Apparatus and Method for Making a Coil, Preferably for an Electrochemical Cell Intended for the Production of Batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025042682-A1
Application number	US-202218722542-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2022
Priority date	Dec 21, 2021
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for making a coil (B) comprises a feed unit (2) configured to feed at least one strip-shaped article (N) and a winding unit (1). The winding unit includes a plurality of winding heads (10) each of which supports a gripping device (11) of a portion of said strip-shaped article (N), and a movement device (3) of said winding heads (10) configured to move said winding heads (10) along a working path (P). Each winding head (10) is configured to wind said strip-shaped article (N) so as to make said coil (B), wherein each gripping device (11) comprises a pair of pins (12, 13) configured to hold said strip-shaped article (N) between them, at least one of said pins (12, 13) being movable so as to join the other pin holding said strip-shaped article (N) between them.

First claim

1 . An apparatus ( 100 ) for making a coil (B), for an electrochemical cell intended for the production of batteries, apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
a feed unit ( 2 ) configured to feed at least one strip-shaped article (N), preferably comprising one or more strips which include conductor strips (N 1 , N 3 ) and separator strips (N 2 , N 4 ); a winding unit ( 1 ) that includes:
a plurality of winding heads ( 10 ), of which supports a gripping device ( 11 ) that is configured to grasp a portion of said strip-shaped article (N);
a movement device ( 3 ) said winding heads ( 10 ) configured to displace said winding heads ( 10 ) along a working path (P);
each winding head ( 10 ) being configured to wind said strip-shaped article (N) so as to make said coil (B), wherein each gripping device ( 11 ) comprises a pair of pins ( 12 , 13 ) configured to hold said strip-shaped article (N) between them, at least one of said pins ( 12 , 13 ) being movable so as to join the other pin holding said strip-shaped article (N) between them.

2 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each gripping device ( 11 ) is configured to grasp a portion of said strip-shaped article (N), said gripping devices ( 11 ) being preferably configured to rotate on themselves about a winding axis (X) so as to wind said strip-shaped article (N).

3 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said winding axis (X) is aligned with a longitudinal extension direction of said pins ( 12 , 13 ).

4 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said feed unit ( 2 ) defines a feed direction (f) of said strip-shaped article (N) and wherein said at least one pin is movable along an extraction direction (e) transverse to the feed direction (f) of said strip-shaped article (N).

5 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 4 , wherein said winding head ( 10 ) is displaced in a direction concordant to said feed direction (f) in said first portion (P 11 ) and in a direction discordant to said feed direction (f) in said second portion (P 12 ), said winding head ( 10 ) being preferably configured to wind said strip-shaped article (N) at a higher speed when a respective winding head ( 10 ) is displaced in a direction discordant to said feed direction (f).

6 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 5 , wherein said operative segment (P 1 ) comprises a third portion (P 13 ), preferably substantially parallel to said first and second portions (P 11 , P 12 ), wherein said winding head ( 10 ) is again displaced in a direction concordant to said feed direction (f) along said third portion (P 13 ).

7 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said pins ( 12 , 13 ) are both movable, said pins ( 12 , 13 ) being configured so as to be movable both independently of each other and in conjunction with each other, said pins ( 12 , 13 ) being both configured so as to move along said extraction direction (e).

8 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of winding heads ( 10 ) comprises at least a first winding head ( 10 A) and a second winding head ( 10 B), said movement device ( 3 ) being configured so as to vary the distance between said first winding head ( 10 A) and said second winding head ( 10 B) along said working path (P).

9 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 8 , wherein said movement device ( 3 ) is configured so as to move said first winding head ( 10 A) away from said feed unit ( 2 ) and being further configured so as displace said second winding head ( 10 B) to an intermediate position between said first winding head ( 10 A) and said feed unit ( 2 ) along said operative segment (P 1 ) when said first winding head ( 10 A) is moved away.

10 . A method ( 100 ) for making a coil (B) for an electrochemical cell intended for the production of batteries, said coil (B) being made by winding at least one strip-shaped article (N), said method ( 100 ) comprising:
providing a plurality of winding heads ( 10 ) movable along a working path (P), grasping a portion of said strip-shaped article (N) by said winding head ( 10 ); winding said strip-shaped article (N) by said winding head ( 10 ); wherein grasping said portion of strip-shaped article (N) comprises arranging said portion between a pair of pins ( 12 , 13 ), at least one of said pins being movable so as to join the other pin holding said strip-shaped article (N) between them.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein said pin is movable along an extraction direction (e) transverse to a feed direction (f) of said strip-shaped article (N).

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein said strip-shaped article (N) is grasped by a gripping device ( 11 ), said strip-shaped article (N) being wound by rotating said gripping device ( 11 ) about a winding axis (X).

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein said winding head ( 10 ) is displaced in a direction concordant to said feed direction (f) in a first portion (P 11 ) of an operative segment (P 1 ) of said working path (P) and in a direction discordant to said feed direction (f) in a second portion (P 12 ) of said operative segment (P 1 ), said strip-shaped article (N) being preferably wound at a higher speed when a respective winding head ( 10 ) is displaced along said second portion (P 12 ).

14 . The method according to claim 13 , comprising moving said winding heads ( 10 ) along a third portion (P 13 ), preferably substantially parallel to said first and second portions (P 11 , P 12 ), said winding head ( 10 ) being preferably displaced in a direction concordant to said feed direction (f) along said third portion.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein said pins ( 12 , 13 ) are both movable, said method comprising moving said pins ( 12 , 13 ) independently of each other to grasp said portion of strip-shaped article (N) and moving said pins ( 12 , 13 ) in conjunction with each other to discharge said coil (B) from said winding head ( 10 ), once said coil (B) has been made by winding said strip-shaped article (N).

16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein said plurality of winding heads ( 10 ) comprises at least a first winding head ( 10 A) and a second winding head ( 10 B), said method comprising varying the distance between said first winding head ( 10 A) and said second winding head ( 10 B) along said working path (P).

17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising cutting said strip-shaped article (N), moving said first winding head ( 10 A) closer to said second winding head ( 10 B) along said working path (P) when said strip-shaped article (N) is cut.

Assignees

• Gd Spa

Inventors

• Biondi Andrea
• Campagnoli Enrico
• Cavazza Luca
• Nanni Fabrizio
• Bertuzzi Ivanoe

Classifications

• H01M10/0431

  Cells with wound or folded electrodes (H01M10/045 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/0409 Primary

  for cells with wound electrodes · CPC title

• B65H2301/414225

  fixed to shaft or mandrel, e.g. clamping or pinching leading edge to shaft or mandrel · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title