Battery cell, battery, electric device, and battery processing device and method

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of batteries, and provide a battery cell, a battery, an electric device, and a battery processing device and method. The battery cell comprises: a casing; and an electrode assembly disposed in the casing, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a negative electrode sheet and a positive electrode sheet, and the negative electrode sheet and the positive electrode sheet are stacked in a first direction. The negative electrode sheet comprises a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode active material layer coated on at least one side surface of the negative electrode current collector in the first direction, and a solid-state electrolyte layer coated on the negative electrode active material layer. An edge of the side of the negative electrode active material layer facing the solid-state electrolyte layer is provided with a support member, and the support member is made of an insulating material. In the first direction, the support member is located between the negative electrode active material layer and the solid-state electrolyte layer, and is configured to reduce the possibility of bending or fracture at edges of the negative electrode sheet. Thus, the reliability of the battery cell is improved.

Description

Battery cells, batteries, electrical devices, battery processing equipment and methods

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application 202510353060.X, filed on March 25, 2025, entitled “Battery cell, battery, electrical device, battery processing equipment and method”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of battery technology, specifically to a battery cell, battery, electrical device, battery processing equipment and method. Background Technology

[0004] Energy conservation and emission reduction are key to the sustainable development of the automotive industry, and electric vehicles, due to their energy-saving and environmentally friendly advantages, have become an important component of this sustainable development. For electric vehicles, battery technology is a crucial factor in their development.

[0005] In battery technology, the reliability of individual battery cells is a crucial issue. Therefore, improving the reliability of individual battery cells is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above problems, this application provides a battery cell, a battery, an electrical device, a battery processing equipment and method to reduce the possibility of bending or breaking at the edge of the negative electrode sheet, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery, comprising: a casing and an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly being disposed within the casing, the electrode assembly including a negative electrode and a positive electrode, the negative electrode and the positive electrode being stacked along a first direction; the negative electrode including a negative current collector, a negative active material layer coated on at least one side surface of the negative current collector along the first direction, and a solid electrolyte layer coated on the negative active material layer; wherein, a support member is disposed on the edge of the negative active material layer facing the solid electrolyte layer, the support member being made of an insulating material; along the first direction, the support member is located between the negative active material layer and the solid electrolyte layer.

[0008] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, an insulating material can be first coated on one edge of the negative electrode active material layer, and then an electrolyte material can be coated on the insulating material and the portion of the negative electrode active material layer exposed on the insulating material. This forms an insulating support member on the edge of the negative electrode active material layer facing the solid electrolyte layer, and the support member is positioned between the negative electrode active material layer and the solid electrolyte layer along a first direction. This supports the edge of the negative electrode sheet, reducing the possibility of bending or breaking under pressure, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell. Furthermore, since the electrolyte material is coated after the insulating material, the surface of the negative electrode sheet is smoother, reducing the possibility of short circuits caused by bending or breaking of the electrode sheet under pressure due to thickness errors in the support member or the negative electrode sheet itself during stacking, further improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0009] In some embodiments, the solid electrolyte layer includes an edge region and a central region; along the first direction, the central region is adjacent to the negative electrode active material layer, the support is located between the negative electrode active material layer and the edge region, and the side of the edge region facing away from the negative electrode current collector is flush with the side of the central region facing away from the negative electrode current collector.

[0010] After the support is placed at the edge of the solid electrolyte layer, the central region will be exposed, allowing the central region to be adjacent to the negative electrode active material layer after the electrolyte material is coated. The support is located between the negative electrode active material layer and the edge region. By aligning the side of the edge region facing away from the negative electrode current collector and the side of the central region facing away from the negative electrode current collector, the surface of the negative electrode sheet is made smoother.

[0011] In some embodiments, the support is annular and is disposed around the edge of the negative electrode active material layer.

[0012] The support is configured as a ring, and is arranged to surround the edge of the negative electrode active material layer to support the edge of the negative electrode sheet. In this case, the edge region can be arranged around the outer periphery of the central region, and the edge region is ring-shaped, thereby placing the support between the negative electrode active material layer and the edge region.

