Battery

Abstract

Obtain a reusable stacked battery. [Solution] A battery 10 comprising an electrode laminate 12 including a plurality of current collector foils 14, each having a current collector foil body 15 and a first current collector tab 16 and a second current collector tab 18 extending from the current collector foil body 15, wherein in each of the plurality of current collector foils 14, one of the first current collector tab 16 and the second current collector tab 18 is connected to a terminal 20, and the other of the first current collector tab 16 and the second current collector tab 18 is not connected to the terminal 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a laminated battery.

Background Art

[0002] A laminated battery in which tabs extend from a plurality of laminated current collector foils and the tabs are bundled in the lamination direction and connected to a terminal has been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In addition to deterioration of the electrode member, factors affecting the life of a laminated battery include deterioration of structural members such as the joint portion between the current collector foil and the terminal. Generally, when either the electrode member or the structural member is significantly deteriorated, almost no current flows, and the battery is discarded. However, from the viewpoint of effective utilization of resources, it is required to enable reuse of laminated batteries.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a reusable laminated battery.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a battery according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an electrode laminate including a plurality of laminated current collector foils having a current collector foil body, a first current collector tab, and a second current collector tab extending from the current collector foil body. In each of the plurality of current collector foils, either the first current collector tab or the second current collector tab is connected to a terminal, and the other of the first current collector tab and the second current collector tab is not connected to the terminal.

[0007] According to the first embodiment of the invention, the electrode laminate includes a plurality of current collector foils laminated together, each having a current collector foil body and a first current collector tab and a second current collector tab extending from the current collector foil body. In each of the plurality of current collector foils, either the first current collector tab or the second current collector tab is connected to a terminal, while the other of the first current collector tab or the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal.

[0008] Therefore, even if either the first or second current collector tab connecting the electrode stack (current collector foil) to the terminal deteriorates, it is possible to newly connect the other of the first or second current collector tabs that is not being used to connect the electrode stack (current collector foil) to the terminal. In other words, since both the first and second current collector tabs do not deteriorate in each current collector foil, there is no need to replace the electrode stack (current collector foil), and the battery can be reused.

[0009] Furthermore, a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention is a battery according to the first embodiment, wherein in each of the plurality of current collector foils, the first current collector tab is connected to a terminal, and the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal.

[0010] According to the second embodiment of the invention, in each of the multiple current collector foils, the first current collector tab is connected to a terminal, while the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal. Therefore, the second current collector tab, which is not connected to a terminal, can function as a cushioning material to mitigate external shocks.

[0011] Furthermore, a third embodiment of the battery according to the present invention is a battery according to the first embodiment, wherein the electrode stack is composed of a first electrode stack on one side in the stacking direction and a second electrode stack on the other side in the stacking direction, the first current collector tab of the current collector foil in the first electrode stack is connected to a terminal and the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal, and the second current collector tab of the current collector foil in the second electrode stack is connected to a terminal and the first current collector tab is not connected to a terminal.

[0012] According to the third embodiment of the invention, the electrode laminate is composed of a first electrode laminate on one side in the lamination direction and a second electrode laminate on the other side in the lamination direction. In the first electrode laminate, the first current-collecting tab of the current-collecting foil is connected to the terminal, while the second current-collecting tab is not connected to the terminal, and in the second electrode laminate, the second current-collecting tab of the current-collecting foil is connected to the terminal, while the first current-collecting tab is not connected to the terminal. In other words, the number of simultaneously connected first and second current-collecting tabs in the lamination direction is reduced. Therefore, a decrease in the bonding quality between the electrode laminate (current-collecting foil) and the terminal is suppressed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] As described above, according to the present invention, a stacked battery can be reused. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing a stacked battery according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic plan view showing a stacked battery according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic perspective view showing a stacked battery according to the second embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic plan view showing a stacked battery according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic perspective view showing a stacked battery related to a comparative example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. For the sake of explanation, in each figure, the arrow UP will indicate the upward direction of the battery, the arrow FR will indicate the forward direction of the battery, and the arrow RH will indicate the right direction of the battery. Therefore, in the following description, when the directions of up, down, front, back, and left and right are mentioned without special specification, they refer to the up, down, front, back, and left and right directions of the battery, but are not particularly limited to these directions. Also, in each figure, in order to avoid making the drawings difficult to read, reference numerals may be assigned to only some of the same components.

