0048] The bonding device 16 bonds the separator 5, which has been rewound from the first drive roller 12 to the second drive roller 14, to the electrode foil 2 of the electrode web 7 wound around the second drive roller 14, with the separator 5 overlapping the electrode foil 2. In the example shown in Figure 4, the bonding device 16 is equipped with a heating device 23 and a pressure roller 24, which weld the separator 5 and electrode foil 2 together as described above.

[0049] The heating device 23 heats the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7 while the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7 are overlapping each other on the second drive roller 14. The heating device 23 is located on the driven roller 15 side of the circumferential direction of the roll surface 14a, beyond the point where the pressure roller 24 (described later) and the roll surface 14a of the second drive roller 14 come into contact. In other words, the heating device 23 is positioned upstream of the point where the pressure roller 24 (described later) and the roll surface 14a of the second drive roller 14 come into contact, in the rotational direction of the second drive roller 14, to heat the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2. As the heating device 23, for example, a laser welding device (not shown) that irradiates the joint portion 25 with laser light and generates heat at the interface (not shown) of the joint portion 25 can be used. Alternatively, an ultrasonic welding device (not shown) that applies ultrasonic vibrations to the joint portion 25 and generates frictional heat at the interface (not shown) of the joint portion 25 may be used.

[0050] The pressure roller 24 heats the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 using the heating device 23, then clamps the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 between itself and the second drive roller 14, applying pressure to the joint portion 25. The separator 5 is then welded to the electrode web 7 at the joint portion 25. Specifically, the separator 5 is welded to the joint portion of the sealing members 3 and 4 of the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7. The pressure roller 24 is pressed in the direction normal to the second drive roller 14 at the joint portion 25 by an actuator (not shown), such as a hydraulic or servo motor.

[0051] It should be noted that the joining device 16 in this embodiment of the invention is not limited to one that "welds" the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 using the heating device 23 and pressure roller 24 as described above. For example, the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 may be "bonded" using an adhesive (not shown). Alternatively, the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 may be joined using other joining methods as appropriate.

[0052] In the battery manufacturing method according to this embodiment of the invention, as an example, a battery is manufactured by applying the manufacturing apparatus 10 configured as described above. Specifically, a battery is manufactured by joining sealing members 3 and 4 to the four sides of a rectangular electrode foil 2 as described above, and then stacking the electrode foil 2 with the sealing members 3 and 4 joined to it, sandwiching a sheet-shaped separator 5 in between.

[0053] Figure 5 shows a specific manufacturing process (flowchart) of a battery manufactured using the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method according to this embodiment of the invention. This process (flowchart) in Figure 5 specifically shows the battery manufacturing process in "Process P3 (Separator Bonding Process)" within the overall battery manufacturing process shown in the process diagram of Figure 1. Figures 6 to 9 show an image of the operation of the manufacturing apparatus 10 in each process shown in the process diagram of Figure 5.

[0054] First, in process P11 (separator web supply and transport process), as shown in Figure 6, the separator web 6 is transported from the separator reel 11 and supplied to the first drive roller 12. Then, the separator web 6 supplied to the first drive roller 12 is wound around the first drive roller 12 and transported. At this time, the separator web 6 is transported while being held in place by the separator suction part 18 of the first drive roller 12.

[0055] In step P12 (separator cutting step), as shown in Figure 7, the separator web 6 wrapped around the first drive roller 12 is cut on the first drive roller 12 by the cutting device 13 and formed into a rectangular separator 5 corresponding to the shape and size of the electrode foil 2. The rectangular separator 5 formed on the first drive roller 12 is then transported while being held in place by the separator adsorption part 18 of the first drive roller 12.

[0056] In process P13 (separator rewinding process), as shown in Figure 7, the separator 5, which has been formed into a rectangle on the first drive roller 12, is conveyed on the first drive roller 12 and rewinded from the first drive roller 12 to the second drive roller 14. At this time, the separator 5 is peeled off the roll surface 12a of the first drive roller 12 by air discharged from the separator floating portion 19 of the first drive roller 12 and smoothly rewinded onto the second drive roller 14.

