Apparatus and method for manufacturing electrode sheet

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode sheet. According to an aspect of the present invention, the apparatus for manufacturing an electrode sheet may comprise: an electrode sheet supply unit for supplying an electrode sheet including a foil-shaped current collector, an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the current collector, and an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the adhesive layer; an infrared sensor for acquiring information on infrared rays emitted from the electrode sheet; and a processor for determining whether the electrode sheet is defective on the basis of the information on the infrared rays, wherein the processor calculates, on the basis of the information on the infrared rays, information on a position of at least one of an electrode region in which the electrode layer is formed and an adhesive region in which the adhesive layer is formed on one surface of the current collector, and determines whether the electrode sheet is defective on the basis of the information on the position.

Description

Electrode sheet manufacturing device and method

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0050197, filed April 15, 2024, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0183605, filed December 11, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technology field

[0004] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrode sheet capable of charging and discharging electric energy.

[0005] Secondary batteries have been applied to small fields such as mobile devices and laptop computers, but recently, their research direction has expanded to medium and large fields, and they are widely used in fields requiring high voltage and large capacity, such as energy storage systems (ESS) and electric vehicles (EV).

[0006] Secondary batteries can be manufactured by housing an electrode assembly and an electrolyte in a case. Here, the electrode assembly can be formed by cutting and laminating electrode sheets in a predetermined manner or by winding them. The electrode sheet can be formed by applying an electrode active material to a foil-shaped current collector. Recently, products and manufacturing processes have been developed that apply an electrode active material to a current collector coated with an adhesive layer to increase the bonding strength between the current collector and the electrode active material.

[0007] At this time, it is preferable that the electrode active material be applied within the region of the current collector where the adhesive layer has been formed. This is because, if the electrode active material is applied within a region where the adhesive layer has not been formed, the bonding strength between the electrode active material and the current collector will be insufficient, potentially leading to detachment during the charge / discharge process. This detachment phenomenon significantly increases the resistance of the electrode assembly.

[0008] To prevent the occurrence of such defects, a process must be performed to determine whether the electrode active material has been properly applied within the area of ​​the current collector where the adhesive layer has been applied. Conventionally, to determine whether the electrode active material has been properly applied to the current collector, a vision sensor was used, or workers directly observed the electrode sheet with the naked eye.

[0009] However, when the colors of the electrode active material and adhesive layer are similar, it has been difficult to determine the quality of the electrode sheet using vision sensors or the operator's eyesight alone, as was done previously. Therefore, there has been an urgent need to develop a manufacturing device and method capable of producing high-quality electrode sheets regardless of the color of the electrode active material and adhesive layer.

[0010] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide an electrode sheet manufacturing device and method capable of manufacturing a high-quality electrode sheet in which an electrode active material is appropriately applied within an area where an adhesive layer is formed.

[0011] The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrode sheet manufacturing device is disclosed, comprising: an electrode sheet supply unit including a foil-shaped current collector, an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the current collector, and an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the adhesive layer; an infrared sensor for obtaining information on infrared rays emitted by the electrode sheet; and a processor for determining whether the electrode sheet is defective based on the information on the infrared rays, wherein the processor, based on the information on the infrared rays, calculates information on a position of at least one of an electrode region where the electrode layer is formed and an adhesive region where the adhesive layer is formed on one surface of the current collector, and determines whether the electrode sheet is defective based on the information on the position.

[0013] At this time, the adhesive layer and the electrode layer may have the same color.

[0014] At this time, a heater that applies heat to the electrode sheet is further included, and the infrared sensor can obtain information about infrared rays emitted by the adhesive layer and the electrode layer heated by the heater.

[0015] At this time, the heater and the infrared sensor can be arranged in parallel along the transport direction of the electrode sheet.

[0016] At this time, the heater and the infrared sensor can be arranged in parallel along a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the electrode sheet.

[0017] At this time, the heater and the infrared sensor can be spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the electrode sheet with the electrode sheet interposed therebetween.

[0018] At this time, a drying unit for drying the electrode sheet may be further included.

[0019] At this time, the infrared sensor can obtain information about the infrared rays from the front end of the drying unit in the transport direction of the electrode sheet.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet is provided, comprising the steps of: providing an electrode sheet including a foil-shaped current collector, an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the current collector, and an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the adhesive layer; obtaining information about infrared rays emitted by the electrode sheet; calculating information about a position of at least one of an electrode region where the electrode layer is formed and an adhesive region where the adhesive layer is formed on one surface of the current collector based on the information about the infrared rays; and determining whether the electrode sheet is defective based on the information about the position.

