Device for manufacturing electrode assembly with air purifying function

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A device for manufacturing an electrode assembly for removing foreign particles through air circulation, the device comprising: a winding portion; an electrode transfer line; an air blower installed at a top portion of the device and configured to blow air to a bottom portion of the device; and an outlet disposed at the bottom portion and configured to discharge air blown to the bottom portion by the air blower.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the air blower is installed in a transfer direction of the electrode transfer line.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one additional air blower is installed to overlap the air blower in a direction crossing a transfer direction of the electrode transfer line and above the winding portion.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the outlet is installed below the electrode transfer line.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the outlet is installed at a lateral bottom end portion of the device.

6. A system for manufacturing and installing an electrode assembly, the system including: the device for manufacturing the electrode assembly of claim 1 provided in plurality, wherein the plurality of devices for manufacturing the electrode assembly includes a first device for manufacturing a first electrode assembly and a second device for manufacturing a second electrode assembly, and the first device and the second device are installed to face each other.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the air blower of the first device is configured to blow air to the winding portion of the first device and the air blower of the second device is configured to blow air to the winding portion of the second device and are installed to face each other at a front of the first and second devices, respectively.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one additional air blower is installed to overlap the air blower of the first device and the air blower of the second device in a direction crossing a transferring direction of the electrode transfer line of the first device and a transferring direction of the electrode transfer line of the second device.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein an outlet is installed on respective sides of a space between the first device and the second device.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a front view of a conventional device for manufacturing a jelly roll type of electrode assembly.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a front view of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly of FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a front view of a flow of air in a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly of FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of a system for manufacturing and installing an electrode assembly in which two units of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly are provided to face each other according to FIG. 3.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of an exemplary variation of FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a top plan view of an exemplary variation of FIG. 7.

MODE FOR INVENTION

(9) The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

(10) Unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.

(11) Further, in the specification, the phrase “on a plane” means viewing the object portion from the top, and the phrase “in a front view” means viewing a cross-section of which the object portion is visible from the front.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a front view of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly of FIG. 3.

(13) Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly includes a winding portion 130, an electrode transfer line 140, air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104, and an outlet 120. The air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 are installed on a top portion of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly, and blow air to a bottom portion of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly. The outlet 120 is installed in a lateral bottom end of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly so the air blown by the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 is discharged with foreign particles. For ease of description, regarding the device 100 for spirally winding an electrode assembly, equipment such as an electrode fusion unit or an electrode inciser is not shown but is simplified. Here, regarding a top portion and a bottom portion of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly, a portion where the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly contacts a ground side may be referred to as the bottom portion, and a portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the manufacturing device 100 in an opposite direction to that of gravity may be referred to as the top portion.

(14) The air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 are installed in a direction in which the electrode transfer line 140 is transferred to prevent the foreign particles from arriving at the electrode by the air blown by the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104. Further, air cleanness around the winding portion 130 may be increased by mainly disposing the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 on the top portion of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly corresponding to a position of the winding portion 130. In detail, at least one air blower 102 may be additionally disposed so that it may be provided on a same plane as the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 and it may overlap the air blower 102 in a direction crossing a direction in which the electrode transfer line 140 is transferred.

(15) Further, the outlet 120 may be installed below the electrode transfer line 140 to prevent the foreign particles from being input to the electrode transfer line 140 and the winding portion 130. Particularly, the foreign particles generated by a power transmitter 150 and a power supply 160 installed on the rear side portion of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly may be prevented from being input to the electrode transfer line 140 and the winding portion 130 through an installing base hole 180. Here, a rear side of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly may be a side corresponding to the front side of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly when the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly is seen from the rear side.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a front view of a flow of air in a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly of FIG. 3.

(17) Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, arrows indicate flows of air. The air blown by the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 moves to the bottom portion of the device 100 for spirally winding an electrode assembly to the top portion thereof and is then discharged to the outlet 120 installed in the lateral bottom end of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly.

(18) The air blower 102 for blowing air toward the winding portion 130 may prevent foreign particles from being input to the winding portion 130 by blowing air with a relatively high flow rate.

(19) The air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 may blow dry air by including a moisture controlling function, and may include a filter function for filtering out foreign particles. Particularly, the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 may include a wind direction controlling function so that the air blown to the bottom portion of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly to the top portion thereof may be discharged to the outlet 120. Further, the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 include a wind speed controlling function to prevent foreign particles from being input to a specific part of the device 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly by blowing air with a relative high wind speed to the specific part. The air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 are not specifically limited when they include the above-noted functions, and for example, an equipment fan filter unit may be used.

