JP2000088459A - Equipment for preventing base material shaking of vertical type drying furnace - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely suppress shaking of an electrode sheet in a vertical type drying furnace. SOLUTION: An electrode sheet 21 coated with an electrode lamination agent on both sides is conveyed upward inside a vertical type drying furnace and drying air is blown against it from both of the surface and rear sides in the process of this conveyance. Roller chains 25 moving around synchronously with the movement of conveyance of the electrode sheet 21 are disposed on both lateral sides in the width direction of the electrode sheet 21. Clips 23 are fitted to the roller chains 25 on the whole circumferences of the chains and, with the movement of conveyance of the electrode sheet 21, the clips 23 move, holding and fixing non-coated parts 21a of the opposite lateral edge parts of the electrode sheet 21. Clip-releasing mechanisms 47 and 49 unlock the holding and fixing by the holding parts on the occasion when lever parts of the clips 23 are brought into contact with the mechanisms by the movement of the clips 23.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a base material comprising a flexible belt-like sheet having a coating liquid applied to a surface thereof, which is conveyed in a vertical direction, and in which the coating liquid is dried in the vertical conveying process. The present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing a substrate from swaying in a vertical drying oven.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a flexible belt-like sheet having a coating solution applied on its surface, there is, for example, an electrode sheet for a battery having an electrode mixture applied on both sides. Will be described as an example. Nickel-metal hydride batteries use a polyester fibrous material plated with nickel as a base material on the anode side, while a stainless steel sheet is used as a base material on the cathode side, and the anode side consists of nickel paste and water. After each electrode mixture is applied, the applied electrode mixture is dried.

An apparatus for applying and drying an electrode mixture on such an electrode sheet is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
No. 63576. FIG. 6 shows the entire configuration, in which a coating machine 1 is arranged at a lower part and a vertical drying furnace 3 is arranged at an upper part. The coating machine 1 includes an electrode mixture 5
The electrode sheet 11 is applied to both sides of the electrode sheet 11 by passing through the coating machine 1 via the inlet roller 13. Thereafter, the electrode sheet 11 enters the vertical drying oven 3 upward,
The direction is changed by a turn roller 15 provided at the upper end. The changed direction of the electrode sheet 11 proceeds downward, reenters the vertical drying furnace 3, and the outlet roller 1 provided at the lower portion
Move to the outside via 7.

In the vertical drying furnace 3, air blowing nozzles 19 are provided on the left and right sides in FIG. 6 of the position where the electrode sheet 11 moves upward in FIG. A plurality of the vertical drying furnaces 3 are provided over substantially the entire area from the lower end to the upper end.

[0005] Air heated by an electric heater (not shown) is blown out from the air blowing nozzle 19, and the hot air is blown onto the electrode sheet 11 to dry the applied electrode mixture.

[0006]

The height of the vertical drying furnace 3 is extremely long, about 6 m for the anode substrate of the above-mentioned nickel-hydrogen battery and about 8 m for the cathode substrate. Since there is no pressing of the electrode sheet 11 between the coating machine 1 and the upper turn roller 15, the electrode sheet 11 is easily shaken.

[0007] When the electrode sheet 11 shakes greatly, not only does the coating surface in the drying furnace 3 change, so that the coating surface is adversely affected, but also the coating process in the coating machine 1 is adversely affected. A uniform coating surface cannot be obtained.

In order to suppress the sway, the air blowing nozzle 19
Take a large distance from the electrode sheet 11 and take measures such as reducing the wind speed impinging on the electrode sheet 11 as much as possible.
This leads to a decrease in drying efficiency. To cope with this, if the temperature in the vertical drying furnace 3 is set to be high, it is necessary to increase the output of the electric heater, and the vertical drying furnace 3 is required to increase the transport distance.
When the height dimension of the drying furnace is increased, not only the size of the drying furnace becomes large, but also a fatal disadvantage that the drying furnace is more easily shaken occurs.

