3D pattern cutting machine for lithium metal electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11005092-B2
Application number	US-201816346948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jul 10, 2017
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

A 3-dimensional (3D) pattern puncher for punching a lithium metal electrode to provide one or more unit electrodes is provided. The 3D pattern puncher includes a mold punch configured to move up and down, the mold punch corresponding to a size of the unit electrode; a die corresponding to the mold punch; a mold blade disposed at an edge of the mold punch and configured to punch the lithium metal electrode to provide the one or more unit electrodes; and a 3D pattern positioned at an inner portion of the mold punch where the mold blade is not disposed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A 3-dimensional (3D) pattern puncher for punching a lithium metal electrode to provide one or more unit electrodes, the 3D pattern puncher comprising:
a mold punch configured to move up and down, the mold punch corresponding to a size of the unit electrode;
a die corresponding to the mold punch;
a mold blade disposed at an edge of the mold punch and configured to punch the lithium metal electrode to provide the one or more unit electrodes; and
a 3D pattern positioned at an inner portion of the mold punch where the mold blade is not disposed,
wherein the mold punch is one of a metal mold and the 3D pattern adhered thereto, the 3D pattern being made of a polymer material, or a mold and the 3D pattern integrally made of a polymer material.

2. The 3D pattern puncher of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is any one of polycarbonate, polyurethane acrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polybutylene terephthalate.

3. The 3D pattern puncher of claim 1 , wherein a depth of the 3D pattern is about 10 μm to about 100 μm.

4. The 3D pattern puncher of claim 1 , wherein the 3D pattern is formed by one of embossing or engraving.

5. The 3D pattern puncher of claim 1 , wherein the 3D pattern has one of a mesh shape, a lamellar shape, an emboss shape, a linear shape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a polygonal shape, and a waveform shape.

6. The 3D pattern puncher of claim 1 , further comprising a roller-shaped unwinder for continuously supplying a lithium metal electrode to a side surface of the die before being punched.

7. A method for manufacturing a lithium metal unit electrode using the 3D pattern puncher according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
positioning the lithium metal electrode at the die;
pushing the mold punch down and engraving 3D patterns on the lithium metal electrode; and
releasing the lithium metal unit electrode by raising the mold punch.

8. The 3D pattern puncher of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the 3D pattern contacting the unit electrode, a height of the blade from the mold punch is greater that a height of the 3D pattern from the mold punch.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Yoon Jong Keon
• Hah Hoe Jin
• Woo Kyung Hwa

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• B26F2001/4481

  having special lateral or edge outlines or special surface shapes, e.g. apertures · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M2004/021

  Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area · CPC title

• H01M4/382

  Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence) · CPC title