Device for pouch forming and pouch forming method using same

Abstract

The purpose of a device for pouch forming according to one embodiment of the present invention is to form an accommodation part for accommodating an electrode assembly in a pouch sheet, the device for pouch forming comprising: a seating part on which the pouch sheet is seated; a pressing plate for fixing the pouch sheet to the seating part by pressing the pouch sheet; an elevating part for causing vertical movement of the pressing plate; and a forming part for forming the accommodation part by pressing the pouch sheet, wherein a sensor part for measuring the pressure formed between the pressing plate and the seating part is provided on an upper part of the seating part.

Description

Pouch forming device and pouch forming method using the same

[0001] Cross-citation with related application(s)

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0104551, filed August 10, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The present invention relates to a pouch forming device, and more particularly, to a pouch forming device for forming the shape of a cell case in a battery cell manufacturing process.

[0004] Demand for secondary batteries is rapidly increasing as they are attracting much attention as an energy source not only for mobile devices such as cell phones, digital cameras, and laptops, but also for power devices such as electric bicycles, electric cars, and hybrid electric vehicles.

[0005] Secondary batteries are classified into cylindrical and prismatic batteries, in which the electrode assembly is built into a cylindrical or prismatic metal can, and pouch-type batteries, in which the electrode assembly is built into a pouch-type case made of aluminum laminate sheet, depending on the shape of the battery case.

[0006] In addition, the electrode assembly is classified into a jelly-roll type (rolled type) electrode assembly having a structure in which long sheet-shaped positive and negative electrodes are rolled up with a separator interposed therebetween, a stack type (laminated type) electrode assembly having a plurality of positive and negative electrodes cut into units of a predetermined size and sequentially stacked with a separator interposed therebetween, and a stack / folding type electrode assembly having stacked unit cells rolled up with a long separator.

[0007] In the battery cell manufacturing process, electrode assemblies are sealed within a predetermined case together with an electrolyte. Among these, pouch-type batteries are manufactured by forming a receiving portion in a pouch sheet, housing a stacked or stacked / folded electrode assembly in the receiving portion, and injecting the electrolyte. However, the forming process for the receiving portion is performed by fixing the pouch sheet and then applying pressure to the pouch sheet using a punch or the like. Therefore, if the pressure is not properly controlled, cracks or excessive wrinkles may occur in the pouch sheet.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention has been created to solve the above problems, and aims to minimize cracks or wrinkles occurring in a pouch sheet during the process of forming the pouch sheet of a battery cell.

[0009] A pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention is for forming a receiving portion for receiving an electrode assembly in a pouch sheet, and includes a receiving portion on which the pouch sheet is received, a pressure plate for fixing the pouch sheet to the receiving portion by pressing the pouch sheet, an elevating portion for causing vertical movement of the pressure plate, and a forming portion for forming the receiving portion by pressing the pouch sheet, and a sensor portion for measuring a pressure formed between the pressure plate and the receiving portion is provided on an upper portion of the receiving portion.

[0010] The upper portion of the above-mentioned mounting portion is provided with a receiving groove for forming the receiving portion, and the sensor portion may not correspond to the receiving groove.

[0011] The upper portion of the above-mentioned settling portion is provided with a receiving groove for forming the receiving portion, and the pressing plate can press the pouch sheet located in a portion of the above-mentioned settling portion where the receiving groove is not formed.

[0012] The above-mentioned lifting units are plural, and the plurality of lifting units can operate independently of each other.

[0013] The above sensor unit may include a surface pressure sensor.

[0014] The sensor unit obtains a pressure value according to each position, and the position of the center of gravity is calculated based on the pressure value, and the pressure value according to each position can be displayed as a relative value based on the pressure value formed at the center of gravity.

[0015] Depending on the operation of the lifting member, the pressure between the mounting member and the pressure plate changes, and accordingly, the position of the center of gravity can move.

[0016] The above-mentioned lifting unit can operate based on the pressure value obtained by the sensor unit.

[0017] The above-mentioned lifting unit includes a first lifting unit and a second lifting unit, and one of the first lifting unit and the second lifting unit operates based on the pressure value obtained from the sensor unit, thereby allowing the inclination of the pressure plate to be adjusted.

