JPH0945338A - Battery separator manufacturing-inserting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manufacture and insert separators of a battery with high efficiency and with an excellent yield by adopting the constitution to perform processing by dividing it into bending, bottom forming and can inserting processes of the separators. SOLUTION: A bending machine 1 places plural cylindrical separators in order on a rotary table, and bends the tips according to rotation. A bottom forming machine 2 receives the separators whose tips are bent by the bending machine 1, and places a plurality in order on the rotary table, and forms the bottoms in bent parts according to rotation. A can inserting machine 3 receives the separators whose bottoms are formed by the bottom forming machine 2, and places a plurality in order on the rotary table, and inserts the separators in a positive electrode can according to rotation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery separator manufacturing / inserting apparatus for manufacturing a separator and inserting it into a positive electrode can.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a device for automatically producing a battery separator and automatically inserting it into a positive electrode can. This device flat-rolls a mixed paper for separators and aligns the flat-rolled products with a parts feeder. Insert into the place where dozens of forming tools shown in 8 are lined up at the same time, lightly bend the tip of the flat wound product with a bending die, and then form a dozen at the same time with a bottom forming die to form the positive electrode. It was inserted in the can at the same time.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art. FIG. 8A shows a state in which more than ten forming tools are provided in the rotary index. Flat-rolled products are aligned by a parts feeder and inserted into dozens of forming tools at the same time.

In FIG. 8 (b), a flat wound product is inserted into a forming tool by a rotary index, the tip of the flat wound product is lightly bent by a folding die, and a bottom is formed by a bottom forming die. The state of inserting into the positive electrode can is shown.

[0005]

If the three steps of bending, forming the bottom and inserting into the positive electrode can are sequentially performed by the so-called multi-cavity rotary index method of FIG. 8 described above, the following steps are performed. There was a problem.

(1) Under the structure shown in FIG. 8, a flat-rolled product, which is inserted into a forming tool in a bottom forming die, is set to about 300 °.
When pressing the bottom forming die heated to C to form the bottom of the flat-rolled product, it is possible to align with the bottom forming die for dozens of the whole due to the relationship of multiple pieces, but individually. Since the core cannot be aligned, the bottom of the flat-rolled product sometimes buckles as shown in FIG. 9B and is not completely sealed, resulting in leakage of the battery solution. there were. Further, even when the bottom is formed, it takes several seconds to process the three steps even with the configuration of FIG. 8, and there is a problem that the speed cannot be increased so much even if a large number of pieces are taken. Furthermore,
When a large number of pieces are taken as in the configuration of FIG. 8 and a defect occurs in one flat roll product, if the defective flat roll product is removed, it is necessary to remove the positive electrode can in the subsequent step. Then, it does not detect individual defects of flat rolled products,
Finally, the flat rolled product is inserted into the positive electrode can and completed as a battery, and it is inspected as defective, and there is also a problem that the defective product cannot be discharged so as not to affect the subsequent process at the stage of the flat rolled product. there were.

[0007] The present invention solves these problems,
Separator bending, bottom formation, and can insertion processing are performed separately, each separator can be individually aligned in each process, and separator folding and bottom formation can be set to the optimum speed, and there is no defect between steps. The purpose of the present invention is to enable the separator to be discharged, to improve the efficiency of manufacturing and inserting the separator of the battery, and to improve the yield.

[0008]

Means for solving the problem will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a folding machine 1 is one in which a plurality of cylindrical separators are sequentially placed on a rotary table and the tip is bent according to the rotation.

The bottom forming machine 2 receives a separator whose tip is bent by a bending machine, sequentially places a plurality of separators on a rotary table, and forms a bottom at the bent portion according to rotation.

The can inserting machine 3 receives a separator having a bottom formed by the bottom forming machine 2, sequentially places a plurality of separators on a rotary table, and inserts the separator into the positive electrode can according to the rotation.

[0011]

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the folding machine 1 sequentially mounts a plurality of cylindrical separators on a rotary table, bends the front end according to the rotation, and the bottom forming machine 2 bends the folding machine 1. A plurality of separators each having a bent tip is received, and a plurality of separators are sequentially placed on a rotary table to form a bottom at the bent portion according to the rotation, and the can inserting machine 3 is formed by the bottom forming machine 2 to form a bottom. A plurality of separators are received and sequentially placed on the rotary table, and the separators are inserted into the positive electrode can according to the rotation.

Further, a buffer is provided for temporarily collecting the separator discharged from the bottom forming machine, taking out the separator and delivering it to the can inserting machine, and a defect of the separator discharged from the bottom forming machine 2 is detected by a sensor to detect a defect. The separator determined to be discharged is not stored in the buffer and is discharged.

