Battery and method for manufacturing battery

Abstract

This battery comprises: an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes; and an exterior material including an accommodation part, which accommodates the electrode assembly, and a sealing part, which seals the electrode assembly along the accommodation part, wherein a reinforcing structure is formed outside the exterior material.

Description

Batteries and methods of manufacturing batteries

[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, etc.

[0002] A battery, or electrochemical cell, is an assembly that can provide electrical energy and is composed of at least two electrodes and an electrolyte. In particular, secondary batteries that can be charged and discharged are widely used in various advanced electronic devices, including smartphones.

[0003] Recently, various attempts have been made to break away from conventional forms in the design of mobile devices, including smartphones, and various wearable devices. Furthermore, attention is growing toward flexible devices that can bend while maintaining functionality. Consequently, the implementation of technologies that ensure the reliability and safety of flexible batteries embedded in these devices and used as power sources is emerging as a key issue.

[0004] In this regard, Patent Document 1, which is a prior art, discloses a technology for forming a pattern on an outer material. However, Patent Document 1 (KR 10-2022-0015290 A) discloses a configuration for forming at least one pattern portion on an outer material in the transverse direction (TD) of the outer material, but this pattern causes the gap between the layers of electrodes laminated within the outer material to change when the battery is repeatedly bent at a large curvature, and when the gap between the layers of electrodes is formed to be larger than the initial gap, this causes a problem in that the reliability and safety of the battery are lowered.

[0005] Let us briefly explain the problem of increasing gaps between electrode layers in batteries manufactured using conventional technology.

[0006] Within the outer shell of a conventional battery, positive and negative electrodes are arranged in a straight line. The electrodes are stacked in close contact and maintain a constant distance apart, ensuring a regular layer gap between the electrodes. Insulating material is included between each electrode to prevent short circuits that could occur if the positive and negative electrodes meet directly, and to allow lithium ions to move.

[0007] However, in the case of a conventional battery that has been repeatedly bent, when the battery is bent, the outermost electrode slides inward due to the curvature, and when the battery is straightened again, the outermost electrode does not return to its original position and becomes deformed, causing some sections of the electrode layer gap to be lifted, resulting in an irregular gap.

[0008] Specifically, when a battery is deformed from a flat first state to a bent second state, and then deformed to return to a flat third state, an electrode (e.g., the outermost electrode) that is severely deformed into a bend or irregular waveform shape is difficult to return to a flat state. In particular, in a structure where one side of the electrode is fixed and the other side is not fixed, the electrode arranged at the outermost side is relatively more prone to deformation than the other electrodes, and thus has a problem in that the electrode is likely to lift or bend toward the pouch during the restoration process of the battery, easily generating an irregular gap.

[0009] In addition, if deformation is repeatedly applied to the battery beyond the design range of the radius of curvature, the battery may be deformed with an unnatural curvature, that is, a certain part of the battery may be bent or folded, which may cause problems such as electrolyte leakage.

[0010] One object of the present invention is to provide a battery including an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes, a housing including a receiving portion for receiving the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the receiving portion.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible battery in which a reinforcing structure is included on the outside of the outer case, thereby suppressing a large gap that occurs when the gap between layers of electrodes within the outer case is lifted due to bending of the battery, and in which the battery can be deformed within the designed radius of curvature with a uniform curvature even when an external force that causes deformation of the battery exceeding the designed radius of curvature is applied.

[0012] However, the technical tasks that this embodiment seeks to accomplish are not limited to the technical tasks described above, and other technical tasks may exist.

[0013] As a means for achieving the above-described technical task, one embodiment of the present invention can provide a battery including an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes, an outer material including a receiving portion for receiving the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the receiving portion, and characterized in that a reinforcing structure is included on the outside of the outer material.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing structure may be formed on at least one surface of the sealing portion to maintain the shape of the sealing portion of the exterior material and an adjacent area, which is an area of ​​the receiving portion positioned in contact with the sealing portion.

[0015] 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.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the sealing portion may include a first reinforcing structure formed in a first sealing portion located at one end of the outer material and a second reinforcing structure formed in a second sealing portion located at the other end of the outer material.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the combined width length 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the reinforcing structure may extend from the sealing portion to cover an edge area of ​​the outer material, and the edge area may be an edge area of ​​the outer material located in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the battery.

[0020] 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.

[0021] Another embodiment of the present invention can provide a battery manufacturing method including the steps of inserting an electrode assembly into an outer material, forming a sealing portion by overlapping and joining two sealing surfaces of the outer material, sealing the outer material into which the electrode assembly is inserted through the sealing portion, and forming a reinforcing structure on the outside of the outer material.

[0022] According to the present invention, a battery includes an electrode assembly including a plurality of electrodes, a housing including a receiving portion for receiving the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the receiving portion, and a reinforcing structure is included on the outside of the housing, so that when the battery is bent, the occurrence of a large gap that occurs when the interlayer gap of the electrodes within the housing is lifted can be suppressed.

[0023] In addition, by means of a reinforcing structure for maintaining the shape of the sealing portion and adjacent area of ​​the outer material, when the battery is bent or deformed, damage to the outer material that may be caused by the battery being deformed to a uniform curvature below a limit can be effectively suppressed.

[0024] In addition, when an external force that can bend or deform the battery beyond the reference range or beyond the limit is applied by the aforementioned reinforcing structure, the battery can be prevented from being deformed beyond the limit.

