Prismatic battery and method of manufacturing same

• US 6,544,684 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagata, Hiroshi, Asaka, Hideo, Hamada, Shinji, Onishi, Masato, Fujioka, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruthkosky, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/825,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 429/146, 429/139, 429/162
• US Class Current: 429/146
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/536 characterised by the method of fixing the leads to the electrodes, e.g. by welding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/54 Connection of several leads or tabs of plate-like electrode stacks, e.g. electrode pole straps or bridges
• 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

Abstract

Positive and negative electrode plates 2, 3 are alternately stacked upon one another with intervening separators 4 to constitute an electrode plate group 1. The respective electrode plates are laterally offset so that side edges of the electrode plates protrude on the opposite sides. Collector plates 5, 6 are perpendicularly welded to the side edges of the electrode plates 2, 3 on both sides of the electrode plate group 1. Loose ends 3c, 3e of the outermost negative electrode plates 3b, 3d that are not welded to the collector plate are secured to the electrode plate group by a holding tape 7.

Claims

1. A prismatic battery, comprising:

a battery case for accommodating an electrode plate group and a liquid electrolyte therein, the electrode plate group including

a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates stacked alternately with intervening separators therebetween, the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates being laterally offset so that side edges of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates protrude respectively on opposite sides of the electrode plate group, and

collector plates joined perpendicularly to the side edges of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates on both sides of the electrode plate group, wherein

a loose end of a positive or negative electrode plate positioned outermost of the electrode plate group is covered with a non-conductive film.

2. A prismatic battery, comprising:

a battery case for accommodating an electrode plate group and a liquid electrolyte therein, the electrode plate group including

a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates stacked alternately with intervening separators therebetween, the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates being laterally offset from each other so that side edges of the positive electrode plates protrude on one side and side edges of the negative electrode plates protrude on the other side of the electrode plate group,

a first collector plate joined perpendicularly to the side edges of the positive electrode plates on one side of the electrode plate group,

a second collector plate joined perpendicularly to the side edges of the negative electrode plates on the other side of the electrode plate group, and

a tape attached to part of the electrode plate group, the tape at least bridging a loose end of an electrode plate positioned outermost of the electrode plate group and one of the first collector plate and the second collector plate.

3. The prismatic battery according to claim 2, wherein the tape stretches from the loose end of the outermost electrode plate on one side of the electrode plate group over one of the first and second collector plates to the loose end of the outermost electrode plate on the other side of the electrode plate group.

4. The prismatic battery according to claim 3, further comprising a second tape attached to the electrode plate group in the vicinity of the loose end of the outermost electrode plate, stretching from a bottom end of one outermost electrode plate over a bottom end face of the electrode plate group to a bottom end of the other outermost electrode plate.

5. The prismatic battery according to claim 2, wherein the tape is wound around the electrode plate group to surround the outermost electrode plates and the collector plates.

6. The prismatic battery according to claim 5, further comprising a second tape attached to the electrode plate group in the vicinity of the loose end of the outermost electrode plate, stretching from a bottom end of one outermost electrode plate over a bottom end face of the electrode plate group to a bottom end of the other outermost electrode plate.

7. A prismatic battery, comprising:

a battery case for accommodating an electrode plate group and a liquid electrolyte therein, the electrode plate group including

a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates stacked alternately with intervening separators therebetween, the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates being laterally offset from each other so that side edges of the positive electrode plates protrude on one side and side edges of the negative electrode plates protrude on the other side of the electrode plate group,

a first collector plate joined perpendicularly to the side edges of the positive electrode plates on one side of the electrode plate group,

a second collector plate joined perpendicularly to the side edges of the negative electrode plates on the other side of the electrode plate group, and

a tape wound vertically around the electrode plate group at a location covering a loose end of an electrode plate positioned outermost of the electrode plate group.

8. A method for manufacturing a prismatic battery, comprising:

stacking a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates alternately with intervening separators therebetween to constitute an electrode plate group such as to laterally offset from each other so that side edges of the positive electrode plates protrude on one side and side edges of the negative electrode plates protrude on the other side of the electrode plate group;

joining collector plates perpendicularly to the respective side edges of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates of the electrode plate group;

covering part of electrode plates positioned outermost of the electrode plate group with either one of a film or a bonding tape;

subjecting the electrode plate group to inspection for short circuits; and

inserting the electrode plate group into a battery case.