Electrode-Separator Assembly Joining With Vacuum Roller Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of high-capacity battery cells is limited by the speed-determining stack formation process in stacked or z-folded electrode-separator assembly (ESA) constructions, which requires downtimes for accurate pick-and-place applications, leading to throughput restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing a vacuum roller with distinct surface regions for holding and releasing electrodes to form an adhesive bond with separator material, enabling precise and efficient joining without heat, and allowing for high-speed production of electrode-separator assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If pick-and-place applications are used for joining electrodes and separators, then joining accuracy is improved, but throughput is reduced due to necessary downtimes in the process sequence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling electrode-separator laminates before the final stacking process. This pre-assembly is performed in advance, allowing the main stacking operation to proceed more quickly without the need for slow pick-and-place operations during the critical path of production.
Solution Approach 2:
The production process is segmented into distinct stages: pre-assembly of electrode-separator laminates and subsequent stacking of these pre-assembled units. This segmentation allows parallelization of processes and eliminates the need for slow pick-and-place operations during the stacking phase, thereby improving throughput while maintaining joining accuracy.
2Productivity
If lamination is used to pre-assemble electrodes and separators, then handling strength is improved and pick-and-place speed can be increased, but process complexity increases due to additional heating and pressing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the joining function into the lamination process itself. The adhesive bonding that occurs during lamination serves dual purposes: it creates the structural bond needed for handling and simultaneously forms the permanent join between electrode and separator. This eliminates the need for separate joining operations and reduces overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lamination process serves itself by providing both the bonding function and the handling strength enhancement in a single operation. The adhesive applied during lamination creates joints that are sufficient for both the lamination process and subsequent handling operations, eliminating the need for additional joining steps.
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
Enables the production of electrode-separator assemblies with high accuracy and increased throughput by allowing precise handling and joining of electrodes and separators, preventing kinks or folds and supporting the use of different electrode sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum roller (5, 6), which is designed, by means of a roller suction device (20) in a first surface region (32) of a roller body (22, 23), to hold the electrode (9, 10) on the roller body (22, 23)
Implementation Method 2
by means of a roller nozzle device (21) in a second surface region (34) of the roller body (22, 23), to push the electrode (9, 10) away from the vacuum roller (5, 6) towards the separator material (2)
Implementation Method 3
an adhesive bond being formed between the electrode (9, 10) and the separator material (2)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing an electrode-separator assembly for a battery cell. The method comprises the following: supplying a separator material (2) by means of a separator supply device; supplying an electrode (9; 10) by means of an electrode supply device; and producing an electrode-separator assembly by means of a joining device, the electrode (9; 10) being joined to the separator material (2) and an adhesive bond being formed between the electrode (9; 10) and the separator material (2). The electrode (9; 10) and the separator material (2) are joined using at least one vacuum roller (5; 6) which is designed, by means of a roller suction device in a first surface region of a roller body of the vacuum roller (5: 6), to hold the electrode (9; 10) on the roller body at least for supply and, by means of a roller nozzle device in a second surface region of the roller body which is different from the first surface region, to push the electrode away from the vacuum roller (5: 6) towards the separator material (2) for joining, the separator material being supported for joining by a support device which is arranged opposite the vacuum roller (5; 6).