KR102719058B1 - Electrode reel ejection device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device that enables smooth removal by entry of a pushing unit by sufficiently widening the gap between the electrode reels in advance during the process of removing a plurality of electrode reels that are installed adjacent to each other on a cantilever-shaped shaft one by one.
It is characterized by comprising a main body frame configured in a form including a pair of vertical supports and a pair of horizontal supports, a first linear actuator installed horizontally on each of the horizontal supports, and a moving unit installed so as to be able to move in both directions using a horizontal guide, a clamping unit that performs an operation of pulling a core alone in conjunction with the moving unit, and a pushing unit that performs an operation of pushing a core of an electrode reel alone in conjunction with the moving unit after the operation of the clamping unit.

Description

Electrode reel ejection device

The present invention relates to a device for removing an electrode reel, and more specifically, to a device for removing a plurality of electrode reels, which are mounted adjacent to each other on a cantilever-shaped shaft, one by one by sufficiently increasing the gap between the electrode reels in advance so that smooth removal can be performed by entry of a pushing unit.

In general, electrode reels used in the production process of secondary batteries are large in volume and heavy, making it virtually impossible to transport them by manpower, and storing or transporting them by stacking them on the floor is not appropriate.

Accordingly, it is most desirable to store or transport a number of electrode reels mounted on a horizontally installed cantilever-shaped shaft, and various types of devices capable of handling electrode reels in this manner have been designed and used in the field.

In addition, a device may be needed to transfer an electrode reel mounted on a cantilever-shaped shaft for storage purposes to another shaft for transportation purposes or vice versa, and with regard to such a device, a “reel extraction device for reel-to-reel production equipment” has been proposed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2455349.

That is, the invention of the above-mentioned Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2455349 proposes an invention regarding a device that prevents damage to the electrode reel and enables extraction from the shaft by moving a forceps that wraps around the core of the electrode reel in horizontal and inclined directions.

However, recently, as the area of the electrode wound on the bobbin increases, the area of the electrode reel core exposed to the outside decreases, and as described above, the problem of making it difficult to remove (extract) the electrode reel by holding and pulling the core has arisen.

That is, in order to remove a considerable weight of an electrode reel by holding and pulling the core, a sufficient area must be formed for holding and pressing the core. However, the exposed area of the electrode reel core according to recent trends does not form a sufficient area for pressing.

Therefore, during the process of removing the electrode reel, there may be a situation where the tongs continue to miss the core, and the problem of work delays will inevitably continue to occur.

In addition, for the same reason as above, the space between the two electrode reels, which are installed adjacent to each other on the cantilever-shaped shaft, is formed very narrow, so that sufficient space for working cannot be secured, and thus the problem of removing the electrode reel by pushing the core occurs, making it virtually difficult.

As described above, as the area of the electrode wound on the bobbin increases, it has become difficult to remove the electrode reel by holding and pulling the core or pushing the core as in the past. Therefore, a new device is required to solve this problem and enable smooth removal of the electrode reel.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2455349 (October 12, 2022)

The electrode reel removal device according to the present invention is an invention proposed for the purpose of solving the above problems.

To summarize again, as the area of the electrode wound on the bobbin increases, the area of the electrode reel core exposed to the outside decreases, and at the same time, the space between the two electrode reels mounted adjacent to each other on the cantilever-shaped shaft cannot but be formed very narrow.

Accordingly, since it has become difficult to remove the electrode reel by pulling and holding the core as before, and to remove the electrode reel by pushing the core, the purpose of this invention is to present a solution to this problem.

The present invention aims to achieve the above-mentioned purpose,

The present invention relates to an electrode reel removal device, characterized in that it comprises: a main body frame configured to include a pair of vertical supports installed adjacent to the end of the above-described removal line and forming a space therebetween in which a transport cart waits, and a pair of horizontal supports positioned above the removal line; a moving unit installed to be able to move in both directions using a first linear actuator and a horizontal guide, each of which is installed horizontally on the pair of horizontal supports; a clamping unit having a clamper for holding a core of an electrode reel, and being installed in a state in which the clamper can be raised and lowered using a second linear actuator vertically installed on one side of the above-described removal unit, and performing an operation to pull the core alone in conjunction with the moving unit; and a pushing unit having a push bar corresponding to the core of the electrode reel, and being installed in a state in which the push bar can be raised and lowered using a third linear actuator vertically installed on the other side of the above-described removal unit, and performing an operation to push the core alone in conjunction with the moving unit after the operation of the clamping unit.

