Search

EP-4108614-B1 - TAPE ATTACHMENT APPARATUS

EP4108614B1EP 4108614 B1EP4108614 B1EP 4108614B1EP-4108614-B1

Inventors

  • LEE, YOUNG SOO
  • LEE, JIN SOO
  • HWANG, HONG JU
  • LEE, SEUNG HOO

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210706

Claims (7)

  1. A tape attachment apparatus comprising: a tape supply unit (200) suitable to provide a tape (252) to be attached to a tip of an electrode roll (10); a tape attachment unit (100) configured to attach the tape (252) provided by the tape supply unit (200) to the electrode roll (10); and a frame (300) configured to mount the tape attachment unit (100), wherein the tape attachment unit (100) comprises: a mounting portion (110) configured to mount the tape attachment unit (100) to the frame (300); an attachment portion (120) configured to suction the tape (252) supplied by the tape supply unit (200) and to attach the tape (252) to the electrode roll (10); and a transfer portion (130) configured to transfer the attachment portion (120) from the tape supply unit (200) to the electrode roll (10), wherein the attachment portion (120) comprises: an upper end portion (121) configured to be rotated about a rotary shaft; an extension portion (122) connected to the upper end portion (121) and having an adjustable length; and a suction portion (123) configured to suction the tape (252), characterized in that the suction portion (123) is configured to have a structure in which a surface of the suction portion (123) to which the tape (252) is attached is deformable from a flat surface to a curved surface.
  2. The tape attachment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tape supply unit (200) comprises: an unwinding roll (210) configured to withdraw a tape sheet, the tape sheet including a tape body (252) attached to a tape substrate (251); and a rewinding roll (220) configured to rewind the tape substrate (251) from which the tape body (252) is separated.
  3. The tape attachment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sensor (400) configured to sense the tip of the electrode roll (10) is mounted to the frame (300).
  4. The tape attachment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a rotary roll, to which the electrode roll (10) is mounted, rotates the electrode roll (10) such that the sensor (400) senses the tip of the electrode roll (10).
  5. The tape attachment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame (300) comprises a structure capable of moving in a direction toward the electrode roll (10).
  6. The tape attachment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame (300) comprises a touch roll (320) configured to increase adhesive force of the tape (252) attached to the electrode roll (10).
  7. The tape attachment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when the touch roll (320) contacts a surface of the electrode roll (10), the electrode roll (10) to which the tape (252) is attached is rotated to abut the touch roll (320).

Description

[Technical Field] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0087018 filed on July 14, 2020. The present invention relates to a tape attachment apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus capable of automatically attaching a tape attached to an electrode roll without a worker in order to prevent unwinding of the electrode roll. [Background Art] A lithium secondary battery, which is capable of being charged and discharged, is appropriately used as a built-in battery cell, since it is unnecessary to replace a battery cell, and functional improvement, such as stability improvement and capacity increase, has been rapidly achieved. Accordingly, kinds of devices to which the lithium secondary battery is applied have gradually increased. For example, the lithium secondary battery has been used as an energy source for wireless mobile devices, which are small multifunctional products, or wearable devices, which are worn on bodies, and has also been used as an energy source for electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles presented as alternatives to existing gasoline and diesel vehicles, which cause air pollution. An electrode assembly of the lithium secondary battery is classified depending on the structure of an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a separator, and a negative electrode. Typically, the electrode assembly includes a stacked type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which one or more positive electrode plates and one or more negative electrode plates are stacked in the state in which a separator is interposed therebetween, a stacked and folded type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which stacked type unit cells, each of which includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, are wound using a separation sheet, a laminated and stacked type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which stacked type unit cells, each of which includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, are stacked in the state in which a separator is interposed therebetween, and a jelly-roll type electrode assembly, which is configured to have a structure in which a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet are wound in the state in which a separator is interposed therebetween. A process of manufacturing an electrode including the positive electrode and the negative electrode includes a step of coating the remaining part of an electrode sheet wound in the form of a roll, excluding a part at which an electrode tab is to be formed, with an electrode agent, a step of drying and rolling the electrode agent, a step of slitting the electrode sheet, and a step of notching the slit electrode sheet into unit electrodes. In order to prevent unwinding of the electrode roll during manufacture of the electrode, the electrode roll is stored and transported in the state in which a tape is attached to a start portion or an end portion of the electrode roll. In addition, the tape must be removed such that the electrode roll, to which the tape is attached, is unwound so as to be used in an electrode manufacturing process. A worker is needed in order to attach and remove the tape. However, the state in which the tape is attached and removed may not be uniform depending on skill of the worker, which may delay the electrode manufacturing process. In connection therewith, JP 2001-167757 A discloses a tape attachment apparatus that attaches a tape to each of the front surface and the rear surface of an electrode sheet. In the tape attachment apparatus according to the JP 2001-167757 A, a tape is suctioned into suction holes by suction force of an adhesive head, whereby irregularities are formed at the surface of the tape, and air bubbles are generated between the electrode sheet and the tape by the irregularities, which causes occurrence of defective products in a battery manufacturing process. In order to solve the above problem, JP 2001-167757 A discloses a tape attachment apparatus and method for attaching a tape to a portion at which electrode sheets are connected to each other in the state in which the electrode sheets are disposed side by side, but neither discloses nor teaches a method of attaching a tape to an electrode roll having an electrode sheet wound therearound in order to prevent unwinding of the electrode roll. Therefore, there is a high necessity for an apparatus capable of attaching a tape to an electrode roll in order to prevent unwinding of the electrode roll, wherein the apparatus is applicable to the electrode roll irrespective of the size of the electrode roll and is capable of automatically attaching the tape to the electrode roll without a worker. Further prior art is described in JP S59 118649 A, JP 2001-206623 A, CN 111 332 847 A and JP H08 295441 A. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem] The present invention has been made in view of the above