JP6786782B2 - Press roll cleaning method and press roll equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a press roll cleaning method and a press roll device.

Power storage devices such as secondary batteries and capacitors are widely used as power sources because they can be recharged and can be used repeatedly. The electrode assembly is housed in the case of the power storage device. When an electrode constituting an electrode assembly is manufactured, the manufacturing process includes, for example, a coating process, a drying process, a pressing process, a cutting process, and the like. For example, in the coating step, a slurry-like active material mixture is applied to the strip-shaped metal foil, and then cut into a desired shape through a drying step and a pressing step.

During the production of electrodes, a band-shaped current collector having an active material layer formed on its surface is pressed between a pair of press rolls using a press roll device in a heated state. In the press roll device, the press roll is manually polished and cleaned using a hand polisher at the time of step change. In addition, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of performing corona discharge on the surface of a press roll to facilitate removal of foreign matter adhering to the surface of the press roll from the surface of the press roll.

JP-A-2010-287545

By the way, in a high temperature press roll device, productivity is low because it is necessary to cool the device to a temperature that can be touched by human hands when changing from a high temperature (for example, 80 ° C.) to a high temperature. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6A, after pressing the band-shaped current collector 102 having the active material layer formed on the surface with a pair of upper and lower press rolls 100 and 101 heated to a high temperature, the temperature was lowered overnight. After returning to room temperature, the hand polisher 103 is used for polishing and cleaning as shown in FIG. 6 (b). In the hand polisher 103, the pad 104 is rotated by the motor 105, and the person holding the handle 106 presses the pad 104 against the surfaces of the press rolls 100 and 101 to move the pads 104 in the axial direction of the press rolls 100 and 101. , 101 all around. After that, the temperature of the press rolls 100 and 101 was raised overnight, and as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the band-shaped current collector 110 having an active material layer formed on the surface of the pair of upper and lower press rolls 100 and 101. Press. In this way, it takes one day to change the stage, which is wasteful and low in productivity.

An object of the present invention is to provide a press roll cleaning method and a press roll device capable of improving productivity by performing step change in a short time.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a press roll device having a pair of press rolls capable of raising the temperature and pressing a band-shaped current collector having an active material layer formed on the surface between the pair of press rolls in a raised state. The gist of this method is to clean the surface of the press roll in a heated state by polishing with an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism as an attachment of the press roll device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the surface of the press roll in a heated state is cleaned by polishing by an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism as an attachment of the press roll device, so that the step change can be performed in a short time to improve productivity. Can be improved.

As described in claim 2, in the method for cleaning the press roll according to claim 1, it is preferable that the press roll rotates during cleaning.
As described in claim 3, in the method for cleaning the press roll according to claim 1 or 2, it is preferable to perform cleaning while observing the surface of the press roll at the time of cleaning.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a press roll device having a pair of press rolls capable of raising the temperature and pressing a band-shaped current collector having an active material layer formed on the surface between the pair of press rolls in a raised state. The pad for polishing and cleaning the surface of the press roll, the actuator for pressing the pad against the surface of the press roll, and the press roll in a heated state by controlling the actuator. The gist is that the controller is provided with the pad pressing against the surface.

According to the invention of claim 4, since the actuator is controlled by the controller and the pad is pressed against the surface of the press roll in the heated state and cleaned by polishing, the step change is performed in a short time and the productivity is achieved. Can be improved.

As described in claim 5, in the press roll device according to claim 4, the controller may control a motor for rotating the press roll to rotate the press roll during cleaning.

As described in claim 6, the press roll device according to claim 4 or 5 further includes a camera for observing the surface of the press roll during cleaning, and the controller is a surface state of the press roll by the camera. The pressing force of the pad against the surface of the press roll may be adjusted accordingly.

According to the present invention, the step change can be performed in a short time to improve the productivity.

The perspective view which shows the schematic structure of the press roll device in embodiment. Schematic perspective view of the press roll device. (A) is a schematic front view of the press roll device, and (b) is a schematic side view of the press roll device. Schematic block diagram of the press roll device. (A) is a schematic front view of another example press roll device, and (b) is a schematic side view of another example press roll device. (A), (b), and (c) are schematic perspective views of a press roll device for explaining a problem.

Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, the horizontal plane is defined in the orthogonal X and Y directions, and the vertical direction is defined in the Z direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, a press roll device 10 is provided in a device for manufacturing positive and negative electrodes in a lithium ion secondary battery, and the press roll device 10 has a strip shape in which active material layers 31 and 32 are formed on the surface. The metal foil 30 is supplied and pressed at a high temperature. Specifically, a slurry-like active material mixture (a slurry obtained by kneading / diluting an active material, a conductive auxiliary agent, a binder resin, a solvent, etc.) is applied to the band-shaped metal foil 30 as a band-shaped current collector. After that, the dried product is supplied to the press roll device 10.

The press roll device 10 has a pair of upper and lower press rolls (upper press roll, lower press roll) 20 and 21 capable of raising the temperature. The upper and lower press rolls 20 and 21 both have a columnar shape and are made of stainless steel (SUS). The upper and lower press rolls 20 and 21 have axes extending horizontally (in the X direction), have the same diameter, and have the same length. The upper and lower press rolls 20 and 21 are arranged horizontally with their ends aligned and so as to form a predetermined gap between them. Then, the band-shaped metal foil 30 having the active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface passes between the pair of upper and lower press rolls 20 and 21, and is pressed in a heated state. By pressing at a high temperature (for example, 80 ° C.), the active material layers 31 and 32 can be sufficiently made to have a predetermined thickness.

The strip-shaped metal foil 30 having the active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface of the press roll device 10 is roll-pressed at a high temperature and then dried or the like to form the strip-shaped metal foil 30 having the active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface. It is cut into individual electrodes of a predetermined length by a cutting step.

In this way, the press roll device 10 has a pair of press rolls 20 and 21 capable of raising the temperature, and a strip-shaped metal foil having active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface between the pair of press rolls 20 and 21. 30 is pressed in a heated state.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 (a) and 3 (b), the press roll device 10 includes an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism 39 as an attachment (accessory). The automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism 39 includes polishers 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 for cleaning the upper press roll 20, and polishers 46, 47, 48 for cleaning the lower press roll 21. , 49, 50, 51. By cleaning, for example, the active material adhering (transferred) to the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 can be removed.

The polishers 40, 41, 42 and the polishers 43, 44, 45 are arranged side by side in the axial direction (X direction) of the press roll 20. The polishers 40, 41, 42 and the polishers 43, 44, 45 are displaced from each other in the axial direction (X direction) of the press roll 20 as shown in FIG. 3 (b). Further, the polishers 40, 41, 42 and the polishers 43, 44, 45 are arranged at positions inclined by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the vertical direction (Z direction) as shown in FIG. 3A.

Similarly, the polishers 46, 47, 48 and the polishers 49, 50, 51 are arranged side by side in the axial direction (X direction) of the press roll 21. The polishers 46, 47, 48 and the polishers 49, 50, 51 are arranged so as to be offset in the axial direction (X direction) of the press roll 21 as shown in FIG. 3 (b). Further, the polishers 46, 47, 48 and the polishers 49, 50, 51 are arranged at positions deviated by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction (Y direction) as shown in FIG. 3A.

Each polisher 40 to 51 has a pad 60, a pad support plate 61, a shaft 62, a motor 63, and a pressing actuator 64, respectively. The pad 60 is made of a disk-shaped cloth, and is for polishing and cleaning the surfaces (stainless steel) of the press rolls 20 and 21. The pad support plate 61 is made of a metal disk and supports the pad 60 on the lower surface. A motor 63 is connected to the upper surface of the pad support plate 61 via a shaft 62, and the pad 60 supported by the pad support plate 61 by the motor 63 rotates. A pressing actuator 64 is connected to the motor 63, and the pressing actuator 64 is for pressing the pad 60 against the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21. Specifically, for example, the pad 60 can be moved away from the press rolls 20 and 21 as shown by the virtual line in FIG. 3A, and the pad 60 can be brought into contact with the press rolls 20 and 21 as shown by the solid line. Can be pressed with.

With the pad 60 pressed against the surface of the press roll 20, as shown in FIG. 3B, the pad 60 of the polisher 43 is located between the pad 60 of the polisher 40 and the pad 60 of the polisher 41. Further, the pad 60 of the polisher 44 is located between the pad 60 of the polisher 41 and the pad 60 of the polisher 42. Further, the pad 60 of the polisher 42 is located between the pad 60 of the polisher 44 and the pad 60 of the polisher 45. Similarly, in a state where the pad 60 is pressed against the surface of the press roll 21, the pad 60 of the polisher 50 is positioned between the pad 60 of the polisher 46 and the pad 60 of the polisher 47 as shown in FIG. 3 (b). To do. Further, the pad 60 of the polisher 51 is located between the pad 60 of the polisher 47 and the pad 60 of the polisher 48. Further, the pad 60 of the polisher 46 is located between the pad 60 of the polisher 49 and the pad 60 of the polisher 50.

By arranging the pads 60 of the polishers 40 to 51 in this way, the pads 60 can be moved to the press rolls 20 and 21 in the entire region in the axial direction (X direction) of the press rolls 20 and 21 as the press rolls 20 and 21 rotate. Can be brought into contact with the surface.

Further, the polishing liquid supply pipes 70 and 71 are arranged parallel to the axial direction (X direction) of the press rolls 20 and 21 at positions separated from the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21. The polishing liquid supply pipes 70 and 71 have polishing liquid outlets at predetermined intervals. Then, the polishing liquid (abrasive) is sprayed from the polishing liquid outlets of the polishing liquid supply pipes 70 and 71 toward the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21, and the polishing liquid (abrasive) is applied to the press rolls 20 and 21. To. The applied polishing liquid is sent to the arrangement positions of the polishers 46 to 51 as the press rolls 20 and 21 rotate.

The cylindrical wiping cloths 72 and 73 are arranged in parallel with the axial direction (X direction) of the press rolls 20 and 21 in a state of being in contact with the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21. Then, as the press rolls 20 and 21 rotate, the polishing liquid (abrasive) of the press rolls 20 and 21 is wiped off with the wiping cloths 72 and 73 on the downstream side of the arrangement positions of the polishers 46 to 51.

The automatic polishing cleaning mechanism 39 (polishers 40 to 51, etc.) as an attachment for cleaning is not normally attached when pressing the strip-shaped metal foil 30 shown in FIG. 1, but is attached as shown in FIG. 2 during cleaning. Alternatively, the automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism 39 as an attachment for cleaning is located in a shelter away from the press rolls 20 and 21 so as not to interfere with the normal pressing of the strip-shaped metal foil 30 shown in FIG. May be located close to the press rolls 20 and 21 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the press roll device 10 includes a controller 80, an upper roll motor 81, a lower roll motor 82, an upper roll heater 83, and a lower roll heater 84. Further, the press roll device 10 includes an operation panel 85. Further, the controller 80 is connected to the motor 63 of the polishers 40 to 45, the pressing actuator 64 of the polishers 40 to 45, the motor 63 of the polishers 46 to 51, and the pressing actuator 64 of the polishers 46 to 51.

The controller 80 can control the upper roll motor 81 to rotate the upper press roll 20 at the time of cleaning. The controller 80 can control the lower roll motor 82 to rotate the lower press roll 21 at the time of cleaning. The controller 80 can control the upper roll heater 83 to raise the temperature of the upper press roll 20. The controller 80 can control the lower roll heater 84 to raise the temperature of the lower press roll 21.

The controller 80 can control the motors 63 of the polishers 40 to 45 to rotate the pads 60 of the polishers 40 to 45. The controller 80 can control the motors 63 of the polishers 46 to 51 to rotate the pads 60 of the polishers 46 to 51.

The controller 80 can control the pressing actuators 64 of the polishers 40 to 45 to press the pads 60 of the polishers 40 to 45 against the surface of the press roll 20 in the heated state. The controller 80 can control the pressing actuators 64 of the polishers 46 to 51 to press the pads 60 of the polishers 46 to 51 against the surface of the press roll 21 in the heated state.

When the step change command signal is input from the operation panel 85, the controller 80 executes an operation of cleaning the press rolls 20 and 21.
Next, the action will be described.

In the electrode manufacturing process, an active material mixture is applied to the surface of the strip-shaped metal foil 30 and a dried one is prepared. Then, the strip-shaped metal foil 30 having the active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface is supplied to the press roll device 10. Using the press roll device 10, the band-shaped metal foil 30 having the active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface is pressed between the pair of press rolls 20 and 21 at a high temperature (for example, 80 ° C.) of the pair of press rolls 20 and 21. ..

When changing stages in the press roll device 10, the surface of the press rolls 20 and 21 in a high temperature state (for example, 80 ° C.) is cleaned by an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism 39 (polisher 40 to 51, etc.) as an attachment of the press roll device 10. Cleaning is done by polishing.

The details will be described below.
The controller 80 inputs a step change command signal from the operation panel 85 to start cleaning the press rolls 20 and 21.