The electrode reel removal device according to the present invention is:

Since the apparatus is configured so that the gap between the electrode reels can be sufficiently widened using a clamping unit in advance during the process of removing a plurality of electrode reels, which are installed adjacent to each other on a cantilever-shaped shaft, one by one, the effect of enabling the electrode reels to be removed smoothly by the entry of the pushing unit in the subsequent process is generated.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electrode reel removal device according to the present invention.
Figures 2a to 2e are flowcharts showing a process of removing an electrode reel using an electrode reel removing device according to the present invention.
Figures 3a and 3b are flowcharts showing the process in which the clamping unit constituting the electrode reel removal device according to the present invention holds the core of the electrode reel.
Figures 4a to 4d are exemplary diagrams showing operational examples of various sensors provided for the purpose of preventing damage during the process of removing the electrode reel from the electrode reel.
Figure 5 is an example diagram showing a state in which a risk of damage to an electrode reel is detected by a sensor.
Figure 6 is an exemplary drawing showing in detail the configuration of a pushing unit constituting an electrode reel removal device according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to an electrode reel removal device installed adjacent to an electrode reel removal line,

A main body frame (100) configured to include a pair of vertical supports (101) installed adjacent to the end of the above-described export line (10) and forming a space therebetween in which a transport cart waits, and a pair of horizontal supports (102) positioned above the above-described export line (10); a moving unit (110) installed so as to be able to move in both directions using a first linear actuator (111) and a horizontal guide (112) installed horizontally on each of the above-described pair of horizontal supports (102); a clamping unit (120) having a clamper (121) that performs a motion to hold a core of an electrode reel, and being installed so as to be able to elevate the clamper (121) using a second linear actuator (122) installed vertically on one side of the moving unit (110), and performing a motion to pull the core alone in conjunction with the moving unit (110); And, it is characterized by including a pushing unit (130) that performs an operation of pushing the core alone in conjunction with the moving unit (110) after the operation of the clamping unit (120), while being installed in a state where the push bar (131) corresponding to the core of the electrode reel can be raised and lowered using a third linear actuator (132) installed vertically on the other side of the moving unit (110).

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

First, as shown in Fig. 1, the main body frame (100) is a ‘ㄱ’ shaped structure installed adjacent to the electrode reel discharge line (10), forms a space in the lower part where a transport cart (20) waits, and allows the moving unit (110), clamping unit (120), and pushing unit (130) to be installed above the discharge line (10).

That is, the main body frame (100) is configured to include a pair of vertical supports (101) that are installed parallel to each other to form a space between which a transport cart (20) waits, and a pair of horizontal supports (102) that are installed parallel to each other at a certain height using the pair of vertical supports (101). A pair of vertical supports (101) is positioned at the end of a straight-line (10) and a pair of horizontal supports (102) is positioned above the end, so that the electrode reel can be smoothly removed.

To this end, the above pair of vertical supports (101) should be formed to have a length that exceeds the height of the top of the electrode reel that is transported along the export line (10) while mounted on a cantilever-shaped shaft, and should be installed at a distance from each other so that the transport cart (20) can enter and the electrode reel can pass through easily.

In addition, a pair of horizontal supports (102) should be installed horizontally using the above pair of vertical supports (101), and a support bar can be installed horizontally to connect the ends of two horizontal supports (102) spaced apart from each other by a certain distance, thereby providing structural reinforcement.

Accordingly, by installing the moving unit (110), clamping unit (120), and pushing unit (130) for removing the electrode reel on the main body frame (100), the occurrence of a problem in which the horizontal support (102) bends under the load is prevented, thereby enabling stable operation.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the moving unit (110) is a device configured to be able to reciprocate on the top of the main body frame (100) while simultaneously supporting the clamping unit (120) and the pushing unit (130) for removing the electrode reel.

At this time, the moving unit (110) is installed in a form that can move in both directions by using a first linear actuator (111) installed horizontally on one of a pair of horizontal supports (102) and a horizontal guide (112) installed horizontally on the other, so that the positional movement of the clamping unit (120) and the pushing unit (130) for taking out the electrode reel can be performed.

That is, the moving unit (110) is configured to include a first block installed on a first linear actuator (111), a second block installed on a horizontal guide (112), and a horizontal bar whose ends are supported simultaneously by using the first block and the second block, thereby enabling positional movement while stably supporting the clamping unit (120) and the pushing unit (130).

At this time, since the first linear actuator (111) is a known device that has excellent load capacity and can perform precise linear movement, it is possible to implement precise position movement while supporting the loads of the moving unit (110), the clamping unit (120), and the pushing unit (130).

That is, the first linear actuator (111) is configured to include a driving motor, a ball screw, and a linear actuator, and can perform precise linear motion for removing the electrode reel without error.

