Equipment system for battery assembly line and Battery cell manufacturing method using the same

Abstract

The battery assembly line equipment system according to the present invention is a battery assembly line equipment system for reintroducing a semi-finished product, which is determined to be defective, into a battery assembly line, wherein the semi-finished product is defined as a jelly roll comprising a cylindrical electrode assembly and a current collector plate coupled to the jelly roll; the system may include a jelly roll rotating device that supports the semi-finished product and rotates the jelly roll so that the current collector plate is aligned with a welding mask at a predetermined angle; and a masking and clamping device that clamps the semi-finished product and has a jig member that covers the current collector plate and supports the welding mask that is in close contact with the current collector plate.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an equipment system for a battery assembly line, and more specifically, to an equipment system for a battery assembly line for re-feeding defective semi-finished products into a battery assembly line, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell using said battery assembly line equipment system. Background Technology

[0002] Secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, as they have the primary advantage of being able to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels, as well as the advantage of not generating any by-products from the use of energy.

[0003] Cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch-type battery cells are widely known as types of secondary batteries. In the case of a cylindrical battery cell, an insulating separator is placed between the positive and negative electrodes and wound to form a jellyroll-shaped electrode assembly, which is then inserted into a battery housing along with an electrolyte to constitute the battery. Additionally, strip-shaped electrode tabs can be connected to the uninsulated portions of the positive and negative electrodes, and these electrode tabs electrically connect the electrode assembly with the externally exposed electrode terminals. For reference, the positive electrode terminal is the cap of the seal that seals the opening of the housing, and the negative electrode terminal is the housing.

[0004] However, conventional cylindrical batteries having such a structure had the problem that current was concentrated in the strip-shaped electrode tabs connected to the positive electrode unoccupied part and / or the negative electrode unoccupied part, resulting in high resistance, excessive heat generation, and poor current collection efficiency.

[0005] For small cylindrical batteries with 1865 or 2170 form factors, resistance and heat generation are not major issues. However, if the form factor is increased to apply cylindrical batteries to electric vehicles, a problem may arise where the cylindrical battery catches fire as a large amount of heat is generated around the electrode tabs during fast charging.

[0006] To solve these problems, a cylindrical battery (so-called tab-less cylindrical battery) is proposed having a structure with improved current collection efficiency, designed such that a positive electrode-free section and a negative electrode-free section are located at the top and bottom, respectively, of a jellyroll-type electrode assembly, and a current collector plate is welded to these non-parts. The current collector plate includes a positive current collector plate welded to the positive electrode-free section and a negative current collector plate welded to the negative electrode-free section. For example, the negative current collector plate may be connected to a battery housing, and the positive current collector plate may be connected to a terminal that is insulated from the battery housing. In this case, the battery housing and the terminal can function as electrodes of the battery cell.

[0007] Meanwhile, during the battery cell assembly process, defective welds are detected by a vision inspection machine during the welding of the jelly roll and current collector plate and discharged from the assembly line. However, there are instances where good products are mixed in among the semi-finished products discharged as defective. For instance, good products may be separated as defective due to over-inspection or mis-inspection by the vision inspection machine. Recently, the number of good products discharged as defective in this manner is significant. Consequently, measures are required to reduce the losses incurred when good products are discarded due to being wrongly judged as defective as a result of over-inspection or mis-inspection. The problem to be solved

[0008] The present invention was devised in consideration of the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a battery assembly line equipment system for re-feeding a semi-finished product incorrectly discharged as a defective product into the battery assembly line, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell using such a battery assembly line equipment system.

[0009] In particular, the battery assembly line equipment system and battery cell manufacturing method according to the present invention have one objective of rotating the semi-finished product at an angle where the welding target area of ​​the current collector plate coupled to the jelly roll coincides with the laser transmission area of ​​the welding mask, thereby smoothly re-feeding the semi-finished product that was incorrectly discharged as defective into the battery assembly line and enabling re-inspection and subsequent processes to be performed while transporting it along the battery assembly line.

[0010] The technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention below. means of solving the problem

[0011] According to the present invention, a battery assembly line equipment system for reintroducing a semi-finished product, which is determined to be defective, into a battery assembly line, comprising a jelly roll defined as a cylindrical electrode assembly and a current collector plate coupled to the jelly roll, is provided, the system comprising: a jelly roll rotating device that supports the semi-finished product and rotates the jelly roll so that the current collector plate is aligned with a welding mask at a predetermined angle; and a masking and clamping device that covers the current collector plate and supports the welding mask that is in close contact with the current collector plate, and clamps the semi-finished product.

[0012] The above jelly roll rotation device may include: a pair of rollers that support the jelly roll from the bottom of the jelly roll and are positioned adjacent to each other at the same height; a motor that provides driving force to rotate the pair of rollers; and a belt member that connects the motor and the pair of rollers.

[0013] The above jelly roll has the current collector plate attached to at least one of the end portion and the other portion along the length direction, and the rotation axis of the above pair of rollers can be arranged parallel to the length direction of the jelly roll.

