Apparatus and methods for constructing an electrochemical cell

An apparatus for processing strip elements, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one supply section, configured to receive at least one strip element to be processed;
• at least one processing section, configured to process the at least one strip element supplied to the at least one supply section;
• an intermediate section communicating with the at least one supply section and the at least one processing section to transfer at least one strip element between them;
• wherein at least one of the at least one supply section, the at least one processing section and the intermediate section includes at least one conveyor;
• wherein at least one idle roller is configured to exert a friction interaction with the at least one strip element;
• wherein the conveyor comprises:
• an idle roller having a geometric axis and an operating surface configured to be engaged at least partially by a strip element adapted to be dragged in a longitudinal direction thereof;
• wherein said operating surface is adapted to exert a friction interaction with said strip element;
• wherein said idle roller comprises a shell that defines, externally, said operating surface and, internally, a cavity within said idle roller;
• wherein said shell has a primary portion, which extends with a thickness, measured in a direction radial to said geometric axis, that is substantially uniform along the geometric axis;
• wherein said thickness of the primary portion is no more than 1 mm;
• wherein said shell is configured to be coupled to at least one rotoidal joint member which defines an axis of rotation and which is adapted to connect said idle roller to a support structure rotatably about said axis of rotation so that the geometric axis substantially coincides with the axis of rotation;
• a support device comprising two coupling portions configured to couple to said idle roller in a rotatable manner about the geometric axis;
• a support portion mechanically joining the two coupling portions and extending between them outside the shell of the idle roller;
• and
• at least one sensor device connected to one of said coupling portions and the idle roller and configured to detect a mutually transmitted stress between said one of said coupling portions and the idle roller.

A method for producing electrochemical cells, wherein the method comprises:

• supplying electrode strips and at least one separator strip in coils;
• exercising with a conveyor, a friction interaction with at least one of the electrode strips and at least one separator strip;
• cutting the electrode strips and the separator strip into pieces of electrode strip and into one or more pieces of separator strip;
• forming a layered semi-finished product by overlapping the pieces of electrode strip with the one or more pieces of separator strip, wherein the pieces of electrode strip and the one or more pieces of separator strip are mutually alternating;
• wherein the conveyor comprises:
• an idle roller having a geometric axis and an operating surface configured to be engaged at least partially by a strip element adapted to be dragged in a longitudinal direction thereof;
• wherein said operating surface is adapted to exert a friction interaction with said strip element;
• wherein said idle roller comprises a shell that defines, externally, said operating surface and, internally, a cavity within said idle roller;
• wherein said shell has a primary portion, which extends with a thickness, measured in a direction radial to said geometric axis, that is substantially uniform along the geometric axis;
• wherein said thickness of the primary portion is no more than 1 mm;
• wherein said shell is configured to be coupled to at least one rotoidal joint member which defines an axis of rotation and which is adapted to connect said idle roller to a support structure rotatably about said axis of rotation so that the geometric axis substantially coincides with the axis of rotation;
• a support device comprising two coupling portions configured to couple to said idle roller in a rotatable manner about the geometric axis;
• a support portion mechanically joining the two coupling portions and extending between them outside the shell of the idle roller,
• at least one sensor device connected to one of said coupling portions and the idle roller and configured to detect a mutually transmitted stress between said one of said coupling portions and the idle roller.