阅读说明：本技术 制造电极的方法 (Method for manufacturing electrode ) 是由 李泽秀 梁郑敏 崔相勳 金哲佑 于 2018-11-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：披露了一种制造电极的方法。根据本发明,可在使浪费的电极活性材料的量最小化的同时通过简单的工艺制造具有不规则形状的电极。为了实现上述目的,根据本发明,在集流体上彼此间隔开形成第一至第三涂覆区域,在第一涂覆区域与第二涂覆区域之间形成多个第四涂覆区域,并且在第二涂覆区域与第三涂覆区域之间形成多个第五涂覆区域,其中当从集流体的宽度方向上的一侧观察时,多个第四涂覆区域和多个第五涂覆区域彼此错开。(A method of manufacturing an electrode is disclosed. According to the present invention, an electrode having an irregular shape may be manufactured through a simple process while minimizing the amount of wasted electrode active material. In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, first to third coating regions are formed on a current collector to be spaced apart from each other, a plurality of fourth coating regions are formed between the first coating region and the second coating region, and a plurality of fifth coating regions are formed between the second coating region and the third coating region, wherein the plurality of fourth coating regions and the plurality of fifth coating regions are staggered from each other when viewed from one side in a width direction of the current collector.)

1. A method of manufacturing an electrode, the method comprising:

a current collector preparation step for preparing a current collector;

a coating step of applying an electrode active material on a surface of the current collector; and

a cutting step of cutting the current collector to manufacture a plurality of electrodes,

wherein the coating step comprises:

forming first, second, and third coating regions on the current collector, the first, second, and third coating regions having first (L1), second (L2), and third (L3) lengths, respectively, corresponding to each other, and being spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the current collector;

forming a plurality of fourth coating regions, each of the plurality of fourth coating regions having a fourth length (L4) less than the first length and being spaced apart from each other in a length direction of the current collector and disposed between the first coating region and the second coating region; and

forming a plurality of fifth coating regions, each of the plurality of fifth coating regions having a fifth length (L5) smaller than the third length and being spaced apart from each other in a length direction of the current collector and disposed between the second coating region and the third coating region,

wherein the plurality of fourth coating regions and the plurality of fifth coating regions are staggered from each other when viewed from one side in a width direction of the current collector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutting step comprises: cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes respectively include a portion of two of the first, second, and third coating regions, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions or one of the plurality of fifth coating regions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first coated region and the third coated region has a width that is greater than a width of the second coated region.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the cutting step comprises:

cutting the current collector such that a non-coating portion not coated with the electrode active material is formed on the plurality of electrodes,

wherein, after the cutting step, when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the first coating region, a portion of the second coating region, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions, the non-coating portion is formed by a non-coating region between the second coating region and the third coating region, and when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the second coating region, a portion of the third coating region, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions, the non-coating portion is formed by a non-coating region between the first coating region and the second coating region.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the cutting step comprises: cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes are coated with the electrode active material on all areas except the non-coating portion.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the cutting step comprises:

cutting the current collector such that a notch portion recessed toward the first coating region is formed in the plurality of electrodes when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the first coating region, a portion of the second coating region, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions; and

cutting the current collector such that a notch portion recessed toward the third coating region is formed in the plurality of electrodes when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the second coating region, a portion of the third coating region, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating step comprises:

forming the plurality of fourth coating regions such that the plurality of fourth coating regions are connected to the first coating region and the second coating region; and

forming the plurality of fifth coating regions such that the plurality of fifth coating regions are connected to the second coating region and the third coating region.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cutting step comprises: cutting the current collector such that regions of the plurality of electrodes coated with the electrode active material have an L shape.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cutting step comprises:

cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes comprises: a portion of the first coating region having a first width (W1), a fourth coating region of the plurality of fourth coating regions connected to the portion of the first coating region and having a second width (W2) less than the first width, and a portion of the second coating region connected to a fourth coating region of the plurality of fourth coating regions and having the second width; or

Cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes comprises: a portion of the third coating region having a first width (W1), a fifth coating region of the plurality of fifth coating regions connected to the portion of the third coating region and having a second width (W2) less than the first width, and a portion of the second coating region connected to a fifth coating region of the plurality of fifth coating regions and having the second width.

Technical Field

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims the benefit of korean patent application No. 10-2018-.

Background

An electrode assembly is provided in a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. The electrode assembly has a structure in which positive electrodes, separators, and negative electrodes are alternately disposed to receive (charge) electric energy from the outside or supply (discharge) electric energy to the outside.

As the variety and miniaturization of electronic devices are diversified, the shape of secondary batteries is required to be diversified as compared with secondary batteries according to the related art. Therefore, the shape of the electrode assembly also needs to have an irregular shape, as compared to the electrode assembly according to the related art.