For this reason, in the above-mentioned publication,
By devising the shape of the outlet of the air blowing nozzle 19, the high pressure chamber portion caused by the blown air can be used as the electrode sheet 11.
Of the electrode sheet 1
Although 1 is pressed from both sides to prevent shaking, it is not sufficient and improvement is desired.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to surely suppress the sway of the belt-like sheet in the vertical drying furnace.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a substrate made of a flexible belt-like sheet having a surface coated with a coating liquid is conveyed vertically. In a substrate swing prevention device of a vertical drying furnace that dries the coating liquid in a vertical transport process, the substrate moves with the transport of the substrate while fixedly holding both side edges in the width direction of the substrate. The configuration is such that fixing means is provided.

According to the apparatus for preventing a base material from oscillating in a vertical drying furnace having such a structure, the base material having the coating liquid applied to its surface is transported vertically in the vertical drying furnace. Thus, both side edges in the width direction are fixed by the fixing means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, the fixing means is provided on the moving body which is extended along the moving direction of the base material and moves in synchronization with the base material. Are provided along the direction of movement of.

According to the above arrangement, the plurality of fixing means move in synchronization with the movement of the base material in accordance with the movement of the moving body while the base material is fixedly held.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the second aspect of the invention, the moving body is constituted by an endless body.

According to the above arrangement, the plurality of fixing means repeatedly and synchronously move with respect to the base material by the orbital movement of the endless body.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the third aspect, the endless body is formed of a chain.

According to the above arrangement, the plurality of fixing means provided on the chain repeatedly and synchronously move with respect to the base material by the orbital movement of the chain.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention, the fixing means includes a holding portion for holding and fixing the base material from both surfaces, and an attachment for performing the holding operation of the holding portion. The clip is provided with a biasing means and a lever for releasing the holding of the holding portion to the base material by rotating the pinching member against the urging force of the urging means around the pin.

According to the above construction, both side edges in the width direction of the base material are clamped and fixed from both sides by the clip holding portion, and the lever portion is rotated about the pin against the urging force of the urging means. This releases the holding and fixing of the holding portion to the base material.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the lever is provided before the start of the holding and fixing of the holding member to the base material and at the end of the holding and fixing after moving by a predetermined amount together with the base material in the holding and fixing state. A release mechanism is provided for pressing the portion to release the holding portion.

According to the above configuration, before the clamping portion starts clamping and fixing to the base material, the movement of the clip pushes the lever portion to release the clamping portion. In this state, the clip further moves and moves to the lever portion. When the pressing is released, the holding portion holds and fixes the base material. In addition, in the pinch-fixed state, when the clip has been moved by a predetermined amount together with the base material, when the clip end is completed, the movement of the clip presses the lever portion to release the pinch portion, and the pinch fixation to the base material is released. .

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the sixth aspect of the invention, the release mechanism includes a pressing portion that is pressed against the lever portion by the movement of the clip.

According to the above configuration, the clip is moved by moving the clip so that the lever portion comes into contact with the pressing portion and is pressed, whereby the holding portion is released.

[0025]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 relates to an embodiment of the present invention, in which an electrode sheet 21 is conveyed upward in a vertical drying furnace similar to that shown in FIG. The state is shown. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

The electrode sheet 21 constitutes a base material composed of a flexible band-shaped sheet having a surface coated with a coating liquid.
An electrode mixture as a coating liquid is applied to both sides by a coating machine (not shown) arranged below in FIG. In the vertical drying furnace, an electrode sheet 2 is supplied from an air blowing nozzle (not shown).
Hot air is blown onto both the front and back surfaces of 1 to dry the applied electrode mixture. On both side edges in the width direction of the electrode sheet 21, non-coated portions 21a to which the electrode mixture is not applied are formed, and the non-coated portions 21b are also provided at two places from the center.
Are formed. A coating film 21c is formed between the non-coating portions 21a and 21b.

In the process of transporting the electrode sheet 21 upward, the non-coated portion 21a is fixed and held by a plurality of clips 23 as fixing means. Clip 23
Is attached to the roller chain 25 with the attachment arranged on the side of the electrode sheet 21 over the entire length thereof. It is assumed that the roller chain 25 is disposed in substantially the entire region from the lower end to the upper end in the vertical drying furnace. Therefore, the fixing to the electrode sheet 21 by the clip 23 is performed over almost the entire area from the vicinity of the lower entrance to the vicinity of the upper exit in the vertical drying furnace.

