JPH11339775A - Manufacturing device for electrode element for polymer battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lamination device of a laminated body constituting an electrode element of a polymer battery. SOLUTION: This device has a heating mechanism heating a laminated body of an electrode member of the polymer battery, a pair of pressurizing rollers 6a, 6b arranged in parallel and integrating the heated laminated body by rotationally pressurizing from both sides, a first bearing mechanism 13a statically and rotationally journalling the one roller 6a of the pair, a second bearing mechanism 13b movably and slidably journalling the other roller 6b, a roller rotating drive mechanism 12 rotationally driving the pair of rollers, a load applying mechanism 14 pressing the peripheral surface of the roller 6b journalled by the mechanism 13b against the peripheral surface of the roller 6a journalled by the mechanism 13a, a load measuring mechanism 16 measuring the load by the load applying mechanism 14, and bearing mechanism separating means 17a, 17b separating the mechanism 13b from the mechanism 13a in order to lightening the weight of the roller 6b itself rotationally journalled by the mechanism 13b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode element for a polymer battery, and more particularly, to a lamination apparatus for a laminate constituting an electrode element for a polymer battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, cordless and high performance electronic devices such as portable telephones and portable notebook personal computers have been remarkable.
There is a demand for smaller, lighter, thinner, larger capacity, higher voltage, and the like. In response to such demands, a positive electrode layer,
The polymer electrolyte layer and the negative electrode layer are superimposed on each other to form a sheet (thin) integrated electrode element having a thickness of 0.5.
Lithium non-aqueous solvent batteries of about mm are also known (for example, US Pat. No. 5,296,318).

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of an example of the configuration of the electrode element for a polymer electrolyte battery. FIG.
In the above, 1 is a polymer-electrolyte sheet (for example, a polymer such as hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride copolymer) having an electrolyte retention function as a separator and an ethylene carbonate solution such as a lithium salt, etc., a non-aqueous electrolyte. System), 2 is a positive electrode sheet formed by laminating a positive electrode layer containing an active material such as a metal oxide, a non-aqueous electrolyte and an electrolyte-retaining polymer on a current collector, 3 is an active material that absorbs and releases lithium ions, This is a negative electrode sheet formed by laminating a negative electrode layer containing a non-aqueous electrolyte and an electrolyte-retaining polymer on a current collector.

Here, the active material of the positive electrode sheet 2 is as follows.
For example, lithium manganese composite oxide, manganese dioxide, lithium-containing cobalt oxide, lithium-containing nickel cobalt oxide, lithium-containing amorphous vanadium pentoxide, chalcogen compound and the like can be mentioned. Examples of the negative electrode active material include fired products of bisphenol resin, polyacrylonitrile, cellulose, and the like, fired products of coke and pitch, and these are natural or artificial graphite, carbon black, acetylene black, ketjen black, nickel powder, and the like. And a form containing nickel powder or the like.

[0005] Further, the electrolyte sheet 1 is prepared by adding lithium perchlorate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, borane to a non-aqueous solvent such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate or methyl ethyl carbonate. Examples thereof include those in which lithium tetrafluoride, lithium arsenide lithium, lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, and the like are dissolved at about 0.2 to 2 mol / l.

[0006] In the production of this kind of lightweight and flexible lithium polymer battery, lamination of electrode elements is premised. That is, a positive electrode sheet 2, a separator (polymer-electrolyte) sheet 1 and a negative electrode sheet 3 which are electrode elements are combined in a laminated state, and this laminated body is pressed with a pressure roller (laminator roller).
In the process of passing through the space, they are integrated. In addition, in the process of pressurization and integration by the pressure roller, in the process of being transported by an endless belt, the laminate is heated to a required temperature,
Pressure is applied to facilitate integration.

Thereafter, the integrated electrode element is cut and separated into predetermined shapes and dimensions, and necessary external leads are provided.
After covering the back surface of the positive electrode sheet 2 and the negative electrode sheet 3 with a resin film for protection and a sealing layer (sealing layer), or extracting a plasticizer contained in the electrode element, it is sealed in a battery outer can. . Then, if necessary, after supplying and injecting the electrolyte, the battery is formed by sealing the opening of the battery outer can while drawing out the external leads.

[0008] The construction of the positive electrode sheet 2 and the negative electrode sheet 3 is similarly manufactured by pressure bonding and integration. That is, a positive electrode active material sheet or a negative electrode active material sheet is laminated so as to sandwich the corresponding current collector layer, and the laminated body is pressed and integrated to form the positive electrode sheet 2 and the negative electrode sheet 3. ing.