[0021] At this time, the adhesive layer and the electrode layer may have the same color.

[0022] At this time, a heating step of applying heat to the electrode sheet is further included, and in the step of obtaining information about the infrared rays, information about the infrared rays emitted by the electrode sheet heated in the heating step can be obtained.

[0023] At this time, a drying step of drying the electrode sheet may be further included, and the step of obtaining information about the infrared rays may be performed before the drying step.

[0024] At this time, the step of calculating the location information may include a step of identifying the border of the entire body; and a step of identifying the border of the electrode area.

[0025] At this time, the step of providing the electrode sheet includes the step of providing an adhesive sheet including the current collector and the adhesive layer; and the step of forming the electrode layer by applying an electrode active material to the outer surface of the adhesive layer, and the step of calculating the position information may further include the step of calculating a first measurement interval, which is a interval between the edge of the current collector and the edge of the electrode region.

[0026] At this time, based on the information about the position, the step of adjusting the position at which the electrode layer is formed on the adhesive sheet may further include the step of comparing the first measurement interval with the first reference interval; and if the first measurement interval is greater than the first reference interval, the step of moving the position at which the electrode layer is formed to one side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet; and if the first measurement interval is less than the first reference interval, the step of moving the position at which the electrode layer is formed to the other side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet.

[0027] At this time, the step of calculating the location information may further include a step of identifying the border of the adhesive area.

[0028] At this time, the step of determining whether the electrode sheet is defective may include a step of determining the electrode sheet as defective if the border of the bonding area is not identified.

[0029] At this time, the step of calculating the position information may further include a step of calculating a second measurement interval, which is a interval between the border of the adhesive area and the border of the electrode area.

[0030] At this time, based on the information about the position, the step of adjusting the position at which the electrode layer is formed on the adhesive sheet may further include the step of comparing the second measurement interval with the second reference interval; and if the second measurement interval is greater than the second reference interval, the step of moving the position at which the electrode layer is formed to one side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet; and if the second measurement interval is less than the second reference interval, the step of moving the position at which the electrode layer is formed to the other side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet.

[0031] At this time, the step of determining whether the electrode sheet is defective may include the step of comparing the second measurement interval with a critical interval when the boundary of the bonding area is identified; and the step of determining the electrode sheet as defective when the second measurement interval is greater than the critical interval.

[0032] According to one aspect of the present invention, since an infrared sensor acquires information about infrared rays emitted from an electrode sheet, and a processor is configured to determine whether the electrode sheet is good or bad based on the information about the infrared rays and calculate information about an area where an electrode layer is formed on a current collector, the quality of the electrode sheet can be accurately determined even in situations where it is difficult to distinguish between an area where an electrode layer is formed and an area where an adhesive layer is formed on a current collector. Through this, a good electrode sheet in which an electrode active material is appropriately applied within an area where an adhesive layer is formed can be manufactured.

[0033] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention manufacturing an electrode sheet.

[0035] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 1. In this case, the adhesive sheet is shown in a vertical cross-section.

[0036] Figure 3 is a plan view schematically illustrating a portion of the adhesive sheet illustrated in Figure 2.

[0037] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part B of Figure 1. At this time, the electrode sheet is shown in a vertical cross-section.

[0038] Figure 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating a portion of the electrode sheet illustrated in Figure 4.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing a process of manufacturing an electrode sheet using an electrode layer forming unit, an infrared sensor, and a heater of an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing the process of manufacturing an electrode sheet using an electrode layer forming unit, an infrared sensor, and a heater of an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing the process of manufacturing an electrode sheet using an infrared sensor and a heater of an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 10 is a flowchart detailing steps S40 to S60 of Figure 9.

[0044] FIG. 11 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of an electrode sheet judged to be a good product by a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] FIG. 12 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of an electrode sheet determined to be defective by a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 13 is a plan view schematically illustrating another example of an electrode sheet determined to be defective by a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 14 is a flowchart detailing steps S40 and S60 of Figure 9.

[0048] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited or restricted by the following examples.

[0049] In order to clearly explain the present invention, a detailed description of a part that is irrelevant to the description or a related known technology that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention has been omitted, and when adding reference signs to components of each drawing in this specification, the same or similar reference signs are attached to the same or similar components throughout the specification.

[0050] In addition, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as 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 explain his or her own invention in the best way.

[0051] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention manufacturing an electrode sheet. FIG. 2 is an enlarged drawing of part A of FIG. 1. At this time, the adhesive sheet is shown in a vertical cross-section. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing a portion of the adhesive sheet shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged drawing of part B of FIG. 1. At this time, the electrode sheet is shown in a vertical cross-section. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a portion of the electrode sheet shown in FIG. 4.

