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EP-4742341-A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ELECTRODE PLATE FOR SECONDARY BATTERY

EP4742341A1EP 4742341 A1EP4742341 A1EP 4742341A1EP-4742341-A1

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing an electrode plate for a secondary battery, the apparatus including a welding unit contacting an electrode plate, the electrode plate including a stack of a plurality of substrates, the welding unit being configured to weld the plurality of substrates in a thickness direction, resulting in a welded surface, a coating unit configured to apply an insulating material onto the welded surface of the electrode plate, resulting in a coated insulating material, a welded-surface imaging unit outside the electrode plate, the welded-surface imaging unit being configured to capture an image of the welded surface, and a control unit electrically connected to the coating unit and the welded-surface imaging unit, the control unit being configured to receive, from the welded-surface imaging unit, information about the welded surface and move the coating unit above the electrode plate.

Inventors

  • JUN, PILGOO
  • LEE, JUNSUB

Assignees

  • SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250917

Claims (15)

  1. An apparatus (1) for manufacturing an electrode plate (10) for a secondary battery, the apparatus (1) comprising: a welding unit (200) contacting an electrode plate (10), the electrode plate (10) including a stack of a plurality of substrates (10a, 10b), the welding unit (200) being configured to weld the plurality of substrates (10a, 10b) in a thickness direction, resulting in a welded surface (WS); a coating unit (400) configured to form a coating layer (CL) by applying an insulating material (IM) onto the welded surface (WS) of the electrode plate (10); a welded-surface imaging unit (300) outside the electrode plate (10), the welded-surface imaging unit (300) being configured to capture an image of the welded surface (WS); and a control unit (500) electrically connected to the coating unit (400) and the welded-surface imaging unit (300), the control unit (500) being configured to receive, from the welded-surface imaging unit (300), information about the welded surface (WS) and move the coating unit (400) with respect to the electrode plate (10).
  2. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the welding unit (200) is an ultrasonic welding unit.
  3. The apparatus (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising a coating-layer imaging unit (700) outside the electrode plate (10), the coating-layer imaging unit (700) being configured to capture an image of the coating layer (CL).
  4. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit (500) is configured to receive, from the coating-layer imaging unit (700), information about the coating layer (CL) and to control operation of the coating unit (400).
  5. The apparatus (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising a drying unit (600) configured to apply heat (H) to the coating layer (CL), resulting in a dried coating layer (CL).
  6. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a drying-amount measuring unit (800) outside the electrode plate, the drying-amount measuring unit (800) being configured to capture an image of the dried coating layer (CL).
  7. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit (500) receives, from the drying-amount measuring unit (800), information on a drying amount of the coating layer (CL), the control unit (500) controlling operation of the drying unit (600).
  8. The apparatus (1) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the welding unit (200) comprises: an anvil (210) facing one side of the electrode plate (10); and a horn (250) facing the anvil (210) with the electrode plate (10) therebetween, the horn (250) being configured to weld the electrode plate (10) by applying ultrasonic waves while pressing the electrode plate (10) on the anvil (210).
  9. A method of manufacturing an electrode plate (10) for a secondary battery, the method preferably being performed by an apparatus (1) configured according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising: transporting an electrode plate (10) formed by stacking a plurality of substrates (10a, 10b); welding, by a welding unit (200), the electrode plate (10) in a thickness direction along a transport direction of the electrode plate (10); applying, by a coating unit (400), an insulating material (IM) onto a welded surface (WS) formed on the welded electrode plate (10); capturing, by a welded-surface imaging unit (300), an image of the welded surface (WS) of the electrode plate (10); and receiving, by a control unit (500), information about the welded surface (WS) from the welded-surface imaging unit (300), the control unit (500) controlling the coating unit (400) to move with respect to the electrode plate (10).
  10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the welding unit (200) welds the plurality of substrates (10a, 10b) by ultrasonic welding.
  11. The method as claimed in any of claims 9 or 10, further comprising applying heat (H) to the insulating material (IM) applied on the electrode plate (10) after passing through the coating unit (400).
  12. The method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, further comprising capturing, by a coating-layer imaging unit (700) disposed outside the electrode plate (10), an image of a coating layer formed on the electrode plate (10) after passing through the coating unit (400).
  13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control unit (500) receives information about the captured image and controls operation of the coating unit (400).
  14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising measuring a drying amount of a coating layer (CL) formed on the electrode plate (10) after having undergone the applying heat (H).
  15. The method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 14, wherein welding the electrode plate (10) in a thickness direction comprises: positioning an anvil (210) to face one side of the electrode plate (10); and positioning a horn (250) to face the anvil (210) with the electrode plate (10) disposed therebetween, and applying ultrasonic waves by the horn (250) to weld the electrode plate (10) on the anvil (210) while pressing the electrode plate (10).

