JP5223487B2 - Thin film workpiece laminating method and laminating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a lamination apparatus and method for laminating a thin film-shaped workpiece, suitable for stacking them work multiple stages while particularly well by interposing a thin film-like separator in two types of thin film (foil) between the workpiece between The present invention relates to a thin film workpiece laminating method and laminating apparatus.

For example, there is a demand for automatically laminating these members in multiple stages while sandwiching a thin film separator between thin film positive electrodes and negative electrodes as laminated members constituting a lithium ion battery. In this case, a technique capable of reliably sucking and supporting a thin film-like workpiece or conversely releasing it is an important factor. For example, a handling jig as described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2004-39712

  However, the handling jig described in Patent Document 1 is premised on manual laminating work, even if it is a negative pressure suction type that sucks and supports the entire surface of a thin film workpiece with a porous plate material. For this reason, there is still room for improvement in improving the efficiency (speeding up) and workability of the laminating work.

The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and in particular, a laminating method that is excellent in the stability and reliability of the adsorption support or release operation of a thin film workpiece, and that enables the thin film workpiece to be efficiently laminated, and The present invention intends to provide a laminating apparatus.

In the present invention, as a method of laminating the workpieces in multiple stages while interposing two thin film workpieces between two types of thin film workpieces, if the separator is sucked and supported by the suction means, One thin film workpiece is sucked and supported so as to be aligned, and then laminated on the existing workpiece at the lamination position. Next, when the separator is sucked and supported by the sucking means, the other thin film workpiece is sucked and supported so as to overlap with the separator, and is laminated on the existing work at the stacking position. Then, the above two steps are alternately repeated.
In this case, the rectangular suction surface in the suction means is larger than the shape of the separator and the thin film workpiece, and a part of the suction surface is cut away to form a cut portion. In the cutting part, it is assumed that the negative pressure suction force does not reach the separator and thin film workpiece to be sucked and supported, and the corners of the separator and thin film workpiece are set to protrude from the suction surface.

  According to the present invention, compared to the case of laminating each workpiece and the separator individually, the method of laminating the separator and the workpiece by stacking two sheets, the laminating efficiency is drastically improved, and the laminating work efficiency ( Speedup) and workability improvement.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a stack S that is a laminate that constitutes a lithium ion battery, and it functions as a thin film (foil-shaped) workpiece W1 that functions as an electrode on the positive electrode side and an electrode on the negative electrode side. The other thin-film (foil-shaped) workpiece W2 is stacked in multiple stages with a thin-film (foil-shaped) separator Sp interposed between the two.

  Here, for example, an aluminum foil having a thickness of about 84 μm is used as one work W1 that functions as the positive electrode, and a copper foil having a thickness of about 82 μm is used as the other work W2 that functions as the negative electrode. I use it. Furthermore, the separator Sp is, for example, a resin film having an insulating property with a thickness of about 25 μm, and the separator Sp has air permeability at the same time. Each of the workpieces W1 and W2 and the separator Sp has a peculiarity that the so-called waist is weak and its rigidity is extremely poor. Each of the workpieces W1, W2 and the separator Sp has, for example, a size of about 120 mm × 210 mm. However, the size of the separator Sp may be slightly larger than the size of each of the workpieces W1, W2. .

  In the present embodiment, the separator Sp is sucked and supported by a suction pad 15 to be described later, and the other workpiece W2 is sucked and supported so as to overlap with the separator Sp, and this is handled to a predetermined stacking position. And laminate. Subsequently, the separator Sp is sucked and supported again by the sucking pad 15, and one workpiece W1 is sucked and supported so as to be superposed on the separator Sp. Laminate to. By alternately repeating such a laminating operation in which the separator Sp and the other workpiece W2 are set and a laminating operation in which the separator Sp and the one workpiece W1 are set as shown in FIG. The workpieces W1 and W2 are stacked in multiple stages together with the separators Sp with the separators Sp interposed between the workpieces W1 and W2. In the case of the workpieces W1 and W2 having the thicknesses exemplified above and the separator Sp, the workpieces are stacked until the total thickness becomes, for example, about 7 to 15 mm.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a system for performing the above-described stacking operation. The system is a so-called two SCARA-type industrial robots (hereinafter simply referred to as “robots”) 1 as handling means. 2 is configured as a main element. Around the robots 1 and 2 as the first and second handling means, in addition to the two work pallets 3 and 4, a belt conveyor 5 as a work table that functions as a separator standby position, and a loading position The loading pallets 6 that will function as P3 are respectively arranged.

