DEVICE AND METHOD FOR UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTING ELECTRODE PARTICLE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drop-fill assembly and its method for distributing electrode active particles uniformly on a current collector. SOLUTION: The drop-fill assembly comprises a conduit containing two or more siewing screens spaced apart. A funnel is located upstream of the siewing screen to distribute an electrode active powder into the center of the conduit with a downward velocity. The mesh of any one siewing screen is out of direct alignment with respect to the next or previous screen. The electrode active powder is poured into the funnel and distributed across the conduit's cross section as it bounces off and passes through the misaligned siewing screens. The powder exits at the bottom of the conduit lying in a thin and uniform layer on a current collector taking on the shape of a desired electrode due to boundary of the conduit and the pressing fixture located above and beneath the current collector. Then the powder layer is pressed on the current collector to produce an electrode. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI