Insulation tape attaching device

Abstract

An insulation tape attaching device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a supply disk that has an insulation tape wound thereon with an adhesive surface facing outward and supplies same; a cutting disk that rotates while facing the supply disk and cuts, at predetermined intervals, the insulation tape wound on and supplied from the supply disk; and a main disk that transports an electrode assembly and attaches the insulation tape to the electrode assembly by bringing the cut insulation tape supplied by the supply disk, into contact with the electrode assembly.

Description

Insulation tape attachment device

[0001] The present invention relates to an insulating tape attachment device used in the manufacture of batteries.

[0002] Secondary batteries, which offer high applicability across product lines and possess electrical characteristics such as high energy density, are widely applied not only to portable devices but also to electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) powered by electric driving sources.

[0003] These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving eco-friendliness and energy efficiency, as they not only have the primary advantage of being able to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels but also the advantage of not generating any by-products from the use of energy.

[0004] Currently, widely used types of secondary batteries include lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. The operating voltage of these unit secondary battery cells, or unit battery cells, is approximately 2.5V to 4.6V. Therefore, if a higher output voltage is required, a battery pack is formed by connecting multiple battery cells in series. Additionally, a battery pack is formed by connecting multiple battery cells in parallel depending on the charge / discharge capacity required for the battery pack. Accordingly, the number of battery cells included in the battery pack can be varied depending on the required output voltage or charge / discharge capacity.

[0005] One of the major research tasks for these secondary batteries is to improve safety. For example, the explosion of a secondary battery can be caused by high temperature and high pressure inside the battery, which may be triggered by abnormal operating conditions of the battery, such as internal short circuits, overcharging exceeding the allowed current and voltage, exposure to high temperatures, or deformation caused by dropping or external impact.

[0006] One of these safety issues is that, in the case of an electrode assembly, there is a high possibility that a short circuit between the electrodes may occur due to the movement of the electrodes around the separator when the battery is dropped or an external impact is applied, and accordingly, a fixing adhesive tape is added to the outer surface of the electrode assembly to fix the electrode assembly.

[0007] Meanwhile, the manufacturing process of a secondary battery may include a process of forming a jelly roll composed of a negative electrode plate, a positive electrode plate, and a separator, and a process of inserting the jelly roll into a case such as a rectangular pouch or can and sealing it.

[0008] At this time, before smoothly inserting the jelly roll into a rectangular case, a process of attaching multiple tapes to the edges of the jelly roll must be included to compress the jelly roll into a rectangular shape and to firmly maintain the compressed state of the jelly roll.

[0009] However, most conventional tape adhesive devices for secondary batteries process secondary batteries by laying them flat, which requires a lot of space to configure the equipment and has the problem of low production efficiency.

[0010] The present invention aims to provide an insulating tape attachment device for manufacturing secondary batteries that minimizes the installation space for processing secondary batteries and is configured as a rotary type, thereby improving ease of operation and production per minute.

[0011] However, the technical problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description of the invention below.

[0012] An insulating tape attachment device according to one embodiment of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is for attaching an insulating tape to the side of a jelly roll-shaped electrode assembly having an anode current collector plate welded thereto. The insulating tape attachment device comprises a supply disc that winds and supplies an insulating tape with the adhesive surface facing outward, a cutting disc that rotates facing the supply disc and cuts the insulating tape wound and supplied by the supply disc at predetermined intervals, and a main disc that transports the electrode assembly and contacts the cut insulating tape supplied by the supply disc with the electrode assembly to attach the insulating tape to the electrode assembly.

[0013] Additionally, the main disk may include a disk body, a plurality of holders arranged radially along the edge of the disk body to support the electrode assembly so as to enable rotation, and one or more guide rollers provided between the plurality of holders to guide an insulating tape unwound from the supply disk to the electrode assembly so that the insulating tape received from the supply disk is attached as the electrode assembly supported by the plurality of holders rotates.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cutting disc may be replaced with a laser irradiation unit.

