Bi-polar rechargeable electrochemical battery

• US 20060292443A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G4 Synergetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: G4 Synergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: Ogg, Randy, Park, David Fraser, Smith, David Russell
• Granted Patent: US 7,794,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/185
• 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 10/0418 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0477 with circular plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/184 characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/186 characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
• 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

A bi-polar battery has a positive electrode unit, a negative electrode unit, at least one bi-polar electrode unit stacked therebetween, an electrolyte layer separating each adjacent electrode unit, and a gasket positioned about each electrolyte layer for creating a seal about the electrolyte layer in conjunction with the electrode units adjacent thereto. The bi-polar battery also includes a wrapper for maintaining the seals created by the gaskets.

Claims

1. A bi-polar battery comprising:

a positive mono-polar electrode unit;

a negative mono-polar electrode unit;

at least one bi-polar electrode unit stacked between said positive electrode unit and said negative electrode unit;

an electrolyte layer provided between each pair of adjacent electrode units; and

a gasket positioned about each of said electrolyte layers, wherein each of said electrolyte layers is sealed by its respective gasket and its respective pair of adjacent electrode units.

2. A bi-polar battery comprising:

a positive mono-polar unit (MPU) having a positive active material on a positive terminal electrode layer;

a negative MPU having a negative active material on a negative terminal electrode layer;

at least one bi-polar unit (BPU) arranged substantially vertically in a stack between said positive MPU and said negative MPU, each BPU comprising;

a bi-polar electrode layer having two sides,

a positive active material on a first side of the bi-polar electrode layer, and

a negative active material on a second side of the bi-polar electrode layer;

an electrolyte layer comprising an electrolyte material positioned between each of said substantially vertically adjacent polar units, wherein the electrolyte layer further comprises a barrier material that electrically isolates the electrode layers of adjacent polar units between which the electrolyte layer is positioned; and

a sealing ring positioned substantially around each electrolyte layer, wherein the polar units, the electrolyte layers, and the sealing rings are arranged in a stacked structure in which the positive MPU is positioned on one end of the structure and the negative MPU is positioned on the opposite end of the structure, and wherein a clamping force is exerted on the stacked structure to cause the sealing rings to be positioned substantially around the electrolyte layers, the positive active material of at least one polar unit, and the negative active material of an adjacent polar unit, causing the electrolyte material to be sealed in.