Electrochemical cell

• US 6,426,163 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pasquier, Eric, Olsen, Ib I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US09/468,352
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 429/176, 429/162, 429/127, 429/211, 429/178, 429/181, 429/177, 429/179
• US Class Current: 429/176
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/105 Pouches or flexible bags
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/169 by welding, brazing or soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/545 formed by the casing of the cells cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 including adhesively bonding

Abstract

An electrochemical cell having a cell package made of a metallic material to allow the cell package to be sealed by welding, even when contaminated. The electrochemical cell further includes an electrode cell stack and a metallic cell package having a base portion and a lid portion which are welded to each other (peripheral seam) to define an enclosure. The cell package includes a first section for receiving the cell stack and a second section having an inlet port and a degassing port which communicate with the first section. The lid portion is welded to the base portion to form a weld seam located between the first and second sections to seal off the first section from the second section. The weld seam extends from the peripheral seam on a first side of the cell package to the peripheral seam on a second side of the cell package.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell comprising:

a casing; and

an electrode cell stack contained within said casing along with an electrolyte, said stack includes

first and second tabs of opposite polarity,

said casing includes first and second sheets made of a metallic material, said first and second sheets being welded to each other along a weld seam to form an enclosure surrounding said cell stack, wherein said first tab is electrically connected to said casing.

2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1, wherein said metallic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, nickel and stainless steel.

3. The electrochemical cell of claim 2, wherein said first sheet is a base and said second sheet is a lid.

4. The electrochemical cell of claim 3, wherein said weld seam extends around a periphery of said casing.

5. The electrochemical cell of claim 4, wherein said base has a cup for receiving said cell stack.

6. The electrochemical cell of claim 4, further including a pass-through terminal secured to said casing and electrically connected to said second tab.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 6, wherein said pass-through terminal comprises:

an eyelet having a first through-hole;

an insulator located in said first through-hole of said eyelet and having a second through-hole; and

a terminal post located in said second through-hole of said insulator so as to be insulated from said eyelet, wherein said eyelet is welded to said metallic material of said casing and said terminal post is electrically connected to said second tab of said cell stack.

8. The electrochemical cell of claim 7, wherein said metallic material is copper, said eyelet is nickel plated iron, said insulator is glass and said terminal post is aluminum.

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 8, wherein said terminal post and said second tab have a positive polarity and said first terminal and said copper casing have a negative polarity.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 7, wherein said metallic material is aluminum, said eyelet is aluminum, said insulator is ceramic and said terminal post is copper.

11. The electrochemical cell of claim 10, wherein said terminal post and said second tab have a negative polarity and said first terminal and said aluminum casing have a positive polarity.

12. The electrochemical cell of claim 6, wherein said pass-through terminal comprises a rivet.

13. The electrochemical cell of claim 12, wherein casing is aluminum and said rivet is copper.

14. The electrochemical cell of claim 13, wherein said pass-through terminal further comprises at least one insulator circumscribing said rivet so as to insulate said rivet from said casing.

15. The electrochemical cell of claim 14, wherein said pass-through terminal further comprises a nickel washer disposed on an outside of said casing with said at least one insulator insulating said washer from said casing, wherein said rivet contacts said washer.

16. The electrochemical cell of claim 15, wherein said rivet and said second tab have a negative polarity and said first tab and said aluminum casing have a positive polarity.

17. The electrochemical cell of claim 1, where said first and second sheets are unitary with each other.

18. An electrochemical cell comprising:

a casing;

an electrode cell stack contained within said casing along with an electrolyte;

said casing includes first and second sheets made of a metallic material, said first and second sheets being welded to each other along a weld seam to form an enclosure surrounding said cell stack, and

wherein said metallic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, nickel and stainless steel, and said first sheet is a base and said second sheet is a lid, and said weld seam extends around a periphery of said casing, and said base has a cup for receiving said cell stack, and wherein said cell stack includes first and second tabs of opposite polarity and wherein said electrochemical cell further comprises;

a pass-through terminal secured to said casing and electrically connected to said second tab, said first tab being electrically connected to said casing.

19. The electrochemical cell of claim 18, wherein said pass-through terminal comprises:

an eyelet having a first through-hole;

an insulator located in said first through-hole of said eyelet and having a second through-hole; and

a terminal post located in said second through-hole of said insulator so as to be insulated from said eyelet, wherein said eyelet is welded to said metallic material of said casing and said terminal post is electrically connected to said second tab of said cell stack.

20. The electrochemical cell of claim 19, wherein said metallic material is copper, said eyelet is nickel plated iron, said insulator is glass and said terminal post is aluminum.

21. The electrochemical cell of claim 20, wherein said terminal post and said second tab have a positive polarity and said first terminal and said copper casing have a negative polarity.

22. The electrochemical cell of claim 19, wherein said metallic material is aluminum, said eyelet is aluminum, said insulator is ceramic and said terminal post is copper.

23. The electrochemical cell of claim 22, wherein said terminal post and said second tab have a negative polarity and said first terminal and said aluminum casing have a positive polarity.

24. The electrochemical cell of claim 18, wherein said pass-through terminal comprises a rivet.

25. The electrochemical cell of claim 24, wherein said casing is aluminum and said rivet is copper.

26. The electrochemical cell of claim 25, wherein said pass-through terminal further comprises at least one insulator circumscribing said rivet so as to insulate said rivet from said casing.

27. The electrochemical cell of claim 26, wherein said pass-through terminal further comprises a nickel washer disposed on an outside of said casing with said at least one insulator insulating said washer from said casing, wherein said rivet contacts said washer.

28. The electrochemical cell of claim 27, wherein said rivet and said second tab have a negative polarity and said first tab and said aluminum casing have a positive polarity.

29. The electrochemical cell of claim 18, where said first and second sheets are unitary with each other.