阅读说明：本技术 用于电池单元的折叠工艺的定径辊设备 (Sizing roller device for folding process of battery unit ) 是由 郑钟弘 金相珍 于 2021-04-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了一种用于电池单元的折叠工艺的定径辊设备,该定径辊设备包括：工作台,该工作台固定和支撑电池单元；基板,该基板被设置在工作台的侧面；多个定径辊,多个定径辊被设置在基板上,并且每个定径辊具有朝向电池单元的折叠部分向内倾斜的旋转轴,以按照与折叠部分接触的方式挤压的电池单元的折叠部分；以及多个空气喷嘴,多个空气喷嘴被设置在基板上并向多个定径辊喷射空气。(Disclosed is a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell, the sizing roller apparatus including: a table fixing and supporting the battery unit; a substrate disposed at a side of the table; a plurality of sizing rollers provided on the base plate and each having a rotation shaft inclined inward toward a folded portion of the battery cell to press the folded portion of the battery cell in contact with the folded portion; and a plurality of air nozzles provided on the base plate and ejecting air toward the plurality of sizing rollers.)

1. A sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell, the sizing roller apparatus comprising:

a table fixing and supporting the battery unit;

a substrate disposed at a side of the table;

a plurality of sizing rollers that are provided on the base plate and each have a rotation shaft that is inclined inward toward a folded portion of the battery cell to press the folded portion of the battery cell in contact therewith; and

a plurality of air nozzles disposed on the base plate and ejecting air toward the plurality of sizing rollers.

2. Sizing roller apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is arranged horizontally to be movable inwardly relative to the table and in the longitudinal direction of the table.

3. The sizing roller apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of air nozzles inject air into spaces between the plurality of sizing rollers.

4. Sizing roller apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the table has:

straight bars disposed in parallel with a process direction, the straight bars vacuum-holding and supporting both sides of the bottom of the battery cell in the process direction, and arranged in two rows; and

a transfer rod disposed between the straight rods, vacuum-holding the battery cells under the battery cells, and transferring the battery cells.

5. The sizing roller apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the battery unit is fixed and held on the table and squeezed while moving the plurality of sizing rollers.

6. The sizing roller apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the battery unit is pressed by the plurality of sizing rollers while being moved by the transfer bar.

7. Sizing roller apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

end supports provided at front and rear ends of the base plate, respectively, and extending upward in a longitudinal direction of the table; and

an air supply pipe coupled to a top of the end support to supply air,

wherein the plurality of air nozzles are in communication with the air supply duct and eject the air toward the plurality of sizing rollers.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a sizing roller (sizing roller) apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell, which is capable of improving folding quality of the battery cell by suppressing springback by cooling a plurality of sizing rollers in an air jet type while pressing a folded portion after folding the battery cell.

Background

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure that is not necessarily prior art.

The battery cell has a main chamber region in which an electrode assembly formed by stacking a cathode plate, a separator plate, and an anode plate is received in a pouch and formed in a rectangular shape, and a sealing region (land) formed by sealing the edge of the pouch.

The sealing region prevents dielectric breakdown and is folded several times to minimize the size of the secondary battery cell, which is referred to as a folded portion.

The above-described folded portion may be formed by bending the sealing region at 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, or the like using a plurality of folding units. Such a folded portion of the battery cell is folded several times through a plurality of folding processes, and the resulting folded shape is press-formed through hot pressing of about 190 degrees and then released at high temperature. However, since the state formed at a high temperature of 190 degrees is not a state formed permanently, there is a problem of springback to the initial state.

To solve this problem, springback may be prevented by pressing a folded portion folded in the thickness direction of the battery cell using a plurality of sizing rollers.

However, when the folded portion of the battery cell is kept pressed by the plurality of sizing rollers in contact with the folded portion, the plurality of sizing rollers are heated, and thus there is a problem in that the sizing effect on the folded portion of the battery cell is significantly reduced.

The diameter defining rolls may be arranged to be long (i.e. a plurality of diameter defining rolls may be provided) to solve this problem. However, in this case, not only is the installation cost high, but there is a limitation in preventing the sizing roller from being heated in addition to the time difference. Therefore, there is a problem that the speed (sticking time) of the folding process is reduced.

In addition, in the case of a long-width unit which is long in unit length and has recently received attention, since many sizing rolls are required, there is also a problem that the installation cost is high in this case.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell, which is capable of improving folding quality of the battery cell by suppressing springback by cooling a plurality of sizing rollers in an air jet type while pressing a folded portion after folding the battery cell.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell, which can significantly improve sizing effect since it can rapidly reduce the temperature of a plurality of sizing rollers by injecting air into a space between the rollers while pressing a folded portion inward at an angle using the plurality of sizing rollers when the battery cell is conveyed after the battery cell is folded and pressed at a sealing region of the battery cell.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell, which is capable of reducing the number of sizing rollers, maintaining the speed of the folding process due to the effect of cooling the sizing rollers, and significantly improving the folding quality of the battery cell by preventing the folded portion of the battery cell from rebounding only by having a simple air nozzle after the folding and pressing steps at a plurality of stations (stations) for the folding process of the battery cell.

