Electrode Assembly Folding Apparatus and Method Using the Same

A method for folding an electrode assembly in a zigzag shape, the method comprising:

• supplying the electrode assembly using a supply unit, wherein the electrode assembly comprises two sheet-shape separators, a plurality of second electrodes sequentially located between confronting inside surfaces of the two separators, and a plurality of first electrodes alternately located above or below respective ones of the second electrodes on outside surfaces of the two separators, the electrode assembly having a plurality of first unit bodies and second unit bodies are alternately arranged and connected to each other by the two separators, the first electrode of each first unit body being located at an upper side of the second electrode of the second unit body, the first electrode of each second unit body being located at a lower side of the second electrode of the second unit body,
• holding one of the first unit bodies supplied from the supply unit using the holding unit and transferring the one of the first unit bodies using a swing motion, thereby folding the electrode assembly in a zigzag shape,
• stacking the one of the first unit bodies transferred by the holding unit onto the stack unit,
• moving the holding unit up and toward the supply unit, and then moving the holding unit down to a position adjacent to a subsequent first unit body, and
• holding the subsequent first unit body using the holding unit.