As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 3, the clip 23 is provided on a base portion 29 whose base end is fixed to an attachment 27 projecting outward from the side surface of the roller chain 25, and on the base portion 29. A pivoting part 33 that pivots on the bracket 29a via the pin 31;
And a torsion coil spring 35 as urging means for urging the rotating part 33 to rotate clockwise in FIG. The fixing of the base portion 29 to the attachment 27 may be performed by a fastener, or may be performed by a magnet.

The turning portion 33 is urged by the torsion coil spring 35 to turn in the clockwise direction, so that the base portion 2 is rotated.
The electrode sheet 21 is sandwiched and fixed from both sides by the respective end portions of the rotating portion 9 and the rotating portion 33. Therefore, each of the front ends serves as a holding portion 37 for the electrode sheet 21. On the other hand, a portion of the rotating portion 33 opposite to the holding portion 37 constitutes a lever portion 39, which is pressed from above in FIG. 3 against the urging force of the torsion coil spring 35. By pressing and rotating counterclockwise about the pin 31, the holding and fixing by the holding portion 37 is released.

The roller chain 25 includes a motor 4 with a speed reducer.
1 and a driven sprocket 43 disposed on the lower side in FIG. 1 and a driven sprocket 45 disposed above the driven sprocket 45 in conjunction with a motor 41 with a speed reducer. The motor 41 with a reduction gear is driven in synchronization with the movement of the electrode sheet 21 to move the roller chain 25 in the direction of arrow C at the same speed as the electrode sheet 21. Therefore, the portion of the roller chain 25 on the electrode sheet 21 side is
The clip 23 attached to the roller chain 25 also moves in the same direction and at the same speed as the electrode sheet 21,
It moves upward in synchronization with the electrode sheet 21.

The motor 41 with a speed reducer is fixed to an appropriate part in the vertical drying furnace, and the driven sprocket 4
As for 5, the rotary support shaft (not shown) is fixed to an appropriate part in the vertical drying furnace. When the ambient temperature in the vertical drying furnace does not hinder the driving of the motor 41 with a speed reducer, the driven sprocket 45 is disposed on the lower side in FIG. 41 can be connected to a drive sprocket 43. Further, the motor 41 with the reduction gear is connected to both the driving sprocket 43 and the driven sprocket 45,
The driving can be synchronized.

In the vicinity of the driving sprocket 43 and the driven sprocket 45, the holding portion 3 of the clip 23 is provided.
Clip release mechanisms 47 and 49 are provided to cause the release and pinching operation of the roller 7 along with the movement operation of the roller chain 25, respectively. The clip release mechanisms 47 and 49 are shown in the enlarged view of the arrow D in FIG. 1 (FIG. 4).
As shown in FIG. 5 (see FIG. 5), a fixing bracket 51 having one end fixed to an appropriate portion in the vertical drying furnace is provided. I have.

The fixing bracket 51 has one end fixed to a fixing portion 55 in the vertical drying oven, and the other end side extending in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the electrode sheet 21, a base end 51 a, and a base end 5.
1a, an arm portion 51b extending parallel to the surface of the electrode sheet 21 toward the vicinity between the driving sprocket 43 or the driven sprocket 45 and the electrode sheet 21, and the moving direction of the electrode sheet 21 from the tip of the arm portion 51b. And a button holder 51c extending in the same direction.

The clipping button 53 is fixed to the surface of the holding section 55 of the button holding section 51c on the fixing portion 55 side, and is on the movement locus of the lever section 39 of the clip 23 accompanying the movement of the roller chain 25. A release slope 53a, a release maintaining surface 53b, and a return slope 53c that are in sliding contact with each other are provided, and these constitute a pressing portion that presses the lever portion 39. The release maintaining surface 53b is formed substantially parallel to the surface of the electrode sheet 21, and the release slope 53a and the return slope 53c are formed to be inclined with respect to the release maintaining surface 53b.