[0015] At this time, the laser irradiation unit may be configured to irradiate any one of a CO2 laser, a UV laser, or an IR PICO laser.

[0016] At this time, the preset spacing of the insulating tape cut by the cutting disc can correspond to the circumference of the electrode assembly.

[0017] The above-described insulating tape attachment device may further include a tape supply unit that supplies insulating tape to the supply disk and an electrode assembly supply unit that delivers the electrode assembly to the main disk.

[0018] The above supply disc may be configured to generate negative pressure internally to adsorb the insulating tape supplied by the tape supply unit.

[0019] The supply disk may be configured to release the negative pressure for adsorbing the insulating tape from the supply disk when the cut insulating tape supplied by the supply disk comes into contact with the electrode assembly carried by the main disk.

[0020] The above-described insulating tape attachment device may further include a forming unit that receives the electrode assembly with the insulating tape attached from the main disk and forms the insulating tape, and an inspection unit that inspects the condition of the electrode assembly with the insulating tape attached formed in the forming unit.

[0021] In addition, the above-described insulating tape attachment device may further include a transport disk that is positioned between the main disk and the forming part and between the forming part and the inspection part, respectively, to transport the electrode assembly.

[0022] In addition, the above-described insulating tape attachment device may further include a defective product removal unit for removing the electrode assembly to which the insulating tape, determined to be defective by the inspection unit, is attached.

[0023] At this time, the supply disk and the cutting disk may be configured to rotate continuously.

[0024] Meanwhile, the cutting speed of the insulating tape can be 2,000 to 3,000 mm / s.

[0025] And the above insulation tape attachment device can be configured to attach more than 200 insulation tapes per minute.

[0026] According to the present invention, the installation space for processing secondary batteries can be minimized, and the ease of operation and production per minute can be improved by configuring it as a rotary type.

[0027] However, the effects obtainable through the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other unmentioned technical effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description of the invention below.

[0028] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a drawing for illustrating an insulating tape attachment device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figures 2 and 3 are drawings for explaining the process of the main disk of Figure 1 receiving insulating tape from the supply disk.

[0031] Figure 4 is a drawing to explain the state in which the insulating tape is cut by the cutting disk of Figure 1.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining another embodiment of an insulating tape attachment device according to the present invention.

[0033] The advantages and features of the present invention and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Accordingly, in some embodiments, well-known process steps, well-known device structures, and well-known techniques are not specifically described to avoid the present invention being interpreted ambiguously. Throughout the specification, like reference numerals refer to like components.

[0034] In drawings, thicknesses may be enlarged to clearly represent multiple layers and regions. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals are used for similar parts. When a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is described as being "above" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "immediately above" another part, but also cases where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is described as being "immediately above" another part, it may mean that there is no other part in between. Furthermore, when a part such as a layer, film, region, or plate is described as being "below" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "immediately below" another part, but also cases where there is another part in between. Conversely, when a part is described as being "immediately below" another part, it may mean that there is no other part in between.

[0035] Throughout the specification, unless specifically stated otherwise, each component may be singular or plural.

[0036]

[0037] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] An insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention is a device for attaching an insulating tape (T) to the side of an electrode assembly (100) on which a positive current collector plate is welded. Here, the electrode assembly (100) may be, for example, a jelly roll type electrode assembly. That is, the insulating tape attachment device (101) wraps the positive terminal of the electrode assembly with an insulating tape (T) to insulate the positive current collector plate of the electrode assembly (100) from the battery case.

[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 1, an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a supply disk (300), a cutting disk (400), and a main disk (500).

[0040] Additionally, an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a tape supply unit (200), an electrode assembly supply unit (250), a forming unit (600), an inspection unit (700), a defective product removal unit (900), and a transport disk (800).

[0041] The supply disc (300) is wound with an insulating tape (T) so that the adhesive surface faces outward, and supplies it toward the main disc (500) to be described later. In one embodiment of the present invention, the insulating tape (T) is cut by the cutting disc (400) to be described later before being supplied toward the main disc (500) while it is wound on the supply disc (300).