[0013] In some embodiments, the outer edge of the negative electrode active material layer, the outer edge of the solid electrolyte layer, and the outer edge of the support are all flush with the outer edge of the negative electrode current collector.

[0014] By aligning the outer edges of the negative electrode active material layer, the solid electrolyte layer, and the support with the outer edge of the negative electrode current collector, a relatively flat outer wall of the negative electrode sheet is formed.

[0015] In some embodiments, both sides of the negative electrode current collector along the first direction are coated with the negative electrode active material layer, and the side of each negative electrode active material layer facing away from the negative electrode current collector is coated with the solid electrolyte layer.

[0016] A negative electrode sheet is formed by coating both sides of the negative electrode current collector along the first direction with a negative electrode active material layer and coating each negative electrode active material layer with the solid electrolyte layer.

[0017] In some embodiments, the positive electrode includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer coated on both sides of the positive current collector along the first direction.

[0018] At this point, the positive electrode sheet consists of a positive current collector and positive active material layers disposed on both sides of the positive current collector.

[0019] In some embodiments, the support member is made of UV insulating adhesive.

[0020] The support components are made of UV insulating adhesive to achieve both insulation and support functions.

[0021] Secondly, this application provides a battery that includes the battery cell described in the above embodiments.

[0022] The battery provided according to this application includes the battery cell described in any one of the first aspect embodiments, and therefore has the technical effects described in any of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0023] Thirdly, this application provides an electrical device that includes the battery described in the above embodiments.

[0024] The electrical equipment provided according to this application includes the battery described in any one of the first aspect embodiments, and therefore has the technical effects described in any of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0025] Fourthly, this application provides a battery processing apparatus suitable for processing electrode assemblies of battery cells according to any of the above embodiments. The battery processing apparatus includes a feeding device, a first coating device, a second coating device, and a cutting device. The feeding device is used to provide a substrate, the substrate including a current collector layer and a negative electrode active material coated on at least one side surface of the current collector layer. The first coating device is used to coat an insulating material onto the negative electrode active material to form an insulating layer. The insulating layer includes two first insulating portions respectively disposed along the two long sides of the substrate and a plurality of second insulating portions spaced between the two first insulating portions. The second coating device is used to coat an electrolyte material onto the negative electrode active material exposed on the insulating material and the insulating material to form a material to be cut. The cutting device is used to cut the material to be cut along the centerline of each of the second insulating portions to form a negative electrode sheet having a support member made of the insulating material and a solid electrolyte layer made of the electrolyte material.

[0026] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, during the processing of the electrode assembly, an insulating material is first coated onto the negative electrode active material using a first coating device to form an insulating layer. Then, an electrolyte material is coated onto the negative electrode active material exposed above the insulating material and the insulating material using a second coating device to form a material to be cut. After the material to be cut is formed, it is cut along the centerline of each second insulating portion of the insulating layer using a cutting device to form a negative electrode sheet with a support member. The surface of the negative electrode sheet of the electrode assembly processed by this battery processing equipment can be smoother, and the possibility of bending or breaking of the negative electrode sheet edge can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0027] In some embodiments, the feeding device includes a feeding roller, and the substrate is wound around the feeding roller.

[0028] The feeding device consists of feeding rollers to provide the substrate for winding.

[0029] In some embodiments, the first coating apparatus includes a coating mechanism and a curing mechanism. The coating mechanism is used to coat the insulating material onto the negative electrode active material, and the curing mechanism is used to cure the insulating material coated on the negative electrode active material to form the insulating layer.

[0030] When the first coating device coats the insulating material, it can first coat the insulating material onto the negative electrode active material through the coating mechanism, and then cure and shape the insulating material coated on the negative electrode active material through the curing mechanism. This avoids deformation of the insulating layer when the second coating device coats the electrolyte material, which would affect the performance of the negative electrode sheet.

[0031] In some embodiments, the coating mechanism is used to coat the insulating material by screen printing or spraying.

