Pressing apparatus including fluid and electrode and electrode assembly manufacturing method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12337567-B2
Application number	US-202117914102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2021
Priority date	Jun 3, 2020
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pressing apparatus capable of uniformly pressing an object to be pressed using a pressure adjustment portion having a fluid contained therein irrespective of the shape of the object and a pressing method using the same.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressing apparatus comprising:
a contact portion having a shape or position configured to be changed depending on a 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,
wherein the contact portion has a plurality of protrusions configured to be individually movable relative to the pressing portion,
wherein the pressure adjustment portion has a plurality of pressure adjustment parts individually connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of protrusions of the contact portion, and
wherein the pressing portion has a plurality of pressing parts individually connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of pressure adjustment parts.

2. The pressing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact portion has a contact pattern configured to change a pressure applied to the target object depending on the shape of the target object.

3. The pressing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the contact pattern is an oblique pattern, an X-shaped pattern, or a dot type pattern having a plurality of micro-scale protrusions.

4. The pressing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid of the pressure adjustment portion is connected to the plurality of protrusions.

5. The pressing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid of the pressure adjustment portion occupies less than 90% of the pressure adjustment portion.

6. The pressing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing apparatus comprises:
an upper roll comprising the contact portion, the pressing portion, and the pressure adjustment portion; and
a lower roll having an identical construction as the upper roll.

7. The pressing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contact portion has a contact pattern configured to simultaneously contact an entirety of a confronting surface of the target object during a beginning of a pressing of the target object.

8. An electrode and electrode assembly manufacturing method comprising:
providing a pressing apparatus comprising a contact portion having a shape or position configured to be changed depending on a 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, the contact portion having a plurality of protrusions configured to be individually movable relative to the pressing portion, the pressure adjustment portion having a plurality of pressure adjustment parts individually connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of protrusions of the contact portion, and the pressing portion having a plurality of pressing parts individually connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of pressure adjustment parts;
preparing an electrode or an electrode assembly that is the target object to be pressed;
disposing the target object in the pressing apparatus; and
pressing the target object using the pressing apparatus.

9. The electrode and electrode assembly manufacturing method according to claim 8 , wherein, during the pressing of the target object, the shape of the contact portion or a pressing force applied to the contact portion is changed depending on the shape of the target object.

10. The electrode and electrode assembly manufacturing method according to claim 8 , wherein, during a beginning of the pressing of the target object, the contact portion simultaneously contacts an entirety of a confronting surface of the target object.

Assignees

• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Byeong Kyu
• Kwon Soon Kwan
• Cho Ju Hyeon
• Jung Su Taek

Classifications

• H01M4/0433

  Molding · CPC title

• H01M10/0468

  Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators · CPC title

• H01M10/0481

  Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators · CPC title

• H01M10/0404

  Machines for assembling batteries · CPC title

• H01M4/043

  involving compressing or compaction · CPC title