First, the controller 80 controls the motors 63 of the polishers 40 to 45 and the motors 63 of the polishers 46 to 51 to rotate the pads 60 of the polishers 40 to 51. Further, the controller 80 controls the pressing actuators 64 of the polishers 40 to 45 and the pressing actuators 64 of the polishers 46 to 51 to press the pads 60 of the polishers 40 to 51 against the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21. Further, the controller 80 controls the upper roll motor 81 and the lower roll motor 82 to rotate the upper press roll 20 and the lower press roll 21.

Then, the polishing liquid (abrasive) is sprayed from the polishing liquid outlets of the polishing liquid supply pipes 70 and 71 toward the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21, and the polishing liquid (abrasive) is applied to the press rolls 20 and 21. Will be done. The applied polishing liquid is sent to the arrangement positions of the polishers 46 to 51 as the press rolls 20 and 21 rotate.

In the polishers 40 to 47, the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 in the heated state are polished by the pad 60.
Then, as the press rolls 20 and 21 rotate, the polishing liquid (abrasive) of the press rolls 20 and 21 is wiped off with the wiping cloths 72 and 73 on the downstream side of the arrangement position of the pads 60 of the polishers 46 to 51.

In this way, the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 in the heated state are cleaned by polishing using the automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism 39 (polishers 40 to 51 and the like) as the attachment. Therefore, it is possible to perform the step change in the line where a plurality of types flow in a short time, and the productivity is improved.

After pressing with the press roll device 10, the strip-shaped metal foil 30 having the active material layers 31 and 32 formed on the surface is cut into a desired shape.
In this way, the attachment that can be polished and cleaned is installed in the press roll device 10, and maintenance can be performed even in a high temperature state at the end of production. Specifically, by setting polishers 40 to 51 and the like at the time of cleaning and applying the pad 60 while slowly rotating the press rolls 20 and 21, the entire press rolls 20 and 21 can be easily polished and cleaned.

Further, as compared with the case where the foreign matter adhering to the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 is peeled off by using a scraper, the surface of the press rolls 20 and 21 is formed by pressing the rotating pad 60 against the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21. It is easy to remove foreign matter adhering to.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) As a method of cleaning the press rolls 20 and 21 in the press roll device 10, the surface of the press rolls 20 and 21 in a heated state by an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism 39 (polishers 40 to 51, etc.) as an attachment of the press roll device 10. Clean by polishing. Therefore, the step change can be performed in a short time to improve the productivity. Specifically, by cleaning the press rolls 20 and 21 in a high temperature state, the step change time can be shortened, so that the productivity in the line where a plurality of types flow is improved.

(2) In the above (1), since the press rolls 20 and 21 rotate during cleaning, a narrow portion between the press rolls 20 and 21 can be easily cleaned.
(3) As a configuration of the press roll device 10, a pad 60 for polishing and cleaning the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21, an actuator 64 for pressing the pad 60 against the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21, and an actuator. It includes a controller 80 that controls 64 and presses the pad 60 against the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 in a heated state. Therefore, the actuator 64 is controlled by the controller 80, and the pad 60 is pressed against the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 in the heated state and cleaned by polishing, so that the step change is performed in a short time to improve the productivity. be able to. That is, as the configuration of the press roll device 10, the press roll automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism is provided, and the step change time can be shortened by cleaning the press rolls 20 and 21 in a high temperature state, so that the productivity in the line where a plurality of types flow flows. Is improved.

(4) In the above (3), since the controller 80 controls the motors 81 and 82 for rotating the press rolls 20 and 21 to rotate the press rolls 20 and 21 during cleaning, the space between the press rolls 20 and 21 is narrow. The part can be easily cleaned.

The embodiment is not limited to the above, and may be embodied as follows, for example.
-As shown in FIG. 5A, the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 are observed with the cameras 90 and 91, and the controller 80 of FIG. 4 is heavily soiled (for example, in FIGS. 5A and 5B). The corresponding polisher 42, that is, the pad 60 of the polisher 42 for cleaning the portion, is strongly pressed against the indicated active material 93 (the portion to which the active material 93 is attached) to improve the cleaning power (cleanability).

As described above, as a method of cleaning the press rolls 20 and 21 in the press roll device 10, it is preferable to clean the press rolls 20 and 21 while observing the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 at the time of cleaning. The press roll device 10 is further provided with cameras 90 and 91 for observing the surfaces of the press rolls 20 and 21 during cleaning, and the controller 80 is a pad 60 according to the surface condition of the press rolls 20 and 21 by the cameras 90 and 91. It is advisable to adjust the pressing force of the press rolls 20 and 21 against the surface.