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method of manufacturing an electrode plate for a secondary battery. 2. Description of the Related Art Secondary batteries, which are capable of repeated charging and discharging, have recently been applied across various technical fields including electrical, electronic, communication, and computer industries. Secondary batteries are not only widely used as energy sources for mobile electronic devices such as digital cameras, cellular phones, and notebook computers, but have also garnered attention as energy sources for hybrid electric vehicles, which have been proposed as a solution to address air pollution caused by conventional gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines using fossil fuels. Research is being conducted in various aspects to improve performance and stability of secondary batteries according to their usage patterns and consumption levels. The information disclosed in the background art is provided only to enhance understanding of the background of the present disclosure and thus may include information that does not constitute prior art. SUMMARY Embodiments include an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode plate for a secondary battery, the apparatus including a welding unit contacting an electrode plate, the electrode plate including a stack of a plurality of substrates, the welding unit being configured to weld the plurality of substrates in a thickness direction, resulting in a welded surface, a coating unit configured to apply an insulating material onto the welded surface of the electrode plate, resulting in a coated insulating material, a welded-surface imaging unit outside the electrode plate, the welded-surface imaging unit being configured to capture an image of the welded surface, and a control unit electrically connected to the coating unit and the welded-surface imaging unit, the control unit being configured to receive, from the welded-surface imaging unit, information about the welded surface and move the coating unit above the electrode plate. The welding unit may be an ultrasonic welding unit. The apparatus may further include a drying unit configured to apply heat to the coated insulating material, resulting in a dried insulating material. The apparatus may further include a coating-layer imaging unit outside the electrode plate, the coating-layer imaging unit being configured to capture an image of the coated insulating material. The control unit may be configured to receive, from the coating-layer imaging unit, information about a coating layer and to control operation of the coating unit. The apparatus may further include a drying-amount measuring unit outside the electrode plate, the drying-amount measuring unit being configured to capture an image of the dried insulating material. The control unit may receive, from the drying-amount measuring unit, information on a drying amount of a coating layer, the control unit controlling operation of the drying unit. The welding unit may include an anvil facing one side of the electrode plate, and a horn facing the anvil with the electrode plate therebetween, the horn being configured to weld the electrode plate by applying ultrasonic waves while pressing the electrode plate on the anvil. The anvil and the horn may contact the electrode plate, each of the anvil and the horn being rotatable around a preset axis of rotation. The welding unit may include a plurality of welding units, the plurality of welding units being on opposite sides about a transfer central axis of the electrode plate. Embodiments include a method of manufacturing an electrode plate for a secondary battery, the method including transporting an electrode plate formed by stacking a plurality of substrates, welding, by a welding unit, the electrode plate in a thickness direction along a transport direction of the electrode plate, applying, by a coating unit, an insulating material onto a welded surface formed on the welded electrode plate, capturing, by a welded-surface imaging unit, an image of the welded surface of the electrode plate, and receiving, by a control unit, information about the welded surface from the welded-surface imaging unit, the control unit moving the coating unit above the electrode plate. The welding unit may weld the plurality of substrates by ultrasonic welding. The method may further include applying heat to the insulating material applied on the electrode plate after passing through the coating unit. The method may further include capturing, by a coating-layer imaging unit disposed outside the electrode plate, an image of a coating layer formed on the electrode plate after passing through the coating unit. The control unit may receive information about an imaged coating layer and controls operation of the coating unit. The method may further include measuring a drying amount of a coating layer formed on the electrode plate after having undergone the applying h