Manufacturing method of electric storage device and electric storage device

• US 10,115,958 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2011
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd. (GS Yuasa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd. (GS Yuasa Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsutsumi, Masakazu, Hoshino, Motoki, Nakamura, Jun, Yoshitake, Shinsuke, Sasaki, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cano, Milton I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moss, Jennifer A
• Application Number:
  US13/816,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,645 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/533 characterised by the shape of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/534 characterised by the material of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/538 Connection of several leads or tabs of wound or folded electrode stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/567 by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/645 Plugs
• 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 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A manufacturing method of an electric storage device includes: a current collector assembly step of disposing a current collector between an electrolyte solution pouring opening and a power generating element so as to block a view of the power generating element from the electrolyte solution pouring opening; an electrolyte solution pouring step of pouring an electrolyte solution through the electrolyte solution pouring opening; and a sealing step of disposing a sealing member at the electrolyte solution pouring opening and sealing the electrolyte solution pouring opening by welding.

Claims

1. An electric storage device, comprising:

a case including an electrolyte solution pouring opening through which an electrolyte solution is to be poured into the case;

an electric storage element housed in the case;

an electrode terminal disposed on an outer side of the case; and

a current collector including at least a first attitude portion disposed in an attitude along a face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed, to block a view of the electric storage element from the electrolyte solution pouring opening, the current collector electrically connecting the electric storage element and the electrode terminal,

wherein the current collector includes a through hole, in a cross sectional view of the electric storage device, the through hole longitudinally extending in a direction orthogonal to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed, for flowing the electrolyte solution to the electric storage element in a direction parallel to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed,

wherein a first portion of the electric storage element is applied with an active material, and

wherein, in a plan view from a top surface of the electric storage device, the electrolyte solution pouring opening is located outside of the first portion of the electric storage element.

2. The electric storage device according to claim 1, wherein the case is substantially formed into a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape, the electrolyte solution pouring opening being formed in a face of the case mounted with the electrode terminal, and

wherein the current collector includes the first attitude portion and a second attitude portion that is in an attitude along a side face of the case substantially orthogonal to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed, the first attitude portion and the second attitude portion being formed by a plate-shaped member bent into a substantially L shape.

3. The electric storage device according to claim 1, wherein the through hole is formed in a position displaced from a position of the current collector facing the electrolyte solution pouring opening.

4. The electric storage device according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating sealing member disposed between the case and the current collector when the current collector and a wiring member passing through the case are mounted with the case interposed therebetween,

wherein the sealing member includes an extending portion for entering a gap formed between the current collector and a side face of the case substantially orthogonal to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed.

5. The electric storage device according to claim 2, wherein the through hole is formed in a position displaced from a position of the current collector facing the electrolyte solution pouring opening.

6. The electric storage device according to claim 2, further comprising an insulating sealing member disposed between the case and the current collector when the current collector and a wiring member passing through the case are mounted with the case interposed therebetween,

wherein the sealing member includes an extending portion for entering a gap formed between the current collector and a side face of the case substantially orthogonal to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed.

7. The electric storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the electric storage element applied with the active material is opposed to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed.

8. The electric storage device according to claim 7, wherein the electric storage element includes a second portion and a third portion not applied with the active material on both sides of the first portion.

9. The electric storage device according to claim 2, wherein the electrode terminal comprises a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal that protrude from the outer side of the case and are insulated from the case, and

wherein the current collector comprises a positive current collector and a negative current collector connected to the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal, respectively.

10. The electric storage device according to claim 9, wherein, in a direction that is parallel to the first attitude portion and is penetrating the second attitude portion, positions where the positive and negative current collectors and the electric storage element are connected are farther away from a center of the electric storage element than positions where the positive and negative electrode terminals are connected to the positive and negative current collectors, respectively.

11. The electric storage device according to claim 1, wherein the electric storage element has a pair of flat outer surfaces and a pair of curved surfaces connecting the flat outer surfaces, and

wherein one of the curved surfaces is opposed to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed.

12. The electric storage device according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the second portion and the third portion of the electric storage element is opposed to the electrolyte solution pouring opening.

13. The electric storage device according to claim 1, wherein the current collector further includes a second attitude portion that is in an attitude along a side face of the case substantially orthogonal to the face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed, in the cross sectional view of the electric storage device, the through hole longitudinally extending in the second attitude portion.

14. The electric storage device according to claim 13, wherein the current collector further includes a connection portion protruding from the second attitude portion toward the electric storage element, the connection portion connecting the current collector to the electric storage element.

15. The electric storage device according to claim 14, wherein, in the plan view, the through hole is located inside the connection portion.

16. An electric storage device, comprising:

a case including an electrolyte solution pouring opening through which an electrolyte solution is to be poured into the case;

an electric storage element housed in the case;

an electrode terminal disposed on an outer side of the case; and

a current collector including an attitude portion disposed in an attitude along a face in which the electrolyte solution pouring opening is formed, to block a view of the electric storage element from the electrolyte solution pouring opening, the current collector electrically connecting the electric storage element and the electrode terminal,

wherein a portion of the electric storage element is applied with an active material, and

wherein, in a plan view from a top surface of the electric storage device, the electrolyte solution pouring opening is located outside of the portion of the electric storage element.