FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an arrangement and a method for producing a stack of sheets with electrochemical device forming material.

BACKGROUND

Due to the increased use of renewable energy sources, electrochemical devices, i.e. devices using electrodes and/or membranes in electrolyte that deliver and/ or store electrical energy such as batteries, have become of interest in a wide range or areas. Consequently, also battery cell production is of interest.

One battery production technique using a cut and place module is disclosed in “Integrated cut and place module for high productive manufacturing of lithium-ion cells”, by M. Baumeister and J. Fleischer in CIRP Annals - Manufacturing Technology, Volume 63, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 5-8.

It is of interest to improve on the way that electrochemical devices, such as stacks of sheets with electrochemical device forming material are produced, especially with regard to the speed with which production is made, where such stacks may be used in battery cells and/ or fuel cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved production of stacks with sheets of electrochemical device forming material that can be used for forming electrochemical devices. This object is according to a first aspect achieved through an arrangement for producing a stack of sheets with electrochemical device forming material comprising a first cutting tool configured to cut a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material from a first length of the first electrochemical device forming material and place the first sheet at a first placing position adjacent the first cutting tool, and a second cutting tool configured to cut a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material from a second length of the second electrochemical device forming material and place the second sheet at a second placing position adjacent the second cutting tool, wherein the first sheet when being placed in the first placing position is placed on an area of the second electrochemical device forming material used to form the second sheet.

The object is according to a second aspect achieved through a method of producing a stack of sheets with electrochemical device forming material comprising: cutting, using a first cutting tool, a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material from a first length of the first electrochemical device forming material and placing the first sheet at a first placing position adjacent the first cutting tool, and cutting, using a second cutting tool, a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material from a second length of the second electrochemical device forming material and placing the second sheet at a second placing position adjacent the second cutting tool, wherein the first sheet when being placed in the first placing position is placed on an area of the second electrochemical device forming material used to form the second sheet.

The arrangement may comprise at least one sheet carrier configured to receive the sheets placed in the first and second placing positions. In one variation of the first aspect the arrangement comprises a material transporting device comprising the at least one sheet carrier and configured to transport the at least one sheet carrier along at least one material transporting direction in a sheet placing plane. The material moving device may additionally be configured to transport the at least one sheet carrier in a loop that passes the first and second placing positions or back and forth past the first and second placing positions.

In a corresponding variation of the second aspect the method further comprises transporting at least one sheet carrier along at least one material transporting direction in a sheet placing plane, which transporting may be in a loop that passes the first and second placing positions or back and forth past the first and second placing positions.

The at least one sheet carrier may comprise a sheet receiving structure centered and pivotable around a rotational axis and having a first and second receiving position symmetrically placed with regard to each other in relation to the rotational axis, wherein in a first operational orientation of the sheet carrier, the first placing position is aligned with the first receiving position and the second placing position is aligned with the second receiving position and in a second operational orientation of the sheet carrier, when the sheet receiving structure has been pivoted one hundred and eighty degrees around the rotational axis, the first placing position is aligned with the second receiving position and the second placing position is aligned with the first receiving position, so that the first sheet is placed on the second sheet when the first cutting tool places the first sheet in the first placing position when the sheet carrier has the second operational orientation after the second cutting tool has placed the second sheet in the second placing position when the carrier has the first operational orientation.

In a corresponding variation of the second aspect the placing of the second sheet is a placing of the second sheet in the second placing position when the sheet carrier has the first operational orientation, the placing of the first sheet is the placing of the first sheet on the second sheet when the sheet carrier has the second operational orientation and further comprising pivoting the sheet receiving structure one hundred and eighty degrees around the rotational axis for obtaining the second operational orientation.

The first cutting tool and the second cutting tool may be tools of a common die cutter, the first sheet may additionally be cut, by the first cutting tool, at a first cutting position, the second sheet may be cut, by the second cutting tool, at a second cutting position and the first placing position may coincide with the second cutting position. In this case the cutting of the second sheet of the length of the second electrochemical device forming material may be made from the area on which the first sheet is placed.

Furthermore, each sheet carrier may comprise a sheet receiving matrix of receiving positions, the first cutting tool may be a cutting tool placing a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material at a first placing position in a corresponding sheet providing matrix with placing positions and the second cutting tool may be a cutting tool placing a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material at a second placing position in a corresponding sheet providing matrix of placing positions.

The first cutting tool may additionally be a cutting tool in a first group of cutting tools provided adjacent a first column of placing positions in the corresponding sheet providing matrix comprising the first placing position and the second cutting tool may be a cutting tool in a second group of cutting tools placed adjacent a second column of placing positions in the corresponding sheet providing matrix comprising the second placing position.

The first cutting tool may be placed downstream from the second cutting tool in a transporting direction along which the sheet carrier is transported, the first placing position may be a placing position in a first sheet providing matrix associated with the first cutting tool, the second placing position maybe a placing position in a second sheet providing matrix associated with the second cutting tool and the location of the first placing position in the first sheet providing matrix may be the same as the second placing position in the second sheet providing matrix.

The first and second placing positions may additionally be placing positions in a common sheet providing matrix, which positions may additionally be symmetrically placed in relation to a center point of the sheet providing matrix.

The first and second cutting tools may be parts of at least one punching station, where sheets of device forming material are placed in matrix positions of the sheet receiving matrix. Furthermore, the first electrochemical device forming material may be a material for a first type of electrode and the second electrochemical device forming material may be a material for a second type of electrode.

In this case the arrangement may additionally comprise a roll and cutter configured to roll a piece of separator material over each row of receiving positions of the sheet receiving matrix.

The method may in this case further comprise rolling a piece of separator material over each row of receiving positions of the sheet receiving matrix.

The arrangement may also comprise a cutter configured to cut the pieces of separator material between the columns of receiving positions in the sheet receiving matrix.

In this case the method may further comprise cutting the pieces of separator material between the columns of receiving positions in the sheet receiving matrix. The first electrochemical device forming material may furthermore comprise a metal foil for a first type of electrode, which metal foil may be coated with electrodes of the first type. The metal foil may here be coated with active electrode material.

In this case the arrangement may further comprise a punching unit configured to obtain the metal foil with electrodes coated on it and to punch out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the metal foil and a separator applying unit configured to apply separator material on the electrodes and tab zones.

In this case the method may further comprise obtaining the metal foil with electrodes coated on it, punching out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the metal foil and applying separator material on the electrodes and tab zones.

Here it is possible that separator material is only applied over the electrodes and tab zones but not over the connection strip.

