Electrode Assembly Having Stable Lead-Tap Joint and Electrochemical Cell Containing Them

• US 20090305134A1
• Filed: 07/14/2007
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ryu, Ji Heon
• Granted Patent: US 8,673,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/211
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a stacking or stacking/folding type electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the electrode assembly is constructed in a structure in which tabs (electrode tabs), having no active material applied thereto, protrude from electrode plates constituting the electrode assembly, electrode leads are located at one-side ends of the stacked electrode tabs such that the electrode leads are electrically connected to the electrode tabs, and the electrode leads, joined to the electrode tabs, have rounded ends. An electrochemical cell including the electrode assembly is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A stacking or stacking/folding type electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the electrode assembly is constructed in a structure in which

tabs (electrode tabs), having no active material applied thereto, protrude from electrode plates constituting the electrode assembly, electrode leads are located at one-side ends of the stacked electrode tabs such that the electrode leads are electrically connected to the electrode tabs, and the electrode leads, joined to the electrode tabs, have rounded ends.

2. The electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the electrode leads are rounded at opposite sides thereof when viewing the electrode leads from above.

3. The electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the electrode leads are rounded at the outer circumferences thereof when viewing the vertical section of the electrode leads.

4. The electrode assembly according to claim 2, wherein the opposite sides of the ends of the electrode leads are rounded with a radius having a size equivalent to 1/20 to ⅓

the width of the electrode leads.

5. The electrode assembly according to claim 3, wherein the outer circumferences of the ends of the electrode leads are rounded with a radius having a size equivalent to ⅕

to ½

the width of the electrode leads.

6. The electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the electrode leads are rounded by a mechanical and/or chemical process.

7. The electrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrode leads are made of a metal plate.

8. The electrode assembly according to claim 7, wherein the metal plate is one or more selected from a group consisting of an aluminum plate, a copper plate, a nickel plate, a copper plate coated with nickel, and a SUS plate.

9. An electrochemical cell including an electrode assembly according to claim 1.

10. The electrochemical cell according to claim 9, wherein the electrochemical cell is a secondary battery or a capacitor.

11. The electrochemical cell according to claim 10, wherein the secondary battery is constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheet including a metal layer and a resin layer in a sealed state.

12. The electrochemical cell according to claim 11, wherein the secondary battery is a unit cell for high-output, large-capacity battery packs.