Battery and battery pack

Abstract

Disclosed is a battery capable of improving the efficiency of the structure of a terminal and a current collecting portion while ensuring the strength of the terminal. The battery of the present disclosure has an electrode laminate, a current collecting portion, and a terminal. The electrode laminate is electrically connected to the terminal via the current collecting portion. The terminal has a base portion, a protruding portion, and an opening. The protruding portion protrudes from the base portion toward the electrode laminate side. The shape of the opening is defined by the protruding portion. The current collecting portion is inserted into the opening and connected to the terminal. A portion of the protruding portion is thicker than the other portions of the protruding portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application discloses batteries and battery packs. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which an electrode stack and a cover terminal are electrically connected in a battery via a current collector, and an outer casing is bonded to the outer periphery of the cover terminal while the current collector and the electrode stack are housed inside the outer casing.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-084066 Summary of the Invention

[0006] In conventional batteries, there is room for improvement in ensuring terminal strength while enhancing the structural efficiency of the terminals and the area surrounding the current collector.

[0007] In this application, several methods are disclosed as means to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] <Method 1>

[0009] A battery, wherein the battery has an electrode stack, a current collector, and terminals. The electrode stack is electrically connected to the terminal via the current collector. The terminal has a base, a protrusion, and an opening. The protrusion extends from the base toward the electrode stack side. The shape of the opening is defined by the protrusion. The current collector is inserted into the opening and connected to the terminal. One part of the protrusion is thicker than the other parts of the protrusion.

[0010] <Method 2>

[0011] According to the battery of method 1, where, The opening is rectangular in shape. The rectangle has a first side and a second side that are opposite each other, and a third side and a fourth side that are opposite each other. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion constitutes the first side. The second protrusion constitutes the second side. The third protrusion constitutes the third side. The fourth protrusion constitutes the fourth side. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

[0012] <Method 3>

[0013] According to the battery of method 1 or 2, where, The opening is rectangular in shape. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion forms one of the shorter sides of the rectangle. The second protrusion forms the other short sides of the rectangle. The third protrusion forms one long side of the rectangle. The fourth protrusion forms the other long sides of the rectangle. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

[0014] <Method 4>

[0015] According to the battery of method 3, where, The stacking direction in the electrode stack is along the short side. The width direction of the electrode stack is along the long side.

[0016] <Method 5>

[0017] Based on any one of methods 1 to 4, where, The protrusion protrudes from the outer edge of the base.

[0018] <Method 6>

[0019] Based on any one of methods 1 to 5, where, The base has a rectangular planar shape. The rectangle has a first side and a second side that are opposite each other, and a third side and a fourth side that are opposite each other. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes from the first side. The second protrusion protrudes from the second side. The third protrusion protrudes from the third side. The fourth protrusion protrudes from the fourth side. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

[0020] <Method 7>

[0021] Based on any one of methods 1 to 6, where, The base has a rectangular planar shape. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes from one of the short sides of the rectangle. The second protrusion extends from the other short sides of the rectangle. The third protrusion extends from one of the long sides of the rectangle. The fourth protrusion extends from the other long sides of the rectangle. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

[0022] <Method 8>

[0023] According to the battery of method 7, where, The stacking direction in the electrode stack is along the short side. The width direction of the electrode stack is along the long side.

[0024] <Method 9>

[0025] Based on any one of methods 1 to 8, where, The ratio of the width of the current collector to the width of the opening is 0.9 or more.

[0026] <Method 10>

[0027] Based on any one of methods 1 to 9, where, The thickness of the base is less than the protrusion length of the protrusion.

[0028] <Method 11>

[0029] According to any one of methods 1 to 10, where, The thickness of the terminal is thinner than the thickness of the electrode stack.

[0030] <Method 12>

[0031] According to any one of methods 1 to 11, where, The base has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface faces the electrode stack side. The second surface faces the side opposite to the first surface. The current collector is engaged with the first surface of the base.

[0032] <Method 13>

[0033] According to the battery of method 12, wherein, A busbar is connected to the second surface of the base.

[0034] <Method 14>

[0035] According to the battery of method 12 or 13, among which, A portion of the current collector is ultrasonically bonded or laser-bonded to the first surface of the base.

[0036] <Method 15>

[0037] According to any one of methods 1 to 14, of which, The protrusion has an insulating layer on the end face of the electrode stack side.

[0038] <Method 16>

[0039] According to any one of methods 1 to 15, where, The protrusion has an outer surface and an inner surface. The electrode stack and the current collector are housed within a laminated outer casing. The laminated outer casing is bonded to the outer side of the protrusion.

[0040] <Method 17>

[0041] A battery pack, wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of batteries and at least one busbar, The busbar electrically connects one of the batteries to the other batteries. One of the aforementioned batteries and one or both of the other batteries have an electrode stack, a current collector, and terminals. The electrode stack is electrically connected to the terminal via the current collector. The terminal has a base, a protrusion, and an opening. The base has: The first side, facing the electrode stack; and The second side faces the opposite side to the first side and is connected to the busbar. The protrusion protrudes from the first surface of the base toward the electrode laminate side. The shape of the opening is defined by the protrusion. The current collector is inserted into the opening and connected to the terminal.

[0042] <Method 18>

[0043] According to the battery pack of method 17, wherein, The busbar has gaps.

[0044] According to this disclosure, the construction efficiency of the battery, terminals, and the area surrounding the current collector is easily improved (easy to save space), and the strength of the terminals is easily ensured. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 An example of the general appearance and structure of a battery is shown.

[0046] Figure 2 Briefly show Figure 1 An example of the structure of the II-II view section.

[0047] Figure 3 Briefly show Figure 1 An example of the structure of the III-III view section.

[0048] Figure 4 Briefly show Figure 1 An example of the structure of the IV-IV view section.

[0049] Figure 5 An example of the approximate shape of a terminal is shown.

[0050] Figure 6 An example of the cross-sectional shape of a terminal is shown in a simplified manner.

[0051] Figure 7 An example of the cross-sectional shape of a terminal is shown in a simplified manner.

[0052] Figure 8 This is a simplified illustration of the shape of the front end of the protrusion and an example of the shape of the opening.

[0053] Figure 9 An example of the cross-sectional shape of a terminal is shown in a simplified manner.

[0054] Figure 10 An example of a cross-sectional shape is shown schematically when an insulating layer is provided on a portion of the terminal.

[0055] Figure 11 An example of the bonding method between the terminals and the outer casing is shown in a schematic manner. The current collector and electrode stack are not shown in the schematic.

[0056] Figure 12 This is a simplified example of the external structure of a battery pack. Only the terminals and the structure near the busbars are shown.