[0014] The above jelly roll rotation device may further include a rotation angle detection unit that detects the angle to rotate the jelly roll by comparing an image of the collector plate when it is aligned with the welding mask at a predetermined angle with an image of the collector plate immediately after the semi-finished product is placed on the pair of rollers.

[0015] The above-mentioned collector plate includes a first collector plate attached to one end of the jelly roll and a second collector plate attached to the other end of the jelly roll, and the rotation angle detection unit may include a first angle detection unit positioned in a direction facing the first collector plate and a second angle detection unit positioned in a direction facing the second collector plate.

[0016] The above-mentioned collector plate includes a first collector plate attached to one end of the jelly roll and a second collector plate attached to the other end of the jelly roll, and the jig member may include a first jig member that presses the welding mask against the first collector plate and a second jig member that presses the welding mask against the second collector plate.

[0017] The above jig member may include a mask support arm that supports the welding mask so that the welding mask faces the collector plate; and an arm moving guide that guides the linear movement of the mask support arm.

[0018] The above jig member may further include an elastic member interposed between the mask support arm and the welding mask.

[0019] The welding mask may have a laser-transmitting portion through which a welding laser can pass; and a masking portion arranged to make surface contact with at least a portion of the current collector plate.

[0020] The above jelly roll rotation device may be configured to rotate the jelly roll so that the welding target area on the current collector plate and the laser transmission area of ​​the welding mask are matched.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a battery cell using the equipment system of the battery assembly line described above comprises: a jelly roll and collector plate preparation step of preparing a jelly roll defined as a cylindrical electrode assembly and a collector plate to be welded to one end and the other end of the jelly roll; a masking and clamping step of introducing the jelly roll and the collector plate into the masking and clamping device, covering the collector plate with the welding mask, and clamping the jelly roll and the collector plate as a single unit; a collector plate welding step of welding the collector plate to the jelly roll by irradiating a welding target area on the collector plate with a welding laser; a welding inspection step of inspecting the welding quality of the collector plate and sorting good products and defective products; a semi-finished product sorting and return step of classifying the semi-finished products determined to be defective and returning at least a portion to a semi-finished product re-introduction waiting line; and a semi-finished product input angle adjustment step of rotating the jelly roll using the jelly roll rotation device so that the collector plate coupled to the jelly roll is aligned at a predetermined angle with the welding mask in the returned semi-finished products. A method for manufacturing a battery cell may be provided, comprising: a step of re-performing the masking and clamping step; a welding re-inspection step of re-inspecting the welding quality of the current collector plate in the semi-finished product; and a step of transferring the semi-finished product determined to be good in the welding re-inspection step to a subsequent process and disposing of the semi-finished product determined to be defective.

[0022] The above-mentioned collector plate includes a first collector plate attached to one end of the jelly roll and a second collector plate attached to the other end of the jelly roll, and the collector plate welding step may include a first welding step of welding the first collector plate to one end of the jelly roll; and a second welding step of welding the second collector plate to the other end of the jelly roll.

[0023] The welding inspection step may include a first collector plate welding inspection step for inspecting the welding quality of the first collector plate after performing the first welding step; and a second collector plate welding inspection step for inspecting the welding quality of the second collector plate after performing the second welding step.

[0024] The above semi-finished product classification and return step may include: a first semi-finished product return step of inspecting the welding quality of the first collector plate and returning at least some of the semi-finished products determined to be defective; and a second semi-finished product return step of inspecting the welding quality of the second collector plate and returning at least some of the semi-finished products determined to be defective.

[0025] The semi-finished product returned through the first semi-finished product return step may undergo the step of re-performing the masking and clamping step, after which the first welding step is omitted and the welding quality of the first collector plate is re-inspected; if it is determined to be defective, it is discarded, and if it is determined to be good, the second welding step and the second collector plate welding inspection step are performed. The semi-finished product returned through the second semi-finished product return step may undergo the first welding step and the second welding step, and the welding quality of the second collector plate is re-inspected; if it is determined to be defective, it is discarded, and if it is determined to be good, a subsequent process may be performed. Effects of the invention

[0026] According to the present invention, a battery assembly line equipment system capable of reintroducing a semi-finished product that has been incorrectly discharged as a defective product into a battery assembly process line, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell using such equipment system may be provided.

[0027] According to one aspect of the present invention, semi-finished products that are incorrectly discharged due to over-inspection or mis-inspection during the initial battery cell assembly process can be reintroduced into the assembly line, thereby reducing part loss and increasing production yield.

[0028] Specifically, the equipment system of the battery assembly line according to the present invention rotates the semi-finished product so that the welding target area of ​​the current collector plate is aligned at an angle that matches the laser transmission part of the welding mask, thereby smoothly re-feeding the semi-finished product that was incorrectly discharged as defective into the masking and clamping device so that the battery assembly process can be performed on the semi-finished product along the battery assembly line.

[0029] The effects obtainable through the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned technical effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description of the invention below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0030] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main processes of a battery cell manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a masking and clamping device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a drawing showing a welding mask being pressed against a collector plate and a jelly roll being clamped using the masking and clamping device of Figure 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a jig member and a welding mask according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the precise alignment of the first collector plate and the welding mask before performing laser welding according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the precise alignment of the second collector plate and the welding mask before performing laser welding according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a drawing showing the first collector plate and the jelly roll welded together after performing the first collector plate welding step of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a drawing showing the second collector plate and the jelly roll welded together after performing the second collector plate welding step of Figure 1. FIG. 9 is a reference diagram showing an example (a) where the positions of the collector plate and the welding mask are misaligned and an example (b) where the collector plate and the welding mask are aligned in the correct position when a semi-finished product determined to be defective is re-feed into a masking and clamping device. FIG. 10 is a side view of a jelly roll rotating device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a front view of the jelly roll rotating device of Fig. 10. FIG. 12 is a drawing showing the jelly roll being rotated by the operation of the jelly roll rotation device of FIG. 10. FIG. 13 is a drawing illustrating the state in which a semi-finished product determined to be defective according to one embodiment of the present invention is reintroduced into a masking and clamping device. FIG. 14 is a drawing showing the state of a semi-finished product, which was determined to be defective in FIG. 13, being clamped with a jig member. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0031] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. Instead, based on the principle that the inventor may appropriately define the concepts of terms to best describe their invention, they should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical spirit of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications capable of replacing them may exist at the time of filing this application. Furthermore, to aid in understanding the invention, the attached drawings are not drawn to actual scale, and the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main processes of a battery cell manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery cell manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a jelly roll and current collector plate preparation step, a masking and clamping step, a current collector plate welding step, a welding inspection step, a semi-finished product classification and conveying step, a semi-finished product input angle adjustment step, a masking and clamping re-execution step, and a welding re-inspection step. Furthermore, the equipment system of the battery assembly line according to the present invention may be used in the semi-finished product input angle adjustment step and the masking and clamping re-execution step among the battery cell manufacturing method according to the present invention. The equipment system of the battery assembly line may include a jelly roll rotation device (100) and a masking and clamping device (200).

[0035] Hereinafter, the battery cell manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described sequentially, and the equipment system of the battery assembly line to be used in the process step will also be described.

[0036] The above preparation steps for the jelly roll and collector plate include the step of assembling or processing the jelly roll (10) and the collector plate (20), respectively.

[0037] The above jelly roll (10) refers to a cylindrical electrode assembly. The above jelly roll (10) is an electrode assembly formed into a cylindrical structure by interposing a separator, which is an insulator, between a first electrode and a second electrode and winding it into a roll shape. Here, the first electrode may be an anode and the second electrode may be a cathode.

[0038] The first electrode may include a first electrode plate and a first retaining portion formed by applying a first electrode active material on at least one surface of the first electrode plate. The second electrode may include a second electrode plate and a second retaining portion formed by applying a second electrode active material on at least one surface of the second electrode plate. The first electrode may include a first uncoated portion (11) on the electrode plate where the first electrode active material is not applied. The second electrode may include a second uncoated portion (12) on the electrode plate where the second electrode active material is not applied. For example, the first uncoated portion (11) may be provided at one end along the longitudinal direction of the jelly roll (10), and the second uncoated portion (12) may be provided at the other end along the longitudinal direction of the jelly roll (10). The first uncoated portion (11) may function as a first electrode tab, and at least a portion of the second uncoated portion (12) may function as a second electrode tab.

[0039] The current collector plate (20) can be described as a current collection and transmission means that efficiently moves electrons within the battery cell. The current collector plate (20) may be formed from a metal with excellent electrical conductivity. The current collector plate (20) may include a first current collector plate (21) attached to one end of the jelly roll (10) and a second current collector plate (22) attached to the other end of the jelly roll (10). The first current collector plate (21) is connected to an electrode terminal (not shown) of the battery cell and can collect the current generated from the first electrode and transmit it to the electrode terminal of the battery cell. The second current collector plate (22) is connected to a battery housing (not shown) and can collect the current generated from the second electrode and transmit it to the battery housing. In this case, the electrode terminal of the battery cell has the same polarity as the first electrode, and the battery housing has the same polarity as the second electrode.

[0040] The jelly roll (10) and the current collector plate (20) can be inserted into the battery housing as a single unit. After welding the current collector plate (20) to each of the one end and the other end of the jelly roll (10), the jelly roll (10) and the current collector plate (20) are inserted into the battery housing as a single unit. That is, the first current collector plate (21) is welded to the first non-removable part (11) of the jelly roll (10), and the second current collector plate (22) is welded to the second non-removable part of the jelly roll (10) so that the first current collector plate has a first polarity and the second current collector plate has a second polarity.

[0041] The masking and clamping step can be described as a welding preparation step for safely and efficiently performing the welding process on the collector plate (20) on the jelly roll (10).

[0042] The above masking and clamping step is a step of arranging a first collector plate (21) and a second collector plate (22) oppositely at one end and the other end of the jelly roll (10), respectively, and performing welding masking and clamping on the collector plate (20).