The first electrochemical device forming material may comprise the first electrode forming material. It may for instance be made of the first electrode forming material. The second electrochemical device forming material may be a laminate of the second electrode forming material with one or more layers of separator material.

The arrangement may furthermore comprise an electrolyte providing unit configured to provide the second electrochemical device forming material with electrolyte before sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material are being cut, which providing may comprise soaking the material in electrolyte or coating the material with electrolyte. In this case the method may further comprise providing the second electrochemical device forming material with electrolyte before sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material are being cut, which providing may comprise soaking the material in electrolyte or coating the material with electrolyte.

The arrangement may additionally comprise a shock freezing unit configured to freeze or partially freeze the first second electrochemical device forming material.

The method may correspondingly comprise freezing or partially freezing the second electrochemical device forming material.

The providing of the material with electrolyte and/or freezing maybe performed in an enclosure having a controlled production environment, such as a controlled atmosphere. It may for instance be filled with a gas such as an inert gas like nitrogen, argon or neon as well as have a temperature that differs from room temperature and/ or a pressure that differs from atmospheric pressure.

The material moving device may be a linear material moving device, such as a conveyor belt.

The electrolyte providing unit may be arranged as single or double side soaking/ coating unit to either coat only one or both sides of a double sided second electrochemical device forming material, which may be a coated active electrode material.

The freezing may be done in order to fix the electrolyte in the second electrochemical device forming material. In case the second electrochemical device forming material is a laminate comprising a number of layers including an electrode and a separator layer, the freezing may instead or in addition be done for adhering of the different layers to each other without additional process step or additional classical adhesive material.

A third aspect is concerned with an arrangement for producing a sheet of electrochemical device forming material comprising a first punching unit configured to obtain a length of first metal foil with coated electrodes and to punch out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the first metal foil and a separator applying unit configured to apply separator material on the electrodes and tab zones punched out from the firs metal foil in order to obtain a first electrode laminate.

In a variation of the third aspect, the arrangement further comprises a second electrode forming unit configured to obtain a length of second metal foil and coat electrodes on the second metal foil, and a second punching unit configured to obtain a length of second metal foil with coated electrodes and to punch out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the second metal foil, wherein the separator applying unit is further configured to apply separator material on the electrodes and tab zones punched out form the second metal foil in order to obtain a second electrode laminate.

The separator applying unit may furthermore be configured to combine the first and second electrode laminates in order to obtain a length of electrochemical device forming material.

According to another variation of the third aspect, the arrangement may comprise a die cutter configured to cut a sheet of electrochemical device forming material from the length of electrochemical device forming material for use in an electrochemical device. A fourth aspect is concerned with a method of producing a sheet of electrochemical device forming material comprising obtaining a length of first metal foil with coated electrodes, punching out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the first metal foil and applying separator material on the electrodes and tab zones punched out from the first metal foil in order to obtain a first electrode laminate.

In a variation of the third aspect, the method further comprises obtaining a length of second metal foil with coated electrodes, punching out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the second metal foil, and applying separator material on the electrodes and tab zones punched out from the second metal foil in order to obtain a second electrode laminate.

The method may further comprise combining the first and second electrode laminates in order to obtain a length of electrochemical device forming material.

According to another variation of the fourth aspect, the method may also comprise cutting a sheet of electrochemical device forming material from the length of electrochemical device forming material for use in an electrochemical device.

An electrochemical device forming material is a material that is used to forming an electrochemical device, while an electrode forming material is used to form an electrode.

The present invention has a number of advantages. It provides a fast stacking of sheets of electrochemical device forming material without unnecessary movement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will in the following be described with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, where fig. i schematically shows a view from above of a first version of an arrangement for producing an electrochemical device by e.g. combining separator layers and one electrode, fig. 2 schematically shows a side view of a first cutting tool combination of a first and second cutting tool in a die cutter used in the arrangement, fig. 3 schematically shows a side view of a second cutting tool combination of the first and second cutting tools together with a first version of a material transporting device that is equipped with a first type of sheet carrier, fig. 4 shows a side view of a third cutting tool combination of the first and second cutting tools provided in one of three different punching units together with a second version of a material transporting device, fig.5a shows a side view of a third cutting tool combination of the first and second cutting tools together with a second type of sheet carrier, fig. 5b shows a view from below of the second type of sheet carrier, fig. 5c shows lengths of electrochemical device forming material being transported past cutting tools according to the third cutting tool combination, fig. 6a shows a view from above of a number of punching and stacking stations with a fourth cutting tool combination of the first and second cutting tools provided in one or two of three different punching stations together with a third version of a material transporting device with a third type of sheet carrier, fig. 6b shows three different views taken at different horizontal locations in a punching station in relation to the third type of sheet carrier, fig. 6c shows a side view of a number of operations by a roller and cutter for applying a third electromechanical device forming material over sheets of the first and second electrochemical device forming material as well as a view from above of a sheet carrier covered with the third electrochemical material forming material, fig.6d schematically shows a view from above of a fourth version of the sheet carrier used together with a fifth variation of the fourth cutting tool combination fig. 6e schematically shows a view from above of a number of punching stations with the fourth combination of the first and second cutters provided in two different punching stations together with the third version of the material transporting device, fig. 6f schematically shows a side view of the third or fourth type of sheet carrier together with a cutting tool for cutting the third material of electrochemical device forming material, and fig. 7 shows a view from above of a second version of an arrangement for producing an electrochemical device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an arrangement and a method for producing a stack of sheets with electrochemical device forming material, where an electrochemical device is a device producing electricity for delivery and/ or storage based on a chemical or electrochemical reaction, like a battery or a fuel cell.

In the arrangement and method for producing a stack of sheets with electrochemical device forming material an electrochemical device material stack is produced based on sheets of electrochemical device forming material, such as battery cell forming material or fuel cell forming material.

Conventional battery cell production consists of several serial arranged process steps, which are usually handled in different process units in a clean room or microenvironment. The present disclosure focuses on boosting processing speed by rearrangement of processing steps and combination of electrolyte application, electrode singularization (punching/ slitting), stacking and electrode stack tab welding in one processing unit. This minimizes transfer steps, improves stacking accuracy, lowers risk of contamination, improves speed and minimizes overall footprint of controlled atmosphere volumes.

Interesting aspects of the present disclosure comprise:

• the electrolyte impregnation and shock freezing of an anode layer to form a sandwich of 3 sticking layers so called freeze laminate as optional alternative to classical lamination

• use of high speed, low-cost die-cutting technologies from food and beverage packaging combined with efficient stacking for battery and/or fuel cell assembly.

