Integrated Electrode Cutting Cartridge for Knife Clearance Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electrode cutting apparatuses require multiple assembly steps and struggle to maintain the squareness and clearance between the upper and lower knives, leading to difficulties in adjusting these parameters within tolerance ranges, which affects cutting quality and productivity.

Innovation Solution

An all-in-one cutting cartridge module integrating the upper and lower knives, allowing for simplified assembly and precise adjustment of clearance and straightness by mounting the module on a cradle with a unified frame, utilizing a driving unit for vertical movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the upper knife and lower knife are independently assembled in separate frames, then the assembly structure is flexible and easy to manufacture, but the clearance and squareness between the knives cannot be maintained within tolerance range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidclearance and squareness between knives
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the upper knife and lower knife into a single integrated cutting cartridge module with a unified frame structure. This merging allows the knives to be pre-assembled and pre-adjusted together as one unit, ensuring that clearance and squareness are maintained within tolerance ranges while still allowing the entire module to be easily replaced or manufactured.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If the slope of the upper knife is adjusted during operation to correct squareness issues, then the knife alignment can be improved, but productive capacity decreases due to non-operating loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesquareness between knivesVSAvoidproductive capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-adjusting and pre-assembling the upper and lower knives within the integrated cutting cartridge module before installation. The squareness and clearance are established during the manufacturing or setup phase, eliminating the need for adjustments during operation and preventing productivity loss from non-operating time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If multiple assembly jobs are required to manufacture the cutting apparatus, then each component can be manufactured separately with easier process control, but the assembly complexity and time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent manufacturabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the cutting apparatus into a modular integrated cutting cartridge module that can be manufactured as a separate, self-contained unit. This module contains all necessary components (upper knife, lower knife, frame) pre-assembled together, reducing the overall assembly complexity of the main apparatus while maintaining ease of manufacture for the module itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4104987B1Electrode cutting device
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP4104987B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4104987B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4104987B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present technology relates to an apparatus for cutting an electrode of a battery, and the apparatus includes: an all-in-one cutting cartridge module including an upper knife and a lower knife; and a cradle where the all-in-one cutting cartridge module is mounted. Herein, the all-in-one cutting cartridge module includes a module frame and an upper knife holding unit which fixes and supports the upper knife and is supported in a manner that is vertically slidable on the module frame, and the lower knife is coupled to a lower portion of the module frame to face the upper knife. The assembly work is very simple in the electrode cutting apparatus of the present invention. Further, since the upper knife and the lower knife are installed at the all-in-one cutting cartridge module, it is possible to quantitatively adjust the clearance and straightness of the upper knife and the lower knife in advance.