Technical scheme

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

To solve these problems, a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell disclosed according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure includes: a table fixing and supporting the battery unit; a substrate disposed at a side of the table; a plurality of sizing rollers provided on the base plate and each having a rotation shaft inclined inward toward a folded portion of the battery cell to press the folded portion of the battery cell in contact with the folded portion; and a plurality of air nozzles provided on the base plate and ejecting air toward the plurality of sizing rollers.

In the sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure, the base plate may be horizontally disposed to be movable inward with respect to the table and in a longitudinal direction of the table.

In a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure, a plurality of air nozzles may inject air to a space between a plurality of sizing rollers.

In a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure, the table may have: straight bars disposed in parallel to the process direction, vacuum-holding and supporting both sides of the bottom of the battery cell in the process direction, and arranged in two rows; and a transfer rod disposed between the straight rods, vacuum-holding the battery cells under the battery cells, and transferring the battery cells.

In the sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery unit according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure, the battery unit may be fixed and held on a table and pressed while a plurality of sizing rollers are moved.

In the sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery unit according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure, the battery unit may be pressed by a plurality of sizing rollers while being moved by the transfer bar.

In a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to one of several aspects describing the present disclosure, the sizing roller apparatus may include: end supports provided at front and rear ends of the base plate, respectively, and extending upward in a longitudinal direction of the table; and an air supply pipe coupled to a top of the end support to supply air, wherein the plurality of air nozzles may communicate with the air supply pipe and inject the air to the plurality of sizing rollers.

Advantageous effects

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress springback and improve the folding quality of the battery cell by cooling the plurality of sizing rollers in the air injection type while pressing the folded portion after the process of folding the battery cell.

Further, according to the present disclosure, when the battery cell is conveyed after the sealed region of the battery cell is folded and pressed, air is injected to a space between the plurality of sizing rollers while the folded portion is pressed inward at an angle by the sizing rollers, so that the temperature of the plurality of sizing rollers can be rapidly reduced, thereby remarkably improving the sizing effect.

Furthermore, by preventing the springback of the folded portion of the battery cell only by adding a simple air nozzle after the folding and pressing steps of the plurality of stations for the folding process of the battery cell, it is possible to reduce the number of sizing rollers, maintain the speed of the folding process due to the effect of the cooling sizing rollers, and significantly improve the folding quality of the battery cell.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 to 4 are diagrams exemplarily illustrating a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating vacuum holding and vacuum removal of a table and a transfer bar on which a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is located.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

However, it should be noted that the intrinsic spirit of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments to be described below, but includes a scope that can be easily suggested by those skilled in the art by replacing or changing the embodiments described below on the basis of the intrinsic spirit of the present disclosure.

Further, terms used hereinafter are selected for convenience of description and should be appropriately construed as meanings consistent with the inherent spirit of the present disclosure, not limited to meanings in dictionaries when discovering the spirit of the present disclosure.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, fig. 2 is a perspective view exemplarily showing a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and fig. 3 to 5 are diagrams showing a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 1 to 5, a sizing roller apparatus 100 for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a base plate 110, a plurality of sizing rollers 120, an end support 130, an air supply tube 140, a plurality of air nozzles 150, and the like.

First, it is described that the table 20 and the transfer bar 30 selectively vacuum-hold the battery unit 10, and the battery unit 10 is pressed by the sizing roller apparatus 100 of the folding process of the battery unit according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The table 20 may vacuum hold and support the battery cell 10 under the battery cell 10. The work stage 20 is a straight bar parallel to the process direction and is provided in two parallel lines to support both sides of the bottom of the battery cell 10 in the process direction.

The transfer bar 30 vacuum-holds and transfers the battery unit 10, and the battery unit 10 may be disposed between the two rows of work tables 20. The transfer bar 30 may vacuum-hold and lift the battery cell 10 and then may linearly move in the process direction.

The base plate 110 is provided at a side of the table 20, vacuum-holds the battery cell 10 below the battery cell 10, and may be a rectangular plate having a large length in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the table 20. The substrate 110 may be horizontally disposed to be movable inward with respect to the stage 20 and in a longitudinal direction of the stage 20 (i.e., in a process direction).

For example, when the battery cell 10 is transferred by the transfer bar 30 and then placed and fixed on the table 20, the base plate 110 may be horizontally moved inward toward the table 20 until the inner sides of the plurality of sizing rollers 120 are brought into close contact with the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10.

The plurality of sizing rollers 120 are disposed above the base plate 110 and press the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10 in contact with the folded portion 11. The sizing roller 120 may press the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10 with the rotation axis inclined inward.