[0009]

However, in the step of integrating the electrode member laminate, generally, a heater is incorporated in the pressure roller, and when passing between the pressure rollers, a thermocompression bonding ( However, since the heating is performed in a short time, the integration by thermocompression (pressure welding) may not be performed sufficiently. As a countermeasure against this, it is also known to equip a fixed heater block in front of the pressure roller and heat the laminate during the transport process.

That is, in order to facilitate the production of an electrode element sheet having a substantially uniform denseness or a composition system as a whole by laminating a required electrode member sheet, the fixed die is formed prior to the integration by thermocompression bonding. Means of heating the laminate to a required temperature by a heater block and supplying the laminate to a pressure roller have been attempted. However, in this case, the laminate is likely to adhere to the surface of the fixed type heater block during the transportation process, so the laminate is transported sandwiched between thin plates such as brass, and passed between the pressure rollers to be pressed and integrated. It is not possible to continuously laminate and integrate long electrode member sheets.

In order to perform uniform thermocompression bonding at the stage of passing between a pair of pressure rollers, a required load is applied to the laminate, but the load here is only a load by a so-called load applying mechanism. And the weight of the pressure roller is added. That is, even when no load is applied by the load applying mechanism, the weight of the pressure roller itself is applied to the laminate.

Here, when the diameter of the pressure roller is small, there is not much problem. However, it is easy to obtain high productivity and high quality.
When the diameter of the pressure roller (material: iron) is set to be large, for example, when the diameter of the pressure roller is about 150 mm and the length is about 400 mm, the weight of the pressure roller itself is 56 kgf only in the pressure section. Therefore, when a 270 mm wide laminate is pressed, a pressure of 2 kgf / cm is applied only by the weight of the pressure roller, without applying a load by the load application mechanism.
Pressure cannot be applied below f / cm.

However, depending on the material of each sheet constituting the polymer electrode element or the configuration of the polymer electrode element itself, it may be desired to set the pressure at the stage of passing between the pressure rollers to less than 2 kgf / cm. As a countermeasure, a bolt may be attached to the rotating bearing portion of the pressure roller via a compression coil spring, and the self-weight of the pressure roller may be canceled by utilizing the repulsive force of the compression coil spring depending on the degree of tightening of the bolt. It has been tried, but it is difficult to control the load with high accuracy.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a manufacturing apparatus capable of easily manufacturing a high-performance polymer electrode element with a substantially uniform composition or dense system at a high yield. Aim.

[0015]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating mechanism for heating a laminated body of an electrode member for a polymer battery, and a parallel mechanism for rotating and pressing the heated laminated body from both sides to be integrated. And a first pressure roller fixedly rotatingly supporting one of the pressure rollers of the pressure roller pair.
Bearing mechanism, a second bearing mechanism that slidably and rotationally supports the other pressure roller so as to be able to contact and separate from the pressure roller that is fixedly and rotationally supported, and the pressure roller pair A roller rotation drive mechanism for rotating the roller, a load load mechanism for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller axially supported by the second bearing mechanism on the outer peripheral surface side of the pressure roller axially supported by the first bearing mechanism. A load measuring mechanism for measuring a load by the load applying mechanism, and a second bearing mechanism separated from the first bearing mechanism to reduce the weight of the pressure roller rotatably supported by the second bearing mechanism. An apparatus for producing an electrode element for a polymer battery, comprising: a bearing mechanism separating means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for manufacturing an electrode element for a polymer battery according to the first aspect, a heating mechanism for heating the laminate of the electrode members for a polymer battery includes at least one pair of members for nipping and transporting the laminate. It is a conveyor roller with a built-in heater.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for manufacturing an electrode element for a polymer battery according to the first or second aspect, at least an outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller is made of heat-resistant and wear-resistant ceramic. It is characterized by.

In the first to third aspects of the present invention,
The pressure roller that integrates the laminate of the electrode members for a polymer battery is made of ceramic, metal, heat-resistant resin, or the like that incorporates, as necessary, electric resistance heating, electromagnetic induction heating, hot water, water vapor, or the like as a heat source. Here, the pressure roller has a width (length) of about 100 to 300 mm and a diameter of about 100 to 300 mm, and is set in accordance with the laminate of the electrode members for a polymer battery to be integrated under pressure. Further, if necessary, the heat capacity of the heat source attached to the pressure roller may be such that the temperature drop during the pressure bonding / integration from the heating temperature in the conveying process is supplemented.

