Manufacturing device for electrode foil, and battery

Abstract

A manufacturing device (1) for an electrode foil is provided with a supply unit (10), a facing unit (20), and an adjustment unit (40). The supply unit (10) supplies powder to a sheet-shaped base material (2). The facing unit (20) extends in the base material (2) width direction that is substantially orthogonal to a conveyance direction in which the base material (2) is conveyed. The facing unit (20) presses the powder supplied by the supply unit (10) against the base material (2). The adjustment unit (40) is provided at an end portion of the facing unit (20) in the width direction. The adjustment unit (40) adjusts an amount of the powder guided to the end portion.

Description

Electrode foil manufacturing equipment and battery

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus and a battery.

[0002] A technique for pressing a powder material onto a substrate using a rolling roll is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] JP 2012-214854 A

[0004] The powder material supplied to the substrate as described in Patent Document 1 is not uniformly pressed onto the substrate with the same thickness. Therefore, it is required to press the powder material onto the substrate as uniformly as possible.

[0005] One object of the present invention is to uniformly compress powder onto a substrate.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is an electrode foil manufacturing device comprising: a supply unit that supplies powder to a sheet-like substrate; an opposing unit that extends in the width direction of the substrate, which is approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction of the substrate, and presses the powder supplied by the supply unit against the substrate; and an adjustment unit that is provided at an end of the opposing unit in the width direction and adjusts the amount of the powder guided to the end.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a battery having an electrode foil manufactured using the above-described electrode foil manufacturing apparatus.

[0008] According to the above aspect of the present invention, the powder can be uniformly compressed onto the substrate.

[0009] 1. A schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment. An enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of part A shown in FIG. 1. A schematic plan view of the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from above. A schematic plan view showing the state of the adjustment unit when the pivoting unit is open toward the outside in the width direction. A cross-sectional view taken along A1-A1 of the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 3. A cross-sectional view of a manufacturing apparatus according to Modification 1. A graph plotting the relationship between the amount of powder at the end and the pivot angle. A schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment. A plan view of the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from above. A schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to Modification 2. A plan view of the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 8 as viewed from above. A schematic cross-sectional view of a manufacturing apparatus according to a third embodiment. A schematic top view of a portion of a manufacturing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. A schematic side view of a manufacturing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. A cross-sectional view taken along B1-B1 of FIG. 11. A cross-sectional view taken along B2-B2 of FIG. 13. A cross-sectional view taken along B2-B2 of FIG. 13. A schematic plan view of a portion of a manufacturing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment as viewed from above. A schematic plan view of a portion of a manufacturing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment as viewed from above. A functional block diagram of a signal processing unit of the manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a computer that implements a signal processing unit according to the first embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, similar components are designated by similar reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] <First embodiment> (Electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1) Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of portion A shown in Fig. 1 . The manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described using Figs. 1 and 2 . The manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing electrode foil to be used in a battery. In the first embodiment, a sheet-like substrate 2 is used to manufacture positive and negative electrodes of the battery. In the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 conveys the substrate 2, to which an adhesive layer 3 (e.g., an undercoat) has been applied, in a conveying direction DR1, and adheres powder P, which will be described later, to the adhesive layer 3 (substrate 2) and presses the resulting material with a pair of press rolls 90, thereby manufacturing an electrode foil.

[0012] (Supplying unit 10) As shown in Fig. 2, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a supplying unit 10, an opposing unit 20, and a guide unit 30. The supplying unit 10 according to the first embodiment has a housing in which powder P is stored. The powder P according to the first embodiment is a granulated material, and the particle size of the granulated material is 15 µm or more and 110 µm or less. More preferably, it is in the range of 60 µm ± 30 µm. The supplying unit 10 supplies the powder P to the substrate 2 being transported.

