Specification
【Technical Field】
[1] This application claims the benefit of priority
to Korean Patent Application No. 2020-0066918 filed on
June 3, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
[2] The present invention relates to a pressing
apparatus including a fluid and a pressing method using
the same, and more particularly to a pressing apparatus
including a pressure adjustment portion having a fluid
contained therein, whereby pressure applied to target
object to be pressed is changed depending on the shape of
the target object, and a pressing method using the same.
【Background Art】
[3] With recent development of alternative energies
due to air pollution and energy depletion caused as the
result of use of fossil fuels, demand for secondary
batteries capable of storing electrical energy that is
produced has increased. The secondary batteries, which
are being capable of being charged and discharged, are
2
intimately used in daily life. For example, the
secondary batteries are used in mobile devices, electric
vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles.
[4] Secondary batteries used as energy sources of
various kinds of electronic devices inevitably used in
modern society have been used in a state of being mounted
in various kinds of devices, such as mobile devices and
electric vehicles. Various shapes of battery cells are
required in response to user demand and variety in shape
of devices in which secondary batteries are mounted.
[5] Various shapes of battery cells may be generally
formed by receiving, in a curved or bent case, an
electrode having a shape corresponding to the shape of
the case or an electrode assembly constituted by stacking
electrodes. In order to form various shapes of
electrodes, an electrode active material is applied to
one surface or opposite surfaces of an electrode current
collector formed so as to have a uniform shape, and is
then pressed. In addition, for various shapes of
electrode assemblies, various shapes of electrodes and
separators are stacked, and a lamination process is
performed in order to increase the force of coupling
therebetween.
[6] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional
pressing apparatus.
3
[7] In order to press a target object 10 to be
pressed, a pressing portion of the conventional pressing
apparatus 20, which is a portion configured to come into
contact with the target object 10, is flat. However, the
pressing apparatus 20 having the flat pressing portion
cannot apply uniform force to a target object 10 having
various heights or shapes.
[8] That is, stronger force is applied to a portion
of the target object 10 that protrudes farther than the
other portions of the target object, and weaker force is
applied to a portion of the target object 10 that is
depressed farther than the other portions of the target
object, whereby the target object 10 is not uniformly
laminated. In order to solve the above problem, an
additional pressing process may be performed with respect
to the portion of the target object 10 that is not
properly laminated. In this case, however, process time
is lengthened and related cost is increased as a result
of performing such an additional process.
[9] In Patent Document 1, a pattern is formed on the
surface of a roll member such that compression force that
is transmitted to an electrode and a separator is applied
only to some regions thereof. However, there is a
problem in that only a portion of a target object is
compressed, whereby the entirety of the target object is
4
not uniformly pressed at once.
[10] In order to solve the above problem, it is
necessary to consider a method capable of uniformly
pressing a target object while reducing process time.
[11] (Prior Art Document)
[12] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application
Publication No. 2017-0099213 (2017.08.31)
【Disclosure】
【Technical Problem】
[13] The present invention has been made in view of
the above problems, and it is an object of the present
invention to provide a pressing apparatus capable of
applying uniform pressing force to a target object to be
pressed.
[14] It is another object of the present invention to
easily produce various shapes of electrodes or electrode
assemblies using the pressing apparatus. It is a
further object of the present invention to simplify an
electrode and electrode assembly manufacturing process
and to reduce a defect rate, whereby it is possible to
reduce production cost.
【Technical Solution】
[15] In order to accomplish the above objects, a
5
pressing apparatus according to the present invention may
include a contact portion having a shape or position
configured to be changed depending on the shape of a
target object to be pressed, a pressing portion
configured to apply uniform force to the contact portion,
and a pressure adjustment portion located between the
contact portion and the pressing portion, the pressure
adjustment portion having a fluid contained therein.
[16] In addition, the contact portion may have a
pattern configured to change a pressure applied to the
target object depending on the shape of the target
object.
[17] The pattern may be an oblique pattern, an Xshaped
pattern, or a dot type pattern having a plurality
of micro-scale protrusions.
[18] The contact portion may have a plurality of
protrusions configured to be individually movable.
[19] The pressure adjustment portion may be
individually connected to the contact portion.
[20] In addition, the pressing portion may be
individually or integrally connected to the pressure
adjustment portion.
[21] The fluid of the pressure adjustment portion may
be connected to the plurality of protrusions.
[22] In addition, the fluid of the pressure adjustment
6
portion may occupy less than 90% of the pressure
adjustment portion.
[23] In addition, the pressing apparatus may include
an upper roll including the contact portion, the
pressing portion, and the pressure adjustment portion
and a lower roll having the same identical construction
as the upper roll.
[24] The present invention provides an electrode and
electrode assembly manufacturing method including (S1)
preparing an electrode or an electrode assembly that is
the target object to be pressed, (S2) disposing the
target object in the pressing apparatus, and (S3)
pressing the target object using the pressing apparatus.
