Electrochemical cells and their packaging

• US 20040115528A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Danionics International A/S
• Original Assignee: Danionics International A/S
• Inventors: Helmich, Karl Jorgen
• Application Number:
  US10/416,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20040115528A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/181
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/178 for pouch or flexible bag cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular 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 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

The application discloses a method of packaging an electrochemical cell wherein a cell precursor is arranged between one or more sheets of sealing material and sealed in the material such that connections (5) for the cell extend beyond the seal (4). The sealing material has slits or apertures (7) which, when the cell precursor is sealed in the material, are arranged to the outer side of the seal (4) at the cell connections and which register with the connections extending beyond the said seal. In the method, at least one cut (AB, CD, EF) is made between the slits or apertures (7) to remove excess sealing material from the cell connections.

Claims

1. A method of packaging an electrochemical cell wherein a cell precursor is arranged between one or more sheets of sealing material and sealed in the material such that the connections for the cell extend beyond the seal between excess sealing material, characterized in that the sealing material has slits or apertures which, when the cell precursor is sealed in the material, are arranged to the outer side of the seal at the cell connections and which register with the connections extending beyond the said seal, and in that at least one cut is made between the slits or apertures to remove at least some of said excess sealing material from the cell connections.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein there are four apertures, pairs of which register when the sealing material is on both sides of the cell precursor.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slits or apertures are wider than the cell connections with which they register.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein insulating material is arranged on the inside of the sealing material so that it overlaps with the cut edge of the sealing material.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the insulating material is provided only in the connection sealing area of the cell, not the full area of the sealing material.

9. A method according to claim 4 or 8, wherein the insulating material is formed with an adhesive layer thereon.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the adhesive is provided only along the edges of the insulating material.

11. A method according to claim 4, 8, 9 or 10, wherein the insulating material has a line of weakness, in particular a row of perforations, formed along a mid-portion thereof.

18. An electrochemical cell according to any of claims 4 to 17, wherein the insulating material has a line of weakness, in particular a row of perforations, formed along a mid-portion thereof.

6. A method of packaging an electrochemical cell wherein a cell precursor is arranged between one or more sheets of sealing material and sealed in the material such that the connections for the cell extend beyond the seal between excess sealing material, characterized in that the sealing material has a line of weakness which, when the cell precursor is sealed in the sealing material, is arranged to the outer side of the seal across the cell connections, and in that at least some of the excess sealing material is pulled from the end of the sealed cell by breaking said material along the line of weakness.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the line of weakness is formed by a row of perforations.

8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein insulating material is arranged at the seal of the cell connections, overlapping with the line of weakness.

12. An electrochemical cell package comprising a cell precursor sealed between sheets of sealing material with a seal across the cell connections such that the connections and some sealing material extend beyond the seal, characterized in that slits, apertures or a line of weakness are arranged across the sealing material which covers the cell connections to the outer side of the seal.

13. An electrochemical cell according to claim 12, wherein there are two pairs of registering apertures.

14. An electrochemical cell package according to claim 12 or 13, wherein insulating material is provided on the inside of the sealing material, along the slits, apertures or line of weakness.

15. An electrochemical cell according to claim 12 or 14, wherein the line of weakness is formed by a row of perforations.

16. An electrochemical cell according to claim 14, wherein the insulating material is formed with an adhesive layer thereon.

17. An electrochemical cell according to claim 16, wherein the adhesive is provided only along the edges of the insulating material.

19. A longitudinal strip of sealing material for sealing electrochemical cells wherein at intervals along its length, slits, apertures or a line of-weakness are formed transversely across the material.

20. A sealing material according to claim 19, wherein there are four apertures formed transversely at intervals along the length.

21. A sealing material according to claim 19, wherein each line of weakness is formed by a row of perforations.

22. A sealing material according to any of claims 19 to 21, wherein insulating material is provided on the inside of the sealing material, along the slits, apertures or line of weakness.

23. A sealing material according to claim 22, wherein the insulating material is formed with an adhesive layer thereon.

24. A sealing material according to claim 23, wherein the adhesive is provided only along the edges of the insulating material.

25. A sealing material according to any of claims 22 to 25, wherein the insulating material has a line of weakness, in particular a row of perforations, formed along a mid-portion thereof.