[0043] The welding masking mentioned above refers to a technique that covers the collector plate (20) with a welding mask (220) so that the welding laser can be emitted to the welding target area (Q2) on the collector plate (20), prevents heat from being transferred to unnecessary parts, and ensures that the welding is not affected by welding heat and spatter (welding sparks, residue).

[0044] The above masking and clamping step may be performed by a masking and clamping device (200) according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the masking and clamping device (200) includes a jig member (210) and a welding mask (220). The welding mask (220) may be coupled to the jig member (210) and positioned to face the current collector plate (20). The jig member (210) is provided as a pair, and the pair of jig members (210) may be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance on a unit stage (240) and configured to be capable of reciprocating linear movement in a direction in which the distance is narrowed or widened. That is, the jig member (210) may include a first jig member (210) that attaches the welding mask (220) to the first collector plate (21) and a second jig member (210) that attaches the welding mask (220) to the second collector plate (22).

[0045] For the welding masking described above, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a jelly roll (10) can be loaded between the pair of jig members (210). At this time, the jelly roll (10) can be transported between the pair of jig members (210) by a roll gripper (K1). To ensure stability and prevent flow of the jelly roll (10) during welding masking, a jelly roll support (230) may be placed between the pair of jig members (210). The jelly roll support (230) may have a curved surface that partially corresponds to the cylindrical surface of the jelly roll (10) and may be provided so that the jelly roll (10) can be stably supported.

[0046] The first collector plate (21) and the second collector plate (22) can each be transported separately by a plate gripper (not shown). The first collector plate (21) can be loaded in a direction facing one end of the jelly roll (10), and the second collector plate (22) can be loaded in a direction facing the other end of the jelly roll (10). At this time, the collector plate (20) can be loaded at a position facing the other end or one end of the jelly roll (10) in a state where the welding target area (Q2) can be matched with the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) to be described later.

[0047] In this way, when the jelly roll (10) and the collector plate (20) are loaded, as shown in FIG. 3, the jig member (210) moves toward the jelly roll (10) and the welding mask (220) covers the collector plate (20) and presses against the jelly roll (10). Additionally, both ends of the jelly roll (10) can be clamped by the pair of jig members (210).

[0048] Referring to FIG. 4, the jig member (210) includes a mask support arm (211) and an arm moving guide (213) and can be configured to be coupled with the welding mask (220).

[0049] The above mask support arm (211) is a component that supports the welding mask (220) and may be provided to have a shape that supports the outer edge area of ​​the welding mask (220) and does not shield the inner part of the edge of the welding mask (220).

[0050] The arm moving guide (213) serves to guide the linear movement of the mask support arm (211). The arm moving guide (213) may include an LM block (213a) and an LM guide rail (213b) fixedly connected to the lower part of the mask support arm (211). The mask support arm (211) may be configured to move linearly along the LM guide rail (213b) integrally with the LM block (213a).

[0051] The welding mask (220) can be fixedly coupled to the mask support arm (211) by means of an elastic member (212). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the mask support arm (211) has four fastening points (T1, T2, T3, T4) for coupling with the welding mask (220). The four fastening points (T1, T2, T3, T4) form a square configuration. A spring and a connecting shaft may be applied to the four fastening points (T1, T2, T3, T4). The connecting shaft may be configured to pass through the mask support arm (211) so that its end is fixedly coupled to the welding mask (220), and the spring may be configured to be interposed between the mask support arm (211) and the welding mask (220) while being fitted into the connecting shaft.

[0052] According to this configuration, when the jig member (210) moves, the welding mask (220) does not rotate in the forward or reverse direction, so it adheres to the collector plate and can accurately cover the collector plate (20). In addition, the pair of jig members (210) can clamp the jelly roll (10) and the collector plate (20) while minimizing impact due to the elasticity of the elastic member (212).

[0053] The welding mask (220) may include a laser transmission portion (220a) through which a welding laser can pass, and a masking portion (220b) configured to press the collector plate (20) so that the collector plate (20) comes into contact with the jelly roll (10). For example, referring to FIG. 4, the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) may be formed to extend in an X-shape approximately with respect to the center of the welding mask (220). The laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) may be formed to coincide with the welding laser irradiation area (Q1).

[0054] According to the masking and clamping device (200) having such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, the first collector plate (21) can be attached to the jelly roll (10) with its welding target area (Q2) matched with the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220), and as shown in FIG. 6, the second collector plate (22) can be attached to the jelly roll (10) with its welding target area (Q2) matched with the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220).

[0055] The jelly roll (10) with the collector plate (20) attached in this manner can be transported to a place for performing a welding process. To this end, the masking and clamping device (200) can be configured to hold and move the collector plate (20) and the jelly roll (10) as a single unit.

[0056] The current collector plate welding step is a step of welding and joining the current collector plate (20) to the jelly roll (10).

[0057] The above current collector plate welding step may include a first welding step of welding a first current collector plate (21) to one end of the jelly roll (10) and a second welding step of welding a second current collector plate (22) to the other end of the jelly roll (10).