[0018] A pouch forming method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a step of seating a pouch sheet on a seating portion, a step of fixing the pouch sheet on the seating portion by a pressure plate pressing the pouch sheet, a step of adjusting an inclination of the pressure plate by an elevating portion based on a pressure value obtained by a sensor portion, and a step of forming a receiving portion in the pouch sheet by a forming portion pressing the pouch sheet.

[0019] The step of adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate may include a step of calculating the position of the center of gravity based on the pressure value obtained by the sensor unit, a step of comparing the calculated position of the center of gravity with a position of the center of gravity stored in advance, and a step of adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate by operating the lifting unit so that the calculated position of the center of gravity and the position of the center of gravity stored in advance are identical.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, when forming a pouch-shaped case, the pouch sheet can be pressed with an appropriate pressure, thereby minimizing the occurrence of cracks or wrinkles formed in the pouch sheet.

[0021] In addition, the present invention may have various other effects, which will be described in each embodiment configuration, or an explanation of effects that can be easily inferred by a person skilled in the art will be omitted.

[0022] Fig. 1 is a side view of a conventional pouch forming device.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a drawing explaining the operation of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 1.

[0024] Fig. 3 is a top view of the lower die of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 1.

[0025] Figure 4 is a side view of a pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Fig. 5 is a top view of the mounting portion of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 4.

[0027] Fig. 6 shows the position of the lifting unit corresponding to the sensor unit of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 4.

[0028] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are drawings for explaining the operation of a pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a pouch forming method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their conventional or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted with meanings and concepts that conform to the technical idea of ​​the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to best explain his or her own invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and various equivalents and modified examples may exist as of the time of this application.

[0031] In the drawings, the sizes of each component or specific parts of that component are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for convenience and clarity of explanation. Therefore, the size of each component does not entirely reflect its actual size. If a detailed description of a related known function or configuration is deemed to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such description will be omitted.

[0032] Also, when a part such as a layer, membrane, region, or plate is described as being "over" or "on" another part, this should be interpreted to include not only cases where the layer, membrane, region, or plate is "directly over" the other part, but also cases where there are other parts in between. Conversely, when a part such as a layer, membrane, region, or plate is described as being "directly over" another part, this can mean that there are no other parts in between. Furthermore, being "over" or "on" a reference part means being located above or below the reference part, and may not necessarily mean being located "over" or "on" the opposite direction of gravity. Meanwhile, just as describing being "over" or "on" another part, describing being "under" or "beneath" another part can also be understood with reference to the above.

[0033] Additionally, throughout the specification, whenever a part is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0034] Additionally, throughout the specification, when we say "in plan", we mean when the part is viewed from above, and when we say "in cross section", we mean when the part is viewed from the side in a cross-section cut vertically.

[0035]

[0036] A pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention is for forming a receiving portion for storing an electrode assembly in a pouch sheet.

[0037] Before describing a pouch forming device according to an embodiment of the present invention, a conventional pouch forming device will first be described.

[0038] Fig. 1 is a side view of a conventional pouch forming device. Fig. 2 is a drawing explaining the operation of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the lower die of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 1.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional pouch forming device (10) may include a lower die (11) on which a pouch sheet (1) is placed, a stripper (12) that fixes the pouch sheet (1) to the lower die (11) by applying pressure from above, a cylinder (13) that vertically moves the stripper (12), and a punch (14) that forms a receiving portion (2) by applying pressure from above to the pouch sheet (1). Here, the lower die (11) is positioned on a back plate (22), and a shim (21) may be positioned between the lower die (11) and the back plate (22).

[0040] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the pouch forming process by the pouch forming device (10) can be performed by placing the pouch sheet (1) on the upper surface of the lower die (11) in which the forming groove (11A) is formed, fixing the edge of the pouch sheet (1) with a stripper (12), and vertically moving the punch (14) to deform the pouch sheet (1).