[0016] <First Embodiment> First, the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery 10 according to the first embodiment is a laminated battery including an electrode laminate 12 including a plurality of current collector foils 14. Each current collector foil 14 includes a current collector foil body 15 formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape, a first current collector tab 16 and a second current collector tab 18 integrally extending upward from the upper end portion of the current collector foil body 15, and is laminated in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) via a separator (not shown).

[0017] The first current collector tab 16 and the second current collector tab 18 are each formed in a substantially rectangular shape with the same thickness as the current collector foil body 15 and are spaced apart from each other with a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. In this first embodiment, only the laminated first current collector tabs 16 are each connected in parallel to the terminal 20. That is, only the laminated second current collector tabs 18 are used as spare tabs.

[0018] Although not shown in the drawings, only the laminated second current collector tabs 18 may be each connected in parallel to the terminal 20, or only the laminated first current collector tabs 16 may be used as spare tabs. Also, in each figure, only a part of the terminal 20 (the joint portion with the first current collector tab 16 or the second current collector tab 18) is shown.

[0019] Next, the operation of the battery 10 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0020] First, the battery 100 according to the comparative example will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, in the current collector foil 114 of the electrode laminate 112 provided in the battery 100 according to this comparative example, only the first current collector tab 116 is formed in the first half on one side in the lamination direction, and only the second current collector tab 118 is formed in the remaining second half on the other side in the lamination direction.

[0021] The stacked first integrated tab 116 and the stacked second integrated tab 118 are each connected in parallel to the terminal 20. Therefore, for example, if the first integrated tab 116 or the second integrated tab 118 that connects the electrode laminate 112 (current collector foil 114) and the terminal 20 deteriorates significantly, the electrode laminate 112 (current collector foil 114) has to be replaced, and thus this battery 100 is discarded.

[0022] On the other hand, as described above, in the battery 10 according to the first embodiment, only the stacked first current collector tab 16 is connected in parallel to the terminal 20. Therefore, even if the first current collector tab 16 that connects the electrode laminate 12 (current collector foil 14) and the terminal 20 deteriorates significantly, the second current collector tab 18 that is not used for connecting the electrode laminate 12 (current collector foil 14) and the terminal 20 can be newly connected in parallel to the terminal 20.

[0023] That is, in each current collector foil 14, since the first current collector tab 16 and the second current collector tab 18 do not deteriorate together, there is no need to replace the electrode laminate 12 (current collector foil 14), and the battery 10 can be reused. Also, if the deteriorated first current collector tab 16 can be identified, the battery 10 can also be reused by using the non-deteriorated second current collector tab 18 of the current collector foil 14 having the first current collector tab 16 for connection to the terminal 20.

[0024] Further, according to this first embodiment, for example, the second current collector tab 18 that is not used for connecting the electrode laminate 12 (current collector foil 14) and the terminal 20 can be made to function as a cushioning material for reducing an external impact. Also, for example, if the temperature of the second current collector tab 18 that is not used for connecting the electrode laminate 12 (current collector foil 14) and the terminal 20 is configured to be measurable, abnormalities such as internal short circuits in the battery 10 can be detected.

[0025] <Second Embodiment> Next, the second embodiment will be described. Parts equivalent to those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted as appropriate.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this second embodiment, the electrode stack 12 is composed of a first electrode stack 12A on one side in the stacking direction and a second electrode stack 12B on the other side in the stacking direction. In the first electrode stack 12A, in each current collector foil 14, only the stacked first current collector tab 16 is connected in parallel to the terminal 20, while the stacked second current collector tab 18 is not connected to the terminal 20.

