Device for folding electrode assembly

A unit cell transfer apparatus for arranging and delivering unit cells to a folding device, which is used in a continuous process for manufacturing a stack/folding type electrode assembly having a structure of planar unit cells wound up over a separate film, comprising:

• a unit cell feeder to introduce unit cells in sequential order;
• a position checking part that captures an image of a position of the unit cell in the unit cell feeder to acquire an image signal and then transmits the image signal to a control part described below;
• the control part that confirms aligned conditions of the unit cells on the basis of image signals received by the checking part to control behavior of grippers described below;
• two or more grippers, each of which grips unit cells fed from the cell feeder one unit at a time and then delivers the unit cells to a transfer part described above, after position compensation of the unit cell according to a position compensation signal provided by the control part;
• and
• the unit cell transfer part for delivering the unit cells described above to a folding device,
• wherein the unit cell feeder and the unit cell transfer part are adjacent to each other, and have a vertical step at the adjacent site between the unit cell feeder and the unit cell transfer part such that unit cells in the unit cell feeder move vertically and are delivered to the unit cell transfer part,
• wherein a second unit cell moves to an overlap position at the bottom of the first unit cell while the first unit cell migrates vertically relative to the vertical step and is transferred to the unit cell feeder, and
• wherein a protruded sill is formed outside a driven roller in the unit cell feeder adjacent to the unit cell transfer part, and wherein the sill contacts a front part of the second unit cell to stop movement of the unit cell when the gripper grips the unit cell.