[0041] However, since the pouch sheet (1) may be damaged or wrinkles may form at the corners of the receiving portion (2) during this process, the worker needs to appropriately adjust the pressing force of the stripper (12) that fixes the pouch sheet (1). Typically, the pressing force of the stripper (12) can be adjusted by the vertical movement of the stripper (12) by the cylinder (13). However, in the past, it was difficult to accurately confirm the magnitude of the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1), and thus, it was difficult to adjust the pressing force of the stripper (12). Therefore, in the past, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to adjust the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1), a method of arbitrarily manipulating the cylinder (13) or adding a shim (21) between the lower die (11) and the back plate (22) was used. However, this conventional method has a problem in that the precision is low and the quality of the final product is uneven. In addition, a lot of working time and man-hours were required during the process of attaching and detaching the mold.

[0042]

[0043] Hereinafter, a pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The pouch forming device of this embodiment is intended to solve the above-described conventional problems, and to minimize wrinkles or cracks formed in the pouch sheet (1) by more precisely controlling the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1).

[0044] Fig. 4 is a side view of a pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a top view of a mounting portion of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows the position of an elevating portion corresponding to a sensor portion of the pouch forming device according to Fig. 4.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, the pouch forming device (100) of the present embodiment may include a mounting portion (110) on which a pouch sheet (1) is mounted, a pressure plate (120) for fixing the position of the pouch sheet (1), an elevating portion (130) for vertically moving the pressure plate (120), a forming portion (140) for forming a receiving portion (2) in which an electrode assembly is accommodated by pressing the pouch sheet (1), and a sensor portion (150) for measuring the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1).

[0046] The mounting portion (110) can provide a working space for forming a receiving portion (2) in the pouch sheet (1). The mounting portion (110) can be located on the lower side of the pouch sheet (1). The mounting portion (110) can be a die. However, this is not necessarily the case, and can be provided as having a function similar to a die.

[0047] A receiving groove (112) may be formed on the upper surface of the mounting portion (110). The receiving groove (112) may form a receiving portion (2) in the pouch sheet (1) by receiving a pouch sheet (1) pressed by the forming portion (140). The pouch sheet (1) may be positioned to cover the receiving groove (112) formed on the upper surface of the mounting portion (110).

[0048] Here, the pouch sheet (1) may include aluminum. However, the properties of the pouch sheet (1) are not limited by the examples described above, and any known material that has a predetermined rigidity and can stably accommodate the electrode assembly and electrolyte may be applied.

[0049] The pressure plate (120) may be for fixing the position of the pouch sheet (1). The pressure plate (120) may be located on the upper side of the mounting portion (110). The pressure plate (120) may be located on the upper side of the pouch sheet (1). The pressure plate (120) may fix the pouch sheet (1) to the mounting portion (110) by pressing the pouch sheet (1). The pressure plate (120) may be a stripper, but is not necessarily so.

[0050] The pressure plate (120) may have a shape whose outer surface corresponds to the outer surface of the mounting portion (110), but does not correspond to the receiving groove (112). For example, the pressure plate (120) may have a square plate shape or a shape with the center portion removed.

[0051] The pressing plate (120) can press the edge of the pouch sheet (1). More specifically, the pressing plate (120) can press the pouch sheet (1) located in a portion of the mounting portion (110) where the receiving groove (112) is not formed. The pressing plate (120) can press the outside of the edge of the receiving portion (2) in the pouch sheet (1). In this way, the pressing plate (120) may not correspond to the receiving groove (112) and the receiving portion (2) of the pouch sheet (1), and thereby may not restrict the vertical movement of the forming portion (140) forming the receiving portion (2). In this case, the receiving portion (2) can be broadly interpreted to refer not only to the receiving portion (2) already formed in the pouch sheet (1), but also to the position where the receiving portion (2) is formed in the pouch sheet (1).

[0052] The lower part of the pressure plate (120) can pressurize the pouch sheet (1) by coming into contact with the pouch sheet (1), or can pressurize the pouch sheet (1) directly or indirectly through other members that come into contact with the pouch sheet (1). An elevating member (130) that adjusts the pressure applied from the pressure plate (120) to the pouch sheet (1) by vertically moving the pressure plate (120) can be positioned on the upper part of the pressure plate (120). 7

[0053] The lifting unit (130) may cause vertical movement of the pressure plate (120). The lifting unit (130) may increase the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) by lowering the pressure plate (120). In addition, the lifting unit (130) may reduce the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) by raising the pressure plate (120). The lifting unit (130) may be a cylinder that moves an object through piston movement by air pressure, but is not necessarily so.

