A roller device for guiding a flexible substrate is described. The roller device includes a support surface for contacting the flexible substrate, the support surface having a coating comprising an electronegative polymer. Further, a vacuum processing apparatus for processing a flexible substrate including the roller device and a method of processing a flexible substrate in the vacuum processing apparatus is described.

A device for manufacturing an electrode assembly for removing foreign particles through air is provided. The device includes a winding portion; an electrode transfer line; an air blower installed on a top portion of the device and blowing air to a bottom portion of the device; and an outlet for discharging air moved to the bottom portion by the air blower.

A method for cutting a metallic film is disclosed. The method includes: feeding the metallic film between a scoring blade and an anvil at a first speed; feeding a first protective film between the metallic film and the scoring blade; feeding a second protective film between the metallic film and the anvil; moving the scoring blade toward the anvil for applying a pressure onto the first protective film, the metallic film, and the second protective film disposed between the scoring blade and the anvil for making a score along a width of the protective film; and pulling the metallic film having passed between the scoring blade and the anvil at a second speed. The second speed being greater than the first speed. A difference between the first and second speeds causes the metallic film to cut at the score. A system for cutting a metallic film is also disclosed.

To form a web conveying path that bends and conveys a web, a web conveying device has: a plurality of foil supporting members that are disposed at prescribed intervals in a conveying direction of the web and that support a surface of the web that is being conveyed; a foil extending member stretched between the foil supporting members, which pulls an end of the web downstream in the conveying direction of the web such that the web extends from a starting point to an end point of the web conveying path that is formed by the foil supporting members; and a moving mechanism that moves the foil extending member from the starting point to the end point of the web conveying path.

A placement method using a placement device provided with a first process of pressing a transfer plate a topmost layer sheet member so as to pick up it when a restraint device is rendered a restraining state, a second process of rendering the restraint device a non-restraining state to render the transfer plate an inclined state while pressing down the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction by a base end part side of the transfer plate rendered the inclined state, a third process of inserting the restraining blade into the space formed between the topmost layer sheet member and the sheet member of the layer below it and again render the restraint device the restraining state, and a fourth process of making the transfer plate retract upward while returning it to the horizontal state and transferring the topmost layer sheet member to the holder.

A processing apparatus is disclosed comprising a shearing unit that receives the material to be processed from a conveying device upstream and surrenders it to a conveying device downstream, in which the material to be sheared advances with a continuous supply motion, in which each conveying device comprises a variable geometry closed loop slidable flexible element, in which the shearing unit is constrained to move with alternating motion together with two movable portions of the two conveying devices. The apparatus can process web-shaped material for the production of electrical energy storage devices.

A wrinkle caused in a separator roll is inhibited. A slitting apparatus (6) changes a conveying direction of a first separator (12a) by a direction changing roller (68) toward a first take-up roller (70U), and conveys the first separator via an assisting roller (69) which is provided between a take-up position of the first separator to be wound and the direction changing roller so as to shorten a conveying distance between the take-up position and a roller immediately before the take-up position.

A leveling apparatus used in a cutting process after forming process of a pouch-type secondary battery, and the leveling apparatus includes: a roller assembly having pairs of upper rollers and lower rollers arranged in at least two rows for rolling in contact with upper and lower surfaces adjacent to both rim edges of the pouch-type secondary battery; and a support frame supporting the roller assembly, wherein the roller assembly applies rolling with respect to the upper and lower surfaces adjacent to both rim edges of the pouch-type secondary battery to thereby remove stress.

An apparatus for manufacturing electrical energy storage devices, comprising a path for feeding material with intermittent feed and two machining stations arranged one after the other in the feed path, in which each machining station is movable on a linear guide at the command of a motor to vary its position along the feed path and enable the mutual distance between the two machining stations to be adjusted in function of the step of intermittent feed of the material, so that the apparatus is adaptable to the change in product size.

A method and apparatus for continuous web processing systems for pre-lithiating Li-ion battery substrates is provided. The modular processing system comprises a common transfer chamber body defining a transfer volume. The system further comprises a first vertical chamber body defining a first processing volume and positioned on the common transfer chamber body. The transfer volume is in fluid communication with the first processing volume. The system further comprises a second vertical chamber body defining a second processing volume and positioned on the common transfer chamber body. The transfer volume is in fluid communication with the second processing volume. The system further comprises a reel-to-reel system operable to transport a continuous flexible substrate having an electrode structure formed thereon. The continuous flexible substrate extends from the transfer volume, through the first processing volume, returning to the transfer volume, through the second processing volume, and returning to the transfer volume.