[0052] FIG. 1 discloses an electrode sheet manufacturing device (hereinafter, referred to as a manufacturing device) (1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a device for manufacturing an electrode sheet (Se) using an adhesive sheet (Sa).

[0053] At this time, the adhesive sheet (Sa) may also be referred to as a primer coated foil. The electrode sheet (Se) may also be referred to as a negative electrode sheet or a positive electrode sheet depending on the materials of the current collector (F) and electrode layer (E) described later.

[0054] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, in the present disclosure, the adhesive sheet (Sa) may include a foil-shaped current collector (F) and an adhesive layer (A) formed on one surface of the current collector (F). The electrode sheet (Se) may include the adhesive sheet (Sa) and an electrode layer (E).

[0055] At this time, the electrode layer (E) may be a layer formed on the outer surface of the adhesive layer (A) included in the adhesive sheet (Sa). The electrode layer (E) may be formed of an electrode active material. Hereinafter, the region where the adhesive layer (A) is formed on one surface of the current collector (F) is referred to as an adhesive region, and the region where the electrode layer (E) is formed is referred to as an electrode region.

[0056] In the present disclosure, the current collector (F) may be a metal thin film made of aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu). However, the material of the current collector (F) is not particularly limited as long as it can conduct current.

[0057] In the present disclosure, the adhesive layer (A) may be formed of at least one of a PVDF-based binder, an acylic-based binder, and a PI-based binder. However, the material of the adhesive layer (A) is not particularly limited as long as it can bond the current collector (F) and the electrode layer (E). The adhesive layer (A) may also be referred to as a primer layer.

[0058] In the present disclosure, the electrode active material forming the electrode layer (E) may be lithium-cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium-manganese oxide (LMO), nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM), nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA), lithium-iron phosphate (LFP), graphite (C), silicon (Si), etc., but the type is not particularly limited.

[0059] Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, the electrode sheet (Se) is illustrated as having an adhesive layer (A) and an electrode layer (E) provided on only one side of the current collector (F). However, the adhesive layer (A) and the electrode layer (E) may be provided on both sides of the current collector (F).

[0060] Referring again to FIG. 1, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an adhesive sheet supply unit (10). The adhesive sheet supply unit (10) may be a unit for supplying an adhesive sheet (Sa) to another configuration of the manufacturing device (1).

[0061] As illustrated, the adhesive sheet supply unit (10) may be comprised of an unwinder for unwinding an adhesive sheet (Sa) wound into a cylindrical shape and conveying rollers for conveying the unwound adhesive sheet (Sa). However, the structure or operating method of the adhesive sheet supply unit (10) is not particularly limited as long as it can supply the adhesive sheet (Sa).

[0062] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a manufacturing device (1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode layer forming unit (20). In this embodiment, the electrode layer forming unit (20) may be a unit for forming an electrode layer (E) on the outer surface of an adhesive sheet (Sa) supplied from an adhesive sheet supply unit (10).

[0063] In this embodiment, the electrode layer forming unit (20) can form an electrode layer (E) on the outer surface of the adhesive layer (A) in the adhesive sheet (Sa). Through this, the electrode layer (E) can be bonded to the current collector (F) via the adhesive layer (A).

[0064] Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, the color of the electrode layer (E) formed by the electrode layer forming unit (20) may be the same as the color of the adhesive layer (A) of the electrode sheet (Sa). In this case, it should be understood that the two colors being the same not only mean that the two colors are completely the same, but also that the two colors have such a small difference that they cannot be distinguished by the naked eye or a vision sensor.

[0065] At this time, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be configured to adjust the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed. To this end, the manufacturing device (1) may further include a position adjustment unit (not shown) for moving the electrode layer formation unit (20). The position adjustment unit may be configured to move the electrode layer formation unit (20) in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the adhesive sheet (Sa).

[0066] This configuration may be to prevent the electrode layer (E) from being formed within the bonding area of ​​the adhesive sheet (Sa) and from being formed outside the bonding area, thereby preventing the electrode layer (E) and the current collector (F) from being in direct contact with each other.

[0067] This is because, if the electrode layer (E) is formed in an area outside the bonding area of ​​the current collector (F), the bonding force between the electrode layer (E) and the current collector (F) is not sufficient, and thus the electrode layer (E) may detach from the current collector (F). This detachment phenomenon may increase the resistance of the electrode.