For this reason, the shape of the electrodes constituting the electrode assembly must also be irregular. For example, in order to manufacture a secondary battery having an L shape, the electrode assembly must also have an L shape. Therefore, it is necessary to manufacture an L-shaped electrode.

For this, according to the related art, the electrode is first cut into a rectangular shape, and then a portion of the electrode is cut off to finally manufacture the L-shaped electrode. Alternatively, two kinds of rectangular electrodes having different sizes from each other are manufactured and then attached to each other to finally manufacture the L-shaped electrode. However, in the case of the first method, there is an electrode active material that is not used in the electrode assembly but is discarded, resulting in material waste. In the case of the second method, both electrodes must be manufactured through separate processes, and thus, the process of manufacturing the electrodes becomes complicated.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to manufacture an electrode having an irregular shape through a simple process while minimizing the amount of wasted electrode active material.

Technical scheme

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electrode, the method including: a current collector preparation step for preparing a current collector; a coating step of applying an electrode active material on a surface of the current collector; and a cutting step of cutting the current collector to manufacture a plurality of electrodes, wherein the coating step includes: forming first, second, and third coating regions on the current collector, the first, second, and third coating regions having first (L1), second (L2), and third (L3) lengths, respectively, corresponding to each other, and being spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the current collector; forming a plurality of fourth coating regions, each of the plurality of fourth coating regions having a fourth length (L4) less than the first length and being spaced apart from each other in a length direction of the current collector and disposed between the first coating region and the second coating region; and forming a plurality of fifth coating regions each having a fifth length (L5) smaller than the third length and spaced apart from each other in a length direction of the current collector and disposed between the second coating region and the third coating region, wherein the plurality of fourth coating regions and the plurality of fifth coating regions are staggered from each other when viewed from one side in a width direction of the current collector.

The cutting step may include: cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes respectively include a portion of two of the first, second, and third coating regions, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions or one of the plurality of fifth coating regions.

Each of the first and third coated regions may have a width greater than a width of the second coated region.

The cutting step may include: cutting the current collector such that a non-coating portion, which is not coated with an electrode active material, is formed on the plurality of electrodes, wherein, after the cutting step, the non-coating portion is formed of a non-coating region between the second coating region and the third coating region when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the first coating region, a portion of the second coating region, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions, and the non-coating portion is formed of a non-coating region between the first coating region and the second coating region when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the second coating region, a portion of the third coating region, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions.

The cutting step may include: cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes are coated with the electrode active material on all areas except the non-coating portion.

The cutting step may include: cutting the current collector such that a notch portion recessed toward the first coating region is formed in the plurality of electrodes when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the first coating region, a portion of the second coating region, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions; and cutting the current collector when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the second coating region, a portion of the third coating region, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions, such that a notch portion recessed toward the third coating region is formed in the plurality of electrodes.

The coating step may include: forming the plurality of fourth coating regions such that the plurality of fourth coating regions are connected to the first coating region and the second coating region; and forming the plurality of fifth coating regions such that the plurality of fifth coating regions are connected to the second coating region and the third coating region.

The cutting step may include: cutting the current collector such that regions of the plurality of electrodes coated with the electrode active material have an L shape.

The cutting step may include: cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes comprises: a portion of the first coating region having a first width (W1), a fourth coating region of the plurality of fourth coating regions connected to the portion of the first coating region and having a second width (W2) less than the first width, and a portion of the second coating region connected to a fourth coating region of the plurality of fourth coating regions and having the second width; or cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes comprises: a portion of the third coating region having a first width (W1), a fifth coating region of the plurality of fifth coating regions connected to the portion of the third coating region and having a second width (W2) less than the first width, and a portion of the second coating region connected to a fifth coating region of the plurality of fifth coating regions and having the second width.

Advantageous effects

According to the present invention, an electrode having an irregular shape may be manufactured through a simple process while minimizing the amount of wasted electrode active material.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a state in which first to third coating regions are formed on a current collector in a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating a state where a fourth coating region is formed in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating a state where a fifth coating region is formed in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a state where all of the first to fifth coating regions are formed in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Method for manufacturing electrode

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a state in which first to third coating regions are formed on a current collector in a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating a state in which fourth coating regions are formed in a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating a state in which fifth coating regions are formed in a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, and fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a state in which all of the first to fifth coating regions are formed in a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention.

Although the first to third, fourth and fifth coating regions are formed on the current collector in fig. 1 to 3, this is merely for convenience of describing the present invention. Further, this does not indicate the order of forming the first to fifth coating regions in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention. That is, the contents of the present invention should not be construed to include only the configurations based on the first to fifth coating regions shown in fig. 1 to 3, i.e., the states in which the first to third coating regions, the fourth coating region and the fifth coating region are separately formed through separate processes.

