Battery and assembly method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017373298-A1
Application number	US-201715700764-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 11, 2017
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a sequential and efficient method of assembling a battery with a desired number of layers while reliably separating positive and negative electrode sides from each other with one or more separator structures. According to the invention, the method of assembling a battery includes stacking one or multiple combinations each comprising a frame and a positive electrode plate to be disposed in a region defined by the frame and one or multiple combinations each comprising a frame and a negative electrode plate to be disposed in a region defined by the frame, once or alternately, such that the positive and adjacent negative electrode plates are separated from each other by a separator structure and the periphery of the separator structure is held between the adjacent frames. The separator structure includes a separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of assembling a battery, comprising the step of stacking one or multiple combinations each comprising a frame and a positive electrode plate to be disposed in a region defined by the frame and one or multiple combinations each comprising a frame and a negative electrode plate to be disposed in a region defined by the frame, once or alternately, such that the positive and adjacent negative electrode plates are separated from each other by a separator structure and the periphery of the separator structure is held between the adjacent frames,
wherein the separator structure comprises a separator, the separator exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and water impermeability; and wherein each of two end frames of the frames preliminarily has an end face plate to cover the region defined by the frame; or is disposed on a preliminarily disposed end face plate such that the region defined by the frame is covered by the end face plate; or is configured such that the region defined by the frame is covered by an end face plate after stacking, the stacked frames and the end face plates together thereby making up a single battery container.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the combination comprising the frame and the positive electrode plate to be disposed in the region defined by the frame is produced by disposing the positive electrode plate in the region during or after the arrangement of the frame; or by disposing the frame around the positive electrode plate after the arrangement of the positive electrode plate; or by disposing the frame having the positive electrode plate previously incorporated in the region; and
wherein the combination comprising the frame and the negative electrode plate to be disposed in the region defined by the frame is produced by disposing the negative electrode plate in the region during or after the arrangement of the frame; or by disposing the frame around the negative electrode plate after the arrangement of the negative electrode plate; or by disposing the frame having the negative electrode plate previously incorporated in the region.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the frames each have a cutout, and are stacked such that all of the cutouts of the frames are positioned at the same side and the cutouts together thereby provide the battery container with an opening.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the frames each having the cutout have a substantially U-shape, and the battery container is thereby composed of a casing having the opening.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of covering the opening with a lid.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, the separator structure, the frames, and the end face plates are each disposed horizontally, resulting in upward stacking.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of rotating the stacked-cell battery container, such that the opening is on the top.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, the separator structure, the frames, and the end face plates are each disposed vertically, resulting in sideward stacking.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of injecting an electrolytic solution containing an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide inside the battery container.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the frames each have a stepped portion where each frame has a height lower by at least one step along the inner edge of the frame, and the separator structure is disposed such that the periphery of the separator structure overlaps with the stepped portion of the frame.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the stacking step involves: (i) bonding the adjacent frames to ensure liquid tightness; and/or (ii) bonding the end face plate and the frame to ensure liquid tightness, and/or (iii) bonding the frame and the periphery of the separator structure to ensure liquid tightness.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the frames and the end face plates are made of resin.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the bonding during the stacking step is performed through at least any one technique selected from the group consisting of adhesion with an adhesive, thermal bonding, and solvent bonding.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the thermal bonding during the stacking step is performed by laser welding.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the laser welding during the stacking step is performed such that a laser beam is incident on bonding surfaces of the frames in a substantially perpendicular or parallel direction to melt bonding sites.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of bonding the adjacent frames to ensure liquid tightness; and/or bonding the frame and the end face plate to ensure liquid tightness; and/or bonding the frame and the periphery of the separator structure to ensure liquid tightness, after the stacking step.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the bonding after the stacking step is performed by thermal bonding.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the thermal bonding after the stacking step is performed by laser welding.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the laser welding after the stacking step is performed such that a laser beam is incident on bonding surfaces of the frames in a substantially parallel direction to melt bonding sites.

20 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the separator structure has an outer frame along its circumference, the one or more separators are fitted or connected in and/or on the outer frame, and the outer frame is engaged with the frame.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the outer frame is made of resin.

22 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein a resin capable of being softened or molten during the thermal bonding is disposed between the adjacent frames or near the joint of the adjacent frames, and/or between the end face plate and the frame adjacent to the end face plate or near the joint of the end face plate and the adjacent frame, such that the resin is softened or molten during the thermal bonding to facilitate or enhance the bonding.

23 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are configured such that the upper edge of the positive electrode plate and that of the negative electrode plate are lower than the upper edge of the battery container, when the battery container is placed such that the opening is on the top.

24 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the battery container comprises an extra positive-electrode space in a region containing the positive electrode and an extra negative-electrode space in a region containing the negative electrode, wherein the extra positive-electrode space has a volume that meets a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the positive electrode during charge and discharge of the battery, and the extra negative-electrode space has a volume that meets a variation in amount of water in association with reaction at the negative electrode during charge and discharge of the battery.

25 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein th

Assignees

• Ngk Insulators Ltd

Inventors

• Kitoh Kenshin
• Yamada Naohito
• Kawamura Kenji
• Gonda Yuichi

Classifications

• H01M10/281

  Large cells or batteries with stacks of plate-like electrodes · CPC title

• H01M10/0413 Primary

  Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes · CPC title

• H01M2300/0014

  Alkaline electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M10/0561

  the electrolyte being constituted of inorganic materials only · CPC title

• H01M12/08

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title