[0068] Meanwhile, the adhesive sheet supply unit (10), electrode layer forming unit (20), and position adjustment unit described above in this embodiment may be collectively referred to as an electrode sheet supply unit. If necessary, the electrode sheet supply unit may be configured as a unit that supplies a formed electrode sheet (Se), rather than a unit that forms an electrode layer (E) on an adhesive sheet (Sa). For example, the electrode sheet supply unit may be configured as a unit that unwinds an electrode sheet (Se) wound into a cylindrical shape.

[0069] Referring again to FIG. 1, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a transfer unit (30). The transfer unit (30) may be a unit for transferring the electrode sheet (Se) formed in the electrode layer forming unit (20) to another configuration described below.

[0070] As illustrated, the transport unit (30) may be configured with transport rollers that transport the electrode sheet (Se) in the right direction (positive direction of the X-axis). However, the structure of the transport unit (30) is not particularly limited as long as it can transport the electrode sheet (Se). In addition, the direction in which the electrode sheet (Se) is transported may also be appropriately changed as needed.

[0071] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a manufacturing device (1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention may include an infrared sensor (40). The infrared sensor (40) may be a sensor for acquiring information about infrared rays emitted from an electrode sheet (Se). As an example, the information about the infrared rays may be data about an infrared image or video.

[0072] The wavelength of infrared rays depends on the composition, shape, and temperature of the object emitting them, and is independent of the color of the object emitting them. In other words, an object emits infrared rays of a specific wavelength depending on its temperature, and the infrared rays can be determined according to Wien's displacement law. In addition, the infrared sensor (40) can collect information about infrared rays and measure the temperature of the object according to Wien's law. Here, the shape that does not affect the wavelength of infrared rays may include the thickness of the layer. Therefore, by using the information acquired by the infrared sensor (40), the adhesive area and electrode area provided on one surface of the current collector (F) can be distinguished regardless of the color or thickness of the adhesive layer (A) and the electrode layer (E), and whether the electrode sheet (Se) is good or bad can be determined.

[0073] At this time, in the present embodiment, the infrared sensor (40) may be positioned to face one of the two sides of the current collector (F) on which the adhesive layer (A) and the electrode layer (E) are formed. This may be to more easily receive infrared rays containing information about the adhesive area and the electrode area.

[0074] However, the infrared sensor (40) may be positioned to face the other side of the current collector (F) opposite to the side on which the adhesive layer (A) and electrode layer (E) are formed, as needed.

[0075] Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, the infrared sensor (40) may be positioned at the front end of the drying unit (50) described later when viewed in the transport direction of the electrode sheet (Se). This may be to receive infrared rays emitted by the electrode sheet (Se) without being affected by the drying unit (50).

[0076] However, if the electrode area and the bonding area can be distinguished by the infrared information emitted by the electrode sheet (Se) affected by the drying unit (50), the infrared sensor (40) may be positioned at the rear end of the drying unit (50) when viewed in the transport direction of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0077] Referring again to FIG. 1, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a drying unit (50). The drying unit (50) may be a unit for drying the electrode layer (E) of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0078] For this purpose, the drying unit (50) may be configured to apply heat to the electrode sheet (Se). However, the structure or operation method of the drying unit (50) is not particularly limited as long as it can dry the electrode layer (E).

[0079] The manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode sheet recovery unit (60). In this embodiment, the electrode sheet recovery unit (60) may be a unit for recovering and storing the manufactured electrode sheet (Se).

[0080] As illustrated, the electrode sheet recovery unit (60) may be configured as a winding machine that winds the electrode sheet (Se) into a cylindrical shape. However, the structure of the electrode sheet recovery unit (60) is not particularly limited as long as it can recover the electrode sheet (Se) and store it in a predetermined shape.

[0081] Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 5, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a processor (not shown). In this embodiment, the processor may be configured to determine whether the electrode sheet (Se) is defective based on information acquired by the infrared sensor (40).

[0082] For this purpose, the processor may be formed of, but is not limited to, an electric circuit, a processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a controller, an arithmetic logic unit, an operational logic circuit, a digital signal processing device, a microcomputer, an FPGA, a system on a chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, or any device capable of performing the functions described below.

[0083] In this embodiment, the processor may be configured to calculate information about the location of the electrode area in the collector (F) based on information about infrared rays acquired by the infrared sensor (40), and determine whether the electrode sheet (Se) is defective based on the information about the location.

[0084] In addition, the processor may be configured to adjust the position of the electrode layer forming unit (20) using the information regarding the position. Through this, the electrode layer (E) can be formed at a more desirable position in the electrode sheet (Se) manufactured later.