• sequential or parallel cathode-separator-anode-separator diecutting at high precision and speed to allow for anode and separator overhang

• integrate stack electrode tabs (anode side and cathode side) by welding or crimp fixation directly in or beside die-cutting/punching machine

• option to process large area cell formats of up to several 100mm side length or height

Die cutting is an existing process in many applications as e.g. in food packaging. Die cutting using a die cutter is in many cases combined with piling of the end product beside the die cutter. Both die-cutting and pile up arranged in meaningful sequences can serve as efficient electrode singularization and stacking unit combined in adjacent process steps.

Aspects of the present disclosure are concerned with using die cutting for the production or part of the production of electrochemical devices such as batteries and fuel cells. How this may be implemented in a number of different variations will now be described in more detail.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a view from above of a first version of an arrangement 10 for producing a stack of electrochemical material forming layers used to form an electrochemical device. Such an arrangement will in the following be referred to as an electrochemical material stack producing arrangement.

In the electrochemical material stack producing arrangement 10, a roll of electrode forming material 22 maybe unwound from a first material wheel (not shown) and provided to a first guiding wheel 12, which guides the electrode forming material 22 to between a first pair of electrolyte application drums 14, the electrode forming material may in this case be a metal such as aluminum or copper coated with electrochemical active material. The electrode forming material 22 is then forwarded to between a second pair of drums 17. A roll of first separator material 24 may also be unwound from a second material wheel (not shown) and provided to a second guiding wheel 16, which guides the first separator material 24 to between the second pair of drums 17 on one side of the electrode forming material 22. Also, a roll of second separator material 26 maybe unwound from a third material wheel (not shown) and provided to a third guiding wheel 15, which guides the second separator material 26 to between the second pair of drums 15/16 on the opposite side of the electrode forming material 22.

The second pair of drums 17 is part of an electrolyte providing unit. In this electrolyte providing unit 17, the electrode forming material 22 is sandwiched between the first and second separator materials 24 and 26 for forming an electrochemical device forming material 28. Thereby the electrochemical forming material 28 is also a laminate comprising a layer of the electrode forming material 22 and two layers of the first and second separator materials 24 and 26. Furthermore, in the electrolyte providing unit both sides of the electrochemical device forming material 28 maybe provided with electrolyte through being soaked or coated with electrolyte.

Electrolyte application can be made in continuous roll conditions. This allows for homogeneous, time and electrolyte mass efficient active layer soaking or coating. A drum may press electrolyte into the separator material layers of the electrochemical device forming material. Such a drum may be equipped with a layer of sponge like material or defined notch arrangement to soak or hold electrolyte for subsequent electrolyte placement by classical roll to roll process. Electrolyte loading to application drum can be represented by external electrolyte slit, drum internal feed channels or additional drum coating roll or spray.

An electrolyte application drum may include cleaning sequence controlling correct electrolyte transfer and avoiding local unintended excess electrolyte build up. Excess electrolyte maybe collected and recycled to the electrolyte loading stage.

After the soaking/ coating, the electrical device forming material 28 is supplied to shock freezing unit 20, where freezing or partial freezing of the soaked or coated electrochemical device forming material takes place.

The shock freezing unit 18 freezes and fixes the electrolyte in the separator layers 24, 26 and the coated electrode 22 of the electrochemical device forming material 28. It thus fixes the electrolyte in the material. The shock freezing unit 18 may additionally freeze the laminate for adhering of the different layers to each other without additional process step or additional materials.

After the shock-freezing the electrical device forming material 28 is supplied to a die cutter 20, where the material is cut into sheets of the electrical device forming material to be used for forming an electrochemical device. As will be seen later, the die cutter can be realized in many different ways and also combined with other die cutters. As will also be seen later the arrangement may also comprise other elements such as material transporting devices.

The way that soaking/ coating is done may also be varied. It is for instance possible that separator materials are soaked/coated before being combined with electrode forming material. It is also possible to soak one or both sides of the electrode forming material before being combined with one or both of the separator materials. It is additionally possible that the electrical device forming material is only a laminate between a layer of electrode forming material and a layer of separator material.

The arrangement described so far may be provided in an enclosure having a controlled production environment, such as a controlled atmosphere. It may for instance be filled with a gas such as an inert gas like nitrogen, argon or neon as well as have a temperature that differs from room temperature and/or a pressure that differs from atmospheric pressure.

The use of a controlled production environment avoids evaporation of electrolyte ingredients and control application conditions, e.g. cooling or subcooling of electrode and/ or electrolyte, minimizes losses and controls viscosity. Temperature conditioning of electrolyte filled electrode stabilizes single electrode sheets and simplifies further layer handling.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a side view of a first cutting tool combination of a first and second cutting tool in the die cutter 20 used in the arrangement. Thereby the first cutting tool and the second cutting tool are tools of a common die cutter 20.

This die cutter 20 receives a first length of first electrochemical device forming material 30 and a second length of second electrochemical device forming material 28, where the first electrochemical device forming material in this case is a first electrode forming material, such as aluminum or copper coated with active electrode material. The second length 28 of second electrode forming material is in turn a laminate of the previously described electrode forming material and the first and second separator materials, where this electrode forming material is a second electrode forming material. One of the electrode firming materials may be an anode forming material and the other maybe a cathode forming material.

The die cutter 20 has a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool, where the first cutting tool comprises a first element 32a with cutting edges cutting a first sheet 36 of first electrochemical device forming material from the first length 30 of the first electrochemical device forming material at a first cutting position CPi and has a second element 32b that places the first sheet 36 at a first placing position PPi adjacent the first cutting tool 32, for instance using pushing. The second element 32b may also have cutting edges that together with or instead of the cutting edges of the first element 32a cuts the first sheet 36. The second cutting tool in turn has a first element 34a that cuts a second sheet 38 of second electrochemical device forming material from the second length 28 of the second electrochemical device forming material at a second cutting position CP2. Also, in this case there is a pushing element that places the second sheet 38 at a second placing position PP2 adjacent the second cutting tool. Furthermore, when the first sheet 36 is placed in the first placing position it is placed on an area of the second electrochemical device forming material 28 used to form the second sheet 38.

The placing in a placing position may be carried out through the cutting tool having a pushing element that pushes the cut sheet away from the cutting position, for instance laterally, such as horizontally. It is also possible that the cutting tool when cutting pushes the sheet along an axis, which axis may be perpendicular to a plane in which the length of electrochemical device forming material is being moved, such as vertically upwards or downwards or horizontally to the left or the right. When moving the sheet vertically downwards it is additionally possible to use gravity.

