Battery Cell Tape Cutter Positioning to Prevent Adhesive Buildup

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing tape attachment processes for battery cells face issues with adhesive contamination of cutting blades, leading to inefficient cutting and potential quality deterioration of the tape attached to the battery cells, as the adhesive accumulates and interferes with the cutting process.

Innovation Solution

A tape attachment apparatus that includes a cutter with a cutting blade wider than the tape, a Z-axis cutter elevation module, and a Y-axis cutter movement module, along with a control unit to calculate cutting operations and move the cutter in the Y-axis direction after a predetermined number of cuts, and a cleaning unit to prevent adhesive buildup on the cutting blade.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a cutter is used to continuously cut tape, then cutting efficiency is maintained, but adhesive accumulates on the cutting blade causing interference with cutting and potential quality deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoidadhesive contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by tracking the number of cutting operations and automatically relocating the cutter before adhesive buildup becomes problematic. The control unit monitors cutting counts and triggers relocation at predetermined intervals, preventing adhesive accumulation before it interferes with cutting quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cutter is relocated periodically based on the number of cutting operations performed. The control unit counts each cutting operation and automatically relocates the cutter when the count reaches a predetermined threshold, creating a periodic maintenance cycle that prevents adhesive buildup while maintaining continuous production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Manufacturing precision

If the cutter is removed and remounted to clean adhesive from the cutting blade, then cutting quality is restored, but process time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting qualityVSAvoidprocess time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of waiting for adhesive buildup to affect cutting quality, the system performs preliminary relocation of the cutter to a different position on the tape width. This preventive measure restores the effective cutting edge before adhesive interference occurs, avoiding the need for time-consuming removal and remounting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves the problem from the vertical dimension (removal and remounting of the cutter) to the horizontal dimension (relocation along the tape width). By shifting the cutter position in the Y-axis direction, the system utilizes the extra dimensional space to refresh the cutting edge without disrupting the vertical assembly/disassembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If adhesive is attached to portions other than the adhesive portion of the tape, then tape quality deteriorates, but continuous cutting operation is maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous cutting operationVSAvoidtape quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary action by relocating the cutter before adhesive contamination can spread to non-adhesive portions of the tape. The control unit monitors cutting operations and triggers relocation at thresholds that prevent adhesive migration beyond the intended adhesive zone, maintaining tape quality while preserving continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3702304B1Tape attachment apparatus for battery cell
Publication Date: 2024.07.03 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP3702304B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3702304B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3702304B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a tape attachment apparatus comprising a tape feed unit configured to feed a tape to a battery cell; and a tape cutting unit configured to cut the tape fed from the tape feed unit, wherein the tape cutting unit comprises a cutter having a cutting blade with a larger width than a width of the tape and configured to cut the tape; a cutter elevation module configured to move the cutter in a Z-axis direction being perpendicular to a surface of the tape; and a cutter movement module configured to move the cutter in a Y-axis direction being perpendicular to a feeding direction of the tape.