[0058] Referring to FIG. 7, a first unbound portion (11) of a first electrode is located at one end of a jelly roll (10). At least a portion of the first unbound portion (11) may include a plurality of segments divided along the winding direction of the jelly roll (10). The plurality of segments may be bent along the radial direction of the jelly roll (10). The plurality of segments of the bent first unbound portion (11) may be overlapped in multiple layers to form a folded surface. The first collector plate (21) may be welded while in close contact with the folded surface of the first unbound portion (11) by the aforementioned welding mask (220). At this time, a laser may be irradiated from a welding laser device (not shown) onto a welding target area (Q2) of the first collector plate (21). In this case, the first collector plate (21) can have the welding target area (Q2) combined with a plurality of segments of the first non-removable part (11).

[0059] Referring to FIG. 8, a second non-reinforced portion (12) of the second electrode is located at the other end of the jelly roll (10). At least a portion of the second non-reinforced portion (12) may include a plurality of segments divided along the winding direction of the jelly roll (10). The plurality of segments may be bent along the radial direction of the jelly roll (10). The plurality of segments of the bent second non-reinforced portion (12) may be overlapped in multiple layers to form a folded surface. Welding may be performed on the second collector plate (22) while it is in close contact with the folded surface of the second non-reinforced portion (12) by the aforementioned welding mask (220). At this time, a laser may be irradiated from a welding laser device (not shown) onto the welding target area of ​​the second collector plate (22). In this case, the welding target area of ​​the second collector plate (22) may be combined with the plurality of segments of the second non-reinforced portion (12).

[0060] After the above welding step of the collector plate is performed, a welding quality inspection may be performed on the jelly roll (10) (hereinafter referred to as a semi-finished product) to which the collector plate (20) is attached.

[0061] The welding inspection step described above is a step of inspecting the welding quality of the collector plate (20) welded to the jelly roll (10) using a welding inspection unit and sorting out good and defective products. A vision inspection unit may be employed as the welding inspection unit. That is, in the welding inspection step, an image of the collector plate (20) attached to the jelly roll (10) is captured using a vision inspection unit, and the captured image is automatically analyzed to determine whether it is defective.

[0062] Subsequent assembly processes can be carried out on semi-finished products determined to be good through the above welding inspection step.

[0063] The above subsequent assembly process may include a process of inserting the above semi-finished product into the battery housing and welding the first current collector plate (21) and the second current collector plate (22) to the electrode terminal of the battery cell located at one end of the battery housing and the other end (bottom surface) of the battery housing, respectively, an electrolyte injection process, a formation process for the assembled battery cell, and a quality inspection process for inspecting internal resistance and leakage current.

[0064] The welding inspection step according to the present embodiment may include a first collector plate (21) welding inspection step for inspecting the welding quality of the first collector plate (21) after performing the first welding step, and a second collector plate (22) welding inspection step for inspecting the welding quality of the second collector plate (22) after performing the second welding step.

[0065] In this way, by sequentially performing the first collector plate welding inspection step and the second collector plate welding inspection step, unnecessary welding processes can be omitted, thereby preventing losses. That is, immediately after performing the first welding step, a first collector plate welding inspection is performed on the first collector plate (21). If the welding quality of the first collector plate (21) is good, the welding process for the second collector plate (22) is performed. If the welding quality of the first collector plate (21) is poor, the welding process for the second collector plate (22) is omitted and the defective plate is discharged.

[0066] In this way, by sequentially performing the first welding step, inspecting the welding of the first collector plate (21), and performing the second welding step, inspecting the welding of the second collector plate (22), unnecessary welding processes can be prevented.

[0067] Meanwhile, unlike one embodiment of the present invention, the welding inspection step may be configured to inspect the welding quality of the first collector plate (21) and the second collector plate (22) at once after performing both the first welding step and the second welding step.

[0068] The semi-finished product classification and return step is a step of classifying semi-finished products provisionally determined to be defective in the welding inspection step and returning at least some of them to the semi-finished product re-feed waiting line.

[0069] Good products may be incorrectly discharged as defective due to over-inspection or mis-inspection by the vision inspection machine, even though they were determined to be defective during the welding inspection stage. In the semi-finished product sorting and return stage, among the semi-finished products provisionally determined to be defective during the welding inspection stage, those that are difficult to regard as defective and those that are not are classified, and the former are returned to the semi-finished product re-feeding waiting line while the latter are discarded.

[0070] The semi-finished product classification and return step according to the present embodiment may include a first semi-finished product return step in which the welding quality of the first collector plate (21) is inspected and at least some of the semi-finished products determined to be defective are returned, and a second semi-finished product return step in which the welding quality of the second collector plate (22) is inspected and at least some of the semi-finished products determined to be defective are returned. Accordingly, the semi-finished product returned to the semi-finished product re-feeding waiting line in the first semi-finished product return step may be in a state where the first collector plate (21) is combined with the jelly roll (10), and the semi-finished product returned to the semi-finished product re-feeding waiting line in the second semi-finished product return step may be in a state where both the first collector plate (21) and the second collector plate (22) are combined with the jelly roll (10).