[0085] In this way, the manufacturing device (1) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured to determine whether the electrode sheet (Se) is good or bad based on information about infrared rays, so that even in situations where it is difficult to distinguish between the bonding area and the electrode area, the defects of the electrode sheet (Se) can be accurately determined and the position of the electrode layer (E) can be appropriately adjusted. Through this, a good electrode sheet (Se) in which the electrode area is appropriately formed within the bonding area can be manufactured.

[0086] A specific method for determining the quality of an electrode sheet (Se) using information about infrared rays and adjusting the position where an electrode layer (E) is formed by a processor according to the present embodiment will be described later together with a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] Below, a manufacturing device according to another embodiment of the present invention is described using different drawings.

[0088] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which an electrode layer forming unit, an infrared sensor, and a heater of an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention manufacture an electrode sheet. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which an electrode layer forming unit, an infrared sensor, and a heater of an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention manufacture an electrode sheet. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process in which an infrared sensor and a heater of an electrode sheet manufacturing device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention manufacture an electrode sheet.

[0089] FIG. 6 discloses a manufacturing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the manufacturing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further include a heater (70). In the present embodiment, the heater (70) may be configured to apply heat to the electrode sheet (Se).

[0090] According to the present embodiment, since the electrode sheet (Se) can be heated to a more appropriate temperature by the heater (70), infrared rays can be emitted so that the bonding area and the electrode area can be more easily or clearly distinguished. The operating temperature of the heater (70) can be 25 degrees to 200 degrees. The operating temperature can be appropriately adjusted depending on the distance between the heater (70) and the electrode sheet (Se), the area of ​​the heater (70) and the electrode sheet (Se), etc.

[0091] At this time, in the present embodiment, the heater (70) and the infrared sensor (40) may be arranged in parallel in the direction in which the electrode sheet (Se) is transported (X-axis direction). In the transport direction of the electrode sheet (Se) (positive direction of the X-axis), the heater (70) may be positioned at the front end of the infrared sensor (40). However, if necessary, the heater (70) may also be positioned at the rear end of the infrared sensor (40).

[0092] FIG. 7 discloses a manufacturing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, a heater (170) and an infrared sensor (140) of the manufacturing device according to the third embodiment of the present invention can be spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the electrode sheet (Se) (Z-axis direction) with the electrode sheet (Se) interposed therebetween.

[0093] At this time, as illustrated, the heater (170) may be positioned to face one side of the current collector (F) on which the adhesive layer and electrode layer are formed, and the infrared sensor (140) may be positioned to face the other side of the current collector (F) opposite to the one side. Through this, the adhesive layer and electrode layer may be heated more directly by the heater (170).

[0094] Of course, the positions of the heater (170) and the infrared sensor (140) may be changed as needed. More specifically, the infrared sensor (140) may be positioned to face one of the two sides of the current collector (F) where the adhesive layer and the electrode layer are formed, and the heater (170) may be positioned to face the other side of the two sides of the current collector (F) opposite to the one side. Through this, the infrared sensor (140) will be able to more directly receive the infrared rays emitted from the adhesive layer and the electrode layer.

[0095] FIG. 8 discloses a manufacturing device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, a heater (270) and an infrared sensor (240) of the manufacturing device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention can be arranged in parallel in a direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0096] In other words, the heater (270) and the infrared sensor (240) can be arranged in parallel in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se). Accordingly, the present manufacturing device can be provided with a more compact structure.

[0097] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet (hereinafter referred to as a manufacturing method) according to one embodiment of the present invention is described by using different drawings.

[0098] Fig. 9 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a flowchart detailing steps S40 and S50 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of an electrode sheet determined to be a good product by a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of an electrode sheet determined to be a defective product by a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 13 is a plan view schematically illustrating another example of an electrode sheet determined to be a defective product by a method for manufacturing an electrode sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 14 is a flowchart detailing steps S40 and S60 of Fig. 9.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 2, a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing an electrode sheet (Se) using an adhesive sheet (Sa). At this time, the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention can be performed by a manufacturing device according to the embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0100] The processor of the manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention can control the operation of other components to perform at least one of the steps of the manufacturing method described below. However, the manufacturing method is not limited to being performed solely by the aforementioned manufacturing device.

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, in a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, an adhesive sheet (Sa) is provided (S10), and an electrode layer (E) is formed on the outer surface of the adhesive sheet (Sa) (S20). At this time, steps S10 and S20 may be collectively referred to as a step of providing an electrode sheet.

[0102] Then, information about infrared rays emitted from the electrode sheet (Se) is acquired (S30). At this time, the information about infrared rays may include data about an infrared image or an infrared video captured of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0103] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, in a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, information on infrared rays is acquired (S30), and information on the location of at least one of the electrode area (A_E) and the adhesive area (A_A) is calculated based on the information acquired in step S30 (hereinafter referred to as infrared information) (S40).

