Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Takeharu Nakanose

Saburo Nakatsuka

Katsuhisa Wadasaki

Yoshiki Osawa

Teruhisa Ishikawa

Seiichi Katou

Katsushi Matsuo

Yasufumi Tanaka

Kouichi Nishihara

An electrode group winding method and device for batteries provides for winding continuous belt-shaped anode plates, cathode plates and separators into groups of spiral electrodes by means of a turnable winding core. In a specified position in the vicinity of the winding core, an edge of a belt-shaped electrode plate is detected by an edge position detector for comparison with a reference position, and a chuck movable from an end of the electrode plate in a running direction of the electrode plate and a perpendicular direction thereof is used to grip the electrode plated based on the comparison result to correct the edge position of the electrode plate. Then, a second chuck restricted in its movement to only a direction parallel to the moving direction of the electrode plate by a guide is used to hold the electrode plate. Then, a third chuck is used to hold the electrode plate to supply the tip end of the electrode plate to the winding core, and winding into groups of electrodes is completed while preventing the edge position deviations of electrode plates by the second chuck and applying tension to electrode plates, thereby providing a winding method and device capable of winding electrode plates with minimum winding deviations. In addition, the sectional shape at right angles with the winding core shaft is made generally hexagonal so as to improve flatness required when electrode groups are aligned flat.

Spiral electrode group winding method and device and battery using them

A cylindrical guide sleeve has a larger-diameter portion formed at an upper portion thereof, a smaller-diameter portion formed at a lower portion thereof, and a tapered portion formed therebetween. The smaller-diameter portion has an inner diameter substantially identical with or slightly larger than an outer diameter of a cylindrical battery casing. A lower spindle supports a bottom surface of the cylindrical battery casing. An upper spindle pushes a seal plate downward along an inner surface of the cylindrical guide sleeve. In this case, the seal plate is inclined in a floating condition with respect to an axial direction of the cylindrical guide sleeve and connected via a lead to an electrode assembly accommodated in the cylindrical battery casing. A guide actuator shifts the cylindrical guide sleeve upward so as to surround the seal plate in the larger-diameter portion. An upper spindle actuator shifts the upper spindle downward to cause a spherical bottom surface of the upper spindle to push and guide the seal plate toward an upper opening of the cylindrical battery casing via the tapered portion.

Cylindrical battery assembling apparatus

A winding mandrel holds a central portion of a belt-like electrode assembly extending flatly and rotates to form a spiral roll of the belt-like electrode assembly around this winding mandrel. The belt-like electrode assembly includes a first region extending in one direction from the central portion and a second region extending in the opposite direction from the central portion. A first attracting device is disposed at one side of the winding mandrel for attracting the first region of the belt-like electrode assembly. A second attracting device is disposed at the opposite side of the winding mandrel for attracting the second region of the belt-like electrode assembly. A first feeding means is associated with the first attracting means for shifting the first region of the belt-like electrode assembly toward the winding mandrel while adjusting a tension applied to the first region of the belt-like electrode assembly in accordance with a winding speed of the belt-like electrode assembly wound around the winding mandrel. And, a second feeding means is associated with the second attracting means for shifting the second region of the belt-like electrode assembly toward the winding mandrel while adjusting a tension applied to the second region of the belt-like electrode assembly in accordance with the winding speed of the belt-like electrode assembly wound around the winding mandrel.

Spiral electrode assembly manufacturing apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Katano, Japan

Takeharu Nakanose