[0013] (Facing portion 20) The facing portion 20 according to the first embodiment is also referred to as a squeegee roll and has a cylindrical shape. The facing portion 20 has a shape that extends in the width direction DR2 of the substrate 2. The axis of the facing portion 20 is rotatably fixed to a bearing 22 (see FIG. 4B ) provided in the fixing portion 43 of the adjustment unit 40. Although not shown, a driving device such as a motor may be connected to one end of the axis of the facing portion 20.

[0014] The width direction DR2 is a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction DR1 in which the base material 2 is conveyed, and is the width direction of the base material 2. In this specification, the conveying direction DR1 and the width direction DR2 being substantially perpendicular to each other means that the angle formed between the conveying direction DR1 and the width direction DR2 is 85° or more and 95° or less. The roll-shaped opposing portion 20 rotates in the direction opposite to the conveying direction DR1 in a plane perpendicular to the width direction DR2.

[0015] In the first embodiment, the facing unit 20 faces the press roll 90 via the substrate 2. The facing unit 20 presses the substrate 2 against the press roll 90. The facing unit 20 presses the powder P supplied by the supply unit 10 against the substrate 2, thereby making the thickness of the powder P adhering to the substrate 2 uniform.

[0016] (Guide unit 30) In the first embodiment, the guide unit 30 has a plate-like shape and is also referred to as a chute. In a side view, the guide unit 30 is disposed obliquely so as to extend downward as it proceeds in the conveying direction DR1. The guide unit 30 guides the powder P supplied from the supply unit 10 to the substrate 2 being conveyed in the conveying direction DR1. The powder P is carried along the surface of the guide unit 30 to the substrate 2 being conveyed. The guide unit 30 is disposed upstream of the opposing unit 20 in the conveying direction DR1. The guide unit 30 is disposed upstream of the supply unit 10 in the conveying direction DR1.

[0017] (Adjustment unit 40) Figures 3 and 4A are schematic plan views of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 2 when viewed from above. In Figures 3 and 4A, the supply unit 10 and guide unit 30 are omitted. Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along A1-A1 in Figure 3, showing a state in which the deformation unit 42 is not rotated. Figure 4B(b) is a view of Figure 4B(a) without the fixing unit 43. The manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment further includes an adjustment unit 40. The adjustment unit 40 is provided at the end 21 of the facing unit 20 in the width direction DR2, and adjusts the amount of powder P guided to the end 21.

[0018] In the first embodiment, the adjustment unit 40 may include a hinge 41, a plate-shaped deformation unit 42, and a plate-shaped fixing unit 43. The thickness of the deformation unit 42 and the fixing unit 43 can be set appropriately as long as they have the desired strength, and may be 10 mm to 50 mm, for example. The hinge 41 is provided so as to coincide with the upstream end of the facing unit 20 in the conveying direction DR1.

[0019] The fixing portion 43 is provided at the end portion 21. The downstream end portion 43a of the fixing portion 43 in the conveying direction DR1 may be located downstream of the midpoint 20a of the facing portion 20 in the conveying direction DR1. In other words, it may be located downstream of the position where the facing portion 20 and the substrate 2 are closest to each other. This ensures that the powder P is reliably adhered to the adhesive layer 3 of the substrate 2 by the facing portion 20 downstream of the downstream end portion 43a of the fixing portion 43 (a region where the fixing portion 43 is not provided).

[0020] The deformation unit 42 is a member that deforms, rotates, moves, etc., and in this embodiment, a rotational configuration is illustrated. The deformation unit 42 is rotatable via the hinge 41 in the direction in which the fixed unit 43 extends (the conveying direction DR1). In FIG. 3, the deformation unit 42 rotates toward the inside in the width direction DR2 by a rotation angle of θ1. In this way, the adjustment unit 40 according to the first embodiment is configured to be rotatable in the conveying direction DR1.