[0057] Figure 13This is a simplified example of the state of a terminal push-probe.

[0058] Figure 14 The analysis results regarding the amount of heat generated around the terminals are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The following describes one embodiment of the battery of the present disclosure, but the battery of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0060] like Figures 1-8 As shown, a battery 100 according to one embodiment has an electrode stack 10, a current collector 20, and a terminal 30. The electrode stack 10 is electrically connected to the terminal 30 via the current collector 20. The terminal 30 has a base 31, a protrusion 32, and an opening 33. The protrusion 32 protrudes from the base 31 toward the electrode stack 10. The shape of the opening 33 is defined by the protrusion 32. The current collector 20 is inserted into the opening 33 and connected to the terminal 30. A portion of the protrusion 32 is thicker than the rest of the protrusion 32.

[0061] 1. Electrode laminate

[0062] The battery 100 supplies the power generated by the electrode stack 10 to external devices via the current collector 20 and terminals 30. That is, the electrode stack 10 functions as a power generation element of the battery 100.

[0063] like Figure 2 As shown in Figure 4, the electrode stack 10 can be a structure formed by stacking multiple electrode bodies. Each electrode body may include, for example, a layer composed of a positive current collector, a positive active material layer, an electrolyte layer, a negative active material layer, and a layer composed of a negative current collector. Known structures can be used for the positive current collector, the positive active material layer, the electrolyte layer, the negative active material layer, and the negative current collector. The electrode stack 10 may contain a solid electrolyte, a liquid electrolyte, or both. When the electrode stack 10 contains at least a solid electrolyte, it is easy to obtain a battery 100 with excellent mechanical properties, output characteristics, etc. The shape of the stacking surface of each layer constituting the electrode stack 10 may also be, for example, rectangular.

[0064] The number of electrode layers in the electrode stack 10 is not particularly limited. Multiple electrode layers in the electrode stack 10 can be connected in series or in parallel. The electrode stack 10 can also have a bipolar structure. Furthermore, in the electrode stack 10, an insulating layer or similar material can be provided between one electrode layer and other electrode layers to insulate the stacked surfaces of the electrode layers from each other. Figure 2As shown, in the battery 100, multiple electrode bodies can be electrically connected to each other through the current collector 20. For example, multiple electrode bodies can be electrically connected to each other in parallel through the current collector 20.

[0065] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the electrode stack 10 may have an end face 10x on one end side of the stacking direction of each of the aforementioned layers, an end face 10y on the other end side of the stacking direction, and a side face 10z connecting the end face 10x and the other end face 10y. The side face 10z may be formed by the outer edges of each layer constituting the electrode stack 10. In the electrode stack 10, since the stacking area of ​​each layer is different, the side face 10z may also have unevenness or gaps. In addition, the side face 10z may also have a surface along the stacking direction of each layer in the electrode stack 10. In addition, the current collector 20 described later may protrude from the side face 10z of the electrode stack 10 toward the terminal 30. The electrode stack 10 may also be integrally formed as a plate or a cuboid shape.

[0066] like Figure 2 As shown in Figure 4, the electrode stack 10 may have a thickness T along the stacking direction. 10 The thickness T of the electrode stack 10 10 No specific limitations are specified. The thickness T of the electrode stack 10 10 For example, it can also be 5mm or more and 100mm or less, or 10mm or more and 50mm or less.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown in Figure 4, the electrode stack 10 may have a width W along the stack surface on the side 10z protruding from the current collector 20. 10 The width W of the electrode stack 10 10 No specific limitations are specified. The width W of the electrode stack 10 10 For example, it can also be 10mm or more and 500mm or less, or 50mm or more and 200mm or less.

[0068] 2. Current collector

[0069] The current collector 20 protrudes from the electrode stack 10 toward the terminal 30, electrically connecting the electrode stack 10 and the terminal 30. More specifically, as... Figure 2 As shown in Figure 3, a portion of the current collector 20, including the front end of the terminal 30 side, is inserted into the opening 33 of the terminal 30, and the portion of the current collector 20 can be connected to the surface of the terminal 30.

[0070] like Figure 2As shown in Figure 3, the current collector 20 can be, for example, a structure in which multiple current collectors protruding from the side 10z of the electrode stack 10 toward the terminal 30 are bundled together. The number of current collectors protruding from the electrode stack 10 in the same direction is not particularly limited; for example, it can be 10 or more and 200 or less, or 30 or more and 100 or less. In the battery 100, the current collector 20 can be a structure in which multiple positive current collectors are bundled together, or it can be a structure in which multiple negative current collectors are bundled together. In the battery 100, the multiple current collectors protruding from the side 10z of the electrode stack 10 toward the terminal 30 can be either a single bundle or divided into multiple bundles and then combined.

[0071] The current collector constituting the current collector section 20 can be, for example, a metal foil or a metal mesh. From the viewpoint of superior workability, the current collector section 20 may also include multiple metal foils. Examples of metals constituting the current collector include Cu, Ni, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Al, Fe, Ti, Zn, Co, and stainless steel. The current collector may also have a coating on its surface for purposes such as adjusting resistance. Furthermore, if the current collector section 20 is composed of multiple metal foils, a layer may be formed between these multiple metal foils. The thickness of each current collector is not particularly limited. For example, it can be 0.1 μm or more, 1 μm or more, 1 mm or less, or 100 μm or less.

[0072] like Figure 3 As shown, the current collector 20 may have a width W in a direction orthogonal to the protruding direction of the current collector 20 from the electrode stack 10 and along the stacking surface of the electrode stack 10. 20 The width W of the collector section 20 20 No specific limitations are specified. The width W of the collector section... 20 For example, it can also be 5mm or more and 450mm or less, or 20mm or more and 190mm or less.

[0073] 3.Terminal

[0074] like Figure 2 , 3 As shown in Figures 5-8, terminal 30 has a base 31, a protrusion 32, and an opening 33. Figure 2 As shown in Figure 3, the surface of the electrode stack 10 side of the terminal 30 can also face the inside of the battery and be connected to the current collector 20, and the surface of the side opposite to the electrode stack 10 can also face the outside of the battery 100.

[0075] 3.1 Base

[0076] like Figure 2 , 3As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the base 31 may, for example, have a first surface 31x facing the electrode stack 10 and a second surface 31y facing the side opposite to the electrode stack 10. The base 31 may also have a structure corresponding to the bottom of the container-shaped terminal 30. The first surface 31x and the second surface 31y of the base 31 may be flat as shown in the figure, or they may have irregularities. The planar shape of the first surface 31x and the second surface 31y (referring to the planar shape when the first and second surfaces are projected; the same applies below) is not particularly limited. The planar shape of the first surface 31x and the second surface 31y shown in the figure is rectangular, but this planar shape may also be a square, a quadrilateral other than a rectangle (rectangle and square), other polygons, a circle, an ellipse, or other shapes. In particular, when the first surface 31x and the second surface 31y are rectangular, especially when they are rectangular, it is easier to improve handleability, mechanical strength, etc. Furthermore, the terms "polygon," "quadrilateral," "rectangle," and "rectangle" used in this application also include the concepts of shapes with chamfered corners and shapes with an R-shape at the corners.