[0057] Process P14 (electrode web supply and transport process) is performed in parallel with the transport of the separator web 6 and separator 5 on the first drive roller 12 in processes P11 to P13, and the rewinding of the separator 5 from the first drive roller 12 to the second drive roller 14. In process P14, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the electrode web 7, which is formed by connecting electrode foils 2 in a strip shape in the previous process (not shown), is transported as a web and supplied to the second drive roller 14. The electrode web 7 supplied to the second drive roller 14 is then cut from the separator web 6 in process P12, rewinded onto the second drive roller 14 in process P13, and transported wrapped around the second drive roller 14 so as to overlap with the separator 5 that is already wrapped around the second drive roller 14. At this time, the electrode web 7, which is overlapped with the separator 5, is transported together with the separator 5 while being adsorbed onto the electrode web adsorption part 20 of the second drive roller 14.

[0058] In steps P15 (electrode foil heating step) and P16 (separator welding step), as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the separator 5 and electrode foil 2 are joined by the joining device 16 while they are overlapping on the second drive roller 14.

[0059] Specifically, in process P15, the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7 are overlapping on the second drive roller 14, and the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 is heated. For example, the laser welding device described above is used as the heating device 23, and the electrode foil 2 of the joint portion 25 is heated by irradiating the joint portion 25 with laser light.

[0060] In step P16, a pressing force is applied from the pressure roller 24 to the joint portion 25 that was heated by the heating device 23 in step P15. That is, the pressure roller 24 is pressed against the joint portion 25 that was heated while being conveyed on the second drive roller 14. Through steps P15 and P16, the separator 5 is welded to the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7 at the joint portion 25 between the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2.

[0061] In step P17 (battery cell transport step), as shown in Figure 9, the electrode web 7, to which the separator 5 has been bonded in steps P15 and P16, is transported via web to a subsequent process (not shown) as the material for battery cells 1 connected in a strip. At this time, the electrode web 7 to which the separator 5 has been bonded is peeled off the roll surface 12a of the second drive roller 14 by air discharged from the electrode web floating portion 21 of the second drive roller 14 and smoothly rewound onto the driven roller 22 for the subsequent process. Then, in the subsequent steps, individual battery cells 1 are cut out from the electrode web 7 transported via web from the second drive roller 14, i.e., from the material of the strip-shaped connected battery cells 1, thereby manufacturing the battery cells 1 as shown in Figure 2.

[0062] Furthermore, in each of the above-described steps, when joining the separator 5 and the electrode foil 2 in the electrode web 7 on the second drive roller 14, the rotation of the first drive roller 12 is temporarily stopped, as shown in Figure 9. Then, with the rotation of the first drive roller 12 stopped, the second drive roller 14 is continuously rotated, and the electrode web 7 is transported on the second drive roller 14, thereby adjusting the spacing of the separator 5 that overlaps the electrode foil 2 and positioning the separator 5 relative to the electrode foil 2.

[0063] As described above, the "battery" to be manufactured by the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method in this embodiment of the present invention is formed by joining sealing members 3 and 4 to the four sides of a rectangular electrode foil 2 that will serve as a "current collector" or "electrode plate," and stacking a number of electrode foils 2 to which these sealing members 3 and 4 are joined, with a separator 5 in between. In order to manufacture such a "battery," specifically a battery cell 1 composed of electrode foils 2 and a separator 5, the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method in this embodiment of the present invention transports a separator web 6 and an electrode web 7 wound on a separator reel 11 by a first drive roller 12 and a second drive roller 14, respectively. The separator web 6 is wound onto the first drive roller 12 and transported, and is also cut on the first drive roller 12 to form a rectangular separator 5. The separator 5, formed into a rectangular sheet, is then rewound from the first drive roller 12 to the second drive roller 14 and transported. Meanwhile, the electrode web 7 is wrapped around the second drive roller 14 and transported, and is superimposed on the separator 5 that has already been wrapped around the second drive roller 14. Then, the electrode foil 2 of the electrode web 7 and the separator 5 are joined on the second drive roller 14. For example, the electrode foil 2 and the separator 5 are welded together by the heating device 23 and the pressure roller 24. When wrapping the separator 5 around the second drive roller 14, the spacing of the separator 5 wrapped around the second drive roller 14 can be arbitrarily adjusted by controlling the rotation of the first drive roller 12 and the second drive roller 14, respectively. Therefore, the positioning of the separator 5 relative to the electrode foil 2 of the electrode web 7 can be easily performed.