[25] In step (S3), the pressing apparatus may be
deformed depending on the shape of the target object or a
pressing force applied to the contact portion,
configured to come into contact with the target object,
may be changed depending on the shape of the target
object.
[26] The present invention provides a unit cell
including the above-mentioned electrode or electrode
assembly. In addition, the present invention provides a
battery module or a battery pack including the unit cell.
In addition, the present invention provides a device
having the unit cell, the battery module, or the battery
7
pack mounted therein.
[27] In the present invention, one or more
constructions that do not conflict with each other may
be selected and combined from among the above
constructions.
【Advantageous Effects】
[28] As is apparent from the above description, a
pressing apparatus according to the present invention
includes a contact portion having a shape changeable
depending on the shape of a target object to be pressed,
a pressing portion configured to apply uniform force to
the contact portion, and a pressure adjustment portion
configured to adjust the force applied from the pressing
portion differently depending on the shape of the target
object in order to change the shape of the contact
portion, whereby it is possible to apply uniform pressing
force to the target object irrespective of the shape of
the target object.
[29] In addition, the target object, to which uniform
pressing force is applied irrespective of the shape of
the target object, may be uniformly laminated while the
uniform shape of the target object is maintained. As a
result, all parts of the target object are uniformly
laminated, whereby it is possible to obtain a target
8
object, the uniform shape of which is maintained.
Furthermore, defects of the target object at a specific
part thereof are remarkably reduced.
[30] In addition, it is not necessary to perform an
additional process for uniform lamination, whereby it is
possible to reduce time and cost incurred in the process,
which is economical.
[31]
【Description of Drawings】
[32] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional
pressing apparatus.
[33] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a pressing
apparatus according to the present invention.
[34] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the pressing
apparatus according to the present invention configured
to have a pressing roll type structure.
[35] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the interior
of a pressing apparatus according to a first embodiment
of the present invention.
[36] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the interior
of a pressing apparatus according to a second embodiment
of the present invention.
[37] FIG. 6 is a photograph showing the shape of a
pattern of a contact portion according to the present
9
invention.
【Best Mode】
[38] Now, preferred embodiments of the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to
the accompanying drawings such that the preferred
embodiments of the present invention can be easily
implemented by a person having ordinary skill in the art
to which the present invention pertains. In describing
the principle of operation of the preferred embodiments
of the present invention in detail, however, a detailed
description of known functions and configurations
incorporated herein will be omitted when the same may
obscure the subject matter of the present invention.
[39] In addition, the same reference numbers will be
used throughout the drawings to refer to parts that
perform similar functions or operations. In the case in
which one part is said to be connected to another part in
the entire specification, not only may the one part be
directly connected to the other part, but also, the one
part may be indirectly connected to the other part via a
further part. In addition, that a certain element is
included does not mean that other elements are excluded,
but means that such elements may be further included
unless mentioned otherwise.
10
[40] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a pressing
apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is
a schematic view of the pressing apparatus according to
the present invention configured to have a pressing roll
type structure, FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the
interior of a pressing apparatus according to a first
embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a
schematic view showing the interior of a pressing
apparatus according to a second embodiment of the
present invention.
[41] The pressing apparatus 200 according to the
present invention is characterized in that uniform
pressure is applied to a target object 100 irrespective
of the shape of the target object 100.
[42] The target object 100 may be an electrode having
an active material applied to one surface or opposite
surfaces of an electrode current collector or an
electrode assembly including electrodes, each of which
is formed as described above, i.e. a positive electrode
and a negative electrode, which are stacked in the state
in which a separator is interposed therebetween.
[43] The positive electrode includes a positive
electrode active material layer applied to at least one
surface of a positive electrode current collector. The
positive electrode active material layer may be
11
manufactured by applying a positive electrode mixture of
a positive electrode active material, a conductive agent,
and a binder. A filler may be further added to the
positive electrode mixture as needed.
[44] In general, the positive electrode current
collector is manufactured so as to have a thickness of 3
μm to 500 μm. The positive electrode current collector
is not particularly restricted as long as the positive
electrode current collector exhibits high conductivity
while the positive electrode current collector does not
induce any chemical change in a battery to which the
positive electrode current collector is applied. For
example, the positive electrode current collector may be
made of stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, or titanium.
Alternatively, the positive electrode current collector
may be made of aluminum or stainless steel, the surface
of which is treated with carbon, nickel, titanium, or
silver. Specifically, aluminum may be used. The
positive electrode current collector may have a microscale
uneven pattern formed on the surface thereof so as
to increase the force of adhesion to the positive
electrode active material layer. The positive electrode
current collector may be configured in any of various
forms, such as a film, a sheet, a foil, a net, a porous
body, a foam body, or a non-woven fabric body.
