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EP-4738500-A1 - APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY

EP4738500A1EP 4738500 A1EP4738500 A1EP 4738500A1EP-4738500-A1

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly may include a base frame, a stack table disposed on the base frame, a separator supply device configured to supply a separator in a zigzag configuration to the stack table, the separator supply device configured to reciprocate in a horizontal direction relative to the base frame, the separator comprising an adhesive layer, a first electrode supply device configured to dispose a first electrode on the separator while moving in a first direction, a second electrode supply device configured to dispose a second electrode on the separator while moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a heating device configured to heat the separator to activate the adhesive layer such that the separator adheres to the first electrode or the second electrode.

Inventors

  • LEE, SUN WOO

Assignees

  • SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251009

Claims (15)

  1. An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly, comprising: a base frame (210); a stack table (220) disposed on the base frame (210); a separator supply device (300) configured to supply a separator (30) in a zigzag configuration to the stack table (220), the separator supply device (300) configured to reciprocate in a horizontal direction relative to the base frame (210), the separator (30) comprising an adhesive layer; a first electrode supply device (411) configured to dispose a first electrode (10) on the separator (30) by a movement in a first direction (D1); a second electrode supply device (421) configured to dispose a second electrode (20) on the separator (30) by movement in a second direction (D2) opposite to the first direction (D1); and a heating device configured to heat the separator (30) to activate the adhesive layer such that the separator (30) adheres to the first electrode (10) or the second electrode (20).
  2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises a heating wire heater (510) or a high-frequency induction heating device (520) disposed on the base frame (210).
  3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating device comprises an infrared lamp (530) disposed on the base frame (210), wherein the stack table (220) comprises an infrared transmitting portion (221) comprising an infrared-transparent material.
  4. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the separator supply device (300) comprises: a supply frame (320) disposed above the base frame (210); a separator supply roller (310) configured to supply the separator (30) to the supply frame (320); a support roller (330) disposed on the supply frame (320) and configured to support movement of the separator (30); a moving frame (340) configured to reciprocate in the horizontal direction with respect to the base frame (210); a nip roller (350) disposed on the moving frame (340) and configured to move the separator (30); and a guide roller (360) disposed on the moving frame (340) and configured to supply the separator (30) from the nip roller (350) to the stack table (220).
  5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heating device comprises an infrared lamp (530) disposed on the moving frame (340), wherein the infrared lamp comprises: a first infrared lamp (541) disposed on one side of the moving frame (340); and a second infrared lamp (542) disposed on another side of the moving frame (340).
  6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first infrared lamp (541) is configured to emit infrared radiation to the separator (30) in the case that the moving frame (340) moves in the first direction (D1), wherein the second infrared lamp (542) is configured to emit infrared radiation to the separator (30) in the case that the moving frame (340) moves in the second direction (D2).
  7. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the heating device comprises a heating wire heater (510) disposed on the guide roller (360).
  8. A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly, comprising: disposing a separator (30) in a zigzag configuration on a stack table (220) on a base frame (210) by a separator supply device (300) reciprocating in a horizontal direction relative to the base frame (210), the separator (30) comprising an adhesive layer; alternately disposing a first electrode (10) and a second electrode (20) on the separator (30); and heating the separator (30) to activate the adhesive layer such that the separator (30) adheres to the first electrode (10) and/or the second electrode (20).
  9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the alternately disposing comprises: disposing the first electrode (10) on the separator (30) and moving the separator supply device (300) in a first direction (D1); and disposing the second electrode (20) on the separator (30) and moving the separator supply device (300) in a second direction (D2) opposite to the first direction (D1).
  10. The method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the heating comprises: heating the stack table (220) by operating a heating wire heater (510) or a high-frequency induction heating device (520) disposed on the base frame (210).
  11. The method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the heating comprises: heating the stack table (220) by emitting infrared radiation to the stack table (220) by operating an infrared lamp (530) disposed on the base frame (210).
  12. The method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the separator supply device (300) comprises: a supply frame (320) disposed above the base frame (210); a separator supply roller (310) configured to supply the separator (30) to the supply frame (320); a support roller (330) disposed on the supply frame (320) and configured to support movement of the separator (30); a moving frame (340) configured to reciprocate in the horizontal direction with respect to the base frame (210); a nip roller (350) disposed on the moving frame (340) and configured to move the separator (30); and a guide roller (360) disposed on the moving frame (340) and configured to supply the separator (30) from the nip roller (350) to the stack table (220).
  13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the heating comprises: heating the separator (30) on the stack table (220) by emitting infrared radiation to the separator (30) by operating the infrared lamp (530) disposed on the moving frame (340).
  14. The method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the heating comprises: emitting infrared radiation to the separator (30) by operating a first infrared lamp (541) disposed on one side of the moving frame (340) when the moving frame (340) moves in the first direction (D1); and emitting infrared radiation to the separator (30) by operating a second infrared lamp (542) on the other side of the moving frame (340) when the moving frame (340) moves in a second direction (D2) opposite to the first direction (D1).
  15. The method as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 13, wherein the heating comprises: heating the guide roller (360) by operating a heating wire heater (510) disposed on the guide roller (360).