[0077] like Figure 6 As shown in Figure 7, the base 31 may have a thickness T. 31 (Thickness from surface 1 31x to surface 2 31y). Thickness T of base 31 31 No specific limitations are specified. Specifically, the thickness T at the base 31... 31 When the diameter is 0.1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, or 0.2 mm or more and 3 mm or less, the terminal 30 is easy to make into a structure with a good balance of strength, heat capacity, etc.

[0078] like Figure 6 As shown, the base 31 may have a length (height) L in the internal dimension of the first surface 31x (from the inner side of one protrusion 32c to the inner side of the other protrusion 32d) along the stacking direction of the electrode stack 10. 31x .like Figure 6 As shown, the length L in the internal dimension of the first surface 31x of the base 31 31x It can also be related to the height H of the opening 33 of terminal 30. 33 Same. Or, the length L in the internal dimension of the first face 31x of the base 31. 31x It can be smaller than the height H 33 It can also be greater than the height H. 33 The length L in the internal dimension of the first surface 31x of the base 31 31x There are no specific limitations; it can also be 4.8mm or more and 99.8mm or less, or 9.8mm or more and 49.8mm or less.

[0079] like Figure 6 As shown, the base 31 may have a length (height) L on the second surface 31y along the stacking direction of the electrode stack 10. 31y .like Figure 7 As shown, the length L in the second surface 31y of the base 31 31y It can also be related to the thickness T of terminal 30 30 (The length from the outer surface of one protrusion 32c to the outer surface of the other protrusion 32d) is the same. Or, the length L in the second surface 31y of the base 31 is the same. 31y The thickness T can also be greater than that of terminal 30. 30 That is, such as Figure 9 As shown, the protrusion 32 can also protrude towards the electrode stack 10 from a more inward side than the outer edge of the first surface 31x of the base 31. Additionally, the length L... 31y It can be greater than the length L mentioned above. 31x It can also be less than the thickness T mentioned above. 10 The length L in the second surface 31y of the base 31 31y There are no specific limitations; it can also be 4.9mm or more and 99.9mm or less, or 9.9mm or more and 49.9mm or less.

[0080] like Figure 7 As shown, the base 31 may have a width W along the lamination surface of the electrode laminate 10, with an internal dimension of the first surface 31x. 31x .like Figure 7 As shown, the width W in the internal dimension of the first surface 31x of the base 31 31x It can also be with the width W of the opening 33 of terminal 30. 33 Same. Or, the width W in the internal dimension of the first surface 31x of the base 31. 31x It can also be smaller than the width W 33 Additionally, the width W 31x It can also be greater than the width W mentioned above. 20 Additionally, the width W 31x It can also be smaller than the width W described later. 31y The width W in the internal dimension of the first surface 31x of the base 31 31x There are no specific restrictions; it can also be 7.5mm or more and 475mm or less, or 30mm or more and 195mm or less.

[0081] like Figure 7 As shown, the base 31 may have a width W along the lamination surface of the electrode laminate 10 on the second surface 31y. 31y .like Figure 7 As shown, the width W of the second surface 31y of the base 31 31y It can also be with the width W of the opening 33 of terminal 30. 33and the thickness T of the protrusion 32 32 (T) 32a And T 32b The total is the same. Or, the width W of the second surface 31y of the base 31 is the same. 31y It can also be larger than the width W 33 and thickness T 32 The total. Additionally, the width W... 31y It can also be larger than the width W 31x Width W 33 Additionally, the width W 31y It can also be smaller than the width W 10 The width W of the second surface 31y of the base 31 31y There are no specific limitations; it can also be 8.1mm or more and 475.1mm or less, or 30.1mm or more and 195.1mm or less.

[0082] On the first surface 31x of the base 31, the aforementioned length (height) L 31x With width W 31x The ratio of L 31x / W 31x There are no specific limitations. Specifically, in the case of L... 31x / W 31x When the value is 0.01 or higher and 13.3 or lower, or 0.05 or higher and 1.66 or lower, the terminal is likely to have a structure with a good balance of strength and heat capacity.

[0083] On the second surface 31y of the base 31, the aforementioned length (height) L 31y With width W 31y The ratio of L 31y / W 31y There are no specific limitations. Specifically, in the case of L... 31y / W 31y When the value is 0.01 or higher and 13.3 or lower, or 0.05 or higher and 1.66 or lower, the terminal is likely to have a structure with a good balance of strength and heat capacity.

[0084] 3.2 Protrusion

[0085] The protrusion 32 protrudes from the base 31 toward the electrode laminate 10. For example... Figure 2 , 3 As shown in 5 to 8, the protrusion 32 may also protrude linearly from the base 31 toward the electrode stack 10 in at least a portion of its length, while having a thickness.

[0086] In the battery 100, it is important that a portion of the protrusion 32 is thicker than the rest of the protrusion 32. The "thickness of the protrusion" referred to in this application is measured on the end face of the protrusion on the electrode laminate side. By partially changing the thickness of the protrusion 32, a thinner portion of the protrusion 32 ensures sufficient space for engaging the current collector 20, while a thicker portion ensures the strength and heat capacity of the terminal 30. That is, in the terminal 30, by having a portion of the protrusion 32 thicker than the rest, space is easily saved around the terminal 30 and the current collector 20, and the strength of the terminal 30 is easily ensured. Furthermore, when only a portion of the protrusion 32 is thick, compared to when the entire protrusion 32 is thick, the heat capacity of the terminal 30 as a whole is reduced, and the heat-sealing performance of the laminated outer casing (described later) is improved. Conversely, when only a portion of the protrusion 32 is thin, compared to when the entire protrusion 32 is thin, the strength of the protrusion 32 is ensured, and the heat capacity is ensured, making it easier to suppress heat generation during energization. Thickness T of protrusion 32 32 (For example Figures 6-8 T 32a ~T 32d There are no special restrictions; it can be 0.1mm or more and 10mm or less, or 0.2mm or more and 3mm or less.

