Apparatus for a prismatic battery cell with built-in springs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12592409-B2
Application number	US-202217950498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2022
Priority date	Sep 22, 2022
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

An apparatus for prismatic battery cell is provided. The apparatus includes a hard outer case defining an internal volume. The apparatus further includes an electrode stack disposed within the internal volume and includes a pair of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode. The electrode stack further includes a plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other. The electrode pair layers each include a planar surface. The apparatus further includes a built-in spring configured for pressing against the electrode stack in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface of each of the electrode pair layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for prismatic battery cell, the apparatus comprising:
a hard outer case defining an internal volume; an electrode stack disposed within the internal volume and including a pair of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode and including a plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other, wherein the electrode pair layers each include a planar surface, wherein the anode electrode is a high-expansion anode electrode and expands in volume by at least 50% between a fully delithiated state to a fully lithiated state; and a built-in spring configured for pressing against the electrode stack in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface of each of the electrode pair layers; wherein the plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other include a first plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other, a second plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other, and a third plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other with the built-in spring including a first plurality of built-in springs located between the first plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other and the second plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other and a second plurality of built-in springs located between the second plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other and the third plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a hard plastic supporting plate disposed between the built-in spring and the electrode stack, wherein the hard plastic supporting plate is configured for evenly distributing force upon the electrode stack.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the hard plastic supporting plate is affixed to the built-in spring and is configured for maintaining a location and an orientation of the built-in spring within the prismatic battery cell.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode stack includes a stack of flat pairs of the anode electrodes and the cathode electrodes.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anode electrode includes lithium metal.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anode electrode is a high-silicon content anode electrode, wherein silicon is present in the anode electrode in a range from 5 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the anode electrode.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the built-in spring is configured for maintaining at least a minimum electrode pressure upon the electrode stack when the anode electrode is in a fully delithiated state.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the built-in spring is configured for not exceeding a maximum electrode pressure upon the electrode stack when the anode electrode is in a fully lithiated state.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hard outer case is a rectangular polyhedron including a relatively long edge and a relatively short edge which is shorter than the relatively long edge.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the planar surface of each of the electrode pair layers is perpendicular to the relatively short edge.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the planar surface of each of the electrode pair layers is perpendicular to the relatively long edge.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hard outer case is a rectangular polyhedron having a first side and a second side; and
further comprising: a first tab including a first battery terminal disposed on the first side; and a second tab including a second battery terminal disposed on the second side.

13 . A system comprising:
a device including a prismatic battery cell including:
a hard outer case defining an internal volume;
an electrode stack disposed within the internal volume and including a pair of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode and including a plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other, wherein the electrode pair layers each include a planar surface, wherein the anode electrode is a high-expansion anode electrode and expands in volume by at least 50% between a fully delithiated state to a fully lithiated state; and
a plurality of built-in springs configured for pressing against the electrode stack in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface of each of the electrode pair layers;
wherein the plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other include a first plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other, a second plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other, and a third plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other with the plurality of built-in spring including a first plurality of built-in springs located between the first plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other and the second plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other and a second plurality of built-in springs located between the second plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other and the third plurality of electrode pair layers stacked parallel to each other.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the device is a vehicle.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the anode electrode includes lithium metal.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the anode electrode is a high-silicon content anode electrode, wherein silicon is present in the anode electrode in a range from 5 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the anode electrode.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the built-in spring is configured for maintaining at least a minimum electrode pressure upon the electrode stack when the anode electrode is in a fully delithiated state.

18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the built-in spring is configured for not exceeding a maximum electrode pressure upon the electrode stack when the anode electrode is in a fully lithiated state.

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the hard outer case is a rectangular polyhedron including a relatively long edge and a relatively short edge which is shorter than the relatively long edge.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the planar surface of each of the electrode pair layers is perpendicular to the relatively short edge.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Xi Liang
• Li Binsong
• Katar Srilakshmi

Classifications

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M2004/027

  Negative electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/134

  Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title