  On one work pallet 3, a laminated body (first laminated body) of one workpiece W1, that is, a laminated body 7 of one workpiece W1 formed by laminating one workpiece W1, W1,. It is installed. Similarly, on the other work pallet 4, the other workpiece W2 is laminated (second laminate), that is, the other workpiece W2 is laminated in multiple stages in a state where the other workpieces W2, W2,. The body 8 is mounted.

  FIG. 3 shows the details of the work pallets 3 and 4, and a plurality of guide pins 10 project from the horizontal pallet main body 9, and an angle in plan view on one diagonal extension of the pallet main body 9. A pair of positioning guides 11 are provided so as to face each other. The pair of positioning guides 11 has a larger protruding height from the pallet body 9 than the plurality of guide pins 10, and a region surrounded by the plurality of guide pins 10 and the positioning guides 11 is a stacked body of the workpieces W1 or W2. 7 and 8 are mounted spaces, and the stacked bodies 7 and 8 of the workpiece W1 or W2 are mounted in an aligned state.

  In addition, the uppermost surface level of the stacked bodies 7 and 8 of the workpieces W1 or W2 in the work pallets 3 and 4 is set in advance so as to be higher than the upper end of each guide pin 10 and lower than the upper end of the positioning guide 11. As will be described later, when the work W1 or W2 is taken out from the work pallets 3 and 4, the uppermost surface level of the laminates 7 and 8 of the work W1 or W2 approaches the upper end of each guide pin 10, but at a constant cycle. Thus, when the stacked bodies 7 and 8 of the work W1 or W2 on the work pallets 3 and 4 are lifted up by a predetermined amount by lift means (not shown), the top surface level of the stacked bodies 7 and 8 of the work W1 or W2 is It is always possible to maintain the position higher than the upper end of each guide pin 10 and lower than the upper end of the positioning guide 11.

  In FIG. 2, a separator cutting device 12 is disposed adjacent to the belt conveyor 5. This separator cutting device 12 cuts out two separators Sp and Sp from a roll-shaped separator material (not shown) as a set, and the cut-out separators Sp and Sp reach the separator standby positions P1 and P2 shown in FIG. It is conveyed by the belt conveyor 5 and waits.

  Similarly, in FIG. 2, the stacking pallet 6 is placed on the belt conveyor 13 and stands by at the loading position P3 in the same figure. As will be described later, the stacking of the separator Sp and one work W1 by one robot 1; The separator Sp by the other robot 2 and the lamination of the other workpiece W2 are alternately received. When the number of stacks of the separator Sp and the workpieces W1 and W2 reaches a predetermined number, the stack S shown in FIG. 1 is completed, and the stacking pallet 6 is sent from the stacking position P3 to the next process by the belt conveyor 6. At the same time, the empty stacking pallet 6 is carried into the stacking position P3.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the SCARA robots 1 and 2 of FIG. 2 set as two units, and the suction pad 15 that functions as a suction hand or suction gripper as a suction means can be turned at the tip of the arm 14. And it is supported so that it can be raised and lowered.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the suction pad 15 is made of a pad body 16 made of a flat plate made of a non-ferrous metal such as alumite, and a pad body 17 made of porous carbon (porous carbon). The pad main body 17 is fixedly supported by an adhesive or the like, and the outer peripheral surface (side surface) excluding the bonding surface with the pad holder 16 and the suction surface 17a is sealed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the pad body 17 has a triangular corner cut out on one diagonal line of a rectangular porous carbon substrate that is slightly larger than the size of the separator Sp and the workpieces W1 and W2. The pad holder 16 also has a similar shape that is slightly larger than the pad main body 17. Since the vacuum port 18 formed in the pad holder 16 faces the pad main body 17 and the vacuum port 18 is connected to a negative pressure suction source such as a vacuum pump (not shown), the vacuum port 18 is connected to the pad main body. The negative pressure suction force exerted on 17 acts on the entire surface of the suction surface 17a, and as a result, the separator Sp and the workpiece W1 or W2 can be supported by suction on the entire surface of the suction surface 17a of the pad body 17.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, even if the shape of the pad body 17 of the suction pad 15 is slightly larger than the shape of the work W1 or W2 on the work pallets 3 and 4, Interference between the suction pad 15 and the positioning guide 11 on the work pallets 3 and 4 can be avoided without difficulty.

