CN112478768B - Electrode pick-and-place device and method for manufacturing secondary battery cell - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of pressing and supporting the entire surface of the electrode relative to the upper surface of the table when the electrodes are vacuum-adsorbed and transferred by a plurality of suction nozzles and then transferred to the table, so that the curling of the table can be greatly shortened. The electrode pick-and-place device and method for the manufacture of secondary battery cells in which the electrodes of the A mounting seat, a pick-up head, and a plurality of suction nozzles; a table mounted on the second process position and provided with a suction plate for vacuum suction and fixation of the electrodes transferred from the pick-up unit; and an electrode pressurizing member mounted on On the lower side of the pick-up head of the pick-up unit, when the pick-up unit transfers the electrode to the table, the entire surface of the electrode is pressed and supported downward with respect to the table.

Description

Electrode pick and place device and method for manufacturing secondary battery cells

technical field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a battery cell stack of a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a secondary battery in which electrodes (positive and negative electrodes) are vacuum-absorbed in a supply part, transferred to a table, and then transferred to a table Electrode pick-and-place apparatus and method for battery cell stack fabrication.

Background technique

In general, a chemical battery is a battery composed of a pair of electrodes of a positive plate and a negative plate and an electrolyte, and the amount of energy that can be stored varies depending on the substances constituting the electrodes and the electrolyte. Such chemical batteries are classified into primary batteries that have a very slow charging reaction and are only used for one-time discharge purposes, and secondary batteries that can be reused by repeated charging and discharging. Recently, the use of secondary batteries is increasing due to the advantage of being able to charge and discharge. among the trends.

That is, the secondary battery is applied to various technical fields of all industries because of its advantages, and is widely used not only as an energy source for cutting-edge electronic devices such as wireless mobile devices, but also as an energy source for hybrid electric vehicles, etc., as an example In particular, the hybrid electric vehicle has been proposed as a solution for solving atmospheric pollution and the like of conventional gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines using fossil fuels.

In this secondary battery, a stack of battery cells formed by laminating a positive electrode plate, a separation membrane, and a negative electrode plate in this order is immersed in an electrolyte solution, and is in a sealed state.

On the other hand, in the process of manufacturing a battery cell stack of a secondary battery, a pick and place device is used to sequentially move electrodes to a table that performs a predetermined operation and execute the predetermined operation. As shown in FIG. 1 , the conventional pick and place device A plurality of suction nozzles 12 configured to generate vacuum pressure at predetermined intervals are provided in the pick-up unit 10 configured to move in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the suction nozzles 12 of the pick-up unit 10 vacuum suction the sheet at a certain process position After the electrode E in the shape of the electrode E is moved to another process position, placed on the suction plate 22 of the worktable 20 that has been waiting, and transferred, the suction plate 22 vacuums the electrode E, and performs a predetermined operation (for example, video inspection and alignment or stacking, etc.).

However, as shown in FIG. 2, a common pick-and-place device arranges a plurality of suction nozzles 12 at predetermined intervals, and fixes a plate-shaped electrode E made of a thin film by vacuum suction. Therefore, when the suction nozzles 12 vacuum suction the electrode E, the electrode E becomes Uneven curled state. The larger the size of the electrode E, the more serious this curling phenomenon occurs.

Therefore, after the electrode E is placed on the table 20, when the electrode E is vacuum-sucked, it takes a long time until the electrode E is fully unfolded and vacuum-sucked uniformly as a whole, resulting in a problem of low productivity.

prior art literature

Patent Literature

Authorized Patent No. 10-1140447 (authorized on April 19, 2012)

Authorized Patent No. 10-1380133 (authorized on March 26, 2014)

Authorized Patent No. 10-1220981 (authorized on January 4, 2013)

Published Patent No. 10-2019-0025404 (published on March 11, 2019)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrode pick-and-place device and method for manufacturing a secondary battery cell, which can remove the electrodes when the electrodes are vacuum-adsorbed by a plurality of suction nozzles and transferred to a table after being transferred. The entire surface of the electrode is pressurized and supported against the upper surface of the table, so that the time for the table to flatly unfold the curled electrode and vacuum suction can be greatly shortened.

