Sheet material conveyance device

{
  "publication_number": "US11901515B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Sheet material conveyance device",
  "abstract": "A sheet material conveyance device includes a plurality of first holding heads each having a curved first holding surface, a first drum holding the plurality of first holding heads, a plurality of second holding heads each having a planar second holding surface, a second drum holding the plurality of second holding heads, a tilt adjustment mechanism structured to adjust a tilt of each second holding surface, and a speed adjustment mechanism structured to adjust a relative movement speed of the first holding head and the second holding head. The first holding head and the second holding head move to a delivery position, and deliver the sheet material between the first holding surface and the second holding surface in a situation in which adjustment is performed by the tilt adjustment mechanism and the speed adjustment mechanism.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A sheet material conveyance device comprising: a plurality of first holding heads each having a curved first holding surface for holding a sheet material; a first drum structured to hold the plurality of first holding heads at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction in such a manner that each first holding surface faces an external side, and rotate in a first direction to revolve the plurality of first holding heads; a plurality of second holding heads each having a planar second holding surface for holding the sheet material; a second drum structured to hold the plurality of second holding heads at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction in such a manner that each second holding surface faces an external side, and rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction to revolve the plurality of second holding heads; a tilt adjustment mechanism structured to adjust a tilt of the second holding surface with respect to a radius direction of the second drum; and a speed adjustment mechanism structured to adjust a relative movement speed of one set of the first holding head and the second holding head that perform exchange of the sheet material, wherein the first holding head and the second holding head, one of which holds the sheet material, and another one of which does not hold the sheet material, move to a delivery position at which the first holding surface and the second holding surface face each other, by rotation of respective drums, and deliver the sheet material between the first holding surface and the second holding surface in a situation in which the tilt and the relative movement speed are adjusted by the tilt adjustment mechanism and the speed adjustment mechanism.",
    "2. The sheet material conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein, on the first holding surface and the second holding surface facing each other, a delivery point of the sheet material is formed at positions most proximate to each other, and the tilt adjustment mechanism and the speed adjustment mechanism adjust the tilt and the relative movement speed in such a manner that the delivery point moves parallel to the first holding surface, and the relative movement speed at the delivery point gets closer to zero.",
    "3. The sheet material conveyance device according to claim 1, comprising a radius position adjustment mechanism structured to adjust a position of each second holding surface in a radius direction of the second drum.",
    "4. The sheet material conveyance device according to claim 3, wherein, on the first holding surface and the second holding surface facing each other, a delivery point of the sheet material is formed at positions most proximate to each other, and the tilt adjustment mechanism, the speed adjustment mechanism, and the radius position adjustment mechanism adjust the tilt, the relative movement speed, and a radius direction position of the second holding surface in such a manner that a position of the delivery point is fixed with respect to a rotational center of each drum, and the relative movement speed at the delivery point gets closer to zero.",
    "5. The sheet material conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein each second holding head receives the sheet material from each first holding head, sequentially moves to a lamination position facing a lamination stage, by rotation of the second drum, discharges the held sheet material onto the lamination stage, and laminates a plurality of sheet materials.",
    "6. The sheet material conveyance device according to claim 5, wherein each second holding head brings the second holding surface closer to the lamination stage at the lamination position.",
    "7. The sheet material conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material includes at least one of an electrode plate and a separator of a battery."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates to a sheet material conveyance device. Description of the Related Art A laminated type battery has been developed as a battery mounted on a vehicle or the like. The battery has a structure in which a laminated electrode member obtained by alternately laminating a plurality of positive plates and a plurality of negative plates via separators, and electrolytic solution are stored in a container (for example, refer to JP 2012-221715 A). The laminated electrode member can be formed by sequentially conveying unit laminated members each being a sheet material in which several electrode plates and separators are alternately laminated, for example, and laminating the plurality of unit laminated members onto a lamination stage. In the conveyance of unit laminated members, unit laminated members are sometimes exchanged between a holding head having a curved holding surface, and a holding head having a planar holding surface. In this case, due to switching of the holding surface from a curved surface to a planar surface or from the planar surface to the curved surface, load such as shear force might be applied to a unit laminated member. In addition, a sheet material is not limited to a unit laminated member. Also in the conveyance of other sheet materials, the sheet materials are sometimes exchanged between a curved holding surface and a planar holding surface, and load might be applied to these sheet materials at the time of conveyance.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01M 10/0585",
    "B65G 47/84",
    "B65H 2301/44714",
    "B65H 2404/658",
    "B65H 2404/6591",
    "B65H 2405/541",
    "B65H 2405/57",
    "B65H 2406/3452",
    "B65H 2406/3454",
    "B65H 2801/72",
    "B65H 5/12",
    "B65H 5/14",
    "B65H 7/02",
    "H01M 10/0404",
    "H01M 10/0525",
    "Y02E 60/10",
    "Y02P 70/50"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 47/84",
    "B65H 5/12",
    "H01M 10/0525",
    "H01M 10/0585"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "PANASONIC CORP",
    "PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "FUJITA RYO",
    "ABE RYUTA",
    "MARUYAMA MASAHIDE"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2021-09-16",
  "publication_date": "2024-02-13",
  "grant_date": "2024-02-13",
  "priority_date": "2020-09-16",
  "application_number": "US-202117477301-A",
  "family_id": "80627179",
  "citations": [
    "JP2012106370A",
    "JP2012221715A",
    "US11702309B2",
    "US4578133A"
  ]
}