  Here, as described above, the suction pad 15 is obtained by bonding and bonding the pad main body 17 to the pad holder 16. A large number of unillustrated radial ventilation grooves connected to the vacuum port 18 or a bathtub-shaped concave surface facing the vacuum port 18 are formed on the bonding surface of the pad holder 16 or the pad body 17. The pad holder 16 and the pad main body 17 are bonded and bonded at portions other than the concave surface portion. Thereby, the air permeability at the joint surface between the pad holder 16 and the pad main body 17 is not impaired, and the negative pressure suction force exerted from the vacuum port 18 to the pad main body 17 is absorbed as described above. It acts on the entire surface of 17a, and as a result, the separator Sp and the workpiece W1 or W2 can be sucked and supported by the entire surface of the suction surface 17a of the pad body 17.

  The pad body 17 of the suction pad 15 may be a hollow pad body made of, for example, metal, non-ferrous metal, or resin, for example, instead of a porous carbon one. In short, it is only necessary to have a function capable of sucking and supporting the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp over the entire surface of the pad main body.

  In the system configured as described above, the stacking operation of the stack S of FIG. 1 is performed based on the alternating autonomous operation of the two robots 1 and 2 illustrated in FIG.

  More specifically, two separators Sp and Sp cut out by the separator cutting device 12 are waiting in advance at the separator standby positions P1 and P2 shown in FIG. 2, and the stacking position P3 on the belt conveyor 6 is loaded. The pallet 6 is waiting. Further, both robots 1 and 2 are waiting at the origin position facing the work pallets 3 and 4, for example.

  In this state, the other robot 2 shown in FIG. 2 first moves to the separator standby position P2, and sucks and supports one separator Sp at the separator standby position P2 by the negative pressure suction force of the suction pad 15. Then, the workpiece W is moved to the work pallet 4 as it is, and the other workpiece W2 on the work pallet 4 is sucked and supported so as to overlap with the separator Sp previously sucked and supported by the suction pad 15. To do.

  As described above, since the separator Sp itself has air permeability, the separator Sp is further superposed on the separator Sp while being supported by suction by the negative pressure suction force of the suction pad 15. In this way, the other workpiece W2 can be sucked and supported.

  When the suction pad 15 picks up and picks up the separator Sp and the other workpiece W2 in this way, the robot 2 moves to the loading position P3 and has been sucked and supported on the loading pallet 6 at the loading position P3. The other workpiece W2 and separator Sp are transferred with the workpiece W2 on the lower side and released. This release operation is performed by opening the negative pressure suction passage including the inside of the pad main body 17 of the suction pad 15 to the atmosphere.

  The other robot 1 starts the autonomous operation with a predetermined time later than the start of the autonomous operation of the other robot 2 and repeats the same operation as the robot 2 side. In the autonomous operation of the robot 1, the robot 1 first moves to the separator standby position P1, picks up and picks up one separator Sp at the separator standby position P1 by the suction pad 15, and then picks up the work pallet as it is. 3, one workpiece W1 on the work pallet 3 is sucked and supported and picked up so as to overlap with the separator Sp previously sucked and supported by the suction pad 15.

  When the suction pad 15 picks up the separator Sp and one of the workpieces W1 by picking up and picking up the robot, the robot 1 moves to the loading position P3 and is sucked and supported on the loading pallet 6 at the loading position P3. The other workpiece W1 and separator Sp are transferred and released with the workpiece W1 on the lower side.

  The stack S shown in FIG. 1 is stacked by alternately repeating the loading operation by the autonomous operation of the robot 2 and the loading operation by the autonomous operation of the robot 1.

  Here, if a series of movements focusing on the autonomous operation of one robot 1 or 2 is illustrated, it is as shown in FIG. For example, in the case of the robot 2, if the separator Sp is sucked and supported by the suction pad 15 at the separator standby position P2 on the belt conveyor 5, the separator Sp is moved to the work pallet 4 and is already sucked and supported. The uppermost one workpiece W2 is picked up and picked up from the stacked body 8 of the workpieces W2 on the workpiece pallet 4 so as to overlap each other. Then, the robot 2 moves to the loading pallet 6 waiting at the loading position P3 on the belt conveyor 13, and transfers the workpiece W2 and the separator Sp on the loading pallet 6 with the workpiece W2 on the lower side. Will be released. These autonomous operations are the same for the robot 1 side.

  FIG. 5 shows details of the suction pad 15 that controls the stacking of the workpieces W1 and W2 set with the separator Sp, and the suction pad 15 when the suction pad 15 sucks and supports the workpiece W1 or W2 on the work pallets 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows the relative positional relationship between 15 and the work pallets 3 and 4.

