Rechargeable battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9634299-B2
Application number	US-201213396463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2012
Priority date	Sep 6, 2011
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including a first electrode having a first polarity and a second electrode having a second polarity, the second polarity being different from the first polarity; a case housing the electrode assembly; a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode; a cap plate coupled to an opening of the case; a first lower insulating member between the first electrode and the cap plate; and a first short-circuit member between the first terminal and the first lower insulating member, and configured to be deformed to electrically connect the first electrode to the cap plate, wherein the first terminal includes a first fixing portion electrically connected to the first electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rechargeable battery comprising:
an electrode assembly comprising a first electrode having a first polarity and a second electrode having a second polarity, the second polarity being different from the first polarity;
a case housing the electrode assembly;
a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode and comprising a first short-circuit protrusion;
a first current collecting member electrically connected between the first electrode and the first terminal, the first current collecting member comprising an electrode connecting portion connected to the first electrode and a terminal connecting portion extending from the electrode connecting portion;
a cap plate coupled to an opening of the case and electrically connected to the second electrode, the first short-circuit protrusion protruding at least partially through a short-circuit hole in the cap plate;
a first lower insulating member between the first electrode and the cap plate; and
a first short-circuit member comprising a peripheral portion and a curved portion, electrically connected to the cap plate and arranged between the first terminal and the terminal connecting portion of the first current collecting member at the short-circuit hole, and configured to be deformed to electrically connect the first electrode to the second electrode via the cap plate such that, when a pressure inside the case is less than a deformation pressure of the first short-circuit member, the curved portion curves toward the electrode assembly, and when the pressure inside the case is greater than the deformation pressure, the curved portion curves toward and contacts the first short-circuit protrusion,
wherein the first terminal comprises a first fixing portion electrically connected to the first electrode.

2. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , further comprising a first upper insulating member between the first terminal and the cap plate.

3. The rechargeable battery of claim 2 , wherein the first upper insulating member comprises:
a plate portion, the plate portion having a hole; and
a first insulating protrusion extending from an edge of the hole through the short-circuit hole in the cap plate,
wherein the first short-circuit protrusion extends through the hole.

4. The rechargeable battery of claim 3 , wherein the first insulating protrusion comprises two arc portions spaced apart from one another, and
wherein the first upper insulating member further has two buffer holes, each of the buffer holes being located between a corresponding one of the arc portions and the plate portion.

5. The rechargeable battery of claim 4 , wherein the first upper insulating member further comprises a support portion extending across the hole, the arc portions being coupled to the support portion.

6. The rechargeable battery of claim 3 , wherein the first upper insulating member further comprises a sidewall extending from side edges of the plate portion and enclosing side edges of the first terminal.

7. The rechargeable battery of claim 3 , wherein the first upper insulating member further comprises a second insulating protrusion extending through a hole in the cap plate, the second insulating protrusion having a hole, and
wherein the first fixing portion extends through the hole of the second insulating protrusion.

8. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal further comprises a first connecting terminal electrically connected to the first electrode, the first connecting terminal comprising a first terminal column protruding away from the electrode assembly, and
wherein the first short-circuit protrusion protrudes from the first connecting terminal toward the electrode assembly.

9. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , further comprising a first support plate between the cap plate and the electrode assembly.

10. The rechargeable battery of claim 9 , wherein the first fixing portion is riveted or welded to the first support plate.

11. The rechargeable battery of claim 10 ,
wherein the first fixing portion extends through the first current collecting member and is riveted or welded to the first current collecting member.

12. The rechargeable battery of claim 11 , wherein each of the first current collecting member, the first support plate, and the first lower insulating member has a hole, and
wherein the hole of the first current collecting member is aligned with the holes of the first support plate and the first lower insulating member.

13. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , wherein the first terminal further comprises a second fixing portion protruding through the cap plate, the second fixing portion being spaced apart from the first fixing portion, and the first short-circuit member being located between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion.

14. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second terminal electrically connected to the second electrode; and
a second lower insulating member between the second electrode and the cap plate,
wherein the second terminal comprises a second fixing portion electrically connected to the second electrode.

15. The rechargeable battery of claim 14 , further comprising:
a second short-circuit member configured to be deformed to electrically connect the cap plate to the second electrode; and
a second upper insulating member between the second terminal and the cap plate,
wherein the second terminal further comprises a second short-circuit protrusion protruding through the cap plate.

16. The rechargeable battery of claim 15 , wherein the second terminal further comprises a second connecting terminal electrically connected to the second electrode, the second connecting terminal comprising a second terminal column protruding away from the electrode assembly, and
wherein the second short-circuit protrusion protrudes from the second connecting terminal toward the electrode assembly.

17. The rechargeable battery of claim 1 , wherein the terminal connecting portion of the first current collecting member has an opening, and
wherein the first short-circuit member is in fluid communication with the inside of the case through the opening in the terminal connecting portion of the first current collecting member.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Kim Duk-Jung

Classifications

• H01M50/578 Primary

  in response to pressure · CPC title

• H01M50/566

  by welding, soldering or brazing · CPC title

• H01M50/55

  on the same side of the cell · CPC title

• H01M50/531

  Electrode connections inside a battery casing · CPC title

• H01M50/567

  by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts · CPC title