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly and a method for manufacturing the electrode assembly. Description of the Related Art While primary batteries are not designed to be (re)charged, secondary (also known as rechargeable) batteries are designed to be discharged and recharged. Among secondary batteries, low-capacity secondary batteries are widely used in portable, small electronic devices, such as smart phones, feature phones, notebook computers, digital cameras, and camcorders, while high-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as power sources for driving motors in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, as well as for storing power (e.g., home and/or utility scale power storage). A secondary battery generally includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case accommodating both electrodes, and electrode terminals connected to the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly may be configured with a separator disposed between positive and negative plates. The electrode assembly may be manufactured by alternately supplying the positive plate and the negative plate in opposite directions with the separator therebetween while stacking the separator in a zigzag shape. In this manner, the electrode assembly is manufactured in a Z-stack shape, and the stacked structure including the separator, the positive plate, and the negative plate, may become distorted or collapsed. The information disclosed in this Background section is for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present disclosure. The section may contain information that does not constitute related (or prior) art. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly and a method for manufacturing the electrode assembly. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly may include a base frame, a stack table on the base frame, a separator supply device that supplies a separator including an adhesive layer in a zigzag shape to the stack table while reciprocating in a horizontal direction, a first electrode supply device that disposes a first electrode on the separator disposed by the separator supply device moving in a first direction, a second electrode supply device that disposes a second electrode on the separator disposed by the separator supply device moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a heating device that heats the separator such that the separator may be adhered to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode while the adhesive layer may be melted. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode assembly including: a base frame; a stack table disposed on the base frame; a separator supply device configured to supply a separator in a zigzag configuration to the stack table, the separator supply device configured to reciprocate in a horizontal direction relative to the base frame, the separator including an adhesive layer; a first electrode supply device configured to dispose a first electrode on the separator while moving in a first direction; a second electrode supply device configured to dispose a second electrode on the separator while moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a heating device configured to heat the separator to activate the adhesive layer such that the separator adheres to the first electrode or the second electrode. In some embodiments, the heating device may include a heating wire heater disposed on the base frame. In some aspects, the heating wire heater heats the stack table. In some embodiments, the heating device includes a heating wire heater disposed on or embedded in the base frame. In some embodiments, the heating device may include a high-frequency induction heating device disposed on the base frame. In some aspects, the high-frequency induction heating device heats the stack table by induction heating. In some embodiments, the heating device includes a high-frequency induction heating device disposed on the base frame. In some embodiments, the heating device may include an infrared lamp disposed on the base frame. In some aspects, the infrared lamp emits light to the stack table to heat the stack table. In some embodiments, the heating device includes an infrared lamp disposed on the base frame. In some embodiments, the stack table may include a light transmitting portion that may be formed of a transparent material to allow the light emitted from the infrared lamp to pass through. In some embodiments, the stack table includes an infrared transmitting portion comprising an infrared-transparent material. In some embodiments, the separator supply device may include a supply frame disposed on the base frame. In some embodiments, the separator supply device may incl