The release slope 53a presses the lever 39 when the lever 39 abuts on the clip 23 shown in FIG. 3 so that the lever 39 resists the torsion coil spring 35 as shown in FIG. It rotates counterclockwise inside to release the clamping operation by the clamping section 37. Release maintaining surface 53b
Keeps the pressing operation on the lever portion 39 and keeps the holding portion 37 released by the release slope 53a. The return slope 53c changes the release state of the holding portion 37 maintained by the release maintaining surface 53b to the lever portion 3.
9 is slid and moved to return to the holding state.

Next, the operation will be described. The electrode sheet 21 coated with the electrode mixture on both sides is conveyed upward in FIG. 1 in a vertical drying oven, and driven by a motor 41 with a reduction gear accompanying this conveyance movement, the roller chain 25 circulates in the direction of arrow C. As a result, the roller chain 25 has a portion on the electrode sheet 21 side where the clip 23
At the same time, it moves in the same direction and at the same speed as the electrode sheet 21.

In the course of this movement, the clip 23
When the lever 39 moves along the driving sprocket 43 and enters between the driving sprocket 43 and the electrode sheet 21, the lever portion 39 comes into contact with the release slope 53 a of the clipping button 53 shown in FIG. 4. After the contact, the lever portion 39 slides on the release slope 53a while being pressed by the release slope 53a, so that the torsion coil spring is moved from the clamping state shown in FIG. 3 (the electrode sheet 21 is not clamped at this time). 3 to rotate counterclockwise in FIG.

Further, with the movement of the clip 23 accompanying the movement of the roller chain 25, the lever 23 of the clip 23 slides on the release maintaining surface 53b and the released state is maintained. At this time, the non-coating portion 21a of the electrode sheet 21 enters between the respective ends of the base portion 29 and the rotating portion 33 corresponding to the holding portion 37.

In this state, when the roller chain 25 further moves and the clip 23 moves accordingly, the lever 39 slides on the return slope 53c. As a result, the lever portion 39 gradually releases the pressing operation by the return slope 53c, rotates clockwise in FIG. 3 by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 35, and when the lever 39 is separated from the return slope 53c, the lever 39 in FIG. Thus, the non-coated portion 21a of the electrode sheet 21 is clamped and fixed in the clamped state.

As described above, the plurality of clips 23 mounted on the roller chain 25 are released immediately before approaching the electrode sheet 21, and then the non-coated portions 21a are sequentially clamped and fixed, and the clipped and fixed portions are fixed. As it is, it moves integrally with the electrode sheet 21 toward the driven sprocket 45 side.

Clip 2 holding and fixing electrode sheet 21
3 approaches the driven sprocket 45 and the lever 39
When it comes into contact with the release slope 53a shown in FIG. 5 and rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3 in the same manner as in FIG. 4, the holding and fixing of the holding portion 37 to the electrode sheet 21 is released. Thereafter, when the lever portion 39 reaches the return slope 53c via the release maintaining surface 53b, the lever portion 39 is pushed by the torsion coil spring 35 and rotates clockwise in FIG.
Reference numeral 3 denotes a state in which the electrode sheet 21 is not pinched and is in a pinched and fixed state, and the roller chain 25
, And again reaches the driving sprocket 43 side, and the same operation as described above is repeatedly performed.

As described above, the clip 23 clamps and fixes the electrode sheet 21 to the non-coated portion 21a as shown in FIG.
This is performed on the left and right side edges, so that the electrode sheet 21 is reliably prevented from swaying even when dry air is blown from both sides by an air blowing nozzle (not shown). As a result, the coating film thickness in the vertical drying furnace becomes uniform, and not only the adverse effect on the coating surface is avoided, but also a normal coating operation is performed in the coating process in the coating machine.

Since the shaking is suppressed by fixing the electrode sheet 21 with the clip 23, a higher-speed drying air can be blown to improve the drying efficiency. As a result, the furnace length of the vertical drying furnace can be improved. Can be set shorter, which is more advantageous in terms of preventing shaking, and can also achieve downsizing of the vertical drying oven.

For example, by applying a commercially available clip with a back magnet as office supplies as the clip 23, a new design and manufacturing operation is not required, and the electrode sheet 21 can be fixed and held at lower cost. it can.

