Laser Separator Cutting With Speed Control in Battery Lamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional lamination process for secondary batteries, which involves cutting the separator with a molded knife in physical contact, leads to defects such as bending or pushing off of the separator, affecting cutting quality and precision.
Innovation Solution
A lamination apparatus and method using a laser cutting unit that cuts the separation sheet without physical contact, employing a transfer conveyor, laser cutting unit, discharge conveyor, and adjusting unit to control cutting speed based on conveyor distance and process speed, along with a suction unit to remove debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a molded knife is used to cut the separator in physical contact, then the cutting process is simple and fast, but defects such as bending or pushing off of the separator occur, reducing cutting quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cutting system (molded knife in physical contact) with a laser cutting system that uses optical energy to cut the separator without physical contact. This substitution eliminates the mechanical forces that cause separator bending and pushing off, thereby improving cutting quality while maintaining cutting speed through high-energy laser irradiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a laser beam as an intermediary between the cutting source and the separator. The laser beam acts as a non-contact mediator that transfers energy to cut the separator without requiring physical contact, thus avoiding the harmful mechanical interactions that degrade cutting quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If a laser cutting unit is used to cut the separation sheet without physical contact, then cutting quality and precision are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical cutting mechanisms with a laser cutting system, which uses optical fields instead of mechanical contact. This substitution simplifies the overall device structure by eliminating the need for heavy-duty mechanical presses, knives, and associated actuation mechanisms, while achieving superior cutting precision through controlled laser irradiation.
3Productivity
If the speed for cutting the separation sheet is increased to match faster conveyor speeds, then productivity is improved, but cutting precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of the laser cutting system, where the laser beam can be rapidly positioned and adjusted to match varying conveyor speeds. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain high cutting speeds while preserving precision through real-time adjustment of laser parameters and beam positioning, unlike fixed mechanical cutting systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the ability to change laser parameters (such as power, pulse duration, and focal position) dynamically during the cutting process. This allows the system to optimize cutting speed and precision for different operating conditions, maintaining high productivity without sacrificing cutting quality even at elevated speeds.
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
Prevents defects like bending or pushing off of the separator, enhancing cutting precision and quality while effectively removing foreign matter and dust.
Implementation Method 1
a laser cutting unit, which irradiates laser onto the separation sheet of the radical unit sheet passing through the transfer conveyor so that the separation sheet is cut by irradiation
Data Source
AI summary
A lamination apparatus for a secondary battery comprises a lamination device and a cutting device. The supply unit supplies electrodes disposed on a separation sheet and a bonding unit which bonds the separation sheet and electrodes to manufacture a radical unit sheet. The cutting device cuts the separation sheet of the radical unit sheet to manufacture a radical unit constituted of a separator and the electrodes. The cutting device comprises a transfer conveyor, which transfers the radical unit sheet, a laser cutting unit, which irradiates a laser onto and thereby cuts the separation sheet of the radical unit sheet to manufacture the radical unit, a discharge conveyor, which transfers the radical unit cut by the laser cutting unit, and an adjusting unit which adjusts a speed for cutting the separation sheet passing through the laser cutting unit depending on a spaced distance between the transfer conveyor and the discharge conveyor.