JP-2026514516-A - Tab guide alignment device and method for aligning tab guides using the same

Abstract

According to an exemplary embodiment, a tab guide alignment device is provided. The device includes a first rail and an alignment block coupled to the rail, the alignment block including a second rail configured to move in a first direction relative to the first rail and a tab guide contact portion coupled to the second rail. [Selection Diagram] Figure 2

Inventors

• シム，ソンジュン
• アン，ヘリョン
• キム，キョンジュ

Assignees

• エルジー エナジー ソリューション リミテッド

Dates

Publication Date

20260511

Application Date

20250102

Priority Date

20240105

Claims (15)

1. The first rail and Includes an alignment block coupled to the first rail, The alignment block is a tab guide alignment device comprising a second rail configured to move in a first direction relative to the first rail, and a tab guide contact portion coupled to the second rail.
2. The tab guide alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the tab guide contact portion is configured to align the tab guides of an ultrasonic welding apparatus.
3. The tab guide alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the alignment block further includes an alignment contact portion coupled to the second rail.
4. The tab guide contact portion protrudes in the first direction relative to the alignment contact portion, as described in claim 3.
5. The tab guide alignment device according to claim 1, further comprising a position adjuster interposed between the second rail and the tab guide contact portion, and coupled to each of the second rail and the tab guide contact portion.
6. The tab guide alignment device according to claim 5, wherein the position adjuster is configured to move the tab guide contact portion in a second direction.
7. The tab guide alignment device according to claim 3, further comprising a vernier caliper coupled to the aforementioned alignment contact portion.
8. The vernier caliper indicates the position of the alignment contact portion, as described in claim 7 of the tab guide alignment device.
9. The first step is to align the tab guide, Steps include moving the tab guide contact portion, The steps include aligning the second tab guide, A method for aligning tab guides, the step of aligning the first tab guides includes adjusting the position of the first tab guides in a first direction so that the first tab guides contact the tab guide contact portion of the alignment block of the tab guide alignment device.
10. The tab guide alignment device further includes a first rail, The alignment block is connected to the first rail, The alignment block includes a second rail configured to move in a first direction relative to the first rail, The tab guide contact portion is coupled to the second rail, a method for aligning tab guides according to claim 9.
11. The alignment block further includes an alignment contact portion coupled to the second rail, The method for aligning tab guides according to claim 10, wherein the tab guide contact portion further protrudes in the first direction relative to the alignment block.
12. A method for aligning a tab guide according to claim 11, further comprising the step of aligning the datum block by bringing the alignment contact portion into contact with the datum block.
13. The method for aligning tab guides according to claim 12, wherein the alignment contact portion is aligned before the first tab guide is aligned.
14. The method for aligning a tab guide according to claim 9, wherein the step of moving the tab guide contact portion includes moving the tab guide contact portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
15. The method for aligning a tab guide according to claim 9, wherein the step of aligning the second tab guide includes adjusting the position of the second tab guide in the first direction so that the second tab guide contacts the tab guide contact portion.

Description

The technical concept of this invention relates to a tab guide alignment device and a method for aligning tab guides using the same. This application claims the benefit of Korean application No. 10-2024-0001963, filed on January 5, 2024, which is herein by reference in its entirety. Unlike primary batteries, rechargeable batteries can be charged and discharged multiple times. Rechargeable batteries are widely used as an energy source for a variety of wireless devices, such as handsets, laptops, and wireless vacuum cleaners. In recent years, improvements in energy density and economies of scale have dramatically reduced the manufacturing costs of electric-powered vehicles (HEVs) and battery-powered vehicles (BEVs). As the driving range of BEVs increases to levels comparable to fuel-powered vehicles, the primary application of rechargeable batteries is shifting from mobile devices to mobility. Battery cells are the most fundamental units of rechargeable batteries, and improving their mechanical and electrical performance is the most effective and core element in improving the performance of rechargeable batteries. This is a drawing illustrating a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.A perspective view illustrating a tab guide alignment device according to another exemplary embodiment.This is a perspective view illustrating the alignment block of a tab guide alignment device.This is a flowchart illustrating a method for aligning tab guides according to an exemplary embodiment.This is a perspective view illustrating a method for aligning tab guides according to an exemplary embodiment. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. As a premise, terms and words used herein and in the claims should not be interpreted in a manner limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but rather in a manner consistent with the technical idea of the present invention, based on the principle that inventors may appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to best describe their own invention. Therefore, the embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the drawings represent only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the entire technical concept of the invention; thus, a variety of equivalents and modifications may exist that can substitute for them at the time of filing. Furthermore, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the invention, such detailed description will be omitted. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the invention to a person of ordinary skill; therefore, the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or shown schematically for the sake of clearer explanation. Accordingly, the sizes and proportions of each component do not fully reflect their actual sizes and proportions. (First embodiment: apparatus) Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a secondary battery manufacturing apparatus 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. According to an exemplary embodiment, the secondary battery manufacturing apparatus 100 can be configured to weld the electrode tabs ET of the electrode assembly EA. According to an exemplary embodiment, the secondary battery manufacturing apparatus 100 can weld the electrode tabs ET using ultrasound. Since incomplete welding of the tabs ET can cause a decrease in the capacity of the battery cell containing the electrode assembly EA, welding of the tabs ET is one of the core steps determining the performance of the electrode assembly EA. The secondary battery manufacturing apparatus 100 may include a fixed module 110, a first tab guide 121, a second tab guide 123, and a processing module 130. The fixed module 110 may include a support plate 111 and a pressurizing device 113. The processing module 130 may include a horn 133 and an anvil 131. An electrode assembly EA can include multiple electrodes. Each of these electrodes may be either a positive or negative electrode. This allows each of the electrodes in the electrode assembly to include either a positive or negative electrode tab. Therefore, the electrode assembly EA can include multiple electrode tabs ET. According to an exemplary embodiment, welding by the secondary battery manufacturing apparatus 100 may be pre-welding. In recent years, the increasing energy density of secondary batteries has led to a significant increase in the number of electrodes to be welded, with dozens or more electrode tabs ET being welded simultaneously. To reliably weld a large number of electrode tabs ET, the welding of multiple electrode tabs ET may involve two steps: pre-welding and main welding. As a non-limiting example, pre-welding may be ultrasonic welding, and main welding may be laser