12
[45] In addition to the positive electrode active
material particles, the positive electrode active
material may be constituted, for example, by a layered
compound, such as a lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2), or a
compound substituted with one or more transition metals;
a lithium manganese oxide represented by the chemical
formula Li1+xMn2-xO4 (where x = 0 to 0.33) or a lithium
manganese oxide, such as LiMnO3, LiMn2O3, or LiMnO2; a
lithium copper oxide (Li2CuO2); a vanadium oxide, such as
LiV3O8, LiV3O4, V2O5, or Cu2V2O7; an Ni-sited lithium nickel
oxide represented by the chemical formula LiNi1-xMxO2
(where M = Co, Mn, Al, Cu, Fe, Mg, B, or Ga, and x = 0.01
to 0.3); a lithium manganese composite oxide represented
by the chemical formula LiMn2-xMxO2 (where M = Co, Ni, Fe,
Cr, Zn, or Ta, and x = 0.01 to 0.1) or the chemical
formula Li2Mn3MO8 (where M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn);
LiMn2O4 in which a portion of Li in the chemical formula
is replaced by alkaline earth metal ions; a disulfide
compound; or Fe2(MoO4)3. However, the present invention
is not limited thereto.
[46] The conductive agent is generally added so that
the conductive agent accounts for 0.1 weight% to 30
weight% based on the total weight of the mixture
including the positive electrode active material. The
conductive agent is not particularly restricted as long
13
as the conductive agent exhibits high conductivity
without inducing any chemical change in a battery to
which the conductive agent is applied. For example,
graphite, such as natural graphite or artificial graphite;
carbon black, such as carbon black, acetylene black,
Ketjen black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black,
or thermal black; conductive fiber, such as carbon fiber
or metallic fiber; carbon fluoride powder; metallic
powder, such as aluminum powder, or nickel powder;
conductive whisker, such as a zinc oxide or potassium
titanate; a conductive metal oxide, such as a titanium
oxide; or a conductive material, such as a polyphenylene
derivative, may be used as the conductive agent.
[47] The binder, which is included in the positive
electrode, is a component assisting in binding between
the active material and the conductive agent and in
binding with the current collector. The binder is
generally added in an amount of 0.1 weight% to 30 weight%
based on the total weight of the mixture including the
positive electrode active material. As examples of the
binder, there may be used polyvinylidene fluoride,
polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), starch,
hydroxypropylcellulose, regenerated cellulose, polyvinyl
pyrrolidone, tetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene,
polypropylene, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer,
14
sulfonated ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, styrene
butadiene rubber, fluoro rubber, and various copolymers.
[48] The negative electrode is manufactured by
applying a negative electrode active material to one
surface or opposite surfaces of a negative electrode
current collector and drying the same, whereby a negative
electrode active material layer is provided at one
surface of the negative electrode. The above-described
components may be selectively further included as needed.
[49] Since the negative electrode is provided as a
single-sided negative electrode having a negative
electrode active material layer provided only at one
surface of a negative electrode current collector, the
space of a pouch-shaped secondary battery occupied by the
negative electrode is reduced, whereby the capacity of
the pouch-shaped secondary battery is increased.
[50] As the negative electrode active material, for
example, there may be used carbon, such as a nongraphitizing
carbon or a graphite-based carbon; a metal
composite oxide, such as LixFe2O3 (0≤x≤1), LixWO2 (0≤x≤1),
or SnxMe1-xMe’yOz (Me: Mn, Fe, Pb, Ge; Me’: Al, B, P, Si,
Group 1, 2 and 3 elements of the periodic table, halogen;
0
Documents
Application Documents
| # |
Name |
Date |
| 1 |
202217056386.pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 2 |
202217056386-TRANSLATIOIN OF PRIOIRTY DOCUMENTS ETC. [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 3 |
202217056386-STATEMENT OF UNDERTAKING (FORM 3) [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 4 |
202217056386-PROOF OF RIGHT [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 5 |
202217056386-PRIORITY DOCUMENTS [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 6 |
202217056386-POWER OF AUTHORITY [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 7 |
202217056386-FORM 1 [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 8 |
202217056386-DRAWINGS [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 9 |
202217056386-DECLARATION OF INVENTORSHIP (FORM 5) [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 10 |
202217056386-COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [30-09-2022(online)].pdf |
2022-09-30 |
| 11 |
202217056386-FORM 3 [01-02-2023(online)].pdf |
2023-02-01 |
| 12 |
202217056386-FORM 3 [14-07-2023(online)].pdf |
2023-07-14 |
| 13 |
202217056386-FORM 3 [18-01-2024(online)].pdf |
2024-01-18 |
| 14 |
202217056386-FORM 18 [24-01-2024(online)].pdf |
2024-01-24 |