However, the above horizontal guide (112) may be a device that assists the movement of the moving unit (110) by the first linear actuator (111), and in this case, there is no need to provide a means for generating and transmitting power, such as a driving motor and a ball screw.

However, in this case, considering that the power for moving the moving unit (110) is configured to be generated only on one side, it is preferable to make the width of the linear actuator constituting the first linear actuator (111) wider than the width of the horizontal guide (112), and to make the sizes of the first block and the second block different according to the ratio of the widths so that a difference occurs in the area supporting the horizontal bar.

That is, when the widths of the linear actuator constituting the first linear actuator (111) and the horizontal guide (112) are formed to be the same, and the sizes of the first block and the second block are formed to be the same, when power is generated by the first linear actuator (111), the load is applied unbalancedly on both sides, which may cause various problems, such as not only torsion of the horizontal bar but also a decrease in the precision of movement.

Accordingly, the occurrence of the above-mentioned problem can be prevented by configuring the horizontal guide (112) in the same way as the first linear actuator (111), but if this method is followed, new problems such as increased initial installation cost, complicated control, and increased difficulty in maintenance arise.

For this reason, the present invention adopts a method in which the first linear actuator (111) providing power bears a greater load than the horizontal guide (112), and as a result, the problem of causing twisting of the horizontal bar can be solved, while at the same time, the movement of the first block and the second block can be synchronized without error.

In addition, the clamping unit (120) is a device that performs an operation of independently holding and pulling the core of the electrode reel in conjunction with the moving unit (110), and is characterized by being configured to include a clamper (121) and a second linear actuator (122) for this purpose.

That is, as the electrode reel is manufactured in a form in which the electrode area increases, the area of the electrode reel core exposed to the outside decreases, and at the same time, the space between two adjacent electrode reels becomes very narrow. Therefore, it is impossible to discharge the electrode reel by pulling and holding the core as before, and it is also virtually impossible to discharge the electrode reel by pushing the core.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2a to 2e, the present invention allows the gap between electrode reels mounted adjacent to each other on a cantilever-shaped shaft to be sufficiently widened by using the clamping unit (120), thereby enabling discharge of the electrode reel in a manner of pushing the core thereafter.

More specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the clamping unit (120) is configured to perform an operation of holding and pulling the core alone in conjunction with the moving unit (110) in a state in which it includes a clamper (121) that performs an operation of holding the core of the electrode reel and a second linear actuator (122) that is installed vertically on one side of the moving unit (110) and raises and lowers the clamper (121).

At this time, the clamper (121) is configured to include a forceps capable of holding the core of a cylindrical electrode reel and a driving unit for self-driving of the forceps, and can be controlled according to timing to perform an action of holding or releasing the core of the electrode reel.

Here, the detailed configuration of the above driving unit is specifically described in the prior invention of Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2455349, and therefore, a description thereof will be omitted in the text.

In addition, since the second linear actuator (122) is a known device that is configured to include a driving motor, a ball screw, and a linear actuator, similar to the first linear actuator (111), it is possible to implement the positional movement of the clamper (121) at an accurate height.

In this process, as shown in FIG. 3a, the clamping unit (120) is set to the initial state in which the clamping forceps of the clamper (121) are maximally opened and the second linear actuator (122) is used to raise the clamping unit to the maximum, but as shown in FIG. 3b, the clamping unit (120) is configured to perform a motion to grab the core during the lowering process or to perform a motion to grab the core when the lowering is complete.

That is, a state can be created in which the position of the electrode reel mounted on the shaft can be moved, and immediately, a certain distance of position movement occurs by the moving unit (110), so that the gap between adjacent electrode reels can be separated to a degree that there is no problem with the entry of the pushing unit (130).

Thereafter, the clamping unit (120) returns to the initial setting state before the transfer of the electrode reel by the pushing unit (130) begins.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIGS. 4a to 4d, a reel detect sensor (123) may be installed on one side of the clamping unit (120) to measure the vertical downward distance while the moving unit (110) moves upward of the electrode reel for the purpose of detecting the electrode reel core.

That is, the above reel detect sensor (123) is a distance detection sensor, and can be configured to detect a vertical downward distance while always maintaining the same height in a state where it is directly installed on one side of the second linear actuator (122) constituting the clamping unit (120) or installed using a bracket.

Accordingly, since the reel detect sensor (123) initially continues to measure the distance from the shaft, the distance measurement value remains the same, but as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, when the position of the clamping unit (120) by the moving unit (110) moves, the distance measurement value changes the moment the electrode reel core is positioned vertically downward.

Immediately, a detection signal by a microcontroller installed for the purpose of processing the sensor value can be transmitted to a PLC for motor control of the first linear actuator (111), and the PLC can perform rotation control for a preset number of times from the time of receiving the detection signal, thereby causing the movement to stop in a state where the electrode reel core is positioned vertically below the clamper (121) constituting the clamping unit (120).

In other words, the moving unit (110) is configured to move a preset distance from the point in time when the core of the electrode reel is detected using the reel detect sensor (123) and then stop.

Additionally, a clamper overlap sensor (124) for measuring the distance in the inclined direction for the purpose of detecting the electrode reel may be installed on the other side of the clamping unit (120).

That is, the clamper overlap sensor (124) is also a distance detection sensor, and can be configured to measure the downward distance while installed directly or using a bracket on the upper side of the clamp constituting the clamper (121).

At this time, as shown in Fig. 4c, when the clamp constituting the clamper (121) is correctly positioned vertically above the electrode reel core, the clamper overlap sensor (124) cannot measure the distance to the electrode reel due to the position where it is installed. However, when an error occurs in the position setting of the clamper (121) due to an error in motor control, the clamper overlap sensor (124) can be in a state where it measures the distance to the electrode reel.

In this case, a detection signal from the microcontroller is transmitted to the PLC for motor control of the second linear actuator (122) so that the control for lowering the clamper (121) can be limited.

In this way, the above reel detection sensor (123) is used for the purpose of setting the position of the clamper (121), but the clamper overlap sensor (124) is used for the purpose of preventing accidents due to incorrect position setting, and through this, various types of damage due to damage to the electrode reel can be prevented.

In addition, the pushing unit (130) is a device that performs a movement of pushing the core of the electrode reel in conjunction with the moving unit (110), and is characterized by being configured in a form that includes a push bar (131) and a third linear actuator (132) for this purpose, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

That is, since the gap between the electrode reels mounted on the shaft is sufficiently spaced due to the preceding work by the clamping unit (120), the push bar (131) can enter between them.

Accordingly, the pushing unit (130) sets the push bar (131) to the initial setting state in which it is raised to the maximum using the third linear actuator (132), but as soon as the preceding work by the clamping unit (120) is performed, the push bar (131) can be lowered to contact or be in a state adjacent to the end face of the core.

That is, it is possible to achieve a state in which the position of the electrode reel can be moved by pushing the end face of the core, and immediately, a certain distance of position movement occurs by the moving unit (110), so that the electrode reel can be transported in the direction in which the transport cart (20) is waiting.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c, a first pusher overlap sensor (133) that measures the vertical downward distance for the purpose of detecting an electrode reel core and a second pusher overlap sensor (134) that measures the vertical downward distance for the purpose of detecting another electrode reel core may be installed on one side of the pushing unit (130).

That is, both the first pusher overlap sensor (133) and the second pusher overlap sensor (134) are distance detection sensors, and can be configured to detect the downward distance while always maintaining the same height in a state where they are installed in a form in which they protrude in the same direction using brackets of different lengths on one side of the third linear actuator (132) constituting the pushing unit (130).

More specifically, the first pusher overlap sensor (133) may be installed so as to be positioned above the opposite core when the clamper (121) is positioned vertically above the electrode reel core, and the second overlap sensor may be installed so as to be positioned above the other adjacent electrode reel when the clamper (121) is positioned vertically above the electrode reel core.

At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 4b, the first pusher overlap sensor (133) and the second pusher overlap sensor (134) can be configured to start distance measurement from the moment when detection of the electrode reel core by the reel detect sensor (123) occurs.

Accordingly, the first pusher overlap sensor (133) initially continuously measures the distance to the electrodes forming the electrode reel, so the distance measurement value remains the same. However, at the stage where the position movement of the pushing unit (130) by the moving unit (110) is completed, as shown in FIG. 4c, the electrode reel core is positioned downward, so the distance measurement value changes.

In addition, the first pusher overlap sensor (133) may be configured to start distance measurement from the moment when detection of the electrode reel by the reel detect sensor (123) occurs, and in this case, since the first pusher overlap sensor (133) initially continues to measure the distance to the electrode reel core, the distance measurement value may be maintained the same.

However, in the process of moving the position of the electrode reel by the moving unit (110) and the clamping unit (120), if the electrode reel does not move sufficiently, the electrode reel core is not positioned below the first pusher overlap sensor (133).

In this state, if the push bar (131) is lowered, a collision between the electrode reel and the push bar (131) may occur, so the microcontroller may be configured to control the lowering of the push bar (131) only in a situation where the core of the electrode reel is detected using the first pusher overlap sensor (133).

