Energy storage devices
A simple configuration with a protrusion and integrated insulating member in the conduction path of electricity storage devices addresses shape complexity issues, enhancing sealing reliability and airtightness.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2022190522
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-11-29
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-31
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-11-29
AI Technical Summary
Complex shapes in the conduction path of electricity storage devices increase processing steps, leading to shape variations and reduced reliability of the sealing part.
A simple configuration with a protrusion on the first current collecting member within the case's through hole, integrated with an insulating member to insulate the terminal and case, forming a conductive path and enhancing airtightness.
Improves sealing reliability and reduces shape variations by simplifying the conduction path while maintaining airtightness and connectivity.
Smart Images

Figure 0007716381000001 
Figure 0007716381000002 
Figure 0007716381000003
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electricity storage device. [Background technology]
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to a sealed battery. The sealed battery includes a current collecting terminal having an electrode assembly connection portion, an external connection portion, and a shaft portion located between the electrode assembly connection portion and the external connection portion. The electrode assembly connection portion is connected to an electrode assembly housed inside a case member. The external connection portion is located outside the case member. The shaft portion is inserted into a terminal mounting hole provided in the case member. An insulating member is also located between the current collecting terminal and the terminal mounting hole. The insulating member is integrally molded with the current collecting terminal and the case member. This is said to enable the electrode to be easily removed from the case member without undergoing a process such as joining multiple terminals. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-086813 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] When the shape of a part is complex, the number of processing steps increases, which tends to cause variations in the shape of the manufactured part and may reduce the reliability of the sealing part. Therefore, the present inventors are considering making the shape of the part that constitutes the conduction path from the electrode body housed inside the case of an electricity storage device (e.g., a battery) relatively simple. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] The present disclosure provides an electricity storage device comprising: an electrode assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode; a case that houses the electrode assembly; a first current collecting member electrically connected to the first electrode; and an insulating member that insulates the first current collecting member and the terminal member from the case. The case has a first wall, and the first wall has a first through hole. The first current collecting member has a first region arranged along the inner surface of the first wall, and the first region is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the first wall, and at least a portion of the protrusion is arranged within the first through hole. The terminal member is connected to the protrusion. The insulating member is an integral member having an insulating portion arranged between the first wall and the first current collecting member and an insulating portion arranged between the first wall and the terminal member.
[0006] With this configuration, a conductive path is formed by a simple configuration in which the protrusion of the first current collecting member is connected to the terminal member, and the insulating member is arranged as a single unit to insulate the terminal member and the first current collecting member from the case, thereby improving airtightness and increasing the reliability of the seal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0007]
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MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0008] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, some preferred embodiments of the technology disclosed herein will be described. Note that matters other than those specifically mentioned in this specification and necessary for the implementation of the present disclosure (for example, the general configuration and manufacturing process of a battery that does not characterize the present disclosure) can be grasped as design matters of those skilled in the art based on the prior art in the relevant field. The present disclosure can be implemented based on the content disclosed in this specification and common general knowledge in the relevant field. In addition, the notation of "A to B (where A and B are arbitrary numerical values)" indicating a range in this specification means "A or more and B or less", and also includes the meanings of "exceeding A and less than B", "exceeding A and B or less", and "A or more and less than B".
[0009] In addition, in this specification, the "power storage device" refers to a device that can perform charging and discharging. The power storage device includes batteries such as primary batteries and secondary batteries (for example, lithium ion secondary batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries), and capacitors (physical batteries) such as electric double layer capacitors. Hereinafter, the present technology will be described by taking a lithium ion secondary battery, which is an embodiment of the power storage device disclosed herein, as an example.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a power storage device 100 (hereinafter also referred to as battery 100). FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the configuration of battery 100. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2. In the following description, the symbols L, R, F, Rr, U, and D in the drawings represent left, right, front, rear, upper, and lower, respectively, and the symbols X, Y, and Z in the drawings represent the short side direction, the long side direction orthogonal to the short side direction, and the vertical direction of battery 100, respectively. However, these are merely directions for convenience of explanation and do not limit the installation form of battery 100 in any way.
[0011] As shown in FIG. 2, the battery 100 according to the present embodiment includes a case 10, an electrode body group 20, a positive electrode terminal member 30, a negative electrode terminal member 40, a positive electrode current collector 50, a negative electrode current collector 60, and an insulating member 80. Although not shown in the drawings, the battery 100 according to the present embodiment further includes an electrolytic solution. The electrode body 20a included in the electrode body group 20 includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode can be a positive electrode or a negative electrode, but in the present embodiment, the first electrode is a positive electrode. Also, the second electrode is a positive electrode or a negative electrode and is an electrode different from the first electrode. In the present embodiment, the second electrode is a negative electrode.
[0012] The case 10 is a housing that houses one or two or more electrode bodies (here, the electrode body group 20). The case 10 has an outer shape that is flat, bottomed, and rectangular parallelepiped (angular) here. The material of the case 10 may be the same as that conventionally used and is not particularly limited. The case 10 is preferably made of a metal having a predetermined strength and can be composed of, for example, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, iron, an iron alloy, or the like. Note that the shape of the case 10 is not limited to angular and may be cylindrical or polyhedral.
[0013] The case 10 is in the shape of a hexahedron having six walls here. As shown in FIG. 1, the case 10 includes a first wall 14 as an upper wall, a substantially rectangular bottom wall 12a facing the first wall 14, a pair of first side walls 12b extending upward U from the short sides of the bottom wall 12a and facing each other, and a pair of second side walls 12c extending upward U from the long sides of the bottom wall 12a and facing each other. The first wall 14 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape here. The area of the second side wall 12c is smaller than the area of the first side wall 12b. In the present embodiment, the case 10 includes an exterior body 12 including the bottom wall 12a, the first side walls 12b, and the second side walls 12c, and a sealing plate (hereinafter also referred to as the sealing plate 14) as the first wall 14. Note that the first wall is not limited to the sealing plate 14 and may be any of the walls included in the case 10.
[0014] The exterior body 12 is a flat rectangular (hexahedron shape) container with one face being an opening 12h. The opening 12h is formed on the upper surface of the exterior body 12 surrounded by the pair of first side walls 12b and the pair of second side walls 12c. The sealing plate 14 is attached to the exterior body 12 so as to close the opening 12h of the exterior body 12. The sealing plate 14 is a plate material having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The case 10 is formed by joining (for example, welding) the sealing plate 14 to the periphery of the opening 12h of the exterior body 12. The joining of the sealing plate 14 can be performed by welding such as laser welding.
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a gas discharge valve 17 is provided on the sealing plate 14. The gas discharge valve 17 is configured to open when the pressure inside the case 10 reaches a predetermined value or more and discharge the gas inside the case 10.
[0016] In addition to the gas release valve 17, the sealing plate 14 is also provided with a liquid inlet 15, a first through-hole 18, and a second through-hole 19. The liquid inlet 15 is in communication with the internal space of the case 10 and is an opening provided for injecting electrolyte during the manufacturing process of the battery 100. The liquid inlet 15 is sealed with a sealing member 16. A suitable example of such a sealing member 16 is a blind rivet. This allows the sealing member 16 to be firmly fixed inside the case 10.