The roller chain 2 wound around the driving sprocket 43 and the driven sprocket 45
5. Motor 41 with reduction gear for driving roller chain 25
And the clip release mechanisms 47 and 49
In order to cope with the width dimension, the position can be changed in the left-right direction in FIG.

[0047]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the base material having the coating liquid applied to the surface thereof is transported vertically in the vertical drying furnace. Since both side edges are fixed by the fixing means, even when high-speed drying air is blown, the shaking of the substrate can be reliably suppressed, and the coating film thickness can be made uniform and the drying efficiency can be improved. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of fixing means are provided along the moving direction of the base material on the moving body extending in the moving direction of the base material and moving in synchronization with the base material. Therefore, by the movement of the moving body, the plurality of fixing means can move in synchronization with the base material while fixing the base material, thereby suppressing the vibration of the base material.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, since the movable body is constituted by an endless body, a plurality of fixing means are repeatedly and synchronously moved with respect to the base material by the orbital movement of the endless body. Can be suppressed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the endless body is formed of a chain, the plurality of fixing means provided on the chain move synchronously with the base material by the circular movement of the chain. As a result, the vibration of the base material can be suppressed.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the fixing means includes a holding portion for holding and fixing the base material from both sides, an urging means for performing the holding operation of the holding portion, and a holding portion for holding the holding portion with respect to the base material. The fixing is constituted by a clip having a lever portion which is released by being rotated about the pin against the urging force of the urging means, and such a clip can use a commercially available off-the-shelf product. No new design and manufacturing work is required,
Swaying of the base material can be suppressed at lower cost.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the lever portion is pressed to press the holding portion before the holding and fixing of the base material by the holding portion and at the end of the holding and fixing after moving by a predetermined amount together with the base material in the holding and fixing state. Since the release mechanism for releasing the clip is provided, the release and pinching operation by the clip can be easily performed by pressing the lever portion.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the pressing portion of the release mechanism presses the lever portion of the clip, so that the clip holding portion can be easily released.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus for preventing a substrate from swaying in a vertical drying furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a clip used in the substrate sway prevention device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view on arrow D of the clip release mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view on arrow E of the clip release mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure inside a vertical drying furnace according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 21 electrode sheet (base material) 21a non-coated portion (widthwise side edges) 23 clip (fixing means) 25 roller chain (endless body, moving body) 31 pin 35 torsion coil spring (biasing means) 37 holding section 39 Lever portions 47, 49 Clip release mechanism (release mechanism) 53a Release slope (pressing section) 53b Release maintaining surface (pressing section) 53c Return slope (pressing section)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3L113 AA02 AB02 AC08 AC35 AC42 AC45 AC46 AC48 AC51 AC54 AC57 AC63 AC64 AC76 BA26 BA32 DA01 DA06 DA07 DA10 DA14 4K050 AA05 BA16 CA15 CG00 5H016 AA02 BB02 BB09

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vertical drying furnace for vertically transporting a substrate made of a flexible belt-like sheet having a surface coated with a coating liquid, and drying the coating liquid in the vertical transport process. The apparatus for preventing a substrate from swaying in a vertical drying oven, wherein the substrate sway preventing device further comprises fixing means for moving the substrate in accordance with the transfer of the substrate while fixing and holding both side edges in the width direction of the substrate. apparatus. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of fixing means are provided along a moving direction of the base material on a moving body that is extended along the moving direction of the base material and moves in synchronization with the base material. The apparatus for preventing a substrate from swaying in a vertical drying furnace according to claim 1. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the movable body is an endless body. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the endless body is formed of a chain. 5. A fixing means comprising: a holding portion for holding and fixing a base material from both sides; an urging means for performing a holding operation of the holding portion; The vertical drying oven according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a clip having a lever portion that is released by being rotated against the urging force of the urging means. Substrate sway prevention device. 6. A release mechanism for pressing the lever portion to release the holding portion before the holding and fixing of the holding member to the base material by the holding portion and at the end of the holding and fixing after moving by a predetermined amount together with the base material in the holding and fixing state. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the substrate is prevented from swaying. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the release mechanism includes a pressing portion that is pressed by the movement of the clip so that the lever portion abuts.