[0071] The semi-finished product input angle adjustment step is a step of rotating the jelly roll (10) by a specific angle clockwise or counterclockwise so that the returned semi-finished product can be re-input into the aforementioned masking and clamping device (200).

[0072] The semi-finished product returned to the above semi-finished product re-feeding waiting line is in a state where the collector plate (20) and the jelly roll (10) are welded and combined. In order to re-feed this semi-finished product to the aforementioned masking and clamping step, it is necessary to align the laser-transmitting portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) and the welding target area (Q2) of the collector plate (20) combined with the jelly roll (10) at an angle that matches.

[0073] If the semi-finished product is fed into the masking and clamping device (200) without performing the semi-finished product feeding angle adjustment step and the jig member (210) clamps the semi-finished product, for example, as shown in FIG. 9 (a), the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) and the welding target area (Q2) of the collector plate (20) may be misaligned. As previously mentioned, the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) coincides with the irradiation area (Q1) of the welding laser. Therefore, if the semi-finished product is fed incorrectly into the masking and clamping device (200) without adjusting the feeding angle, the welding mask (220) and the collector plate (20) may be misaligned from the correct position and the collector plate (20) may be damaged, and problems such as poor welding position may occur when welding the collector plate (20). Therefore, when a semi-finished product that has been determined to be defective, namely a jelly roll (10) with a collector plate (20) already attached, is fed into a masking and clamping device (200), for example, as shown in FIG. 9 (b), it is necessary to rotate the jelly roll (10) in advance by a specific angle so that the laser transmission portion (220a) of the welding mask (220) and the welding target area (Q2) of the collector plate (20) coincide with each other.

[0074] The above semi-finished product input angle adjustment step can be performed using a jelly roll rotation device (100).

[0075] As illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12, the jelly roll rotation device (100) may include a pair of rollers (111, 112) that support the jelly roll (10) at the bottom of the jelly roll (10) and are positioned adjacent to each other at the same height, a motor drive gear (122) that provides driving force to rotate the pair of rollers (111, 112), and a belt member (140) that connects the motor drive gear (122) and the pair of rollers (111, 112).

[0076] The above pair of rollers (111, 112) may be configured to be horizontally positioned with the jelly roll (10) in between and to support the jelly roll (10) so that the collector plate (20) faces the horizontal direction. The rotation axis of the above pair of rollers (111, 112) may be positioned parallel to the longitudinal direction of the jelly roll (10).

[0077] For example, a semi-finished product can be placed on the pair of rollers (111, 112) as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. At this time, as shown in FIG. 10, the first collector plate (21) attached to one end of the jelly roll (10) faces to the right, and the second collector plate (22) attached to the other end of the jelly roll (10) faces to the left. After placing the semi-finished product on the pair of rollers (111, 112) in this manner, the angle at which the jelly roll (10) is to be rotated is measured by a rotation angle measurement unit (150).

[0078] The above rotation angle detection unit (150) may include a first angle detection unit (151) positioned in a direction facing the first collector plate (21) and a second angle detection unit (152) positioned in a direction facing the second collector plate (22).

[0079] The above rotation angle detection unit (150) may be configured to detect the angle at which the jelly roll (10) is rotated by comparing an image of the collector plate (20) when it is aligned with the welding mask (220) in the correct position with an image of the collector plate (20) immediately after the semi-finished product is placed on the pair of rollers (111, 112). A vision camera may be employed as this rotation angle detection unit (150). That is, the vision camera may be configured to detect the angle at which the jelly roll (10) is rotated by comparing and analyzing a pre-stored image of the collector plate (20) when it is aligned with the welding mask (220) in the correct position with an image of the collector plate (20) taken immediately after the semi-finished product is placed on the pair of rollers (111, 112).

[0080] By operating the motor drive gear (122) based on the data detected by the rotation angle detection unit (150) to rotate the jelly roll (10), the welding target area of ​​the collector plate (20) and the laser transmission area (220a) of the welding mask (220) can be accurately matched.

[0081] To explain in more detail the configuration of the jelly roll rotation device (100) according to the present embodiment for rotating the jelly roll (10), the jelly roll rotation device (100) may include a roller drive gear (113) coupled to the rotation axis of each roller (111, 112), a motor drive gear (122) coupled to the drive axis of the motor drive gear (122), a plurality of belt guide rolls (151~155), and a device housing (170) capable of installing the above components. The belt guide rolls (151~155) may serve to guide movement while maintaining tension so that the belt member (140) does not become loose between the roller drive gear (113) and the motor drive gear (122). A timing belt may be employed as the belt member (140). Additionally, it may further include a support bearing (131, 132) that supports one edge and the opposite edge along the longitudinal direction of the jelly roll (10) together with a pair of rollers (111, 112).

