HIGH CURRENT THIN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20100266895A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Spark Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Blue Spark Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Tucholski, Gary R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,574,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/185
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0414 by screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/186 characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/198 characterised by physical properties, e.g. adhesiveness or hardness
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/005 Devices for making primary cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 including adhesively bonding

Abstract

A battery including at least one electrochemical cell for generating an electrical current is provided, along with its method of manufacture. In one example, the electrochemical cell is provided on a first substrate and includes an anode and a plurality of cathodes. At least a portion of said anode is located between an adjacent two of said plurality of cathodes. In one example method of manufacture, the electrochemical cell is made via a printing press process.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a battery including at least one electrochemical cell for generating an electrical current, said method including the steps of:

providing a first substrate and a second substrate;

providing a plurality of cathode layers on said first substrate;

providing an anode layer with at least a portion of said anode layer being located between an adjacent two of the plurality of cathode layers;

providing an electrolyte layer in contact with said cathode layers and said anode layer;

providing a frame as an intermediate spacer layer on said first substrate to form an inner space containing said electrolyte, and also containing at least a major portion of said cathode layers and at least a major portion of said anode layer within said inner space; and

connecting said second substrate to said first substrate via the intermediate spacer layer to substantially seal said inner space containing said cathode layer, said anode layer, and said electrolyte layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate includes a web having a plurality of layers.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing a dielectric layer between said adjacent two of the plurality of cathode layers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the dielectric layer is located equidistant between said two adjacent cathode layers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cathode layers include a binder that includes hydroxy-ethyl cellulose.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing the frame as a third substrate including a web having a plurality of laminated layers, wherein at least one of said laminated layers is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a cathode collector layer over at least a portion of said first substrate, said two adjacent cathode layers being provided on said cathode collector, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 1, or approaching 1.

9. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing a frame sealant disposed on said first substrate generally bounding a perimeter of said inner space, and wherein said frame sealant is interposed between said first substrate and said frame.

10. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing one or both of (1) a cathode collector layer between said plurality of cathode layers and said first substrate;

and (2) an anode collector layer between said anode layer and said first substrate.

11. A method of manufacturing a battery including at least one electrochemical cell for generating an electrical current, said method including the steps of:

providing a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which includes a web having a plurality of layers, said first substrate including a first side;

printing a cathode collector layer on said first side of said first substrate;

providing a dielectric layer on said cathode collector layer;

printing a plurality of cathode layers on said cathode collector layer;

laminating an anode layer on said dielectric layer;

providing an electrolyte layer including a viscous liquid in contact with said plurality of cathode layers and also in contact with said anode layer;

providing a frame on said first side of said first substrate to form an inner space containing said electrolyte, and also containing at least a major portion of said plurality of cathode layers and at least a major portion of said anode layer within said inner space; and

connecting said second substrate to said first substrate via a third web utilized as a spacer to substantially seal said inner space containing said plurality of cathode layers, said anode layer, and said electrolyte layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the dielectric layer is provided on said cathode collector layer between at least an adjacent two of the plurality of cathode layers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the dielectric layer is located equidistant between said two adjacent cathode layers.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less.

15. The method of claim 11, further including the step of providing the third web as a third substrate including a plurality of laminated layers, wherein at least one of said laminated layers is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

16. A battery including at least one electrochemical cell for generating an electrical current, said battery including:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a cathode collector layer provided on said first substrate;

a plurality of cathode layers provided on said cathode collector layer;

a dielectric layer provided on said cathode collector layer between at least an adjacent two of the plurality of cathode layers;

an anode layer provided on said dielectric layer, said anode layer being insulated from said cathode collector layer by said dielectric layer;

an electrolyte layer in contact with said plurality of cathode layers and said anode layer; and

a frame interposed between said first and second substrate to connect and seal said first substrate to said second substrate to form an inner space containing said electrolyte, and also containing at least a major portion of said plurality of cathode layers and at least a major portion of said anode layer within said inner space.

17. The battery of claim 16, wherein the dielectric layer is located equidistant between said two adjacent cathode layers.

18. The battery of claim 17, wherein the anode layer is located equidistant between said two adjacent cathode layers.

19. The battery of claim 16, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less.

20. The battery of claim 16, wherein only one of said plurality of cathode layers and said anode layer is comprised of a dried or cured ink, and wherein the other of said plurality of cathode layers and said anode layer is comprised of a strip of material.

21. A battery comprising:

a first substrate;

a cathode collector layer provided on said first substrate and including a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less;

a plurality of cathode layers provided on said cathode collector layer;

an anode layer located between an adjacent two of the plurality of cathode layers; and

an electrolyte layer in contact with said plurality of cathode layers and said anode layer.

22. The battery of claim 21, further including a dielectric layer provided on said cathode collector layer between and co-planar with said adjacent two cathode layers, said anode layer being provided on said dielectric layer.

23. The battery of claim 21, wherein said anode layer is located substantially equidistant between said adjacent two cathode layers.

24. The battery of claim 21, wherein said plurality of cathode layers are disposed in a co-planar arrangement.

25. The battery of claim 21, further including a frame interposed between said first substrate and a second substrate to connect and seal said first substrate to said second substrate to form an inner space containing said electrolyte, and also containing at least a major portion of said plurality of cathode layers and at least a major portion of said anode layer within said inner space.

26. The battery of claim 21, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 1, or approaching 1.

27. The battery of claim 21, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a non-rectilinear geometry having an effective length and an effective width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less.

28. A battery including at least one electrochemical cell for generating an electrical current, said battery including:

a first substrate;

a cathode collector layer provided on said first substrate;

a plurality of cathode layers provided on said cathode collector layer;

an anode layer located substantially equidistant between and substantially co-planar with an adjacent two of said plurality of cathode layers; and

an electrolyte layer in contact with said plurality of cathode layers and said anode layer.

29. The battery according to claim 28, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less.

30. The battery of claim 29, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a geometry having a length and a width such that the number of squares is generally 1, or approaching 1.

31. The battery of claim 28, wherein the cathode collector layer includes a non-rectilinear geometry having an effective length and an effective width such that the number of squares is generally 3 or less.

32. The battery of claim 28, further including a dielectric layer provided on said cathode collector layer and said anode layer being provided on said dielectric layer.

33. The battery of claim 29, wherein said plurality of cathode layers are disposed in a co-planar arrangement.

34. The battery of claim 29, further including a frame interposed between said first substrate and a second substrate to connect and seal said first substrate to said second substrate to form an inner space containing said electrolyte, and also containing at least a major portion of said plurality of cathode layers and at least a major portion of said anode layer within said inner space.

35. The battery of claim 29, said anode layer comprising a zinc foil applied over said cathode current collector via a pressure sensitive adhesive.