The first placing position PL1 may additionally coincide with the second cutting position CP2 and the second cutting tool may cut the second sheet 38 from an area of the length of the second electrochemical device forming material 28 on which the first sheet 36 is placed.

In order to achieve this, it is possible that the first length of first electrochemical device forming material 30 is provided in a first plane and the second length of the second electrochemical device forming material 28 is provided in a second plane, where both planes are perpendicular to the axis along which the sheets are moved and the movement of the first sheet 36 maybe made towards the second plane, while the movement of the second sheet 38 may be away from the first plane. Moreover, the first placing position PP1 may be aligned with the second cutting position CP2 in relation to the axis. This means that when the first sheet 36 is moved from the first cutting position CP1 to the first placing position PP1, it may be moved to the second cutting position CP2 on the second length of second electrochemical device forming material 28. It is additionally possible that the first sheet 36 has an area that is smaller than the area of the second sheet 38. Thereby it is possible to ensure that the first sheet 36 does not impede the cutting of the second sheet 38. It is additionally possible that there are other advantages associated with the second sheet 38 having a larger area than the first sheet 36. It is additionally possible that the second element 32b of the first cutting tool is also used for pushing the second sheet 38 from the second cutting position CP2 to the second placing position PP2, which may involve pushing the first and the second sheets 36 and 38 from the second cutting position CP2 to the second placing position PP2.

There is thus an automated two-step punching process comprising. 1: cutting of the first sheet 36 of first electrochemical device forming material, which maybe a cathode layer; 2: transfer of the first electrochemical device forming material; 3: punching of the second sheet 38 of second electrochemical device forming material in the form of a bundle of separator - anode- separator sandwich and transfer to a stacking volume 40.

It can be seen in fig. 2 that in the exemplifying die cutter 20 the first cutting tool is aligned with the second cutting tool along the movement axis. The first cutting tool is also located inside the second cutting tool. It can also be seen that the second element 32b of the first cutting tool moves the first length of first electrochemical device forming material 30 onto the first element 32afor cutting out the first sheet 36 from the first length of first electrochemical forming material 30 and place it on top of the second length of the second electrochemical forming material 28 in an area just below the first cutting position CP1, which area thus coincides with the second cutting position CP2. The second sheet 38 is then cut out from the second length and pushed to the second placing position PP2 by the first element 34a of the second cutting tool and the joint pushing element 32b. Thereby both sheets 36 and 38 are being moved.

It is possible that the second sheet 38 of second electrochemical device forming material is cut through the second length of second electrochemical device forming material 28 being pushed against the first sheet 36 of first electrochemical device forming material and that then the first and second sheets 36 and 38 are being pushed away in the opposite direction.

It can be seen that if the first and second sheets 36 and 38 are repeatedly cut in the previously described way, then a stack 40 of sheets of the first and second types is formed, which stack may then be placed in a hull or enclosure for forming an electrochemical device. Another way in which cutting and moving of sheets can be performed will now be described with reference being made to fig. 3, which schematically shows a side view of a second cutting tool combination of the first and second cutting tools 32 and 34 together with a first version of a material transporting device 42 that is equipped with a first type of sheet carrier 44.

In this case there is a first and a second cutting tool 32 and 34 placed side by side above a material moving device 42 which may be provided in the form of a conveyor belt. The first and second cutting tools 32 and 34 may be placed in the same or in different die cutters. Thereby the first and second cutting positions are provided in a cutting plane CP that is parallel to a transportation plane TP through which sheet carriers are being moved. After the sheets have been cut, they are then moved towards the transportation plane TP with the sheet carriers and end up on a corresponding sheet carrier 44. Furthermore, it is possible that the cutting plane CP is placed vertically above the transportation plane which means that the sheets may be moved from a cutting position to a placing position using gravity.

When the second cutting tool 34 cuts a second sheet 38 of second electrochemical device forming material from the second length 28 of the second electrochemical device forming material and places the second sheet 38 at a second placing position PP2 adjacent the second cutting tool, it cuts a second sheet at the second cutting position CP2 that is dropped or pushed onto a sheet placing position on a sheet carrier 44 carried by the conveyor belt 42. When the first cutting tool 32 cuts a first sheet 36 of first electrochemical device forming material from the first length 30 of the first electrochemical device forming material at the first cutting position and places the first sheet 36 at a first placing position PPi adjacent the first cutting tool 32, it does this at a time when the sheet carrier 42 with the second sheet has moved to below the first cutting position. The first cutting tool 32 then drops the first sheet 36 from the first cutting position to a first placing position PPi on this sheet carrier 44. Thereby the first sheet 36 when being placed in the first placing position PPi is placed on an area of the second electrochemical device forming material used to form the second sheet 38, and in this case on the second sheet 38 that was previously cut by the second cutting tool 34.

Thereby there is a sequential die-cutting and direct placement on the sheet carriers of the material transporting device, allowing for sequential placement of separator-anode-separator followed by cathode layer or vice versa.

Also, in this variation the carriers of the material moving device 42 are transported in a loop, which initially has a first linear transportation direction and thereafter has a second linear transportation direction.

The first cutting tool 32 can be seen as being placed at a first cutting position in relation to the material moving device 42 for placing the sheets of the first electrochemical device forming material 30 at the first placing position PPi, which is a position at which the material moving device 42 is to receive the sheets of first electrochemical device forming material for transporting them on a moveable surface of the material moving device 42. The first cutting position CP1 is the position at which the first cutting tool 32 cuts the first length of first electrochemical device forming material 30, which is placed above the material moving device 42 and the first placing position PPi is a position vertically below this first cutting position. The second cutting tool 34 can be seen as being placed at a second cutting position CP2 in relation to the material moving device 42 for placing the sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material at the second placing position PP2, where also the second placing position PP2 is a position at which the material moving device 42 is to receive the sheets of second electrochemical device forming material for transporting them. In this case the second cutting position CP2 is the position at which the second cutting tool 34 cuts the second length of second electrochemical device forming material 28, which is placed above the material transporting device 42 and the second placing position PP2 may be a position vertically below the second cutting position. The second cutting and placing positions are in this case placed before the first cutting and placing positions in relation to the material moving direction. A sheet carrier thus passes the second placing position before it passes the first placing position.

Thereby the first and second cutting and placing positions are separated from each other along the linear first transportation direction.

It should here be realized that a placing position need not be provided vertically below the corresponding cutting position. The placing position may for instance be provided vertically above, horizontally to the left or horizontally to the right of the corresponding cutting position instead.

