Rechargeable battery with separating member between current collector and battery case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9299972-B2
Application number	US-201213439381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2012
Priority date	Sep 28, 2011
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A battery includes an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a current collector, the current collector being electrically and mechanically coupled to one of the electrodes, a case, the electrode assembly and the current collector being disposed within the case, a cap plate, the cap plate having a terminal protruding therefrom, the terminal being electrically coupled to the current collector, and a separating member, the separating member having a protrusion portion and a body portion, the protrusion portion being fixed to the cap plate, and the body portion extending along a length of the current collector and being interposed between the current collector and an inner wall of the case.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery, comprising:
an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
a current collector, the current collector being electrically and mechanically coupled to one of the electrodes;
a case, the electrode assembly and the current collector being disposed within the case;
a cap plate, the cap plate having a terminal protruding therefrom, the terminal having a flange interposed between the cap plate and the current collector, the terminal being electrically coupled to the current collector; and
a separating member, the separating member being electrically insulating, the separating member having a protrusion portion, a body portion, and a fixing plate, the protrusion portion having an opening through which the terminal flange passes and being fixed to the cap plate, the body portion extending along a length of the current collector and being interposed between the current collector and an inner wall of the case, and the fixing plate extending from the separating member beyond the current collector and into a center region of the electrode assembly.

2. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
another current collector, the other current collector being coupled to another one of the electrodes; and
another separating member, the other separating member having a body portion extending along the other current collector and being interposed between the other current collector and another inner wall of the case.

3. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the case has an opening and a bottom interior surface, the opening being closed by the cap plate, and the bottom interior surface being opposite the opening, and
the separating member includes a supporting unit extending from the separating member, the supporting unit extending along a bottom side of the electrode assembly, the bottom side of the electrode assembly being proximate to the bottom interior surface of the case.

4. The battery as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the supporting unit is interposed between the bottom side of the electrode assembly and the bottom interior surface of the case.

5. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing plate is configured to support the electrode assembly along an inner portion thereof.

6. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising another separating member, wherein the fixing plate extends toward another fixing plate in the center region of the electrode assembly, the other fixing plate extending from the other separating member.

7. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the current collector is between the separating member and the electrode assembly, and the fixing plate extends through an opening in the current collector.

8. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing plate is electrically insulating.

9. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the separating member and the fixing plate are formed as an integral unit.

10. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising another electrode assembly, wherein the separating member includes another fixing plate extending from the separating member into a center region of the other electrode assembly.

11. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising first and second fixing walls extending from the separating member, the first and second fixing walls extending along respective outer surfaces of the electrode assembly.

12. The battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the fixing walls are configured to support the electrode assembly along the outer surfaces thereof.

13. The battery as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the fixing walls are electrically insulating.

14. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery is a prismatic secondary battery.

15. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an insulating member interposed between the protrusion portion and the cap plate.

16. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body portion has a receiving groove therein, the receiving groove being configured to receive the current collector.

17. The battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body portion and the protrusion portion have a receiving groove therein, the receiving groove being configured to receive the current collector in the body portion and the protrusion portion.

18. The battery as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the protrusion portion contacts the cap plate.

19. A vehicle, comprising:
a power source, the power source providing a motive power for the vehicle; and
at least one rechargeable battery configured to provide electricity to the power source, the at least one rechargeable battery including:
an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
a current collector, the current collector being electrically and mechanically coupled to one of the electrodes;
a case, the electrode assembly and the current collector being disposed within the case;
a cap plate, the cap plate having a terminal protruding therefrom, the terminal having a flange interposed between the cap plate and the current collector, the terminal being electrically coupled to the current collector; and
a separating member, the separating member being electrically insulating, the separating member having a protrusion portion a body portion, and a fixing plate, the protrusion portion having an opening through which the terminal flange passes and being fixed to the cap plate, the body portion extending along a length of the current collector and being interposed between the current collector and an inner wall of the case, and the fixing plate extending from the separating member beyond the current collector and into a center region of the electrode assembly.

Assignees

• Kim Duk-Jung
• Kim Joong-Heon
• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Kim Duk-Jung
• Kim Joong-Heon

Classifications

• H01M10/0431 Primary

  Cells with wound or folded electrodes (H01M10/045 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/176

  for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/181 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/103 Primary

  prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/049

  Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container · CPC title

• H01M10/0463

  Cells or batteries with horizontal or inclined electrodes · CPC title