Referring to the drawings based on the above, a method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention may include: a current collector preparation step of preparing the current collector 100; a coating step of applying an electrode active material on the surface of the current collector 100; and a cutting step of cutting the current collector 100 to manufacture a plurality of electrodes. Hereinafter, the surface area of the current collector 100 coated with the electrode active material may be divided and thus referred to as first to fifth coating regions 210, 220, 230, 240 and 250. Hereinafter, the coating step in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention will be described in detail.

In the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, the coating step may include a process of forming the first to fifth coating regions 210, 220, 230, 240 and 250 on the surface of the current collector, on which the electrode active material is applied.

Here, as shown in fig. 1, the first coated region 210 may have a first length L1. Similarly, the second coated region 220 and the third coated region 230 may have a second length L2 and a third length L3, respectively.

The first to third coating regions 210, 220, and 230 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the current collector 100. Further, the first coating region 210 and the third coating region 230 may have the same width, and the second coating region 220 of the first to third coating regions 210, 220, and 230 may have the smallest width. That is, each of the first and third coating regions 210 and 230 may have a width greater than that of the second coating region 220. However, unlike this configuration, the first to third coating regions 210, 220 and 230 may have the same width or may have different widths from each other.

Further, the first length L1 of the first coating region 210, the second length L2 of the second coating region 220, and the third length L3 of the third coating region 230 may correspond to each other. For example, the first length L1 of the first coated region 210, the second length L2 of the second coated region 220, and the third length L3 of the third coated region 230 may be the same. Here, "the first to third lengths correspond to each other" may mean that the first to third lengths are similar or substantially the same as each other.

Referring to fig. 2 and 4, a fourth coating region 240 may be formed between the first coating region 210 and the second coating region 220. Here, as shown in fig. 2 and 4, the fourth coating region 240 may be provided in plurality in the length direction of the current collector 100 and may be spaced apart from each other. Here, the fourth length L4, which is the length of one of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240, may be less than the first length L1 of the first coating region 210. Further, the plurality of fourth coating regions may have the same length.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, a fifth coating region 250 may be formed between the second coating region 220 and the third coating region 230. Here, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, the fifth coating region 250 may be provided in plurality in the length direction of the current collector 100 and may be spaced apart from each other. Here, the fifth length L5, which is the length of one of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250, may be less than the third length L3 of the third coating region 230. Further, the plurality of fifth coating regions may have the same length.

Each of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 may have the same shape and size as each of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250. For example, each of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 may have the same width and length L4 as the width and length L5 of each of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250.

In the coating step, a plurality of fourth coating regions 240 may be formed to be connected to the first and second coating regions 210 and 220. Similarly, in the coating step, the fifth coating region 250 may be formed to be connected to the second coating region 220 and the third coating region 230. Herein, the coated regions being connected to each other may be interpreted as meaning that the coated regions are not spaced apart from each other.

Further, in the coating step, the plurality of fourth and fifth coating regions 240 and 250 may be formed to be staggered from each other. In more detail, in the coating step of the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 and the plurality of fifth coating regions 250 may be formed to be staggered from each other when viewed from one side in the width direction of the current collector 100. For example, the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 and the plurality of fifth coating regions 250 may be formed to be staggered from each other without overlapping each other when viewed from one side of the current collector 100 in the width direction. Here, "not overlapping each other" may mean that when the virtual lines IL (see fig. 5) parallel to the width direction of the current collector 100 are randomly drawn, the random virtual lines IL do not simultaneously pass through the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 and the plurality of fifth coating regions 250.

As described above, the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention may include a cutting step of cutting the current collector 100 to manufacture a plurality of electrodes. Hereinafter, the cutting step of the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention will be described in detail.

The cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector 100 such that the plurality of electrodes manufactured by the cutting step respectively include: a portion of two of the first through third coating regions 210, 220, and 230, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 or one of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250. In fig. 5, an example of a cutting line is shown in a dotted line, the cutting line being a line that cuts the current collector in the cutting step according to the present invention to manufacture a plurality of electrodes. For example, as shown in fig. 5, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes includes: a portion of the first coating region 210, a portion of the second coating region 220, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240, or a portion of the second coating region 220, a portion of the third coating region 230, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250.

According to the present invention, after the cutting step, a plurality of electrodes each having an irregular shape can be manufactured. In particular, as described above, in the coating step, the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 may be connected to the first coating region 210 and the second coating region 220, and the plurality of fifth coating regions 250 may be connected to the second coating region 220 and the third coating region 230. In this case, therefore, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector such that the regions of the plurality of electrodes coated with the electrode active material have an L shape as shown in fig. 5.

In particular, each region of the plurality of electrodes manufactured through the cutting step, on which the electrode active material is coated, may have a shape of: a large rectangle having a first width W1 and a small rectangle having a second width W2 smaller than the first width W1 are combined with each other.