It can be seen that a stack 40 of sheets of electrochemical device forming material can be formed on the sheet carriers 44 as they are moved in the first horizontal direction, which stack may then be inserted in a hull or enclosure for obtaining an electrochemical device.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of a third cutting tool combination of the first and second cutting tools provided in one of three different die punching units together with a second version of a material transporting device 42. In this case there is a first punching unit 46, a second punching unit 48 and a third punching unit 50 all realized as die cutters comprising one or more cutting tools. The punching units 46, 48 and 50 are placed in a line above a material moving device 42 as well as above a cutting plane CP in which lengths of electrochemical device forming material move. In this case the second punching unit 48 is placed between the first and third punching units 46 and 50. The second punching unit -48 comprises the first and the second cutting tools 32 and 34 as well as a third cutting tool, while the first punching unit 46 comprise a fourth cutting tool and the third punching unit 50 comprises a fifth cutting tool. In this variation the second length of second electrochemical device forming material 28 is again the previously described laminate, while the first length of first electrochemical device forming material 30 is the first electrode forming material. In this case the first length of the first electrochemical device 30 forming material passes by the first cutting tool 32 in the cutting plane CP and the second length of the second electrochemical device forming material 28 passes by the second cutting tool 34 in the cutting plane CP, a third length of the first electrochemical device forming material passes by the third cutting tool in the cutting plane, a fourth length of the second electrochemical device forming material passes by the fourth cutting tool in the cutting plane CP and a fifth length of the second electrochemical device forming material passes by the fifth cutting tool in the cutting plane CP. Here it can also be mentioned that the first cutting tool 32 is placed in-between the second 34 and the fifth cutting tools and the third cutting tool is placed between the second 34 and fourth cutting tools. It can thereby be seen that the cutting tools are alternatingly cutting the first and second electrochemical device forming materials.

The cutting tools all perform cutting in the cutting plane CP that is parallel to a transportation plane through which a sheet receiving surface of the material moving device 42 moves. After the sheets have been cut, they are thus moved towards the transportation plane and end up on the sheet receiving surface of the material moving device 42.

The cutting tools here essentially perform the same type of cutting and dropping as in the previous variation. It is therefore again possible that movement from a cutting position to a placing position is achieved through the use of gravity. Here it should also be realized that other ways of movement are possible such as through pushing to the placing position. In this case the sheet receiving surface of the material moving device has a reciprocating movement between two different positions. It thus moves back and forth in the transportation plane. Furthermore, in one position the sheet receiving surface of the material moving device 42 is aligned with the first and the second punching units 46 and 48, while in the second position it is aligned with the second and third punching units 48 and 50. Thereby a first, second, third and fourth sheet receiving position is provided on the sheet receiving surface.

It can be seen in the figure that if the second cutting tool 34 cuts the second sheet 38 when the sheet receiving surface is in the first position, then the first sheet 36 from the first cutting tool 30 will end up on this second sheet 38, if being cut when the sheet receiving surface is in the second position.

It can furthermore be seen that in this way n-i stacks of electrochemical device forming material are obtained if there are n cutting tools.

It can thus be seen that die-cutting or punching is performed using 3 independent punching units 46, 48 and 50, where stacking positioned below a punching unit can be shifted by one segment to left and right. This allows sequentially stacked separator-anode-separator followed by cathode layers. The first and the third punching units 46 and 50 sequentially punch only every second stroke of the second punching unit 48 - when the left or right outermost stacking place is below the corresponding punching unit 46 or 50. Electrode raw material is feed in perpendicular to the stacking shift direction. Forward feed of input electrode is controlled at the end of finalized stacks at the second and third sheet receiving positions, that allows to finalize the stacks as well at the first and fifth sheet receiving positions.

Yet another variation will be described with reference being made to fig.

5a, 5b and 5c, where fig.sa shows a side view of a third cutter combination of the first and second cutters together with a second type of sheet carrier, fig. 5b shows a view from below of the second type of sheet carrier and fig. 5c shows lengths of electrochemical device forming material being transported past cutting tools with the third cutter combination.

In this case the first and second cutting tools 32 and 34 are placed beside each other and above a cutting plane CP in the same way as in fig. 4. As can be seen in fig. 5c, lengths of the first and second electrochemical device forming materials 30 and 28 are also transported past the two cutting tools 32 and 34 in the same manner as before. However, in this case they are provided in the same die cutter 48. In this case the first and second cutting tools are also the only cutting tools of the die cutter 48. As can also be seen in fig. 5c there may be more die cutters each comprising two cutting tools for cutting sheets out from a pair of electrochemical device forming materials.

The cutting tools 32 and 34 may be realized through each being provided with a cutting element and a pushing element with same principles of operation as described in relation to fig. 2.

The first cutting tool thus comprises a first cutting element 32a that cuts a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material from the first length 30 of the first electrochemical device forming material at the first cutting position and a pushing element 32b that places the first sheet at a first placing position PP1. In a similar manner the second cutting tool comprises a second cutting element 34a that cuts a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material from the second length 28 of the second electrochemical device forming material at the second cutting position and a second pushing element 34b that places the second sheet at the second placing position PP2.

In this case there is a sheet carrier 44, which may be in the form of a tray that is set to rotate around a rotational axis AX, where the first and second cutting tools are placed on opposite sides of this rotational axis AX, which rotational axis AX is also perpendicular to the cutting plane CP. Thereby the first cutting position is separated from the second cutting position by one-hundred and eighty degrees in relation to the rotational axis AX. A cutting tool after cutting at a cutting position pushes the sheet along this rotational axis away from the cutting plane and to a corresponding placing position PPi and PP2 in a sheet placing plane. Also, the first placing position PPi is separated from the second placing position PP2 by one hundred and eighty degrees in relation to the rotational axis AX.

The sheet carrier 44 is set to receive the sheets placed at the placing positions PPi and PP2. Furthermore, the sheet carrier 44 comprises a sheet receiving structure centered and pivotable around the rotational axis AX and having a first and second sheet receiving position RP1 and RP2 symmetrically placed with regard to each other in relation to the rotational axis AX, wherein in a first operational orientation of the sheet carrier 44, the first placing position PPi in the placing plane coincides with the first sheet receiving position RP1 on the sheet carrier 44 and the second placing position PP2 in the placing plane coincides with the second receiving position RP2 on the sheet carrier 44. It can thereby be seen that the first cutting tool 32 places a sheet of the first electrochemical device forming material at the first placing position PPi when the first placing position is aligned with the first receiving position RL1 and the second cutting tool 34 places a sheet of the second electrochemical device forming material at the second placing position PP2 when the second placing position PP2 is aligned with the second receiving position RP2. The sheet carrier 44 is then rotated one hundred and eighty degrees into a second operational orientation in which the first placing position PPi in the placing plane is aligned or coincides with the second receiving position RP2 on the sheet carrier 44 and the second placing position PP2 in the placing plane is aligned or coincides with the second receiving position RP2 on the sheet carrier 44. It can thereby be seen that when the first cutting tool places a first sheet in the first placing position PPi when the sheet carrier 44 has the second operational orientation after a previous placing of a second sheet by second cutting tool 34 when the sheet carrier 44 has the first operational orientation, then the first sheet will be placed onto this previously placed second sheet because of the rotation of the sheet carrier 44.

