Rechargeable battery with a jelly roll having multiple thicknesses

• US 8,592,065 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bhardwaj, Ramesh C., Hwang, Taisup, Mank, Richard M., Raff, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIDDIQUEE, MUHAMMAD S
• Application Number:
  US12/938,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20120107654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 429/94, 429/99, 429152-154, 429/163
• US Class Current: 429/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0587 of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/1393 of electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/136 Flexibility or foldability
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/178 for pouch or flexible bag cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/557 Plate-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 29/4911 including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a battery cell with multiple thicknesses. This battery cell includes a jelly roll enclosed in a pouch, wherein the jelly roll includes layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The jelly roll also includes a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode and a second conductive tab coupled to the anode. The jelly roll is enclosed in a flexible pouch, and the first and second conductive tabs are extended through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell. Furthermore, the battery cell has two or more thicknesses, wherein the different thicknesses are created by removing material from one or more of the layers before winding the layers together.

Claims

1. A battery cell, comprising:

a jelly roll that varies in thickness, comprising layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating;

wherein the anode comprises a sheet having a length in a direction of winding, a width perpendicular to the direction of winding and a thickness, wherein the width of the anode tapers in a stepped pattern along the length of the anode;

wherein the cathode comprises a sheet having a length in a direction of winding, a width perpendicular to the direction of winding and a thickness, wherein the width of the cathode tapers in a stepped pattern along the length of the cathode; and

wherein after the jelly roll is formed by winding the layers together, the jelly roll varies in thickness in a stepped pattern in a direction along an axis of winding.

2. The battery cell of claim 1, further comprising:

a pouch enclosing the jelly roll, wherein the pouch is flexible.

3. The battery cell of claim 2, further comprising:

a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode; and

a second conductive tab coupled to the anode,

wherein the first and second conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell.

4. The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the variation in thickness of the jelly roll facilitates efficient use of space inside a portable electronic device.

5. A battery pack, comprising a set of cells, wherein each of the cells comprises:

a jelly roll that varies in thicknesses, comprising layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating;

wherein the anode comprises a sheet having a length in a direction of winding, a width perpendicular to the direction of winding and a thickness, wherein the width of the anode tapers in a stepped pattern along the length of the anode;

wherein the cathode comprises a sheet having a length in a direction of winding, a width perpendicular to the direction of winding and a thickness, wherein the width of the cathode tapers in a stepped pattern along the length of the cathode; and

wherein after the jelly roll is formed by winding the layers together, the jelly roll varies in thickness in a stepped pattern in a direction along an axis of winding.

6. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein each of the cells further comprises:

a pouch enclosing the jelly roll, wherein the pouch is flexible;

a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode; and

a second conductive tab coupled to the anode,

wherein the first and second conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell.

7. The battery pack of claim 5, wherein the variation in thickness of the jelly roll facilitates efficient use of space inside a portable electronic device.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a set of components powered by a battery pack; and

the battery pack, comprising;

a set of cells, wherein each of the cells comprises;

a jelly roll that varies in thickness, comprising layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating,

wherein the anode comprises a sheet having a length in a direction of winding, a width perpendicular to the direction of winding and a thickness, wherein the width of the anode tapers in a stepped pattern along the length of the anode,

wherein the cathode comprises a sheet having a length in a direction of winding, a width perpendicular to the direction of winding and a thickness, wherein the width of the cathode tapers in a stepped pattern along the length of the cathode, and

wherein after the jelly roll is formed by winding the layers together, the jelly roll varies in thickness in a stepped pattern in a direction along an axis of winding.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein each of the cells further comprises:

a pouch enclosing the jelly roll, wherein the pouch is flexible;

a first conductive tab coupled to the cathode; and

a second conductive tab coupled to the anode,

wherein the first and second conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the variation in thickness of each of the jelly rolls that comprise the battery pack facilitates fitting the battery pack into an irregular space in the portable electronic device.