For the pressure integration by the pressure roller,
The heating mechanism for heating the laminate of the electrode members for the polymer battery in advance is a block or the like with a built-in heater, and is generally disposed in the transport supply path. For example, a configuration is preferable in which a pair of transport rollers with a built-in heater is arranged adjacent to the upstream side of the pressure roller, and the laminated body of the electrode members for a polymer battery is sandwiched and continuously supplied. Here, the pressure roller is
By rotating at substantially the same speed as the transport speed by the transport roller pair with a built-in heater, it is possible to integrate under pressure while avoiding the occurrence of frictional damage on the outer surface of the laminate. The rotation and drive of the pressure roller may be performed by an independent roller rotation drive mechanism, but a configuration using a rotation drive source of the heater-containing transport roller pair may be used. In addition, the pressure roller pair has a configuration in which the distance between the pressure roller pairs can be adjusted in order to always uniformly laminate and integrate the stacked body of the polymer battery electrode members to be conveyed and supplied. That is, in the pressure roller pair, one pressure roller is fixedly rotatably supported by the first bearing mechanism, and the other pressure roller is slidably supported by the second bearing mechanism. It is rotatably supported. The outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller supported by the second bearing mechanism is disposed so as to be able to contact and separate from the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller supported by the first bearing mechanism.

That is, the pressure roller that is supported by the second bearing mechanism is moved to the side of the pressure roller that is supported by the first bearing mechanism by a load applying mechanism that is loaded on the second bearing mechanism. By pressing or releasing the pressing, the interval between the opposed outer peripheral surfaces is adjusted. Here, examples of the load applying mechanism include a movable pressurizing unit that can move forward and backward, an air cylinder, an oil cylinder, and the like. The load applied by the load applying mechanism to the pressure roller supported by the second bearing mechanism is measured by a load measuring mechanism such as a load cell, and an appropriate load can be applied.

On the other hand, when it is desired to avoid a load on the pressure roller supported by the second bearing mechanism, the bearing mechanism separating means for separating the second bearing mechanism from the first bearing mechanism is movable. For example, a mold pressurizing unit, an air cylinder or an oil cylinder may be used. That is,
In the process of pressing and integrating the laminated body of polymer battery electrode members with a pressure roller, not only is the load applied by the load applying mechanism avoided, but also the load based on the weight of the pressure roller itself is avoided as much as possible. Therefore, a configuration is adopted in which the second bearing mechanism is forcibly separated from the first bearing mechanism. Here, the bearing mechanism separating means acts to pull (float) the pressure roller in the opposite direction to the action (load application) of the load applying mechanism on the pressure roller.

In the invention according to claim 2 or 3, at least one pair of transport rollers with a built-in heater for holding and transporting the laminated body of the electrode members for a polymer battery,
In general, heat resistance that can withstand a temperature of about 40 to 200 ° C. and releasability from the laminate are desired. Here, the heater-equipped transport roller is a laminate of the electrode member for a polymer battery,
The polymer battery is transported to the pressure roller side without causing shape collapse or friction damage, and in this transport process, the laminate of the electrode members for a polymer battery is heated to a required temperature.

The material of the transport roller with a built-in heater may be, for example, ceramic or metal coated with a tetrafluoroethylene resin layer, or tetrafluoroethylene resin. The built-in heater (heat source) is, for example, heat generated by electric resistance, hot water, steam, or the like. Further, the laminate of the electrode members for the polymer battery is held in a sandwiched manner so that deformation or damage does not occur. In order to convey, it is desirable that the interval between the pair of conveying rollers with a built-in heater can be adjusted.

That is, the pair of transport rollers with a built-in heater are fixedly supported by a transport roller with a built-in heater on one side and a transport roller with a built-in heater on the other side slidably by a bearing mechanism. The heater-equipped transport roller, which is slidably supported on the heater-equipped transport roller that is axially supported, is installed so as to be able to contact and separate. The transport roller with a built-in heater that is slidably supported by the bearing mechanism is pressed by the load-loading mechanism toward the transport roller with the built-in heater that is fixedly supported by the load, and is released from the outer peripheral surface. The configuration is such that the facing distance is adjusted. Here, as the load applying mechanism, a movable pressurizing unit that can move forward and backward,
Examples include an air cylinder or an oil cylinder.