[0025] In addition, the performance and safety of the battery can be improved by minimizing the penetration of external moisture through the sealing portion in a high-humidity environment.

[0026] FIG. 1 is an exemplary drawing showing a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Fig. 2 is an exemplary drawing showing a battery in which a reinforcing structure is formed on the outside of the sealing portion of Fig. 1.

[0028] FIG. 3 is an exemplary drawing showing a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 is an exemplary drawing showing a battery in which a reinforcing structure is formed extending from the sealing portion of FIG. 3 to cover an adjacent area of ​​the outer material.

[0030] FIG. 5 is an exemplary drawing showing the shape of a reinforcing structure according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 6 is an exemplary drawing showing a reinforcing structure formed on the outside of a sealing portion according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 7 is an exemplary drawing comparing and evaluating a flexible battery having no reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion and a flexible battery having a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 is an exemplary drawing for explaining the process of forming a reinforcing structure on the outside of an exterior material in the present invention.

[0035] Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the drawings, irrelevant parts have been omitted for clarity of description, and similar reference numerals have been used throughout the specification to indicate similar elements.

[0036] Throughout the specification, when it is said that a part "includes" a component, unless otherwise specifically stated, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be included. Furthermore, throughout the specification, when it is said that a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are directly connected, but also cases where they are connected via another component, and cases where other elements are electrically connected between them. Furthermore, throughout the specification, when it is said that a part is located "on" another part, this includes not only cases where a part is in contact with another part, but also cases where another component exists between the two parts.

[0037] The battery, or electrochemical cell, according to the present invention may be a lithium ion battery. Specifically, the electrochemical cell according to the present invention may be configured such that the electrode assembly is contained and sealed within an outer case together with an electrolyte, and is charged and discharged by the movement of lithium ions. The electrochemical cell according to the present invention may be configured to be flexible and bendable while maintaining its function. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0038] FIG. 1 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a battery in which a reinforcing structure for an outer material is formed on the outside of the sealing portion of FIG. 1. According to the first embodiment, the battery (10) has reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120) for the outer material (100).

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. (a) shows a front view of a battery (10), FIG. (b) shows a side view of the battery (10), and FIG. (c) shows a plan view of the battery (10). The battery (10) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an outer material (100), an electrode assembly, and an electrode lead (101). The electrode assembly may include a plurality of electrodes, may further include an active material and a separator, and may be formed in a structure in which these are laminated in the thickness direction.

[0040] The electrode may include first and second electrode plates of different polarities, and an active material may be applied to both surfaces or single surfaces of each of the first and second electrode plates. A separator may be interposed between the first and second electrode plates. For example, the first electrode plate may be a current collector used as a negative electrode, such as copper, aluminum, or stainless steel, and the negative electrode active material may be carbon, lithium, silicon, or SiO. xIt can be composed of one or more combinations of silicon derivatives, silicon-graphite composites, tin, and silicon-tin composites. In addition, the second electrode plate may be composed of a current collector used as a positive electrode 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 shape in which the first and second electrode plates extend in the longitudinal direction among the two directions in which they form a plane, longer than the width direction, and thin in the thickness direction in which the active material and the separator are laminated, which intersects (for example, is perpendicular to) the direction in which the plane is formed.

[0041] In addition, the electrode assembly may include electrode connection tabs and lead connection tabs. The electrode connection tabs may be formed to protrude from one longitudinal end of the first and second electrode plates, and electrode connection tabs protruding from electrodes having the same polarity may be coupled to each other. By the electrode connection tabs, the electrodes may be electrically connected in parallel. The lead connection tabs are connected to the electrode leads (101), and may protrude from the positive and negative electrode plates and be coupled to the electrode leads (101).

[0042] The outer shell (100) according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a receiving portion (110) formed to receive an electrode assembly. The receiving portion (110) forms a space for receiving the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion (120) can be joined to seal the received electrode assembly from the outside. To form the receiving portion (110) in the outer shell, the outer shell (100) can be processed by pressing the sealing portion (120) in the thickness direction so that a predetermined area of ​​the outer shell (100) has the shape of a roughly rectangular bowl (or cup).

[0043] Such an outer material (100) may be formed of a laminated film including, for example, PP (polypropylene), metal, and nylon layers. In addition to nylon, a combination of other materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PC (polycarbonate), PE (polyethylene), and PI (polyimide) is also possible.

[0044] The outer material (100) is formed with a concave-convex pattern including at least one concave portion and at least one convex portion. At least one concave portion and at least one convex portion have an adjacent area (130) forming a boundary line that contacts the sealing portion (120) at an end in one direction corresponding to the width of the battery (10).

[0045] The adjacent area (130) may include a boundary line between the uneven pattern and the sealing portion (120). That is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the adjacent area (130) may include two points of each uneven pattern that touch the sealing portion (120) and a boundary line extending along the gap between the two points. The boundary line of the adjacent area (130) may extend approximately in a straight line along the flat sealing portion (120), and may be connected to the boundary line of the adjacent area (130) of the adjacent uneven pattern to extend into a single line.

[0046] For example, the uneven pattern is a pattern that extends in one direction and is repeatedly arranged in a direction crossing the one direction, and specifically, it can have an uneven shape along one direction by protruding or recessing alternately in the thickness direction (i.e., protruding alternately in opposite directions). Here, the one direction can be the width direction described above, and the direction in which the uneven pattern is repeated can be the length direction. By the uneven pattern that protrudes and recesses, the outer material (100) forming the receiving portion (110) can form a wave or wrinkle pattern in the length direction.

