Thin type cell having superior air-tightness and mechanical strength

• US 6,291,098 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Akashi, Hiroyuki, Shibuya, Mashio
• Primary Examiner(s): Brouillette, Gabrielle
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG FOSTER, SUSY N
• Application Number:
  US09/030,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 429/162, 429/163, 429/211, 429/100, 429/127
• US Class Current: 429/163
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/129 with two or more layers of only organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/133 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/141 for protecting against humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/178 for pouch or flexible bag cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/528 Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A thin type cell is made up of a cathode 1, an anode 2 and an electrolyte 3, sheathed within a moisture-proofing multi-layered film 4 comprising a heat fusible layer and a metal foil. A pair of electrode terminals 5, 6 interconnecting electrodes and external terminals are formed of a netted or porous electrically conductive member. By using the netted or porous electrically conductive materials as the electrode terminals 5, 6, the electrode terminals 5, 6 can be firmly bonded to the moisture-proofing multi-layered film 4. Moreover, by increasing the thickness of the heat fusible layer at the sealing portion X passed through by the electrode terminals 5, 6, shorting can be prevented from occurring.

Claims

1. A thin type cell comprising an outer sheath defining an interior of the cell for accommodating a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte, the outer sheath comprising a moisture-proofing three-layered film consisting of a heat fusible layer and a second layer with a metal foil layer sandwiched therebetween, the heat fusible layer facing the interior of the cell, and electrode terminals interconnecting electrodes and external terminals are formed of a netted or porous electrically conductive member, the electrode terminals passing through the outer sheath with the heat fusible layer sealingly engaging the terminals, the heat fusible layer containing a resin material that engages the terminals at a sealing portion along at least a portion of the terminals wherein a thickness of the resin material is two to three times thicker than an electrode terminal thickness of each electrode terminal.

2. The thin type cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein the netted or porous electrical conductor is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal net, expanded metal, punched metal and aggregates of carbon fibers.

3. The thin type cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein the netted or porous electrical conductor is made of a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, nickel, aluminum, copper, tungsten, stainless steel, iron, silver, gold and alloys thereof.

4. The thin type cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein the anode is formed of metal lithium, the cathode is formed of a material capable of occluding lithium ions and wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte, a solid electrolyte and a gel electrolyte.

5. The thin type cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein the anode is formed of one of materials that can reversibly introduce or remove lithium ions, the cathode is formed of a material that can reversibly introduce or remove lithium ions and wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte, a solid electrolyte and a gel electrolyte.

6. The thin type cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein an opening portion of the moisture-proofing three-layered film passed through by the electrode terminal is thicker than other areas of the sealing portion.

7. The thin type cell as claimed in claim 6 wherein a resin piece is applied to the surface of the electrode terminal at the sealing portion.

8. A thin type cell comprising:

an outer sheath defining an interior that accommodates a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte, the outer sheath comprising a three-layered structure consisting of a heat fusible layer and a second layer with a metal foil layer sandwiched therebetween, the heat fusible layer facing the interior of the cell, the cathode being connected to a first terminal that extends outward through the outer sheath, the anode being connected to a second terminal that extends outward through the sheath, the first and second terminals each having a flat structure, the electrode terminals passing through the outer sheath with the heat fusible layer sealingly engaging the terminals, the heat fusible layer containing a resin material that engages the terminals at a sealing portion along at least a portion of the terminals wherein a thickness of the resin material is two to three times thicker than an electrode terminal thickness of each electrode terminal.

9. The thin type cell of claim 8 wherein the first and second terminals are made from an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of carbon, nickel, aluminum, copper, tungsten, stainless steel, iron, silver, gold and alloys thereof.

10. The thin type cell of claim 8 wherein the anode comprises metal lithium, the cathode comprises the material capable of occluding lithium ions and wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte, a solid electrolyte and a gel electrolyte.

11. The thin type cell of claim 8 wherein the anode comprises a material that can reversibly introduce or remove lithium ions, the cathode comprises a material that can reversibly introduce or remove lithium ions and wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte, a solid electrolyte and a gel electrolyte.

12. The thin type cell of claim 8 wherein the outer sheath comprises two openings through which the first and second terminals respectively pass through, the portions of the outer sheath defining said openings having a thickness greater than remaining portions of the outer sheath.

13. The thin type cell of claim 12 further comprising first and second resin pieces disposed between the first and second terminals and the first and second openings respectively.