[0027] Similarly, in each current collector foil 14 of the second electrode laminate 12B, only the laminated second current collector tab 18 is connected in parallel to the terminal 20, while the laminated first current collector tab 16 is not connected to the terminal 20. In other words, in this second embodiment, the laminated second current collector tab 18 of each current collector foil 14 in the first electrode laminate 12A is designated as a spare tab, and the laminated first current collector tab 16 of each current collector foil 14 in the second electrode laminate 12B is designated as a spare tab.

[0028] The operation of the battery 10 according to the second embodiment, which has the configuration described above, will now be explained. Note that the explanation of operations common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0029] In the battery 10 according to the second embodiment, as described above, the electrode stack 12 is composed of a first electrode stack 12A on one side in the stacking direction and a second electrode stack 12B on the other side in the stacking direction. In the first electrode stack 12A, the first current collection tab 16 of the current collection foil 14 is connected in parallel to the terminal 20, and the second current collection tab 18 is not connected to the terminal 20. In the second electrode stack 12B, the second current collection tab 18 of the current collection foil 14 is connected in parallel to the terminal 20, and the first current collection tab 16 is not connected to the terminal 20.

[0030] Therefore, even if the first current collector tab 16 connecting the first electrode laminate 12A (current collector foil 14) to the terminal 20 and the second current collector tab 18 connecting the second electrode laminate 12B (current collector foil 14) to the terminal 20 deteriorate significantly, the second current collector tab 18, which is not used to connect the first electrode laminate 12A (current collector foil 14) to the terminal 20, and the first current collector tab 16, which is not used to connect the second electrode laminate 12B (current collector foil 14) to the terminal 20, can be newly connected in parallel to the terminal 20.

[0031] In other words, since neither the first current-collecting tab 16 nor the second current-collecting tab 18 deteriorates in each current-collecting foil 14, there is no need to replace the electrode laminate 12 (current-collecting foil 14), and the battery 10 can be reused. Furthermore, in this second embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the number of simultaneously connected first current-collecting tabs 16 and second current-collecting tabs 18 in the stacking direction can be reduced. Therefore, the bonding quality between the electrode laminate 12 (current-collecting foil 14) and the terminal 20 can be improved (the deterioration of bonding quality can be suppressed).

[0032] The battery 10 according to this embodiment has been described above based on the drawings. However, the battery 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to the illustrated version, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the shape and number of current collector foils 14 are not limited to the shape and number shown. Also, in each figure, the thickness of the current collector foil 14 and the thickness of the terminals 20 are shown in an exaggerated manner.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in each of the multiple current collector foils 14, it is sufficient that either the first current collector tab 16 or the second current collector tab 18 is connected to the terminal 20, and the other of the first current collector tab 16 or the second current collector tab 18 is not connected to the terminal 20. In other words, in each current collector foil 14, it is sufficient that not both the first current collector tab 16 and the second current collector tab 18 are connected to the terminal 20 at the same time. Therefore, for example, in the stacking direction, the first current collector tab 16 and the second current collector tab 18 may be connected to the terminal 20 alternately. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0034] 10 batteries 12 Electrode Stack 12A First electrode laminate 12B Second electrode laminate 14 Current collector foil 15 Current collector foil body 16. First current collection tab 18. Second current collection tab 20 terminals

Claims

1. The electrode laminate includes a plurality of current collector foils, each having a current collector foil body and a first current collector tab and a second current collector tab extending from the current collector foil body, and is laminated in this manner. A battery in which, in each of the plurality of current collector foils, either the first current collector tab or the second current collector tab is connected to a terminal, and the other of the first current collector tab or the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein in each of the plurality of current collector foils, the first current collector tab is connected to a terminal, and the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal.

3. The electrode stack consists of a first electrode stack on one side in the stacking direction and a second electrode stack on the other side in the stacking direction. In the first electrode laminate, the first current collector tab of the current collector foil is connected to a terminal, but the second current collector tab is not connected to a terminal. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the second current-collecting tab of the current-collecting foil in the second electrode laminate is connected to a terminal and the first current-collecting tab is not connected to a terminal.

Images