[0017] The first through hole 18 has a size that allows a portion of the positive electrode terminal member 30 or the positive electrode current collector 50 to be inserted therethrough, and its shape is not particularly limited. For example, in a plan view, the first through hole 18 may have a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a quadrate shape such as a square or a rectangle, or a polygonal shape. The corners of the first through hole 18 may be rounded. Here, the first through hole 18 is provided so that, in a plan view, the corners are rounded and the hole is rectangular. The shape of the second through hole 19 is not particularly limited as long as it has a size that allows a portion of the negative electrode terminal member 40 or the negative electrode current collector 60 to be inserted therethrough. The shape of the second through hole 19 may be the same as that of the first through hole 18.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the electrode assembly 20 attached to the sealing plate 14. In this embodiment, a plurality of (here, three) electrode assemblies 20a, 20b, and 20c are housed inside the case 10. The number of electrode assemblies housed inside one case 10 is not particularly limited and may be one or two or more (plural). As shown in FIG. 2, a positive electrode current collector 50 is disposed on one side of each electrode assembly in the long side direction Y (the left side in FIG. 2), and a negative electrode current collector 60 is disposed on the other side of each electrode assembly in the long side direction Y (the right side in FIG. 2). The electrode assemblies 20a, 20b, and 20c are connected in parallel. However, the electrode assemblies 20a, 20b, and 20c may also be connected in series. The electrode assembly 20 is housed inside the case 10 while covered with an electrode assembly holder 29 made of a resin sheet.
[0019] Fig. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the electrode body 20a to which the positive electrode second current collecting portion 52 and the negative electrode second current collecting portion 62 are attached. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the electrode body 20a. Note that, although the electrode body 20a will be described in detail below as an example, the electrode bodies 20b and 20c can also have a similar configuration.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 7, the electrode assembly 20a has a positive electrode 22, a negative electrode 24, and a separator 26. Here, the electrode assembly 20a is a wound electrode assembly in which a strip-shaped positive electrode 22 and a strip-shaped negative electrode 24 are stacked with two strip-shaped separators 26 interposed therebetween, and wound around a winding axis WL. However, the structure of the electrode assembly does not limit the technology disclosed herein. For example, the electrode assembly may be a laminated electrode assembly in which multiple square-shaped (typically rectangular) positive electrodes and multiple square-shaped (typically rectangular) negative electrodes are stacked in an insulated state.
[0021] In this embodiment, the electrode body 20a has a flat shape. The electrode body 20a is disposed inside the exterior body 12 with the winding axis WL oriented approximately parallel to the long side direction Y. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the electrode body 20a has a pair of curved portions (R portions) 20r that face the bottom wall 12a and the sealing plate 14 of the exterior body 12, and a flat portion 20f that connects the pair of curved portions 20r and faces the first side wall 12b of the exterior body 12. The flat portion 20f extends along the first side wall 12b.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 7, the positive electrode 22 includes a positive electrode current collector 22c and a positive electrode active material layer 22a fixed to at least one surface of the positive electrode current collector 22c. The positive electrode 22 may also include a positive electrode protective layer 22p. The positive electrode current collector 22c is strip-shaped in this example. The positive electrode current collector 22c is made of a conductive metal such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, nickel, or stainless steel. The positive electrode current collector 22c is, for example, a metal foil, and in this example, is aluminum foil.
[0023] A plurality of positive electrode tabs 22t are provided at one end of the positive electrode current collector 22c in the long side direction Y (the left end in FIG. 7). The plurality of positive electrode tabs 22t are provided at intervals (intermittently) along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped positive electrode 22. The plurality of positive electrode tabs 22t protrude outward beyond the separator 26 toward one side in the axial direction of the winding axis WL (the left side in FIG. 7). The positive electrode tabs 22t may be provided on the other side in the axial direction of the winding axis WL (the right side in FIG. 7), or may be provided on both sides in the axial direction of the winding axis WL. The positive electrode tabs 22t are part of the positive electrode current collector 22c and are made of metal foil (aluminum foil). However, the positive electrode tabs 22t may be a member separate from the positive electrode current collector 22c. In at least a part of the positive electrode tab 22t, the positive electrode active material layer 22a and the positive electrode protective layer 22p are not formed, and a region where the positive electrode current collector 22c is exposed is formed.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, the positive electrode tabs 22t are stacked at one axial end (the left end in FIG. 4) of the winding axis WL to form a positive electrode tab group 23. Each of the positive electrode tabs 22t is connected to the positive electrode current collector 50 in a bent state. This allows the size of the main body of the electrode body group 20 housed in the case 10 to be increased, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the positive electrode tab group 23 is electrically connected to the positive electrode current collector 50. Here, the positive electrode tab group 23 is connected to a positive electrode second current collector 52 (described later) at a connection J (see FIG. 4). The size of the positive electrode tabs 22t (the length in the long side direction Y and the width perpendicular to the long side direction Y; see FIG. 7) can be appropriately adjusted, for example, by their formation positions, taking into account the state of connection to the positive electrode current collector 50. Here, the positive electrode tabs 22t are different in size from one another so that their outer ends are aligned when bent. The positive electrode tabs may have the same size. Although the positive electrode tabs 22t are trapezoidal, they may have other shapes (for example, rectangular).
[0025] As shown in FIG. 7, the positive electrode active material layer 22a is provided in a strip-like shape along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped positive electrode current collector 22c. The positive electrode active material layer 22a contains a positive electrode active material (e.g., a lithium transition metal composite oxide such as a lithium nickel cobalt manganese composite oxide) capable of reversibly absorbing and releasing charge carriers. When the total solid content of the positive electrode active material layer 22a is taken as 100 mass%, the positive electrode active material may account for approximately 80 mass% or more, typically 90 mass% or more, for example, 95 mass% or more. The positive electrode active material layer 22a may contain optional components other than the positive electrode active material, such as a conductive material, a binder, various additives, etc. Examples of the conductive material include a carbon material such as acetylene black (AB). Examples of the binder include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF).
[0026] As shown in FIG. 7, the positive electrode protective layer 22p is provided at the boundary between the positive electrode collector 22c and the positive electrode active material layer 22a in the long side direction Y. Here, the positive electrode protective layer 22p is provided at one end (the left end in FIG. 7) of the positive electrode collector 22c in the axial direction of the winding axis WL. However, the positive electrode protective layer 22p may be provided at both ends in the axial direction. The positive electrode protective layer 22p is provided in a strip shape along the positive electrode active material layer 22a. The positive electrode protective layer 22p contains an inorganic filler (e.g., alumina). When the entire solid content of the positive electrode protective layer 22p is taken as 100% by mass, the inorganic filler may account for approximately 50% by mass or more, typically 70% by mass or more, for example, 80% by mass or more. The positive electrode protective layer 22p may contain optional components other than the inorganic filler, such as a conductive material, a binder, and various additive components. The conductive material and binder may be the same as those exemplified as those that may be contained in the positive electrode active material layer 22a.
[0027] As shown in Fig. 7, the negative electrode 24 includes a negative electrode current collector 24c and a negative electrode active material layer 24a fixed to at least one surface of the negative electrode current collector 24c. The negative electrode current collector 24c is strip-shaped. The negative electrode current collector 24c is made of a conductive metal such as copper, a copper alloy, nickel, or stainless steel. The negative electrode current collector 24c is, for example, a metal foil, and in this example, is copper foil.