[0032] Insulating materials can be coated onto the negative electrode active material by screen printing or spraying. When screen printing is used, the coating mechanism is a screen printing mechanism; when spraying is used, the coating mechanism is a spraying mechanism.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first coating device is further configured to apply marking dots on the outer side of the centerline of each of the second insulating portions; the cutting device is configured to cut the material to be cut according to each of the marking dots.

[0034] By marking the outer side of the center line of each second insulating part, the position of the center line of each second insulating part can be marked to facilitate the cutting work of the subsequent cutting device.

[0035] Fifthly, this application provides a battery processing method applicable to processing electrode assemblies of battery cells according to any of the above embodiments. The battery processing method includes: providing a substrate; wherein the substrate includes a current collector layer and a negative electrode active material coated on at least one surface of the current collector layer; coating an insulating material on the negative electrode active material to form an insulating layer; the insulating layer includes two first insulating portions respectively disposed along the two long sides of the substrate, and a plurality of second insulating portions spaced between the two first insulating portions; coating an electrolyte material on the negative electrode active material exposed on the insulating material and the insulating material to form a material to be cut; cutting the material to be cut along the centerline of each of the second insulating portions to form a negative electrode sheet having a support member made of the insulating material and a solid electrolyte layer made of the electrolyte material; preparing a positive electrode sheet; and stacking the negative electrode sheet and the positive electrode sheet to form an electrode assembly.

[0036] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, during the processing of the electrode assembly, an insulating material is first coated onto the negative electrode active material to form an insulating layer. Then, an electrolyte material is coated onto the negative electrode active material exposed above the insulating material and the insulating material to form a material to be cut. After the material to be cut is formed, it is cut along the centerline of each second insulating portion of the insulating layer to form a negative electrode sheet with a support member. Then, the negative electrode sheet and the positive electrode sheet are stacked to form an electrode assembly. The surface of the negative electrode sheet of the electrode assembly processed by this battery processing equipment is smoother, and the possibility of bending or breaking at the edge of the negative electrode sheet is reduced, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell.

[0037] In some embodiments, during the step of coating the negative electrode active material with an insulating material to form an insulating layer, the insulating material is coated by screen printing or spraying.

[0038] Therefore, insulating materials can be coated onto the negative electrode active material by screen printing or spraying.

[0039] In some embodiments, during the step of coating the negative electrode active material with insulating material to form an insulating layer, marking points are applied to the outer side of the centerline of each of the second insulating portions; during the step of cutting the material to be cut along the centerline of each of the second insulating portions, the material to be cut is cut according to each of the marking points.

[0040] By marking the outer side of the center line of each second insulating part, the position of the center line of each second insulating part can be marked to facilitate the cutting work of the subsequent cutting device.

[0041] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this application are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0043] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure in some embodiments of this application;

[0044] Figure 2 is an exploded structural diagram of the battery in some embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a battery cell in some embodiments of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrode assembly in a battery cell in some embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the negative electrode sheet in a battery cell in some embodiments of this application;

[0048] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the substrate in some embodiments of this application;

[0049] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery processing equipment in some embodiments of this application;

[0050] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the battery processing equipment in some embodiments of this application;

[0051] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the coating of the substrate in Figure 8;

[0052] Figure 10 is a schematic flowchart of a battery processing method in some embodiments of this application.

[0053] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0054] 1000, Vehicle; 100, Battery; 200, Controller; 300, Motor; 10, Housing; 11, First Part; 12, Second Part; 20, Battery Cell; 21, Casing; 211, End Cap; 212, Housing; 22, Electrode Assembly; 23, Terminal Post; 221, Negative Electrode; 2211, Negative Current Collector; 2212, Negative Active Material Layer; 2213, Solid Electrolyte Layer; 22131, Edge Region; 22132, Central Region; 222, Positive 2221, Positive current collector; 2222, Positive active material layer; 223, Support component; 2000, Battery processing equipment; 400, Feeding device; 401, Feeding roller; 500, First coating device; 501, Coating mechanism; 502, Curing mechanism; 600, Second coating device; a, Substrate; a1, Current collector layer; a2, Negative active material; b, Insulating layer; b1, First insulating part; b2, Second insulating part; c, Electrolyte material; d, Marking point. Embodiments of the present invention

[0055] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0056] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0057] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0058] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0059] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0060] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0061] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] Currently, judging from market trends, the application of power batteries is becoming increasingly widespread. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric cars, as well as in military equipment and aerospace. With the continuous expansion of power battery applications, market demand is also constantly increasing.