  As apparent from FIG. 3, even if the shape of the suction pad 15 for sucking and supporting the work W1 or W2 is set to be slightly larger than the shape of the work W1 or W2, the suction pad 15 has a cut portion C1. Therefore, the suction pad 15 does not interfere with the positioning guide 11 on the work pallets 3 and 4 side when picking up the workpiece W1 or W2 by suction support, and the pad body 17 of the suction pad 15 is not affected. It is possible to reliably pick up the workpiece W1 or W2 by suction. Further, since the cut portion C1 is formed in the suction pad 15, the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp are exposed in that portion, and the negative pressure suction force is applied when the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp is sucked and supported. However, since the area where the negative pressure suction force does not reach is extremely smaller than the area where the negative pressure suction force reaches, it does not hinder the work of laminating the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp.

  Further, as is apparent from FIG. 6, generally, the suction pallet 15 is moved after being transferred to the loading pallet 6 and released after the workpiece W1 or W2 that is suction supported by the suction pad 15 and is in a state of being overlapped with the separator Sp on the stacking pallet 6. When raised, the workpiece W1 or W2 or the separator Sp just transferred due to the air flow or pressure change accompanying the sudden movement of the suction pad 15 or the separator Sp is pulled or turned, and the workpiece W1 just transferred. In addition to the W2 or the separator Sp, the existing workpieces W1 and W2 or the separator Sp may sag or shift, which may lead to a stacking trouble.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as described above, the excision portion C1 is formed in the suction pad 15, and the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp are exposed in that portion. Even if the pad 15 is lifted immediately after releasing the workpieces W1 and W2 or the separator Sp, the influence of air flow or pressure change accompanying the lifting operation can be reduced, and the workpiece W1 or W2 just transferred. Alternatively, it is possible to prevent the separator Sp from being pulled or turned up. As a result, in addition to the workpiece W1 or W2 or the separator Sp that has just been transferred, slack or deviation of the existing workpieces W1 or W2 or the separator Sp can be prevented. Will be able to prevent.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, when the workpiece W1 or W2 that is sucked and supported by the suction pad 15 and is in a state of being overlapped with the separator Sp is transferred to the loading pallet 6 and released, the suction pallet 15 is moved upward. In addition, the compressed air is blown out from the pad body 17 of the suction pad 15 in place of the negative pressure suction force so far, and several tens of seconds from the workpiece W1, W2 or the separator Sp just released, for example, during the rising stroke of the suction pad 15 It is assumed that the movement of the suction pad 15 is stopped once when it has risen by about a millimeter.

  Thus, even if the suction pad 15 moves up immediately after releasing the workpieces W1 and W2 or the separator Sp, the influence of the air flow or pressure change accompanying the lifting operation can be further reduced. The workpiece W1 or W2 or the separator Sp that has just been pulled can be prevented from being pulled or turned up. As a result, the workpiece W1 or W2 or the separator Sp that has just been transferred, or the existing workpiece W1, W2 or the separator can be prevented. Sp sag and deviation can be prevented more reliably.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the work of laminating the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp, which is difficult to handle because the so-called waist is weak and the rigidity is extremely low, can be efficiently performed without relying on human hands. Can do.

  In the example of FIG. 2, the separator Sp just cut by the separator cutting device 12 is made to wait at the separator standby positions P <b> 1 and P <b> 2 on the belt conveyor 5. Like the W1 or W2 laminated bodies 7 and 8, the separator laminated bodies that have been cut and laminated in advance are kept waiting at the separator standby positions P1 and P2, and the separators are picked up one by one from the separator laminated bodies. Anyway.

  FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this second embodiment, as is apparent from comparison with FIG. 2, in addition to the robots 1 and 2, the work pallets 3 and 4, the belt conveyor 5, The separator cutting device 12 is additionally provided.

  Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the stacking capacity is substantially doubled as compared with the system of FIG. 2, and the stacking work of the workpieces W1, W2 or the separator Sp is more efficiently performed. You can do it.