[0054] The lifting unit (130) may be equipped with a pressure sensor. For example, the lifting unit (130) may move the pressure plate (120) using air pressure, and the lifting unit (130) may be equipped with a control valve (e.g., a solenoid valve, etc.) for controlling the air pressure and a pressure sensor for measuring the air pressure. The displacement level of the pressure plate (120) may be estimated through the pressure sensor equipped in the lifting unit (130), and the pressure applied by the pressure plate (120) to the pouch sheet (1) may be estimated. However, since the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) may vary depending on the flatness of the mounting portion (110), etc., it is difficult to estimate the pressure of the pouch sheet (1) by relying on the pressure sensor equipped in the lifting unit (130). In addition, since the value collected by the pressure sensor equipped in the lifting unit (130) is the pressure formed in a narrow area, the error may be large when representing the pressure value of the pouch sheet (1) in a wide area.

[0055] The lifting members (130) may be plural and may operate individually. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the plurality of lifting members (130) may be positioned along the edge of the mounting member (110). By controlling the rising and falling of the pressure plate (120) by the operation of some of the plurality of lifting members (130), the inclination of the pressure plate (120) may be varied. By controlling the inclination of the pressure plate (120), the pressure plate (120) may locally pressurize the pouch sheet (1) or reduce the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1). For example, if the level of lowering of the pressure plate (120) by the lifting member (130) positioned on the -X axis is greater than that by the other lifting members (130), the portion of the pouch sheet (1) positioned on the -X axis may be pressed more strongly than other portions. In this way, by independently operating multiple lifting units (130), the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) located between the pressure plate (120) and the mounting unit (110) can be uniformly adjusted.

[0056] The forming part (140) may be configured to form a receiving part (2) in the pouch sheet (1). The forming part (140) may be positioned on the upper side of the pouch sheet (1). The forming part (140) may be positioned at a position corresponding to the receiving groove (112) of the mounting part (110). The forming part (140) may press the pouch sheet (1) in the direction in which the receiving groove (112) is positioned, and a receiving part (2) having a shape corresponding to the receiving groove (112) may be formed in the pouch sheet (1). The receiving part (2) may have a recessed shape from one surface of the pouch sheet (1) toward the other surface. The forming part (140) may form the receiving part (2) by descending toward the pouch sheet (1), and after the formation of the receiving part (2) is completed, it may rise again to return to its original position.

[0057] Here, the end of the forming part (140) can be accommodated in the receiving groove (112). For this purpose, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the forming part (140) can be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the receiving groove (112). In addition, the portion of the forming part (140) that is inserted into the receiving groove (112) and the inner surface of the receiving groove (112) can be spaced apart by a gap equal to or wider than the thickness of the pouch sheet (1).

[0058] The sensor unit (150) may be for measuring the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1). The pouch forming device (100) of the present embodiment collects the pressure value applied to the pouch sheet (1) through the sensor unit (150) and controls the lifting unit (130) based on the collected value, thereby making the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) uniform.

[0059] The sensor unit (150) may be positioned between the mounting unit (110) and the pressure plate (120). The sensor unit (150) may be provided on the upper portion of the mounting unit (110). A pouch sheet (1) may be positioned on the upper portion of the sensor unit (150). The pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) may vary depending on whether the mounting unit (110) is positioned flat, etc. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the sensor unit (150) may be provided on the upper portion of the mounting unit (110) to directly measure the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1).

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the sensor unit (150) may be positioned outside the edge of the receiving groove (112) on the upper surface of the mounting portion (110). The sensor unit (150) may be positioned at a position where the receiving groove (112) is not formed on the upper surface of the mounting portion (110). The sensor unit (150) may not correspond to the receiving groove (112). The sensor unit (150) may correspond to the lower surface of the pressure plate (120). Here, the upper surface and the lower surface may refer to a surface located relatively upper and lower with respect to the Z-axis.