The electrode pick-and-place apparatus for secondary battery cell manufacturing of the present invention aimed at achieving the object includes a pick-up unit including a pick-up mount, a pick-up head, and a plurality of suction nozzles, wherein the pick-up mount The pick-up head is mounted so as to be able to move horizontally from the first process position for manufacturing the battery cell stack to the second process position, and the pick-up head is mounted on the pick-up mount so as to be movable up and down by means of a linear motion device for lifting motion, so that The plurality of suction nozzles are installed on the pick-up head at intervals, and the electrodes are fixed by means of vacuum pressure; the table is installed at the second process position, and is provided with vacuum suction and fixation of the electrodes transferred from the pick-up unit. The suction plate; and the electrode pressing member, which is installed on the lower side of the pick-up head of the pick-up unit, and when the pick-up unit transfers the electrode to the table, the entire surface of the electrode is applied to the lower side of the table relative to the table. Press, support.

The electrode pressing member may be formed with a plurality of through holes through which the suction nozzle penetrates, which is open up and down, and is fixedly attached to the pick-up mount on the lower side of the pick-up head, so that if the pick-up head and the suction nozzle Moving to the upper side, the lower surface can be in close contact with the electrode and press the electrode downward.

The lower surface of the electrode pressing member may be coated with a pressing pad made of a soft resin material.

The worktable may include: a worktable body, which is installed at the second process position; an adsorption plate, which can be moved up and down on the upper end of the worktable body, and is formed with a plurality of vacuum holes for sucking air, and vacuum adsorption , fix the electrodes transferred from the pick-up unit; a vacuum generating unit, which sucks air through the vacuum holes of the suction plate; a table lifting unit, which makes all the electrodes when the pick-up unit transfers the electrodes to the suction plate The suction plate moves up and down a predetermined distance relative to the worktable body.

The electrode pick-and-place method using the electrode pick-and-place apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery cell of the present invention as described above may include:

(S1) the step of vacuum sucking the electrode at the first process position by the suction nozzle of the pick-up unit;

(S2) the step of raising the pick-up head of the pick-up unit by a predetermined distance so that the electrode sucked by the suction nozzle is brought into contact with the lower surface of the electrode pressing member;

(S3) the step of moving the pick-up unit to the second process position;

(S4) The pick-up mount of the pick-up unit is lowered at the second process position, and the electrode is placed on the suction plate of the worktable, so that between the electrode pressing member and the suction plate, the electrode is opposite to the electrode pressing member. the step of pressurizing and supporting the lower face of the suction plate and the upper face of the suction plate; and

(S5) A step of releasing the vacuum pressure of the suction nozzle of the pick-up unit, generating a vacuum pressure on the suction plate of the worktable, and vacuum suction and fixing the electrode to the suction plate.

Preferably, in the step (S4), while moving the pick-up mount of the pick-up unit downward by a predetermined distance, the suction plate at the upper end of the table is moved upward with respect to the table body by a predetermined distance, so that the electrode is moved upward by a predetermined distance. Between the pressing member and the suction plate, the electrodes are pressed and supported.

According to the present invention, when the pick-up unit puts the electrode on the suction plate of the table, the electrode is pressed and supported downward between the electrode pressing member and the suction plate, so that the flat surface of the suction plate can be greatly shortened. Time required to unroll the electrode and vacuum the entire surface evenly.

In addition, when the pick-up unit transfers the electrode to the table, the suction plate of the table and the pick-up unit are simultaneously raised by a predetermined distance to receive the transfer electrode, so that the need for transferring the electrode from the pick-up unit to the table can be further shortened. advantage of time.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional electrode pick-and-place apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery cell.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation example of a conventional electrode pick-and-place apparatus for manufacturing secondary battery cells.

3 is a perspective view showing an electrode pick-and-place apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4a and 4b are front views showing a configuration and an example of the operation of the electrode pick-and-place device shown in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation example of the electrode pick-and-place apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in sequence, and shows an operation example of the pick-up unit picking up the electrode at the first process position.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation example of the electrode pick-and-place apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in sequence, and shows an operation example of the pick-up unit placing electrodes on the table at the second process position.

[reference number]

E: Electrode 100: Pickup Unit

110: Pick up the mount 120: Pick up the head

130: suction nozzle 131: suction pad

200: Workbench 210: Workbench body

220: adsorption plate 221: vacuum hole

231: Air cylinder 232: Piston block

300: Electrode pressing member 301: Through hole

310: Compression pad 320: Fixed shaft

Detailed ways

The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely preferred examples of the disclosed invention, and various modifications that can replace the embodiments and drawings of the present specification may exist at the time of filing this application. example.

Hereinafter, referring to the accompanying drawings, the electrode pick-and-place apparatus and method for manufacturing a secondary battery cell of the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments described later.

3 to 6 are diagrams showing an electrode pick-and-place device for manufacturing a secondary battery cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electrode pick-and-place device of the present invention includes: a pick-up unit 100 for transferring electrodes E; a table 200, It receives the transfer electrode E from the pick-up unit 100, and executes a designated operation for the electrode E; the electrode pressing member 300 makes the electrode E face each other when the pick-up unit 100 transfers the electrode E to the table 200. The upper part of the table 200 is pressed and supported downward.

The pick-up unit 100 includes: a pick-up mount 110 installed to be able to move horizontally from a certain process position (a first process position) to another process position (a second process position) of the battery cell stack manufacturing apparatus; A pick-up head 120, which can be mounted on the pick-up mounting base 110 to be moved up and down by means of a linear motion device for lifting motion; And the fixed electrode E.

The pick-up mount 110 is connected to a known linear motion device (not shown in the figure) constructed on a frame (not shown in the figure) traversing the upper part of the first process position and the second process position of the cell stack manufacturing apparatus. shown), move horizontally and move up and down. The linear motion device can be constructed using known linear motion devices such as a linear motor system, a linear motion system using a servo motor and a ball screw, a linear motion system using a servo motor, pulleys and belts, and a pneumatic cylinder system.

The pick-up head 120 is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate form, and is mounted on the pick-up mount 110 so as to be movable up and down by means of a linear motion device for raising and lowering motion. Wherein, the linear motion device for lifting motion includes: a pair of LM guide parts 118, which can be installed on both sides of the pick-up mounting base 110 in a vertically extended manner; a ball screw 115, which can be extended vertically installed on the The center part of the pick-up mount 110; the nut part 116, which moves along the axial direction of the ball screw 115 on the ball screw 115 by means of the rotation of the ball screw 115, that is, the up-down direction; the servo motor 117, which makes all the The ball screw 115 rotates by a predetermined rotation amount.

In this embodiment, although a linear motion system including a servo motor 117 and a ball screw 115 is applied to the linear motion device for elevating motion, it may be different from this by using a linear motor system, applying a servo motor, a pulley, and It consists of various well-known linear motion devices such as a linear motion system of a belt, a pneumatic cylinder system, and the like.

In the pickup head 120, a plurality of suction nozzles 130 for vacuum suction of the electrodes E are arranged at predetermined intervals. The suction nozzle 130 is connected to a vacuum generating device such as a vacuum pump, which is not shown in the figure, by using a soft hose or the like to generate vacuum pressure, thereby suctioning and fixing the electrode E. The lower end of the suction nozzle 130 is provided with a suction pad 131 made of soft material such as silicon or rubber, which prevents the electrode E from being damaged while vacuum suction of the electrode E is performed smoothly.

The electrode pressing member 300 is mounted on the lower side of the pickup head 120 of the pickup unit 100 . The electrode pressing member 300 is fixed to the pickup mount 110 by a plurality of fixed shafts 320 penetrating through the through holes 122 formed in the pickup head 120 . The electrode pressing member 300 is formed in the form of a quadrangular flat plate, and is fixed to the pick-up mount 110 on the lower side of the pick-up head 120 , and a plurality of through holes 301 through which the suction nozzle 130 penetrates are formed open up and down. Therefore, when the pickup head 120 is raised or lowered relative to the pickup mount 110 , the suction nozzle 130 is raised or lowered together with the pickup head 120 through the through hole 301 of the electrode pressing member 300 . As described above, relative movement between the electrode pressing member 300 , the pick-up head 120 and the suction nozzle 130 occurs, and when the suction nozzle 130 rises while sucking the electrode E, the electrode E comes into contact with the lower surface of the electrode pressing member 300 . At the same time, the electrode E is in a state where it can be pressurized by the electrode pressing member 300 and the table 200 .

