Variable layer thickness in curved battery cell

• US 9,837,682 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Nikkhoo, Michael, Boovaragavan, Vijayasekaran, Zeng, Dongli, Lin, Tzu-Yuan, Collins, John Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US15/250,628
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 455572, 4551271, 4551274, 4553431, 4553436
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/025 with shapes other than plane or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/78 Shapes other than plane or cylindrical, e.g. helical
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• 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

Abstract

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to curved batteries. One example provides a battery comprising an anode arranged on an anode substrate, a cathode arranged on a cathode substrate, the anode substrate being curved at a first curvature and the cathode substrate being curved at a second curvature, and a separator between the anode and the cathode. A thickness of the anode substrate and a thickness of the cathode substrate are determined based on the curvature of the respective substrate, such that the one of the anode substrate and the cathode substrate with a larger curvature has a larger thickness.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising:

an anode arranged on an anode substrate;

a cathode arranged on a cathode substrate, the anode substrate being curved at a first curvature and the cathode substrate being curved at a second curvature; and

a separator between the anode and the cathode,

wherein a thickness of the anode substrate and a thickness of the cathode substrate are determined based on the first curvature and the second curvature, respectively, such that the thickness of the anode substrate is larger than the thickness of the cathode substrate, and the first curvature is larger than the second curvature.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the anode substrate is between 2 and 18 μ

m.

3. The battery of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the cathode substrate is between 4 and 26 μ

m.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein

the anode is one of a plurality of anodes each arranged on a respective anode substrate,

the cathode is one of a plurality of cathodes each arranged on a respective cathode substrate,

the separator is one of a plurality of separators each arranged between a respective anode-cathode pair, the battery further comprising:

a plurality of anode tabs, each anode tab coupled to a respective anode of the plurality of anodes, the plurality of anode tabs coupled together to form a battery anode tab; and

a plurality of cathode tabs, each cathode tab coupled to a respective cathode of the plurality of cathodes, the plurality of cathode tabs coupled together to form a battery cathode tab.

5. The battery of claim 4, wherein a thickness of a first cell formed of a first anode-cathode pair, a first anode substrate, a first cathode substrate, and a first separator is greater than a thickness of a second cell formed of a second anode-cathode pair, a second anode substrate, a second cathode substrate, and a second separator, a curvature of the first cell being greater than a curvature of the second cell.

6. The battery of claim 5, wherein

a ratio of a curvature of an anode of the first anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the first anode substrate is substantially equal to a ratio of a curvature of an anode of the second anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the second anode substrate, and

a ratio of a curvature of a cathode of the first anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the first cathode substrate is substantially equal to a ratio of a curvature of a cathode of the second anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the second cathode substrate.

7. The battery of claim 5, wherein a thickness of the first separator is greater than a thickness of the second separator.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the anode differs from a thickness of the cathode.

9. The battery of claim 1, wherein

the anode substrate is comprised of copper, and

the cathode substrate is comprised of aluminum.

10. A method of manufacturing a battery, comprising:

manufacturing two substrates to form an anode substrate curved at a first curvature and a cathode substrate curved at a second curvature, a thickness of the anode substrate being larger than a thickness of the cathode substrate, and the first curvature being larger than the second curvature;

arranging an anode on the anode substrate;

arranging a cathode on the cathode substrate;

insulating the anode from the cathode with a separator; and

providing tabs respectively coupled to the anode and the cathode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the thickness of the anode substrate is between 2 and 18 μ

m.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the thickness of the cathode substrate is between 4 and 26 μ

m.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the battery is one of a plurality of cells manufactured according to the method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

coupling together each of the tabs coupled to the anode of a respective cell to form a battery anode tab; and

coupling together each of the tabs coupled to the cathode of a respective cell to form a battery cathode tab.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a thickness of a first cell formed of a first anode-cathode pair, a first anode substrate, a first cathode substrate, and a first separator is greater than a thickness of a second cell formed of a second anode-cathode pair, a second anode substrate, a second cathode substrate, and a second separator, a curvature of the first cell being greater than a curvature of the second cell.

15. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing including a curved portion;

a curved display; and

a curved battery electrically coupled to the display, the battery comprising;

an anode arranged on an anode substrate;

a cathode arranged on a cathode substrate, the anode substrate being curved at a first curvature and the cathode substrate being curved at a second curvature; and

a separator between the anode and the cathode,

wherein a thickness of the anode substrate and a thickness of the cathode substrate are determined based on the first curvature and the second curvature, respectively, such that the thickness of the anode substrate is larger than the thickness of the cathode substrate, and the first curvature is larger than the second curvature.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein

the curved battery is one of a plurality of curved batteries, and

a total thickness of the plurality of curved batteries is between 20 μ

m and 80 μ

m.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein

the portable electronic device is a smartphone, and

the curved battery is arranged in the curved portion of the housing.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein

the portable electronic device is a head-mounted display device, and

the curved battery is arranged in the curved portion of the housing.