According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, the laminate of the electrode members for a polymer battery is held and heated so as to be sandwiched between a pair of rollers with a built-in heater, and is provided on the pressure roller side for pressure integration. Conveyed and supplied. In other words, the laminate of the polymer battery electrode member, which is liable to be deformed, is conveyed while holding the controlled gap between the pair of rollers, while being heated and held at the required temperature, so that it is not deformed. The pressure is supplied to the pressure roller for pressure integration.

In addition, when the pressure roller is integrated with the pressure roller, the pressure roller is appropriately reinforced by the application of pressure and the action of the pressure roller is appropriately strengthened, and has a high quality of almost uniform thickness, denseness and composition. Can be easily manufactured. In addition, since the load applied to the pressure roller is more accurately or appropriately applied, the pressure bonding / integrating action of the laminate is appropriately controlled. Therefore, a high quality and high performance battery element for a polymer battery can be provided more easily and in mass production.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

1 and 2 show a schematic configuration of an electrode element manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main part. 1 and 2, reference numerals 4a and 4b denote heating mechanisms for heating the laminate 5 of the polymer battery electrode member, and reference numerals 6a and 6b rotate and press the laminate 5 formed by the heating mechanisms 4a and 4b from both sides. And a pair of pressure rollers arranged in parallel.

The heating mechanisms 4a and 4b are composed of a driving roller 8a and a rotation guide roller rotatably supported by a pair of supports 7a and 7b fixedly arranged on a base (not shown). A pair of endless belts 9a, 9b running opposite to each other in an endless type such as 8b, 8c, and the like.
It comprises heating units 10a and 10b for heating a and 9b, respectively. The pressure rollers 6a and 6b are made of, for example, tool steel and have a diameter of about 50 to 200 mm and a roller width of about 200 to 400 mm, and rotate at substantially the same peripheral speed as the movement or transport speed of the heating mechanisms 4a and 4b. Has been adopted. That is, the pressure rollers 6a and 6b are driven to rotate by the pressure roller rotation drive mechanism 12 using the motor 11a as a power source and the gears and the like as the power transmission mechanism 11b.

The pressure rollers 6a and 6b are electrically insulated with electric heaters connected to a temperature control mechanism (not shown), and heat and hold the pressure rollers 6a and 6b at about 30 to 200 ° C. It has such a configuration. The rotation axis of the pressure roller 6a is fixed, and the rotation axis of the pressure roller 6b is supported by a bearing that can slide slightly toward the pressure roller 6a due to the load. That is, one pressure roller 6a of the pressure roller pair is fixedly rotatably supported by the first bearing mechanism 13a, and the other pressure roller 6a is fixedly supported by the fixed rotation roller. The pressure roller 6b is slidably supported by the second bearing mechanism 13b so that the pressure roller 6b can come and go.

Further, reference numeral 14 denotes a load loading mechanism for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller supported by the second bearing mechanism against the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller supported by the first bearing mechanism. That is, as described above, the pressure roller 6b pivotally supported by the slidably movable second bearing mechanism 13b is pressed toward the opposing pressure roller 6a or acts to release the pressure. A load load mechanism (for example, an air cylinder).

Here, the load by the load load mechanism 14 acts so as to press the second bearing mechanism 13b via the plate member 15, and the distance between the opposing peripheral surfaces of the pressure rollers 6a, 6b is reduced.
In other words, the pressure at which the laminate 5 of the electrode members for a polymer battery is integrated under pressure is adjusted (adjusted). The load of the load mechanism 14 is measured by a load measuring mechanism 16 such as a load cell disposed on the plate member 15.

Further, reference numerals 17a and 17b denote the second bearing mechanism 1
This is a bearing mechanism separating means for separating the second bearing mechanism 13b from the first bearing mechanism 13a in order to reduce the weight of the pressure roller 6b supported by the rotation shaft 3b. Here, the bearing mechanism separating means 17a and 17b are a shaft 18 connected directly or indirectly to the second bearing mechanism 13b, and an air cylinder (or an oil cylinder) connected to the shaft 18 via a joint 19. Consists of 20. Then, the air cylinder 20 acts to pull up the second bearing mechanism 13b (separate from the first bearing mechanism 13a), thereby reducing or canceling the load based on the weight of the pressure roller 6b. .

The air pressure to be supplied to the air cylinder 20 should be set in advance by measuring the weight of the pressure roller 6b by a load measuring mechanism and corresponding to the value of the weight of the pressure roller 6b. Is desirable. In FIGS. 1 and 2,
21 is a load load mechanism 14 and bearing mechanism separating means 17a, 17b
It is a support on which is installed.

