Electrode Manufacturing via Segmented Cutting for Variable Area Production

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing electrodes with different areas require multiple processes, leading to decreased productivity and increased equipment and costs.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that apply electrode active material to a collector, cutting the initial electrode to create middle-stage electrodes with varying lengths, and further cutting these to produce final electrodes with specific area configurations, all within a single process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If electrodes having different areas are manufactured through different processes, then the manufacturing precision of each electrode type is maintained, but the productivity of electrode production is deteriorated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precision of electrodesVSAvoidproductivity of electrode production
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The initial electrode is divided into multiple middle-stage electrodes through cutting, where at least one middle-stage electrode has a different length from others. This segmentation allows different electrode areas to be obtained from a single initial electrode, improving productivity while maintaining manufacturing precision through controlled cutting processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The initial electrode is manufactured with a predetermined coating pattern where coating portions are spaced apart from each other. This preliminary action enables subsequent cutting to produce electrodes with different areas while maintaining consistent coating quality, resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple processes are used to manufacture electrodes having different areas, then the manufacturing precision of each electrode type is maintained, but the equipment and costs required for production increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precision of electrodesVSAvoidequipment and costs required for production
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single initial electrode manufacturing process produces electrodes that can be cut into multiple middle-stage electrodes with different lengths. This multi-functional approach allows one manufacturing line to serve multiple electrode type requirements, reducing equipment complexity and production costs while maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized cutting procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3340347B1Apparatus and method for manufacturing electrode
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP3340347B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3340347B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3340347B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates an apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrode, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for manufacturing an electrode, which is capable of improving productivity of the electrode in comparison with the related art. According to an aspect of the present invention so at to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing an electrode includes: a step of preparing a collector; a coating step of applying an electrode active material to one surface or both surfaces of the collector to manufacture an initial electrode; and a first cutting step of cutting the initial electrode coated with the electrode active material to manufacture a plurality of middle-stage electrodes, wherein, in the first cutting step, the initial electrode is cut so that at least one of the plurality of middle-stage electrodes has a length different from those of the other middle-stage electrodes.