[0082] For example, as described above, when the condition for the collector plate (20) to be aligned with the welding mask (220) in the correct position is the alignment of the vertical axis (VX) shown in FIG. 11 and the reference axis (RX) of the collector plate (20), the angle (θ) between the vertical axis (VX) and the reference axis (RX) of the collector plate (20) is measured through the rotation angle detection unit (150). In FIG. 11, the reference axis (RX) of the collector plate (20) is rotated clockwise by a predetermined angle (θ) from the vertical axis (VX). In this case, the jelly roll (10) is rotated counterclockwise by the predetermined angle (θ) to align the reference axis (RX) of the collector plate (20) with the vertical axis (VX), as shown in FIG. 12.

[0083] In this way, after performing the step of adjusting the semi-finished product input angle, the semi-finished product is reintroduced into the aforementioned masking and clamping step.

[0084] Since the above semi-finished product has a collector plate (20) already welded to the jelly roll (10), the process of loading the collector plate (20) separately between the pair of jig members (210), as shown in FIG. 2, may be omitted. However, when a semi-finished product that has been conveyed in the aforementioned first semi-finished product conveying step, has a first collector plate (21) welded to the jelly roll (10), and a second collector plate (22) not welded, is loaded between the pair of jig members (210), the second collector plate (22) may be loaded opposite the other end of the jelly roll (10) by a plate gripper (not shown).

[0085] The semi-finished product loaded between the pair of jig members (210) can be clamped by the pair of jig members (210) as shown in FIG. 14. At this time, the welding mask (220) can cover the collector plate (20) of the semi-finished product and be in close contact with the collector plate (20).

[0086] The above semi-finished product can be transported along the assembly process line while held by the masking and clamping device (200). Then, a current collector welding step for the above semi-finished product and a welding re-inspection step can be performed, or the current collector welding step can be bypassed and a welding re-inspection step can be performed.

[0087] That is, the semi-finished product returned through the first semi-finished product return step is subjected to a step of re-performing the masking and clamping step, after which the first welding step is omitted and the welding quality of the first collector plate (21) is re-inspected. If it is determined to be defective, it is discarded, and if it is determined to be good, the second welding step and the second collector plate welding inspection step are performed. At this time, if the semi-finished product is determined to be defective in the second collector plate welding inspection step, it is passed to the aforementioned second semi-finished product return step, and if it is determined to be good, it can be transferred to a subsequent process.

[0088] The semi-finished product returned through the above-mentioned second semi-finished product return step may be transferred to a subsequent process if it is determined to be defective after re-inspecting the welding quality of the second current collector plate by omitting the above-mentioned first welding step and the above-mentioned second welding step, and if it is determined to be good, it is discarded.

[0089] Alternatively, the aforementioned collector plate welding step may be performed again on a semi-finished product in which the first collector plate (21) and / or the second collector plate (22) are incompletely welded to the jelly roll (10), and a welding re-inspection step may be performed to re-inspect the welding quality of the re-welded collector plate (20). In this way, semi-finished products determined to be good products after performing the welding re-inspection step may be transferred to a subsequent process, and semi-finished products determined to be defective products may be disposed of.

[0090] As described above, according to the battery assembly line equipment system and battery cell manufacturing method using the same according to the present invention, the number of semi-finished products incorrectly discharged due to over-inspection / mis-inspection during the initial battery cell assembly process can be reduced, thereby preventing unnecessary losses and increasing the production yield of battery cells.

[0091] The foregoing embodiments should be understood as exemplary in all respects and not limiting, and the scope of the invention will be defined by the claims set forth below rather than by the foregoing detailed description. Furthermore, the meaning and scope of the claims set forth below, as well as all modifications and variations derived from equivalents thereof, should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the invention.

[0092] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated drawings, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and drawings disclosed in this specification, and it is obvious that various modifications can be made by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Furthermore, even if the effects of the configuration according to the present invention were not explicitly described while describing the embodiments of the present invention above, it is natural to acknowledge that the effects predictable by said configuration should also be recognized. Explanation of the symbols

[0093] 10: Jelly Roll 11: 1st Mujibu 12: Second Department of Non-Discipline 20: Clerical Tablet 100: Jelly roll rotating device 111, 112: A pair of rollers 113: Roller drive gear 120: Motor 122: Motor drive gear 131, 132: Support bearings 140: Belt member 150: Rotation angle inspection unit 170: Device housing 200: Masking and clamping device 210 : Jig member 211 : Mask support arm 212 : Elastic member 213 : Arm moving guide 220: Welding mask 220a: Laser transmission part 220b : Masking section 230 : Jelly roll mounting base

