Electrode sheet cutting apparatus including upper cutter and lower cutter and electrode sheet cutting method using the same

An electrode sheet cutting apparatus comprising:

• an upper cutter configured to be located above an electrode sheet, the upper cutter being configured to cut the electrode sheet;
• a lower cutter facing the upper cutter, the lower cutter being configured to engage the upper cutter to cut the electrode sheet;
• and
• an electrode sheet support located between the upper cutter and the lower cutter, the electrode sheet support being configured to support the electrode sheet, the electrode sheet support being provided with a through hole configured to overlie a cutting portion of the electrode sheet at which the upper cutter and the lower cutter are configured to engage each other,
• wherein the upper cutter and the lower cutter are each configured to cut the electrode sheet with increasing lengths of the upper cutter and the lower cutter contacting the electrode sheet as cutting proceeds from first ends of the upper cutter and the lower cutter to second ends of the upper cutter and the lower cutter in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the upper cutter and the lower cutter,
• wherein the apparatus is configured to cut the electrode sheet to form an electrode tab protrusion,
• wherein the upper cutter and the lower cutter are configured to first cut the electrode sheet at a position at which the electrode tab protrusion is to be formed, and to last cut the electrode sheet at a position farthest from the electrode tab protrusion, and
• wherein the apparatus is configured to apply a stress to the electrode sheet between 0.1 N/m2 and 1.0 N/m2,
• wherein the apparatus is configured to cut the electrode sheet with increasing lengths of the upper cutter and the lower cutter contacting the electrode sheet from a portion adjacent to a middle part of the electrode sheet at the first ends of the upper cutter and the lower cutter to a peripheral portion of the electrode sheet at the second ends of the upper cutter and the lower cutter, and
• wherein the middle part of the electrode sheet is spaced apart from all peripheral edges of the electrode sheet, and the first ends of the upper cutter and the lower cutter overlie the through hole of the electrode sheet support, the through hole being in a middle part of the electrode sheet support that is spaced apart from all peripheral edges of the electrode sheet support.