US 5,700,299 AGranted

Battery core winder and method of winding a battery core

AssigneeEveready Battery Company, Inc.

InventorThomas C. Clark

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Abstract

A battery core winding apparatus for winding into an electrochemical cell, a plurality of flexible strip members comprising a first conducting flexible electrode having a first leading edge, a second conducting flexible electrode having a second leading edge, and a separator, includes a first elongate feeder bed and a second elongate feeder bed longitudinally disposed from the first feeder bed. A winding cavity is formed between the feeder beds. A first arbor half having a first flat surface and a first curvilinear winding surface is rotatingly supported within the winding cavity substantially midway between the first and the second feeder beds, and a second arbor half having a second flat surface and a second curvilinear winding surface is rotatingly supported within the winding cavity such that the second flat surface faces the first flat surface and the first and second flat surfaces are interspaced to form a slot. A first pair of forming rollers are rotatingly supported and disposed within the winding cavity proximate to and forming a gap with the first curvilinear surface, and a second pair of forming rollers are disposed within the winding cavity proximate to and forming a gap with the second curvilinear surface. At least one feeder roller is rotatingly embedded in each of the first and second feeder beds, the rotational axis of each roller being substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of the feeder beds, and a pressure roller is rotatingly mounted in registration with each of the feeder rollers, the pressure roller axis of rotation being parallel to that of the feeder roller and each pressure roller is spring biased against its adjacent feeder roller.

Claims11

Dependent claims

a first elongate feeder bed;
a second elongate feeder bed longitudinally disposed from said first feeder bed, said first and said second feeder beds defining a winding cavity therebetween;
a first arbor half having a first flat surface and a first curvilinear winding surface, said first arbor half rotatingly supported within said winding cavity substantially midway between said first and said second feeder beds;
a second arbor half having a second flat surface and a second curvilinear winding surface rotatingly supported within said winding cavity substantially midway between said first and said second feeder beds such that said second flat surface faces said first flat surface and said first and said second flat surfaces are interspaced forming a slot therebetween;
a first pair of forming rollers rotatingly supported and disposed within said winding cavity, said first pair of forming rollers substantially equidistant from and biased toward said first arbor half to engage and form the electrochemical cell electrodes and separator about said first and said second curvilinear surfaces during winding of the electrochemical cell;
a second pair of forming rollers disposed within said winding cavity, said second pair of forming rollers substantially equidistant from and biased toward said second arbor half to engage and form the electrochemical cell electrodes and separator about said second and said first curvilinear surfaces during winding of the electrochemical cell;
at least one feeder roller rotatingly embedded in each of said first feeder bed and said second feeder bed, the rotational axis of said feeder rollers being substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of said first and said second feeder beds;
and
a pressure roller rotatingly mounted in registration with each of said feeder rollers, the axis of rotation of said pressure roller being parallel to said feeder roller, and said pressure roller being springingly biased against said feeder roller.

6 more elements

A method for winding a plurality of flexible strip members into a coil comprising a first conducting flexible electrode having a first leading edge, a second conducting flexible electrode having a second leading edge, and a separator, said method comprising the steps, performed in the sequence listed, of:

positioning the first conducting flexible electrode on a first feeder bed, the first leading edge proximate to a first edge of a first arbor half having a first generally flat surface and a first curvilinear driving surface;
positioning the separator generally on the first conducting flexible electrode, on said first generally flat surface, and on a second feeder bed in line with said first feeder bed;
positioning the second conducting flexible electrode on the separator on said second feeder bed, the second leading edge proximate to a second edge of said first arbor half;
registering a second arbor half having a second generally flat surface and a second curvilinear driving surface to an engagement position over said first arbor half, such that said first and second generally flat surfaces are facing each other thereby interposing the separator between said first and said second flat surfaces;
positioning a first pair of forming rollers proximate to said first curvilinear surface forming a first gap between said first curvilinear surface and said first roller pair and a second pair of forming rollers proximate to said second curvilinear surface forming a second gap between said second curvilinear surface and said second roller pair, said first and second forming roller pairs for forming the electrodes about said first and said second curvilinear surfaces;
rotating said first and second arbor halves to begin winding the separator about said and first and said second arbor halves;
capturing the first leading edge between the separator and the first curvilinear surface and capturing the second leading edge between the separator and the second curvilinear surface by continued rotation of said first and said second arbor halves;
and
rotating said first and second arbor halves until the coil is completely formed.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/764,740Filed 12 Dec 1996
Granted: 23 Dec 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H01M 6/10
Dry cells, i.e. cells wherein the electrolyte is rendered non-fluid: with wound or folded electrodes
Y02E 60/10
Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation: energy storage using batteries
Y02P 70/50
Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products: manufacturing or production processes…
Y10T 29/49108
Electrical device making: electric battery cell making

Family

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