[0063] The inventors have noted that in electrode assemblies, the negative electrode is typically larger than the positive electrode in at least one of the length and width directions. Because the protruding area of ​​the negative electrode has relatively weak overall structural strength, it can bend under pressure during isostatic pressing of the electrode assembly. After bending, fracture may occur at the boundary between the protruding area and the normal pressure zone, and the burrs generated at the fracture edge may puncture the separator. Furthermore, the protruding area may cause overlap between the positive and negative electrodes, resulting in a short circuit between them and posing a significant safety hazard to the battery.

[0064] To reduce the above safety hazards, the applicant discovered that insulating supports can be installed on both sides of the protruding area along the thickness direction of the negative electrode sheet, so as to cope with the pressure under isostatic pressure.

[0065] Based on the above considerations, to address the significant safety hazards associated with batteries, a new battery cell design incorporates an insulating support member formed at the edge of the negative electrode active material layer facing the solid electrolyte layer. This support member is positioned between the negative electrode active material layer and the solid electrolyte layer along a first direction to support the edge of the negative electrode sheet, reducing the likelihood of bending or breakage under pressure and thus improving the reliability of the battery cell. Furthermore, since the electrolyte material is coated after the insulating material, the surface of the negative electrode sheet is smoother, reducing the possibility of short circuits caused by bending or breakage of the electrode sheet due to thickness errors in the support member or the negative electrode sheet itself during stacking, further enhancing the reliability of the battery cell.

[0066] The batteries disclosed in this application can be used, but are not limited to, in electrical equipment such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft. A power system for such electrical equipment can be constructed using batteries or similar components disclosed in this application.

[0067] The technical solutions described in this application are applicable to various battery-powered devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, electric toys, power tools, electric vehicles, electric cars, ships, spacecraft, etc. Electric toys can include stationary or mobile electric toys, such as game consoles, electric car toys, electric ship toys, and electric airplane toys, etc. Spacecraft can include airplanes, rockets, space shuttles, and spacecraft, etc.

[0068] For ease of explanation, the following embodiments will be described using a vehicle 1000 as an example of an electrical device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided in some embodiments of this application. The vehicle 1000 can be a gasoline-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or range-extended electric vehicles, etc. A battery 100 is installed inside the vehicle 1000, and the battery 100 can be located at the bottom, front, or rear of the vehicle 1000. The battery 100 can be used to power the vehicle 1000; for example, the battery 100 can serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000, or it can be used in the vehicle 1000's electrical system, such as to meet the power requirements for starting, navigation, and operation of the vehicle 1000.

[0070] The vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 300, for example, for the power needs of the vehicle 1000 during startup, navigation and driving.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, the battery 100 can not only serve as the operating power source for the vehicle 1000, but also as the driving power source for the vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000.

[0072] Please refer to Figure 2, which is an exploded view of a battery 100 provided in some embodiments of this application. The battery 100 includes a housing 10 and battery cells 20, with the battery cells 20 housed within the housing 10. The housing 10 provides space for the battery cells 20, and the housing 10 can adopt various structures.

[0073] In some embodiments, the housing 10 may include a first portion 11 and a second portion 12, which overlap each other, and together define a receiving space for accommodating the battery cell 20. The second portion 12 may be a hollow structure with one open end, and the first portion 11 may be a plate-like structure, with the first portion 11 covering the open side of the second portion 12 so that the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 together define the receiving space; alternatively, the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may both be hollow structures with one open side, with the open side of the first portion 11 covering the open side of the second portion 12. Of course, the housing 10 formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 can be of various shapes, such as a cylinder, a cuboid, etc.