[0087] In terminal 30, the thickness T of the thickest part of protrusion 32 max (For example Figure 7 And the thickness T of 8 32a Or T 32b There is no particular limitation; it can also be greater than 0.1 mm and less than 10 mm, or greater than 0.2 mm and less than 3 mm. Additionally, in terminal 30, the thickness T of the thinnest portion of protrusion 32... min (For example Figure 6 And the thickness T of 8 32c Or T 32d There is no particular limitation; it can be 0.1mm or more but less than 10mm, or 0.2mm or more but less than 3mm. Additionally, in terminal 30, the thickness T of the thickest portion of the protrusion 32... max With the thickness T of the thinnest part min The ratio of T max / T min It can also be greater than 1.0 and less than 10, or greater than 1.5 and less than 5.

[0088] In terminal 30, the thickness T of base 31 31 With the maximum thickness T of the protrusion 32 max The ratio of T 31 / T max There are no specific limitations. Specifically, in this case, T...31 / T max When the value is 0.1 or higher and 5 or lower, or 0.3 or higher and 1 or lower, the terminal 30 is likely to be a structure with a good balance of strength, heat capacity, etc.

[0089] like Figure 6 As shown in Figure 7, the protrusion 32 can extend from the first surface 31x of the base 31 toward the electrode laminate 10 with a protrusion length L. 32 The protruding length L of the protrusion 32 32 There are no particular limitations; the length can be 3mm or more but less than 50mm, or 5mm or more but less than 30mm. The protrusion 32 can also be a single unit with the same protruding length L. 32 That is, the protrusion 32 may also be flush with the electrode laminate 10. Alternatively, the protrusion length in a portion of the protrusion 32 may differ from the protrusion length in other portions.

[0090] like Figure 6 And as shown in Figure 7, the thickness T of the base 31 31 It can also be less than the protrusion length L of the protrusion 32. 32 By increasing the thickness T of the base 31 31 The base is relatively thinner, allowing for a larger space for inserting the current collector 20, and reducing the heat capacity of the terminal 30. For example, the heat-sealing performance of the laminated outer casing for the terminal 30 is easily improved. The thickness T of the base 31 31 The protrusion length L of the protrusion 32 32 The ratio of T 31 / L 32 For example, it can also be greater than 0 and less than 1.0, greater than 0.02 and less than 0.5, or greater than 0.05 and less than 0.25.

[0091] like Figure 2 , 3 As shown in Figures 5-8, in terminal 30, the protrusion 32 may also protrude from the outer edge of base 31. That is, the planar shape of the second surface 31y of base 31 and the shape defined by the outer periphery of protrusion 32 may be the same. Or, as shown in Figures 5-8. Figure 9 As shown, the protrusion 32 may also protrude further inward than the outer edge of the first surface 31x of the base 31. That is, the planar shape of the second surface 31y of the base 31 may also be larger than the shape defined by the outer periphery of the protrusion 32.

[0092] When the protrusion 32 protrudes from the outer edge of the base 31, the shape defined by the outer periphery of the protrusion 32 corresponds to the planar shape of the second surface 31y of the base 31. For example, if the planar shape of the base 31 (the planar shape of the second surface 31y) is rectangular, and this rectangle has opposing first and second sides and opposing third and fourth sides, the protrusion 32 may have a first protrusion 32a, a second protrusion 32b, a third protrusion 32c, and a fourth protrusion 32d, where the first protrusion 32a protrudes from the first side, the second protrusion 32b protrudes from the second side, the third protrusion 32c protrudes from the third side, and the fourth protrusion 32d protrudes from the fourth side. In this case, the protrusions constituting the two opposing sides may also be thicker than the protrusions constituting the other two sides. For example, as... Figures 5-8 As shown, the first protrusion 32a and the second protrusion 32b can also be thicker than the third protrusion 32c and the fourth protrusion 32d. Thus, by having the protrusions 32a and 32b protruding from two opposing sides thicker than the protrusions 32c and 32d protruding from the other two sides, the terminal 30 easily achieves a structure with an excellent balance of overall strength and heat capacity. Furthermore, when a laminated outer casing 40 is used as the outer casing (described later), the terminal 30 achieves a structure with an excellent balance of heat capacity, allowing for appropriate heating of both the terminal 30 and the laminated outer casing, thus improving the heat-sealing performance of the laminated outer casing for the terminal 30. Additionally, the excellent balance of heat capacity in the terminal 30 makes it easier to suppress heat generation during energization. In this case, the thicknesses of the protrusions 32a and 32b protruding from the two opposite sides can also be the same (within 0.1 mm error), and the thicknesses of the protrusions 32c and 32d protruding from the other two opposite sides can also be the same (within 0.1 mm error).

[0093] Alternatively, for example, if the planar shape of the base 31 (the planar shape of the second surface 31y) is rectangular, the protrusion 32 may have a first protrusion 32a, a second protrusion 32b, a third protrusion 32c, and a fourth protrusion 32d. The first protrusion 32a protrudes from one short side of the rectangle, the second protrusion 32b protrudes from the other short side of the rectangle, the third protrusion 32c protrudes from one long side of the rectangle, and the fourth protrusion 32d protrudes from the other long side of the rectangle. Even in this case, the protrusions forming the two opposing sides may be thicker than the protrusions forming the other two sides. In particular, a better effect can be expected when the protrusions on the short side are thicker than the protrusions on the long side. That is, the first protrusion 32a and the second protrusion 32b may also be thicker than the third protrusion 32c and the fourth protrusion 32d. By making the protrusion on the shorter side thicker than the protrusion on the longer side, a large space is ensured for inserting the current collector 20, while the terminal 30 easily achieves a good balance between overall strength and heat capacity. Furthermore, when a laminated outer casing is used as the outer casing 40 (described later), the terminal 30 achieves a good balance of heat capacity, allowing for appropriate heating of both the terminal 30 and the laminated outer casing, thus improving the heat-sealing performance of the laminated outer casing for the terminal 30. Additionally, the good balance of heat capacity in the terminal 30 easily suppresses heat generation during energization. In this case, the thicknesses of the protrusions 32a and 32b protruding from the shorter side can also be the same (within 0.1 mm tolerance), and the thicknesses of the protrusions 32c and 32d protruding from the longer side can also be the same (within 0.1 mm tolerance).

[0094] Furthermore, when the planar shape of the base 31 (the planar shape of the second surface 31y) is rectangular, the stacking direction of the electrode stack 10 can be along the short side of the rectangle, and the width direction of the electrode stack 10 can be along the long side of the rectangle. This makes it easy to ensure a large space for inserting the current collector 20, and easily results in a structure with an excellent balance of strength and heat capacity around the terminal 30 and the current collector 20.

[0095] 3.3 Opening

[0096] The aforementioned current collector 20 is inserted into the opening 33 and connected to the terminal 30. The shape of the opening 33 is defined by the protrusion 32. The shape of the opening 33 is not particularly limited. The shape of the opening 33 can be rectangular, circular, or elliptical, or other shapes.