Therefore, the separator is bent, the bottom is formed, and the can is inserted and processed separately, and the separators can be individually aligned in each step, or the separator can be bent and the bottom is formed at an optimum speed. In addition, the defective separator can be discharged between the steps, and the production and insertion of the battery separator can be highly efficient and the yield can be improved.

[0014]

Next, the structure and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be sequentially described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the present invention. FIG.
In FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 is an example of the entire configuration of one embodiment of the battery separator manufacturing / inserting apparatus according to the present invention, and as shown in the drawing, the folding machine 1, the bottom forming machine 2, the can inserting machine 3, and 11 Or 20 star wheels or the like.

The folding machine 1 is one in which a plurality of cylindrical separators inserted in a carrier are sequentially placed on a rotary table and the tip thereof is bent according to the rotation.
A carrier having a rotary table with a diameter of 300 mmφ and having twelve separators inserted therein is placed on the circumference, and the tips of the separators are bent with rotation as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 described later.

The bottom forming machine 2 receives the separator whose tip is bent by the bending machine 1, sequentially places a plurality of carriers having the separators inserted therein on a rotary table, and bends the carrier according to the rotation. The bottom of the rotary table has a diameter of 45 mm.
A carrier in which 18 separators of 0 mmφ are inserted is placed on the circumference, and the bottom of the separator is formed as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 described later as the carrier rotates.

The can inserting machine 3 receives the separator having a bottom formed by the bottom forming machine 2, sequentially places a plurality of carriers having the separator inserted therein on a rotary table, and rotates the separator to put the separator in the positive electrode can. In FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, which will be described later, the carrier is placed on the circumference, and the rotary table has a diameter of 450 mm and 18 separators are inserted.
The separator is inserted into the positive electrode can as shown in, and the carrier is discharged for reuse.

The star wheels 11 to 20 deliver a carrier having a separator inserted therein, a carrier obtained by inserting the separator into a positive electrode can and then removing it, or a carrier containing a positive electrode can. These star wheels 11-
In this case, 20 has a diameter of 200 mmφ, and 9 carriers and the like are placed on the circumference and sequentially delivered.
This will be described below.

The star wheel 11 receives the carrier 4 in which the separator is inserted and sequentially delivers it to the folding machine 1. The star wheel 12 receives the carrier with the separator whose tip is bent from the bending machine 1 and passes it to the bottom forming machine 2.

The star wheel 13 receives a carrier with a separator having a bottom formed by the bottom forming machine 2,
It is passed to the star wheel 14 for good / bad sorting.

The star wheel 14 receives a carry with a separator having a bottom formed, determines whether the bottom of the separator is normally formed, and distributes it. Whether the formation of the bottom of the separator is normal or not is determined by, for example, irradiating the entire bottom portion of the separator with light with a light emitting diode, and if the bottom portion is unbonded or broken, the light is emitted from the metal portion inside. Since the light is reflected, the reflected light is received by the photodiode to detect a defect. When the separator is detected to be defective, the separator is sorted as shown in the figure and the defective product is delivered to the star wheel 15. On the other hand, when the separator is detected to be normal, the separator is sorted as shown in FIG.

The star wheel 15 receives a carrier with a defective separator and discharges it as a defective separator OUT shown in the drawing. The star wheel 16 receives a carrier with a good separator and places it on a belt conveyor.

The belt conveyor is equivalent to a buffer and temporarily stores non-defective carriers with separators and transfers them to the star wheel 17 in order from the oldest one. By providing this belt conveyor, even if the separator formed by the folding machine 1 and the bottom forming machine 2 is defective and is discharged to the outside by the star wheel 15, the separator can be supplied to the next can inserting machine 3. It is intended to enable continuous work without interruption.

The star wheel 17 receives a carrier with a good separator from the belt conveyor and delivers it to the can inserter 3. The star wheel 18 receives a non-defective separator inserted in a positive electrode can and discharges it to the outside.

The star wheel 19 is used to pass the shavings containing the positive electrode can to the can inserting machine 3. Star wheel 20
Is for discharging and recovering the remaining carrier after inserting a good separator into the positive electrode can. The recovered carrier is conveyed in the portion indicated by the arrow in the figure, and a new separator is inserted into the carrier and reused in step 4 of inserting the separator into the carrier.

Next, the operation of the folding machine will be described in detail with reference to the example of the tool cam curve on the folding machine of FIG. 5 in the order of the schematic view of FIG. FIG. 2A shows a state in which the carrier with the separator is received from the star wheel 11 and set in the folding machine 1 (S1 in FIG. 5). Here, in the carrier 21, a cylindrical separator 22 is inserted as shown in the figure, one end is held by the upper tool 23, and a total of 12 pieces are installed on the circumference of the rotary table in FIG. is there. There is a fixed lower tool facing the upper tool 23 below, and the upper tool 23 is individually centered and the tip of the cylindrical separator is bent by the steps (b) to (d). Sometimes make sure there are no defective items.

