Stacking Apparatus for Laminated Battery Sheet Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of laminated batteries faces challenges in improving productivity due to complex handling of sheet-like separators and aligning them accurately between electrodes, leading to inefficiencies in the stacking process.
Innovation Solution
A stacking apparatus comprising a conveyor system with merging and stacking units that align and stack sheets in a predetermined order, utilizing a combination of belt conveyor devices and a detecting system to ensure accurate positioning and rejection of defective sheets, allowing for high-speed stacking without stopping the conveyance process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a rotating robot arm with suction device is used to stack bagged electrodes and separators, then the stacking process can be automated, but the productivity is limited due to the complex handling and alignment requirements of sheet-like separators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the stacking system into multiple independent conveyor units (first precedent-stage conveyor unit, second precedent-stage conveyor unit, merging unit, subsequent-stage conveyor unit, and stacking unit). Each unit handles specific tasks independently, allowing parallel processing of multiple sheets and significantly increasing stacking speed while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The precedent-stage conveyor units perform preliminary actions by conveying and positioning sheets (electrodes and separators) before they reach the merging point. This preliminary positioning ensures that sheets are ready for immediate stacking, eliminating the need for complex real-time alignment operations and improving overall productivity.
2Productivity
If multiple conveyor units are used to increase stacking speed, then productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The merging unit combines sheets from the first and second precedent-stage conveyor units into a single stream for the subsequent-stage conveyor unit. This merging function allows the system to maintain high productivity through parallel processing while managing device complexity by consolidating multiple sheet streams into one organized flow.
Solution Approach 2:
Each conveyor unit is designed with universal functionality to handle different types of sheets (electrodes and separators) through the same conveying and positioning mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized components for each sheet type, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining high stacking speed.
3Productivity
If high-speed stacking is implemented without stopping conveyance, then productivity is improved, but the alignment precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The precedent-stage conveyor units perform preliminary positioning and alignment of sheets before they reach the merging point. This advance preparation ensures that sheets are correctly positioned for stacking, maintaining alignment precision even though the conveyance process continues without stopping.
Solution Approach 2:
The detecting unit monitors the position and state of sheets during conveyance and provides feedback to the control unit. This feedback mechanism allows the system to make real-time adjustments to maintain alignment precision while operating at high stacking speeds without interrupting the conveyance process.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a stacking apparatus includes: a first precedent-stage conveyor unit that conveys first sheets; a second precedent-stage conveyor unit that conveys second sheets; a merging unit that guides, to a merge point, the first sheets output from the first precedent-stage conveyor unit and guides, to the merge point, the second sheets output from the second precedent-stage conveyor unit; a subsequent-stage conveyor unit that sequentially receives, at the merge point, the conveyed first sheets and the conveyed second sheets, and conveys the received first sheets and the received second sheets in order of the reception while lining up in a conveying direction; and a stacking unit that sequentially catches each of the first sheets and each of the second sheets and stacks, at a predetermined position, each of the first sheets and each of the second sheets in order of the catch.