When the electrode pressing member 300 pressurizes the electrode E relative to the table 200 , in order to support the electrode E with a uniform pressure and prevent damage to the electrode E, the lower surface of the electrode pressing member 300 may be coated with a coating. There is a pressure pad 310 of soft and elastic resin material such as silicon or rubber, urethane.

The table 200 is configured to receive the transfer electrode E from the pick-up unit 100 and perform a designated operation for the electrode E, for example, to perform video inspection and alignment of the electrode E, or stacking operation of the separation film and the electrode, etc. .

In this embodiment, the worktable 200 includes: a worktable body 210, which is installed at the second process position; an adsorption plate 220, which is installed on the upper end of the worktable body 210 for vacuum adsorption and fixing electrodes E; a vacuum generating unit, which sucks air through the vacuum holes of the suction plate; and a table lifting unit, which makes the suction plate 220 relative to the suction plate 220 when the pick-up unit 100 transfers the electrode E to the suction plate 220 The table body 210 moves up and down by a predetermined distance.

The suction plate 220 has the shape of a rectangular flat plate, and is installed on the upper end of the table body 210 so as to be movable up and down. A plurality of vacuum holes 221 for sucking air are formed, and the suction plate 220 is vacuum suctioned and fixed. electrode E. The suction plate 220 is reciprocated up and down for a predetermined distance by means of the table lifting unit, which can be a linear motion device using a servo motor and a ball screw such as the linear motion device for the aforementioned lifting motion, or Application of linear motor system, air cylinder system, etc. In this embodiment, the table lifting unit includes an air cylinder 231 that generates a stroke in the up-down direction, and a piston block 232 that connects the air cylinder 231 and the adsorption plate 220 and moves up and down by the air cylinder 231 .

Next, an electrode pick-and-place method using the electrode pick-and-place device realized in this configuration will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 5 , the pick-up mount 110 of the pick-up unit 100 is lowered by a predetermined distance at the first process position of the battery cell manufacturing apparatus, and the suction pad 131 at the lower end of the suction nozzle 130 is in contact with the electrode E, passing through the suction nozzle 130 Generate vacuum pressure, vacuum adsorption, and fix electrode E. The first process position may be a process position where a magazine of the electrode stack portion 1 on which the plurality of electrodes E are loaded is installed.

After the electrode E is vacuum-adsorbed and fixed on the suction pad 131 at the lower end of the suction nozzle 130, the lifting motion of the pickup unit 100 is operated by the servo motor 117 and the ball screw 115 of the linear motion device, so that the pickup head 120 is relatively opposite to the pickup unit 100. The lifting mount 110 is lifted up by a predetermined distance. At this time, the pick-up head 120 is raised to the position where the electrode E sucked by the lower end of the suction nozzle 130 is in contact with the lower surface of the electrode pressing member 300 . In this state, since the electrode E is vacuum-sucked to the plurality of suction nozzles 130 arranged at intervals, it will be in a slightly uneven curl state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6 , the pick-up mount 110 of the pick-up unit 100 is moved horizontally by means of a linear motion device (not shown in the figure) to move to the second process position. The second process position may be a process position where a video inspection (vision inspection) and an alignment (alignment) operation for checking the position of the electrode E and performing the alignment are performed.

If the pick-up unit 100 is aligned on the table 200 at the second process position, the pick-up mount 110 of the pick-up unit 100 is lowered by a predetermined distance so that the electrode E is positioned on the suction plate 220 of the table 200 . At the same time, the suction plate 220 of the table 200 is raised by a predetermined distance.

At this time, the electrode E is in close contact with the lower surface of the electrode pressing member 300 and the upper surface of the suction plate 220 between the electrode pressing member 300 and the suction plate 220 and is pressed.

Next, the vacuum pressure of the suction nozzle 130 of the pickup unit 100 is released, and the electrode E is separated from the suction nozzle 130 . Then, vacuum pressure is generated on the suction plate 220 of the stage 200, and the electrode E is suctioned and fixed.

As described above, when a vacuum pressure is generated in the suction plate 220 to vacuum suction the electrode E, the entire surface of the electrode E is pressed and supported downward by the electrode pressing member 300, so that the electrode E can be flattened in a short time. It is unfolded and vacuum adsorbed on the adsorption plate 220 .

If the electrode E is completely vacuum-adsorbed on the suction plate 220, the suction plate 220 will descend, the pick-up unit 100 will move horizontally after rising, return to the first process position, and continue the next operation.