[0028] A plurality of negative electrode tabs 24t are provided at one axial end (the right end in FIG. 7) of the winding axis WL of the negative electrode current collector 24c. The plurality of negative electrode tabs 24t are provided at intervals (intermittently) along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped negative electrode 24. Each of the plurality of negative electrode tabs 24t protrudes outward from the separator 26 toward one axial end (the right end in FIG. 7). However, the negative electrode tab 24t may be provided at the other axial end (the left end in FIG. 7) or at each of both axial end portions. The negative electrode tab 24t is part of the negative electrode current collector 24c and is made of metal foil (copper foil). However, the negative electrode tab 24t may be a separate member from the negative electrode current collector 24c. At least a portion of the negative electrode tab 24t has a region where the negative electrode active material layer 24a is not formed and the negative electrode current collector 24c is exposed.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the multiple negative electrode tabs 24t are stacked at one axial end (the right end in FIG. 4) to form a negative electrode tab group 25. The negative electrode tab group 25 is preferably provided at a position symmetrical to the positive electrode tab group 23 in the axial direction. Each of the multiple negative electrode tabs 24t is connected to the negative electrode current collector 60 in a bent state. This allows the size of the main body of the electrode body group 20 housed in the case 10 to be increased, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the negative electrode tab group 25 is electrically connected to the negative electrode current collector 60. Here, the negative electrode tab group 25 and a negative electrode second current collector 62, which will be described later, are connected at a connection J (see FIG. 4). Like the multiple positive electrode tabs 22t, the multiple negative electrode tabs 24t are different in size so that their outer edges are aligned when bent. Note that the technology disclosed herein can also be applied to cases where the negative electrode tabs are the same size. Furthermore, although the negative electrode tab 24t is trapezoidal, it may have other shapes (for example, rectangular).
[0030] As shown in FIG. 7, the negative electrode active material layer 24a is provided in a strip-like shape along the longitudinal direction of a strip-shaped negative electrode current collector 24c. The negative electrode active material layer 24a contains a negative electrode active material (e.g., a carbon material such as graphite) that can reversibly store and release charge carriers. When the total solid content of the negative electrode active material layer 24a is taken as 100 mass%, the negative electrode active material may account for approximately 80 mass% or more, typically 90 mass% or more, for example 95 mass% or more. The negative electrode active material layer 24a may contain optional components other than the negative electrode active material, such as a binder, a dispersant, and various additives. Examples of the binder that can be used include rubbers such as styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). Examples of the dispersant that can be used include celluloses such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).
[0031] As shown in FIG. 7, the separator 26 is a member that insulates the positive electrode active material layer 22a of the positive electrode 22 from the negative electrode active material layer 24a of the negative electrode 24. A suitable example of the separator 26 is a porous resin sheet made of a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). The separator 26 may have a substrate made of a porous resin sheet and a heat resistance layer (HRL) containing an inorganic filler and provided on at least one surface of the substrate. Examples of inorganic fillers that can be used include alumina, boehmite, aluminum hydroxide, and titania.
[0032] The electrolyte may be the same as conventional ones and is not particularly limited. The electrolyte is, for example, a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a non-aqueous solvent and a supporting salt. The non-aqueous solvent contains, for example, carbonates such as ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, and ethyl methyl carbonate. The supporting salt is, for example, a fluorine-containing lithium salt such as LiPF6. However, the electrolyte may be in a solid state (solid electrolyte) and integrated with the electrode assembly 20.
[0033] The positive electrode current collector 50 constitutes at least a part of the conduction path from the positive electrode tab group 23 composed of a plurality of positive electrode tabs 22t to the outside of the case 10. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the positive electrode current collector 50 includes a first positive electrode current collector 51 and a second positive electrode current collector 52. Note that the positive electrode current collector 50 may not be composed of a plurality of members as in the present embodiment, and may be composed of one member.
[0034] In the present embodiment, the first current collector member 70 disclosed here is adopted as the first positive electrode current collector 51. The configuration of the first current collector member 70 will be described later.
[0035] The second positive electrode current collector 52 extends along the second side wall 12c of the exterior body 12. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the second positive electrode current collector 52 is configured in a plate shape extending along the vertical direction Z. The second positive electrode current collector 52 has an inclined portion in the middle of extending in the vertical direction Z. One end of the second positive electrode current collector is joined to the first positive electrode current collector 51, and the other end is joined to the positive electrode tab group 23. Each of these joints can be realized by welding such as ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser welding, etc. The second positive electrode current collector 52 can be made of, for example, the same metal type as the positive electrode current collector 22c, and can be made of a conductive metal such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, stainless steel, etc.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at least a part of the positive electrode terminal member 30 is arranged so as to be exposed outside the case 10. By being electrically connected to the positive electrode current collector 50, the positive electrode terminal member 30 can extend the conduction path and improve the connectivity with an external member (for example, a bus bar). In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, inside the first through hole 18 provided in the sealing plate 14, the positive electrode terminal member 30 is electrically connected to the first positive electrode current collector 51. Also, the upper surface 30a of the positive electrode terminal member 30 is arranged outside the case 10 and can be a joint surface with an external member. The positive electrode terminal member 30 is preferably made of metal and can be made of, for example, aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, stainless steel, etc.
[0037] The shape of the positive electrode terminal member 30 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a plate shape, a block shape, etc. Furthermore, the shape of the positive electrode terminal member 30 in a plan view is not particularly limited, but is preferably a circle, a rectangle, or a shape with rounded corners.
[0038] The negative electrode current collecting part 60 constitutes at least a part of the conduction path from the negative electrode tab group 25 consisting of the multiple negative electrode tabs 24t to the outside of the case 10. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the negative electrode current collecting part 60 includes a negative electrode first current collecting part 61 and a negative electrode second current collecting part 62. Note that the negative electrode current collecting part 60 does not have to be composed of multiple members as in this embodiment, and may be composed of a single member. In this embodiment, the first current collecting member 70 disclosed herein is used as the negative electrode first current collecting part 61.
[0039] The negative electrode second current collecting portion 62 extends along the second side wall 12c of the exterior body 12. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , the negative electrode second current collecting portion 62 is configured in a plate shape extending in the vertical direction Z. The negative electrode second current collecting portion 62 has an inclined portion midway along its extension in the vertical direction Z. One end of the negative electrode second current collecting portion 62 is joined to the negative electrode first current collecting portion 61, and the other end is joined to the negative electrode tab group 25. These joints can be realized by welding, for example, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser welding, or the like. The negative electrode second current collecting portion 62 can be made of, for example, the same metal type as the negative electrode current collector 24c, and can be made of a conductive metal such as copper, a copper alloy, nickel, or stainless steel.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at least a part of the negative electrode terminal member 40 is arranged so as to be exposed outside the case 10. By being electrically connected to the negative electrode current collector 60, the negative electrode terminal member 40 can extend the conduction path and improve the connectivity with an external member (for example, a bus bar). In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the negative electrode terminal member 40 is electrically connected to the negative electrode first current collector 61 inside the second through hole 19 provided in the sealing plate 14. The negative electrode terminal member 40 is preferably made of metal, and more preferably made of, for example, copper or a copper alloy. Note that the shape of the negative electrode terminal member 40 may be the same as the shape of the positive electrode terminal member 30 described above.
[0041] Hereinafter, the first current collector member 70 disclosed herein will be described. The first current collector member 70 is a member that is electrically connected to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode. In the following description, an embodiment in which the first current collector member 70 is electrically connected to the positive electrode as the first electrode will be described in detail as an example. Note that the first current collector member 70 can also be adopted for the negative electrode, and its structure can be understood, for example, by reading the positive electrode as the negative electrode in the following description.