19. A battery, comprising:

an anode arranged on an anode substrate;

a cathode arranged on a cathode substrate, the anode substrate being curved at a first curvature and the cathode substrate being curved at a second curvature; and

a separator between the anode and the cathode,

wherein a thickness of the anode substrate and a thickness of the cathode substrate are determined based on the first curvature and the second curvature, respectively, such that the thickness of the cathode substrate is larger than the thickness of the anode substrate, and the second curvature is larger than the first curvature.

20. The battery of claim 19, wherein the thickness of the anode substrate is between 2 and 18 μ

m.

21. The battery of claim 19, wherein the thickness of the cathode substrate is between 4 and 26 μ

m.

22. The battery of claim 19, wherein

the anode is one of a plurality of anodes each arranged on a respective anode substrate,

the cathode is one of a plurality of cathodes each arranged on a respective cathode substrate,

the separator is one of a plurality of separators each arranged between a respective anode-cathode pair, the battery further comprising:

a plurality of anode tabs, each anode tab coupled to a respective anode of the plurality of anodes, the plurality of anode tabs coupled together to form a battery anode tab; and

a plurality of cathode tabs, each cathode tab coupled to a respective cathode of the plurality of cathodes, the plurality of cathode tabs coupled together to form a battery cathode tab.

23. The battery of claim 22, wherein a thickness of a first cell formed of a first anode-cathode pair, a first anode substrate, a first cathode substrate, and a first separator is greater than a thickness of a second cell formed of a second anode-cathode pair, a second anode substrate, a second cathode substrate, and a second separator, a curvature of the first cell being greater than a curvature of the second cell.

24. The battery of claim 23, wherein

a ratio of a curvature of an anode of the first anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the first anode substrate is substantially equal to a ratio of a curvature of an anode of the second anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the second anode substrate, and

a ratio of a curvature of a cathode of the first anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the first cathode substrate is substantially equal to a ratio of a curvature of a cathode of the second anode-cathode pair to a thickness of the second cathode substrate.

25. The battery of claim 23, wherein a thickness of the first separator is greater than a thickness of the second separator.

26. The battery of claim 19, wherein a thickness of the anode differs from a thickness of the cathode.

27. The battery of claim 19, wherein

the anode substrate is comprised of copper, and

the cathode substrate is comprised of aluminum.

28. A method of manufacturing a battery, comprising:

manufacturing two substrates to form an anode substrate curved at a first curvature and a cathode substrate curved at a second curvature, a thickness of the cathode substrate being larger than a thickness of the anode substrate, and the second curvature being larger than the first curvature;

arranging an anode on the anode substrate;

arranging a cathode on the cathode substrate;

insulating the anode from the cathode with a separator; and

providing tabs respectively coupled to the anode and the cathode.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the thickness of the anode substrate is between 2 and 18 μ

m.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the thickness of the cathode substrate is between 4 and 26 μ

m.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the battery is one of a plurality of cells manufactured according to the method of claim 28, the method further comprising:

coupling together each of the tabs coupled to the anode of a respective cell to form a battery anode tab; and

coupling together each of the tabs coupled to the cathode of a respective cell to form a battery cathode tab.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein a thickness of a first cell formed of a first anode-cathode pair, a first anode substrate, a first cathode substrate, and a first separator is greater than a thickness of a second cell formed of a second anode-cathode pair, a second anode substrate, a second cathode substrate, and a second separator, a curvature of the first cell being greater than a curvature of the second cell.

33. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing including a curved portion;

a curved display; and

a curved battery electrically coupled to the display, the battery comprising;

an anode arranged on an anode substrate;

a cathode arranged on a cathode substrate, the anode substrate being curved at a first curvature and the cathode substrate being curved at a second curvature; and

a separator between the anode and the cathode,

wherein a thickness of the anode substrate and a thickness of the cathode substrate are determined based on the first curvature and the second curvature, respectively, such that the thickness of the cathode substrate is larger than the thickness of the anode substrate, and the second curvature is larger than the first curvature.

34. The portable electronic device of claim 33, wherein

the curved battery is one of a plurality of curved batteries, and

a total thickness of the plurality of curved batteries is between 20 μ

m and 80 μ

m.

35. The portable electronic device of claim 33, wherein

the portable electronic device is a smartphone, and

the curved battery is arranged in the curved portion of the housing.

36. The portable electronic device of claim 33, wherein

the portable electronic device is a head-mounted display device, and

the curved battery is arranged in the curved portion of the housing.