As described above, in the electrode pick-and-place device of the present invention, when the pick-up unit 100 places the electrode E on the suction plate 220 of the table 200 , the electrode E is in close contact between the electrode pressing member 300 and the suction plate 220 and is moved toward the suction plate 220 . The lower side is pressurized and supported, so that the time required for the suction plate 220 to spread the electrode E flatly and evenly vacuum the entire surface can be greatly shortened.

In addition, when the pick-up unit 100 transfers the electrode E to the table 200, the suction plate 220 of the table 200 and the pick-up unit 100 are simultaneously raised by a predetermined distance to receive the transfer electrode E, so that the distance from the pick-up unit 100 can be further shortened. The advantage of the time required for the electrode E is delivered to the stage 200 .

The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains should understand that various substitutions, additions and modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea described above. Modified embodiments should also be understood as belonging to the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the following claims in the accompanying drawings.

Claims (3)

1. An electrode pick-and-place device for manufacturing a secondary battery cell, comprising:

a pick-up unit including a pick-up mount mounted to be horizontally movable from a first process position for manufacturing a battery cell stack to a second process position, a pick-up head mounted to the pick-up mount to be movable up and down by a linear moving device for elevating movement, and a plurality of suction nozzles installed to the pick-up head at intervals and fixing electrodes by vacuum pressure;

a table mounted at the second process position and including a suction plate for vacuum-sucking and fixing the electrode transferred from the pickup unit; and

an electrode pressing member mounted on a lower side of a pickup head of the pickup unit, for pressing and supporting an entire surface of the electrode downward with respect to the stage when the pickup unit transfers the electrode onto the stage;

a plurality of through holes which are opened up and down and are penetrated by the suction nozzles are formed on the electrode pressurizing component, the electrode pressurizing component is formed into a quadrilateral flat plate shape which is parallel to the adsorption plate, and the electrode pressurizing component is fixedly arranged on the picking installation seat at the lower side of the picking head, so that if the picking head and the suction nozzles move to the upper side, the lower surface is attached to the electrode and the electrode is pressurized at the lower side;

the work bench includes:

a table body mounted at the second process position;

an adsorption plate which is installed on the upper end of the workbench body in a way of moving up and down, is provided with a plurality of vacuum holes for sucking air, and is used for vacuum adsorption and fixation of the electrode transferred from the picking-up unit;

a vacuum generating unit which sucks air through the vacuum holes of the adsorption plate;

a table lifting unit for moving the adsorption plate up and down a predetermined distance with respect to the table body when the picking unit transfers the electrode to the adsorption plate;

when the pick-up unit transfers the electrode to the adsorption plate, the whole surface of the electrode is pressed and transferred to the adsorption plate while being attached to the lower surface of the electrode pressing member and the upper surface of the adsorption plate.

2. The electrode pick-and-place apparatus for manufacturing a secondary battery cell according to claim 1, wherein,

a pressing pad made of a flexible resin material is coated on a lower surface of the electrode pressing member.

3. An electrode pick-and-place method for manufacturing a secondary battery cell, as an electrode pick-and-place method using the electrode pick-and-place device for manufacturing a secondary battery cell according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising:

s1 a step of vacuum-sucking the electrode at the first process position by the suction nozzle of the pickup unit;

s2, lifting the pick-up head of the pick-up unit for a predetermined distance to make the electrode sucked by the suction nozzle contact with the lower surface of the electrode pressing member;

a step S3 of moving the pick-up unit to the second process position;

s4 lowering the pick-up mounting base of the pick-up unit at the second process position, and placing the electrode on the adsorption plate of the table such that the electrode is supported by being pressed against the lower surface of the electrode pressing member and the upper surface of the adsorption plate between the electrode pressing member and the adsorption plate; and

s5, releasing the vacuum pressure of the suction nozzle of the pick-up unit, generating vacuum pressure on the adsorption plate of the workbench, and vacuum adsorbing and fixing the electrode on the adsorption plate;

in step S4, the pickup attachment base of the pickup unit is moved downward by a predetermined distance, and the suction plate at the upper end of the table is moved upward by a predetermined distance with respect to the table body, so that the electrode is pressed and supported between the electrode pressing member and the suction plate.

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