[0042] FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment of the configuration of the first current collector member disclosed herein. FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration near the first through hole in the vicinity of the sealing plate to which the first current collector member is attached. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the configuration near the first through hole of the sealing plate to which the first current collector member shown in FIG. 9 is attached, as viewed from the inner surface side of the sealing plate. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 9.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 8, the first current collector member 70 has a first region 71, a second region 73, and a first slit 74 formed between the first region 71 and the second region 73. Further, in the present embodiment, the first current collector member 70 further has a third region 75, a second slit 76 formed between the first region 71 and the third region 75, a fourth region 77, and a fifth region 78.
[0044] The first region 71 is a region arranged along the inner surface 14b of the first wall (here, the sealing plate 14) of the case 10. The upper surface 71a of the first current collector member 70 in the first region 71 faces the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14. Here, the first region 71 extends in the longitudinal direction (long side direction Y) of the sealing plate 14. The first region 71 is provided with a base portion 71c and a protruding portion 72 protruding from the base portion 71c. The protruding portion 72 protrudes toward the first wall (sealing plate 14). In the present embodiment, the protruding portion 72 has an upper surface 72a (tip surface). Further, the protruding portion 72 has a lower surface 72b facing the upper surface 72a. Note that the tip of the protruding portion 72 does not necessarily have to have an upper surface. In the present embodiment, the base portions 71c are arranged on both sides of the protruding portion 72 in the long side direction Y.
[0045] In the first region 71, the first current collector member 70 is configured in a plate shape in the present embodiment. The protruding portion 72 is configured to be bent so that the plate-shaped first current collector member 70 protrudes toward the upper surface 71a side. Accordingly, a recess 71d corresponding to the shape of the protruding portion 72 is provided on the lower surface 71b of the first current collector member 70 in the first region 71. The bottom surface of such a recess 71d is the lower surface 72b of the protruding portion 72. Here, since the plate-shaped first current collector member 70 is bent to form the protruding portion 72, the average thickness of the first current collector member 70 on the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72 and the average thickness of the first current collector member 70 on the base portion 71c are substantially the same. For example, when the average thickness of the first current collector member 70 on the base portion 71c is 100%, the average thickness of the first current collector member 70 on the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72 can be 90% - 110%, or 95% - 105%. Thus, by forming the protruding portion 72 by bending the plate-shaped member, the protruding portion 72 is lighter than a structure having a solid axis, so that the weight of the battery 100 can be reduced, which is preferable. However, the configuration of the protruding portion 72 is not limited to this, and it may be configured with a solid axis or a hollow axis. Note that the average thickness of the first current collector member 70 can be measured by, for example, a reflection type laser displacement meter or the like.
[0046] The length of the first region 71 in the longitudinal direction (direction Y) of the sealing plate 14 is preferably greater than the longest length in the longitudinal direction of the first through hole 18. This allows the insulating members 80, which will be described later and are disposed between the first region 71 and the sealing plate 14, to be disposed on both sides of the first through hole 18 in the longitudinal direction, thereby improving the sealing performance in the vicinity of the first through hole 18.
[0047] Like the first region 71, the second region 73 is a region disposed along the inner surface 14b of the first wall (here, the sealing plate 14) of the case 10. The second region 73 is a region disposed to the side of the first region 71. In other words, the second region 73 is disposed at a position offset from the first region 71 (for example, at a position offset from the base portion 71c) in a plane parallel to the inner surface 14b of the first wall (sealing plate 14). Here, the second region 73 is disposed on one side of the first region 71 in the short-side direction X of the battery 100. The second region 73 may also be disposed on one side of the first region 71 in the long-side direction Y of the battery 100. Here, the second region 73 extends in the longitudinal direction (long-side direction Y) of the first wall (sealing plate 14). In this embodiment, the first current collecting member 70 in the second region 73 is configured in a plate shape. The second region 73 is not an essential component in the present technology.
[0048] The first slit 74 is formed between the first region 71 and the second region 73. In this embodiment, the first slit 74 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. Here, in a plan view, the substantially rectangular shape has a short side that is the distance between the first region 71 and the second region 73 and a long side that is perpendicular to the short side. By having the first slit 74 in the first current collecting member 70, the insulating member 80 (described later) can easily enter the first slit 74, and the sealing performance around the periphery of the first through hole 18 can be improved.
[0049] In the present embodiment, the length of the sealing plate 14 of the first slit 74 in the longitudinal direction (direction Y) is longer than the longest length of the first through hole 18 in the longitudinal direction. Further, the first slit 74 is arranged so as to span both ends of the first through hole 18 in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the sealing property around the first through hole 18 can be further improved.
[0050] The third region 75 is a region arranged along the inner surface 14b of the first wall (here, the sealing plate 14) of the case 10. The third region 75 is a region arranged on the lateral side of the first region 71. Here, the third region 75 is arranged on the opposite side of the second region 73 with respect to the first region 71. That is, the first region 71 is arranged between the second region 73 and the third region 75. Here, the third region 75 is arranged on one side in the short side direction X of the battery 100 in the first region 71. Note that the third region 75 may be arranged on one side in the long side direction Y of the battery 100 in the first region 71. Here, the third region 75 extends in the longitudinal direction (long side direction Y) of the first wall (sealing plate 14). In the present embodiment, the first current collecting member 70 in the third region 75 is configured in a plate shape. Note that the third region 75 is not an essential configuration.
[0051] The second slit 76 is formed between the first region 71 and the third region 75. In the present embodiment, the second slit 76 is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. Here, in the plan view, it has a rectangular shape with the distance between the first region 71 and the third region 75 as the short side and the direction perpendicular to the short side as the long side. Since the first current collecting member 70 has the second slit 76, an insulating member 80 described later can easily enter the second slit 76, and the sealing property around the first through hole 18 can be improved. Since the first current collecting member 70 has the first slit 74 and the second slit 76, the sealing property is improved at both ends of the first through hole 18, so that a battery 100 with higher sealing reliability can be realized. Note that the second slit 76 is not an essential configuration.
[0052] In the present embodiment, the length of the sealing plate 14 of the second slit 76 in the longitudinal direction (direction Y) is longer than the longest length of the first through hole 18 in the long side direction thereof. Further, the second slit 76 is arranged so as to extend across both ends of the first through hole 18 in the long side direction. Thereby, the sealing property around the first through hole 18 can be further improved.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 8, in the present embodiment, the fourth region 77 is a region extending in the vertical direction Z. The fourth region 77 is a region extending from the side of the sealing plate 14 toward the bottom wall 12a side of the case 10. The fourth region 77 is arranged, for example, along the first side wall 12b or the second side wall 12c of the case 10. In the present embodiment, the fourth region 77 is arranged along the second side wall 12c. Here, the fourth region 77 is electrically connected to the second current collector portion 52 of the positive electrode. Thereby, conduction to the first current collector member 70 is realized. Note that the fourth region 77 may be directly joined to the positive electrode tab group 23. Thereby, the number of components in the conduction path can be reduced, and cost reduction can be achieved. Such joining can be realized, for example, by welding such as ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, or laser welding. Note that in the present embodiment, the first current collector member 70 in the fourth region 77 is formed in a plate shape. Note that the fourth region 77 is not an essential configuration in the present technology.
