PACKAGING OF BARE CELL STACKS WITHIN DEVICE ENCLOSURES FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20160336562A1
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Oh, Bookeun, Mank, Richard M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,749,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/049 Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/105 Pouches or flexible bags
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/222 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/231 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/531 Electrode connections inside a battery casing
• 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 battery cell compartment is formed with the device enclosure of an electronic device. Bare cell stacks are placed within the cell compartment. The resulting battery powers the electronic device.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising:

a bare cell stack and an electrolyte; and

a battery enclosure comprising;

a cell compartment formed at least partially within a device enclosure of an electronic device, wherein the bare cell stack and electrolyte are disposed within the cell compartment; and

a sealing mechanism bonded to the cell compartment to enclose the bare cell stack and the electrolyte within the cell compartment.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the bare cell stack is non-rectangular or asymmetric.

3. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a flexible sheet.

4. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the battery enclosure comprises an electrolyte resistant layer.

5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the cell compartment comprises:

a layer of aluminum formed from the device enclosure.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the cell compartment accommodates a non-rectangular or asymmetric shape of the bare cell stack.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the bare cell stack comprises:

a set of layers comprising a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating;

a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode; and

a second conductive tab coupled to the anode,

wherein the first and second conductive tabs extend through the cell compartment.

8. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the cell compartment comprises at least a portion of the bottom case of the device enclosure.

9. A method for manufacturing a battery pack, comprising:

obtaining a device enclosure for an electronic device, wherein the device enclosure comprises a cell compartment configured to hold a bare cell stack;

placing the bare cell stack in the cell compartment; and

bonding a sealing mechanism to the cell compartment to seal the bare cell stack and an electrolyte within the cell compartment and form a battery enclosure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a flexible sheet.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the battery enclosure comprises a seal between the cell compartment and sealing mechanism, the seal selected from a heat seal, a laser seal, tape, a curable glue, and a weld.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

lining the cell compartment with an electrolyte resistant layer prior to placing the bare cell stack in the cell compartment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cell compartment comprises a layer of aluminum.

14. The method of claim 9, comprising a placing a plurality of bare cell stacks in the cell compartment, wherein each bare cell stack is separated from other cell stacks within the cell compartment by an internal divider.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the cell compartment comprises at least a portion of the bottom case of the device enclosure.

16. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a device enclosure;

a set of components powered by a battery pack;

the battery pack, comprising;

a bare cell stack; and

a battery enclosure, comprising;

a cell compartment at least partially formed within the device enclosure; and

a sealing mechanism bonded to the cell compartment to seal the bare cell stack and an electrolyte within the cell compartment.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a flexible sheet.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the comprises an electrolyte resistant layer.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the cell compartment comprises:

a layer of aluminum formed from the device enclosure.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the sealing mechanism comprises a seal selected from a heat seal, a laser seal, tape, a curable glue, and a weld.