[0064] As described above, in the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method according to the embodiment of this invention, the separator 5 and electrode foil 2 are transported via a web, and the cutting of the separator 5 and the joining of the separator 5 and electrode foil 2 are performed within this series of web transport processes. Therefore, compared to the conventional method in which the separator 5 is cut and transported in a separate process, the cycle time for manufacturing the battery cell 1 can be shortened. In addition, a separate space is not required for cutting and joining the separator 5, thus saving space in the manufacturing area for the battery cell 1.

[0065] Therefore, according to the battery manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method in the embodiment of this invention, it is possible to easily shorten the cycle time for manufacturing the battery cell 1 and save space in the manufacturing area. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1 battery cell 2 Electrode foil 2a Top surface (of the electrode foil) 2b (Bottom surface of electrode foil) 3. Sealing member 4. Sealing member 5 Separators 6 Separator Web 7 Electrode Web 10 Manufacturing equipment 11 Separator Reel 12 First drive roller 12a Roll surface (of the first drive roller) 12b Cutter groove (of the first drive roller) 13 Cutting device 13a (Moveable roller of cutting device) 13b (Cutting device) cutter 14. Second drive roller 15 Driven roller 16 Bonding equipment 17 Auxiliary rollers 18 Separator adsorption section 19 Separator buoyancy section 20 Electrode web adsorption section 21 Electrode web floating portion 22 Driven roller 23 Heating device (joining device) 24 Pressure roller (joining device) 25 (The joint between the separator and the electrode foil)

Claims

1. A battery manufacturing apparatus comprising joining sealing members to the four sides of a rectangular electrode foil, and then stacking the electrode foils to which the sealing members are joined, with a sheet-like separator in between, A separator reel that winds up and holds a separator web, which is made of the separator material formed into a strip shape, A first drive roller that winds and conveys the separator web supplied from the separator reel, A cutting device for cutting the separator web wrapped around the first drive roller on the first drive roller and forming it into a rectangular separator corresponding to the electrode foil, A second drive roller rewinds and transports the separator, which is formed into a rectangular shape on the first drive roller and transported from the first drive roller, and also transports an electrode web, which is formed into a strip shape by joining the sealing members to each of the numerous electrode foils to connect the electrode foils, and winds it around the separator in the position where it is wound, and transports it. A driven roller is installed adjacent to the second drive roller, rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the second drive roller, and sandwiches the electrode web between itself and the second drive roller, causing the electrode web wrapped around the second drive roller to be in close contact with the separator. The device includes a bonding apparatus for bonding the separator and the electrode foil on the second drive roller, with the separator being rewound from the first drive roller to the second drive roller, and the electrode foil in the electrode web wound around the second drive roller overlapping the separator. A battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. A battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, The first drive roller is A separator suction unit that sucks the separator web wrapped around the first drive roller and the separator cut into a rectangle by the cutting device from the roll surface of the first drive roller, and transports the separator web and the separator while they are attached to the first drive roller, The separator has a separator levitation section which blows air from the roll surface onto the separator that has been transported while adsorbed to the separator adsorption section, thereby levitating the separator from the first drive roller. The second drive roller is An electrode web adsorption unit that sucks the electrode web, which is wrapped around the second drive roller together with the separator, from the roll surface of the second drive roller, and transports the separator and the electrode web while they are adsorbed onto the second drive roller, The device includes an electrode web lifting section which blows air from the roll surface onto the separator and electrode web, which have been transported while adsorbed to the electrode web adsorption section and joined to the electrode foil by the bonding device, thereby lifting the separator and electrode web from the second drive roller. A battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

3. A battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, The separator adsorption portion is formed in one of the regions obtained by dividing the roll surface of the first drive roller in the circumferential direction. The separator floating portion is formed in the other region of the first drive roller, excluding the separator adsorption portion. The electrode web adsorption portion is formed in one of the regions obtained by dividing the roll surface of the second drive roller in the circumferential direction. The electrode web floating portion is formed in the other region of the second drive roller, excluding the electrode web adsorption portion. A battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

4. A battery manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, When joining the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web on the second drive roller, The rotation of the first drive roller is temporarily stopped, By continuously rotating the second drive roller while the first drive roller is stopped, and transporting the electrode web on the second drive roller, the spacing of the separators superimposed on the electrode foil is adjusted, thereby positioning the separators relative to the electrode foil. A battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