FIG. 2B shows a state in which the upper tool 23 is rapidly lowered downward (S2 in FIG. 5). In this state, as shown in S2 of FIG. 5, the carrier 21 with the separator held by the upper tool 23 is rapidly brought close to the bending mold from the rising end.

FIG. 2C shows a state in which the upper tool 23 is slowly lowered downward, is held for a while, and is air-sucked (S3, S4 in FIG. 5). As a result, the separator 22 is pressed against the bending mold and held for a while, and the tip is bent.

FIG. 2D shows a state in which the upper tool 23 is rapidly raised upward (S5, S6 in FIG. 5). As a result, the separator 22 is rapidly lifted upward and ready to be passed to the star wheel 12.

In the above steps, according to the present invention, the upper tool 21 is individually aligned with the lower tool, and the tip of the separator 22 inserted into the carrier 21 is adjusted so as to be exactly aligned with the bending core. It is possible to always bend the tip of the separator 22 in the best state. Further, since the shape of the cam is determined so that the operation shown in (b) to (c) of FIG.
The operation when the tip of the separator is pressed against a bending mold to be bent can be an optimum slow movement, and the tip of the separator 22 can always be favorably bent. These adjustments
Repeat the experiment and make optimal adjustments.

Next, the operation of the bottom forming machine will be described in detail with reference to the example of the tool cam curve on the bottom forming machine of FIG. 6 in the order of the schematic view of FIG. FIG. 3A shows a carrier with a separator whose tip is bent according to FIG.
It is shown that it is received and set in the bottom forming machine 2 (S11 in FIG. 6). Here, in the carrier 21, a cylindrical separator 22 having a bent tip is inserted as illustrated,
One end is held by the upper tool 23, and a total of 18 tools are installed on the circumference of the rotary table of the bottom forming machine 2 in FIG. 1 and rotate. There is a fixed bottom forming mold facing the upper tool 23, and the upper tool 23 is individually aligned with the bottom forming mold, and the separators are arranged in the order of (b), (c), and (d). The bent tip should be formed by a bottom forming machine and heated so that defective products do not exist when they are bonded.

FIG. 3B shows a state in which the upper tool 23 is rapidly lowered (S12 in FIG. 6). In this state, as shown in S12 of FIG. 6, the carrier 21 with the separator held by the upper tool 23 is rapidly brought closer to the bottom forming type from the rising end.

In FIG. 3C, the upper tool 23 is slowly lowered and the rod penetrating the inside of the carrier 21 is lowered to be aligned with the same surface as the tip of the carrier 21 and pressed against the bottom forming die as a whole. Indicates the state (S13, S in FIG. 6)
22, S23). As a result, the bent portion of the separator 22 is pressed against the bottom forming die.

FIG. 3 (d) shows that the carrier 21 and the rod are pressed against the bottom forming mold for heating the separator for a while and adhered thereto, and then the rod is rapidly pulled up and the illustrated air is sucked to separate the separator into the bottom forming mold. The state in which it is pulled away from (S14, S24 in FIG. 6) is shown.

FIG. 3E shows a state in which the upper tool 23 is rapidly raised (S15 in FIG. 6). As a result, the separator 22 is quickly lifted and the star wheel 1
It is ready to be handed over to 3.

In the above steps, according to the present invention, the upper tool 21 is individually aligned with the lower tool, and the separator 22 inserted into the carrier 21 and having a bent tip is adjusted so as to exactly match the core of the bottom forming mold. Therefore, the bottom of the separator 22 can always be formed in the best state. Furthermore, since the shape of the cam is determined so that the operations of (b), (c), and (d) of FIG. 3 are optimally and slowly transferred, the bent tip of the separator 22 is pressed against the bottom forming die. The operation for forming and adhering the bottom can be an optimum slow operation, and it is possible to always perform well in forming and adhering the bottom on the bent portion of the separator 22. For these adjustments, the experiment is repeated to make the optimum adjustment.

Next, the operation of the separator during can insertion will be described in detail with reference to the tool cam curve on the can insertion machine in FIG. 7 in the order of the schematic view of FIG. FIG. 4A shows a state in which the carrier with the separator having the bottom formed according to FIG. 3 is received from the star wheel 17 and set in the can inserter 3 (S32 in FIG. 7). Here, in the carrier 21, a cylindrical separator 22 having a bottom is inserted as shown in the figure, one end is held by the upper tool 23, and the carrier 21 has a total length on the circumference of the rotary table of the can forming machine 3 in FIG. Eighteen are installed and rotate. There is a fixed hook with a positive electrode can facing the upper tool 23, and the upper tool 23 is individually centered, and (b),
The separators are inserted into the positive electrode can in the order of (c) and (d).