Next, the operation of the manufacturing apparatus having the above configuration will be described.

First, a strip-shaped positive electrode (for example, an active material such as a metal oxide) sandwiching a polymer such as a polymer such as hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride with an electrolyte-holding polymer-electrolyte system which functions as a separator. A positive electrode layer containing a substance and an electrolyte-retaining polymer is laminated on a current collector, and a strip-shaped negative electrode (for example, a negative electrode layer containing an active material for absorbing and releasing lithium ions and an electrolyte-retaining polymer is laminated on the current collector). Is prepared.

Next, the laminate 5 constituting the electrode element for the polymer battery is supplied between the opposing surfaces of the heating mechanisms 4a and 4b and heated by the heating units 10a and 10b, while being held between the endless belts 9a and 9b. Start holding conveyance. In addition,
At this time, if the facing surfaces of the heating mechanisms 4a and 4b are kept at an appropriate distance, there is no danger of friction and damage of the electrodes located on the outer peripheral surface of the laminate 5 and also prevention of deformation and the like.・ It is suppressed.

In the process of passing and transporting through the heating mechanisms 6a and 6b, the laminated body 5 is heated and rotated and driven by the pressing roller.
The pressure is supplied to the sides 6a and 6b, and the pressure rollers 6a and 6b are pressed and integrated by the outer peripheral surface. That is, substantially uniform flexibility by heating in the transport / supply stage and the load applying mechanism 14
Pressure on the pressure roller 6b, or pulling up (separating from the first bearing mechanism 13a) of the second bearing mechanism 13b by the bearing mechanism separating means 17a, 17b,
An electrode element for a polymer battery, which has a proper thickness and a proper structure and structure and is uniformly pressed and pressed (heat-fused) as a whole, can be easily manufactured.

In the manufacturing apparatus, the pressure rollers 6a, 6b
Instead of using a pressure roller whose outer peripheral surface is coated with abrasion-resistant and corrosion-resistant ceramics, high-quality battery elements can be obtained more easily with non-adhesion to the pressure roller. be able to.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the heating mechanism may be a transport roller system with a built-in heater, and may be configured to share a power source for rotationally driving the pressure roller. Further, the load load mechanism and the bearing mechanism separating means may be configured to use an oil cylinder or the like instead of the air cylinder.

[0041]

According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a high-quality electrode element of a polymer battery with good yield and mass production. In other words, in the lamination of the electrode element for the polymer battery, the selection range of the lamination pressure is widened, and the pressure bonding by the more appropriate pressing roller is performed. Can be manufactured. In addition, being able to manufacture an electrode element having a constant performance makes it possible to mass-produce a highly reliable polymer battery.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a main part of an electrode element manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of an electrode element manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an electrode element for a polymer battery.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4a, 4b: Heating mechanism 5: Laminate body 6a, 6b forming an electrode element for a polymer battery 6: Pressure rollers 9a, 9b: Endless belts 10a, 10b: Heating unit 12: Roller rotation drive mechanism 13a ... First rotating bearing 13b... Second rotating bearing 14... Load applying mechanism 15... Plate member 16... Load measuring mechanism 17a, 17b.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A heating mechanism for heating a laminate of electrode members for a polymer battery, and a pair of parallel pressure rollers for rotating and pressing the heated laminate from both sides to be integrated. A first bearing mechanism that fixedly and rotationally supports one of the pressure rollers of the pair of pressure rollers; and separates and separates the other pressure roller from the pressure roller and that is fixedly and rotationally supported. A second bearing mechanism that slidably and rotationally supports the roller; a roller rotation drive mechanism that rotationally drives the pressure roller pair; and a pressure roller outer peripheral surface that is supported by the first bearing mechanism. A load applying mechanism for pressing the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller supported by the second bearing mechanism; a load measuring mechanism for measuring a load by the load applying mechanism; and a load supporting mechanism rotatably supported by the second bearing mechanism. The second bearing mechanism is moved from the first bearing mechanism to reduce the weight of the pressure roller. A bearing mechanism separating means for septum for apparatus for producing a polymer battery electrode element, characterized in that it comprises a. 2. The polymer battery according to claim 1, wherein the heating mechanism for heating the laminate of the electrode members for a polymer battery is at least a pair of transport rollers with a built-in heater for sandwiching and transporting the laminate. For manufacturing electrode elements. 3. The apparatus for producing an electrode element for a polymer battery according to claim 1, wherein at least the outer peripheral surface of the pressure roller is made of heat-resistant and wear-resistant ceramic.