[0104] At this time, in this embodiment, information about the position of the electrode area (A_E) may include data about the first measurement interval (D1) described later, and information about the position of the adhesive area (A_A) may include data about the second measurement interval (D2) described later.

[0105] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, in step S40 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the edge (L_F) of the current collector (F) is identified using infrared information (S41), the edge (L_E) of the electrode area (A_E) is identified (S42), and a first measurement interval (D1), which is the interval between the edge (L_F) of the current collector (F) and the edge (L_E) of the electrode area (A_E), is calculated (S43). At this time, the order of steps S41 and S42 is not particularly limited.

[0106] At this time, the border (L_F) of the current collector (F) identified in step S41 according to the present embodiment may be a border provided on either side of the borders provided on both sides in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0107] And, the border (L_E) of the electrode area (A_E) identified in step S42 may be a border provided on both sides of the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se) that is closer to the border (L_F) of the current collector (F) identified in step S41.

[0108] At this time, in the present embodiment, the first measurement interval (D1) may be the interval between the edges measured at a specific point in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se). Alternatively, the first measurement interval (D1) may be the average value of the intervals between the edges measured at one section in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se). The first measurement interval (D1) may be appropriately defined as needed.

[0109] In step S40 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the border (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) is identified (S44), and if the border (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) can be identified, a second measurement interval (D2), which is the interval between the border (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) and the border (L_E) of the electrode area (A_E), is calculated (S45). At this time, the order between steps S41 to S44 is not particularly limited.

[0110] At this time, the border (L_A) of the adhesive area (A_A) identified in step S44 in this embodiment may be a border provided on both sides of the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se) that is closer to the border (L_F) of the current collector (F) identified in step S41.

[0111] At this time, in the present embodiment, the second measurement interval (D2) may be the interval between the edges measured at a specific point in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se). Alternatively, the second measurement interval (D2) may be the average value of the intervals between the edges measured at one section in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the electrode sheet (Se). The second measurement interval (D2) may be appropriately defined as needed.

[0112] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 13, in a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, position information for an electrode area (A_E) or an adhesive area (A_A) is calculated based on infrared information (S40), and whether the manufactured electrode sheet (Se) is defective is determined based on the position information (S50).

[0113] In step S50 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, if the border (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) is identified in step S44, the second measurement interval (D2) calculated in step S45 is compared with the critical interval (S51), and if the second measurement interval (D2) is smaller than the critical interval, the electrode sheet (Se) is judged as good (S52), and if the second measurement interval (D2) is larger than the critical interval, the electrode sheet (Se) is judged as defective (S53).

[0114] At this time, in the present embodiment, the critical gap may be a gap that serves as a reference for determining whether the electrode area (A_E) is formed within the bonding area (A_A). As an example, the critical gap may be the difference between the width of the bonding area (A_A) and the width of the electrode area (A_E).

[0115] Here, the width length may be a length measured in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) based on Fig. 11. The critical interval may be a pre-input data value, or may be directly measured based on information about infrared rays acquired in step S30.

[0116] Meanwhile, in step S50 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, if the edge (L_A) of the adhesive area (A_A) is not identified in step S44, the electrode sheet (Se) is judged to be defective (S53).

[0117] Hereinafter, step S50 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is specifically described together with an example of manufacturing an electrode sheet (Se).

[0118] As shown in Fig. 11, if the second measurement interval (D2) is smaller than the critical interval, the electrode area (A_E) is formed within the bonding area (A_A), so the electrode sheet (Se1) can be judged to be a good product.

[0119] As shown in Fig. 12, if the border (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) is not identified, the border (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) is covered by the electrode area (A_E), and at least a portion of the electrode area (A_E) may be formed in an area outside the bonding area (A_A), so the electrode sheet (Se2) may be judged to be defective.

[0120] As illustrated in Fig. 13, if the second measurement interval (D2) is greater than the critical interval, at least a portion of the electrode area (A_E) may be formed in an area other than the bonding area (A_A), and thus the electrode sheet (Se3) may be judged to be defective.

[0121] In this way, according to the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the quality of the electrode sheets (Se1 to Se3) can be accurately and quickly determined regardless of the color of the electrode layer (E) and the adhesive layer (A). Through this, a higher quality electrode sheet can be manufactured.

[0122] Referring again to FIGS. 9 to 14, in a manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, the quality of the electrode sheet (Se) is determined based on position information (S50), and the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed in the adhesive sheet is adjusted based on the position information (S60).