FIG. 4B shows a state in which the upper tool 23 is rapidly lowered and the rod in the carrier is rapidly lowered to the tip (S32, S42 in FIG. 7). This is shown in Figure 7.
As shown in S32, the carrier 21 with the separator held by the upper tool 23 is rapidly brought close to the positive electrode can from the rising end, and the rod is rapidly lowered.

In FIG. 4C, the rod is gradually lowered to push the bottomed separator inserted in the carrier into the positive electrode can (S43 in FIG. 7). FIG. 4D
Shows a state in which the upper tool 23 and the rod are rapidly raised, only the separator is left in the positive electrode can, and the separator is inserted into the positive electrode can.

In the above steps, in the present invention, the upper tool 23 is individually aligned with the positive electrode can, and the bottom-formed separator 22 inserted into the carrier 21 is adjusted so as to be exactly aligned with the core of the positive electrode can. Therefore, the bottomed separator 22 can always be inserted into the positive electrode can in the best state. Furthermore, since the shape of the cam is determined so that the operation of (b) to (c) of FIG. 4 shifts optimally slowly, the bottom-formed separator 22 is inserted into the positive electrode can with the optimal slow operation. Therefore, the bottomed separator 22 can always be favorably inserted inside the positive electrode can. For these adjustments, the experiment is repeated to make the optimum adjustment.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the bending tool cam curve of the present invention. Here, the ascending end indicates the position where the upper tool 23 in FIG. 2 is most raised, and the descending end indicates the upper tool 23 in FIG.
Indicates the most lowered position. The lower horizontal angle is the rotation angle of the rotary table of the folding machine 1 (0 to 360 °).
It is. S2, S3, and S5 in the figure show operations at corresponding positions in FIG. Here, the shape of the cam is determined so as to keep the operation at low speed and keep it when inserting and bending the separators of S3 and S4 into the mold.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the bottom forming on-machine tool cam curve of the present invention. S12, S13, S22, S14 in the figure,
S23, S15, and S24 show the operation at the corresponding positions in FIG. Here, S13, S22, S14, S2
The shape of the cam is determined so as to slow and keep the operation when the rod of No. 3 is lowered and the separator is pressed against the mold.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the tool cam curve on the can inserting machine of the present invention. S32, S42, S13, S43 in the figure,
S34 and S45 show the operation at the corresponding positions in FIG. Here, the upper tool 23 of S32, S42 and S43
The shape of the cam is determined so that the operation is slowed down when the bottomed separator is inserted into the positive electrode can by lowering the rod.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Processes are divided into separator bending, bottom formation, and can insertion processes, and the separators are individually aligned in each step, and separator bending and bottom formation are set to the optimum speed. Since the separator is discharged, the uniform and stable separator can be manufactured and inserted into the can. As a result, (1) the separator, the bending mold, the bottom forming mold, and the positive electrode can can be easily centered individually.

(2) When the bottom is formed, the heater is individually heated to several hundreds of degrees for each bottom forming die, so that it is possible to individually adjust the temperature to the optimum temperature. (3) The upper and lower movements of the upper tool are optimally set by the cam according to the rotation of the rotary table, and when the separator is pressed against the folding mold, the bottom is formed when the folded separator is pressed against the bottom forming mold. When inserting the separator into the positive electrode can, it is possible to manufacture and insert a stable and high-quality separator with an optimally low speed.

(4) As a result of (1), (2), and (3), it is possible to optimally set the condition that the bottom portion of the separator does not buckle by experiments, which is a measure for preventing liquid leakage when a battery is manufactured, And it has become possible to improve the yield. Further, by increasing the number of separators placed on the rotary table, it has become possible to increase the number of processes per unit time and manufacture separators at high speed and in large quantities.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the bending operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a bottom forming operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a can inserting operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a tool cam curve on a folding machine of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an example of a bottom forming on-machine tool cam curve of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of a tool cam curve on a can inserting machine of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

FIG. 9 is an example of a separator shape.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Bending machine 2: Bottom forming machine 3: Can insertion machine 4: Separator insertion into carrier 5, 6: Hakama with positive electrode can 11-20: Star wheel 21: Carrier 22: Separator 23: Upper tool

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bending machine that sequentially mounts a plurality of cylindrical separators on a rotary table and bends the tip according to the rotation, and a separator whose tip is bent by the folding machine and receives the separator on the rotary table. A bottom forming machine that sequentially mounts a plurality of sheets and forms a bottom at the bent portion according to the rotation, and receives a separator having a bottom formed by the bottom forming machine and sequentially places a plurality of the plurality of sheets on a rotary table to rotate. And a can inserting machine for inserting the separator into a positive electrode can according to the above. 2. A buffer for temporarily storing the separator, taking out the separator and delivering it to the can inserting machine, a sensor for detecting a defect of the separator discharged from the bottom forming machine, and a sensor judged to be defective. The battery separator manufacturing / inserting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for discharging the separator without storing it in the buffer.