[0074] In battery 100, there can be multiple battery cells 20, which can be connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner. A mixed connection means that multiple battery cells 20 are connected in both series and parallel configurations. Multiple battery cells 20 can be directly connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner, and then the entire assembly of the multiple battery cells 20 is housed within the housing 10. Alternatively, battery 100 can also be composed of multiple battery cells 20 first connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a battery module, and then multiple battery modules are connected in series, parallel, or in a mixed manner to form a whole, which is also housed within the housing 10. Battery 100 may also include other structures; for example, it may include current-connecting components (such as the first current-connecting component 40 and the second current-connecting component 50 shown in Figure 5) for electrical connection between the multiple battery cells 20.

[0075] Each battery cell 20 can be a secondary battery. A secondary battery is a battery cell that can be recharged to activate the active materials and continue to be used after the battery cell has been discharged.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 3, which is an exploded structural diagram of a battery cell 20 provided in some embodiments of this application. A battery cell 20 refers to the smallest unit that makes up a battery. As shown in Figure 3, the battery cell 20 includes a casing 21, electrode components 22, and other functional parts.

[0077] The outer casing 21 includes an end cap 211 and a housing 212. The end cap 211 is a component that covers the opening of the housing 212 to isolate the internal environment of the battery cell 20 from the external environment. In any case, the shape of the end cap 211 may be adapted to the shape of the housing 212 to fit the housing 212.

[0078] Optionally, the end cap 211 can be made of a material with a certain hardness and strength (such as aluminum alloy). This makes the end cap 211 less prone to deformation under pressure and impact, allowing the battery cell 20 to have higher structural strength and improved safety performance. Functional components such as terminals 23 can be provided on the end cap 211. Terminals 23 can be used to electrically connect to the electrode assembly 22 for outputting or inputting electrical energy into the battery cell 20. In some embodiments, the end cap 211 can also be provided with a pressure relief mechanism for releasing internal pressure when the internal pressure or temperature of the battery cell 20 reaches a threshold. The material of the end cap 211 can also be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc., and this application embodiment does not impose any special limitations on this. In some embodiments, an insulating member can also be provided on the inner side of the end cap 211. The insulating member can be used to isolate the electrical connection components within the housing 212 from the end cap 211 to reduce the risk of short circuits. For example, the insulating member can be plastic, rubber, etc.

[0079] The housing 212 is a component used to cooperate with the end cap 211 to form the internal environment of the battery cell 20. This internal environment can accommodate the electrode assembly 22, electrolyte, and other components. The housing 212 and the end cap 211 can be independent components. An opening can be provided on the housing 212, and the end cap 211 can be used to close the opening to form the internal environment of the battery cell 20. Alternatively, the end cap 211 and the housing 212 can be integrated. Specifically, the end cap 211 and the housing 212 can form a common connecting surface before other components are inserted into the housing. When it is necessary to encapsulate the interior of the housing 212, the end cap 211 closes the housing 212. The housing 212 can be of various shapes and sizes, such as cuboid, cylindrical, hexagonal prism, etc. Specifically, the shape of the housing 212 can be determined according to the specific shape and size of the electrode assembly 22. The material of the housing 212 can be various, such as copper, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, plastic, etc. This application embodiment does not impose any special limitations on this.

[0080] Electrode assembly 22 is the component in the battery cell 20 where electrochemical reactions occur. The casing 212 may contain one or more electrode assemblies 22. The electrode assembly 22 is mainly formed by stacking negative and positive electrode plates, and typically a separator is provided between the negative and positive electrode plates. The portions of the negative and positive electrode plates containing active material constitute the main body of the electrode assembly, while the portions of the negative and positive electrode plates without active material each constitute a tab. The negative and positive tabs may be located together at one end of the main body or separately at both ends of the main body. During the charging and discharging process of the battery, the negative and positive active materials react with the electrolyte, and the tabs connect to the electrode terminals to form a current loop.