5. A battery manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The bonding device is A heating device that heats the joint between the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web while the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web are overlapping on the second drive roller, The device includes a heating device that heats the joint portion, and a pressure roller that applies pressure to the joint portion. At the aforementioned joint, the separator is welded to the electrode web. A battery manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

6. A method for manufacturing a battery, comprising joining sealing members to the four sides of a rectangular electrode foil, and then stacking the electrode foils to which the sealing members are joined, with a sheet-like separator in between, The separator web, supplied from a separator reel that winds and holds a separator web formed from the separator material into a strip shape, is wound onto a first drive roller and conveyed. The separator web wrapped around the first drive roller is cut on the first drive roller by a cutting device to form a rectangular separator corresponding to the electrode foil. The separator, which has been formed into a rectangle on the first drive roller and transported from the first drive roller, is then rewound and transported from the first drive roller to the second drive roller, In parallel with the transport of the separator web and the separator on the first drive roller, the electrode web, which is formed into a strip shape by joining the sealing members to each of the numerous electrode foils and connecting them to each other, is wrapped around the second drive roller in accordance with the position where the separator is wrapped around it and transported. The electrode foil in the electrode web wrapped around the second drive roller is superimposed on the separator that has been rewound from the first drive roller to the second drive roller. With the separator and the electrode foil overlapping on the second drive roller, the separator and the electrode foil are joined together by the joining device. A method for manufacturing a battery characterized by the following:

7. A method for manufacturing a battery according to claim 6, A driven roller, installed adjacent to the second drive roller and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the second drive roller, is used to sandwich the electrode web between the second drive roller and the driven roller when winding the electrode web onto the second drive roller, thereby ensuring close contact between the electrode web and the separator that was previously wound onto the second drive roller. A method for manufacturing a battery characterized by the following:

8. A method for manufacturing a battery according to claim 7, The separator suction section provided on the first drive roller sucks the separator web supplied from the separator reel and wound around the first drive roller, and the separator cut into a rectangular shape by the cutting device, from the roll surface of the first drive roller and transports them while they are adsorbed onto the first drive roller. At the separator levitation section provided on the first drive roller, air is blown from the roll surface onto the separator, which has been transported while adsorbed to the separator adsorption section, causing the separator to levitate from the first drive roller. The electrode web adsorption section provided on the second drive roller sucks the electrode web, which is wrapped around the second drive roller together with the separator, from the roll surface of the second drive roller, and the separator and the electrode web are transported while adsorbed to the second drive roller. At the electrode web levitation section provided on the second drive roller, air is blown from the roll surface onto the separator and electrode web, which have been transported while adsorbed to the electrode web adsorption section and joined to the electrode foil by the joining device, thereby levitating the separator and electrode web from the second drive roller. A method for manufacturing a battery characterized by the following:

9. A method for manufacturing a battery according to claim 8, The separator adsorption portion is formed in one of the regions obtained by dividing the roll surface of the first drive roller in the circumferential direction. The separator floating portion is formed in the other region of the first drive roller, excluding the separator adsorption portion. The electrode web adsorption portion is formed in one of the regions obtained by dividing the roll surface of the second drive roller in the circumferential direction. The electrode web floating portion is formed in the other region of the second drive roller, excluding the electrode web adsorption portion. A method for manufacturing a battery characterized by the following:

10. A method for manufacturing a battery according to claim 9, When joining the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web on the second drive roller, The rotation of the first drive roller is temporarily stopped, By continuously rotating the second drive roller while the first drive roller is stopped, and transporting the electrode web on the second drive roller, the spacing of the separators superimposed on the electrode foil is adjusted, thereby positioning the separators relative to the electrode foil. A method for manufacturing a battery characterized by the following:

11. A method for manufacturing a battery according to any one of claims 6 to 10, The bonding device is A heating device that heats the joint between the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web while the separator and the electrode foil in the electrode web are overlapping on the second drive roller, The device includes a heating device that heats the joint portion, and a pressure roller that applies pressure to the joint portion. At the aforementioned joint, the separator is welded to the electrode web. A method for manufacturing a battery characterized by the following:

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