[0021] 4A is a schematic plan view showing the state of the adjustment unit 40 when the deformation unit 42 is open toward the outside in the width direction DR2. The adjustment unit 40 according to the first embodiment may adjust the amount of powder P guided to the end portion 21 in accordance with the amount of powder P covering the substrate 2. Specifically, the adjustment unit 40 may adjust the amount of powder P guided near the end portion 21 in accordance with so-called deposition (the amount of powder P per unit area on the surface of the substrate 2) near the end portion 21. That is, the adjustment unit 40 according to the first embodiment may adjust the angle at which the deformation unit 42 rotates in accordance with the deposition near the end portion 21.

[0022] For example, as shown in FIG. 4A , when the deformation portion 42 opens at a rotation angle θ2 toward the outside in the width direction DR2, a larger amount of powder P is guided to the end portion 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , when the deformation portion 42 opens at a rotation angle θ1 toward the inside in the width direction DR2, a smaller amount of powder P is guided to the end portion 21. In this manner, the adjustment unit 40 may adjust the angle at which the deformation portion 42 opens to adjust the amount of powder P guided to the end portion 21. If the rotation angle θ in the direction in which the deformation portion 42 closes toward the inside in the width direction DR2 is positive and the rotation angle in the direction in which the deformation portion 42 opens toward the outside in the width direction DR2 is negative, the range of the rotation angle θ of the deformation portion 42 is, for example, −5.0°≦θ≦5.0°, preferably −1.0°≦θ≦1.0°, and more preferably −0.2°≦θ≦0.2°. It is preferable that the rotation angle θ can be set in increments of 0.1° within the above range. The preferable range of the rotation angle θ will be described in more detail in the examples below.

[0023] The deformation portion 42 is fixed to the hinge 41 in a shape that resembles, for example, a right triangle with the most acute of its three vertices pointing downward in a side view.

[0024] Specifically, one side of the right-angled triangle of the deforming portion 42 (here, the longest side of the right-angled triangle) contacts and slides against the guide portion 30. Furthermore, another side is connected to the hinge 41. The shape of the deforming portion 42 in a side view is not limited to a right-angled triangle, and various shapes can be used as long as the shape prevents the powder P from spilling. In other words, the deforming portion 42 is provided so that the lower end 30a of the guide portion 30 (the nip point between the guide portion 30 and the substrate 2) and the lower end 41a of the hinge 41 are aligned in a side view, filling the space between the guide portion 30 and the hinge 41. This eliminates a space communicating with the outside around the lower end 41a of the hinge 41, preventing the powder P supplied by the guide portion 30 to the substrate 2 (more specifically, the adhesive layer 3 of the substrate 2) from spilling out.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4B, the deformation portion 42 has a deformation portion main body 42a and an elastic member 42b.

[0026] The deformation portion main body 42a generally constitutes the overall shape of the deformation portion 42. The material of the deformation portion main body 42a is preferably one with high abrasion resistance, and resin or metal, for example, can be used. For resin, acrylic resin (PMMA), polycarbonate resin (PC), polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate resin (PET), etc. can be used, with acrylic resin being preferred from the standpoint of abrasion resistance and impact resistance. For metal, stainless steel (SUS), aluminum alloy, and hard chrome-plated versions of these metals or steel can be used. For stainless steel (SUS), martensitic stainless steel is particularly suitable.

[0027] The elastic member 42b is attached to a portion of the deformation unit main body 42a that faces and slides against the guide unit 30. The purpose of providing the elastic member 42b is as follows: the contact portion of the deformation unit 42 with the guide unit 30 is tilted with respect to the axial direction of the hinge 41 (the vertical direction in the figure). Therefore, when the deformation unit 42 without the elastic member 42b (i.e., consisting only of the deformation unit main body 42a) is rotated around the hinge 41, a gap is created between the deformation unit 42 and the guide unit 30. Because the powder P is fine, there is a risk of it spilling out through this gap. Therefore, the elastic member 42b is provided on the deformation unit main body 42a at the portion that contacts the guide unit 30. The elastic member 42b is pressed against the guide unit 30 and elastically deformed, and remains pressed against the guide unit 30 during rotation within the above-mentioned rotation range.