[0081] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to FIG3, and further referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, FIG4 is a structural schematic diagram of the electrode assembly in a battery cell according to some embodiments of this application, and FIG. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the negative electrode sheet in a battery cell according to some embodiments of this application. This application provides a battery cell 20, including a housing 21 and an electrode assembly 22. The electrode assembly 22 is disposed within the housing 21 and includes a negative electrode sheet 221 and a positive electrode sheet 222. The negative electrode sheet 221 and the positive electrode sheet 222 are stacked along a first direction. The negative electrode sheet 221 includes a negative current collector 2211, a negative active material layer 2212 coated on at least one side surface of the negative current collector 2211 along the first direction, and a solid electrolyte layer 2213 coated on the negative active material layer 2212.

[0082] A support member 223 is provided on the edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212 facing the solid electrolyte layer 2213. The support member 223 is made of insulating material. Along the first direction, the support member 223 is located between the negative electrode active material layer 2212 and the solid electrolyte layer 2213.

[0083] As an example, the solid electrolyte layer 2213 uses a solid electrolyte as an insulator. The solid electrolyte is placed between the positive and negative electrodes, and at the same time plays the role of transporting ions and isolating the positive and negative electrodes.

[0084] As an example, the negative electrode current collector 2211 can be a metal foil or a composite current collector. For example, as a metal foil, it can be aluminum with a silver-plated surface, stainless steel with a silver-plated surface, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, carbon electrode, carbon, nickel, or titanium, etc.

[0085] As an example, the negative electrode active material selected for the negative electrode active material layer 2212 can be a negative electrode active material known in the art for use in batteries. As an example, the negative electrode active material may include at least one of the following materials: artificial graphite, natural graphite, soft carbon, hard carbon, silicon-based materials, tin-based materials, and lithium titanate, etc. Silicon-based materials may be selected from at least one of elemental silicon, silicon oxide compounds, silicon-carbon composites, silicon-nitrogen composites, and silicon alloys. Tin-based materials may be selected from at least one of elemental tin, tin oxide compounds, and tin alloys. However, this application is not limited to these materials, and other conventional materials that can be used as negative electrode active materials for batteries may also be used. These negative electrode active materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0086] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, an insulating material can be first coated on one edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212, and then an electrolyte material can be coated on the insulating material and the portion of the negative electrode active material layer 2212 exposed in the insulating material. This forms an insulating support 223 on the edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212 facing the solid electrolyte layer 2213, and the support 223 is positioned between the negative electrode active material layer 2212 and the solid electrolyte layer 2213 along a first direction. This supports the edge of the negative electrode sheet 221, reducing the possibility of bending or breaking of the edge of the negative electrode sheet 221 under pressure, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell 20. Furthermore, since the electrolyte material is coated after the insulating material, the surface of the negative electrode sheet 221 is smoother, reducing the possibility of short circuits caused by bending or breaking of the electrode sheet due to thickness errors in the support 223 or the negative electrode sheet 221 during stacking, further improving the reliability of the battery cell 20.

[0087] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, referring to FIG5, the solid electrolyte layer 2213 includes an edge region 22131 and a central region 22132. Along a first direction, the central region 22132 is adjacent to the negative electrode active material layer 2212, and the support member 223 is located between the negative electrode active material layer 2212 and the edge region 22131. The side of the edge region 22131 facing away from the negative electrode current collector 2211 is flush with the side of the central region 22132 facing away from the negative electrode current collector 2211.

[0088] After the support member 223 is disposed on the edge region 22131 of the solid electrolyte layer 2213, the central region 22132 will be exposed through the support member 223. This allows the central region 22132 to be adjacent to the negative electrode active material layer 2212 after the electrolyte material is coated. The support member 223 is located between the negative electrode active material layer 2212 and the edge region 22131. By making the side of the edge region 22131 facing away from the negative electrode current collector 2211 and the side of the central region 22132 facing away from the negative electrode current collector 2211 flush, the surface of the negative electrode sheet 221 is made smoother.

