RECHARGEABLE SECONDARY BATTERY HAVING IMPROVED SAFETY AGAINST PUNCTURE AND COLLAPSE

• US 20100279170A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Donghyun, Kwak, Yoontai, Shim, Heungtaek, Oh, Jeongwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,023,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/178
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• 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 50/538 Connection of several leads or tabs of wound or folded electrode stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/572 Means for preventing undesired use or discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• 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

A rechargeable battery having improved safety against puncture and collapse includes an electrode assembly, a case, a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal, a cap plate, and a short circuit member. The electrode assembly includes a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode. The case contains the electrode assembly. The first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal are electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively. The short circuit member is between the electrode assembly and the case and short circuits the secondary battery when the secondary battery is punctured or collapsed.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery comprising:

an electrode assembly comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a case containing the electrode assembly;

a cap plate coupled to the case; and

a short circuit member, separate from the first and second electrodes, and wound around the electrode assembly, the short circuit member being electrically connected to at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode.

2. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein a first end of the short circuit member overlaps a second end of the short circuit member.

4. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, further comprising an other electrode assembly inside the case, wherein the short circuit member comprises a first short circuit member wound the electrode assembly and a second short circuit member wound around the other electrode assembly.

5. The rechargeable battery of claim 1, further comprising a second electrode assembly inside the case, wherein the short circuit member is integrally wound around all the electrode assemblies.

3. The rechargeable battery of claim 3, wherein the short circuit member is wound around the electrode assembly up to seven times.

6. A rechargeable battery comprising:

an electrode assembly comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a case containing the electrode assembly;

a cap plate coupled to the case; and

a short circuit member wound around the electrode assembly and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the short circuit member comprising a first metal plate, a second metal plate, and a first film between the first metal plate and the second metal plate.

7. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the short circuit member is configured to short circuit the electrode assembly when the rechargeable battery is punctured or collapsed by electrically connecting the first metal plate and the second metal plate.

8. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first metal plate is adjacent to the electrode assembly, the second metal plate is adjacent to the case, and the short circuit member further comprises a second film located between the second metal plate and the case.

9. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first metal plate is electrically connected to the first electrode, and the second metal plate is electrically connected to the second electrode.

10. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first electrode comprises a metal foil, and wherein the first metal plate and the second metal plate comprise the same material as that of the metal foil.

11. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein each of a resistivity of the first metal plate and a resistivity of the second metal plate is lower than that of an active material of the first electrode or that of an active material of the second electrode.

12. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first metal plate and the second metal plate comprise copper.

13. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first metal plate comprises aluminum and the second metal plate comprises copper.

14. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first metal plate and the second metal plate comprise a different material than that of the case.

15. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein each of the first metal plate and the second metal plate have a thickness between about 100 μ

m and about 200 μ

m.

16. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein each of the first metal plate and the second metal plate have a multi-layered structure.

17. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first electrode comprises a first metal foil, the second electrode comprises a second metal foil, and each of the first metal plate and the second metal plate have a thickness greater than that of the first metal foil or that of the second metal foil.

18. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, wherein the first electrode comprises a first uncoated region extending to a first side of the electrode assembly, the second electrode comprises a second uncoated region extending to a second side of the electrode assembly, the first metal plate is electrically connected to the first uncoated region, and the second metal plate is electrically connected to the second uncoated region.

19. The rechargeable battery of claim 18, wherein the first metal plate and the first uncoated region are welded to each other, and the second metal plate and the second uncoated region are welded to each other.

20. The rechargeable battery of claim 6, further comprising a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal, wherein the first electrode comprises a first uncoated region extending to a first side of the electrode assembly, wherein the second electrode comprises a second uncoated region extending to a second side of the electrode assembly, wherein the first metal plate, the first uncoated region, and the first electrode terminal are electrically connected, and wherein the second metal plate, the second uncoated region, and the second electrode terminal are electrically connected.