[0047] The outer material (100) includes a sealing portion (120) that seals the electrode assembly along the receiving portion (110). The sealing portion (120) seals the electrode assembly by bonding sealing surfaces along the edges of the receiving portion (110). For example, the sealing surface refers to the surface of the outer material (100), and two sealing surfaces that overlap along the edges of the receiving portion (110) are bonded to each other, thereby isolating the internal space (receiving portion (110)) from the outside. Here, the electrode assembly and electrolyte described above can be accommodated in the internal space, and the electrode assembly and electrolyte can be maintained in a sealed state.

[0048] According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the sealing portion (120) may have reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) formed on the exterior of the sealing portion (120) for the exterior material (100). Here, the reinforcing structures (120a, 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).

[0049] At this time, it goes without saying that the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b) can be selectively formed in the entire area or a part of the cross-sectional area corresponding to one side of the sealing portion (120).

[0050] In addition, although not illustrated in the drawing, the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b) may be formed to extend to cover the edge area of ​​the exterior material (100). Here, the edge area of ​​the exterior material (100) may mean the edge area of ​​the sealing portion (120) included in the exterior material (100), i.e., the outermost edge area of ​​the exterior material (100).

[0051] For example, the edge region may be the edge region of the outer material (100) located in a direction parallel to the long axis direction of the battery (10).

[0052] As described above, since the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b) is formed to extend to cover the edge area of ​​the outer material (100), there is an advantage in that the structural stability of the outer material (100) due to physical deformation of the battery (10) is improved, and at the same time, external moisture can be effectively prevented from penetrating through the sealing portion (120).

[0053] Hereinafter, the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b) included in the exterior material (100) according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view of a battery (10) in which reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) are formed on the outside of a sealing portion (120) is illustrated, where H1 represents the thickness (200) of the battery (10), W1 represents the width (204) of the sealing portion (120), Ha and Hb represent the thickness (201) of the reinforcing structure (120a-1) formed on the first side (front side) of the first sealing portion and the thickness (202) of the reinforcing structure (120a-2) formed on the second side (rear side) of the first sealing portion, respectively, and Hc represents the thickness (203) of the sealing portion (120).

[0055] The thickness of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) formed on both sides of the sealing portion (120) is designed based on the thickness of the battery (10) and the thickness of the sealing portion (120). The thickness of each of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) formed on both sides of the sealing portion (120) can be designed based on the following mathematical expression 1.

[0056] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0057] H1 > Ha + Hb

[0058] Referring to mathematical expression 1, the sum of the thickness (201) of the reinforcing structure (120a-1) formed on the first surface (front surface) of the first sealing portion and the thickness (202) of the reinforcing structure (120a-2) formed on the second surface (rear surface) of the first sealing portion can be designed to be smaller than the thickness (H1) of the battery (10).

[0059] This is because, when the sum of the thickness (201) of the reinforcing structure (120a-1) formed on the first surface (front surface) of the first sealing portion and the thickness (202) of the reinforcing structure (120a-2) formed on the second surface (rear surface) 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, thereby lowering the energy density, and furthermore, the rigidity of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) may increase, thereby causing a disadvantage in that flexibility may be reduced.

[0060] The thickness of each of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b) formed on both sides of the sealing portion (120) can be designed based on the following mathematical expression 2.

[0061] [Equation 2]

[0062] 0.5 mm ≤ Ha (or Hb) ≤ 1 / 2 (H1-Hc)

[0063] Referring to mathematical expression 2, the thickness (201) of the reinforcing structure (120a-1) formed on the first surface (front surface) of the first sealing portion and the thickness (202) of the reinforcing structure (120a-2) formed on the second surface (rear surface) of the first sealing portion may be designed to be 0.5 mm or more, but have a range of 1 / 2 or less with respect to the value obtained by subtracting the thickness (203) of the sealing portion (120) from the thickness (200) of the battery (10).

[0064] This is because, when the thickness (201) of the reinforcing structure (120a-1) formed on the first surface (front surface) of the first sealing portion and the thickness (202) of the reinforcing structure (120a-2) formed on the second surface (rear surface) of the first sealing portion are formed too small, they cannot properly perform their roles as reinforcing structures (120a-1, 120a-2).

[0065] FIG. 3 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a battery in which a reinforcing structure is formed extending from a sealing portion to cover an adjacent area of ​​an outer material. According to the second embodiment, the battery (30) is formed such that reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) for an outer material (300) extend from the sealing portion (320) to cover an adjacent area (330) of the outer material (300) on the outside of the sealing portion (320).

[0066] Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. (a) shows a front view of a battery (30), FIG. (b) shows a side view of the battery (30), and FIG. (c) shows a plan view of the battery (30). The battery (30) according to the second embodiment of the present invention may include an outer material (300), an electrode assembly, and an electrode lead (301). The electrode assembly may include a plurality of electrodes, may further include an active material and a separator, and may be formed in a structure in which these are laminated in the thickness direction.