[0123] Accordingly, a high-quality electrode sheet (Se) in which the electrode layer (E) is formed at a more desirable position can be manufactured by the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the order of steps S50 and S60 is not particularly limited.

[0124] In step S60 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, if the second measurement interval (D2) is calculated in step S40, the second measurement interval (D2) and the second reference interval are compared (S61), and the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed is adjusted based on the comparison result of step S61 (S63).

[0125] At this time, in the present embodiment, the second reference interval may be the interval between the edge (L_E) of the electrode area (A_E) and the edge (L_A) of the bonding area (A_A) when the electrode layer (E) is formed at a desired position. This second reference interval may be a data value that is determined and stored in advance according to the design of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0126] At this time, in the present embodiment, in step S63, if the second measurement interval (D2) is greater than the second reference interval, the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed is moved to one side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the adhesive sheet, and if the second measurement interval (D2) is less than the second reference interval, the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed is moved to the other side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the adhesive sheet. At this time, the distance by which the position of the electrode layer (E) is moved may correspond to the difference between the second measurement interval (D2) and the second reference interval.

[0127] Meanwhile, in step S60 of the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, if the border (L_A) of the adhesive area (A_A) is not identified in step S44, the first measurement interval (D1) and the first reference interval are compared (S62), and the position where the electrode layer (E) is formed is adjusted based on the comparison result of step S62 (S63).

[0128] At this time, in the present embodiment, the first reference interval may be the interval between the edge (L_E) of the electrode area (A_E) and the edge (L_F) of the current collector (F) when the electrode layer (E) is formed at a desired position. This second reference interval may be a data value that is determined and stored in advance according to the design of the electrode sheet (Se).

[0129] At this time, in the present embodiment, in step S63, if the first measurement interval (D1) is greater than the first reference interval, the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed is moved to one side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the adhesive sheet, and if the first measurement interval (D1) is less than the first reference interval, the position at which the electrode layer (E) is formed is moved to the other side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the adhesive sheet. At this time, the distance by which the position of the electrode layer (E) is moved may correspond to the difference between the first measurement interval (D1) and the first reference interval.

[0130] The adjustment of the formation position of the electrode layer (E) performed in the aforementioned step S63 can be performed by the processor of the manufacturing device controlling the position adjustment unit to move the electrode layer formation unit in the width direction (Y-axis direction).

[0131] Meanwhile, in the manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, it has been described that step S61 is performed when the border (L_A) of the adhesive area (A_A) is identified in step S44, and step S62 is performed when the border (L_A) of the adhesive area (A_A) is not identified. However, it may also be configured to perform step S62 regardless of whether the border (L_A) of the adhesive area (A_A) is identified in step S44, if necessary.

[0132] The present inventors confirmed that the manufacturing apparatus and method according to one embodiment of the present invention can be utilized in an electrode manufacturing process through the following experimental example. More specifically, the present inventors applied an adhesive layer (A) having a thickness of 1 μm to a current collector (F) made of aluminum foil having a thickness of 12 μm (micrometers), and applied an electrode layer (E) having a thickness of 100 μm to the outer surface of the adhesive layer (A) to form an electrode sheet (Se). Then, the electrode sheet (Se) was exposed (i.e., heated) to an atmosphere of 80 degrees for 30 seconds.

[0133] The inventors of the present invention confirmed that, according to the present device and method, infrared rays of 9.35 μm, 9.42 μm, and 9.54 μm were emitted from the current collector (F), the adhesive layer (A), and the electrode layer (E), respectively, and that the temperatures of the current collector (F), the adhesive layer (A), and the electrode layer (E) were 37 degrees, 35 degrees, and 31 degrees, respectively. This suggests that the boundary between the adhesive layer (A) and the electrode layer (E) can be accurately identified through the device and method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0134] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various embodiments are possible within the scope equivalent to the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the patent claims to be described below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0135] [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 1: Electrode sheet manufacturing device

[0137] 10: Adhesive sheet supply unit

[0138] 20: Electrode layer forming unit

[0139] 30: Transport unit

[0140] 40: Infrared sensor

[0141] 50: Drying unit

[0142] 60: Electrode sheet recovery unit

[0143] 70, 170, 270: Heater

[0144] Sa: Adhesive sheet

[0145] Se, Se1, Se2, Se3: electrode sheets

[0146] F: Whole house

[0147] A: Adhesive layer

[0148] E: electrode layer

Claims

1. An electrode sheet supply unit for supplying an electrode sheet including a foil-shaped current collector, an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the current collector, and an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the adhesive layer; An infrared sensor that obtains information about infrared rays emitted by the electrode sheet; and It includes a processor that determines whether the electrode sheet is defective based on the information about the infrared rays. The above processor, Based on the information about the infrared rays, information about the location of at least one of the electrode region where the electrode layer is formed and the adhesive region where the adhesive layer is formed on one side of the current collector is calculated, An electrode sheet manufacturing device that determines whether the electrode sheet is defective based on information about the above location.