・ Six polishers were used for one press roll, but the number does not matter. For example, one polisher may be used for one press roll to move the polisher pad in the axial direction (X direction) of the press roll.

-The active material layers (31, 32) were on both sides of the strip-shaped metal foil 30, but are not limited to this, and may be, for example, on one side of the strip-shaped metal foil.
-Although it has been applied to lithium ion secondary batteries, it is not limited to this, and may be applied to other secondary batteries, primary batteries, capacitors, and the like.

10 ... press roll device, 20, 21 ... press roll, 30 ... strip-shaped metal foil, 31, 32 ... active material layer, 39 ... automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism, 40 to 51 ... polisher, 60 ... pad, 64 ... actuator, 80 ... Controller, 81, 82 ... motor, 90, 91 ... camera.

Claims (6)

Has raised possible pair of press rolls, pressed between a pair of press rolls, the strip-shaped current collector with an active material layer formed on the surface, with the press roll is being heated and Atsushi Nobori by a heater This is a method of cleaning the press roll in the press roll device.
At the time of step change after the strip-shaped current collector is pressed by the press roll device, the press roll is provided with an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism as an attachment of the press roll device while raising the temperature of the press roll by the heater. The polishing liquid supply pipe provided by the automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism is arranged in parallel with the axial direction of the press roll at a position separated from the surface of the press roll, and a plurality of pads provided by the automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism are provided. The press roll is placed by pressing against the surface of the press roll in a heated state, and the polishing liquid is supplied to the surface of the press roll that rotates from the polishing liquid outlets formed at predetermined intervals in the polishing liquid supply pipe. The surface of the press roll is cleaned by polishing by rotating the plurality of pads pressed against the surface around an axis orthogonal to the surface of the press roll.
A method for cleaning a press roll, which comprises arranging the plurality of pads at positions shifted in the axial direction of the press roll so that the plurality of pads are pressed over the entire axial region of the press roll. .. When cleaning the press roll at the time of step change, the polishing liquid on the surface of the press roll is wiped off downstream of the pad arranged by pressing against the surface of the press roll in the rotation direction of the press roll. The method for cleaning a press roll according to claim 1 , wherein the press roll is cleaned. When cleaning the press roll at the time of step change, the strength of pressing the pad against the surface of the press roll is changed according to the surface condition of the press roll while observing the surface of the press roll. The method for cleaning a press roll according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the press roll is cleaned. A pair of press rolls can be heated, and a heater for raising the temperature of the press rolls, between a pair of press rolls, the strip-shaped current collector with an active material layer formed on the surface, is heated by the heater a press roll apparatus for pressing at the press roll became Atsushi Nobori Te,
It is equipped with an automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism as an attachment that cleans the press roll at the time of step change after pressing the band-shaped current collector.
The heater raises the temperature of the press roll at the time of the step change.
The automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism
A plurality of pads for polishing and cleaning the surface of the press roll, and
A motor for rotating the pad around an axis orthogonal to the surface of the press roll, and
An actuator for pressing the pad against the surface of the press roll,
A polishing liquid supply unit that supplies the polishing liquid to the surface of the press roll,
The actuator is controlled to press the plurality of pads against the surface of the press roll in a heated state, and the motor is controlled to rotate the plurality of pads, while the motor for rotating the press roll is controlled. A controller for rotating the press roll is provided.
The polishing liquid supply unit includes a polishing liquid supply pipe that is arranged parallel to the axial direction of the press roll at a position separated from the surface of the press roll and has polishing liquid outlets at predetermined intervals.
The plurality of pads are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the press roll, and a first pad row and a second pad row are formed on the peripheral surface of the press roll.
By the pad constituting the second pad array and the pad constituting the first pad array is arranged on the displacement position in the axial direction of the press roll is pressed against et to the press roll, said press roll A press roll device characterized in that the plurality of pads are pressed over the entire area in the axial direction. The automatic polishing and cleaning mechanism is characterized by including a wiping portion that wipes off the polishing liquid on the surface of the press roll downstream of the pad arranged by pressing against the surface of the press roll in the rotation direction of the press roll. The press roll device according to claim 4 . A camera for observing the surface of the press roll when cleaning the press roll at the time of step change is further provided.
The press roll device according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the controller adjusts the pressing force of the pad against the surface of the press roll according to the surface state of the press roll by the camera. ..

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