RECHARGEABLE BATTERY FEATURES AND COMPONENTS

• US 20180323475A1
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Published: 11/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pasma, Christopher R., Hyung, YooEup, Shiu, Brian K., Wisler, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,431,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2004/028 Positive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/36 Selection of substances as active materials, active masses, active liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/116 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/166 characterised by the methods of assembling casings with lids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/171 using adhesives or sealing agents
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/531 Electrode connections inside a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/533 characterised by the shape of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/56 Cup shaped terminals
• 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

Energy storage devices, battery cells, and batteries of the present technology may include a housing characterized by a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The housing may include a circumferential indentation proximate the first end. The housing may define a first interior region between the first end and the circumferential indentation, and the housing may define a second interior region between the circumferential indentation and the second end. The batteries may include a set of electrodes located within the housing. The set of electrodes may be positioned within the second interior region of the housing. The batteries may include a cap at least partially contained within the first interior region of the housing. The batteries may also include a first insulator positioned within the housing. The first insulator may extend across the circumferential indentation from the cap to the set of electrodes.

Claims

1. A battery comprising:

a housing characterized by a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the housing comprises a circumferential indentation proximate the first end, wherein the housing defines a first interior region between the first end and the circumferential indentation, and wherein the housing defines a second interior region between the circumferential indentation and the second end;

a set of electrodes located within the housing, wherein the set of electrodes is positioned within the second interior region of the housing;

a cap at least partially contained within the first interior region of the housing, wherein the cap is characterized by a first surface facing the set of electrodes; and

a first insulator positioned within the housing, wherein the first insulator extends across the circumferential indentation from the cap to the set of electrodes, wherein the first insulator is characterized by a first outer radius at a first end proximate the cap, and wherein the first insulator is characterized by a second outer radius greater than the first outer radius at a second end proximate the set of electrodes.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the set of electrodes includes a separator defining a height of the set of electrodes, and wherein the first insulator is positioned within the housing in contact with the separator.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein the first insulator compresses the separator within the housing.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first insulator is characterized by a chamfered edge extending to the first end of the first insulator.

5. The battery of claim 4, wherein the first insulator is sized to maintain a portion of the first insulator characterized by the chamfered edge between the circumferential indentation of the housing and an exterior component of the set of electrodes at all times.

6. The battery of claim 1, further comprising an electrode tab extending from the set of electrodes to the cap, wherein the electrode tab is coupled with the cap along the first surface of the cap at a first end of the electrode tab, and wherein the first end of the electrode tab is characterized by chamfered edges.

7. The battery of claim 6, wherein the electrode tab is fixedly coupled with the cap at a position on the electrode tab centrally located between the chamfered edges.

8. The battery of claim 1, further comprising an electrode tab coupled between the set of electrodes and an interior surface of the housing, wherein the electrode tab is coupled with the housing in the second interior region proximate the circumferential indentation.

9. The battery of claim 8, wherein the coupling of the electrode tab comprises a three-point weld.

10. The battery of claim 8, wherein the electrode tab is fixedly coupled with an anode current collector of the set of electrodes along a first surface of the anode current collector, and wherein an insulating tape is positioned on a second surface of the anode current collector opposite the first surface over a portion of the anode current collector to which the electrode tab is coupled.

11. The battery of claim 10, wherein the insulating tape extends along the second surface of the anode current collector towards an anode active material located on the second surface of the anode current collector.

12. The battery of claim 1, further comprising a second insulator positioned along a base of the housing between the set of electrodes and the housing, wherein the second insulator is characterized by an outer diameter less than an outer diameter of the set of electrodes.

13. The battery of claim 1, wherein the set of electrodes is wound into a jelly roll, and wherein the wound set of electrodes includes coupling material extending about an exterior surface of the set of electrodes and characterized by a first end of the coupling material overlapping a second end of the coupling material.

14. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a rolled configuration including:

a cathode current collector;

a cathode active material positioned on a portion of the cathode current collector; and

an insulating tape covering an end of the cathode active material and extending to an exterior edge along a length of the cathode current collector.

15. A battery comprising:

a set of electrodes;

a cap; and

an electrode tab coupled with the set of electrodes at a first end of the electrode tab, wherein a first surface of the electrode tab is coupled with a surface of the cap at a second end of the electrode tab, and wherein the second end of the electrode tab is contained within an insulative material.

16. The battery of claim 15, wherein a first window is defined within the insulative material along the first surface of the electrode tab, wherein the first window exposes a portion of the electrode tab, and wherein the electrode tab is coupled with the cap at the portion of the electrode tab exposed by the window defined within the insulative material.

17. The battery of claim 16, wherein the insulative material extends along the first surface of the electrode tab entirely about an exterior of the window.

18. The battery of claim 15, wherein the electrode tab is further characterized by a second surface opposite the first surface of the electrode tab, wherein the electrode tab is characterized by at least one sidewall extending between the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the insulative material extends along the at least one sidewall.

19. The battery of claim 18, wherein the insulative material extends about the second surface of the electrode tab, wherein a second window is defined in the insulative material along the second surface, and wherein the second window is located along the second surface opposite a position of the first surface where the first window is defined in the insulative material.

20. A battery comprising:

a housing characterized by a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the housing comprises a circumferential indentation proximate the first end, wherein the housing defines a first interior region between the first end and the circumferential indentation, and wherein the housing defines a second interior region between the circumferential indentation and the second end;

a set of electrodes located within the housing, wherein the set of electrodes is positioned within the second interior region of the housing;

a cap at least partially contained within the first interior region of the housing, wherein the cap is characterized by a first surface facing the set of electrodes;

a first electrode tab coupled with the set of electrodes at a first end of the electrode tab, wherein a first surface of the electrode tab is coupled with a surface of the cap at a second end of the electrode tab, wherein the second end of the electrode tab is contained within an insulative material, wherein a first window is defined within the insulative material along the first surface of the electrode tab, and wherein the first end of the electrode tab is characterized by chamfered edges;

a second electrode tab coupled between the set of electrodes and an interior surface of the housing, wherein the electrode tab is coupled with the housing in the second interior region proximate the circumferential indentation; and

a first insulator positioned within the housing, wherein the first insulator extends across the circumferential indentation from the cap to the set of electrodes, wherein the first insulator is characterized by a first outer radius at a first end proximate the cap, and wherein the first insulator is characterized by a second outer radius greater than the first outer radius at a second end proximate the set of electrodes.