[0097] When the shape of the opening 33 is rectangular, and the rectangle has opposing first and second sides, and opposing third and fourth sides, the protrusion 32 may also have a first protrusion 32a, a second protrusion 32b, a third protrusion 32c, and a fourth protrusion 32d, where the first protrusion 32a constitutes the first side, the second protrusion 32b constitutes the second side, the third protrusion 32c constitutes the third side, and the fourth protrusion 32d constitutes the fourth side. In this case, the protrusions constituting the two opposing sides may also be thicker than the protrusions constituting the other two sides. For example, as... Figures 5-8 As shown, the first protrusion 32a and the second protrusion 32b can also be thicker than the third protrusion 32c and the fourth protrusion 32d. In this way, by making the thickness of the protrusions 32a and 32b forming the two opposing sides thicker than the thickness of the protrusions 32c and 32d forming the other two sides, the terminal 30 can easily achieve a structure with an excellent balance of overall strength and heat capacity. Furthermore, when a laminated outer casing is used as the outer casing 40 (described later), the terminal 30 achieves a structure with an excellent balance of heat capacity, allowing for appropriate heating of both the terminal 30 and the laminated outer casing, thus improving the heat-sealing performance of the laminated outer casing for the terminal 30. Additionally, the excellent balance of heat capacity in the terminal 30 makes it easier to suppress heat generation of the terminal 30 during energization. In this case, the thicknesses of the protrusions 32a and 32b that constitute the two opposing sides can also be the same (within 0.1 mm of error), and the thicknesses of the protrusions 32c and 32d that constitute the other two opposing sides can also be the same (within 0.1 mm of error).

[0098] When the opening 33 is rectangular, the protrusion 32 may have a first protrusion 32a, a second protrusion 32b, a third protrusion 32c, and a fourth protrusion 32d. The first protrusion 32a forms one short side of the rectangle, the second protrusion 32b forms the other short side, the third protrusion 32c forms one long side, and the fourth protrusion 32d forms the other long side. Even in this case, the protrusions forming two opposing sides may be thicker than the protrusions forming the other two sides. In particular, a better effect can be expected when the protrusions on the short side are thicker than the protrusions on the long side. That is, the first protrusion 32a and the second protrusion 32b may also be thicker than the third protrusion 32c and the fourth protrusion 32d. In this way, by making the thickness of the protrusions 32a and 32b forming the short side thicker than the thickness of the protrusions 32c and 32d forming the long side, the terminal 30 can easily achieve a structure with an excellent balance of overall strength and heat capacity. Furthermore, when a laminated outer casing is used as the outer casing 40 (described later), the terminal 30 achieves a structure with an excellent balance of heat capacity, allowing for appropriate heating of both the terminal 30 and the laminated outer casing, thus improving the heat-sealing performance of the laminated outer casing for the terminal 30. Additionally, the excellent balance of heat capacity in the terminal 30 makes it easier to suppress heat generation during energization. In this case, the thicknesses of the protrusions 32a and 32b forming the short side can also be the same (within 0.1 mm tolerance), and the thicknesses of the protrusions 32c and 32d forming the long side can also be the same (within 0.1 mm tolerance).

[0099] Alternatively, when the opening 33 is rectangular, the stacking direction of the electrode stack 10 can be along the short side of the rectangle, and the width direction of the electrode stack 10 can be along the long side of the rectangle. This makes it easier to ensure a large space for inserting the current collector 20, and to achieve a good balance of strength and heat capacity around the terminal 30 and the current collector 20.

[0100] like Figure 6 As shown in Figure 8, the opening 33 can have a height H along the stacking direction of the electrode stack 10. 33 The height H of opening 33 33 There are no specific limitations. For example, height H 33 It can also be with length L 31x Same. Additionally, height H 33 It can also be less than the length L 31y Additionally, height H 33 It can also be less than the thickness T 10 Specifically, at the height H of opening 33. 33When the diameter is 4.8mm or more and 99.8mm or less, or 9.8mm or more and 49.8mm or less, it is easy to ensure the strength of the terminal 30, and it is easier to insert the current collector 20 into the opening 33 and to engage the current collector 20 with the terminal 30.

[0101] like Figure 7 As shown in Figure 8, the opening 33 may have a width W along the lamination surface of the electrode stack 10. 33 The width W of the opening is 33. 33 No specific limitations. Width W 33 Greater than width W 20 Width W 33 It can also be used with width W 31x Same. Width W 33 It can also be smaller than the width W 31y Width W 33 It can also be smaller than the width W 10 Specifically, in the width W of the opening 33... 33 When the diameter is 7.5mm or more and 475mm or less, or 30mm or more and 195mm or less, it is easy to ensure the strength of the terminal 30, and it is easy to ensure the width W of the collector section 20. 20 .

[0102] The height H of opening 33 33 With width W 33 The ratio of H 33 / W 33 No specific restrictions. Specifically, in the case of H... 33 / W 33 When the value is 0.01 or higher and 13.3 or lower, or 0.05 or higher and 1.66 or lower, it is easy to achieve a good balance between the ease of connection of the current collector 20, the strength of the terminal 30, and the heat capacity.

[0103] 3.4 Other matters concerning terminals

[0104] The terminal 30, which includes a base 31, a protrusion 32, and an opening 33, can be easily manufactured, for example, by stamping metal. For instance, a recess can be formed by applying pressure to one side of a metal cuboid, and the protrusion 32 can be formed around the recess. In this case, the bottom of the recess corresponds to the base 31, and the opening of the recess corresponds to the opening 33.

[0105] The material of terminal 30 can be appropriately selected considering factors such as sufficient conductivity, suitable heat capacity, and appropriate mechanical strength. For example, terminal 30 can also be made of aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, or alloys thereof. Terminal 30 can be formed by plating the aforementioned metals or their alloys onto a substrate.

[0106] An insulating layer may also be provided between the terminal 30 and the electrode stack 10. This facilitates further suppression of short circuits in the battery 100. For example, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the protrusion 32 of the terminal 30 may also have an insulating layer 35 on the end face of the electrode laminate 10 side. For example, the insulating layer 35 can be formed on the end face of the protrusion 32 of the terminal 30 by coating or transferring an insulating resin material (e.g., UV-curable resins such as acrylic monomers / oligomers; thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins and imide resins; thermoplastic resins such as polypropylene and polyethylene), or by forming a layer of metal oxide (e.g., aluminum oxide) on the end face using anodizing or the like. The thickness of the insulating layer 35 is not particularly limited. When the insulating layer 35 is made of an insulating resin material, its thickness may be, for example, 0.1 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less. In addition, when the insulating layer 35 is made of a metal oxide formed by anodizing or the like, its thickness may be, for example, 0.01 mm or more and 0.01 mm or less than 10 mm.