This version again comprises parallel die-cutting/ punching of separatoranode-separator as well as cathode layers. Stacking is arranged as in afore mentioned embodiments, but intermittent cathode and anode layers are stacked due to rotative change of stacking places in the sheet carrier, which may thereby also be considered to be a stacking revolver.

Another variation will now be described with reference being made to fig. 6a - 6f, where fig. 6a shows a view from above of a number of punching stations with a fourth cutter combination of the first and second cutters provided in one or two of the punching stations together with a third version of a material transporting device with a third type of sheet carrier, fig. 6b shows three different views taken at different horizontal locations in a punching station in relation to a sheet carrier, fig. 6c shows a side view of a number of operations by a roller and cutter for applying a third electromechanical device forming material over sheets of the first and second electrochemical device forming material as well as a view from above of the sheet carrier covered with the third electrochemical material forming material, fig.6d schematically shows a view from above of a fourth version of the sheet carrier used together with a fifth variation of the fourth cutting tool combination, fig. 6e schematically shows a side view of a number of punching stations with the fourth combination of the first and second cutters provided in two different punching stations together with the third version of the material transporting device and fig. 6f schematically shows a side view of the third or fourth type of sheet carrier together with a cutting tool for cutting the third material of electrochemical device forming material. In this variation the first electrochemical device forming material may be the first electrode material and the second electrochemical device forming material may be the second electrode forming material. The second length of electrochemical device forming material may in this case not be any separator-electrode-separator laminate.

In this variation there are a number of punching stations each comprising a number of cutting tools being provided along a material transporting device 42, which again may be provided as a conveyor belt comprising a number of sheet carriers 44. Each punching station maybe provided as a die cutter matrix. In this case the conveyor belt is transported in a loop in a carrier transporting plane that is parallel with and located below or beside the cutting plane, where half the punching stations are provided in a first part of the loop where the sheet carriers are transported in a first direction in the transporting plane and the other half is provided in a second part of the loop where the sheet carriers are transported in a second opposite direction in the transporting plane. In the first part of the loop there is a first punching station 46, a second punching station 48, a third punching station 50 and a fourth punching station 51.

As before, there is a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool, where the first cutting tool as an example is provided in the first punching station 48 and the second cutting tool according to the same example maybe provided in either the second or the third punching station 48 and 50.

As can be seen in fig. 6b, each sheet carrier 44 comprises a sheet providing matrix of sheet receiving positions. Moreover, the first cutting tool 32 is a cutting tool in a first group of cutting tools provided adjacent a first column of placing positions in a sheet providing matrix 52 comprising the first cutting position, where this sheet providing matrix is provided in the second punching station 46. The second cutting tool 34 is in turn a cutting tool in a second group of cutting tools placed adjacent a second column of cutting positions in a sheet providing matrix comprising the second cutting position, which sheet providing matrix may be the same sheet providing matrix 52 in the second punching station 48 or a corresponding sheet providing matrix in the third punching station 50. The first cutting tool maybe a cutting tool in a die cut matrix 52 of cutting tools in the second punching station 48, while the second cutting tool maybe a cutting tool in a die cut matrix of cutting tools, such as the die cut matrix 52 in the second punching station 48 or a die cut matrix in the third punching station 50.

The first cutting tool 32 cuts and then places a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material at a first placing position in a corresponding sheet providing matrix of placing positions, while the second cutting tool cuts and then places a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material at a second placing position in a corresponding sheet providing matrix of placing positions.

Moreover, when first cutting tool 32 is in the second punching station 48 and the second cutting tool 34 is in the third punching station 50, the first cutting tool 32 is placed downstream from the second cutting tool in the transporting direction along which the sheet carrier 46 is transported, i.e. in the transporting direction of the material moving device 42. Also, the first placing position may be a first placing position in a first sheet providing matrix associated with the first cutting tool, the second placing position may be a placing position in a second sheet providing matrix associated with the second cutting tool, where the location of the first placing position in the first sheet providing matrix is the same as the second placing position in the second sheet providing matrix. If the first cutting position is a first position in the first sheet providing matrix, such as in a first column and row, then also the second cutting position is a first position in the second sheet providing matrix, such as in the first column and row. This is indicated in fig. 6e through the first and second cutting tools 32 and 34 having the same locations but opposite orientations in the two matrices. Just as in the previous variation there are a number of lengths of first and second electrochemical device forming material, where each column has one such length passed by it. Optionally also, the first and the second electrochemical device forming materials are alternatingly provided for the columns. Another observation that can be made is that if the first and second electrochemical device forming materials are provided alternatingly, then the electrode device forming material provided for a column in the second sheet providing matrix is the opposite of the electrochemical device forming material provided for the corresponding column of the first sheet providing matrix. As an alternative, it is possible that one of the first and second electrochemical device forming materials is used in the first sheet providing matrix and the other in the second sheet providing matrix.

It can thereby be seen that when a sheet carrier 44 passes by the third punching station 50 with the second cutting tool 34, the cutting tools of each column of the sheet providing matrix will cut sheets of electrochemical device forming material from the corresponding length of electrochemical device forming material. The cutting tools of the first column, including the second cutting tool 34 will then cut sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material, the cutting tools of the second column will cut sheets of the first electrochemical device forming material etc. This is done simultaneously in all of the columns and thereby sheets of electrochemical device forming material are placed in all of the matrix positions of a sheet receiving matrix of a sheet carrier 44, when the sheet receiving matrix passes by the sheet providing matrix of the third punching station 50. The second cutting tool 34 will thus cut a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material and place it in the first column and first row of the sheet providing matrix for being placed in the first column and first row of a corresponding sheet receiving matrix of the sheet carrier 44. Furthermore, as can be seen in fig. 6c, each punching station comprises a roll and cutter 54 adjacent the sheet providing matrix. This roll and cutter rolls a piece of separator material 26 over each row of the sheet receiving matrix of the sheet carrier 44. Each row thus receives a piece of separator material over the sheets of device forming material in the columns, which sheets in the columns are alternatingly of the second and first electrochemical device forming materials.

