Electrode Notching Apparatus and Electrode Manufacturing

{
  "publication_number": "US2026106132A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Electrode Notching Apparatus and Electrode Manufacturing",
  "abstract": "An electrode notching apparatus includes a notching unit configured to form an electrode tab at a non-coated portion of an electrode sheet; a rewinder roller where a connecting sheet is wound; a splicing table whereon the electrode sheet and the connecting sheet are placed a camera unit configured to photograph positions of the electrode sheet and the connecting sheet placed on the splicing table; a guide pointer unit configured to indicate a first reference position of the electrode sheet and a second reference position of the connecting sheet; and a position alignment unit configured to adjust positions of the splicing table and the rewinder roller such that the electrode sheet is aligned with the first reference position and the connecting sheet is aligned with the second reference position. An electrode manufacturing method is also provided herein.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An electrode notching apparatus comprising: notching unit configured to form an electrode tab at a non-coated portion of an electrode sheet; a rewinder roller configured to wind a connecting sheet; a splicing table whereon the electrode sheet and the connecting sheet are placed, the splicing table disposed between the notching unit and the rewinder roller; a camera unit configured to photograph positions of the electrode sheet and the connecting sheet placed on the splicing table; a guide pointer unit configured to indicate a first reference position of the electrode sheet and a second reference position of the connecting sheet; and a position alignment unit configured to adjust positions of the splicing table and the rewinder roller such that the electrode sheet is aligned with the first reference position and the connecting sheet is aligned with the second reference position. 2. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the splicing table comprises: a fixing table whereon the electrode sheet is placed; and an alignment table disposed between the fixing table and the rewinder roller, wherein the alignment table is configured to be movable in a widthwise direction of the electrode sheet by the position alignment unit to align electrode sheet with the first reference position. 3. (canceled) 4. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position alignment unit further comprises: a table alignment unit configured to adjust a position of the splicing table such that the electrode sheet aligns with the first reference position; and a rewinder alignment unit configured to adjust a position of the rewinder roller such that the connecting sheet aligns with the second reference position. 5. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the splicing table comprises a light-transmitting material. 6. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a light irradiation unit configured to irradiate light onto the splicing table. 7. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light irradiation unit is disposed under the splicing table. 8. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide pointer unit comprises: a first guide pointer configured to indicate the first reference position on the splicing table; and a second guide pointer configured to indicate the second reference position on the splicing table or the rewinder roller. 9. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first guide pointer and the second guide pointer are configured to indicate the first reference position and the second reference position, respectively, by linearly irradiating light to two widthwise ends of the electrode sheet. 10. (canceled) 11. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 8, wherein, when the connecting sheet is a connecting electrode, the first guide pointer is configured to indicate the first reference position such that the electrode sheet and the connecting electrode are aligned, and the second guide pointer is configured to indicate the second reference position such that the connecting electrode is wound around a lengthwise center of the rewinder roller. 12. The electrode notching apparatus of claim 8, wherein, when the connecting sheet is a connecting film, the first guide pointer is configured to indicate the first reference position such that the electrode sheet is positioned at a widthwise center of the connecting film, and the second guide pointer is configured to indicate the second reference position such that the connecting film is wound around a lengthwise center of the rewinder roller. 13 - 16. (canceled) 17. An electrode manufacturing method comprising: placing an electrode sheet and a connecting sheet on a splicing table; photographing, via a camera unit, positions of the electrode sheet and the connecting sheet placed on the splicing table; indicating, via a guide pointer unit, a first reference position of the electrode sheet and a second reference position of the connecting sheet; and adjusting positions of the splicing table and a rewinder roller, via by a position alignment unit, such that the electrode sheet aligns with the first reference position and the connecting sheet aligns with the second reference position. 18. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 17, wherein, in the step of indicating, the guide pointer unit indicates the first reference position and the second reference position by irradiating light onto two widthwise ends of the electrode sheet and the connecting sheet. 19. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 18, wherein, in the step of indicating, the first reference position is spaced apart by a distance equal to a width of the electrode sheet, and the second reference position is spaced apart by a distance equal to a width of the connecting sheet. 20. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 17, wherein, in the step of indicating, a first guide pointer of the guide pointer unit indicates the first reference position on the splicing table, and a second guide pointer of the guide pointer unit indicates the second reference position on the rewinder roller. 21. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 20, wherein the first guide pointer and the second guide pointer indicate the first reference position and the second reference position, respectively, by linearly irradiating light onto two widthwise ends of the electrode sheet. 22. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 20, wherein, when the connecting sheet is a connecting electrode, the first guide pointer indicates the first reference position such that the electrode sheet and the connecting electrode are aligned, and the second guide pointer indicates the second reference position such that the connecting electrode is wound around a lengthwise center of the rewinder roller. 23. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 22, wherein, in the step of photographing, a controller determines: a first distance between one widthwise end of a coated portion of the electrode sheet and one widthwise end of the connecting electrode; a second distance between an end of an electrode tab of the electrode sheet and an electrode tab of the connecting electrode; a third distance between the end of the electrode tab of the electrode sheet and a lengthwise end of the rewinder roller; and a fourth distance between the one widthwise end of the coated portion of the electrode sheet and one widthwise end of the rewinder roller. 24. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 20, wherein, when the connecting sheet is a connecting film, the first guide pointer indicates the first reference position such that the electrode sheet is positioned at a widthwise center of the connecting film, and the second guide pointer indicates the second reference position such that the connecting film is wound around a lengthwise center of the rewinder roller. 25. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 24, wherein, in the step of photographing, a controller determines: a first distance between one widthwise end of a coated portion of the electrode sheet and one widthwise end of the connecting film; a second distance between an end of an electrode tab of the electrode sheet and another widthwise end of the connecting film; a third distance between the end of the electrode tab of the electrode sheet and a lengthwise end of the rewinder roller; and a fourth distance between the one widthwise end of the coated portion of the electrode sheet and one widthwise end of the rewinder roller. 26. The electrode manufacturing method of claim 17, wherein, in the step of adjusting, a position of the splicing table is adjusted via a table alignment unit of the position alignment unit such that the electrode sheet aligns with the first reference position, and a position of the rewinder alignment unit is adjusted via a rewinder alignment unit of the position alignment unit such that the connecting sheet aligns with the second reference position."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to an electrode notching apparatus and an electrode manufacturing method wherein electrode sheets are connected accurately, loss of electrode sheet is prevented, and connection time of the electrode sheets is shortened when replacing electrode sheets.\n\nGenerally, secondary batteries include an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, and generate electrical energy using chemical reactions. The use of secondary batteries is gradually increasing due to the advantage of being able to charge and discharge. Since lithium secondary batteries among such secondary batteries have a high energy density per unit weight, lithium secondary batteries are widely used as a power source for electronic communication devices or as a driving source for high-output hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles.\n\nIn terms of the shape of these secondary batteries, demand is increasing for prismatic secondary batteries and pouch-shaped secondary batteries that can be applied to products such as mobile phones due to their thin thickness. In terms of materials of secondary batteries, demand is increasing for lithium secondary batteries such as lithium-ion batteries and lithium-ion polymer batteries with high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability.\n\nThe electrode sheet is unwound from the unwinder and supplied to the notching module, and the notching module forms electrode tabs at equal intervals on the non-coated portion of the electrode. The electrode with the electrode tab is wound on the rewinder.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01M 4/0471",
    "B23K 26/362",
    "B26D 5/007",
    "B26F 1/12",
    "B65H 19/102",
    "B65H 23/182",
    "B65H 23/32",
    "B65H 2511/20",
    "B65H 2553/42"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23K 26/362",
    "B26D 5/00",
    "B26F 1/12",
    "B65H 19/10",
    "B65H 23/182",
    "B65H 23/32",
    "H01M 4/04"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LG Energy Solution Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Dongbeom Kim"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2023-10-04",
  "publication_date": "2026-04-16",
  "priority_date": "2022-10-05",
  "application_number": "US-202319114650-A",
  "family_id": "90608341",
  "cited_by_count": 0
}