Electrode tab alignment mechanism and X-ray inspection apparatus comprising same for inspecting cylindrical secondary battery
An X-ray inspection apparatus for a cylindrical secondary battery includes an inspection chamber, a transfer unit that moves the battery into the chamber, and an inspection body configured to move while holding the battery. An X-ray source irradiates the battery, and an X-ray detector detects the transmitted X-rays. A discharge unit removes the battery after inspection. The apparatus further includes an alignment mechanism arranged along the moving path of the inspection body to align the cylindrical secondary battery. The alignment mechanism has one or more sensing units that sense a position of a specific portion of the battery; and one or more contact units operable between a standby position in which the contact unit does not contact the battery and a contact position in which the contact unit can contact the battery to align the battery during movement.
1 . An X-ray inspection apparatus for a cylindrical secondary battery, said X-ray inspection apparatus comprising:
an inspection chamber;
a transfer unit for transferring the cylindrical secondary battery into the inspection chamber;
a rotational inspection body that rotates with the secondary battery held thereon;
an X-ray source;
an X-ray detector; and
a discharge unit for discharging an inspected secondary battery to outside of the inspection chamber;
wherein the X-ray inspection apparatus further comprising an alignment mechanism arranged along a rotation path of the rotational inspection body to align the cylindrical secondary battery;
wherein the alignment mechanism includes at least one sensing unit for detecting a position of a specific portion of the cylindrical secondary battery, and at least one contact unit operable between a standby position incapable of contacting with the secondary battery and a contact position capable of contacting with the secondary battery; and
wherein the at least one contact unit is configured to be operated based on a detection result of the at least one sensing unit, and when the at least one contact unit is operated to the contact position, the secondary battery is turned by a contact frictional force generated between the secondary battery and the at least one contact unit while the secondary battery continues to rotate with the rotational inspection body.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical secondary battery has an electrode tab protruding at its upper end, and the alignment mechanism is configured to align the electrode tab.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inspection body has a plurality of supporting grooves provided around the inspection body at a regular interval, and the supporting groove holds the secondary battery with an adhesion force.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact unit includes a contact pad, and the contact pad has a contact surface contacting with the cylindrical secondary battery.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a turning angle of the cylindrical secondary battery is determined by a length of the contact surface.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the rotational inspection body is configured for pitch-rotation in an order of rotation-stop-rotation, and the at least one sensing unit is configured to detect the secondary battery when the rotational inspection body is in a stop operation during the pitch-rotation.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein at least two sensing units and at least two contact units are arranged along the rotation path of the rotational inspection body, and the at least one sensing unit and the at least one contact unit are alternately arranged.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least two sensing units and at least two contact units are provided, and
wherein turning angles of the secondary battery for respective contact units are different and decrease from upstream to downstream of a rotating direction of the inspection body.