[0067] The electrodes provided in the electrode assembly here are the same as the electrodes described above, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0068] In addition, the electrode assembly may include electrode connection tabs and lead connection tabs. The electrode connection tabs may be formed to protrude from one longitudinal end of the first and second electrode plates, and electrode connection tabs protruding from electrodes having the same polarity may be coupled to each other. By the electrode connection tabs, the electrodes may be electrically connected in parallel. The lead connection tabs are connected to the electrode leads (301), and may protrude from the positive and negative electrode plates and be coupled to the electrode leads (301).

[0069] An outer material (300) according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes a receiving portion (310) formed to receive an electrode assembly. The receiving portion (310) forms a space for receiving the electrode assembly, and a sealing portion (320) can be joined to seal the received electrode assembly from the outside. To form the receiving portion (310) in the outer material, the outer material (300) can be processed by pressing the sealing portion (320) in the thickness direction so that a predetermined area of ​​the outer material (300) has the shape of a roughly rectangular bowl (or cup).

[0070] Such an outer material (300) may be formed of a laminated film including, for example, PP (polypropylene), metal, and nylon layers. In addition to nylon, a combination of other materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PC (polycarbonate), PE PE (polyethylene), and PI (polyimide) is also possible.

[0071] The outer material (300) is formed with a concave-convex pattern including at least one concave portion and at least one convex portion. At least one concave portion and at least one convex portion have an adjacent area (330) forming a boundary line that contacts the sealing portion (320) at an end in one direction corresponding to the width of the battery (30).

[0072] The adjacent area (330) may include a boundary line between the uneven pattern and the sealing portion (320). That is, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the adjacent area (330) may include two points of each uneven pattern that touch the sealing portion (320) and a boundary line extending along the space between the two points. The boundary line of the adjacent area (330) may extend approximately in a straight line along the flat sealing portion (320), and may be connected to the boundary line of the adjacent area (330) of the adjacent uneven pattern to extend into a single line.

[0073] For example, the uneven pattern is a pattern that extends in one direction and is repeatedly arranged in a direction intersecting the one direction, and specifically, it can have an uneven shape along one direction by protruding or recessing alternately in the thickness direction (i.e., protruding alternately in opposite directions). Here, the one direction can be the width direction described above, and the direction in which the uneven pattern is repeated can be the length direction. By the uneven pattern that protrudes and recesses, the outer material (300) forming the receiving portion (310) can form a wave or wrinkle pattern in the length direction.

[0074] The outer material (300) includes a sealing portion (320) that seals the electrode assembly along the receiving portion (310). For example, the sealing surface refers to the surface of the outer material (300), and two sealing surfaces that overlap along the edge of the receiving portion (310) are joined to each other, thereby isolating the internal space (receiving portion (310)) from the outside. Here, the electrode assembly and electrolyte described above can be received in the internal space, and the electrode assembly and electrolyte can be maintained in a sealed state.

[0075] The reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be formed to extend from the sealing portion (320) to cover the adjacent area (330) of the exterior material (300). Here, the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) may be formed to cover both sides of the sealing portion (320). For example, the sealing portion (320) may include 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).

[0076] For example, the first reinforcing structure (320a) formed by extending from the sealing portion (320) to cover an area including an adjacent area (330) may be formed by including a material of the same or different kinds.

[0077] As a specific example, a reinforcing structure (A) including a first material is formed in the sealing portion (320), and a reinforcing structure (B) including the first material or a second material different from the first material is continuously formed in a region including the adjacent region (330), thereby forming the first reinforcing structure (320a) described above.

[0078] At this time, the first material and the second material will be described in more detail in the shape section of the reinforcing structure described later.

[0079] Additionally, the reinforcing structure (320a, 320b) may be formed to extend to cover the edge area of ​​the exterior material (300).

[0080] Hereinafter, the reinforcing structure (320a, 320b) for the exterior material (300) according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of a battery (30) is shown in which reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) are formed by extending from a sealing portion (320) to cover an adjacent area (330) of an outer material (300), where Wc represents the width (404) of the battery (30), We represents the width (403) of the electrode assembly (340), W1 represents the width (401) of the first reinforcing structure (320a), and W2 represents the width (402) of the second reinforcing structure (320b).

[0082] At this time, the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) may be extended to cover the edge area of ​​the exterior material (300) as illustrated in FIG. 4. That is, the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) may be positioned to completely surround the outermost portion of the sealing portion (320) located in the opposite direction of the adjacent area (330).

[0083] The width of the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) formed on both sides of the sealing portion (320) is designed based on the width of the battery (30) and the width of the electrode assembly (340). The width of the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) formed on both sides of the sealing portion (320) can be designed based on the following mathematical expression 3.

[0084] [Equation 3]

[0085] |(Wc - We) - (W1 + W2)| ≤ 5 mm

[0086] Referring to mathematical expression 3, the absolute value of the difference between the sum of the width (401) of the first reinforcing structure (320a) and the width (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.

[0087] This means that if the value obtained by subtracting the width (404) of the electrode assembly (340) from the width (404) of the battery (30) is greater than 5 mm based on the sum of the width (401) of the first reinforcing structure (320a) and the width (402) of the second reinforcing structure (320b), a problem occurs in that a step is generated between the electrode assembly (340) and the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b), resulting in a decrease in durability.

[0088] Alternatively, if the value obtained by subtracting the width (403) of the electrode assembly (340) from the width (404) of the battery (30) is less than 5 mm based on the sum of the width (401) of the first reinforcing structure (320a) and the width (402) of the second reinforcing structure (320b), a problem occurs in which the volume of the battery (30) increases and the energy density decreases.

