Method of manufacturing prismatic battery

• US 8,883,346 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Encell Technology, Inc
• Original Assignee: Encell Technology, Inc
• Inventors: Ogg, Randy Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, KWANG S
• Application Number:
  US13/826,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20130255072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/209
• 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 10/281 Large cells or batteries with stacks of plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/043 involving compressing or compaction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/244 Zinc electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/26 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/50 of manganese
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/70 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/808 Foamed, spongy materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/531 Electrode connections inside a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• 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 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

Provided is a method of manufacturing a prismatic battery, or a series of prismatic batteries. The method comprises stacking positive electrode plates, negative electrode plates and separator layers therebetween. The positive and negative electrode plates extend beyond a periphery of the electrode stack. The positive electrode plates are fused to form a positive current collector, and the negative electrode plates are fused to form a negative current collector.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a prismatic battery comprising:

stacking positive electrode plates, negative electrode plates, and separator layers therebetween, wherein;

the positive electrode plates extend beyond a periphery of the electrode stack, and the positive electrode plates are arranged such that the portions of the positive electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack are aligned with one another, with the positive electrode plates comprising manganese dispersed throughout a compressed metal foam which is compressed between about 42 and 45% of the original thickness; and

the negative electrode plates extend beyond a periphery of the electrode stack, and the negative electrode plates are arranged such that the portions of the negative electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack are aligned with one another, with the negative electrode plates comprising zinc dispersed throughout a compressed metal foam which is compressed between about 42 and 45% of the original thickness;

fusing the portions of the positive electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack to form positive current collectors; and

fusing the portions of the negative electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack to form negative current collectors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the positive current collector to a positive terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the negative current collector to a negative terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of positive electrode plates comprises a finite number of sides, and further wherein the positive electrode plates are fused to form positive current collectors at multiple sides of the electrode stack.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the positive current collectors are coextensive with the sides of the electrode stack.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of negative electrode plates comprises a finite number of sides, and further wherein the negative electrode plates are fused to form negative current collectors at multiple sides of the electrode stack.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the negative current collectors are coextensive with the sides of the electrode stack.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of positive electrode plates comprises an even number of sides, and further wherein the positive electrode plates are fused to form positive current collectors at alternating sides of the electrode stack.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of negative electrode plates comprises an even number of sides, and further wherein the negative electrode plates are fused to form negative current collectors at alternating sides of the electrode stack.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the positive electrode plates are of the same shape, and all of the negative electrode plates are of the same shape.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the positive electrode plates and all of the negative electrode plates are bent at the same angle.

12. A method of manufacturing a series of prismatic batteries comprising:

(i) manufacturing multiple prismatic batteries by a method comprising;

stacking positive electrode plates, negative electrode plates, and separator layers therebetween, wherein;

the positive electrode plates extend beyond a periphery of the electrode stack, and the positive electrode plates are arranged such that the portions of the positive electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack are aligned with one another, with the positive electrode plates comprising manganese dispersed throughout a compressed metal foam which is compressed between about 42 and 45% of the original thickness; and

the negative electrode plates extend beyond a periphery of the electrode stack, and the negative electrode plates are arranged such that the portions of the negative electrode plate that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack are aligned with one another and in a direction opposite that in which the positive electrode plates are aligned, with the negative electrode plates comprising zinc dispersed throughout a compressed metal foam which is compressed between about 42 and 45% of the original thickness;

fusing the portions of the positive electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack to form positive current collectors; and

fusing the portions of the negative electrode plates that extend beyond the periphery of the electrode stack to form negative current collectors; and

,

(ii) fusing the positive current collectors of one electrode stack to the negative current collectors of another electrode stack.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising connecting the positive current collector to a positive terminal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising connecting the negative current collector to a negative terminal.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of positive electrode plates comprises a finite number of sides, and further wherein the positive electrode plates are fused to form positive current collectors at multiple sides of the electrode stack.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the positive current collectors are coextensive with the sides of the electrode stack.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of negative electrode plates comprises a finite number of sides, and further wherein the negative electrode plates are fused to form negative current collectors at multiple sides of the electrode stack.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the positive current collectors are coextensive with the sides of the electrode stack.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of positive electrode plates comprises an even number of sides, and further wherein the positive electrode plates are fused to form positive current collectors at alternating sides of the electrode stack.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the periphery of the electrode stack of negative electrode plates comprises an even number of sides, and further wherein the negative electrode plates are fused to form negative current collectors at alternating sides of the electrode stack.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein all of the positive electrode plates are of the same shape, and all of the negative electrode plates are of the same shape.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein all of the positive electrode plates and all of the negative electrode plates are bent at the same angle.