Meandering Correction Device for Battery Electrode Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The stack/folding type electrode assembly experiences meandering due to the unfixed end of the second unit cell, leading to product defects in secondary batteries, particularly in medium to large-scale devices like vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A meandering correction apparatus is introduced, comprising a main body, a movable jig unit, and a correction jig unit with a fixing bolt, which aligns and fixes the first and second unit cells by pressing and supporting the electrode assembly, and includes a heating unit to indirectly heat the separator, ensuring proper adhesion and preventing meandering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the second unit cell is disposed on an end of the separator having a long film shape, then the electrode assembly can be manufactured in a stepped shape for miniaturized products, but the unfixed other end of the second unit cell causes meandering due to flow phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-positioning a support member at the unfixed end of the second unit cell before the winding process. This support member prevents the unit cell from flowing or meandering during the winding operation, ensuring stable positioning while enabling the stepped configuration for miniaturized products.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member acts as an intermediary element between the second unit cell and the winding system. It provides the necessary support and constraint to the unfixed end of the unit cell, preventing meandering while allowing the electrode assembly to achieve the desired stepped shape for compact packaging.
2Ease of manufacture
If the separator is wound in a single direction after disposing unit cells, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the lowermost unit cell has an unfixed end causing meandering
Solution Approach 1:
The support member serves as an intermediary that maintains the simplicity of the single-direction winding process while simultaneously ensuring precise alignment of the unit cells. By supporting the unfixed end of the lowermost unit cell, it prevents meandering and ensures that all unit cells remain properly aligned throughout the winding operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is pre-installed at the unfixed end of the second unit cell before winding begins. This preliminary action ensures that the unit cell maintains its position and alignment throughout the simple single-direction winding process, achieving both ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If unit cells are stacked in multiple stages with different sizes, then the electrode assembly can be built in miniaturized products, but meandering occurs due to the flow phenomenon of the unfixed unit cell
Solution Approach 1:
The support member acts as an intermediary that enables the adaptable multi-stage configuration with different sized unit cells while simultaneously ensuring position stability. It supports the unfixed ends of unit cells in the stepped arrangement, preventing flow phenomenon and meandering, thus allowing both configuration flexibility and position stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Support members are pre-positioned at the unfixed ends of unit cells before the winding process. This preliminary action stabilizes the multi-stage configuration with different sizes, preventing meandering while maintaining the adaptable stepped structure for miniaturized products.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively aligns and fixes the unit cells, preventing meandering and product defects, thereby enhancing the stability and performance of secondary battery electrode assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit to indirectly heat the separator, ensuring proper adhesion and preventing meandering
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a meandering correction apparatus for an electrode assembly. The meandering correction apparatus for the electrode assembly, which corrects a position of a second unit cell to align a first unit cell with the second unit cell in the electrode assembly in which the first and second unit cells having sizes different from each other are folded through a separator, includes a main body on which the electrode assembly is disposed, a movable jig unit disposed on one side of the main body to press one side surface of the electrode assembly, thereby moving the electrode assembly toward the other side of the main body, and a correction jig unit disposed on the other side of the main body to support the other side surface of the electrode assembly that moves by the movable jig unit, thereby correcting the position of the second unit cell.