That is, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector 100 such that the plurality of electrodes includes: a portion of the first coated region 210 having a first width W1, one of the fourth coated regions 240 connected to the portion of the first coated region 210 and having a second width W2 less than the first width W1, and a portion of the second coated region 220 connected to one of the fourth coated regions 240 and having a second width W2. In this case, among the plurality of electrodes, a large rectangle having a first width W1 is a part of the first coating region 210 having a first width W1, and a small rectangle having a second width W2 has a shape of: one of the plurality of fourth coating regions having the second width W2 and a portion of the second coating region 220 having the second width W2 are combined with each other. The second width W2 may be a length of each of the plurality of the above-described fourth coating regions 240, i.e., a fourth length L4.

Alternatively, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector 100 such that the plurality of electrodes includes: a portion of the third coating region 230 having the first width W1, a fifth coating region of the fifth coating regions 250 connected to the portion of the third coating region 230 and having a second width W2 less than the first width W1, and a portion of the second coating region 220 connected to a fifth coating region of the fifth coating regions 250 and having a second width W2. In this case, among the plurality of electrodes, a large rectangle having a first width W1 is a part of the third coating region 230 having a first width W1, and a small rectangle having a second width W2 has a shape of: one of the fifth coating regions having the second width W2 and a portion of the second coating region 220 having the second width W2 are combined with each other. The second width W2 may be a length of each of the plurality of the above-described fifth coating regions 250, i.e., a fifth length L5.

Unlike this, however, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector such that the plurality of electrodes have three widths. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector 100 such that the plurality of electrodes includes: a portion of the first coating region 210 having a first width W1, one of the fourth coating regions 240 connected to the portion of the first coating region 210 and having a second width W2 less than the first width W1, and a portion of the second coating region 220 connected to one of the fourth coating regions 240 and having a third width W3 (not shown) less than the second width W2. Further, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector 100 such that the plurality of electrodes include: a portion of the third coating region 230 having the first width W1, one of the fifth coating regions 250 connected to the portion of the third coating region 230 and having the second width W2 less than the first width W1, and a portion of the second coating region 220 connected to one of the fifth coating regions 250 and having the third width W3 less than the second width W2 (not shown). A plurality of electrodes manufactured according to another embodiment of the present invention may have a stepped shape formed with a plurality of stepped portions.

It is necessary to form an electrode tab on the manufactured electrode. The electrode tab formed on the electrode is configured to electrically connect the electrode to the outside. When charging or discharging, a current flows through the electrode tab.

To this end, the cutting step of the present invention may include a process of cutting the current collector to form the non-coating portion serving as the electrode tab. That is, in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector 100 such that the non-coating portion 310, which is not coated with the electrode active material, is formed on the plurality of electrodes.

Here, after the cutting step, as shown in fig. 5, the non-coating portion 310 may be formed of the non-coating region 300 between the first and second coating regions 210 and 220 or the non-coating region 300 between the second and third coating regions 220 and 230.

That is, as shown in fig. 5, after the cutting step, when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the first coating region 210, a portion of the second coating region 220, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240, the non-coating portion 310 may be formed of the non-coating region 300 between the second coating region 220 and the third coating region 230, and when the plurality of electrodes include a portion of the second coating region 220, a portion of the third coating region 230, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250, the non-coating portion 310 may be formed of the non-coating region 300 between the first coating region 210 and the second coating region 220.

A plurality of electrodes manufactured by the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention may be coated with an electrode active material on all regions except the non-coated portion. That is, in the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention, the cutting step may include a process of cutting the current collector such that the electrode active material is applied to all regions of the plurality of electrodes except the non-coating portion 310. Here, "the electrode active material is applied to all regions of the plurality of electrodes except the non-coating portion 310" may be interpreted as meaning that both faces except the non-coating portion where the electrode active material is applied to the plurality of electrodes are entirely, but does not mean that the electrode active material must be uniformly applied to the thickness region of the plurality of electrodes.

As shown in fig. 5, a notch portion 400 may be formed in a plurality of electrodes manufactured by the method of manufacturing an electrode according to the present invention. Here, the notch part 400 may be formed in a region where the first coating region 210 and the plurality of fourth coating regions 240 are connected to each other, or may be formed in a region where the third coating region 230 and the plurality of fifth coating regions 250 are connected to each other.

In more detail, when the plurality of electrodes includes a portion of the first coating region 210, a portion of the second coating region 220, and one of the plurality of fourth coating regions 240, the notch portion 400 may have a shape recessed toward the first coating region 210. When the plurality of electrodes includes a portion of the second coating region 220, a portion of the third coating region 230, and one of the plurality of fifth coating regions 250, the notch portion 400 may have a concave shape toward the third coating region 230. The notch portion 400 may be formed by a cutting step.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.