[0107] 4. Supplementary information regarding the configuration of the electrode stack, current collector, and terminals.

[0108] In the battery 100, the arrangement of the electrode stack 10, the current collector 20, and the terminal 30 is not particularly limited as long as the current collector 20 protruding from the electrode stack 10 is inserted into the opening 33 of the terminal 30 for electrical connection. In the battery 100, by employing the terminal 30 with the specific shape described above, space is easily saved around the terminal 30 and the current collector 20, the strength of the terminal 30 is easily ensured, and the terminal 30 easily achieves a structure with excellent heat capacity balance. Below, an example of the arrangement of the electrode stack 10, the current collector 20, and the terminal 30 is provided.

[0109] 4.1 Width of the terminals and width of the collector

[0110] As described above, the current collector 20, protruding from the electrode stack 10, is inserted into the opening 33 of the terminal 30 and connected to the surface of the terminal 30, thereby enabling power to be supplied from the electrode stack 10 to an external device via the current collector 20 and the terminal 30. Here, when a large current flows through the current collector 20 and the terminal 30, the current collector 20 and the terminal 30 may generate heat. According to the inventors' knowledge, the temperature variation of the terminal 30 and the periphery of the current collector 20 depends on the width of the current collector 20 relative to the width of the terminal 30. Figure 3 As shown, for example, in the width W of the collector section 20 20 The width W relative to the opening 33 of terminal 30 33 The ratio of W 20 / W 33When the value is 0.9 or higher, heat generation around the terminal 30 and the collector 20 can be significantly suppressed. Alternatively, when the width W of the collector 20 is... 20 The width W of the base 31 relative to the terminal 30 31x The ratio of the width (in the internal dimensions of face 31x) to W 20 / W 31x Even with a value of 0.9 or higher, it is also possible to suppress the heating around the terminal 30 and the collector 20 in a particularly significant way.

[0111] 4.2 Thickness of the electrode stack and the thickness of the terminals

[0112] Thickness T of terminal 30 30 It can be compared to the thickness T of the electrode laminate 10 10 Thickness can be equal to or greater than the thickness T of the electrode stack 10. 10 Thin. Especially, such as... Figure 2 As shown, at the thickness T of terminal 30 30 When the thickness of the electrode laminate 10 is thinner than that of the electrode laminate 10, resin 34 or the like can be disposed between the laminated outer casing and the terminal 30, which makes it easier to further improve the tightness of the outer casing and the terminal 30.

[0113] 4.3 Connection method between current collector and terminal

[0114] As described above, the current collector 20 is connected to the terminal 30. For example, the current collector 20 may also be coupled to the terminal 30 to form a coupling 25. More specifically, it may also be as follows... Figure 2 As shown in Figure 3, when the base 31 of the terminal 30 has a first surface 31x and a second surface 31y, with the first surface 31x facing the electrode laminate 10 and the second surface 31y facing the side opposite to the first surface 31x, the current collector 20 is bonded to the first surface 31x of the base 31. In one embodiment, a portion of the current collector 20 may also be ultrasonically bonded or laser-bonded to the first surface 31x of the base 31.

[0115] 5. Other components

[0116] In addition to the electrode stack 10, current collector 20, and terminal 30 described above, the battery 100 may also have a structure that is self-evident as a battery. For example, various examples disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-084066) can be used as other components. Hereinafter, an example of other components provided in the battery 100 will be described.

[0117] 5.1 Exterior body

[0118] The battery 100 may have an outer casing 40 that houses the electrode stack 10 and the current collector 20. The outer casing may be made of a laminated film (laminated outer casing) or a metal casing. Alternatively, as shown in the figure, when the protrusion 32 has an outer side (the side opposite to the space where the current collector 20 is inserted) and an inner side (the side facing the space where the current collector 20 is inserted), the electrode stack 10 and the current collector 20 may be housed in the laminated outer casing, and the laminated outer casing may be bonded to the outer side of the protrusion 32.

[0119] The outer casing 40 can also be, for example, a cylindrical body with an opening. That is, such as... Figure 2 As shown in Figure 3, the electrode stack 10 and the current collector 20 can be housed inside the outer casing 40, which is a cylindrical body, and sealed by bonding the outer surface of the protrusion 32 of the terminal 30 near the opening of the outer casing 40. In this case, as... Figure 2 As shown in Figure 3, when viewed in the stacking direction of the electrode stack 10, the area near the opening of the outer casing 40 and the protrusion 32 of the terminal 30 can be bonded together in an overlapping manner. This improves both the sealing performance of the battery 100 and the structural efficiency around the terminal 30.

[0120] like Figure 11 As shown, the length L between the opening 33 of the terminal 30 and the opening 41 of the outer casing 40 is... 41 There are no specific limitations. Specifically, regarding the length L... 41 When the length is 1.0 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 3.0 mm or more and 15 mm or less, it is easy to achieve a structure that strikes a good balance between sealing performance and structural efficiency. Additionally, the aforementioned length L... 41 The protrusion length L relative to the protrusion 32 32 The ratio of L 41 / L 32 There are no specific limitations. Specifically, in this case, L... 41 / L 32 When the viscosity is 0.1 or higher and 1.0 or lower, or 0.5 or higher and 1.0 or lower, it is easy to achieve a structure that balances sealing performance and construction efficiency well. When the outer casing 40 is a laminated outer casing, for example, the laminated outer casing can be bonded to the outer surface of the protrusion 32 by heat sealing or the like. Alternatively, when the outer casing 40 is a metal shell, the metal shell can be bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 32, for example, by welding or adhesive. As described above, resin 34 can also be disposed between the outer surface of the protrusion 32 and the outer casing 40.

[0121] 5.2 Busbar

[0122] The battery 100 may also include conductive components for connecting one battery to other batteries. For example, a busbar may be connected to the terminal 30 in the battery 100. More specifically, if the base 31 has a first surface 31x and a second surface 31y, with the first surface 31x facing the electrode laminate 10 and the second surface 31y facing the side opposite to the first surface 31x, and the current collector 20 is attached to the first surface 31x of the base 31, a busbar may be connected to the second surface 31y of the base 31. Multiple batteries 100 may also be combined to form a battery pack. An example of a battery pack is shown below.