[0042] Additionally, the supply disk (300) can generate negative pressure internally to adsorb the insulating tape (T) supplied by the tape supply unit (200) described later. Accordingly, when the supply disk (300) rotates, the insulating tape (T) wound on the supply disk (300) does not detach and can be stably supported by the main disk (500) described later and attached to the rotating electrode assembly (100).

[0043] For example, negative pressure can be formed by creating a vacuum or a pressure lower than external air pressure at the point where the supply disc (300) contacts the insulating tape (T) through a device such as an air pump.

[0044] Meanwhile, when the cut insulating tape (T) supplied by the supply disk (300) comes into contact with the electrode assembly (100) transported by the main disk (500), the negative pressure for adsorbing the insulating tape (T) from the supply disk (300) can be released. Accordingly, even if the insulating tape (T) comes into contact with the electrode assembly (100), it can prevent the phenomenon where it does not stick to the electrode assembly (100) but remains attached to the supply disk (300).

[0045] The tape supply unit (200) can supply an insulating tape (T) to the supply disk (300). That is, the insulating tape (T) supplied by the tape supply unit (200) can be adsorbed to the supply disk (300) by the negative pressure generated from the supply disk (300).

[0046]

[0047] The cutting disc (400) rotates in the opposite direction facing the supply disc (300) and cuts the insulating tape (T) wound on the supply disc (300) at preset intervals. At this time, the preset interval of the insulating tape (T) cut by the cutting disc (400) can correspond to the circumference of the electrode assembly (100) to which the insulating tape (T) is to be attached.

[0048] As an embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIG. 2, the cutting disc (400) may include a cutting knife for cutting. In this case, the insulating tape (T) may be cut by a knife cutting method.

[0049]

[0050] The main disk (500) carries the electrode assembly (100) and contacts the cut insulating tape (T) supplied by the supply disk (300) with the electrode assembly (100) to attach the insulating tape (T) to the electrode assembly (100).

[0051] Specifically, the main disk (500) may include a disk body (510), a plurality of holders (520), and a guide roller (540).

[0052] The disk body (510) may include a disc or a circular frame. The disk body (510) is rotatably installed, and a plurality of holders (520) and guide rollers (540), which will be described later, may be installed on the disk body (510).

[0053] A plurality of holders (520) may be arranged radially along the edge of the disk body (510) to support the electrode assembly (100) so as to be rotatable. The holders (520) may be configured to rotate at the mounting position.

[0054] One or more guide rollers (540) may be provided between a plurality of holders (520). The guide rollers (540) are rotatable but do not have their own driving force. That is, the guide rollers (540) can rotate naturally as the insulating tape (T) moves, and help the insulating tape (T), which is supplied from the supply disk (300) and attached to the electrode assembly (100), move stably.

[0055]

[0056] FIGS. 2 and 3 are drawings for exemplarily illustrating the process of attaching a cut insulating tape (T) supplied by a supply disk (300) to an electrode assembly (100) carried by a main disk (500) in an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the guide roller (540) can guide the insulating tape (T) unwound from the supply disk (300) to the electrode assembly (100) so that the insulating tape (T) received from the supply disk (300) is attached while the electrode assembly (100) supported by the plurality of holders (520) rotates.

[0058] Specifically, for example, when the center of the electrode assembly (100) carried by the main disk (500) is positioned on an imaginary line connecting the rotation center of the supply disk (300) and the rotation center of the main disk (500), the insulating tape (T) supplied by the supply disk (300) begins to adhere to the electrode assembly (100) carried by the main disk (500).

[0059] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the holder (520) rotates the electrode assembly (100) in the same direction as the rotation of the main disk (500) along with the rotation of the main disk (500). Then, as the electrode assembly (100) rotates, it pulls the insulating tape (T) located on the guide roller (540) that is not yet attached to the electrode assembly (100).

[0060] In this way, when the insulating tape (T) is wound while the electrode assembly (100) rotates and the insulating tape (T) is pulled by the guide roller (540), the electrode assembly (100) to which the insulating tape (T) is to be attached next can be prevented from interfering with the end of the insulating tape (T) that was not fully wound on the electrode assembly (100) to which the insulating tape (T) is attached earlier.