The when the sheet carrier 44 reaches the second punching station 48, the same procedure is repeated.

The cutting tools of the second punching station 48 thus places sheets of the first and second electrochemical device forming material onto the sheets of second and first electrochemical device forming material earlier placed by the cutting tools of the third punching station 50 in the sheet receiving matrix of the sheet carrier 44. The cutting tools of the second punching station 48 thus places sheets of first and second electrochemical device forming material in columns on top of the separator material that covers the rows of alternating first and second electrochemical device forming material, where the electrochemical device forming material in each column being placed is the opposite of the electrochemical device forming material being placed in the punching station being located upstream, i.e. the third punching station 50. Here it is additionally possible that the cutting matrix of the second cutting station 48 has a first orientation and the cutting matrix of the third cutting station 50 has a second opposite orientation. The cutting tools of the first row, including the first cutting tool 32 will thus cut sheets of the first electrochemical device forming material and the cutting tools of the second row will cut sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material etc. If the first cutting tool 32 cuts a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material, this first sheet will be placed above the second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material. When the sheet receiving matrix is filled, then pieces of separator materials are placed across the rows of the sheet receiving matrix, in the previously described manner. Furthermore, as is shown in fig. 6f, when a finished stack is obtained a further cutter 56 cuts the pieces of separator material between the columns in order to obtain a stack of sheets that can then be placed in a hull for delivering a finished electrochemical device.

In an alternative realization, the sheet carrier is, as is shown in fig. 6d, rotatable according to the previously described principles. It is thus rotated one hundred and eighty degrees around a rotational axis AX between two operational orientations, which rotational axis AX is provided in the centre of the sheet receiving matrix of the sheet carrier 44. Moreover, when rotation of a sheet carrier is used, the first and second placing positions are placing positions in a common sheet providing matrix that are symmetrically placed in relation to a center point of the sheet providing matrix, which in this case is the sheet providing matrix of the second punching station 46. The number of rows and columns are also even. Thereby a rotation of the sheet receiving matrix of the sheet carrier 46 will ensure that the first sheet being cut in one of the operational orientations of the sheet carrier 46 will be placed on a second sheet previously cut in the other operational orientation of the sheet carrier.

A sheet carrier may in this case reach the second punching station 48 when having the first operational orientation. Then the cutting tools will cut the sheets out of the lengths of electrochemical device forming material being transported past the columns of the sheet providing matrix of the second punching station 48.

The cutting tools of each column will thus cut sheets of electrochemical device forming material from the corresponding lengths of electrochemical device forming material. If in this case the first cutting tool 32 cuts sheets in the first row and first column of the sheet providing matrix, then the second cutting tool 34 cuts sheets in the last column and last row of the sheet providing matrix, as seen in fig. 6b. The cutting tools of the first column, including the first cutting tool 32, will then cut sheets of the first electrochemical device forming material, the cutting tools of the second column will cut sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material etc. Also, the cutting tools of the last column, including the second cutting tool 34, will cut sheets of second electrochemical device forming material, which cutting is also here performed simultaneously in all of the columns. Thereby sheets of electrochemical device forming material are placed in all of the matrix positions and received by the sheet carrier 46 in the first operational orientation. The second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material is thus cut and placed in the last row and column of the sheet providing matrix and will also be received in the last row and column of the sheet receiving matrix. This is then followed by the applying of separator sheets over the rows of the sheet receiving matrix.

Then the sheet carrier 44 is rotated one hundred and eighty degrees into the second operational orientation. This means that the sheets previously placed in the last column of the sheet providing matrix will be located in the sheet receiving matrix aligned with the first column of the sheet providing matrix. The last row and column of the sheet receiving matrix 44 is thereby aligned with the first row and column of the sheet providing matrix.

Sheets of the first and second electrochemical device forming material are cut and placed onto electrochemical device forming material previously cut and placed when the sheet receiving matrix had the first operational orientation. The cutting tools of the first column, including the first cutting tool will thus cut sheets of the first electrochemical device forming material. If the first cutting tool cuts a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material, this first sheet will thereby be placed above the second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material previously being cut by the second cutting tool. The same type of operation will then be repeated for a following sheet carrier. It is of course also performed in the other punching stations.

Here it can also be mentioned that it is possible that a carrier only carries one column or row of sheet receiving positions. In this case only one column or row of the matrices in the second and third cutting stations 48 and 50 will be placed in the carrier. Where consecutive carriers may receive sheets for different current or rows in these matrices. This minimizes accelerated mass and time required for shuttle movement between two punches.

The above-described variations can be considered to be array punching, which allows for significant parallelization in one die-cut matrix. As can be seen in fig. 6a, multiple punching stations can be arranged around the material moving device 42 with sheet carriers 46 to stack battery or fuel cell layers above each other. As can be seen fig. 6b, electrodes may be fed to the punching station perpendicular to the transporting direction as parent material. Anode overhang may be realized by slight larger dimensions of the cutting die. As can be seen in fig. 6c, separator layers may, after die-cutting, be positioned over the die-cut pieces to fix their position. Cutting and hold down pieces allow for tight positioned separator layers. Correct alignment of anode and cathode stacking is either arranged by multiple punching systems with intermittent tab orientation in their dies, see fig. 6e, or by turning sheet carriers of the material moving device in case of one single punching station, see fig. 6d. After full number of stacked electrodes one further final separator die cutting step finalizes electrode stacks, see fig. 6f.

In the variations described in relation to fig. 6a-f, the first and second electrochemical device forming materials were realized as the first and second electrode forming materials. It should be realized that the second electrochemical device forming material may instead be a laminate including the second electrode forming material and one or more layers of separator material. In this case the covering of columns with sheets of separator material can of course also be omitted.

A further variation will now be described with reference being made to fig. 7, which shows a view from above of a second version of an arrangement for producing a stack of sheets of electrochemical device forming material. In this case the first and second electrochemical device forming materials are again the first and second electrode forming materials 30 and 22. In this case the first electrode forming material 30 is in the form of a length of first metal foil 80, such as aluminum or copper foil, on which electrodes 78 have been coated. The metal foil may for instance be coated with active electrode material. The metal foil with electrodes 78 is passed by a guiding wheel 58 to a first punching unit 61 comprising a punching die in which the electrode 78 is punched out from the metal foil together with a tab zone 84 and a connection strip 82, where the tab zone 84 of an electrode 78 connects the electrode 78 to the connection strip 82 so that each electrode 78 is connected to the connection strip 82.