[0089] In one implementation example, the absolute value of the difference between the sum of the width (401) of the first reinforcing structure (320a) and the width (402) of the second reinforcing structure (302b) 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 advantageously 0.5 mm or less.

[0090] As an advantageous example, when the difference between the value obtained by subtracting the width (403) of the electrode assembly (340) from the width (404) of the battery (30) and the sum of the width (401) of the first reinforcing structure (320a) and the width (402) of the second reinforcing structure (320b) is 1 mm or less, 0.5 mm or less, or 0 mm, it may be effective in preventing a large gap, and in particular, the effect may be the best when there is no difference between the aforementioned values.

[0091] In the exterior material (100) of the first embodiment and in the exterior material (300) of the second embodiment, the sealing portion (120, 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 portion (120, 320) may be a shape in which the surfaces are not curved so as to face each other. Alternatively, the sealing portion (120, 320) may have a pattern different from the uneven pattern, for example, the sealing portion (120, 320) may have a pattern having a lower height than the uneven pattern in the thickness direction of the exterior material (100, 300).

[0092] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the outer shell (100, 300) is formed so that the uneven pattern of the receiving portion (110, 310) and the sealing portion (120, 320) are in close contact. Accordingly, a space between the uneven pattern and the sealing portion (120, 320), where stress may be concentrated, is not formed in the present embodiment. By eliminating structurally vulnerable parts, there is an effect that the possibility of damage to the end portion of the uneven pattern in one direction or the sealing portion (120, 320) in a usage environment where repetitive bending is applied can be significantly reduced. Accordingly, the battery (10, 30) and the outer shell (100, 300), which correspond to the electrochemical cell according to the present invention, can have improved durability, and the possibility of breakage and leakage can be reduced, thereby improving safety.

[0093] Meanwhile, the electrode leads (101, 301) are connected to the electrode assembly inside the outer material (100, 300) and extend to be exposed to the outside of the outer material (100, 300). The electrode leads (101, 301) function as terminals for electrical connection with the electrode assembly accommodated inside the outer material (100, 300), and can be joined to penetrate the sealing portion (120, 320) while being interposed between the sealing surfaces when the sealing portion (120, 320) is formed. A pair of electrode leads (101, 301) of the positive and negative electrodes can be connected to each other with the same poles as the lead connection tabs provided in the electrode assembly.

[0094] Although not shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, in order to further improve the effect of suppressing the occurrence of irregular electrode layer gaps and large gaps when the battery (10, 30) is bent, a recessed portion may be formed in a portion of the convex portion. For example, a dot-shaped recessed portion may be formed in the central region of the convex portion. Here, at least two recessed portions may be formed in one direction corresponding to the width of the battery in each of at least one convex portions. It goes without saying that such recessed portions may include not only the aforementioned dot shape but also one or more shapes selected from a prism, a cylinder, and modified shapes thereof.

[0095] For example, the spacing between at least two recessed portions formed on a first convex portion among at least one convex portion and the spacing between at least two recessed portions formed on a second convex portion located next to the first convex portion may be designed to be the same.

[0096] For another example, the spacing between at least two recessed portions formed on a first convex portion among at least one convex portion and the spacing between at least two recessed portions formed on a second convex portion located next to the first convex portion may be designed to be different.

[0097] FIG. 5 is an exemplary drawing illustrating the shape of a reinforcing structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) for 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 line mark can be the attachment surface where the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) is attached to the sealing portion (120, 320).

[0098] In this way, the reason for implementing the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in various design shapes (500) is to prevent the phenomenon of bending or folding to a smaller radius by having the adjacent reinforcing structures come into close contact when bending the battery (10, 30).

[0099] For example, the R1 reinforcing structure can be attached to the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300). Here, the R1 reinforcing structure can be designed as a concave-convex structure in which a plurality of block-shaped unit structures are spaced apart and integrally formed so that the bending radius design is reflected. At this time, 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.

[0100] For another example, the R2 reinforcing structure may be formed as a reinforcing structure in which unit structures are arranged at progressive intervals to reduce the asymmetric pressure concentrated in the central region of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300). Here, the R2 reinforcing structure may be designed as a block shape reflecting the bending radius value, and at this time, the progressive interval may mean that the interval between gaps of the unit structures increases as they go from the central region to the peripheral region. For example, the R2 reinforcing structure may be configured such that the gap (501) in the peripheral region is larger than the gap (502) in the central region.

[0101] As another example, the R3 reinforcing structure may be arranged in a progressively spaced manner in the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300) similarly to the R2 reinforcing structure described above. Here, the R3 reinforcing structure may be designed in a flat, straight block shape at one end of the unit structure to reduce the bending radius value.

[0102] As another example, the R4 reinforcing structure can be designed in a block shape with a lower hole structure reflected in the aforementioned R3 reinforcing structure to minimize the attachment surface of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300).

[0103] As another example, the R5 reinforcing structure may be designed as an integral flat structural shape and formed in the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300). In this case, when the reinforcing structure is designed as a flat structural shape, the bending radius design may be performed by controlling the type of material and / or hardness value included in the reinforcing structure.

[0104] As another example, the R6 reinforcing structure can be designed as a non-ridged, ridged structure shape for reinforcing the central region, i.e., a shape with a thicker central region, and can be formed in the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300).