[0061] The sensor unit (150) may include a sensor that measures the pressure formed on a plane with high resolution. For example, the sensor unit (150) may include a surface pressure sensor. Here, the surface pressure sensor is suitable for measuring the surface pressure, has high resolution, and can have a small measurement error even when applied to a multi-faceted area. The sensor unit (150) of the present embodiment can be designed to cover a wide area by using the surface pressure sensor, and can precisely collect pressure values ​​for each location.

[0062] Meanwhile, since the sensor unit (150) is positioned above the mounting unit (110), it can be pressed together with the pouch sheet (1) by the pressure plate (120). Therefore, it may be desirable for the thickness value of the sensor unit (150) to be small, and for the deviation of the thickness value according to the position to be minimized. For example, it may be desirable for the thickness value of the sensor unit (150) to be within 0.01 mm to 0.5 mm, or 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm.

[0063] The pressure value measured by the sensor unit (150) can be output as a pressure distribution. The pressure value measured by the sensor unit (150) can be output as a coordinate value according to each location. The measured pressure value can be displayed on a quadrant extending in the forward, backward, left, and right directions from a single point.

[0064] The sensor unit (150) may include a plurality of grid-shaped sub-sensors, and when outputting results, the position of each grid may be expressed as coordinates on the X-axis and Y-axis. In addition, the corresponding pressure value may be expressed as a value on the corresponding coordinates. For example, when covering a range of 10*10ch, the surface pressure sensor may be configured to include 10 sub-sensors each having a size of 1ch*1ch in the horizontal and vertical directions. Through this, pressure values ​​for a total of about 100 positions in the 10*10ch range may be collected.

[0065] Here, the pressure value outputted may be a relative value with respect to the reference position. The pressure value outputted may be a pressure distribution value based on the center of gravity. For example, if the center of gravity is located at the center of the sensor unit (150), the pressure value at each location may be expressed as + if it is higher than the pressure value formed at the center, and - if it is lower.

[0066]

[0067] Meanwhile, although not shown, the pouch forming device (100) of the present embodiment may include a control unit that oversees the operation of the pouch forming device (100).

[0068] The control unit can receive the pressure value collected from the sensor unit (150). The control unit can calculate the pressure value received from the sensor unit (150) into a coordinate system. In addition, the control unit can control the output unit included in the pouch forming device (100) or the output device connected to the pouch forming device (100) to display the processed pressure value.

[0069] However, as described above, processing of the pressure value does not necessarily have to be performed by the control unit of the pouch forming device (100), and according to an embodiment, the sensor unit (150) may individually include a control unit, and the pressure value may be calculated in a coordinate system by the control unit included in the sensor unit (150).

[0070] The control unit can locally adjust the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1). The control unit controls the operation of the elevating unit (130) based on the pressure value acquired by the sensor unit (150), thereby ensuring that the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) is uniform. The control unit can control the operation of the elevating unit (130) so that the position of the center of gravity of the pouch sheet (1) moves to a preset center of gravity. This will be described in more detail later with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0071]

[0072] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are drawings for explaining the operation of a pouch forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, the dotted lines are only for distinguishing the lifting unit (130) according to its location and are not included in the scope of the present invention.

[0073] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the operation of the lifting unit (130) of the present embodiment can be controlled based on the pressure value obtained by the sensor unit (150).

[0074] Referring to Fig. 7, the number of the lifting units (130) of the present embodiment may be plural. For convenience of explanation, the lifting units (130) may be divided into a first lifting unit (131), a second lifting unit (132), a third lifting unit (133), and a fourth lifting unit (134) according to their positions. Here, the first lifting unit (131) is an lifting unit (130) located in the -X-axis direction, the second lifting unit (132) is an lifting unit (130) located in the -Y-axis direction, the third lifting unit (133) is an lifting unit (130) located in the +X-axis direction, and the fourth lifting unit (134) is an lifting unit (130) located in the +Y-axis direction.