Also, the second electrode forming material 22 in the form of a length of second metal foil 80, such as aluminum or copper foil, on which electrodes 78 have been coated, is guided by a guiding wheel 60 to a second punching unit 63 comprising a punching die in which the electrode 78 is punched out from the metal foil together with a tab zone 84 and a connection strip 82, where the tab zone 84 of an electrode 78 connects the electrode 78 to the connection strip 82 so that each electrode 78 is connected to the connection strip 82. The metal foil may also here be coated with active electrode material.

The punching units used maybe rotary punching units or linear diecutting units. The tab zone 84 and connection strip 82 in the first electrode forming material maybe provided at the opposite end of the electrode 78 compared with the second electrode forming material.

The first electrode material 30 with electrodes connected to a connection strip via corresponding tab zone and the second electrode material 22 with electrodes connected to a connection strip via tab zone are then both provided to a separator applying unit comprising a pair of drums 74 and 76, to which the first length of separator material 24 and second length of separator material 26 are also fed. The first separator material 24 is applied to the electrodes 78 and tab zones 84 of the first electrode material 30 and the second separator material 26 is applied to the electrodes 78 and tab zones 84 of the second electrode material 22. Thereby only the electrodes and tab zones are covered by separator material. However, in neither case is the connection strip 82 covered. Instead, the connection strip 82 of one type of electrode may be provided at a first end of the electrode and the connection strip of the other type of electrode maybe provided at the other end of the electrode. Furthermore, one of the lengths of separator material may be placed between the two electrode materials.

The different materials are then pressed together by the pair of drums 74 and 76 to form a laminate comprising electrodes of the first and second types separated by separators 24 and 26. This laminate may then be cut by a die cuter 77 to form sheets with electrochemical device forming material, where each sheet comprises two electrodes and two separators.

It can be seen that a punch stacking principle with two sequential punching steps has been used to allow for separator overhang, where if the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode one raw intermittent coated electrode is provided for anode and one for cathode; a pre-punched anode and cathode layer is provided through punching dies 61 and 63 and a sandwich arranged or laminated separator-anode- separator-cathode arrangement is punch-stacked through drums 74 and 76 and die cutter 77.

There is thus provided an arrangement for producing a sheet of electrochemical device forming material comprising a first punching unit 63 configured to obtain a length of first metal foil with coated electrodes and to punch out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the first metal foil and a separator applying unit 74 and 76 configured to apply separator material on the electrodes and tab zones punched out from the first metal foil in order to obtain a first electrode laminate.

In the arrangement there may further be a second punching unit 63 configured to obtain a length of second metal foil with coated electrodes and to punch out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the second metal foil, wherein the separator applying unit 74 and 76 is further configured to apply separator material on the electrodes and tab zones punched out form the second metal foil in order to obtain a second electrode laminate.

The separator applying unit 74 and 76 may furthermore be configured to combine the first and second electrode laminates in order to obtain a length of electrochemical device forming material.

The arrangement may additionally comprise a die cutter configured to cut a sheet of electrochemical device forming material from the length of electrochemical device forming material for use in an electrochemical device. This type of production has the advantage of simplifying the electrical connection of electrodes after the sheets have been placed in a hull for forming an electrochemical device.

It is here possible that one or more of the materials are soaked with electrolyte before being combined by the pair of drums 74 and 76 and that shock-freezing is performed before the sheets are being cut.

It is likewise possible that the first electrode forming material and the first separator material are laminated to form a first electrochemical device forming material and that the second electrode forming material and the second separator material are laminated to form a second electrochemical device forming material, with each laminate having the above-mentioned produced tab zone and connection strip. Each such laminate may also be soaked/coated with electrolyte and treated with shock freezing followed by cutting and placing by a first and a second cutting tool combination according to any of the previously described variations.

It is additionally possible to have a cell internal tab combination in or beside the die-cutting machine by ultrasonic welding, laser welding or crimp-punching directly included in die-cutting machine. This allows to combine single electrode sheets on each side anode and cathode (electric parallelization of stacked electrode sheets).

Aspects of the invention are also directed towards a method of producing a stack of sheets with electrochemical device forming material.

This method may comprise cutting, using the previously mentioned first cutting tool, a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material from a first length of the first electrochemical device forming material and placing the first sheet at a first placing position adjacent the first cutting tool, and cutting, using the previously mentioned second cutting tool, a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material from a second length of the second electrochemical device forming material and placing the second sheet at a second placing position adjacent the second cutting tool, wherein the first sheet when being placed in the first placing position is placed on an area of the second electrochemical device forming material used to form the second sheet.

The method may additionally comprise transporting at least one sheet carrier along at least one material transporting direction in a sheet placing plane, which transporting may be in a loop that passes the first and second placing positions or back and forth past the first and second placing positions.

When each sheet carrier comprises a sheet receiving matrix of sheet receiving positions, the first cutting tool maybe a cutting tool cutting and then placing a first sheet of first electrochemical device forming material at a first placing position in a corresponding sheet providing matrix with placing positions and the second cutting tool may be a cutting tool cutting and then placing a second sheet of second electrochemical device forming material at the second placing position in a corresponding sheet providing matrix of placing positions. Sheets of device forming material may additionally be placed in in one or more columns or of the matrix positions of the sheet receiving matrix.

The method may in this case additionally comprise rolling a piece of separator material over each row of sheet receiving positions of the sheet receiving matrix. The method may further comprise cutting the pieces of separator material between the columns of sheet receiving positions in the sheet receiving matrix.

When the first electrochemical device forming material comprises a metal foil for a first type of electrode coated with electrodes, the method may further comprise obtaining the metal foil with coated electrodes, punching out a connection strip, the electrodes and tab zones for connecting the electrodes to the connection strip from the metal foil and applying separator material on the electrodes and tab zones, where it is possible that separator material is only applied over the electrodes and tab zones but not over the connection strip.

The method may further comprise providing the second electrochemical device forming material with electrolyte before sheets of the second electrochemical device forming material are being cut, where the providing may comprise soaking the material in electrolyte or coating the material with electrolyte. The method may also comprise freezing or partially freezing the second electrochemical device forming material, for instance in a shock freezing unit.

The described method and arrangement can be used for in battery cell production and fuel cell or stack production systems, e.g. membrane electrode assembly (MEA) production or MEA stacking between bipolar plates.

From the foregoing discussion it is evident that the present invention can be varied in a multitude of ways. Solutions and parts disclosed in the different embodiments can be flexibly combined to form one entire system. Shown schematics represent only exemplary embodiments and given list of embodiments is to be considered as non-limiting. It shall consequently be realized that the present invention is only to be limited by the following claims.