Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Intracell assembly having cell electrode connector
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-18
2004-07-13
Tsang-Foster, Susy (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...
Intracell assembly having cell electrode connector
C429S211000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06761993
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 11-267001, filed Sep. 21, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode plate unit for a rechargeable battery and a manufacturing method of same.
2. Description of Related Art
Batteries are classified into primary batteries and secondary batteries or rechargeable batteries, and there are various configurations for each of these two types of battery.
FIG. 17
shows a conventional battery module made by connecting a plurality of rechargeable batteries and coupling them together as one so as to obtain the necessary power. In this battery module, a plurality of cells
41
(
41
a
to
41
j
) made of sealed alkaline rechargeable batteries as shown in
FIG. 18
are arranged side by side, with the long lateral walls of their battery cases
42
adjacent each other. End plates
52
are arranged against the outside of the cells
41
a
and
41
j
at both ends, and the group of batteries and the two end plates
52
are bound together with binding bands
53
so as to couple the cells together as one piece.
For the cells
41
, an electrode plate group
47
, comprising positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates layered with intervening separators, thereby constituting elements for electromotive force, is accommodated in a battery case
42
together with a liquid electrolyte, and the open end of the battery case
42
is closed with a lid
46
provided with a safety vent
45
. From the upper end at one side of the positive electrode plates forming the electrode plate group
47
, leads
49
extend upward and are connected to a positive electrode terminal
43
above them, and similarly, from the upper end of the other side of the negative electrode plates, leads
49
extend upward and are connected to an negative electrode terminal
44
above them. The positive electrode terminal
43
and the negative electrode terminal
44
are attached to the lid
46
.
The positive electrode terminals
43
and negative electrode terminals
44
of coupled neighboring cells
41
are connected by connection plates
51
, thereby connecting all cells
41
in series. When the battery cases
42
are coupled, ribs
48
, which protrude vertically from the long lateral walls of the battery cases
42
, are abutted against each other, forming coolant passages running in the vertical direction along the long lateral walls of the battery cases
42
in the space between ribs
48
. The cells
41
a
to
41
j
are cooled by flowing air through these coolant passages.
The leads
49
are integrated to the electrode plate group
47
by welding. For the welding of the leads, according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 7-220715, for example, laser welding is used more favorably than resistance welding, because, in resistance welding, the welding defects are often formed by the generation of sparks caused by oxide films or other foreign substances that exist in the welding portion, and uniform welding cannot always be accomplished. Thus laser welding is more favorably applied, and specifically, leads are usually provided with through-holes, through which laser beams are passed, whereby these through-holes are closed with molten metal, and when the metal eventually cools down and sets, the leads are integrally welded together.
With the configuration for the cells
41
of this conventional battery module, leads
49
extend from a portion at the upper end on one side of the electrodes and are connected to the electrode terminals
43
and
44
, and consequently, there were the problems that the internal resistance of the battery was large, because the average distance from the surface of the electrodes to the collector portions of the leads
49
was long, and that the power output was low, because the utilization rate of the electrode active material was low.
The inventors of the present application have proposed an electrode plate unit for a rechargeable battery, wherein collector plates are abutted on the entire surface of the opposite lateral ends of the group of electrode plates, with lateral edges of each of electrode plates being integrally welded to the collector plates. In connecting the lateral edges of the electrode plates to the collector plates, however, sufficient bond cannot be achieved in the case of employing a seam-welding method, with the result that power output of the battery is decreased, or the welding strength is low. On the other hand, if laser welding is used, it is difficult to accomplish secure bonding of electrode plates with the collector plates without causing any adverse effects to the electrode plates. Accordingly, there is the need for a method of bonding lateral edges of electrode plates with collector plates in a favorable condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of these problems of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode plate unit for a rechargeable battery, in which one lateral edge of an electrode plate group is securely bonded to a collector plate, and to a manufacturing method thereof.
To achieve the above object, a battery according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an electrode plate unit, including:
a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates that are alternately stacked upon one another with intervening separators therebetween, thereby constituting a group of electrode plates, wherein lateral edges of the positive electrode plates protrude beyond the negative electrode plates on one side, and lateral edges of the negative electrode plates protrude beyond the group of positive electrode plates on the opposite side; and
a positive electrode collector plate and a negative electrode collector plate that are respectively bonded to said protruded lateral edges of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates, wherein the positive electrode collector plate and the negative electrode collector plate are formed with protruded portions on a surface which is to be bonded to the lateral edges of the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates.
While novel features of the invention are set forth in the preceding, the invention, both as to organization and content, can be further understood and appreciated, along with other objects and features thereof, from the following detailed description and examples when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.
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Fujioka Noriyuki
Kajiya Hiromi
Karasawa Shoji
Masaki Masaru
Taniguchi Akihiro
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Tsang-Foster Susy
LandOfFree
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