[0075] The sensor unit (150) can measure the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) after the pouch sheet (1) is positioned on the mounting portion (110) and the pressure plate (120) is lowered to pressurize the pouch sheet (1). The sensor unit (150) can measure the pressure formed between the edge of the mounting portion (110) and the pressure plate (120). The sensor unit (150) can obtain the magnitude of the pressure formed outside the edge of the receiving portion (2) for each position. The pressure value for each position can be displayed as a value calculated based on the center of gravity in the current state. As illustrated in Fig. 8, the initially output value can be a pressure distribution value based on the first center of gravity (c1).

[0076] Meanwhile, what the worker wants may be a state in which the deviation of each pressure is minimized and distributed based on the second center of gravity (c2) value. Here, the second center of gravity (c2) value that the worker wants may vary depending on the mold that determines the shape of the receiving portion (2). Therefore, the second center of gravity (c2) may be a value input by the worker or a value stored in advance. In order to receive a predetermined value from the user in this way, the pouch forming device (100) may include an input unit or may be connected to an external device including an input unit. In addition, the pouch forming device (100) may include a storage unit, through which the input value may be stored.

[0077] The lifting unit (130) can move the position of the center of gravity by controlling the level of vertical movement of the pressure plate (120). More specifically, it can be inferred that the third lifting unit (133) and the fourth lifting unit (134) located in the +X-axis and +Y-axis directions through the position of the first center of gravity (c1) apply a higher pressure to the pouch sheet (1) than the first lifting unit (131) and the second lifting unit (132) located in the -X-axis and -Y-axis directions. Therefore, the position of the center of gravity can be moved from the first center of gravity (c1) to the second center of gravity (c2) by additionally lowering the first lifting unit (131) and the second lifting unit (132) or by raising the third lifting unit (133) and the fourth lifting unit (134). This operation of the lifting unit (130) can be controlled by the control unit.

[0078] At this time, the sensor unit (150) can collect the pressure value in real time, and the collected pressure value can be calculated and then output according to a predetermined algorithm. Therefore, after the operation of the elevating unit (130) is completed, the position of the center of gravity can be confirmed again by the sensor unit (150). The elevating unit (130) can operate until the calculated position of the center of gravity matches the second center of gravity (c2), and thereby the inclination of the pressure plate (120) can be adjusted. If the calculated position of the center of gravity matches the second center of gravity (c2), the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) can be determined to be uniform. If the calculated position of the center of gravity is the second center of gravity (c2) targeted by the operator, the operation of the elevating unit (130) can be stopped. When it is confirmed that the pressure applied to the pouch sheet (1) is uniform based on the output value of the sensor unit (150), the operation of the elevating unit (130) can be stopped, and the forming unit (140) can be lowered, thereby forming the receiving unit (2) in the pouch sheet (1). In this way, the operation of the elevating unit (130) or the forming unit (140) can be performed or stopped by the control unit. In addition, processing of information collected from the sensor unit (150) can also be performed by the control unit.

[0079]

[0080] Below, a pouch forming method based on the above-described description will be described. The pouch forming method described below may be performed by the pouch forming device (100) described above. Therefore, the above-described content is applicable to all descriptions below, and the same descriptions are omitted to avoid redundant descriptions.

[0081] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a pouch forming method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 9, the pouch forming method (S100) according to the present embodiment may include a step (S110) of seating a pouch sheet (1) on a seating portion (110), a step (S120) of fixing a pressure plate (120) to the pouch sheet (1) on the seating portion (110), a step (S130S) of operating an elevating portion (130) based on a pressure value obtained by a sensor portion (150), and a step (S140S) of forming a receiving portion (2) on the pouch sheet (1).

[0083] Each step is described in more detail below.

[0084] The pouch sheet (1) can be mounted on the upper surface of the mounting portion (110) (S110). The mounting portion (110) can include a receiving groove (112) formed on the upper portion of the mounting portion (110). The pouch sheet (1) can be positioned to cover the receiving groove (112) formed on the upper surface of the mounting portion (110).

