Electrode Plate Edge Restraint to Prevent Substrate Shrinkage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manufacturing process of secondary battery electrode plates is prone to substrate shrinkage during coating and drying, leading to wrinkles and uneven distribution of the active material, which affects the charge capacity and cycle life of the battery.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that includes a transfer roller, coating unit, drying unit, and a shrinkage prevention unit to prevent widthwise shrinkage of the substrate by holding the edges of the electrode plate during coating and drying processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the substrate is transferred through coating and drying processes, then the electrode plate is manufactured, but widthwise shrinkage causes wrinkles and uneven active material distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode plate manufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidsubstrate flatness and active material distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The shrinkage prevention unit applies a counteracting force to the widthwise shrinkage that occurs during drying. By preventing the shrinkage force before it causes wrinkles and deformation, the substrate maintains its flatness and the active material distribution remains uniform throughout the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The edges of the substrate are held and constrained before the shrinkage force fully develops during the drying process. This preliminary constraint prevents the substrate from deforming, ensuring that the active material is evenly distributed and the electrode plate is manufactured with high precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the substrate is held to prevent shrinkage, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional shrinkage prevention unit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate flatness and active material distribution uniformityVSAvoidapparatus structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shrinkage prevention function is segmented as a separate, dedicated unit rather than being integrated into the existing transfer roller or coating unit. This modular approach allows the shrinkage prevention unit to be added independently, performing its specific function without complicating the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shrinkage prevention unit acts as an intermediary component between the substrate and the drying process. It mediates the shrinkage force by providing a controlled constraint, thereby improving manufacturing precision without requiring fundamental changes to the existing apparatus structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20260034559A1Apparatus and method for manufacturing electrode plate of secondary battery including substrate shrinkage prevention unit

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD

AI summary

An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode plate of a secondary battery includes a transfer roller configured to transfer an electrode plate substrate of the secondary battery, a coater configured to coat the electrode plate substrate transferred by the transfer roller with an electrode material, a dryer configured to dry the electrode plate substrate coated by the coater, and a shrinkage preventer configured to prevent a widthwise shrinkage force of the electrode plate substrate.