In addition, the second pusher overlap sensor (134) is configured to counteract the phenomenon in which the electrode reel moves to another electrode reel due to friction between cores during the process in which the electrode reel's position is moved by the moving unit (110) and the clamping unit (120), and can be configured to operate simultaneously with the first pusher overlap sensor (133) or operate with a time difference to measure the distance to another electrode reel or another electrode reel core.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 4d, in the case where movement of the electrode reel by the clamping unit (120) occurs normally, the second pusher overlap sensor (134) measures the distance from the shaft, but in the case where a phenomenon as shown in FIG. 5 occurs, no change occurs in the distance measurement value.

In this state, if the push bar (131) is lowered, a collision between the electrode reels on both sides and the push bar (131) may occur, so the microcontroller may be configured to limit the lowering of the push bar (131) in a situation where the core of another electrode reel is detected using the second pusher overlap sensor (134).

Accordingly, in a situation where there is an error in the positioning of the push bar (131) or where there is not enough space between adjacent electrode reels for the entry of the push bar (131), the descent of the push bar (131) can be restricted, thereby preventing various types of damage due to damage to the electrode reel.

The embodiments introduced above are provided as examples so that the technical idea of the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and may be embodied in other forms.

In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not related to the explanation are omitted from the drawings, and in the drawings, the width, length, thickness, etc. of components may be expressed in an exaggerated or reduced form for convenience.

Additionally, identical reference numbers throughout the specification represent identical components.

10: Export line
11 : Shaft
20 : Cargo
100: Body frame → 101: Vertical support
→ 102 : Horizontal support
110: Moving unit → 111: First linear actuator
→ 112 : Horizontal guide
120: Clamping unit → 121: Clamper
→ 122 : 2nd linear actuator
→ 123 : Reel Detect Sensor
→ 124 : Clamper Overlap Sensor
130: Pushing Unit → 131: Push Bar
→ 132 : 3rd linear actuator
→ 133: 1st pusher overlap sensor
→ 134: 2nd pusher overlap sensor
Electrode reel: R
Core: C
Shaft: S

Claims (5)

In an electrode reel removal device installed adjacent to an electrode reel removal line (10),
A main body frame (100) configured to include a pair of vertical supports (101) installed adjacent to the end of the above-mentioned export line (10) and forming a space between which a transport cart (20) waits, and a pair of horizontal supports (102) positioned above the export line (10);
A moving unit (110) installed so as to be able to move in both directions using a first linear actuator (111) and a horizontal guide (112) installed horizontally on one of the above pair of horizontal supports (102);
A clamping unit (120) that performs a motion to independently pull the core in conjunction with the moving unit (110) while being installed in a state where the clamper (121) is capable of being raised and lowered using a second linear actuator (122) installed vertically on one side of the moving unit (110), and having a clamper (121) that performs a motion to hold the core of the electrode reel; and,
An electrode reel removal device characterized by comprising: a pushing unit (130) configured to independently push the core in conjunction with the moving unit (110) after the operation of the clamping unit (120), wherein the pushing unit (131) is provided with a push bar (131) corresponding to the core of the electrode reel and is installed so as to be able to raise and lower the push bar (131) using a third linear actuator (132) installed vertically on the other side of the moving unit (110).
In the first paragraph,
The above moving unit (110) is,
In the process of moving upwards on the electrode reel,
An electrode reel removal device characterized in that it is configured to move a preset distance from the point at which the core of the electrode reel is detected and then stop using a reel detection sensor (123) that measures the vertical downward distance while installed on one side of the clamping unit (120).
In the first paragraph,
The above clamping unit (120) is
An electrode reel removal device characterized in that it is configured to limit the descent of the clamper (121) in a situation where the electrode reel is detected by using a clamper overlap sensor (124) that measures the downward distance while installed above the clamper (121).
In the first paragraph,
The above pushing unit (130) is
An electrode reel removal device characterized in that the push bar (131) is controlled to descend only in a situation where the core of the electrode reel is detected by using a first pusher overlap sensor (133) that measures the downward distance while the clamper (121) is installed so as to be positioned above the opposite core when it is positioned vertically above the electrode reel core.
In paragraph 4,
The above pushing unit (130) is
An electrode reel removal device characterized in that the second pusher overlap sensor (134) is used to measure the downward distance while the clamper (121) is installed so as to be positioned above another adjacent electrode reel core when it is positioned vertically above the electrode reel core, and is configured to limit the descent of the push bar (131) in a situation where the core of another electrode reel is detected.