Flexible electrochemical device including electrode assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10236476-B2
Application number	US-201514864071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

An electrochemical device includes a plurality of electrode assemblies arranged spaced apart from each other in a same direction and a casing member which packages the electrode assemblies, in which the casing member includes a plurality of accommodation portions which accommodates the electrode assemblies, respectively, and a connecting portion which connects between two adjacent accommodation portions, a thickness of the connecting portion is less than a thickness of the accommodation portions, and the connecting portion is bent defining a curved bending portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical device comprising:
a first electrode assembly;
a second electrode assembly adjacent to the first electrode assembly and spaced apart from the first electrode assembly;
a casing member which packages the first and second electrode assemblies, wherein the casing member comprises:
a first accommodation portion which accommodate the first electrode assembly;
a second accommodation portion which accommodates the second electrode assembly; and
a connecting portion which connects the first and second accommodation portions to each other; and

electrolytes disposed in the first and second accommodation portions,
wherein a thickness of the connecting portion is less than a thickness of the first and second accommodation portions, and
the connecting portion is bent defining a curved bending portion,
wherein the casing member further comprises:
a lower casing member disposed at a bottom surface of the first and second electrode assemblies; and
an upper casing member disposed above the first and second electrode assemblies,

wherein the lower casing member and the upper casing member collectively define the first accommodation portion, the second accommodation portion and the connecting portion,
wherein
a space surrounding the curved bending portion is divided into a first space and a second space, which are on opposite sides to each other with respect to the curved bending portion,
a center of curvature of each point on the curved bending portion is located in one of a direction of the first space and a direction of the second space, and
the curved bending portion has a bending direction conversion point at which a location of the center of curvature is changed from the direction of the first space to the direction of the second space, or from the direction of the second space to the direction of the first space, and
wherein a portion of the lower casing member corresponding to the curved bending portion has a substantially same shape as a portion of the upper casing member corresponding to the curved bending portion.

2. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein
an inner space is defined in the connecting portion, and
the inner space of the connecting portion is defined by a portion of the lower casing member and a portion of the upper casing member which collectively define the connecting portion, such that the electrolytes are transported between the first and second accommodation portions.

3. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein the lower casing member and the upper casing member are integrally formed as a single unitary.

4. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sealing member which seals an inner portion of the connecting portion such that the electrolytes respectively disposed in the first and second accommodation portions are isolated from each other.

5. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductive line which electrically connects the first and second electrode assemblies to each other,
wherein the conductive line extends between the first and second accommodation portions through an inner space of the connecting portion, and is bent in the connecting portion to have substantially the same shape as the curved bending portion of the connecting portion.

6. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein
the connecting portion is connected between a bottom region of a side surface of the first accommodation portion and a bottom region of a side surface of the second accommodation portion, and
the side surface of the first accommodation portion faces the side surface of the second accommodation portion.

7. The electrochemical device of claim 6 , wherein
the curved bending portion comprises:
a first bent portion bent in a way such that the connecting portion faces the side surface of the first accommodation portion:
a second bent portion bent in a way such that the connecting portion faces the side surface of the second accommodation portion; and
a ridge portion connected between the first bent portion and the second bent portion,
wherein a center of curvature of the first and second bent portions is on an opposite side to a center of curvature of the ridge portion.

8. The electrochemical device of claim 7 , wherein a highest surface of the connecting portion facing the center of curvature of the ridge portion, is higher than a lowest surface of the connecting portion facing the center of curvature of the first and second bent portions.

9. The electrochemical device of claim 7 , further comprising:
at least one of a first fixing member and a second fixing member,
wherein
the first fixing member is disposed between the first accommodation portion and the first bent portion and fixes the first bent portion to the side surface of the first accommodation portion, and
the second fixing member is disposed between the second accommodation portion and the second bent portion and fixes the second bent portion to the side surface of the second accommodation portion.

10. The electrochemical device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a fixing member which is fixed to support an inside surface of the ridge portion,
wherein the inside surface of the ridge portion faces the center of curvature of the ridge portion.

11. The electrochemical device of claim 7 , wherein the ridge portion is bent in a way such that the ridge portion protrudes above upper surfaces of the first and second accommodation portions to face at least a portion of the upper surface of the first accommodation portion or at least a portion of the upper surface of the second accommodation portion.

12. The electrochemical device of claim 6 , wherein the curved bending portion is formed to protrude downwards from lower surfaces of the first and second accommodation portions.

13. The electrochemical device of claim 6 , wherein the curved bending portion comprises:
a first bent portion bent in a way such that the connecting portion faces the first side surface of the first accommodation portion;
a second bent portion bent in a way such that the connecting portion faces the second side surface of the second accommodation portion;
a plurality of ridge portions defined between the first bent portion and the second bent portion; and
a valley portion defined between the ridge portions.

14. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein
the connecting portion is connected between a bottom region of a side surface of the first accommodation portion and a top region of a first side surface of the second accommodation portion, and
the side surface of the first accommodation portion faces the first side surface of the second accommodation portion.

15. The electrochemical device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a third electrode assembly spaced apart from the second electrode assembly,
wherein the casing member further comprises a third accommodation portion which accommodates the third electrode assembly and is filled with the electrolytes, and
the connecting portion connects between a top region of a second side surface of the second accommodation portion and a bottom region of a side surface of the third accommodation portion,
wherein the second side surface of the second accommodation portion faces the side surface of the third accommodation portion.

16. The electrochemical device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a conductive line which electrically connects the first and second electrode assemblies,
wherein the conductive line extends between the first and second accommodation po

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Moonseok
• Choi Jaeman
• Do Euncheol
• Chang Jaejun
• Chung Yeonji

Classifications

• H01M50/105 Primary

  Pouches or flexible bags · CPC title

• H01M2/02 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M2002/0205

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title