Battery

• US 7,648,538 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimizu, Takeshi, Kouda, Satoru, Oogami, Etsuo, Amagai, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONLEY, OI K
• Application Number:
  US10/959,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20050089751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 429/162, 429/163, 429/186, 296/234
• US Class Current: 29/623.4
• 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 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• 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 29/49114 including adhesively bonding

Abstract

Unit cells are held in a plate frame to form a cell module. A plurality of the cell modules is laminated in a thickness direction of the frame to form a laminated structure of unit cells. The cell unit is pressurized with heat sinks from both sides in the direction of the lamination, and is integrally held to form a battery.

Claims

1. A battery comprising:

a plurality of cell modules, wherein the cell modules are joined to each other, each of the cell modules having a plurality of flat unit cells, wherein each flat unit cell has a power generation element and a film as an exterior material for the power generation element, wherein electrode tabs are drawn out from the exterior material; and

plate frames each having holders, each holder having a center portion surrounded by a peripheral supporter, the center portion defining a bottom side and a top side that are open,

wherein each holder holds one of the flat unit cells within each cell module such that the flat unit cells within each module are arrayed on a virtual plane as defined by a plate frame,

wherein the plate frames are laminated in a direction intersecting the virtual plane; and

wherein an external surface of each given flat unit cell is brought into direct contact with an external surface of an adjacent flat unit cell adjacent to the given flat unit cell in the lamination direction.

2. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the flat unit cells are not electrically connected to each other within each cell module;

and

wherein each flat unit cell is electrically connected to a corresponding flat unit cell included by an adjacent cell module.

3. A battery according to claim 1, wherein each plate frame holds its respective plurality of flat unit cells, and

wherein the plate frames are laminated to form a laminated structure.

4. A battery according to claim 1, further comprising pressurizing holders each of which integrally holds the unit cells by pressurizing the unit cells.

5. A battery according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral supporter of each holder supports a part of a periphery of its respective flat unit cell and positions the flat unit cell therein.

6. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral supporter of each holder supports a part of a periphery of its respective flat unit cell and positions its respective flat unit cell.

7. A battery according to claim 3, wherein each plate frame has a first connector that electrically connects one electrode tab of one of its respective plurality of flat unit cells being held in the plate frame to one electrode tab of an adjacent flat unit cell being held in another plate frame adjacent thereto in the lamination direction.

8. A battery according to claim 1, wherein each plate frame has a first connector that electrically connects one electrode tab of one of its respective plurality of flat unit cells being held in the plate frame to one electrode tab of an adjacent flat unit cell being held in another plate frame adjacent thereto in the lamination direction.

9. A battery according to claim 1, wherein each plate frame has a second connector that electrically connects one electrode tab of one of its respective plurality of flat unit cells being held in the plate frame to one electrode tab of an adjacent flat unit cell being held in the same plate frame.

10. A battery according to claim 3, wherein each plate frame has a voltage detecting terminal that detects a voltage of a given flat unit cell being held in the plate frame and that is electrically connected to one of the electrode tabs of the given flat unit cell.

11. A battery according to claim 1, wherein each plate frame has a voltage detecting terminal that detects a voltage of a given flat unit cell being held in the frame and that is electrically connected to one of the electrode tabs of the given flat unit cell.

12. A battery according to claim 4, wherein the pressurizing holders function as a pressurizing unit that applies a surface pressure in the lamination direction to all the flat unit cells, and function as a cooler that cools the battery by dissipating heat generated from the unit cells.

13. A battery according to claim 4, wherein the pressurizing holders have a third connector that electrically connects one laminated structure of cell modules to another laminated structure of cell modules.

14. A battery according to claim 1, wherein at least one cooler is interposed between the laminated plate frames.

15. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the flat unit cells are held in plate frames such that polarities of the electrode tabs of the flat unit cells are alternately arranged in the lamination direction.

16. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the flat unit cells laid out in one given plate frame are held in the given plate frame such that polarities of the electrode tabs of the flat unit cells within the given plate frame are alternately arranged in a layout direction.

17. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element of each flat unit cell has positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates laminated inside in order;

and

wherein the flat unit cells are laminated in the same direction as the lamination direction of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates of the power generation element.

18. A battery according to claim 1, wherein all the flat unit cells are electrically connected in series.