Battery electrode assembly and fabrication method therefor
First Claim
1. A battery comprising:
- a battery case defining an interior volume; and
an electrode assembly mounted in the interior volume, the electrode assembly includes a plurality of metal reinforcing strips and a plurality of planar elements, the plurality of planar elements includes a plurality of positive electrodes, a plurality of negative electrodes, and a plurality of separators;
each of the positive electrodes includesa metal substrate having a peripheral edge defining an active area and a tab extending from the active area,a layer of positive active material on the active area of the positive electrodes;
each of the negative electrodes includesa metal substrate having a peripheral edge defining an active area and a tab extending from the active area,a layer of negative active material on the active area of the negative electrodes;
the tab of each positive electrode and the tab of each negative electrode having a face attached to one of the reinforcing strip such that each reinforcing strip is attached to a single one of the tabs;
the plurality of planar elements are arranged in a stack of alternating positive and negative electrodes with a separator between adjacent electrodes; and
the positive electrode tabs are aligned to form a positive tab column and the negative electrode tabs are aligned to form a negative tab column that spaced apart from the positive tab column, including a plurality of clips that each includes an integral metal piece having first and second portions bent around a foldline; and
wherein each of the clips is mounted on an electrode tab with the clip first portion attached to a front face of the tab and the second portion attached to a rear face of the tab such that the first portion and the second portion each serve as one of the metal reinforcing strips.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrode assembly and construction method therefor for use in small high performance batteries suitable for implantable medical device applications. The electrode assembly comprises a stack of precisely aligned planar elements including alternately arranged positive and negative planar electrodes having a planar separator interposed between adjacent electrodes. Each electrode is preferably formed of a thin metal substrate carrying active material on front and rear faces. The peripheral edge of each electrode defines an active area and a tab extending therefrom. The front and rear faces of the active area each carries a layer of active material. The faces of the tab area are preferably bare. The positive electrode tabs are located at a first position along the peripheral edge whereas the negative tabs are located at a second position spaced from said first position. Each tab carries a clip to form a reinforcing strip adjacent each tab face. Alignment holes are formed in the clips and tabs.
74 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A battery comprising:
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a battery case defining an interior volume; and an electrode assembly mounted in the interior volume, the electrode assembly includes a plurality of metal reinforcing strips and a plurality of planar elements, the plurality of planar elements includes a plurality of positive electrodes, a plurality of negative electrodes, and a plurality of separators; each of the positive electrodes includes a metal substrate having a peripheral edge defining an active area and a tab extending from the active area, a layer of positive active material on the active area of the positive electrodes; each of the negative electrodes includes a metal substrate having a peripheral edge defining an active area and a tab extending from the active area, a layer of negative active material on the active area of the negative electrodes; the tab of each positive electrode and the tab of each negative electrode having a face attached to one of the reinforcing strip such that each reinforcing strip is attached to a single one of the tabs; the plurality of planar elements are arranged in a stack of alternating positive and negative electrodes with a separator between adjacent electrodes; and the positive electrode tabs are aligned to form a positive tab column and the negative electrode tabs are aligned to form a negative tab column that spaced apart from the positive tab column, including a plurality of clips that each includes an integral metal piece having first and second portions bent around a foldline; and
wherein each of the clips is mounted on an electrode tab with the clip first portion attached to a front face of the tab and the second portion attached to a rear face of the tab such that the first portion and the second portion each serve as one of the metal reinforcing strips. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A battery, comprising:
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an electrode assembly that includes a stack of planar elements, the planar elements include a plurality of alternately arranged positive electrodes and negative electrodes and means for separating adjacent electrodes; each of the electrodes including a substrate defining an active area and a tab extending therefrom; each tab having a first reinforcing strip attached to a front face of the tab and a second reinforcing strip attached to a rear face of the tab such that each first reinforcement strip is attached to a single one of the tabs and each second reinforcement strip is attached to a single one of the tabs; the tabs of the positive electrodes in the stack being aligned to form a positive tab column; the tabs of the negative electrodes in the stack being aligned to form a negative tab column extending parallel to and displaced from the positive tab column; and
whereina first weld bonds together the positive electrode tab reinforcing strips; and a second weld bonds together the negative electrode tab reinforcing strips.
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21. A method of fabricating an electrode assembly, comprising
forming a plurality of positive electrodes each including a substrate defining a substrate active area and a tab extending from the active area, and a positive active material on the active area of the positive electrodes; - forming a plurality of negative electrodes each including
a substrate defining a substrate active area and a tab extending from the active area, and a negative active material on the active area of the negative electrodes; attaching a first reinforcing strip to a front face of each of the tabs such that each first reinforcing strip is attached to a single one of the tabs; attaching a second reinforcing strip to a rear face of each of the tabs such that each second reinforcing strip is attached to a single one of the tabs; forming first and second alignment holes through each of the reinforcing strips; alternately stacking the positive and negative electrodes together with separators interposed between adjacent electrodes to align positive electrode tabs along a first column and negative electrode tabs along a second column; welding together the reinforcing strips attached to the positive electrode tabs; and welding together the reinforcing stripe attached to the negative electrode tabs.
- forming a plurality of negative electrodes each including
Specification