[0105] The reinforcing structure described above may include at least one selected from metals and polymers.

[0106] For example, the metal may be used without limitation as long as it is a metal that does not affect the battery thermally and electrically, and as a non-limiting example, the metal may be, but is not limited to, stainless steel or an alloy containing the same.

[0107] Additionally, the polymer may be at least one selected from among polymer resins including elastomers and / or acrylates.

[0108] For example, the elastic body may be an elastic body having 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, silicone elastomers, etc. When the Young's modulus of the elastic body satisfies the above-mentioned range, the flexibility of the battery can be secured while effectively preventing damage to the outer casing.

[0109] The acrylate included in the above polymer resin may be at least one selected from among epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyester acrylate, silicone acrylate, and alkyl acrylate, but is not limited thereto.

[0110] As an advantageous example, the elastomer and polymer resin may have a Shore Hardness of D40 or higher. Specifically, the Shore Hardness of the elastomer and polymer resin included in the reinforcing structure may be D40 to D100, D40 to D90, or D40 to D80.

[0111] Since the shore hardness of the elastic body and polymer resin included in the reinforcing structure satisfies the aforementioned range, deformation of the exterior material due to deformation of the battery can be suppressed, thereby improving the structural stability of the exterior material.

[0112] As described above, in the case of the second embodiment including the reinforcing structure (320a, 320b) that is formed to extend from the sealing portion (320) to cover an area including an adjacent area, a reinforcing structure (A) including a first material may be formed in the sealing portion (320), and a reinforcing structure (B) including the first material or a second material different from the first material may be continuously formed in an area (330) including the adjacent area. Here, the first material and the second material may be at least one of the materials described above.

[0113] For example, the reinforcing structures (320a, 320b) according to the second embodiment may independently include different first and second materials.

[0114] As a specific example, a reinforcing structure (A) including at least one material selected from among metal, elastomer, and polymer resin may be formed in the sealing portion (320). Next, a reinforcing structure (B) including a material having a lower shore hardness than the material included in the reinforcing structure (A) may be formed in a region (330) including an adjacent region. For example, the reinforcing structure (A) may include a first polymer resin, which is one of the aforementioned polymer resins, and the reinforcing structure (B) may include a second polymer resin having a lower shore hardness than the first polymer resin.

[0115] Since the reinforcing structure (A) and the reinforcing structure (B) each include different materials based on shore hardness, there is an advantage in that the structural shape collapse of the area (330) including the adjacent area can be effectively suppressed while simultaneously preventing damage to the exterior material.

[0116] In addition, the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b) included in the first embodiment may include the same material as the material included in the reinforcing structure (A) described above, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0117] FIG. 6 is an exemplary drawing illustrating a reinforcing structure formed on the outside of a sealing portion according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the drawing (a) may be formed to increase the thickness of the reinforcing structure in the central portion in order to reinforce the central portion of the battery (10). For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in the central portion of the sealing portion (120, 320) may be 1.86 mm, the thickness of the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in the peripheral portion may be 0.9 mm, and one end of the reinforcing structure may be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm based on the outermost portion of the sealing portion. That is, the reinforcing structure may be formed to extend from the sealing portion so as to cover the edge area of ​​the outer material.

[0118] This can provide an advantage of securing support force when bending the exterior material (100, 300) by increasing the thickness of the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in the central area of ​​the sealing portion (120, 320).

[0119] Figure (b) can be formed to increase the thickness of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) located at 1 / 4, 1 / 2, and 3 / 4 points of the sealing portion of the exterior material (100, 300). For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in the central region of the sealing portion (120, 320) is 1.86 mm, and the thickness of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in the peripheral region is formed to be 0.9 mm, but the 1 / 4, 1 / 2, and 3 / 4 points of the sealing portion (120, 320) can be configured to have values ​​between 0.9 mm and 1.86 mm. At this time, one end of the reinforcing structure can be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm based on the outermost part of the sealing portion.

[0120] In this way, by configuring the thickness of the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) differently at each point of the sealing portion (120, 320), it is possible to provide the advantage of securing support force when the battery (10, 30) is bent.

[0121] In Figure (c), a reinforcing structure may be formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100). For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structure formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) may be 1.86 mm, and one end of the reinforcing structure may be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm based on the outermost portion of the sealing portion. At this time, the reinforcing structure may be formed by continuously positioning a plurality of block-shaped unit structures spaced apart at equal intervals as described above.

[0122] In the drawing (d), a reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) having the same thickness may be formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100), 300). For example, the thickness of the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) may be 1.86 mm, and one end of the reinforcing structure may be formed to protrude by 0.2 mm based on the outermost portion of the sealing portion. At this time, the reinforcing structure may have the shape of an integral flat structure.

[0123] Here, in Figure (d), by changing the type and / or hardness value of the material included in the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b), the support force can be secured when the battery (10, 30) is bent.

[0124] In the drawing (e), a reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) having the same thickness can be formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300). For example, the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) can be configured to include a plurality of unit structures such that the thickness is 1.86 mm, the gap distance is 0.4 mm, and the gap depth is 0.2 mm. Here, the drawing (e) can be formed as a structure capable of controlling the gap distance and depth so as not to bend any further at a specific R.