[0123] 6. Battery pack

[0124] like Figure 12 As shown, a battery pack 1000 according to one embodiment includes a plurality of batteries 100a, 100b and at least one busbar 200. The busbar 200 electrically connects one of the batteries 100a and the other batteries 100b. One or both of the batteries 100a and the other batteries 100b have an electrode stack 10, a current collector 20, and a terminal 30. The electrode stack 10 is electrically connected to the terminal 30 via the current collector 20. The terminal 30 has a base 31, a protrusion 32, and an opening 33. The base has a first surface 31x facing the electrode stack 10 and a second surface 31y facing the opposite side of the first surface 31x and connected to the busbar 200. The protrusion 32 protrudes from the first surface 31x of the base 31 toward the electrode stack 10. The shape of the opening 33 is defined by the protrusion 32. The current collector 20 is inserted into the opening 33 and connected to the terminal 30.

[0125] By connecting the busbar 200 to the second surface 31y of the terminal 30 in the battery pack 1000, the connection area between the terminal 30 and the busbar 200 can be easily increased, which can suppress heat generation between the terminal 30 and the busbar 200. Furthermore, this heat generation suppression effect is also achieved when the thickness of the protrusion 32 of the terminal 30 remains constant. However, from the viewpoint of ensuring sufficient strength for the terminal 30 and further improving the connection reliability of the busbar 200 to the terminal 30, it is preferable that a portion of the protrusion 32 of the terminal 30 is thicker than other portions.

[0126] The details regarding the electrode stack 10, current collector 20, and terminals 30 that may be included in batteries 100a and 100b are the same as described above. In the battery pack 1000, either battery 100a or battery 100b may be the battery 100 of this disclosure, or both may be the battery 100 of this disclosure. Furthermore, in Figure 12The example illustrates a method of electrically connecting two batteries 100a and 100b via bus 200, but the number of batteries in the battery pack is not limited to two; it can also be three or more.

[0127] like Figure 12 As shown, the busbar 200 can, for example, have a first portion 200a that is directly or indirectly connected to a terminal of a battery 100a, a second portion 200b that is directly or indirectly connected to a terminal of another battery 100b, and a third portion 200c that connects the first portion 200a and the second portion 200b. The first portion 200a and the second portion 200b may also have mutually symmetrical shapes. The third portion 200c may also protrude relative to the first portion 200a and the second portion 200b to the side opposite to the terminal.

[0128] The busbar 200 can have a structure with slots 200cx. By having slots 200cx, the deformation performance of the busbar 200 is improved, and the connection reliability of the busbar 200 to the terminals is improved. The shape, location, and number of slots 200cx are not limited. Figure 12 The example shown. The shape of the gap 200cx can be, for example, rectangular, circular, or other shapes. When the busbar 200 has the aforementioned first part 200a, second part 200b, and third part 200c, the gap 200cx can also be provided at least in the third part 200c. The number of gaps 200cx provided on a single busbar 200 can be one or more.

[0129] Busbar 200 can be made of various conductive materials. For example, busbar 200 can also be made of metal. The wall thickness of busbar 200 is not particularly limited, as long as it is a suitable thickness that allows the batteries to be electrically connected to each other.

[0130] The busbar 200 is connected to the second surface 31y of the base 31 of the terminal 30. Here, "the second surface 31y of the connected busbar 200" refers to a connection where the busbar 200 is directly connected to the second surface 31y (the busbar 200 is in contact with the second surface 31y), or indirectly connected to the second surface 31y through some intermediate component (the busbar 200 is not in contact with the second surface 31y). The connection method of the busbar 200 to the terminal 30 is not particularly limited. The busbar 200 may also be fixed to the terminal 30 by a fixing component or the like. Alternatively, the busbar 200 may be soldered to the terminal 30. Or, as described above, there may be some intermediate component between the busbar 200 and the terminal 30. That is, the busbar 200 may be directly connected to one side of the intermediate component by fixing, soldering, etc., and the terminal 30 may be directly connected to the other side of the intermediate component by fixing, soldering, etc.

[0131] 7. Uses

[0132] The applications of battery 100 and battery pack 1000 are multifaceted. For example, battery 100 and battery pack 1000 can be used in at least one type of vehicle selected from hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). That is, the technology disclosed herein also relates to a vehicle having battery 100, wherein battery 100 has an electrode stack 10, a current collector 20, and a terminal 30, the electrode stack 10 being electrically connected to the terminal 30 via the current collector 20, the terminal 30 having a base 31, a protrusion 32, and an opening 33, the protrusion 32 protruding from the base 31 toward the electrode stack 10, the shape of the opening 33 being defined by the protrusion 32, the current collector 20 being inserted into the opening 33 and connected to the terminal 30, and a portion of the protrusion 32 being thicker than the other portions of the protrusion 32. Furthermore, the present disclosure also relates to a vehicle having a battery pack 1000, wherein the battery pack 1000 includes a plurality of batteries 100a, 100b and at least one bus 200, the bus 200 electrically connecting one of the batteries 100a and the other batteries 100b, one or both of the batteries 100a and the other batteries 100b having an electrode stack 10, a current collector 20, and a terminal 30, the electrode stack 10 being electrically connected to the terminal 30 via the current collector 20. The terminal 30 has a base 31, a protrusion 32, and an opening 33. The base 31 has a first surface 31x facing the electrode stack 10 and a second surface 31y facing the side opposite to the first surface 31x and connected to the busbar 200. The protrusion 32 protrudes from the first surface 31x of the base 31 toward the electrode stack 10. The shape of the opening 33 is defined by the protrusion 32. The current collector 20 is inserted into the opening 33 and connected to the terminal 30.

[0133] Example

[0134] As described above, one embodiment of the battery of this disclosure has been explained. However, the battery of this disclosure can be modified in various ways beyond the above-described embodiment without departing from its spirit. Hereinafter, embodiments are shown while the technology of this disclosure is described in more detail, but the technology of this disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0135] 1. Research related to terminal strength

[0136] To improve the structural efficiency of the battery terminals and the area surrounding the current collector, it is effective to provide a recess in the terminal and engage the current collector within the recess (e.g., Figures 2-8In other words, the protrusion can be made to protrude from the base, and the current collector can be inserted into the inside of the opening defined by the protrusion. On the other hand, in the battery manufacturing process, for example, there is an activation process for the battery to carry a large current. In this activation process, for example, as... Figure 13 As shown, while pressing the battery with a clamp, the detector is pushed against the battery terminal to allow a large current to flow through the battery. In this case, to allow the large current to flow, it is common to increase the load F applied by the clamp and detector, or to increase the diameter of the detector. According to the inventors' knowledge, regarding terminals having the aforementioned base, protrusion, and opening, when the detector is pressed during the activation process, the protrusion may sometimes bend or deform. That is, as the opposite of improving the structural efficiency of the terminal and the surrounding current collector, the rigidity of the terminal is prone to being insufficient.