(20) FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of a system for manufacturing and installing an electrode assembly in which two units of a device for manufacturing an electrode assembly are provided to face each other according to FIG. 4.

(21) Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the system for manufacturing and installing an electrode assembly includes two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly, and the two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly are installed in a same space to face each other. In this case, a range in which the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 of the respective units are applied overlaps a space between the two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly, thereby increasing an air circulation effect. Further, in the space between the two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly, an operator may simultaneously manage the two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly, and may efficiently use the space in which the two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly are installed.

(22) FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of an exemplary variation of FIG. 6.

(23) Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7, regarding a system 300 for manufacturing and installing an electrode assembly, the two devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly are installed in the same space to face each other, and the air blowers 102 for blowing air to the winding portion 130 are installed to face each other at the front. Air blowers 102 are additionally installed in the space between the air blowers 102 facing each other. In detail, at least one air blower 102 may be additionally disposed so that it may be provided on a same plane as the air blowers 101, 102, 103, and 104 and it may overlap the air blower 102 in a direction crossing a direction in which the electrode transfer line 140 is transferred.

(24) By the above-described structure, the air blown by the air blowers 102 may be gathered on the winding portion 130 to thereby increase air purity around the winding portion 130.

(25) FIG. 8 shows a top plan view of an exemplary variation of FIG. 7.

(26) Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, a system 400 for manufacturing and installing an electrode assembly corresponds to the structure shown in FIG. 7 except that the outlet 120 is installed on the respective sides of the space between the devices 100 for manufacturing an electrode assembly of two units. According to the above-noted configuration, the air gathered on the winding portion 130 may be more quickly discharged through the outlet 120.

(27) Generation levels for respective diameters of foreign particles are examined in the space in which the device for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to the present invention is installed.

Example 1

(28) The device for manufacturing an electrode assembly shown in FIG. 5 is installed in a closed and sealed space, the device for manufacturing an electrode assembly is operated for one hour while the air blower and the outlet are turned on, and the generation level of foreign particles in a range of radius that is within 50 centimeters in the winding portion is determined. Numbers of foreign particles with diameters that are 0.5 micrometers, 1 micrometer, 5 micrometers, 10 micrometers, and 25 micrometers are measured. The number of foreign particles is measured for the respective diameters a total of six times each minute, and their mean value is found. The number of foreign particles is measured by using a particle counter. The particle counter used in the present examination is an Aerosol Particle Counter Lasair III 310B manufactured by PMS.

Comparative Example 1

(29) The number of foreign particles is measured in the same condition as Example 1 except that the device for manufacturing an electrode assembly is operated for an hour while the air blower and the outlet are turned off.

Comparative Example 2

(30) In an external space, the number of environmental particles is measured at the height (corresponding to the height where the winding portion is positioned from the ground side) of about 1.5 meters from the ground side. Its measuring method is identical to that shown in Example 1.

(31) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Number of Mean value of number of foreign particles for measurements respective diameters (micrometers) (number of Total times/minute) 0.5 1 5 10 25 number Example 1 6 189 136 9 4 0 338 Comparative 6 627,323 43,092 682 58 9 671,163 Example 1 Comparative 5 360,682 29,150 1,234 367 3 391,468 Example 2

(32) The total number of foreign particles in Example 1 is about 1/2000 compared to the total number of foreign particles of Comparative Example 1 to thus find that very few foreign particles are generated. Particularly, the number of foreign particles of 0.5 micrometers of Example 1 is found to be generated as 1/3300 compared to Comparative Example 1. The foreign particles of 0.5 micrometers are considered to be major foreign particles that cause a short circuit and a low voltage in the process for manufacturing an electrode assembly, and they are found to be efficiently removed in the space in which the device for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to the present invention is utilized.

(33) When the number of foreign particles of 0.5 micrometers of Comparative Example 1 is compared to the number of foreign particles of 0.5 micrometers of Comparative Example 2, it is found that Comparative Example 1 generates about twice the foreign particles as Comparative Example 2. They are foreign particles generated in the process for operating the device for manufacturing an electrode assembly, and the foreign particles, as found from Example 1, are efficiently removed when the air blower and the outlet according to the present invention are operated.

(34) Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs will be able to make various applications and modifications within the scope of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL USABILITY

(35) The device for manufacturing an electrode assembly according to the present invention may prevent the foreign particles from being input to the winding portion by purifying air in the space where the device for manufacturing an electrode assembly is installed.