Claims

Claim 1 A battery assembly line equipment system for reintroducing a semi-finished product, which is determined to be defective, into a battery assembly line, comprising a jelly roll defined as a cylindrical electrode assembly and a current collector plate coupled to the jelly roll; the system is characterized by including: a jelly roll rotating device that supports the semi-finished product and rotates the jelly roll so that the current collector plate is aligned with a welding mask at a predetermined angle; and a masking and clamping device that clamps the semi-finished product and has a jig member that covers the current collector plate and supports the welding mask that is in close contact with the current collector plate. Claim 2 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the jelly roll rotating device comprises: a pair of rollers that support the jelly roll at the bottom of the jelly roll and are positioned adjacent to each other at the same height; a motor that provides a driving force to rotate the pair of rollers; and a belt member that connects the motor and the pair of rollers. Claim 3 A battery assembly line equipment system according to paragraph 2, wherein the current collector plate is attached to at least one of the end portion and the other portion along the longitudinal direction of the jelly roll, and the rotation axis of the pair of rollers is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the jelly roll. Claim 4 A battery assembly line equipment system according to paragraph 2, wherein the jelly roll rotation device further comprises a rotation angle detection unit that detects the angle to rotate the jelly roll by comparing an image of the current collector plate when it is aligned with the welding mask at a predetermined angle with an image of the current collector plate immediately after the semi-finished product is placed on the pair of rollers. Claim 5 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 4, wherein the current collector plate comprises a first current collector plate attached to one end of the jelly roll and a second current collector plate attached to the other end of the jelly roll, and the rotation angle detection unit comprises a first angle detection unit positioned in a direction facing the first current collector plate and a second angle detection unit positioned in a direction facing the second current collector plate. Claim 6 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the current collector plate comprises a first current collector plate attached to one end of the jelly roll and a second current collector plate attached to the other end of the jelly roll, and the jig member comprises a first jig member for adhering the welding mask to the first current collector plate and a second jig member for adhering the welding mask to the second current collector plate. Claim 7 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the jig member comprises: a mask support arm that supports the welding mask so that the welding mask faces the current collector plate; and an arm moving guide that guides the linear movement of the mask support arm. Claim 8 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 7, wherein the jig member further comprises an elastic member interposed between the mask support arm and the welding mask. Claim 9 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 1, wherein the welding mask comprises a laser-transmitting portion through which a welding laser can pass; and a masking portion arranged to make surface contact with at least a portion of the current collector plate. Claim 10 A battery assembly line equipment system according to claim 9, wherein the jelly roll rotating device is configured to rotate the jelly roll so that the welding target area on the current collector plate and the laser-transmitting portion of the welding mask are matched. Claim 11 A method for manufacturing a battery cell using an equipment system of a battery assembly line according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising: a jelly roll and current collector preparation step of preparing a jelly roll defined as a cylindrical electrode assembly and a current collector plate to be welded to one end and the other end of the jelly roll; a masking and clamping step of introducing the jelly roll and the current collector plate into a masking and clamping device, covering the current collector plate with the welding mask, and clamping the jelly roll and the current collector plate as a single unit; a current collector plate welding step of welding the current collector plate to the jelly roll by irradiating a welding target area on the current collector plate with a welding laser; a welding inspection step of inspecting the welding quality of the current collector plate and sorting good products and defective products; a semi-finished product classification and return step of classifying the semi-finished products predetermined as defective products and returning at least a portion to a semi-finished product re-introduction waiting line; and a semi-finished product input angle of rotating the jelly roll using a jelly roll rotation device so that the current collector plate coupled to the jelly roll is aligned at a predetermined angle with the welding mask in the returned semi-finished products. A battery cell manufacturing method characterized by comprising: an adjustment step; a step of re-performing the masking and clamping step; a welding re-inspection step of re-inspecting the welding quality of the current collector plate in the semi-finished product; and a step of transferring the semi-finished product determined to be good in the welding re-inspection step to a subsequent process and disposing of the semi-finished product determined to be defective. Claim 12 A battery cell manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein the current collector plate comprises a first current collector plate attached to one end of the jelly roll and a second current collector plate attached to the other end of the jelly roll, and the current collector plate welding step comprises a first welding step of welding the first current collector plate to one end of the jelly roll; and a second welding step of welding the second current collector plate to the other end of the jelly roll. Claim 13 A battery cell manufacturing method according to claim 12, wherein the welding inspection step comprises: a first current collector plate welding inspection step for inspecting the welding quality of the first current collector plate after performing the first welding step; and a second current collector plate welding inspection step for inspecting the welding quality of the second current collector plate after performing the second welding step. Claim 14 A battery cell manufacturing method according to claim 13, wherein the semi-finished product classification and return step comprises: a first semi-finished product return step of inspecting the welding quality of the first current collector plate and returning at least some of the semi-finished products determined to be defective; and a second semi-finished product return step of inspecting the welding quality of the second current collector plate and returning at least some of the semi-finished products determined to be defective. Claim 15 A battery cell manufacturing method according to claim 14, wherein the semi-finished product returned through the first semi-finished product return step undergoes the step of re-performing the masking and clamping step, then omits the first welding step and re-inspects the welding quality of the first current collector plate; if it is determined to be defective, it is discarded, and if it is determined to be good, the second welding step and the second current collector plate welding inspection step are performed, and the semi-finished product returned through the second semi-finished product return step omits the first welding step and the second welding step; if it is determined to be defective, it is discarded, and if it is determined to be good, it is transferred to a subsequent process.

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