[0028] The material of the elastic member 42b is, for example, rubber, and more specifically, natural rubber (NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), chloroprene rubber (CR), acrylonitrile rubber (NBR), butyl rubber (IIR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM), urethane rubber (U), silicone rubber (Si), fluororubber (FKM), chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber (CSM), etc. From the viewpoint of mechanical strength and abrasion resistance, natural rubber, urethane rubber, and styrene butadiene rubber are preferably used.

[0029] 18 is a functional block diagram of the signal processing unit 100 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment. The signal processing unit 100 controls the adjustment unit 40. More specifically, the signal processing unit 100 controls the operation of a drive unit 104 such as a motor connected to the hinge 41 to control the rotation angle θ of the deformation unit 42 within the above range.

[0030] The signal processing unit 100 includes a main control unit 101, an operation unit 102, a communication unit 103, and a drive unit 104. The main control unit 101 comprehensively controls each component of the signal processing unit 100. The operation unit 102 is an interface that accepts user operations, such as a switch or a touch panel. The communication unit 103 connects to an external device via a communication line, wirelessly, or the like. The connection to the external device may be direct or via a network such as the Internet. The drive unit 104 is, for example, a stepping motor, and controls the rotation angle θ of the deformation unit 42 within the above range by rotating the hinge 41. Note that, although the configuration in which the rotation angle θ of the deformation unit 42 is controlled by the signal processing unit 100 has been exemplified here, the hinge 41 may also be rotated manually. If the hinge 41 is rotated manually, the signal processing unit 100 is not required.

[0031] 19 is a block diagram showing a computer 1000 that realizes the signal processing unit 100. The computer 1000 may be any of various computers. For example, the computer 1000 may be a personal computer (PC), a server machine, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or a terminal device. The computer 1000 may be a dedicated computer designed to realize the signal processing unit 100, or may be a general-purpose computer.

[0032] The computer 1000 includes a bus 1010, a processor 1020, a memory 1030, a storage device 1040, an input / output interface 1050, and a network interface 1060. The bus 1010 is a data transmission path through which the processor 1020, the memory 1030, the storage device 1040, the input / output interface 1050, and the network interface 1060 transmit and receive data to and from each other. The processor 1020 is an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The memory 1030 is a main storage device formed of RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like. The storage device 1040 is an auxiliary storage device formed of a hard disk, an SSD (Solid State Drive), a memory card, a ROM (Read Only Memory), or the like. However, the storage device 1040 may also be formed using RAM or the like. The input / output interface 1050 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to input / output devices. For example, input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse and output devices such as a display device are connected to the input / output interface 1050. The network interface 1060 is an interface for connecting to a communication network such as a WAN (Wide Area Network) or a LAN (Local Area Network). The storage device 1040 stores program modules that realize each function of the signal processing unit 100. The processor 1020 reads each of these program modules into the memory 1030 and executes them to realize each function corresponding to the program module.

[0033] (Effects) As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes the supply unit 10, the facing unit 20, and the adjustment unit 40. The adjustment unit 40 is provided at the end 21 of the facing unit 20 in the width direction DR2 and adjusts the amount of powder P guided to the end 21. Generally, the deposition (amount of powder per unit area on the surface of the substrate 2) near the end 21 of the facing unit 20 varies more significantly than in areas other than the end 21. However, in the first embodiment, the provision of the adjustment unit 40 makes it possible to adjust the amount of powder P guided to the end 21 of the facing unit 20, thereby suppressing the deposition variation near the end 21 of the facing unit 20. This allows the powder P to be evenly adhered to the substrate 2. Therefore, the powder P can be uniformly pressure-bonded to the substrate 2.