[0125] However, when simply forming a reinforcing structure on the exterior material (100, 300) without considering a separate bending radius design and then bending it with a curvature of R5, R10, or R15, the exterior material (100, 300) does not bend with a uniform curvature radius even if it is not folded, so it is bent harshly and deformed into an elliptical shape or deformed with an unnatural curvature, causing a phenomenon in which a specific part of the battery is bent or folded, which has the disadvantage of accumulating fatigue in a specific part.

[0126] On the other hand, since the battery of the present invention includes the reinforcing structure described above, it has the advantage that even if an external force that can cause severe bending is applied, the battery can be deformed within a radius of curvature designed to have a uniform curvature.

[0127] For example, when a reinforcing structure includes unit structures having a block spacing of 0.27 mm, a block pitch of 1.6 mm, and a block height of 0.8 mm, a battery (10, 30) including a reinforcing structure to which a bending radius design such as block spacing / pitch / height is applied can be bent uniformly by securing support force because adjacent unit structures are in close contact with each other even when bent with a small radius of curvature.

[0128] FIG. 7 is an exemplary drawing comparing and evaluating a flexible battery having no reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion and a flexible battery having a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, specifically, in order to compare and evaluate a flexible battery having no reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion and a flexible battery having a reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion, as an evaluation method, 1) a bending evaluation (R25, 25 rpm, 100 repetitions) was performed, and then an evaluation was performed to check for cracks and damage to the outer material, and 2) a method of checking the internal electrode arrangement and degree of adhesion through CT imaging was used.

[0129] As a result of evaluating a conventional battery and a battery (10, 30) of the present invention, it was found that since a reinforcing structure is not formed in the sealing portion of the conventional battery, cracks may occur in the sealing portion and adjacent areas of the outer material, causing the battery to be damaged, and thus causing electrolyte leakage, and it was confirmed that a large gap was formed between each electrode layer.

[0130] On the other hand, it was confirmed that the battery (10, 30) of the present invention did not cause a large gap by forming a reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) in the sealing portion (120, 320).

[0131] In addition, when the battery (10, 30) including the outer material (100, 300) in which the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) are formed in the sealing portion (120, 320) proposed in the present invention is repeatedly bent, it can be confirmed that no cracks occur in the outer material (100, 300) due to the resistance according to the strength and support capacity of the reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b). Specifically, when examining the interior of the battery (10, 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 battery (10, 30) of the present invention is bent.

[0132] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 8, the battery (10) described in the first embodiment and the battery (30) described in the second embodiment can both be manufactured through the same process.

[0133] In step S810, an electrode assembly (140, 340) can be inserted into the outer material (100, 300).

[0134] In step S820, the two sealing surfaces of the outer material (100, 300) can be overlapped and joined to form a sealing portion (120, 320).

[0135] In step S830, the outer material (100, 300) into which the electrode assembly (140, 340) is inserted can be sealed through the sealing portion (120, 320).

[0136] In step S840, a reinforcing structure (120a, 120b) for the exterior material (100, 300) can be formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320).

[0137] Although not illustrated in FIG. 8, a step of forming at least one convex portion in one direction on the outer material (100, 300) may be further included. For example, at least one convex portion may be positioned between two concave portions and formed to protrude in the opposite direction to the concave portions.

[0138] Although not illustrated in FIG. 8, a step of forming at least one concave portion adjacent to the convex portion may be further included. The concave portion may be formed to protrude toward the internal space of the receiving portion (110, 310), i.e., toward the electrode assembly (140, 340) to be received. In addition, the convex portion may be positioned between two concave portions and formed to protrude in the opposite direction to the concave portion.

[0139] Here, the step of forming the concave portion can be performed before or after the step of pressing the outer material on which the convex portion is formed, which will be described later, and if the concave portion is formed after pressing the outer material (100, 300) on which the convex portion is formed, additional pressing can be performed on the outer material (100, 300).

[0140] Although not shown in Fig. 8, a step of pressing the outer material (100, 300) having the convex portion formed may be further included.

[0141] Although not illustrated in FIG. 8, a step of forming a recessed portion in the convex portion of the pressed exterior material (100, 300) may be further included. For example, the recessed portion may be formed by a precision pneumatic press that presses a punch processed in a dot shape. Here, the precision pneumatic press is configured as a four-axis set equipped with a punch and a die together with a ball bushing, and the gap between the punch and the die is physically controlled by a limit block, thereby adjusting the depth of the recessed portion and preventing damage to the exterior material (100, 200) by controlling the press drop speed.

[0142] The outer diameter of the recessed portion can be designed to be 30 to 85% of the width of the convex portion based on the width of the convex portion. If the outer diameter of the recessed portion is lower than 30% of the width of the convex portion, it is difficult to prevent irregular electrode interlayer gaps and large gaps from occurring. In addition, if the outer diameter of the recessed portion is larger than 85%, there is a problem of interfering with neighboring recessed portions and deforming the shape of the recessed portion. For this purpose, when the width length of the convex portion is W, the outer diameter of the recessed portion can be, for example, 0.3W to 0.85W, or 0.35W to 0.8W, but is not limited thereto.

[0143] In the above description, steps S810 to S840 may be further divided into additional steps or combined into fewer steps, depending on the implementation of the present invention. Furthermore, some steps may be omitted as needed, and the order of the steps may be switched.

