Electrode and assembling method thereof

• US 20010031395A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Izumi, Fukuda, Shinsuke, Kajiya, Hiromi, Tokutome, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,627,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/12 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/281 Large cells or batteries with stacks of plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/0495 Nanobatteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/02 Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/533 characterised by the shape of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/54 Connection of several leads or tabs of plate-like electrode stacks, e.g. electrode pole straps or bridges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

A rectangular electrode plate including a core metal sheet and a mixture paste coated thereon has a lead on one long side edge thereof where no mixture is coated, and a mixture non-coated part on the other side edge thereof. Positioning holes are punched only in the lead so that the stress exerted when punching the holes will not cause the mixture paste to fall off. Stacked electrode plates are accommodated within a magazine with a certain clearance between the three side edges of the electrodes other than the lead and the inner surface of the magazine, and fed one by one to be assembled into an electrode plate group to form a battery.

Claims

1. A rectangular electrode for a battery, comprising:

a mixture coated part including a core material and a mixture coated thereon and occupying substantially an entire surface of the electrode;

a lead part on one side edge of the electrode where no mixture is coated; and

a positioning hole formed only in the lead part.

2. The electrode according to

claim 1

, wherein a reinforcing member is joined to the lead part at least around the positioning hole.

3. The electrode according to

claim 1

, wherein the lead part includes a guiding notch for fixedly positioning the electrode in a lengthwise direction thereof.

4. A rectangular electrode for a battery, comprising:

a mixture coated part including a core material and a mixture coated thereon;

a lead part on one side edge of the electrode where no mixture is coated; and

a mixture non-coated part on one side edge of the electrode opposite from the lead part.

5. The electrode according to

claim 4

, further comprising a mixture non-coated part on both side edges orthogonal to the lead part.

6. The electrode according to

claim 4

, wherein the lead part includes a guiding notch for fixedly positioning the electrode in a lengthwise direction thereof.

7. A method for assembling electrodes into a group of electrodes with a predetermined number of electrodes of opposite polarity to form a battery, comprising:

holding a plurality of electrodes of a first polarity in stacked arrangement within a first magazine;

holding a plurality of electrodes of a second polarity opposite the first polarity in stacked arrangement within a second magazine;

arranging a plurality of first magazines and second magazines in alternate arrangement along a transfer path of a moving assembling jig having a positioning pin thereon;

feeding the assembling jig intermittently along the transfer path, stopping at a position opposite either one of the first magazine and the second magazine; and

transferring the electrodes of the first polarity one by one from the first magazine onto the assembling jig at a halt, positioning of the electrodes with respect to the assembling jig being achieved by the positioning pin; and

transferring the electrodes of the second polarity one by one from the second magazine onto the assembling jig at a halt, such that the electrodes of opposite polarity are stacked alternately on the assembling jig.

8. The method for assembling electrodes according to

claim 7

, wherein the first or second magazine includes a guide rail extending on an inner surface thereof in a stacking direction for engagement with a corresponding guiding part provided in the electrodes, and a storage space therein which, in a state that the electrodes are accommodated within the first or second magazine with their guiding parts engaging with the guide rail, permits a clearance to be formed between three side edges of the electrodes and the inner surface of the first or second magazine.

9. The method for assembling electrodes according to

claim 7

, wherein the electrodes are rectangular and include a lead part on one side edge thereof, a mixture coated part on substantially an entire surface other than the lead part, and a positioning hole provided only in the lead part.

10. The method for assembling electrodes according to

claim 9

, wherein a reinforcing member is joined to the lead part at least around the positioning hole.

11. The method for assembling electrodes according to

claim 7

, wherein the electrodes are rectangular and include a mixture coated part, a lead part on one side edge of the electrode where no mixture is coated, and a mixture non-coated part on one side edge of the electrode opposite from the lead part.

12. The method for assembling electrodes according to

claim 11

, wherein the electrode further includes a mixture non-coated part on both side edges orthogonal to the lead part.