[0034] Furthermore, the adjustment unit 40 may be configured to be rotatable with respect to the conveyance direction DR1, which makes it possible to easily configure a mechanism for adjusting the amount of powder P guided to the end portion 21.

[0035] Furthermore, the adjustment unit 40 may adjust the amount of powder P guided to the end portion 21 in accordance with the amount of powder P covering the substrate 2. By measuring the amount (deposition) of powder P covering the substrate 2 and adjusting the amount of powder P guided to the end portion 21, the powder P can be adhered to the substrate 2 more accurately and evenly.

[0036] 4C shows a side view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 of Modification 1. In the manufacturing apparatus 1 of Modification 1, a part of the region downstream of the fixing portion 43 (the region on the upper right side in the figure) is shaped as if it is cut off at an angle, and the axis of the facing portion 20 is not supported by the fixing portion 43 of the adjustment portion 40, but is supported rotatably by a member separate from the fixing portion 43.

[0037] Examples will be described below. In order to calculate the range of an appropriate rotation angle θ, evaluation was performed under the following conditions.

[0038] <Implementation conditions> The rotation angle θ in the direction of closing toward the inside in the width direction (θ1 in FIG. 3) was defined as positive, and the rotation angle in the direction of opening toward the outside in the width direction DR2 (θ2 in FIG. 4A) was defined as negative, and the relationship between the rotation angle θ and the amount of powder near the end was evaluated.

[0039] <Evaluation Results> Figure 5 is a graph plotting the relationship between the amount of powder at the end and the rotation angle based on the experimental conditions. The horizontal axis of Figure 5 indicates the amount of powder at the end, and the vertical axis indicates the optimal rotation angle of the rotation unit relative to the amount of powder at the end. Note that the "amount of powder at the end" indicates the ratio between the average amount of powder adhering to the substrate as a whole and the amount of powder adhering to the substrate near the end. For example, in the graph of Figure 5, when the amount of powder at the end is 0.9 (90%), this means that the amount of powder near the end is 10% less than the average. The graph of Figure 5 also shows that when the amount of powder at the end is 0.9, the optimal rotation angle is approximately -1.0°.

[0040] As an example, as shown in Figure 5, when the rotation angle θ is -1.0°≦θ≦1.0°, the ratio of the amount of powder near the end to the average value is within ±10%. To control the amount of powder more precisely, it is preferable to set the range of -0.2°≦θ≦0.2°. When the implementation conditions are different, the optimal amount of powder can be obtained by appropriately adjusting the rotation angle, etc.

[0041] Second Embodiment Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 6 as viewed from above. Note that the guide unit 30 and the supply unit 10 are omitted from Fig. 7. Unlike the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment includes a stirring unit 50.

[0042] 6, the stirring unit 50 according to the second embodiment is provided between the facing unit 20 and the guide unit 30. The stirring unit 50 according to the second embodiment rotates to stir the powder P1 present between the facing unit 20 and the guide unit 30. In the second embodiment, the stirring unit 50 rotates counterclockwise.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7 , the agitation unit 50 according to the second embodiment has a shape that extends in the width direction DR2. The agitation unit 50 according to the second embodiment may include a drive unit 51 and a blade unit 52. The drive unit 51 rotates the blade unit 52 to agitate the powder P. As shown in Fig. 7 , the blade unit 52 may be configured in a direction that directs the powder P inward in the width direction DR2.

[0044] As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment includes the supply unit 10, the facing unit 20, the guide unit 30, and the stirring unit 50. By providing the stirring unit 50, it is possible to prevent accumulation of powder P from forming in the region R between the facing unit 20 and the guide unit 30. This allows the powder P to adhere evenly to the substrate 2. Therefore, the powder P can be evenly pressed onto the substrate 2.

[0045] Furthermore, the stirring unit 50 may adjust the degree of stirring depending on the amount of powder P covering the substrate 2. More specifically, for example, the rotation speed of the stirring unit 50 may be adjusted depending on the deposition (the amount of powder P per unit area on the surface of the substrate 2). This allows the powder P to be more accurately and uniformly pressed onto the substrate 2.

[0046] (Variation 2) Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 in Variation 2. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 8 when viewed from above. As shown in Fig. 8, a flat plate 80 may be provided between the press roll 90 and the facing unit 20. The facing unit 20 in the variation may press the plate 80 via the base material 2 to cause the powder P to adhere to the base material 2.

[0047] 9, the agitating unit 50 in the modified example may include a plurality of driving units 51. The blade unit 52 in the modified example may have a spiral shape.

[0048] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a third embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment includes a flow path setting unit 60. The flow path setting unit 60 according to the third embodiment is provided between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30, and sets a flow path for the powder P1 present between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30. The flow path setting unit 60 according to the third embodiment has a plate-like shape extending in the width direction DR2.

[0049] By providing the flow path setting portion 60, the region R between the opposing portion 20 and the guide portion 30 is divided into a region R1 and a region R2. That is, the region R1 is formed between the guide portion 30 and the flow path setting portion 60, and the region R2 is formed between the opposing portion 20 and the flow path setting portion 60.

[0050] Region R1 is a storage section in which powder P supplied from supply section 10 is stored. The powder P supplied from supply section 10 first lands in the storage section. In the vertical direction DR3 (= the direction in which gravity acts, the up-down direction), the height of the upper edge 61 of the flow path setting section is higher than the height of the upper surface 63 of the powder P stored in the storage section (region R1).

[0051] Region R2 is a reverse flow path through which the powder P supplied to the substrate 2 flows backward. The flow of the powder P supplied to the substrate 2 will be described. The supply unit 10 according to the third embodiment first supplies the powder P to the storage unit (region R1). The powder P supplied to region R1 is then transported to the substrate 2 along direction D1. A portion of the powder P transported to the substrate 2 is then transported in the transport direction DR1. Another portion of the powder P transported to the substrate 2 is transported by the opposing unit 20 along direction D2 to the upper edge 61 of the flow path setting unit 60. That is, the powder P flows backward toward the upper edge 61. The powder P that reaches the upper edge 61 then passes over the flow path setting unit 60 and lands on the upper surface 63 (see arrow D3).

[0052] In addition, in a cross section perpendicular to the width direction DR2, the first distance t1 between the flow path setting portion 60 and the facing portion 20 is larger than the second distance t2 between the facing portion 20 and the substrate 2. The first distance t1 is the shortest distance between the flow path setting portion 60 and the facing portion 20. The second distance t2 is the shortest distance between the facing portion 20 and the substrate 2 (adhesive layer 3).

[0053] In addition, in a cross section perpendicular to the width direction DR2, the second distance t2 is smaller than a third distance t3 between the lower edge 62 of the flow path setting portion 60 and the base material 2 (adhesive layer 3) in the vertical direction DR3. The third distance t3 is the shortest distance between the lower edge 62 and the base material 2 (adhesive layer 3).

[0054] As described above, the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment includes the supply unit 10, the facing unit 20, the guide unit 30, and the flow path setting unit 60. By providing the flow path setting unit 60, it is possible to prevent accumulation of powder P in the region R between the facing unit 20 and the guide unit 30. This allows the powder P to be adhered evenly to the substrate 2. Therefore, the powder P can be evenly pressure-bonded to the substrate 2.

[0055] Furthermore, in the vertical direction DR3, the height of the upper edge 61 of the flow path setting portion 60 may be higher than the height of the upper surface 63 of the powder P stored in the storage portion (region R1). This allows the powder P that has flowed back from the reverse flow path (region R2) to flow again into the storage portion (region R1), thereby making it possible to effectively reuse the powder P.

[0056] Furthermore, the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment may include a suction unit 70 (not shown) that sucks the powder P accumulated in the reverse flow path (region R2). This allows the powder P to be effectively reused without imposing a limit on the height of the upper edge 61 as described above.

