Selective flipping device of a sheet electrode

A method for the manufacture of an electrochemical cell or a semi-finished electrochemical cell product the method comprising selectively flipping a sheet electrode, wherein said sheet electrode comprises a first face and a second face opposite to one another, which define a first orientation AB and a second orientation BA depending on their exposure, wherein said method comprises:

• a) making said electrode available at a gripping station according to a first orientation AB;
• b) picking up said electrode from said gripping station according to said first orientation AB by means of gripping means comprising a roller element, with a rolling motion of said roller or roller portion on said electrode;
• and
• c) moving said roller element of said gripping means between said gripping station and a position tangential to a further roller element of the flipping means, wherein said further roller element is rotatable about an own axis of rotation X2;
• said method further comprising the step of selectively controlling the direction of rotation of said first roller element and/or of said further roller element about said axes of rotation X1, X2, whereby said electrode picked up from said gripping station according to said first orientation AB or second orientation BA is selectively flipped to assume a second orientation BA or first orientation AB.

An apparatus for the manufacture of an electrochemical cell or a semi-finished electrochemical cell product comprising a selective flipping device of a sheet electrode, wherein said sheet electrode comprises a first face and a second face opposite to one another, which define a first orientation AB and a second orientation BA depending on their exposure, wherein said flipping device comprises:

• a gripping station defining a plane XY wherein said electrode is arranged in said first orientation AB;
• gripping means comprising a first roller element rotatable about an own axis of rotation X1 and configured to pick-up said electrode from said gripping station wherein said electrode is in said first orientation AB with a rolling motion, wherein said first roller element has a cylindrical sector defining a peripheral surface configured to pick up and retain said electrode, wherein said first roller element is rotatable about an own axis of rotation X1;
• and
• flipping means for flipping said electrode comprising:
• a further roller element rotatable about an own axis of rotation X2, having a cylindrical sector defining a peripheral surface configured to pick up and retain said electrode downstream of the first rotating roller element, means for controlling the direction of rotation of said first roller element and/or of said further roller element configured to selectively control the direction of rotation about said axes of rotation X1, X2, whereby said electrode picked up from said gripping station according to said first orientation is selectively flipped to assume a second orientation, wherein said apparatus comprises:
• one or more magazines for containing an ordered plurality of electrodes oriented according to a first orientation AB or second orientation BA, each of said one or more magazines defining said gripping station of said flipping device,
• said apparatus further comprising a feed conveyor belt at a workstation that moves said electrode according to a supply direction Y′, wherein said conveyor belt defines a linear section extending according to a longitudinal axis Y and movable according to said supply direction Y′, wherein said linear section defines a support plane XY′ movable according to said supply direction, wherein said movement of said linear section in said supply direction Y′ is provided by the rotation of belt tensioning rollers, rotatable according to an own direction of rotation.