[0144] FIG. 9 is an exemplary drawing for explaining a process of forming a reinforcing structure in a sealing portion in the present invention. Referring to FIG. 9, FIG. (a) illustrates an insert molding manufacturing process performed using solid silicon to manufacture reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b), and FIG. (b) illustrates an insert molding manufacturing process performed using solid silicon liquefied by liquefying solid silicon to manufacture reinforcing structures (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b).

[0145] Referring to Figure (a), after performing primer treatment on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the exterior material (100, 300), silicone gum (GUM) can be placed.

[0146] Afterwards, after placing the outer material (100, 300) in which the silicone GUM is placed within the mold, silicone molding is performed to remove the remaining silicone, and by coating the silicone, a reinforcing structure can be formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the outer material (100, 300). At this time, the silicone coating process may be omitted.

[0147] Referring to Figure (b), after applying a primer to the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the outer material (100, 300), the outer material (100, 300) can be placed inside the mold.

[0148] Afterwards, by injecting liquefied solid silicone through the injection port of the mold, separating the mold, removing the remaining silicone, and coating the silicone, a reinforcing structure can be formed on the outside of the sealing portion (120, 320) of the outer material (100, 300). At this time, the silicone coating process may be omitted.

[0149] In addition, although not illustrated in the drawing, as described above, it goes without saying that a metal or polymer included in the reinforcing structure can be formed on the outside of the outer covering using a method known in the art. The effects exerted by the reinforcing structure formed in the sealing portion of the present invention are as follows. First, when the battery (10, 30) is bent, the damage to the outer covering (100, 300) can be minimized while being deformed with a uniform curvature below a limit. Second, the sealing portion (120, 320) or adjacent area (130, 330) of the outer covering (100, 300), which is prone to damage due to deformation of the battery (10, 30), can be protected. Third, a large gap generated when the interlayer gap of the electrode within the outer covering (100, 300) is lifted can be suppressed. Fourth, when the battery (10, 30) is bent or deformed beyond the standard range or limit, the reinforcing structure (120a, 120b, 320a, 320b) can prevent this. Fifth, by minimizing the penetration of external moisture through the sealing portion (120, 320) in a high-humidity environment, the stable performance and safety of the battery (10, 30) can be improved.

[0150] The foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be readily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single entity may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0151] The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims that follow rather than the detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

[0152] 10, 30: Battery, electrochemical cell

[0153] 100, 300: Exterior material

[0154] 101, 301: Electrode leads

[0155] 110, 310: Reception area

[0156] 120, 320: Sealing part

[0157] 130, 330: Adjacent areas

[0158] 120a, 120b, 320a, 320b: Reinforced structures

[0159] 140, 340: Electrode assembly

Claims

1. In the battery, An electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes; and It includes an outer material including a receiving portion for receiving the electrode assembly and a sealing portion for sealing the electrode assembly along the receiving portion, A battery characterized by including a reinforcing structure formed on at least one surface of the sealing portion.

2. In paragraph 1, The above reinforcing structure is extended from the sealing portion to cover the edge area of ​​the outer material.

3. In paragraph 2, The above edge area is a battery that is an edge area of ​​the outer material located in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the battery.

4. In paragraph 1, A battery, wherein the thickness of the reinforcing structure formed on at least one side of the sealing portion is designed based on the thickness of the battery and the thickness of the sealing portion.

5. In paragraph 4, The thickness of the above reinforcing structure is designed to satisfy the following relational expression 1. (Relationship 1) 0.5 mm ≤ Ha≤1 / 2(H1-Hc) (In 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. In paragraph 1, A battery, wherein a first reinforcing structure is formed in a first sealing portion located at one end of the outer material and a second reinforcing structure is formed in a second sealing portion located at the other end of the outer material.

7. In paragraph 6, A battery, wherein the combined width length 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. In paragraph 7, A battery in which the combined width and length of the first reinforcing structure and the second reinforcing structure are designed to satisfy the following relational expression 2. (Relationship 2) |(Wc - We) - (W1 + W2)| ≤ 5 mm (In 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. In paragraph 1, The above reinforcing structure is a battery formed by forming a plurality of unit structures spaced apart from each other.

10. In paragraph 9, A battery wherein the distance between the above unit structures is equal to or different from each other.

11. In paragraph 10, The above unit structures are arranged at progressive intervals where the spacing increases from the central region of the above reinforcing structure to the peripheral regions located at both ends of the above reinforcing structure.

12. In paragraph 9, A battery wherein the thickness of the central region of the reinforcing structure and the thickness of the peripheral regions located at both ends of the reinforcing structure are the same or different from each other.

13. In paragraph 1, The above reinforcing structure is a battery, wherein the central region of the reinforcing structure and the peripheral region located at both ends of the reinforcing structure are an integral flat structure having the same thickness, or an integral belly structure having a central region having a thicker thickness than the peripheral region.

14. In paragraph 1, A battery, wherein the above reinforcing structure comprises an elastic body or a first polymer resin having a shore hardness of D40 or higher.

15. In paragraph 14, A battery, wherein the reinforcing structure further includes a sub-reinforcing structure including a second polymer resin having a different shore hardness value from the first polymer resin.

16. In a method for manufacturing a battery, A step of inserting an electrode assembly into an outer material; A step of forming a sealing portion by overlapping and joining the two sealing surfaces of the above outer material; A step of sealing the outer material into which the electrode assembly is inserted through the sealing portion; and A step of forming a reinforcing structure on at least one side of the sealing portion. A method for manufacturing a battery, comprising:

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