[0057] <Fourth embodiment> Fig. 11 is a schematic top view of a portion of a manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 12 is a schematic side view of the manufacturing apparatus 1. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B1-B1 of Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B2-B2 of Fig. 13, showing a state in which the deformation portion 42 is not rotated. Fig. 15 shows a state in which the deformation portion 42 has been rotated inward. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the adjustment portion 40, and the following description will mainly focus on the different parts, with the same parts omitted as appropriate. In this embodiment, a drive unit 95 such as a motor that drives the facing portion 20 is provided.

[0058] A changing portion adjustment screw 44 (a component corresponding to the hinge 41 in the first embodiment) is provided between the upstream end 20b of the facing portion 20 in the conveying direction DR1 and the rotation axis of the facing portion 20. A deformation portion 42 is attached to the lower end of the changing portion adjustment screw 44. The rotation angle θ of the deformation portion 42 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of screwing of the changing portion adjustment screw 44.

[0059] The deforming portion 42 has a generally trapezoidal shape in a side view, and the slope on the downstream side in the conveying direction DR1 is shaped to slip between the facing portion 20 and the substrate 2 (adhesive layer 3). An upstream end 42d of the deforming portion 42 coincides with the lower end 30a of the guide portion 30.

[0060] The fixed portion 43 is provided with a movable portion placement portion 49 that penetrates in the width direction DR2 as a space for placing the deformable portion 42 (see FIGS. 12 and 13).

[0061] Since the end 42c of the deformation portion 42 in the conveying direction DR1 is recessed under the opposing portion 20, even when the deformation portion 42 rotates, it does not come into contact with the opposing portion 20, and the width of the powder P in the width direction DR2 can be adjusted at the position (or a position close to that position) where the powder P is pressed against the adhesive layer 3 by the opposing portion 20.

[0062] 16 and 17 are schematic top views of a portion of a manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a fifth embodiment. In this embodiment, the adjustment unit 40 has a deformation unit 42 provided as a part of a fixing unit 43 and has a flexible structure (a structure that is elastically deformable). Furthermore, the adjustment unit 40 has a pressure applying unit 47 that deflects the deformation unit 42.

[0063] The deformation portion 42 can be made of an elastically deformable material, such as resin or rubber. As described in the first embodiment, in the case of rotation, the rotation angle θ is within a range of ±5°, preferably within a range of ±1°, and more preferably within a range of ±0.2°. Therefore, since the amount of deformation in this embodiment is small, a metal plate such as SUS can also be used depending on the target amount of deformation.

[0064] A second fixing portion 45 that does not deform is provided at a position downstream of the deformation portion 42 in the conveying direction DR1, more specifically at a position corresponding to the hinge 41 of the first embodiment or the change portion adjusting screw 44 of the fourth embodiment. The second fixing portion 45 may be, for example, a metal bar.

[0065] The pressure applying unit 47 has, for example, a screw-shaped pressure applying unit body 47 a and a position fixing unit 47 b that fixes the position of the pressure applying unit body 47 a. The position fixing unit 47 b has a threaded screw hole that corresponds to the screw of the pressure applying unit body 47 a.

[0066] The pressure-applying unit body 47a is screwed into the position fixing unit 47b, and the tip of the pressure-applying unit body 47a is brought into contact with the outer surface 42f of the deforming unit 42, whereby the inner surface 42g of the deforming unit 42 is deformed so as to protrude inward. This allows the width of the powder P that has landed on the substrate 2 (adhesive layer 3) in the width direction DR2 to be adjusted, just as in the case where the deforming unit 42 rotates.

[0067] In addition, if it is desired to deform the deformation portion 42 so that it opens outward, the initial value may be a state in which the deformation portion 42 is pre-opened outward, or the tip of the pressure-applying portion main body 47a may be fixed to the deformation portion 42.