[0054] The fifth region 78 is a region connecting the first region 71 and the fourth region 77. Here, as shown in FIG. 8 , the fifth region 78 is disposed between the first region 71 and the fourth region. The fifth region 78 is disposed contiguous to the first region 71. Here, the fifth region is disposed contiguous to the fourth region 77. In the present embodiment, the fifth region 78 is also located between the second region 73 and the fourth region 77 and is disposed contiguous to the second region 73. The fifth region 78 is also located between the third region 75 and the fourth region 77 and is disposed contiguous to the third region 75. The fifth region 78 is disposed along the inner surface 14b of the first wall (here, the sealing plate 14) of the case 10. In the fifth region 78, the first current collecting member 70 is formed in a plate shape. Note that the fifth region 78 is not an essential component in the present technology. For example, the fourth region 77 and the first region 71 may be connected. Furthermore, the second region 73 and / or the third region 75 may be connected to the fourth region 77.
[0055] The first current collecting member 70 may be made of, for example, a metal, such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, or a copper alloy.
[0056] It is preferable that the thickness of the first current collecting member 70 is approximately constant throughout. For example, when the average thickness of the first current collecting member 70 is taken as 100%, the maximum thickness of the first current collecting member 70 is preferably 120% or less, more preferably 110% or less, and even more preferably 105% or less. Furthermore, the minimum thickness of the first current collecting member 70 is preferably 80% or more, more preferably 90% or more, and even more preferably 95% or more.
[0057] The first current collecting member 70 can be easily manufactured by, for example, bending or punching a single plate-shaped material (e.g., a metal plate), thereby realizing a first current collecting member 70 with a substantially uniform thickness throughout.
[0058] At least a part of the protruding portion 72 of the first current collecting member 70 is disposed inside the first through hole 18 provided in the sealing plate 14 (see FIGS. 11 and 12). Here, the upper surface 72a, which is the upper end (tip) of the protruding portion 72, is disposed inside the first through hole 18. In the present embodiment, the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72 is connected to the lower surface 30b of the positive terminal member 30 inside the first through hole 18. The connection method between the positive terminal member 30 and the first current collecting member 70 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include caulking, ultrasonic bonding, resistance welding, laser welding, pressure welding, etc., and one of these can be selected or a plurality can be combined and implemented. Further, in the present embodiment, the lower surface 72b of the protruding portion 72 is disposed inside the case 10 rather than inside the first through hole 18. However, the lower surface 72b of the protruding portion 72 may be disposed inside the first through hole 18.
[0059] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the insulating member 80 insulates the first current collecting member 70 and the case 10 (here, the sealing plate 14). Further, here, the insulating member 80 insulates the positive terminal member 30 and the case 10 (here, the sealing plate 14). The insulating member 80 includes, in the present embodiment, a first insulating portion 82 disposed inside the case 10, a second insulating portion 84 disposed inside the first through hole 18, and a third insulating portion 86 disposed outside the case 10.
[0060] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the first insulating portion 82 is disposed along the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14. The first insulating portion 82 is disposed between the region of the first current collecting member 70 facing the sealing plate 14 and the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 inside the case 10. Here, the second region 73 of the first current collecting member 70 is disposed so as to face the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 via the first insulating portion 82. Further, in the present embodiment, the third region 75 and the fifth region 78 of the first current collecting member 70 are similarly disposed so as to face the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 via the first insulating portion 82, respectively. Also, the portion of the first region 71 of the first current collecting member 70 disposed inside the case 10 is disposed so as to face the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 via the first insulating portion 82.
[0061] The first insulating portion 82 is preferably disposed without a gap between the region facing the sealing plate 14 of the first current collecting member 70 and the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14. Thereby, the sealing performance of the peripheral portion of the first through hole 18 can be further improved.
[0062] At least a part of the first insulating portion 82 is preferably disposed inside the first slit 74 of the first current collecting member 70 (see FIG. 10). Thereby, since the first current collecting member 70 and the first insulating portion 82 are more closely adhered, the sealing performance in the vicinity of the first through hole 18 can be improved. In the present embodiment, the first insulating portion 82 is disposed on the sealing plate 14 side inside the first slit 74, and the first insulating portion 82 is not disposed at the end on the electrode body group 20 side inside the first slit 74. Such a configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of weight reduction of the battery 100. However, the first insulating portion 82 may be disposed throughout the inside of the first slit 74. Such a configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of improving the sealing performance.
[0063] At least a part of the first insulating portion 82 is preferably disposed inside the second slit 76 of the first current collecting member 70 (see FIG. 10). Thereby, since the first current collecting member 70 and the first insulating portion 82 are more closely adhered, the sealing performance in the vicinity of the first through hole 18 can be improved. In the present embodiment, the first insulating portion 82 is disposed on the sealing plate 14 side inside the second slit 76, and the first insulating portion 82 is not disposed at the end on the electrode body group 20 side inside the second slit 76. Such a configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of weight reduction of the battery 100. However, the first insulating portion 82 may be disposed throughout the inside of the second slit 76. Such a configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of improving the sealing performance.
[0064] At least a part of the first insulating portion 82 is preferably disposed on the side of the electrode body group 20 of the protruding portion 72 of the first current collecting member 70 (the lower surface 72b side of the protruding portion 72). Here, the protruding portion 72 and the first insulating portion 82 are arranged to be in contact with each other. Thereby, the sealing property in the vicinity of the first through hole 18 can be improved. Further, the first insulating portion 82 is preferably crosslinked so as to pass through the side of the electrode body group 20 of the protruding portion 72. In the present embodiment, the first insulating portion 82 is crosslinked at two locations in the direction of the short side of the sealing plate 14 toward the side of the electrode body group 20 of the protruding portion 72 (the concave portion 71d). Thereby, the first current collecting member 70 and the insulating member 80 can be more closely adhered to each other, and the sealing property can be improved. Note that the number of crosslinks is not particularly limited, and may be one or a plurality of two or more.
[0065] The first insulating portion 82 disposed on the side of the electrode body group 20 of the protruding portion 72 is preferably not disposed on the lower surface 71b side of the base portion 71c of the first region 71. In other words, it is preferable that the lower surface 71b of the base portion 71c is exposed. Thereby, the space occupied by the electrode body group 20 can be expanded inside the case 10. Here, on the lower surface 71b of the first region 71, the first insulating portion 82 is disposed only in the concave portion 71d on the side of the electrode body group 20 of the protruding portion 72.
[0066] The first insulating portion 82 may have a through hole 82a penetrating from the side of the electrode body group 20 toward the lower surface of the protruding portion 72 at a position on the side of the electrode body group 20 of the protruding portion 72. As shown in FIG. 10, when viewed from the inner surface 14b side of the sealing plate 14, the lower surface 72b of the protruding portion 72 is exposed in such a through hole 82a. Such a through hole 82a can be formed, for example, in a manufacturing process described later.
[0067] In the second region 73, the first insulating portion 82 is preferably not disposed on the surface (lower surface) on the side of the electrode body group 20 of the first current collecting member 70, and the lower surface is exposed. Further, in the third region 75, the first insulating portion 82 is preferably not disposed on the surface (lower surface) on the side of the electrode body group 20 of the first current collecting member 70, and the lower surface is exposed. Thereby, the space occupied by the electrode body group 20 can be expanded inside the case 10.
