Systems and methods for internal short circuit protection in battery cells

• US 20070172726A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sterz, Stephen, Miller, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,927,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0587 of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/1245 characterised by the external coating on the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/46 Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/469 tubular or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

Systems and methods for preventing separator failure in wound battery structures using reinforcing material attached or otherwise positioned relative to one or more battery structure components in area/s adjacent to a separator of a layered battery structure and in a manner that reinforces or otherwise protects the area/s of the battery structure so as to reduce or substantially prevent occurrence of a conductive breach between negative active electrode material and positive active electrode material of the layered battery structure.

Claims

1. A layered battery structure, comprising:

a negative electrode layer component, said negative electrode layer component comprising a negative active electrode material;

a positive electrode layer component, said positive electrode layer component comprising a positive active electrode material;

a separator layer component positioned between said negative active electrode material and said positive active electrode material; and

at least one section of reinforcing material at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and one of said negative electrode layer component or said positive electrode layer component;

wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is at least one of;

at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material;

or

laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material;

or

a combination thereof.

2. The layered battery structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material attached to said separator layer component and at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material.

3. The layered battery structure of claim 2, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material.

4. The layered battery structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material.

5. The layered battery structure of claim 4, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is attached to one of said negative electrode layer component or said positive electrode layer component.

6. The layered battery structure of claim 4, wherein said negative electrode layer component further comprises a conductive current carrier, said negative active electrode material being provided on said conductive current carrier of said negative electrode layer component;

wherein said positive electrode layer component further comprises a conductive current carrier, said positive active electrode material being provided on said conductive current carrier of said positive electrode layer component; and

wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is attached to one of said negative active electrode material, said positive active electrode material, said conductive current carrier of said negative electrode layer component, or said conductive current carrier of said positive electrode layer component.

7. The layered battery structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material;

and wherein said layered battery structure comprises a wound layered battery structure.

8. The layered battery structure of claim 7, wherein said layered battery structure comprises a lithium ion battery structure.

9. A lithium ion battery cell, comprising:

a negative electrode layer component, said negative electrode layer component comprising a conductive current carrier and a negative active electrode material disposed in electrical communication with said conductive current carrier, said negative active electrode material comprising a lithium ion accepting material;

a positive electrode layer component, said positive electrode layer component comprising a conductive current carrier and a positive active electrode material disposed in electrical communication with said conductive current carrier, said positive active electrode material comprising a lithium ion source material;

a separator layer component positioned between said negative active electrode material and said positive active electrode material;

a negative terminal electrically coupled to said negative electrode layer component;

a positive terminal electrically coupled to said positive electrode layer component;

at least one section of reinforcing material at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and one of said negative electrode layer component or said positive electrode layer component;

wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is at least one of;

at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material;

or

laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material;

or

a combination thereof.

10. The battery cell of claim 9, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material;

wherein said battery cell comprises a wound layered battery structure; and

wherein said battery cell is configured as a rechargeable battery cell for powering circuitry of a portable information handling system.

11. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is attached to said separator layer component and at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material;

and wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material.

12. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material.

13. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is attached to one of said negative active electrode material, said positive active electrode material, said conductive current carrier of said negative electrode layer component, or said conductive current carrier of said positive electrode layer component.

14. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein said information handling system comprises a portable information handling system.

15. The battery cell of claim 14, wherein said portable information handling system comprises a notebook computer.

16. A method of providing a layered battery structure, comprising:

providing a negative electrode layer component, said negative electrode layer component comprising a negative active electrode material;

providing a positive electrode layer component, said positive electrode layer component comprising a positive active electrode material;

providing a separator layer component positioned between said negative active electrode material and said positive active electrode material; and

positioning at least one section of reinforcing material at least partially between said separator layer component and one of said negative electrode layer component or said positive electrode layer component;

and performing at least one of the following steps;

positioning said at least one section of reinforcing material to said separator layer component at least partially between said separator layer component and one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material;

or

positioning said at least one section of reinforcing material laterally juxtaposed opposite to a terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material;

or

a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material;

and wherein said method further comprises positioning and attaching said at least one section of reinforcing material to said separator layer component at least partially between said separator layer component and one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material and so that said at least one section of reinforcing material is laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material;

and wherein said method further comprises positioning said at least one section of reinforcing material laterally juxtaposed opposite a terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises electrically-insulating material;

and wherein said method further comprises winding together said negative electrode layer component, said separator layer component, and said positive electrode layer component to form a wound layered battery structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said layered battery structure comprises a lithium ion battery structure.