[0068] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted.

[0069] In the embodiment, the facing portion 20 may have a plate-like shape instead of a cylindrical shape.

[0070] In the first embodiment, the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus 1 may further include a stirring unit 50 in addition to the adjusting unit 40 .

[0071] In the first embodiment, the electrode foil manufacturing device 1 may further include a flow path setting unit 60 in addition to the adjustment unit 40 .

[0072] Examples of reference embodiments are given below. 1. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus comprising: a supply unit that supplies powder to a sheet-like substrate; an opposing unit that extends in a width direction of the substrate, which is approximately perpendicular to a conveying direction in which the substrate is conveyed, and that presses the powder supplied by the supply unit against the substrate; and an adjustment unit that is provided at an end of the opposing unit in the width direction and that adjusts the amount of powder guided to the end. 2. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to 1., wherein the adjustment unit is configured to be rotatable with respect to the conveying direction. 3. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to 1., wherein the adjustment unit is configured to be deformable with respect to the width direction. 4. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to any one of 1. to 3., wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the amount of powder guided to the end depending on the amount of powder covering the substrate. 5. An electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to 1. to 4. 5. The electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the opposing portion has a cylindrical shape. 6. The electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a guide portion arranged upstream of the opposing portion in the transport direction, for guiding the powder supplied from the supply portion to the base material; and an agitation portion provided between the opposing portion and the guide portion, for agitating the powder present between the opposing portion and the guide portion. 7. The electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a guide portion arranged upstream of the opposing portion in the transport direction, for guiding the powder supplied from the supply portion to the base material; and a flow path setting portion provided between the opposing portion and the guide portion, for setting a flow path for the powder present between the opposing portion and the guide portion. 8. A battery having electrode foil manufactured using the electrode foil manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

[0073] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-005491 filed on January 17, 2024, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-77099 filed on May 10, 2024, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entireties.

[0074] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Manufacturing apparatus 2 Substrate 3 Adhesive layer 10 Supply section 20 Opposing section 21 End section 30 Guide section 40 Adjustment section 41 Hinge 42 Change section 42a Deformation section main body 42b Elastic member 43 Fixation section 44 Change section adjustment screw 45 Second fixation section 47 Pressure application section 50 Stirring section 51 Driving section 52 Blade section 60 Flow path setting section 80 Plate 90 Press roll 100 Signal processing section 101 Main control section 102 Operation section 103 Communication section 104 Driving section 1000 Computer 1010 Bus 1020 Processor 1030 Memory 1040 Storage device 1050 Input / output interface 1060 Network interface DR1 Transport direction DR2 Width direction DR3 Vertical direction P powder

Claims

1. A manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil, comprising: a supply unit that supplies powder to a sheet-like base material; an opposing unit that extends in the width direction of the base material, which is substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction in which the base material is conveyed, and presses the powder supplied by the supply unit against the base material; and an adjustment unit that is provided at an end of the opposing unit in the width direction and adjusts the amount of the powder guided to the end.

2. The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to be rotatable with respect to the conveyance direction.

3. The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to be deformable with respect to the width direction.

4. The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the amount of the powder guided to the end according to the amount of the powder covering the base material.

5. The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the opposing unit has a cylindrical shape.

6. The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a guide unit that is disposed upstream of the opposing unit in the conveyance direction and guides the powder supplied from the supply unit to the base material; and a stirring unit that is provided between the opposing unit and the guide unit and stirs the powder present between the opposing unit and the guide unit.

7. The manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a guide unit that is disposed upstream of the opposing unit in the conveyance direction and guides the powder supplied from the supply unit to the base material; and a flow path setting unit that is provided between the opposing unit and the guide unit and sets a flow path of the powder present between the opposing unit and the guide unit.

8. A battery having an electrode foil manufactured using the manufacturing apparatus for an electrode foil according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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