[0068] The first insulating portion 82 is preferably arranged over the peripheral portion of the first through hole 18. Thereby, the sealing property in the vicinity of the first through hole 18 can be improved. Further, the first insulating portion 82 is preferably arranged over the periphery of the region facing the sealing plate 14 of the first current collecting member 70. In the present embodiment, the first insulating portion 82 extends outside the first region 71, the second region 73, and the third region 75, and is arranged to extend outside the fourth region 77 in the longitudinal direction (direction Y) of the sealing plate 14. Also, in the short side direction (direction X) of the sealing plate 14, the first insulating portion 82 is arranged to extend outside the second region 73 and is arranged to extend outside the third region 75. Further, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the thickness of the first insulating portion 82 around the region facing the sealing plate 14 of the first current collecting member 70 may be larger than the thickness of the first insulating portion 82 arranged between the first current collecting member 70 and the sealing plate 14. The first insulating portion 82 may be arranged to contact not only the surface of the first current collecting member 70 facing the sealing plate 14 inside the case 10 but also the side surface of the first current collecting member 70 extending in the thickness direction of the first current collecting member 70. Thereby, the adhesion between the first current collecting member 70 and the first insulating portion 82 is improved, and the sealing property can be further improved.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 2, the first insulating portion 82 may include a movement restricting portion 82b for restricting the movement of the electrode body group 20 toward the sealing plate 14 side. In FIG. 2, as the movement restricting portion 82b, the end portion of the first insulating portion 82 protrudes toward the electrode body group 20 side.
[0070] The second insulating portion 84 is arranged between the inner surface 18a of the first through hole 18 and the first current collecting member 70 arranged inside the first through hole 18, and insulates the first current collecting member 70 and the sealing plate 14. Here, the second insulating portion is also arranged between the inner surface 18a of the first through hole 18 and the positive electrode terminal member 30 arranged inside the first through hole 18, and insulates the positive electrode terminal member 30 and the sealing plate 14.
[0071] The second insulating portion 84 is preferably disposed so as to block the first through hole 18. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, in this embodiment, the first through hole 18 is blocked by the second insulating portion 84 and the upper end of the protruding portion 72. This improves sealing performance. Note that, when at least a portion of the recess 71d in the first region 71 of the first current collecting member 70 is disposed in the first through hole 18, the second insulating portion 84 may be disposed in this recess 71d.
[0072] The third insulating portion 86 is a portion that is continuous with the second insulating portion 84, and is disposed on the outside of the case 10. Here, the third insulating portion 86 is disposed outside the case 10 along the periphery of the positive electrode terminal member 30. In this embodiment, the upper surface of the insulating member 80 (outside the case 10) has a recess made up of the second insulating portion 84 and the third insulating portion 86, and at least a portion of the positive electrode terminal member 30 (here, the lower side of the positive electrode terminal member 30) is disposed in this recess. Note that the entire positive electrode terminal member 30 may also be disposed in this recess.
[0073] The third insulating portion 86 preferably contacts the surrounding area of the first through hole 18 on the outer surface 14a of the sealing plate 14 (first wall). Here, in a plan view, the peripheral edge of the third insulating portion 86 is disposed outside the first through hole 18, and the peripheral edge contacts the outer surface 14a of the sealing plate 14. This can improve the sealing performance in the vicinity of the first through hole 18. Note that the insulating member 80 does not necessarily have to include the third insulating portion 86.
[0074] The insulating member 80 is made of, for example, a resin having electrical insulation properties. Examples of such resins include polyolefin resins such as polypropylene (PP), fluorinated resins such as perfluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer (PFA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).
[0075] The insulating member 80 can be composed of multiple members, but is preferably an integrated member (integrally molded product) made of one member. By making the insulating member 80 an integrated member, the airtightness between the first insulating portion 82 and the second insulating portion 84 is improved. In this embodiment, the insulating member 80 is an integrated member in which the first insulating portion 82, the second insulating portion 84, and the third insulating portion 86 are continuously provided, improving the sealing performance in the vicinity of the first through hole 18. That is, the insulating member 80 is disposed between the first region 71 and the sealing plate 14, passes through the first through hole 18, and contacts the surrounding area of the first through hole 18 on the outer surface 14a of the sealing plate 14.
[0076] Furthermore, in the present technology, the insulating member 80, the sealing plate 14, and the first current collecting member 70 are preferably a single-piece molded product. In other words, the sealing plate 14 and the first current collecting member 70 are molded with the insulating member 80. This allows the insulating member 80 to adhere closely to the sealing plate 14 and the first current collecting member 70, improving the airtightness of the first through-hole 18 provided in the sealing plate 14 and the area around it. Note that in this embodiment, in addition to the sealing plate 14 and the first current collecting member 70, the positive electrode terminal member 30 is also molded with the insulating member 80, and the insulating member 80, the sealing plate 14, the first current collecting member 70, and the positive electrode terminal member 30 are a single-piece molded product.
[0077] The insulating member 80 can also be used on the negative electrode side in the same manner. In this case, it can be understood by appropriately replacing the positive electrode with the negative electrode in the above description.
[0078] 11 and 12 , a first surface-treated portion 92 may be provided on the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 (first wall) near the periphery of the first through hole 18. The first surface-treated portion 92 is in contact with the insulating member 80. Providing the first surface-treated portion 92 may improve the airtightness and bonding strength between the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 and the insulating member 80 near the first through hole 18, thereby improving the sealing performance near the first through hole 18. The first surface-treated portion 92 may be provided near at least a portion of the periphery of the first through hole 18, but is preferably provided along the entire periphery so as to surround the first through hole 18.
[0079] The first surface treatment portion 92 is preferably processed to have a large surface roughness (i.e., it is a rough surface portion). The arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the first surface treatment portion 92 is preferably, for example, more than twice as large as the arithmetic mean roughness of the portion of the inner surface 14b of the sealing plate 14 (the first wall) excluding the first surface treatment portion 92 (the portion not subjected to the roughening treatment), and may be three times or more, or four times or more. Note that the upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10 times or less. The larger the arithmetic mean roughness, the more the adhesion between the first surface treatment portion 92 and the insulating member 80 is improved by the anchor effect. The arithmetic mean roughness in the present technology refers to that measured using a stylus type surface roughness measuring instrument based on JIS B0601:2001. As the surface treatment method of the first surface treatment portion 92, known methods can be applied, and examples thereof include methods such as chemical etching, laser processing, and blasting.
[0080] The first surface treatment portion 92 may be subjected to a treatment for forming a chemical bond with the resin. As the surface treatment method, known methods can be applied, and examples thereof include methods such as silane coupling treatment.
[0081] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in the present embodiment, the area of the surface of the positive electrode terminal member 30 facing the first current collecting member 70 (the lower surface 30b of the positive electrode terminal member 30) is larger than the area of the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72 of the first current collecting member 70. Thereby, the contact surface between the lower surface 30b of the positive electrode terminal member 30 and the insulating member 80 becomes larger, and the strength of the positive electrode terminal member 30 can be improved. In this case, the second surface treatment portion 94 may be provided on at least a part of the lower surface 30b of the positive electrode terminal member 30. The second surface treatment portion 94 is in contact with the insulating member 80. In the second surface treatment portion 94, the adhesion with the insulating member 80 is improved, and the airtightness and the adhesive strength can be improved.
[0082] The second surface treatment portion 94 is preferably processed such that the surface roughness is increased (i.e., it is a rough surface portion). The arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the second surface treatment portion 94 is preferably, for example, at least twice as large as the arithmetic mean roughness of the portion of the positive electrode terminal member 30 where no surface treatment is performed (for example, the upper surface or side surface of the positive electrode terminal member 30), and may be at least three times or four times as large. Note that the upper limit is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10 times or less. The greater the arithmetic mean roughness, the more the adhesion between the second surface treatment portion 94 and the insulating member 80 is improved by the anchor effect. Note that a known method can be applied as the surface treatment method for the second surface treatment portion 94, and examples thereof include methods such as chemical etching, laser processing, and blasting.
[0083] The second surface treatment portion 94 may be subjected to a treatment for forming a chemical bond with the resin. As the surface treatment method, a known method can be applied, and examples thereof include a method such as a silane coupling treatment.
[0084] The battery 100 as described above can be manufactured, for example, by a manufacturing method including a preparation step and a sealing step. Here, the preparation step includes an integral molding step. Note that the manufacturing method of the battery 100 is not limited to the manufacturing method described here.
[0085] In the preparation step, the exterior body 12, the sealing plate 14, the first current collector member 70, and the electrode body 20a are prepared. The electrode body 20a may be an electrode body group 20. Here, if necessary, the positive electrode terminal member 30, the negative electrode terminal member 40, the positive electrode second current collector 52, and the negative electrode second current collector 62 may be further prepared.
[0086] In the integral molding process, the sealing plate 14, the first current collecting member 70, and the insulating member 80 are integrally molded. In the above-described battery 100, the positive electrode terminal member 30 is also integrally molded. The integral molding method can be performed according to a conventionally known method as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-086813. The integral molding process can be carried out, for example, by a method including a component setting process, an upper mold setting process, an injection molding process, and a component taking-out process using a molding die.
[0087] In the component setting process, a molding die capable of realizing the structure of the desired insulating member 80 is prepared. The molding die includes, for example, an upper mold and a lower mold. The upper mold has a gate portion for injecting the molten resin for forming the insulating member 80. First, the first current collecting member 70 and the sealing plate 14 are placed on the lower mold. It is preferable that the portion of the first current collecting member 70 where the insulating member 80 is not disposed is in contact with the lower mold. For example, the lower surface 71b of the first region 71 (base portion 71c) and the lower surface of the second region 73 may be disposed in contact with the lower mold without a gap. Further, the lower mold preferably has a support portion that contacts and supports the lower surface 72b of the protruding portion 72 of the first current collecting member 70. By supporting the protruding portion 72 with the support portion, pressure can be applied from the upper surface 72a side of the protruding portion 72, and the lower surface of the first current collecting member 70 can be brought into close contact with the lower mold. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the molten resin of the insulating member 80 from entering the lower surface of the first current collecting member 70. Note that the through hole 82a of the first insulating portion 82 of the insulating member 80 may be a mark where such a support portion was disposed. The sealing plate 14 is positioned so that at least a part of the protruding portion 72 of the first current collecting member 70 is disposed inside the first through hole 18.
[0088] In the upper mold set-up process, after arranging the first current collector member 70 and the sealing plate 14, the upper mold is arranged on the outer surface 14a side of the sealing plate 14. At this time, it is preferable that the upper mold is in contact with the outer surface 14a of the sealing plate 14 at the peripheral edge of the forming portion of the third insulating portion 86 so that the molten resin does not flow into the outer surface 14a of the sealing plate 14. Further, the upper mold preferably contacts the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the insulating member from being arranged on the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72. Also, in the support portion of the lower mold and the upper mold, since both surfaces of the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72 can be sandwiched, pressure can be stably applied to the protruding portion 72.
[0089] In the injection molding process, the molten resin in which the resin constituting the insulating member 80 is melted is injected from the gate portion of the upper mold. The injected molten resin is injected into the upper mold and further passes through the first through hole 18 and is filled into the lower mold. The molding die is preferably preheated before being filled with the molten resin. The heating temperature is not limited and can be, for example, 100°C to 200°C.
[0090] In the part removal process, first, the filled molten resin is cooled. Thereby, the molten resin solidifies and the insulating member 80 is manufactured. Then, the upper mold is separated from the lower mold, and the sealing plate 14 and the first current collector member 70 and the integrally molded product molded with the insulating member 80 are taken out. Then, if necessary, the gate portion and the molding burr may be removed.
[0091] In addition, when the battery 100 includes the positive electrode terminal member 30, in the part set-up process, the first current collector member 70 and the positive electrode terminal member 30 may be connected in advance and arranged in the lower mold. Thereby, the positive electrode terminal member 30, the first current collector member 70, the sealing plate 14, and the insulating member 80 can be integrally molded. Also, the description of the above integrally molding process is about the periphery of the first through hole 18, but the same process can be carried out in the second through hole 19.
[0092] In the sealing process, first, the integrally molded product prepared above and the electrode body 20a are connected. At this time, the first current collector member 70 integrally molded and the electrode tab of the electrode body 20a are directly connected. Alternatively, the first current collector member 70 and the electrode body 20a may be connected via the positive electrode second current collector portion 52 or the negative electrode second current collector portion 62. Next, the electrode body 20a is inserted through the opening 12h of the exterior body 12, and the integrally molded sealing plate 14 and the periphery of the opening 12h of the exterior body 12 are joined by laser welding or the like. Note that the electrode body holder 29 may be interposed between the exterior body 12 and the electrode body 20a. Next, the electrolyte is injected through the liquid injection hole 15, and the liquid injection hole 15 is sealed with a sealing member, thereby sealing the case 10. As described above, the battery 100 can be manufactured.
[0093] The battery 100 can be used for various applications. For example, it can be suitably used as a power source (driving power source) for a motor mounted on a vehicle such as a passenger car or a truck. The type of vehicle is not particularly limited, and examples include a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and a battery electric vehicle (BEV). The battery 100 can also be suitably used as a single battery constituting a battery pack.
[0094] As described above, some embodiments of the present technology have been described, but the above embodiments are merely examples. The present technology can be implemented in various other forms. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the above-exemplified embodiments. For example, it is possible to replace a part of the above-described embodiments with other embodiments, and it is also possible to add other embodiments to the above-described embodiments. Further, if the technical features are not described as essential, they can be appropriately deleted.
[0095] FIG. 13 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 12 of a battery 200 according to another embodiment. Here, a recess 30c is provided on the lower surface 30b of the positive terminal member 30. A protrusion 72c is provided on the upper surface 72a of the protrusion 72 of the first current collecting member 70. A recess 72d is provided on the lower surface 72b of the protrusion 72. The recess 72d is located behind the protrusion 72c and may be a structure formed when the plate-shaped first current collecting member 70 is deformed to provide the protrusion 72c. The recess 30c on the lower surface 30b of the positive terminal member 30 is fitted with the protrusion 72c on the upper surface 72a of the protrusion 72 of the first current collecting member 70. This facilitates positioning of the positive terminal member 30. Furthermore, the bonding strength between the positive terminal member 30 and the first current collecting member 70 can be improved. Note that other configurations may be similar to those of the battery 100.
[0096] Alternatively, a protrusion may be provided on the lower surface 30b of the positive terminal member 30 instead of the recess 30c, and a recess may be provided on the upper surface 72a of the protruding portion 72 of the first current collecting member 70 instead of the protrusion 72c, with the protrusion and recess mating with each other.
[0097] As described above, specific aspects of the technology disclosed herein include those described in the following sections. Section 1: an electrode assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode; a case for accommodating the electrode assembly; a first current collecting member electrically connected to the first electrode; a terminal member connected to the first current collecting member; an insulating member that insulates the first current collecting member and the terminal member from the case; An electricity storage device comprising: the case having a first wall; the first wall has a first through hole; the first current collecting member has a first region disposed along an inner surface of the first wall; the first region is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes toward the first wall, At least a portion of the protrusion is disposed within the first through hole; The terminal member is connected to the protrusion, The insulating member is an integral part having an insulating portion disposed between the first wall and the first current collecting member, and an insulating portion disposed between the first wall and the terminal member. Item 2: The electricity storage device according to item 1, wherein the insulating member is disposed on the electrode body side of the protrusion. Item 3: The electricity storage device according to item 1 or 2, wherein an upper surface of the protrusion and the terminal member are connected inside the first through hole. Section 4: the first current collecting member has a second region on a side of the first region, a first slit is formed between the first region and the second region; the second region is disposed along an inner surface of the first wall; the second region faces the first wall via the insulating member; Item 4. The electricity storage device according to any one of items 1 to 3. Item 5: The electricity storage device according to item 4, wherein the insulating member is disposed in the first slit. Item 6: the first current collecting member has a third region on an opposite side of the second region with respect to the first region; a second slit is formed between the first region and the third region; the third region is disposed along an inner surface of the first wall; the third region faces the first wall via the insulating member; Item 6. The electricity storage device according to item 4 or 5. Item 7: The electricity storage device according to item 6, wherein the insulating member is disposed in the second slit. Item 8: The electricity storage device according to any one of Items 1 to 7, wherein a first surface treatment portion is provided on the inner surface of the first wall near the periphery of the first through hole, and the first surface treatment portion is in contact with the insulating member. Item 9: The electricity storage device according to item 8, wherein the arithmetic mean roughness of the first surface treatment portion is at least twice as large as the arithmetic mean roughness of the portion of the inner surface of the first wall that is not in contact with the insulating member. Item 10: A power storage device according to any one of Items 1 to 9, wherein a second surface treatment portion is provided on at least a part of the surface of the terminal member facing the first current collecting member, and the second surface treatment portion is in contact with the insulating member. Item 11: The power storage device according to claim 10, wherein the arithmetic mean roughness of the second surface treatment portion is at least twice as large as the arithmetic mean roughness of the non-surface-treated portion of the terminal member. Item 12: The power storage device according to any one of Items 1 to 11, wherein the area of the surface of the terminal member facing the first current collecting member is larger than the area of the upper surface of the protruding portion.
Explanation of Signs
[0098] 10 Case 12 Exterior body 14 First wall (sealing plate) 15 Liquid injection hole 16 Sealing member 17 Gas discharge valve 18 First through hole 19 Second through hole 20 Electrode body group 20a, 20b, 20c Electrode body 22 First electrode (positive electrode) 24 Second electrode (negative electrode) 26 Separator 30 Positive electrode terminal member 40 Negative electrode terminal member 50 Positive electrode current collecting portion 51 First positive electrode current collecting portion 52 Second positive electrode current collecting portion 60 Negative electrode current collecting portion 61 First negative electrode current collecting portion 62 Second negative electrode current collecting portion 70 First current collecting member 71 First region 72 Protruding portion 73 Second region 74 First slit 75 Third region 76 Second slit 77 Fourth region 78 Fifth region 80 Insulating member 82 First insulating part 84 Second insulating part 86 Third insulating part 92 First surface treatment part 94 Second surface treatment part 100 Power storage device (battery)
Claims
1. An electrode body including a first electrode and a second electrode; A case for housing the electrode body; A first current collecting member electrically connected to the first electrode; A terminal member connected to the first current collecting member; An insulating member for insulating the first current collecting member and the terminal member from the case, wherein the case has a first wall, the first wall has a first through hole, the first current collecting member has a first region disposed along the inner surface of the first wall, a protruding portion protruding toward the first wall is provided in the first region, at least a part of the protruding portion is disposed in the first through hole, the terminal member is connected to the protruding portion, the insulating member is an integral body having an insulating portion disposed between the first wall and the first current collecting member and an insulating portion disposed between the first wall and the terminal member, the insulating member is disposed on the electrode body side of the protruding portion, a portion of the insulating member disposed on the electrode body side of the protruding portion has a through hole, the surface of the protruding portion on the electrode body side is exposed through the through hole of the insulating member, A power storage device.
2. The insulating member has at least two bridging portions bridged through the electrode body side of the protruding portion, the through hole of the insulating member is formed between the two bridging portions, The power storage device according to Claim 1.
3. The first region includes a base portion extending along the inner surface of the first wall, the protruding portion is a portion protruding from the base portion toward the first wall side, the insulating member is not disposed on the surface of the base portion on the electrode body side, The power storage device according to Claim 1.
4. An electrode body including a first electrode and a second electrode; A case for housing the electrode body; A first current collecting member electrically connected to the first electrode; A terminal member connected to the first current collecting member; An insulating member for insulating the first current collecting member and the terminal member from the case, wherein the case has a first wall, the first wall has a first through hole, the first current collecting member has a first region disposed along the inner surface of the first wall, a base portion extending along the inner surface of the first wall and a protruding portion protruding from the base portion toward the first wall side are provided in the first region, at least a part of the protruding portion is disposed in the first through hole, the terminal member is connected to the protruding portion, The insulating member is an integral body having an insulating portion disposed between the first wall and the first current collecting member and an insulating portion disposed between the first wall and the terminal member. The insulating member is disposed on the electrode body side of the protruding portion. The insulating member is not disposed on the surface of the base portion on the electrode body side. Power storage device.
5. The first current collecting member has a second region on the lateral side of the first region. A first slit is formed between the first region and the second region. The second region is disposed along the inner surface of the first wall. The second region faces the first wall through the insulating member. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The first wall is rectangular. In the longitudinal direction of the first wall, the second region extends from one side of the first through hole of the first wall to the other side of the first through hole. The power storage device according to claim 5.
7. The power storage device according to claim 6, wherein the insulating member is disposed in the first slit.
8. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper surface of the protruding portion and the terminal member are connected inside the first through hole.
9. The first current collecting member has a third region on the side opposite to the second region with respect to the first region. A second slit is formed between the first region and the third region. The third region is disposed along the inner surface of the first wall. The third region faces the first wall through the insulating member. The power storage device according to claim 5.
10. The power storage device according to claim 9, wherein the insulating member is disposed in the second slit.
11. A first surface treatment portion is provided in the vicinity of the periphery of the first through hole on the inner surface of the first wall, and the first surface treatment portion is in contact with the insulating member. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
12. The power storage device according to claim 11, wherein the arithmetic mean roughness of the first surface treatment portion is at least twice as large as the arithmetic mean roughness of the portion of the inner surface of the first wall that is not in contact with the insulating member.
13. A second surface treatment portion is provided on at least a part of the surface of the terminal member facing the first current collecting member, and the second surface treatment portion is in contact with the insulating member. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
14. The arithmetic mean roughness of the second surface treatment portion is at least twice as large as the arithmetic mean roughness of the non-surface-treated portion of the terminal member. The power storage device according to claim 13.
15. The area of the surface of the terminal member facing the first current collector member is larger than the area of the upper surface of the protruding portion. The power storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
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