Battery cell having notched layers

• US 20020028377A1
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver J. Gross
• Original Assignee: Oliver J. Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Oliver J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,436,155 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/129
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0402 Methods of deposition of the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/70 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/463 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/46 of flat cells
• 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

Abstract

The invention provides a battery cell including an electrode having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge, a counter electrode having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge, and a separator having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge. The separator is sandwiched between the electrode and the counter electrode in a layered relationship with at least portions of the edges being contiguous. The separator and one of the electrode and the counter electrode each include a first notch in the edge exposing a portion of the other of the electrode and counter electrode. The separator and the other of the electrode and the counter electrode each include a second notch in the edge exposing a portion of the one of the electrode and the counter electrode. A method of producing a battery cell having a plurality of film layers, a plurality of current collector layers, and at least one separator layer, with each current collector layer including a predetermined lead portion, is also provided. The method includes the steps of: providing at least one notch in each layer, and stacking the layers with the notches arranged with one another to expose the predetermined lead portion of each current collector layer.

Claims

1. A battery cell, comprising:

an electrode having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge;

a counter electrode having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge; and

a separator having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge;

said separator sandwiched between said electrode and said counter electrode in a layered relationship with at least portions of said edges being contiguous;

said separator and one of said electrode and said counter electrode each including a first notch in said edge exposing a portion of the other of said electrode and said counter electrode.

2. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein said separator and the other of said electrode and said counter electrode each include a second notch in said edge exposing a portion of said one of said electrode and said counter electrode.

3. The battery cell of claim 2, wherein said one of said electrode and said counter electrode is said electrode, and the other of said electrode and said counter electrode is said counter electrode.

4. The battery cell of claim 3, wherein said perimeter of said electrode includes a corner portion defined by said edge and said second notches.

5. The battery cell of claim 4, wherein said electrode includes a film layer and a current collector layer with said current collector layer including said electrode corner portion and said film layer including a third notch exposing said electrode corner portion.

6. The battery cell of claim 5, wherein said perimeter of said counter electrode includes a corner portion defined by said edge and said first notches.

7. The battery cell of claim 6, wherein said counter electrode includes a film layer and a current collector layer with said current collector layer including said counter electrode corner portion and said film layer including a fourth notch exposing said counter electrode corner portion.

8. The battery cell of claim 7, wherein said counter electrode includes said separator with said counter electrode film layer sandwiched between said counter electrode current collector layer and said separator in a layered relationship.

9. The battery cell of claim 8, including an another counter electrode similar to said counter electrode, with said another counter electrode stacked in a counter electrode/electrode/another counter electrode layered relationship.

10. The battery cell of claim 9, wherein said electrode further includes an another film layer having an edge including a first notch and a third notch with said electrode current collector layer sandwiched between said electrode film layer and said another film layer.

11. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein said separator of said counter electrode is layered adjacent to said electrode film layer, and said separator of said another counter electrode is layered adjacent to said electrode another film layer.

13. The battery of claim 12, including a package encasing said plurality of cells.

14. The battery of claim 13, including a first battery terminal strip having a first portion disposed inside said package and a second portion disposed outside said package with said first portion of said first battery terminal strip in electrical communication with said exposed portion of the other of said electrode and said counter electrode of each cell.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein said separator and the other of said electrode and said counter electrode each include a second notch in said edge exposing a portion of said one of said electrode and said counter electrode.

16. The battery of claim 15, including a second battery terminal strip having a first portion disposed inside said package and a second portion disposed outside said package with said first portion of said second battery terminal strip in electrical communication with said exposed portion of said one of said electrode and counter electrode of each cell.

17. The battery of claim 16, wherein said one of said electrode and said counter electrode is said electrode, and the other of said electrode and said counter electrode is said counter electrode.

18. The battery of claim 17, wherein said perimeter of said electrode includes a corner portion defined by said edge and said second notches.

19. The battery of claim 18, wherein said electrode includes a film layer and a current collector layer with said current collector layer including said electrode corner portion and said film layer including a third notch exposing said electrode corner portion.

20. The battery of claim 19, wherein said electrode corner portion of each cell is bent to contact said first portion of said second battery terminal strip.

21. The battery of claim 20, wherein said perimeter of said counter electrode includes a corner portion defined by said edge and said first notches.

22. The battery of claim 21, wherein said counter electrode includes a film layer and a current collector layer with said current collector layer including said counter electrode corner portion and said film layer including a fourth notch exposing said counter electrode corner portion.

23. The battery of claim 22, wherein said counter electrode corner portion of each cell is bent to contact said first portion of said first battery terminal strip.

24. The battery of claim 23, wherein said counter electrode includes said separator with said counter electrode film layer sandwiched between said counter electrode current collector layer and said separator in a layered relationship.

25. The battery of claim 24, wherein each cell includes an another counter electrode similar to said counter electrode with said another counter electrode stacked in a counter electrode/electrode/another counter electrode layered relationship.

26. The battery of claim 25, wherein said electrode further includes an another film layer having an edge including a first notch and a third notch with said electrode current collector layer sandwiched between said electrode film layer and said another film layer.

27. The battery of claim 26, wherein said separator of said counter electrode is layered adjacent to said electrode film layer, and said separator of said another counter electrode is layered adjacent to said electrode another film layer.

28. The battery of claim 27, wherein said corner portion of said counter electrode and said another counter electrode of each cell is bent to contact said first portion of said first battery terminal strip.

30. The method of claim 29, including the step of laminating the stacked layers.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of stacking the layers further includes the steps of providing alignment slots in each layer, and stacking the layers with the alignment slots arranged with one another.

32. The method of claim 31, including the step of removing the alignment slots from each layer.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of providing at least one notch further includes the steps of providing continuous strips of film, separator, and current collector, providing at least one aperture in each strip, and slitting each strip through the aperture to produce a plurality of identically shaped layers.

12. A battery, comprising:

a plurality of cells stacked in relation to each other, each cell including an electrode having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge,a counter electrode having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge, and a separator having an area defined by a perimeter including an edge, said separator sandwiched between said electrode and said counter electrode in a layered relationship with at least portions of said edges being contiguous, said separator and one of said electrode and said counter electrode each including a first notch in said edge exposing a portion of the other of said electrode and said counter electrode.

29. A method of producing a battery cell having a plurality of film layers, a plurality of current collector layers, and at least one separator layer, each current collector layer including a predetermined lead portion, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one notch in each layer; and

stacking the layers with the notches arranged with one another to expose the predetermined lead portion of each current collector layer.