[0085] The pressure plate (120) can fix the pouch sheet (1) to the mounting portion (110) (S120). The pressure plate (120) can be positioned above the pouch sheet (1) and the mounting portion (110). The pressure plate (120) can be lowered toward the pouch sheet (1), and the lowering of the pressure plate (120) can be caused by the operation of the elevating portion (130). The pressure plate (120) can pressurize other areas of the pouch sheet (1) except for the area where the receiving portion (2) is formed, thereby bringing the pouch sheet (1) into close contact with the mounting portion (110). Since the pressure plate (120) fixes the pouch sheet (1) to the mounting portion (110), the movement of the pouch sheet (1) can be minimized during the process of forming the receiving portion (2) by the operation of the forming portion (140).

[0086] The sensor unit (150) collects the pressure value formed between the pressure plate (120) and the mounting portion (110), and the lifting unit (130) can operate based on the collected pressure value (S130). The sensor unit (150) can be positioned on the mounting portion (110) and can collect the pressure value formed between the pressure plate (120) and the mounting portion (110). The pressure value obtained by the sensor unit (150) can be regarded as the pressure value formed on the pouch sheet (1). Here, the pressure value obtained by the sensor unit (150) can be a value after the lowering of the pressure plate (120) is completed.

[0087] The pressure value acquired by the sensor unit (150) can be calculated by the control unit, etc., and then output through the output unit, etc. The pressure value acquired by the sensor unit (150) can be different depending on each location, and the pressure value according to each location can be expressed on the X-axis and Y-axis.

[0088] The lifting unit (130) can operate based on the pressure value acquired by the sensor unit (150). The lifting unit (130) can operate to move the position of the center of gravity identified through the sensor unit (150) to the position of the preset center of gravity by adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate (120). More specifically, in order to form a uniform pressure distribution, the lifting unit (130) in the direction in which the preset center of gravity is located from the current center of gravity can operate to partially lower the pressure plate (120). In addition, the lifting unit (130) in the opposite direction to that described above can also operate to partially raise the pressure plate (120). For details related thereto, refer to FIGS. 7 and 8 described above.

[0089] The sensor unit (150) can obtain a pressure value in real time. After the operation of the lifting unit (130) is completed, the sensor unit (150) can obtain a pressure value. The position of the center of gravity can be recalculated based on the newly obtained pressure value. If the newly identified position of the center of gravity is different from the preset position of the center of gravity, the lifting unit (130) can partially raise or lower the pressure plate (120) by operating again to match them. The lifting unit (130) can operate until the position of the center of gravity calculated by the sensor unit (150) is identical to the preset position of the center of gravity.

[0090] Therefore, the above-described (S130S) step is

[0091] The method may include a step of obtaining a pressure value by a sensor unit (150), processing the obtained pressure value to output the position of the center of gravity in the current state, a step of comparing the position of the center of gravity in the current state with the position of the center of gravity in the preset state, and a step of operating the lifting unit (130) based on the position difference between the preset center of gravity and the center of gravity in the current state, and adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate (120) according to the operation of the lifting unit (130). In addition, the above-described steps may be repeated until the preset center of gravity and the center of gravity in the current state are the same.

[0092] In addition, the operation of the elevator (130) is

[0093] Based on the pressure value acquired from the sensor unit (150), the step of calculating the set pressure value to be requested from the elevating unit (130), the step of driving the elevating unit (130) based on the set pressure value, the step of measuring the pressure value formed by the elevating unit (130) by a pressure sensor provided in the elevating unit (130) and comparing the measured pressure value with the requested set pressure value, and the step of driving the elevating unit (130) based on the difference value between the two values ​​described above if the collected pressure value and the set pressure value are not the same. In addition, the step of comparing the two values ​​and the step of driving the elevating unit (130) based on the difference value may be repeated until the two values ​​described above become the same.

[0094] Meanwhile, if the lifting unit (130) is a cylinder that uses air pressure, the lifting unit (130) may include a solenoid valve or the like for controlling the air flow rate. Accordingly, the opening and closing level of the solenoid valve of the lifting unit (130) may be determined according to the requested set pressure value. That is, the operation of the lifting unit (130) described above may be performed by opening and closing the solenoid valve. In addition, a pressure sensor provided in the lifting unit (130) may measure the air pressure according to the opening and closing of the solenoid valve.

[0095]

[0096] When the position of the center of gravity calculated by the sensor unit (150) is the same as the position of the preset center of gravity and the operation of the lifting unit (130) is completed, the forming unit (140) can form a receiving groove (112) in the pouch sheet (1) (S140S). The forming unit (140) is located on the upper side of the pouch sheet (1) and can descend toward the pouch sheet (1). The forming unit (140) is located to correspond to the receiving groove (112) of the mounting unit (110) and can descend toward the receiving groove (112). At this time, an end of the forming unit (140) can be inserted into the receiving groove (112). By receiving a part of the pouch sheet (1) together with the end of the forming unit (140) in the receiving groove (112), a receiving portion (2) that is sunken downward can be formed in the pouch sheet (1).

[0097] Meanwhile, this pouch forming method can be performed by a control unit included in the pouch forming device (100). More specifically, operations such as displacement of the pressure plate (120) by the lifting unit (130), lowering of the forming unit (140), and collection of pressure values ​​by the sensor unit (150) can be controlled by the control unit included in the pouch forming device (100).

[0098]

[0099] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0100] [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1: Pouch sheet

[0102] 100: Pouch forming device

[0103] 110: Anchoring

[0104] 120: Pressure plate

[0105] 130: Elevator

[0106] 140: Forming Department

[0107] 150: Sensor section

Claims

1. In a pouch forming device for forming a receiving portion for storing an electrode assembly in a pouch sheet, A mounting portion where the above pouch sheet is mounted, A pressure plate that fixes the pouch sheet to the mounting portion by pressurizing the pouch sheet; A lifting member causing vertical movement of the above pressure plate, and It includes a forming part that forms the receiving part by pressing the pouch sheet, A pouch forming device having a sensor unit for measuring the pressure formed between the pressure plate and the mounting unit on the upper portion of the mounting unit.

2. In paragraph 1, A pouch forming device having a receiving groove for forming the receiving portion provided on the upper portion of the above-mentioned mounting portion, and the sensor portion not corresponding to the receiving groove.

3. In paragraph 1, The upper portion of the above-mentioned mounting portion is provided with a receiving groove for forming the receiving portion, The above pressure plate is a pouch forming device that pressurizes the pouch sheet located in a portion of the above mounting portion where the receiving groove is not formed.

4. In paragraph 1, A pouch forming device having a plurality of lifting units, wherein the plurality of lifting units operate independently of each other.

5. In paragraph 1, The above sensor unit is a pouch forming device including a surface pressure sensor.

6. In paragraph 1, The above sensor unit obtains pressure values ​​according to each location, A pouch forming device in which the position of the center of gravity is calculated based on the above pressure value, and the pressure value for each position is displayed as a relative value based on the pressure value formed at the center of gravity.

7. In paragraph 6, A pouch forming device in which the pressure between the mounting portion and the pressure plate changes according to the movement of the lifting portion, and the position of the center of gravity moves accordingly.

8. In paragraph 1, A pouch forming device in which the lifting unit operates based on the pressure value obtained by the sensor unit.

9. In paragraph 8, The above-mentioned elevator includes a first elevator and a second elevator, A pouch forming device in which one of the first lifting unit and the second lifting unit operates based on the pressure value obtained from the sensor unit, thereby adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate.

10. In a pouch forming method using a pouch forming device according to Article 1, Step of placing the pouch sheet on the mounting surface; A step of fixing the pouch sheet on the mounting portion by the pressure plate pressing the pouch sheet; A step of adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate by the lifting unit based on the pressure value obtained by the sensor unit, and A pouch forming method comprising a step of forming a receiving portion in the pouch sheet by pressurizing the pouch sheet.

11. In paragraph 10, The step of adjusting the inclination of the above pressure plate is: A step of calculating the position of the center of gravity based on the pressure value obtained by the above sensor unit, A step of comparing the position of the center of gravity calculated above with the position of the center of gravity stored in advance; A pouch forming method comprising a step of adjusting the inclination of the pressure plate by operating the lifting unit so that the position of the calculated center of gravity and the position of the pre-stored center of gravity match each other.

Images