For example, the plurality of diameter defining rollers 120 may be arranged such that their rotational axes are inclined inward from the vertical at an angle in the acute range (e.g., 10 to 30 degrees). Therefore, by pressing the battery cell 10 with the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10 in close contact with the inside of the roller, sizing (i.e., pressing) can be performed after folding and hot pressing the battery cell 10 to suppress springback.

That is, the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10 is additionally folded by the plurality of sizing rollers 120 within the acute angle range, and over-sizing similar to offset may be performed to resist the spring back.

The end supports 130 are disposed at the front and rear ends of the base plate 110, respectively, and extend upward. The end support 130 may be provided as a plate bent outward according to the arrangement position of the air supply pipe 140 and the plurality of air nozzles 150, which will be described below.

An air supply pipe 140 is coupled to the top of the end support 130 and may supply air. Air may be injected through a plurality of air nozzles 150.

The plurality of air nozzles 150 communicate with the air supply duct 140 and inject air to the space between the plurality of diameter defining rollers 120. The air nozzles 150 may be disposed facing inward and downward so that air may be injected from the air supply duct 140 to a space between the plurality of sizing rollers 120.

Therefore, the air is sprayed to the space between the plurality of diameter defining rollers 120 in the direction of the arrow shown in fig. 4, and the air is uniformly sprayed to the outer surfaces of the plurality of diameter defining rollers 120 that rotate. Therefore, since the speed of the air having passed through the space between the rollers is increased, it is possible not only to rapidly reduce the temperature of all of the plurality of sizing rollers 120, but also to effectively cool the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10.

That is, the plurality of diameter defining rollers 120 are made of cold metal and have permanent molding characteristics by cooling. However, the temperature of the roller is increased due to the continuous sizing of the battery cells 10, and thus not only the cooling effect is reduced, but also permanent molding is difficult due to the reduced cooling effect. Therefore, even if the sizing is continuously performed, it is possible to maintain the cooling effect and improve the permanent molding ability by injecting air to the roller.

Fig. 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating vacuum holding and vacuum removal of a table and a transfer bar on which a sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is located.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, the table 120, which is a straight bar parallel to the process direction, may be disposed in two parallel lines in the process direction to support both sides of the bottom of the battery cell 10. The transfer bar 30 is disposed between the stages 120 and can vacuum-hold the battery cells 10 under the battery cells 10 and can move the battery cells 10.

The battery unit 10 is vacuum-held on the table 10 and may be pressed while moving the plurality of sizing rollers 120, or may be sized (i.e., pressed) by the plurality of sizing rollers 120 while being moved by the transfer rod 30.

For example, as shown in fig. 5, it is possible to vacuum-hold (vacuum-suck) the battery cells 10 using a vacuum pad (pad)21 of the table 20 and perform a pressing process using a plurality of sizing rollers 120. In this process, the vacuum pad 31 of the transfer bar 30 may be maintained in a non-vacuum state.

That is, the sizing process may be performed on the folded portion 11 while moving the plurality of sizing rollers 120 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the table 20 (i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the folded portion 11 of the battery cell 10) with the battery cell 10 vacuum-held by the vacuum pads 21 of the table 20.

Further, as shown in fig. 6, it is possible to vacuum-hold (vacuum-suck) the battery cells 10 using the vacuum pads 31 of the transfer bar 30 and perform a pressing process using a plurality of sizing rollers 120. In this process, the vacuum pad 21 of the stage 20 may be maintained in a non-vacuum state.

That is, after the vacuum of the vacuum pad 21 of the table 20 is removed, the battery unit 10 is vacuum-held by the vacuum pad 31 of the transfer lever 30 by moving the transfer lever 30 upward, the battery unit 10 is lifted to a height corresponding to the plurality of sizing rollers 120, and then, the sizing process may be performed on the folded portion 11 of the battery unit 10 while moving the transfer lever 30 of the vacuum-holding battery unit 10 in the longitudinal direction with the folded portion 11 in contact with the plurality of sizing rollers 120.

Therefore, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the spring back and improve the folding quality of the battery cell by cooling the plurality of sizing rollers in the air injection type while pressing the folded portion after the process of folding the battery cell.

Further, according to the present disclosure, when the battery unit is conveyed after the sealing region of the battery unit is folded and pressed, air is injected to a space between the plurality of sizing rollers while the folded portion is pressed inward at an angle by the sizing rollers, so that the temperature of the sizing rollers can be rapidly reduced, and thus the sizing effect can be significantly improved.

Furthermore, by preventing the springback of the folded portion of the battery cell only by adding a simple air nozzle after the folding and pressing steps of a plurality of stations (stations) for the folding process of the battery cell, it is possible to reduce the number of sizing rollers, maintain the speed of the folding process due to the effect of the cooling sizing rollers, and significantly improve the folding quality of the battery cell.