Battery and method for manufacturing a battery

Abstract

The battery includes an electrode assembly containing multiple electrodes, an outer casing including a housing portion for housing the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the housing portion, with a reinforcing structure formed on the outside of the outer casing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery that can be charged and discharged and can be provided as a power source for mobile or flexible devices.

Background Art

[0002] A battery, that is, an electrochemical cell, is composed of at least two electrodes and an electrolyte, and means an assembly capable of providing electrical energy. In particular, a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) is widely used in various advanced electronic devices including smartphones.

[0003] In recent years, in the design of mobile devices including smartphones and various wearable devices, various attempts have been made to deviate from the conventional shape, and furthermore, attention to flexible devices that can be bent while maintaining their functions has been increasing. Therefore, the implementation of a technology for ensuring the reliability and safety of the performance of a flexible battery built into such a flexible device and used as a power source has emerged as an issue.

[0004] Regarding this, Patent Document 1, which is a prior art, discloses a technique for forming a pattern on an exterior material. However, Patent Document 1 (KR10-2022-0015290A) discloses a configuration in which at least one pattern portion is formed on the exterior material in the transverse direction (TD: Transverse Direction) of the exterior material. However, when the battery is repeatedly bent at a large curvature, such a pattern changes the gap between the layers of the electrodes laminated in the exterior material, and when a larger gap than the initial gap is formed between the layers of the electrodes, it causes a problem that the reliability and safety of the battery are reduced.

[0005] The problem of the increase in the gap between the layers of the electrodes in a battery manufactured by the conventional technology will be briefly described.

[0006] In conventionally manufactured batteries, the positive and negative electrodes are arranged in a straight line inside the outer casing, and they are stacked so that they are in close contact with each other and maintain a constant distance from one another, resulting in a regular layer gap between the electrodes. At this time, an insulating material is included between each electrode to prevent short circuits that could occur if the positive and negative electrodes were to come into direct contact, while allowing the lithium ions to move.

[0007] However, in conventional batteries that have been repeatedly bent, when the battery is bent, the outermost electrode slides inward due to the curvature, and when the battery is flattened again, the outermost electrode cannot return to its original position, causing deformation, and in some sections of the regularly spaced electrode layer gap, the electrodes may lift up, potentially creating an irregular gap.

[0008] Specifically, when a battery deforms from a flat first state to a bent second state, and then returns to a flat third state, electrodes that have been significantly deformed into bends or irregular wavy shapes (for example, the outermost electrodes) are difficult to restore to a flat state. In particular, in a structure where one part of the electrode is fixed and the other part is not, the outermost electrode is relatively more easily deformed than the other electrodes, and has the problem of easily generating irregular gaps as the electrode lifts or bends towards the pouch during the battery's restoration process.

[0009] Furthermore, if the battery is repeatedly subjected to deformation beyond the design range of its radius of curvature, it will be deformed with an inconsistent curvature, i.e., an unnatural curvature. This can cause phenomena such as bending or folding of specific parts of the battery, potentially leading to problems such as electrolyte leakage. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Korean Published Patent No. 10-2022-0015290 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] One object of the present invention is to provide a battery comprising an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes, a housing portion for housing the electrode assembly, and an exterior material including a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the housing portion.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible battery in which a large gap can be suppressed by including a reinforcing structure on the outside of the exterior material, thereby preventing the interlayer gap of electrodes inside the exterior material from lifting when the battery is bent, and allowing the battery to deform within the range of the designed radius of curvature with uniform curvature even when an external force is applied that causes deformation of the battery beyond the designed radius of curvature.

[0013] However, the technical challenges that this embodiment aims to address are not limited to those described above, and other technical challenges may exist. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] As a means to achieve the above-mentioned technical problems, one embodiment of the present invention provides a battery comprising an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes, an exterior material including a housing portion for housing the electrode assembly and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the housing portion, wherein a reinforcing structure is included outside the exterior material.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing structure may be formed on at least one surface of the sealing portion in order to maintain the shape of the sealing portion of the exterior material and the adjacent region which is a region of the housing portion located in contact with the sealing portion.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the thickness of the reinforcing structure formed on at least one surface of the sealing portion can be designed based on the thickness of the battery and the thickness of the sealing portion.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the sealing portion may have a first reinforcing structure formed in a first sealing portion located at one end of the exterior material, and a second reinforcing structure formed in a second sealing portion located at the other end of the exterior material.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the combined width of the first reinforcing structure and the second reinforcing structure can be designed based on the width of the battery and the width of the electrode assembly.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the central region of the reinforcing structure and the peripheral regions located at both ends of the reinforcing structure can be formed with the same thickness.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing structure may extend from the sealing portion to cover the edge region of the exterior material, and the edge region is the end region of the exterior material located in a direction parallel to the long axis direction of the battery.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the central region of the reinforcing structure and the peripheral regions located at both ends of the reinforcing structure may be formed with different thicknesses.

[0022] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a battery manufacturing method that includes the steps of: inserting an electrode assembly into an exterior material; forming a sealing portion by overlapping and joining two sealing surfaces of the exterior material; sealing the exterior material in which the electrode assembly is inserted through the sealing portion; and forming a reinforcing structure on the outside of the exterior material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, a battery includes an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes, an accommodating portion for accommodating the electrode assembly, and an exterior member including a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the accommodating portion. By including a reinforcing structure outside the exterior member, when the battery is bent, the generation of a large gap caused by the lifting of the interlayer gap of the electrodes in the exterior member can be suppressed.

[0024] Also, by a reinforcing structure for maintaining the shape of the sealing portion and the adjacent region of the exterior member, when the battery is bent or deformed, damage to the exterior member that may be caused by the battery deforming with a uniform curvature below the limit value can be effectively suppressed.

[0025] Further, when an external force that bends or deforms the battery beyond the reference range or the limit value is applied by the above-described reinforcing structure, the battery can be prevented from deforming beyond the limit value.

[0026] Furthermore, in a high-humidity environment, the penetration of external moisture through the sealing portion can be minimized, thereby improving the performance and safety of the battery.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is an exemplary diagram showing a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an exemplary diagram showing a battery in which a reinforcing structure is formed outside the sealing portion of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is an exemplary diagram showing a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is an exemplary diagram showing a battery in which a reinforcing structure extending to cover the adjacent region of the exterior member from the sealing portion of FIG. 3 is formed. [Figure 5] It is an exemplary diagram showing the shape of a reinforcing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is an exemplary diagram showing a reinforcing structure formed outside the sealing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is an illustrative diagram comparing and evaluating a flexible battery according to one embodiment of the present invention, specifically a flexible battery in which a reinforcing structure is not formed in the sealing portion and a flexible battery in which a reinforcing structure is formed in the sealing portion. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is an illustrative diagram illustrating the process of forming a reinforcing structure on the exterior of the exterior material in the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, so that they can be easily implemented by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. However, the present invention can be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in order to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts unrelated to the description have been omitted from the drawings, and similar parts throughout the specification are denoted by similar reference numerals.

[0029] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a component, this means, unless otherwise stated, that it may include other components rather than excluding them. Furthermore, when a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only direct connection, but also connection via an intermediate component or electrical connection via an intermediate element. Moreover, throughout the specification, when a component is "located on top of" another component, this includes not only contact between components, but also the presence of another component between them.

[0030] The battery according to the present invention, i.e., the electrochemical cell, may be a lithium-ion battery. Specifically, the electrochemical cell according to the present invention may be configured such that an electrode assembly is housed together with an electrolyte inside an outer casing and sealed, and charging and discharging occur through the movement of lithium ions. The electrochemical cell according to the present invention may be configured to be flexible and bendable while maintaining its functional state. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 is an illustrative diagram showing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is an illustrative diagram showing a battery in which a reinforcing structure for the exterior material is formed outside the sealing portion of Figure 1. According to the first embodiment, the battery 10 has reinforcing structures 120a and 120b formed outside the sealing portion 120 for the exterior material 100.

[0032] Referring to Figure 1, Figure 1(a) is a front view of the battery 10, Figure 1(b) is a side view of the battery 10, and Figure 1(c) is a top view of the battery 10. The battery 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an outer casing 100, an electrode assembly, and electrode leads 101. The electrode assembly comprises a plurality of electrodes and may further include an active material and a separation membrane, and these may be formed as a structure in which they are stacked in the thickness direction.

[0033] The electrode may include first and second electrode plates with opposite polarities, and an active material may be coated on both sides or one side of each of the first and second electrode plates. A separation film may be interposed between the first and second electrode plates. For example, the current collector used as the negative electrode in the first electrode plate is made of copper, aluminum, stainless steel, etc., and the negative electrode active material is carbon, lithium, silicon, SiO2. xThe electrode assembly may be composed of one or more combinations of silicon derivatives, silicon-graphite composites, tin, and silicon-tin composites. The second electrode plate, used as the positive electrode, may consist of a current collector made of aluminum, stainless steel, etc., and the positive electrode active material may be composed of one or more combinations of lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel oxide, lithium manganese oxide, lithium cobalt-manganese oxide, lithium cobalt-nickel oxide, lithium manganese-nickel oxide, lithium cobalt-nickel-manganese oxide, lithium cobalt-nickel-aluminum oxide, and lithium iron phosphate. The electrode assembly may have a thin shape in the thickness direction in which the active material and separation membrane are laminated, which extends longer in the length direction than in the width direction and intersects (e.g., orthogonal) with the direction in which the first and second electrode plates extend to form a surface.

[0034] The electrode assembly may also include electrode connecting tabs and lead connecting tabs. The electrode connecting tabs are formed to protrude from one end of the first and second electrode plates in the longitudinal direction, and electrode connecting tabs protruding from electrodes of the same polarity may be coupled to each other. The electrodes may be electrically coupled in parallel by the electrode connecting tabs. Lead connecting tabs may be coupled to electrode leads 101 and may protrude from the positive and negative electrode plates and be coupled to the electrode leads 101.

[0035] An exterior material 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a housing portion 110 formed to accommodate an electrode assembly. The housing portion 110 forms a space for accommodating the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion 120 can be joined to seal the contained electrode assembly from the outside. In order to form the housing portion 110 in the exterior material, the exterior material 100 can be processed by applying pressure to the sealing portion 120 in the thickness direction so that a predetermined area of ​​the exterior material 100 takes the shape of a generally rectangular container (or cup).

[0036] Such exterior material 100 may consist of, for example, a laminated film containing PP (polypropylene), metal, and nylon layers. In addition to nylon, combinations of other materials such as PET (polyethyleneterephthalate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PC (polycarbonate), PE (polyethylene), and PI (polyimide) are also possible.

[0037] The exterior material 100 has an uneven pattern formed on it, which includes at least one recess and at least one protrusion. The at least one recess and at least one protrusion are provided with adjacent regions 130 that form a boundary line in contact with the sealing portion 120 at the end in one direction corresponding to the width of the battery 10.

[0038] The adjacent region 130 can include the boundary line between the uneven pattern and the sealing portion 120. That is, as shown in Figure 1, the adjacent region 130 can include two points in each uneven pattern that are in contact with the sealing portion 120, and a boundary line extending along the space between these two points. The boundary line of the adjacent region 130 can extend in a generally straight line along the flat sealing portion 120, and can be connected to the boundary lines of adjacent regions 130 of adjacent uneven patterns to extend as a single line.

[0039] For example, the uneven pattern is a pattern that extends in one direction and is repeated in a direction intersecting that direction. Specifically, it may have an uneven shape along one direction, with alternating protrusions and recesses in the thickness direction (i.e., alternating protrusions in opposite directions). Here, the one direction may be the width direction as described above, and the direction in which the uneven pattern is repeated may be the length direction. The protruding and recessed uneven pattern allows the exterior material 100 forming the housing portion 110 to form a wavy or wrinkled pattern in the length direction.

[0040] The exterior material 100 includes a sealing portion 120 that seals the electrode assembly along the housing portion 110. The sealing portion 120 seals the electrode assembly along the corner of the housing portion 110 by joining the sealing surfaces. For example, the sealing surface refers to the surface of the exterior material 100, and the internal space (housing portion 110) can be isolated from the outside by joining two overlapping sealing surfaces along the corner of the housing portion 110 to each other. Here, the aforementioned electrode assembly and electrolyte can be housed in the internal space, and the electrode assembly and electrolyte can be kept in a sealed state.

[0041] In the sealing portion 120 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, reinforcing structures 120a and 120b may be formed on the outside of the sealing portion 120 for the exterior material 100. Here, the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b may be formed on both sides of the sealing portion 120. For example, the sealing portion 120 may have a first reinforcing structure 120a formed on a first sealing portion located at one end of the exterior material 100, and a second reinforcing structure (120b) formed on a second sealing portion located at the other end of the exterior material 100.

[0042] In this case, it goes without saying that the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b can be selectively formed in the entire area or a part of the cross-sectional area, based on the cross-sectional area corresponding to one surface of the sealing portion 120.

[0043] Furthermore, although not shown in the drawings, the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b may be formed to extend and cover the edge region of the exterior material 100. Here, the edge region of the exterior material 100 may mean the edge region of the sealing portion 120 included in the exterior material 100, that is, the outer edge region of the exterior material 100.

[0044] As an example, the edge region may be the edge region of the exterior material 100 located in a direction parallel to the long axis direction of the battery 10.

[0045] As mentioned above, the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b are formed to extend and cover the edge region of the exterior material 100, which has the advantage of improving the structural safety of the exterior material 100 due to physical deformation of the battery 10, and effectively suppressing the penetration of external moisture through the sealing portion 120.

[0046] In the following, with reference to Figure 2, the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b included in the exterior material 100 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0047] Referring to Figure 2, a cross-sectional view of a battery 10 is shown in which reinforcing structures 120a and 120b are formed on the outside of the sealing portion 120. H1 is the thickness of the battery 10 (200), W1 is the width of the sealing portion 120 (204), Ha and Hb are the thicknesses (201) of the reinforcing structure 120a-1 formed on the first surface (front) of the first sealing portion and the thickness (202) of the reinforcing structure 120a-2 formed on the second surface (rear) of the first sealing portion, respectively, and Hc is the thickness (203) of the sealing portion 120.

[0048] The thicknesses of the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b formed on both sides of the sealing portion 120 are designed based on the thickness of the battery 10 and the thickness of the sealing portion 120. The respective thicknesses of the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b formed on both sides of the sealing portion 120 can be designed based on the following formula 1.

[0049] [Mathematics 1] H1 > Ha + Hb

[0050] Referring to equation 1, the sum of the thickness 201 of the reinforcing structure 120a-1 formed on the first surface (front) of the first sealing portion and the thickness 202 of the reinforcing structure 120a-2 formed on the second surface (rear) of the first sealing portion can be designed to be smaller than the thickness H1 of the battery 10.

[0051] This is because if the sum of the thickness 201 of the reinforcing structure 120a-1 formed on the first surface (front) of the first sealing portion and the thickness 202 of the reinforcing structure 120a-2 formed on the second surface (rear) of the first sealing portion is designed to be greater than the thickness 200 of the battery 10, the volume of the battery 10 may increase and the energy density may decrease, and the rigidity of the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b will increase and the flexibility will decrease, which is a disadvantage.

[0052] The thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b formed on both sides of the sealing portion 120 can be designed based on the following equation 2.

[0053] [Math 2] 0.5 mm ≤ Ha (or Hb) ≤ 1 / 2 (H1 - Hc)

[0054] Referring to equation 2, the thickness 201 of the reinforcing structure 120a-1 formed on the first surface (front) of the first sealing portion, and the thickness 202 of the reinforcing structure 120a-2 formed on the second surface (rear) of the first sealing portion, are 0.5 mm or more, but can be designed to be within a range of 1 / 2 or less of the value obtained by subtracting the thickness 203 of the sealing portion 120 from the thickness 200 of the battery 10.

[0055] This is because if the thickness 201 of the reinforcing structure 120a-1 formed on the first surface (front) of the first sealing portion, and the thickness 202 of the reinforcing structure 120a-2 formed on the second surface (rear) of the first sealing portion are formed to be excessively small, they will not be able to adequately perform their roles as reinforcing structures 120a-1 and 120a-2.

[0056] Figure 3 is an exemplary diagram showing a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is an exemplary diagram showing a battery in which a reinforcing structure is formed that extends from the sealing portion to cover an adjacent area of ​​the exterior material. According to the second embodiment, the battery 30 is formed outside the sealing portion 320, with reinforcing structures 320a and 320b extending from the sealing portion 320 to cover an adjacent area 330 of the exterior material 300.

[0057] Referring to Figure 3, Figure 3(a) is a front view of the battery 30, Figure 3(b) is a side view of the battery 30, and Figure 3(c) is a top view of the battery 30. The battery 30 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may include an outer casing 300, an electrode assembly, and electrode leads 301. The electrode assembly comprises a plurality of electrodes and may further include an active material and a separation membrane, and these may be formed as a structure in which they are stacked in the thickness direction.

[0058] Here, the electrodes provided in the electrode assembly are the same as those described above, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0059] The electrode assembly may also include electrode connecting tabs and lead connecting tabs. The electrode connecting tabs are formed to protrude from one end of the first and second electrode plates in the longitudinal direction, and electrode connecting tabs protruding from electrodes of the same polarity may be coupled to each other. The electrodes may be electrically coupled in parallel by the electrode connecting tabs. Lead connecting tabs may be coupled to electrode leads 301 and may protrude from the positive and negative electrode plates and be coupled to the electrode leads 301.

[0060] An exterior material 300 according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes a housing portion 310 formed to accommodate an electrode assembly. The housing portion 310 forms a space for accommodating the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion 320 can be joined to seal the contained electrode assembly from the outside. In order to form the housing portion 310 in the exterior material, the exterior material 300 can be processed by applying pressure to the sealing portion 320 in the thickness direction so that a predetermined area of ​​the exterior material 300 takes the shape of a generally rectangular container (or cup).

[0061] Such exterior material 300 may consist of, for example, a laminated film containing PP (polypropylene), metal, and nylon layers. In addition to nylon, combinations of other materials such as PET (polyethyleneterephthalate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PC (polycarbonate), PE (polyethylene), and PI (polyimide) are also possible.

[0062] The exterior material 300 has an uneven pattern formed on it, which includes at least one recess and at least one protrusion. The at least one recess and at least one protrusion are provided with adjacent regions 330 that form a boundary line in contact with the sealing portion 320 at the end in one direction corresponding to the width of the battery 30.

[0063] The adjacent region 330 can include the boundary line between the uneven pattern and the sealing portion 320. That is, as shown in Figure 3, the adjacent region 330 can include two points in each uneven pattern that are in contact with the sealing portion 320, and a boundary line extending along the space between these two points. The boundary line of the adjacent region 330 can extend in a generally straight line along the flat sealing portion 320, and can be connected to the boundary lines of adjacent regions 330 of adjacent uneven patterns to extend as a single line.

[0064] For example, the uneven pattern is a pattern that extends in one direction and is repeated in a direction intersecting that direction. Specifically, it may have an uneven shape along one direction, with alternating protrusions and recesses in the thickness direction (i.e., alternating protrusions in opposite directions). Here, the one direction may be the width direction as described above, and the direction in which the uneven pattern is repeated may be the length direction. The protruding and recessed uneven pattern allows the exterior material 300 forming the housing portion 310 to form a wavy or wrinkled pattern in the length direction.

[0065] The exterior material 300 includes a sealing portion 320 that seals the electrode assembly along the housing portion 310. For example, the sealing surface refers to the surface of the exterior material 300, and two sealing surfaces that overlap along the corners of the housing portion 310 are joined to each other, thereby isolating the internal space (housing portion 310) from the outside. In this internal space, the aforementioned electrode assembly and electrolyte can be housed, and the electrode assembly and electrolyte can be kept in a sealed state.

[0066] The reinforcing structures 320a and 320b according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be formed extending from the sealing portion 320 to cover an adjacent area 330 of the exterior material 300. Here, the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b may be formed to cover both sides of the sealing portion 320. For example, the sealing portion 320 may have a first reinforcing structure 320a formed in a first sealing portion located at one end of the exterior material 300, and a second reinforcing structure 320b formed in a second sealing portion located at the other end of the exterior material 300.

[0067] As an example, the first reinforcing structure 320a, which extends from the sealing portion 320 to cover the area including the adjacent region 330, may be formed by including the same or different materials.

[0068] As a specific example, a reinforcing structure A containing a first substance is formed in the sealing portion 320, and a reinforcing structure B containing the first substance or a second substance different from the first substance is continuously formed in the region including the adjacent region 330, and may be provided as the first reinforcing structure 320a described above.

[0069] In this context, the first and second materials will be described in more detail in the section on the shape of the reinforcing structure, which will be described later.

[0070] Furthermore, the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b may be formed to extend and cover the edge region of the exterior material 300.

[0071] In the following section, with reference to Figure 4, the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b for the exterior material 300 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0072] Referring to Figure 4, a cross-sectional view of the battery 30 is shown in which reinforcing structures 320a and 320b are formed extending from the sealing portion 320 to cover the adjacent area 330 of the exterior material 300, where Wc is the width 404 of the battery 30, We is the width 403 of the electrode assembly 340, W1 is the width 401 of the first reinforcing structure 320a, and W2 is the width 402 of the second reinforcing structure 320b.

[0073] In this case, the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b may extend to cover the edge region of the exterior material 300, as shown in Figure 4. That is, the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b can be positioned to completely cover the outer portion of the sealing portion 320 located in the opposite direction from the adjacent region 330.

[0074] The widths of the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b formed on both sides of the sealing portion 320 are designed based on the width of the battery 30 and the width of the electrode assembly 340. The widths of the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b formed on both sides of the sealing portion 320 may be designed based on the following equation 3.

[0075] [Math 3] |(Wc-We)-(W1+W2)|≦5mm

[0076] Referring to equation 3, the absolute difference between the sum of the widths 401 of the first reinforcing structure 320a and 402 of the second reinforcing structure 320b and the difference between the width 404 of the battery 30 and the width 403 of the electrode assembly 340 may be 5 mm or less.

[0077] This is because if the difference between the width of the battery 30 (404) and the width of the electrode assembly 340 (404) is greater than 5 mm (based on the sum of the widths of the first reinforcing structure 320a (401) and the second reinforcing structure 320b (402)), a step difference will occur between the electrode assembly 340 and the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b, resulting in reduced durability.

[0078] Alternatively, if the difference between the width 404 of the battery 30 and the width 403 of the electrode assembly 340 is less than 5 mm, based on the sum of the widths 401 of the first reinforcing structure 320a and 402 of the second reinforcing structure 320b, then the volume of the battery 30 increases, resulting in a decrease in energy density.

[0079] As one concrete example, the absolute difference between the sum of the widths 401 of the first reinforcing structure 320a and 402 of the second reinforcing structure 320b and the difference between the width 404 of the battery 30 and the width 403 of the electrode assembly 340 may be 5 mm or less, 4 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, and preferably 0.5 mm or less.

[0080] As a preferred example, when the difference between the width 404 of the battery 30 and the width 403 of the electrode assembly 340, and the sum of the widths 401 of the first reinforcing structure 320a and 402 of the second reinforcing structure 320b, is 1 mm or less, 0.5 mm or less, or 0 mm, the prevention of large gaps is effective, and it is presumed that the effect is best when there is no difference between the aforementioned values.

[0081] In the exterior material 100 in the first embodiment and the exterior material 300 in the second embodiment, the sealing portions 120 and 320 may have a flat plate shape extending in the width direction or the length direction. For example, the flat plate shape of the sealing portions 120 and 320 may not be curved so that their surfaces face each other. Alternatively, the sealing portions 120 and 320 may have a pattern different from the uneven pattern. For example, the sealing portions 120 and 320 may have a pattern in the thickness direction of the exterior material 100 and 300 that is lower in height than the uneven pattern.

[0082] In one embodiment of the present invention, the exterior materials 100 and 300 are formed such that the uneven patterns of the housing portions 110 and 310 and the sealing portions 120 and 320 are in close contact. As a result, in this embodiment, no space is formed between the uneven patterns and the sealing portions 120 and 320 where stress can concentrate. By eliminating structurally weak parts, the possibility of damage to the unidirectional ends of the uneven patterns or the sealing portions 120 and 320 in usage environments subject to repeated bending is significantly reduced. Therefore, the batteries 10 and 30 and exterior materials 100 and 300 corresponding to the electrochemical cells according to the present invention can have improved durability, a lower possibility of breakage and leakage, and thus improved safety.

[0083] On the other hand, the electrode leads 101 and 301 are connected to the electrode assemblies inside the outer casings 100 and 300 and extend to be exposed to the outside of the outer casings 100 and 300. The electrode leads 101 and 301 function as terminals for electrical connection with the electrode assemblies housed inside the outer casings 100 and 300 and can be joined so as to penetrate the sealing portions 120 and 320 while being interposed between the sealing surfaces when the sealing portions 120 and 320 are formed. The pair of positive and negative electrode leads 101 and 301 can be connected with the same poles on lead connecting tabs provided on the electrode assemblies.

[0084] Although not shown in Figures 1 to 4, recessed areas may be formed on the protrusions to further improve the effect of suppressing the occurrence of irregular electrode layer gaps and large gaps when the batteries 10 and 30 are bent. For example, a dot-shaped recess may be formed on the central region of the protrusion. Here, at least two recesses may be formed on each of at least one protrusion in one direction corresponding to the width of the battery. Of course, such recesses may include not only the dot shape described above, but also one or more shapes selected from prisms, cylinders, and deformed shapes thereof.

[0085] For example, the design may be such that the spacing between at least two recesses formed on a first protrusion and the spacing between at least two recesses formed on a second protrusion located after the first protrusion are the same.

[0086] As another example, the design could be such that the spacing between at least two recesses formed on a first protrusion is different from the spacing between at least two recesses formed on a second protrusion located after the first protrusion.

[0087] Figure 5 is an illustrative diagram showing the shape of a reinforcing structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 5, the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b formed on the exterior of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior material 100 according to the first embodiment and the exterior material 300 according to the second embodiment can be formed in various design shapes 500. Here, the upper surface of the reinforcing structure corresponding to the diagonal lines may be the attachment surface to which the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b are attached to the sealing portions 120 and 320.

[0088] Thus, the reason for representing the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b in various design shapes 500 is to prevent the batteries 10 and 30 from being bent or folded at an even smaller radius when the adjacent reinforcing structures are brought into close contact with each other.

[0089] For example, the R1 reinforcing structure can be attached to the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300. Here, the R1 reinforcing structure can be designed as an uneven structure in which multiple block-shaped unit structures are spaced apart and formed as a single unit, so as to reflect the design of the bending radius. In this case, the bending radius can be controlled by adjusting the spacing (gap) between the block-shaped unit structures included in the reinforcing structure, and the spacing can be designed to be the same.

[0090] As another example, an R2 reinforcement structure may be formed as a reinforcement structure in which unit structures are arranged at progressive intervals to reduce the asymmetric pressure concentrated in the central region of the sealing portions 120, 320 of the exterior materials 100, 300. Here, the R2 reinforcement structure can be designed in a block-like manner that reflects the bending radius value, where progressive intervals may mean that the spacing between the gaps of the unit structures increases from the central region to the peripheral region. For example, the R2 reinforcement structure may be configured such that the gap 501 in the peripheral region is larger than the gap 502 in the central region.

[0091] As another example, the R3 reinforcing structure can be arranged in the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300 at progressive intervals, similar to the R2 reinforcing structure described above. Here, the R3 reinforcing structure may be designed with one end of the unit structure as a flat, linear block in order to reduce the value of the bending radius.

[0092] As another example, the R4 reinforcing structure may be designed as a block shape that reflects the structure of the lower hole in the aforementioned R3 reinforcing structure, in order to minimize the contact surface of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300.

[0093] As another example, the R5 reinforcing structure may be designed as a single, flat structure and formed in the sealing portions 120, 320 of the exterior materials 100, 300. In this case, when the reinforcing structure is designed as a flat structure, the bending radius can be designed by controlling the type of material and / or hardness value contained in the reinforcing structure.

[0094] As another example, the R6 reinforcing structure may be designed to reinforce the central region with a smooth entasis structure, i.e., a shape with a greater thickness in the central region, and may be formed in the sealing portions 120, 320 of the exterior materials 100, 300.

[0095] The reinforcing structures described above may include one or more materials selected from metals and polymers.

[0096] For example, any metal that does not have a thermal or electrical effect on the battery can be used without restriction. As a non-limiting example, the metal may be stainless steel or an alloy containing it, but is not limited to this.

[0097] Furthermore, the polymer may be one or more selected from among elastic materials and / or polymer resins containing acrylates.

[0098] As an example, the elastic body may be an elastic body with a Young's modulus of 0.05 GPa or less, and may include, but is not limited to, butyl rubber, EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer), isoprene (IR), natural rubber (NR), neoprene (CR), polyurethane elastomers, and silicone elastomers. When the Young's modulus of the elastic body satisfies the range described above, the flexibility of the battery can be ensured, and damage to the outer casing can be effectively prevented.

[0099] The acrylate contained in the polymer resin may be one or more selected from epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyester acrylate, silicone acrylate, and alkyl acrylate, but is not limited to these.

[0100] As a preferred example, the elastic body and polymer resin may have a Shore hardness of D40 or higher. Specifically, the Shore hardness of the elastic body and polymer resin included in the reinforcing structure may be D40 to D100, D40 to D90, or D40 to D80.

[0101] By ensuring that the Shore hardness of the elastic material and polymer resin contained in the reinforcing structure meets the aforementioned range, deformation of the exterior material due to battery deformation can be suppressed, thereby improving the structural safety of the exterior material.

[0102] As described above, in the second embodiment, which includes reinforcing structures 320a and 320b that extend from the sealing portion 320 to cover an adjacent region, a reinforcing structure A containing the first substance is formed in the sealing portion 320, and a reinforcing structure B containing the first substance or a second substance different from the first substance may be continuously formed in the region 330 that includes the adjacent region. Here, the first substance and the second substance may be one or more of the substances described above.

[0103] As an example, the reinforcing structures 320a and 320b according to the second embodiment may independently contain a first substance and a second substance that are different from each other.

[0104] As a specific example, a reinforcing structure A may be formed in the sealing portion 320, comprising one or more materials selected from metal, elastic material, and polymer resin. Then, a reinforcing structure B may be formed in the region 330, including the adjacent region, comprising a material with a lower Shore hardness than the material contained in reinforcing structure A. For example, reinforcing structure A may contain one of the aforementioned polymer resins as a first polymer resin, and reinforcing structure B may contain a second polymer resin with a lower Shore hardness than the first polymer resin.

[0105] The reinforcing structure A and reinforcing structure B each contain different materials based on Shore hardness, which has the advantage of effectively suppressing the collapse of the structural shape of region 330, including adjacent areas, and preventing damage to the exterior material.

[0106] Furthermore, since the reinforcing structures 120a and 120b included in the first embodiment can contain the same material as the material included in the reinforcing structure A described above, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0107] Figure 6 is an exemplary diagram showing a reinforcing structure formed on the outside of a sealing portion according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 6, Figure 6(a) shows that the reinforcing structure in the central region may be formed to increase the thickness of the central region for reinforcement of the central region of the battery 10. For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b in the central region of the sealing portions 120, 320 is 1.86 mm, and the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b in the peripheral region is 0.9 mm, and one end of the reinforcing structure may be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm relative to the outer edge of the sealing portion. That is, the reinforcing structure may be formed to extend from the sealing portion to cover the edge region of the exterior material.

[0108] This offers the advantage of ensuring support during bending of the exterior materials 100 and 300 by increasing the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b in the central region of the sealing sections 120 and 320.

[0109] Figure 6(b) shows that the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b located at the 1 / 4, 1 / 2, and 3 / 4 points of the sealing portion of the exterior materials 100 and 300 can be increased. For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b in the central region of the sealing portion 120 and 320 is 1.86 mm, and the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b in the peripheral region is 0.9 mm, but the 1 / 4, 1 / 2, and 3 / 4 points of the sealing portion 120 and 320 can be configured to have values ​​between 0.9 mm and 1.86 mm. In this case, one end of the reinforcing structure can be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm relative to the outer edge of the sealing portion.

[0110] In this way, by configuring the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b to differ at each location of the sealing sections 120 and 320, it is possible to provide the advantage of ensuring support force when the batteries 10 and 30 are bent.

[0111] Figure 6(c) shows that reinforcing structures may be formed on the outside of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior material 100. For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structure formed on the outside of the sealing portions 120 and 320 may be 1.86 mm, and one end of the reinforcing structure may be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm relative to the outer edge of the sealing portion. In this case, as described above, the reinforcing structure can be made up of multiple block-shaped unit structures spaced at the same intervals and positioned continuously.

[0112] Figure 6(d) shows that reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b of uniform thickness may be formed on the exterior of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300. For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b formed on the exterior of the sealing portions 120 and 320 may be 1.86 mm, and one end of the reinforcing structure may be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm relative to the outer edge of the sealing portion. In this case, the reinforcing structure may have the shape of a single, flat structure.

[0113] Here, Figure 6(d) shows that by changing the type of material and / or hardness value contained in the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b, support force can be ensured when the batteries 10 and 30 are bent.

[0114] Figure 6(e) shows that reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b of uniform thickness may be formed on the exterior of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300. For example, the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b formed on the exterior of the sealing portions 120 and 320 may be configured to include multiple unit structures such that the thickness is 1.86 mm, the gap spacing is 0.4 mm, and the gap depth is 0.2 mm. Here, Figure 6(e) may be formed as a structure in which the gap spacing and depth can be controlled so that it cannot be bent further at a specific radius R.

[0115] However, if reinforcing structures are simply formed on the exterior materials 100 and 300 without considering separate bending radius design, and then bent with curvatures of R5, R10, and R15, the exterior materials 100 and 300 may not fold, but they will not bend with a uniform radius of curvature. This can lead to excessive bending and deformation into an elliptical shape, or deformation with an unnatural curvature, causing specific parts of the battery to bend or fold, resulting in the disadvantage of accumulating fatigue in those specific areas.

[0116] In contrast, the battery according to the present invention has the advantage that, by including the reinforcing structure described above, even when an external force strong enough to cause excessive bending is applied, the battery will deform within the range of the radius of curvature designed with uniform curvature.

[0117] For example, if the reinforcing structure includes unit structures composed of block spacing of 0.27 mm, block pitch of 1.6 mm, and block height of 0.8 mm, then batteries 10 and 30, which include reinforcing structures to which bending radius designs such as block spacing / pitch / height are applied, can bend uniformly even with a small radius of curvature, because the support force is ensured by the close contact between adjacent unit structures.

[0118] Figure 7 is an exemplary diagram comparing and evaluating a flexible battery without a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion and a flexible battery with a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 7, specifically, in order to compare and evaluate a flexible battery without a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion and a flexible battery with a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion, the evaluation method used was to 1) perform a bending evaluation (R25, 25 rpm, repeated 100 times), followed by an evaluation to check for cracks and damage to the exterior material, and 2) confirm the arrangement and degree of adhesion of the internal electrodes by CT imaging.

[0119] As a result of evaluating conventional batteries and batteries 10 and 30 of the present invention, it was found that in conventional batteries, because a reinforcing structure is not formed in the sealing part, cracks may occur in the sealing part and adjacent areas of the exterior material, potentially damaging the battery, which may lead to the leakage of electrolyte, and it was confirmed that a large gap occurs between each electrode layer.

[0120] In contrast, it was confirmed that the batteries 10 and 30 in the present invention do not have a large gap because reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b are formed in the sealing portions 120 and 320.

[0121] Furthermore, when batteries 10 and 30, which include exterior materials 100 and 300 in which reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b are formed on the sealing portions 120 and 320 proposed in the present invention, are repeatedly bent, it can be confirmed that cracks do not occur in the exterior materials 100 and 300 due to the resistance provided by the strength and support of the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b. Specifically, upon examining the inside of batteries 10 and 30 proposed in the present invention, it can be confirmed that the gap between each electrode layer is uniformly maintained in all sections when the batteries 10 and 30 of the present invention are bent.

[0122] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 8, both the battery 10 described with reference to the first embodiment and the battery 30 described with reference to the second embodiment can be manufactured by the same process.

[0123] In step S810, the electrode assemblies 140 and 340 can be inserted into the exterior materials 100 and 300.

[0124] In step S820, the sealing portions 120 and 320 can be formed by overlapping and joining the two sealing surfaces of the exterior materials 100 and 300.

[0125] In step S830, the exterior materials 100 and 300 into which the electrode assemblies 140 and 340 are inserted can be sealed via the sealing portions 120 and 320.

[0126] In step S840, reinforcing structures 120a and 120b for the exterior materials 100 and 300 can be formed on the outside of the sealing portions 120 and 320.

[0127] Although not shown in Figure 8, the process may further include forming at least one protrusion in one direction on the exterior materials 100, 300. For example, at least one protrusion may be positioned between two recesses and formed to project in the opposite direction from the recesses.

[0128] Although not shown in Figure 8, the process may further include the step of forming at least one recess adjacent to the protrusion. The recess may be formed to protrude into the internal space of the housings 110, 310, i.e., toward the electrode assemblies 140, 340 to be housed. The protrusion may be positioned between the two recesses and formed to protrude in the opposite direction from the recesses.

[0129] Here, the step of forming the recess can be performed before or after the step of pressing the exterior material on which the protrusions are formed, as described later. If the recess is formed after pressing the exterior materials 100 and 300 on which the protrusions are formed, the exterior materials 100 and 300 can be pressed further.

[0130] Although not shown in Figure 8, the process may further include a step of pressing the exterior materials 100 and 300, which have protrusions formed on them.

[0131] Although not shown in Figure 8, the process may further include the step of forming depressions in the protrusions of the pressed exterior materials 100 and 300. For example, the depressions can be formed by a precision pneumatic press that presses and applies pressure to a punch processed into a dot shape. Here, the precision pneumatic press consists of a four-axis set equipped with punches and dies together with ball bushings, and the depth of the depressions can be adjusted by physically controlling the distance between the punches and dies with a limit block, and damage to the exterior materials 100 and 200 can be prevented by adjusting the press drop speed.

[0132] Based on the width of the convex portion, the outer diameter of the recessed portion can be designed to be 30-85% of the width of the convex portion. If the outer diameter of the recessed portion is less than 30% of the width of the convex portion, it is not possible to prevent the occurrence of irregular gaps and large gaps between electrode layers. If the outer diameter of the recessed portion is greater than 85%, there is a problem of interference with adjacent recesses and deformation of the recessed portion's shape. For this reason, when the width of the convex portion is W, the outer diameter of the recessed portion may be, for example, 0.3W to 0.85W or 0.35W to 0.8W, but is not limited to these values.

[0133] In the above description, steps S810 to S840 may be further divided into additional steps or combined into fewer steps, depending on the embodiment of the present invention. Also, some steps may be omitted as needed, and the order of the steps may be changed.

[0134] Figure 9 is an illustrative diagram illustrating the process of forming a reinforcing structure in a sealing portion in the present invention. Referring to Figure 9, Figure 9(a) shows the process of insert molding of reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b using solid-phase silicon, and Figure 9(b) shows the process of insert molding of reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b using liquid-phase solid-phase silicon.

[0135] Referring to Figure 9(a), after applying a primer treatment to the exterior of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300, silicone gum (GUM) can be applied.

[0136] Subsequently, after placing the exterior materials 100 and 300 containing the silicone GUM in the mold, the remaining silicone is removed by silicone molding, and then the silicone is coated to form a reinforcing structure on the outside of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300. In this case, the silicone coating process may be omitted.

[0137] Referring to Figure 9(b), after applying a primer treatment to the outside of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300, the exterior materials 100 and 300 can be placed inside the mold.

[0138] Subsequently, solid-phase liquefied silicon is injected through the injection port of the mold, the mold is separated, the remaining silicon is removed, and the silicon is coated to form a reinforcing structure on the outside of the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300. In this case, the silicon coating process may be omitted.

[0139] Furthermore, although not shown in the drawings, as mentioned above, it is of course possible to form a reinforcing structure on the exterior of the exterior material using metals or polymers contained in the reinforcing structure, utilizing methods known in the industry. The effects exhibited by the reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion in the present invention are as follows: Firstly, when the batteries 10 and 30 are bent, damage to the exterior materials 100 and 300 can be minimized while they deform with a uniform curvature below the limit value. Secondly, the sealing portions 120 and 320 of the exterior materials 100 and 300, or adjacent areas (130 and 330), which are prone to damage due to the deformation of the batteries 10 and 30, can be protected. Thirdly, large gaps that occur due to the lifting of interlayer gaps of electrodes within the exterior materials 100 and 300 can be suppressed. Fourthly, if the batteries 10 and 30 are bent or deformed beyond the standard range or limit, the reinforcing structures 120a, 120b, 320a, and 320b can play a role in preventing this. Fifthly, in a high-humidity environment, the penetration of external moisture through the sealing parts 120 and 320 can be minimized, thereby improving the stable performance and safety of the batteries 10 and 30.

[0140] The above description of the present invention is illustrative, and a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical idea or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the above embodiments should be understood to be illustrative in all respects and not limiting. For example, each component described as a single type can be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed can be implemented in a combined manner.

[0141] The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims set forth below rather than by the detailed description, and all modifications or altered forms derived from the meaning and scope of the claims, as well as the concept of equivalents, should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0142] 10, 30: Batteries, electrochemical cells 100, 300: Exterior materials 101, 301: Electrode leads 110, 310: Containment Unit 120, 320: Sealing section 130, 330: Adjacent regions 120a, 120b, 320a, 320b: Reinforcement structures 140, 340: Electrode assembly

Claims

1. In batteries, An electrode assembly containing multiple electrodes, The exterior material includes a housing portion for housing the electrode assembly and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the housing portion, A battery characterized by including a reinforcing structure formed on at least one surface of the sealing portion.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure extends from the sealing portion to cover the edge region of the exterior material.

3. The battery according to claim 2, wherein the edge region is the edge region of the exterior material located in a direction parallel to the long axis direction of the battery.

4. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the reinforcing structure formed on at least one surface of the sealing portion is designed based on the thickness of the battery and the thickness of the sealing portion.

5. The battery according to claim 4, wherein the thickness of the reinforcing structure is designed to satisfy the following relational expression 1. (Relationship 1) 0.5mm≦Ha≦1 / 2 (H1-Hc) In relational equation 1, Ha is the thickness of the reinforcing structure, H1 is the thickness of the battery, and Hc is the thickness of the sealing portion.

6. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the sealing portion has a first reinforcing structure formed in a first sealing portion located at one end of the exterior material, and a second reinforcing structure formed in a second sealing portion located at the other end of the exterior material.

7. The battery according to claim 6, wherein the combined width of the first reinforcing structure and the second reinforcing structure is designed based on the width of the battery and the width of the electrode assembly.

8. The battery according to claim 7, wherein the combined width of the first reinforcing structure and the second reinforcing structure is designed to satisfy the following relational expression 2. (Relationship equation 2) |(Wc-We)-(W1+W2)|≦5mm In relational equation 2, Wc is the width of the battery, We is the width of the electrode assembly, W1 is the width of the first reinforcing structure, and W2 is the width of the second reinforcing structure.

9. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure is formed by a plurality of unit structures separated from each other and integrated together.

10. The battery according to claim 9, wherein the separation distances between the unit structures are the same or different from each other.

11. The battery according to claim 10, wherein the unit structures are arranged in the central region of the reinforcing structure at progressively increasing distances toward the peripheral regions located at both ends of the reinforcing structure.

12. The battery according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the central region of the reinforcing structure and the peripheral regions located at both ends of the reinforcing structure are the same or different from each other.

13. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure is an integrated flat structure in which the thickness of the central region of the reinforcing structure and the peripheral regions located at both ends of the reinforcing structure are the same, or an integrated entasis structure in which the thickness of the central region is greater than that of the peripheral regions.

14. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure contains an elastic body or a first polymer resin having a Shore hardness of D40 or higher.

15. The battery according to claim 14, wherein the reinforcing structure further comprises a Serve reinforcing structure containing a second polymer resin having a different Shore hardness value from the first polymer resin.

16. In a method for manufacturing batteries, The steps include inserting the electrode assembly into the exterior material, The steps include forming a sealing portion by overlapping and joining the two sealing surfaces of the exterior material, The steps include sealing the outer material into which the electrode assembly is inserted via the sealing portion, The steps include forming a reinforcing structure on at least one surface of the sealing portion, A battery manufacturing method, including the following.

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