2. In paragraph 1, An electrode sheet manufacturing device, wherein the adhesive layer and the electrode layer have the same color.

3. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a heater that applies heat to the electrode sheet, The above infrared sensor is an electrode sheet manufacturing device that obtains information about infrared rays emitted by the adhesive layer and the electrode layer heated by the heater.

4. In paragraph 3, An electrode sheet manufacturing device in which the above heater and the above infrared sensor are arranged in parallel along the transport direction of the electrode sheet.

5. In paragraph 3, An electrode sheet manufacturing device wherein the above heater and the above infrared sensor are arranged in parallel along a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the electrode sheet.

6. In paragraph 3, An electrode sheet manufacturing device in which the heater and the infrared sensor are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the electrode sheet with the electrode sheet interposed therebetween.

7. In paragraph 1, An electrode sheet manufacturing device further comprising a drying unit for drying the electrode sheet.

8. In paragraph 7, An electrode sheet manufacturing device in which the above infrared sensor obtains information about the infrared rays from the front end of the drying unit in the transport direction of the electrode sheet.

9. A step of providing an electrode sheet including a foil-shaped current collector, an adhesive layer provided on one surface of the current collector, and an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the adhesive layer; A step of obtaining information about infrared rays emitted by the above electrode sheet; A step of calculating information on the position of at least one of an electrode region where the electrode layer is formed and an adhesive region where the adhesive layer is formed on one side of the current collector based on the information about the infrared rays; and A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, comprising a step of determining whether the electrode sheet is defective based on information about the position.

10. In paragraph 9, A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, wherein the adhesive layer and the electrode layer have the same color.

11. In paragraph 9, Further comprising a heating step of applying heat to the electrode sheet, A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, wherein in the step of obtaining information about the infrared rays, information about the infrared rays emitted by the electrode sheet heated in the heating step is obtained.

12. In paragraph 9, Further comprising a drying step of drying the electrode sheet, A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, wherein the step of obtaining information about the above infrared rays is performed before the drying step.

13. In paragraph 9, The step of calculating the above location information is: A step of identifying the frame of the above-mentioned house; and A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, comprising a step of identifying the boundary of the electrode area.

14. In paragraph 13, The step of providing the above electrode sheet is: A step of providing an adhesive sheet including the above-described collector and the adhesive layer; and It includes a step of forming the electrode layer by applying an electrode active material to the outer surface of the adhesive layer, The step of calculating the above location information is: A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, further comprising a step of calculating a first measurement interval, which is a interval between the edge of the entire body and the edge of the electrode area.

15. In paragraph 14, Based on the information about the above location, further comprising a step of adjusting the location where the electrode layer is formed on the adhesive sheet, The step of adjusting the position where the above electrode layer is formed is: A step of comparing the first measurement interval and the first reference interval; and If the first measurement interval is greater than the first reference interval, a step of moving the position where the electrode layer is formed to one side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet; and A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, comprising the step of moving the position where the electrode layer is formed to the other side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet when the first measurement interval is smaller than the first reference interval.

16. In paragraph 14, The step of calculating the above location information is: A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, further comprising a step of identifying the boundary of the above-mentioned bonding area.

17. In paragraph 16, The step of determining whether the above electrode sheet is defective is as follows: A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, comprising a step of determining the electrode sheet as defective if the border of the above-mentioned bonding area is not identified.

18. In paragraph 16, The step of calculating the above location information is: A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, further comprising a step of calculating a second measurement interval, which is a interval between the edge of the adhesive area and the edge of the electrode area.

19. In paragraph 18, Based on the information about the above location, further comprising a step of adjusting the location where the electrode layer is formed on the adhesive sheet, The step of adjusting the position where the above electrode layer is formed is: A step of comparing the second measurement interval with the second reference interval; and If the second measurement interval is greater than the second reference interval, a step of moving the position where the electrode layer is formed to one side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet; and A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, comprising the step of moving the position where the electrode layer is formed to the other side in the width direction of the adhesive sheet when the second measurement interval is smaller than the second reference interval.

20. In paragraph 18, The step of determining whether the above electrode sheet is defective is as follows: When the boundary of the above adhesive area is identified, a step of comparing the second measurement interval with a threshold interval; and A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet, comprising a step of determining the electrode sheet as defective if the second measurement interval is greater than a critical interval.

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