Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Electrode
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-25
2004-01-20
Ryan, Patrick (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...
Electrode
C429S209000, C429S211000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06680146
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode plate unit and a battery using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, secondary batteries are becoming used for various applications. In particular, the application as a driving source of an electric car is to be increased in the future under circumstances in which global environmental protection and effective use of energy resources increasingly have been demanded. With such a variation of applications, the further improvement of the battery property and reliability of a secondary battery have been required.
FIG. 14
shows a conventional secondary battery. In this structure, a battery case
51
housing a group of electrode plates
52
and electrolyte is closed by a lid
57
provided with a safety valve
56
. As shown in
FIG. 15
, the group of electrode plates
52
has a structure in which a plurality of positive electrode plates
61
and a plurality of negative electrode plates
62
are laminated alternately via separators
63
. The positive electrode plate
61
and the negative electrode plate
62
are formed by filling a substrate with an active material. As shown in
FIG. 14
, a lead
53
is led out of the positive electrode plate and connected to the positive electrode terminal
54
provided on the lid
57
. Similarly, a lead is led out of the negative electrode plate and connected to the negative electrode terminal
55
provided on the lid
57
.
Substrates forming each electrode are produced by cutting out a metal plate. Since a punched metal is used for a substrate for the negative electrode plate, little flashing is formed due to the cutting. On the other hand, when a foam metal is used for a substrate for the positive electrode plate, fibrous flashing is likely to be formed due to the cutting work. Therefore, as shown in
FIG. 15
, there has been a problem in that a flashing
61
a
that occurs on the end portion of the positive electrode plate
61
passes through the separator
63
and is brought into contact with the negative electrode
62
, thereby causing an internal short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes.
Furthermore, in the above-mentioned conventional secondary battery, there is a problem in that since a side face of the group of electrode plates is exposed, when the group of electrode plates is inserted into the battery case for producing a battery, the electrode plate touches the wall surface of the battery case and may be damaged. One possible example of a structure of the secondary battery proposed in order to avoid such a problem is a structure in which an electrode plate unit in which a positive electrode collector plate is connected to one side of the group of electrode plates and a negative electrode collector plate is connected to another side of the group of electrode plates is housed in a battery case together with electrolyte, and both electrode collector plates are connected to a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal, respectively. According to this electrode plate unit, since the side face of the group of electrode plates is covered with the collector plate, it is possible to reduce the damage to the electrode plate when the group of electrode plates is inserted into the battery case. In such an electrode plate unit, the group of electrode plates and the collector plate can be connected by welding. By providing the welding places in several places, it is possible to improve the connection strength and collecting efficiency. However, further improvement of the connecting strength between the group of electrode plates and the collector plate and the collecting efficiency are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an electrode plate unit capable of suppressing the internal short circuit caused by flashing that is formed in the end portion of the positive electrode plate and a highly reliable battery using the same. Furthermore, it is a second object of the present invention to provide an electrode plate unit that improves the connecting strength between a group of electrode plates and a collector plate connected to the side face of the group of electrode plates and the collecting efficiency, and a highly reliable battery using the same.
A first electrode plate unit of the present invention includes a group of electrode plates in which a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates are laminated alternately via separators, a positive electrode collector plate being connected to one side face of the group of electrode plates for connection to the positive electrode plates, and a negative electrode collector plate being connected to another side face of the group of electrode plates for connection to the negative electrode plates, wherein the edge portion of the positive electrode plate is protruded from the edge portion of the negative electrode plate on the entire side face of the group of electrode plates excluding the side face to which the negative electrode collector plates are connected.
According to such an electrode plate unit, even if a flashing is formed on an edge of the positive electrode plate, the flashing is not brought into contact with the negative electrode. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes due to the flashing on the positive electrode. Moreover, the “side face” in the group of electrode plates denotes a face parallel to the direction in which the electrode plates are laminated.
It is preferable in the first electrode plate unit that each of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate has positioning holes formed on the edge portion of the side to which the positive electrode collector plate or the negative electrode collector plate is connected.
It is preferable in the first electrode plate unit that each of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate has an electrode portion filled with an active material and a lead portion intervening between the electrode portion and the positive electrode collector plate or the negative electrode collector plate, and that the positioning holes are formed on the lead portion.
It is preferable in the first electrode plate unit that each of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate is provided with a plurality of positioning holes, and at least one of the positioning holes has a circular shape and at least another positioning hole has an slot shape.
It is preferable in the first electrode plate unit that the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate is enveloped by the separator with the edge portion connected to the positive electrode collector plate or the negative electrode collector plate exposed. According to this preferable embodiment, short circuits between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate can be suppressed more sufficiently.
In order to achieve the first object, a second electrode plate unit of the present invention includes a belt-like group of electrode plates in which a positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate that are laminated via a separator is rolled along the direction of the longer side, and the edge portion of the positive electrode plate protrudes from the edge portion of the negative electrode plate at least on a side face of the shorter side of the group of electrode plates. Here, “the shorter side” corresponds to the side parallel to the axial direction of the battery.
Also with such an electrode plate unit, it is possible to suppress the short circuit between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
In order to achieve the second object, a third electrode plate unit includes a group of electrode plates in which a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates are laminated alternately via separators, and a collector plate connected to one side face of the group of electrode plates by a plurality of we
Arai Naoto
Fujioka Noriyuki
Fukuda Shinsuke
Hamada Shinji
Dove Tracy
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Ryan Patrick
LandOfFree
Electrode plate unit and battery does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electrode plate unit and battery, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrode plate unit and battery will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3228265