[0137] Through research into solutions for ensuring terminal rigidity, the inventors discovered that by thickening one portion and thinning another of the protrusion of the terminal, it is possible to simultaneously improve the aforementioned construction efficiency and ensure terminal rigidity. For example, it is known that in terminals made of aluminum alloy materials, if a thickness of 1.5 mm or more is ensured in a portion of the protrusion of the terminal, deformation of the terminal can be suppressed even when the terminal is pressed against the detector under a large load (a load through which a large current that makes activation significant) during the activation process.

[0138] 2. Study on heat-sealing properties

[0139] The heat-sealing properties of terminal-bonded laminated outer casings were investigated. The results showed that when the protrusions of the terminals were completely thickened, the heat capacity (thermal mass) of the terminals became excessively large, sometimes making it impossible to properly heat-seal the laminated outer casing. For example, based on research results related to the strength of the terminals, when the protrusions of aluminum alloy terminals were completely thickened (e.g., to 1.5 mm or more) to ensure terminal strength, the heat capacity of the terminals became excessively large. During heat sealing of the laminated film, the temperature rise rate at the terminal and laminated film interface slowed down from around 60°C, making it difficult to reach the melting point of the laminated film resin, thus reducing heat-sealing performance.

[0140] In contrast, it can be seen that by thickening one part of the protrusion while thinning the other parts of the protrusion, the heat capacity of the terminal can be suppressed to a low level. Therefore, it is possible to improve the heat-sealing performance of the laminate while ensuring the structural efficiency around the terminal and the strength of the terminal.

[0141] 3. Research related to heat generation during energization

[0142] In batteries, it is sometimes necessary to suppress heat generation around the terminals when energized. For example, there is a possibility that excessive heat generation at the terminals may adversely affect the sealing of the casing and the terminals. The inventors have made the width B of the current collector protruding from the electrode stack (with...) Figure 3 Width W 20 (equivalent) and the internal dimension A of the terminal (with) Figure 3 Opening width W 33 The ratio B / A was analyzed under various variations to determine the B / A ratio that significantly suppresses heat generation around the terminals. The results showed that a B / A ratio of 0.9 or higher significantly suppresses heat generation around the terminals. Figure 14 The image shows a comparison of temperature contour plots with B / A=0.5 and B / A=0.9. Furthermore, in... Figure 14 In this case, the battery is assumed to be cooled from below the paper using a cooling device. The cooling conditions for the cooling device and the battery's energizing conditions are the same for both B / A=0.5 and B / A=0.9. For example, from... Figure 14 It can be seen that when B / A=0.9, compared with B / A=0.5, the temperature around the terminal is lower when energized, and the heat generation during energization is significantly suppressed.

[0143] As can be seen from the above, in order to suppress the heat generated around the terminal, it is effective to make the ratio of the width of the collector portion to the width of the terminal opening 0.9 or more (or to make the ratio of the width of the collector portion to the width of the internal dimension of the terminal base 0.9 or more).

[0144] (Symbol Explanation)

[0145] 100: Battery; 10: Electrode laminate; 20: Current collector; 25: Connector; 30: Terminal; 31: Base; 31x: First surface; 31y: Second surface; 32: Protrusion; 32a: First protrusion; 32b: Second protrusion; 32c: Third protrusion; 32d: Fourth protrusion; 33: Opening; 34: Resin; 35: Insulating layer; 40: Outer casing; 41: Opening.

Claims

1. A battery, wherein, The battery has an electrode stack, a current collector, and terminals. The electrode stack is electrically connected to the terminal via the current collector. The terminal has a base, a protrusion, and an opening. The protrusion extends from the base toward the electrode stack side. The shape of the opening is defined by the protrusion. The current collector is inserted into the opening and connected to the terminal. One part of the protrusion is thicker than the other parts of the protrusion.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, The opening is rectangular in shape. The rectangle has a first side and a second side that are opposite each other, and a third side and a fourth side that are opposite each other. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion constitutes the first side. The second protrusion constitutes the second side. The third protrusion constitutes the third side. The fourth protrusion constitutes the fourth side. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

3. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The opening is rectangular in shape. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion forms one of the shorter sides of the rectangle. The second protrusion forms the other short sides of the rectangle. The third protrusion forms one long side of the rectangle. The fourth protrusion forms the other long sides of the rectangle. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

4. The battery according to claim 3, wherein, The stacking direction in the electrode stack is along the short side. The width direction of the electrode stack is along the long side.

5. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The protrusion protrudes from the outer edge of the base.

6. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The base has a rectangular planar shape. The rectangle has a first side and a second side that are opposite each other, and a third side and a fourth side that are opposite each other. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes from the first side. The second protrusion protrudes from the second side. The third protrusion protrudes from the third side. The fourth protrusion protrudes from the fourth side. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

7. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The base has a rectangular planar shape. The protrusion has a first protrusion, a second protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes from one of the short sides of the rectangle. The second protrusion extends from the other short sides of the rectangle. The third protrusion extends from one of the long sides of the rectangle. The fourth protrusion extends from the other long sides of the rectangle. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are thicker than the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion.

8. The battery according to claim 7, wherein, The stacking direction in the electrode stack is along the short side. The width direction of the electrode stack is along the long side.

9. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The ratio of the width of the current collector to the width of the opening is 0.9 or more.

10. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The thickness of the base is less than the protrusion length of the protrusion.

11. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The thickness of the terminal is thinner than the thickness of the electrode stack.

12. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The base has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface faces the electrode stack side. The second surface faces the side opposite to the first surface. The current collector is engaged with the first surface of the base.

13. The battery according to claim 12, wherein, A busbar is connected to the second surface of the base.

14. The battery according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, A portion of the current collector is ultrasonically bonded or laser-bonded to the first surface of the base.

15. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, The protrusion has an insulating layer on the end face of the electrode stack side.

16. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein, The protrusion has an outer surface and an inner surface. The electrode stack and the current collector are housed within a laminated outer casing. The laminated outer casing is bonded to the outer side of the protrusion.

17. A battery pack, wherein, The battery pack comprises multiple batteries and at least one busbar. The busbar electrically connects one of the batteries to the other batteries. One of the aforementioned batteries and one or both of the other batteries have an electrode stack, a current collector, and terminals. The electrode stack is electrically connected to the terminal via the current collector. The terminal has a base, a protrusion, and an opening. The base has: The first side, facing the electrode stack; and The second side faces the opposite side to the first side and is connected to the busbar. The protrusion protrudes from the first surface of the base toward the electrode laminate side. The shape of the opening is defined by the protrusion. The current collector is inserted into the opening and connected to the terminal.

18. The battery pack according to claim 17, wherein, The busbar has gaps.

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