[0061] In addition, the guide roller (540) allows the insulating tape (T) to be stably attached to the electrode assembly (100) at a constant height. That is, the guide roller (540) enables the insulating tape (T) to be attached uniformly to the electrode assembly (100).

[0062] Additionally, a plurality of guide rollers (540) may be provided between two holders (520), and the plurality of guide rollers (540) may also be installed along the edge of the main disk (500). And the height of the insulating tape (T) attached to the electrode assembly (100) can be adjusted through the position where the plurality of guide rollers (540) are formed.

[0063] As described above, in an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the supply disk (300) and the cutting disk (400) can be rotated continuously, thereby increasing the speed of the insulating tape (T) attachment process.

[0064] For example, an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to attach about 200 or more insulating tapes (T) per minute to an electrode assembly (100).

[0065]

[0066] FIG. 4 shows an insulating tape (T) cut by a cutting disc (400) in an insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the insulating tape (T) can be rapidly cut by the continuous rotation of the supply disk (300) and the cutting disk (400), and the gap (d1) between the cut insulating tapes (T) can also be minimized. Thus, the overall operating speed of the insulating tape attachment device (101) can be further improved.

[0068] Meanwhile, the length (L1) of the cut insulating tape (T) corresponds to the circumference of the electrode assembly (100) to which the insulating tape (T) is to be attached, as described above.

[0069]

[0070] Meanwhile, as another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the cutting disk (400) can be replaced with a laser irradiation unit (410) for laser cutting. In this case, the insulating tape (T) can be cut by a laser cutting method. Generally, the cutting speed of the laser cutting method is greater than that of the knife cutting method, and the laser irradiation unit (410) can irradiate a CO2 laser, a UV laser, an IR PICO laser, etc. However, the type of laser is not limited to these. In this case, a cutting speed of approximately 2,000 to 3,000 mm / s can be secured. In particular, it was confirmed that the IR PICO laser has an advantage in terms of cutting surface quality and lifespan.

[0071]

[0072] Referring again to FIG. 1, the forming unit (600) receives an electrode assembly (100) with an insulating tape (T) attached from the main disk (500) and can form the insulating tape (T).

[0073] For example, the forming section (600) may include a first forming section (610) and a second forming section (620). In this way, the insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention can perform the forming process twice to more stably form the insulating tape (T).

[0074] The inspection unit (700) can inspect the condition of the electrode assembly (100) to which the insulating tape (T) formed in the forming unit (600) is attached.

[0075] And the defective product discharge unit (900) can discharge the electrode assembly (100) with the insulating tape (T) attached that was determined to be defective by the inspection unit (700).

[0076] Meanwhile, the electrode assembly (100) with the insulation tape (T) that passed the inspection attached is supplied to a subsequent manufacturing process.

[0077] Meanwhile, the forming unit (600) includes a disk that rotates a plurality of electrode assemblies (100) to which an insulating tape (T) is attached, and the inspection unit (700) may also include a disk that rotates a plurality of electrode assemblies (100) to which a tape (T) is attached.

[0078] And the transport disk (800) is positioned between the main disk (500) and the forming section (600) and between the forming section (600) and the inspection section (700), respectively, to continuously transport the electrode assembly (100).

[0079] Accordingly, the insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention can continuously perform the entire process of cutting, supplying, attaching, molding, and inspecting the insulating tape (T) and removing defective products without interruption.

[0080] Accordingly, the space required for the installation of the insulating tape attachment device (1101) can be minimized, and the ease of operation and production volume can also be improved.

[0081]

[0082] With such a configuration, the insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention minimizes the installation space for processing secondary batteries and is configured as a rotary type, thereby improving ease of operation and production rate per minute. That is, according to the insulating tape attachment device (101) according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to achieve equipment speed and equipment reduction simultaneously.

