Method and device for mounting cell

• US 6,749,649 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Daisuke, Daio, Fumio, Sano, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alejandro, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US10/041,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20020086191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 296/231, 429/1, 429/121, 429/123, 429/164, 429/247, 429/337, 429/117, 429/114
• US Class Current: 29/623.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/216 adapted for button or coin cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/16 with organic electrolyte H01M6/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

A method of attaching a battery cell in an apparatus acted upon by centrifugal force avoids an extreme decline in discharge capacity of the battery cell when acted upon by the centrifugal force. The battery, of the type including a positive polarity material and a negative polarity material which are placed in opposition in a thickness direction of a battery case with an intervening separator disposed therebetween, and a liquid electrolyte packed inside the battery case, is mounted in the apparatus, oriented such that a negative polarity material side of the battery cell faces generally in a direction in which the centrifugal force acts on the apparatus, and an angle of inclination of a thickness direction of the battery cell is within a range of 0 to about 60 degrees relative to the direction of the centrifugal force.

Claims

1. A method of attaching a battery cell in an apparatus acted upon by centrifugal force, comprising:

providing the battery cell which includes a positive polarity material and a negative polarity material which are placed in opposition in a battery case with an intervening separator disposed between the positive polarity material and the negative polarity material extending generally alone preference plane of the battery case, said battery cell further including a liquid electrolyte packed inside said battery case; and

mounting said battery cell in said apparatus, the battery cell being oriented such that a negative polarity material side of said battery cell faces generally in a direction in which said centrifugal force acts on said apparatus, and an angle of inclination of a thickness direction of said battery cell which runs perpendicular to said reference plane is within a range of 0 to about 60 degrees relative to the direction of said centrifugal force such that an extreme decline in discharge capacity of said battery cell is avoided when acted upon by the centrifugal force.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of providing includes configuring said battery case with a generally flattened shape which presents a thickness which is relatively smaller that an expanded dimension thereof, an interior of said battery case defining a first divided part and a second divided part within said battery case when bisected in the thickness direction thereof, said first and second divided parts corresponding respectively to a positioning of said negative polarity material and said positive polarity material, an interior of said battery case including a vacant volume defined by a volume remaining after respective volumes of the negative polarity material, the positive polarity material and the separator are subtracted from a total volume inside said battery case, a first portion of said vacant volume in said first divided part being smaller than a second portion of said vacant volume in said second divided part.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

a main component of the positive polarity material is one of a metal oxide, halide and sulfide, a main component of the negative polarity material is one of light metal and light metal alloy, the separator is made of a substance capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 150°

C.;

the liquid electrolyte consists essentially of one of an organic solvent and a mixture of organic solvents having a solvent boiling point of 170°

C. or higher into which a lithium salt is dissolved as a solute; and

said step of providing includes sealing an opening in said battery case with a sealing plate using an intervening gasket between the battery case and the sealing plate that is resistant to temperatures in excess of 50°

C. and resistant also to organic solvents.

4. The of method according to claim 3, wherein said separator is made of a substance selected from the group consisting of glass fiber, polyphenylene sulfide fiber, vinylidine polyfluoride resin, polytetrafluoroethylene resin, polybutylene terephthalate resin and ceramic resin.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said organic solvent is made of a substance selected from the group consisting of gamma butylolactone, ethylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, sulfolane and 3-methyl sulfolane.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein said gasket is made of a substance selected from the group consisting of polyphenylene sulfide resin, polyether ketone resin, polyether ether ketone resin, polytetrafluoroethylene resin and vinylidene tetrafluoride resin.