SECONDARY BATTERY

• US 20150236328A1
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shinohara, Hideki, Sato, Yutaka
• Application Number:
  US14/422,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20150236328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• 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 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/176 for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/534 characterised by the material of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/562 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A secondary battery: includes a power generation element having an electrode; a battery container which stores the power generation element, an external terminal arranged on the battery container, and a current collector member including an electrode connection part connected to the electrode of the power generation element. A terminal connection part is connected to the external terminal, and a thermal connection part is formed between the electrode connection part and the terminal connection part and a temperature control member is provided for the terminal connection part to restrict the temperature rise of the current collector member. The temperature control member is formed of a composite material made by dispersing a filler having the electric insulation property in a matrix. The matrix has a transformation point in a temperature range lower than the melting point of the current collector member. The filler has higher thermal conductivity than the matrix.

Claims

1. A secondary battery comprising:

a power generation element having an electrode;

a battery container which stores the power generation element;

an external terminal arranged on the battery container;

a current collector member including an electrode connection part connected to the electrode of the power generation element, a terminal connection part connected to the external terminal, and a thermal connection part formed between the electrode connection part and the terminal connection part; and

a temperature control member provided for the terminal connection part to restrict a temperature rise of the current collector member, wherein;

the temperature control member is formed of a composite material made by dispersing a filler having an electric insulation property in a matrix made of plastic having the electric insulation property;

the matrix has a transformation point in a temperature range lower than a melting point of the current collector member provided with the temperature control member;

the filler has higher thermal conductivity than the matrix; and

the volume fraction of the filler contained in the matrix is higher than or equal to a percolation threshold.

2. The secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein:

the temperature control member is provided for at least a current collector member that is made of aluminum-based metal; and

the melting point of the matrix is lower than the melting point of the aluminum-based metal forming the current collector member.

3. The secondary battery according to claim 2, wherein the matrix is made of one or more types of plastic materials selected from a group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, fluorine-based resin, polyimide resin, polyetheretherketone, epoxy resin, polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate.

4. The secondary battery according to claim 3, wherein the matrix contains one or more types of fillers selected from a group consisting of silicon carbide, boron nitride, silicon nitride and magnesia.

5. The secondary battery according to claim 4, wherein:

the battery container includes a battery case in a bottomed box shape for storing the power generation element and a battery cover for sealing up an opening of the battery case;

the battery cover is provided with the external terminal;

the terminal connection part is arranged along an inner surface of the battery cover;

the thermal connection part bends from a lateral part of the terminal connection part and extends toward a base surface of the battery case; and

the electrode connection part is connected to the thermal connection part and joined to the electrode of the power generation element.

7. The secondary battery according to claim 5, wherein the thermal conductivity of the temperature control member is higher than or equal to 5 W/(m·

K).

8. The secondary battery according to claim 7, wherein:

the temperature control member includes a pair of engaging pieces capable of elastically deforming and a contact part formed between the pair of engaging pieces; and

the temperature control member is fixed on the thermal connection part with the contact part in contact with the thermal connection part by elastic resilience of the pair of engaging pieces.

9. The secondary battery according to claim 8, wherein an adhesive layer for connecting the temperature control member and the thermal connection part together is formed between the temperature control member and the thermal connection part.

10. The secondary battery according to claim 7, wherein the temperature control member is formed integrally with the thermal connection part so as to cover the thermal connection part.

6. (canceled)