[0083]

[0084] Meanwhile, although terms indicating direction such as up and down have been used in this specification, these terms are used merely for convenience of explanation, and it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that they may vary depending on the location of the object or the position of the observer.

[0085] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0086] < Explanation of Symbols >

[0087] 100: Electrode assembly

[0088] 101: Insulation tape attachment device

[0089] 200: Tape supply unit

[0090] 300: Supply disk

[0091] 400: Cutting Disc

[0092] 410: Laser Irradiation Unit

[0093] 500: Main disk

[0094] 510: Disk body

[0095] 520: Holder

[0096] 540: Guide roller

[0097] 600: Forming Department

[0098] 610: 1st Forming Unit

[0099] 620: 2nd Forming Unit

[0100] 700: Inspection Department

[0101] 800: Transport disc

[0102] 900: Defective Product Dispatch Unit

[0103] The present invention can be used to provide an insulating tape attachment device for manufacturing secondary batteries that minimizes the installation space for processing secondary batteries and is configured as a rotary type, thereby improving ease of operation and production per minute.

Claims

1. An insulating tape attachment device for attaching insulating tape to the side of an electrode assembly having a welded positive current collector plate, Supply disc with insulating tape wrapped so that the adhesive surface faces outward; A cutting disc that rotates facing the supply disc and cuts the insulating tape wound on the supply disc at preset intervals; and A main disk that transports the electrode assembly and attaches the insulating tape to the electrode assembly by bringing the cut insulating tape supplied by the supply disk into contact with the electrode assembly. An insulating tape attachment device including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above main disk is, The disk body and; A plurality of holders arranged radially along the edge of the disk body to support the electrode assembly so as to enable rotation; and A guide roller provided between one or more of the plurality of holders to guide the insulating tape unwound from the supply disk to the electrode assembly so that the insulating tape received from the supply disk is attached as the electrode assembly supported by the plurality of holders rotates. An insulating tape attachment device characterized by including 3. In Paragraph 1, An insulating tape attachment device characterized in that the above-mentioned cutting disc is replaced with a laser irradiation unit.

4. In Paragraph 3, An insulating tape attachment device characterized by the above-mentioned laser irradiation unit being configured to irradiate one of a CO2 laser, a UV laser, or an IR PICO laser.

5. In Paragraph 1, An insulating tape attachment device characterized in that the pre-set spacing of the insulating tape cut by the cutting disc corresponds to the circumference of the electrode assembly.

6. In Paragraph 1, A tape supply unit that supplies insulating tape to the above-mentioned supply disk; Electrode assembly supply unit that delivers the electrode assembly to the main disk An insulating tape attachment device characterized by further including 7. In Paragraph 6, An insulating tape attachment device characterized by the above-mentioned supply disc generating negative pressure internally to adsorb the insulating tape supplied by the tape supply unit.

8. In Paragraph 7, An insulating tape attachment device characterized by the release of negative pressure for adsorbing the insulating tape from the supply disk when the cut insulating tape supplied by the supply disk comes into contact with the electrode assembly carried by the main disk.

9. In Paragraph 1, A forming unit that receives the electrode assembly with the insulating tape attached from the main disk and forms the insulating tape; An inspection unit for inspecting the condition of the electrode assembly to which the insulating tape formed in the above forming unit is attached. An insulating tape attachment device characterized by further including 10. In Paragraph 9, An insulating tape attachment device characterized by further including a transport disk disposed respectively between the main disk and the forming section and between the forming section and the inspection section to transport the electrode assembly.

11. In Paragraph 9, An insulating tape attachment device characterized by further including a defective product removal unit for removing the electrode assembly with the insulating tape attached that is judged to be defective by the inspection unit.

12. In Paragraph 1, An insulating tape attachment device characterized in that the supply disk and the cutting disk rotate continuously.

13. In Paragraph 1, An insulating tape attachment device characterized by an insulating tape cutting speed of 2,000 to 3,000 mm / s.

14. In Paragraph 12, The above insulation tape attachment device is characterized by being configured to attach more than 200 insulation tapes per minute.

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