It is a figure which shows an example of the stack (laminated body) laminated | stacked by the lamination | stacking system which concerns on this invention, (A) is the schematic perspective view, (B) is the principal part expanded sectional view of the figure (A). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. It is a figure which shows the detail of the work pallet of FIG. 2, (A) is the plane explanatory drawing, (B) is front explanatory drawing of the figure (A). Front explanatory drawing which shows the detail of the robot of FIG. It is a figure which shows the detail of the suction pad of FIG. 4, (A) is the front explanatory drawing, (B) is the plane explanatory drawing of the same figure (A), (C) is the lower surface explanatory drawing of the same figure (A). FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram focusing on the movement of one robot in FIG. 4. Explanatory drawing which shows another behavior at the time of workpiece | work release. Plane explanatory drawing which shows the modification of the system of FIG. 2 as the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Industrial robot (handling means)
2. Industrial robot (handling means)
3. Work pallet 4. Work pallet 5. Belt conveyor (work table)
6 ... Laminated pallet 7 ... Laminated body of workpiece W1 8 ... Laminated body of workpiece W2 14 ... Robot arm 15 ... Adsorption pad (adsorption means)
17 ... Pad body P1 ... Separator standby position P2 ... Separator standby position P3 ... Lamination position S ... Stack (laminate)
Sp: Thin film separator W1: Thin film workpiece (one workpiece)
W2 ... Thin-film workpiece (the other workpiece)

Claims (8)

Two types of thin-film workpieces can be obtained by repeating suction support and release operation with a negative-pressure suction type suction means for a thin-film workpiece that is rectangular like a rectangular thin film-like separator having air permeability. their film-shaped workpiece together with the separator while interposing separators between a method for laminating multiple stages,
A rectangular suction surface in the suction means is larger than the shape of the separator and the thin film workpiece, and a part of the suction surface is cut away to form a cutout portion. It is set so that the corners of the separator and the thin film workpiece protrude from the adsorption surface without negative pressure suction force on the separator and the thin film workpiece to be sucked and supported,
If the separator is adsorbed and supported by the adsorbing means, a first step of adhering and supporting one thin film workpiece so as to overlap with the separator and laminating on the existing workpiece at the laminating position;
If the separator is adsorbed and supported by the adsorbing means, the second step of adhering and supporting the other thin film workpiece so as to overlap the separator and laminating it on the existing workpiece at the laminating position;
Including
A method for laminating a thin film workpiece, wherein the first step and the second step are alternately repeated. 2. The thin film workpiece according to claim 1, wherein each of the corners facing directly on one of the diagonal suction surfaces of the suction means is cut to form a cut portion . Lamination method.   3. The thin film-like workpiece stacking according to claim 2, wherein a porous suction pad is supported as a suction means by the robot arm as a mother machine, and the stacking operation is performed by an autonomous operation of the industrial robot. Method. Two types of thin-film workpieces can be obtained by repeating suction support and release operation with a negative-pressure suction type suction means for a thin-film workpiece that is rectangular like a rectangular thin film-like separator having air permeability. an apparatus for stacking multiple stages with separators their film-shaped workpiece while interposing separators between,
First and second handling means each provided with the above-mentioned suction means;
A work table on which the separator is placed;
A first workpiece laminate formed by laminating the one thin film workpiece;
A second workpiece laminate formed by laminating the other thin film workpiece;
A laminated pallet for stacking the thin film workpiece together with a separator;
Equipped with a Rutotomoni,
A rectangular suction surface in the suction means is larger than the shape of the separator and the thin film workpiece, and a part of the suction surface is cut away to form a cutout portion. It is set so that the corners of the separator and the thin film workpiece protrude from the adsorption surface without negative pressure suction force on the separator and the thin film workpiece to be sucked and supported,
When the first handling means sucks and supports the separator on the work table by the sucking means, the first handling means sucks and supports one thin film-like work from the first work stack so as to overlap the separator. While laminating on existing workpieces on the laminating pallet,
When the second handling means sucks and supports the separator on the work table by the sucking means, the second handling means sucks and supports the other thin film-like work from the second work stack so as to overlap with the separator. A thin film workpiece laminating apparatus characterized in that it is laminated on an existing workpiece on a laminating pallet. 5. The thin film workpiece according to claim 4, wherein a cut portion is formed by cutting off each of the corners facing each other on any one of the rectangular suction surfaces of the suction means. Laminating equipment.   The said 1st, 2nd handling means uses an industrial robot as a base machine, The porous adsorption pad is supported by the robot arm as an adsorption means, The Claim 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. Thin film laminating equipment. The compressed air is jetted from the suction pad in place of the negative pressure suction force so far when releasing the thin film workpiece supported by the suction pad. The laminating apparatus for thin film workpieces as described. Release of the thin-film workpiece from the suction pad is performed by raising the suction pad while jetting compressed air from the suction pad, and the movement of the suction pad is temporarily stopped during the raising operation. The thin film workpiece laminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

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