Multistage Electrode Coating to Reduce Notching Material Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for secondary battery electrode plates results in material loss during the notching process due to the cutting off of coated portions, leading to inefficiencies and waste of expensive active materials.
Innovation Solution
The manufacturing process includes a coating unit that forms a first coated portion on the electrode substrate and a second coated portion on the transverse ends with a reduced thickness, using a multi-stage coating method to minimize material loss during the notching process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a uniform thick coated portion is formed across the entire electrode substrate, then electrode performance is maintained, but material loss occurs during notching process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming a first coated portion with greater thickness at the central region and a second coated portion with smaller thickness at the transverse end regions. This spatial variation in coating thickness allows the central region to maintain electrode performance while the end regions minimize material loss during notching, as the thinner coating at ends is preferentially removed during the notching process.
2Loss of substance
If the coated portion thickness is reduced at transverse ends, then material loss during notching is minimized, but coating complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the coating process into two distinct stages: a first coating process that forms a thick coated portion across the entire electrode substrate, and a second coating process that forms a thin coated portion specifically at the transverse end regions. This segmentation of the coating process enables precise control over the thickness distribution, reducing material loss during notching while maintaining a manageable process complexity through systematic multi-stage coating.
3Loss of substance
If a multi-stage coating process is implemented, then material loss is reduced, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by first forming the thick first coated portion across the entire electrode substrate before subsequently forming the thin second coated portion at the transverse end regions. This preliminary coating action ensures that the base layer is established first, and then the additional thin layer is applied only where needed at the ends, optimizing the balance between reducing material loss during notching and maintaining manufacturing process feasibility.
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
This approach reduces material loss by minimizing the amount of expensive active material discarded during notching, maintaining electrode performance and overall efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a coating unit configured to coat an electrode material on an electrode substrate of a secondary battery
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery electrode plate includes: a coating unit configured to coat an electrode material on an electrode substrate of a secondary battery, the coating unit including: a first coater configured to form a first coated portion of the electrode material on the electrode substrate; and a second coater configured to form a second coated portion of the electrode material on an at least one of both transverse ends of the first coated portion on the electrode substrate, the second coated portion having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the first coated portion; and a notching unit configured to cut the electrode substrate coated with the electrode material by the coating unit.