[0089] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the support 223 is annular and the support 223 is disposed around the edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212.

[0090] The support member 223 is arranged in a ring shape, and is able to surround the edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212 to support the edge of the negative electrode sheet 221. At this time, the edge region 22131 can be arranged around the outer periphery of the central region 22132, and the edge region 22131 is ring-shaped. Thus, the support member 223 is placed between the negative electrode active material layer 2212 and the edge region 22131.

[0091] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, please continue to refer to FIG5, the outer edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212, the outer edge of the solid electrolyte layer 2213 and the outer edge of the support member 223 are all flush with the outer edge of the negative electrode current collector 2211.

[0092] By making the outer edges of the negative electrode active material layer 2212, the solid electrolyte layer 2213, and the support 223 all flush with the outer edge of the negative electrode current collector 2211, the outer peripheral surfaces of the negative electrode active material layer 2212, the solid electrolyte layer 2213, and the support 223 are all flatly connected to the outer peripheral surface of the negative electrode current collector 2211, thus forming a relatively flat outer wall of the negative electrode sheet 221.

[0093] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, please continue to refer to FIG4 and FIG5, both sides of the negative electrode current collector 2211 along the first direction are coated with a negative electrode active material layer 2212, and the side surface of each negative electrode active material layer 2212 facing away from the negative electrode current collector 2211 is coated with a solid electrolyte layer 2213.

[0094] A negative electrode sheet 221 is formed by coating both sides of the negative electrode current collector 2211 along the first direction with a negative electrode active material layer 2212 and coating each negative electrode active material layer 2212 with a solid electrolyte layer 2213.

[0095] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, please continue to refer to FIG4, the positive electrode 222 includes a positive current collector 2221 and a positive active material layer 2222 coated on both sides of the positive current collector 2221 along a first direction.

[0096] As an example, the positive electrode current collector 2221 can be a metal foil or a composite current collector. For example, as a metal foil, it can be made of stainless steel, copper, aluminum, nickel, carbon electrode, carbon, nickel, or titanium with a silver-plated surface. The composite current collector may include a polymer material base layer and a metal layer. The composite current collector can be formed by forming a metal material (aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, silver and silver alloy, etc.) on a polymer material substrate (such as a substrate of polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.).

[0097] As an example, the positive electrode active material selected for the positive electrode active material layer 2222 may include at least one of the following materials: lithium phosphate, lithium transition metal oxide, and their respective modified compounds. However, this application is not limited to these materials, and other conventional materials that can be used as positive electrode active materials for batteries may also be used.

[0098] At this time, the positive electrode 222 is composed of a positive current collector 2221 and a positive active material layer 2222 disposed on both sides of the positive current collector 2221.

[0099] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the support member 223 is made of UV (Ultraviolet Rays) insulating adhesive.

[0100] The support member 223 is made of UV insulating adhesive to achieve the insulation and support functions of the support member 223.

[0101] According to some embodiments of this application, this application provides a battery 100. The battery 100 includes a battery cell 20 according to any of the above embodiments.

[0102] According to some embodiments of this application, this application also provides an electrical device including a battery of any of the above-described schemes, and the battery is used to provide electrical energy to the electrical device.

[0103] The electrical device can be any of the aforementioned battery-powered devices or systems.

[0104] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to Figures 6 to 9. Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of a substrate according to some embodiments of this application, Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a battery processing apparatus according to some embodiments of this application, and Figures 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams of the working principle of the battery processing apparatus according to some embodiments of this application. This application provides a battery processing apparatus 2000, which is suitable for processing the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 20 in any of the above embodiments. The battery processing apparatus 2000 includes a feeding device 400, a first coating device 500, a second coating device 600, and a cutting device. The feeding device 400 is used to provide a substrate a, which includes a current collector layer a1 and a negative electrode active material a2 coated on at least one side surface of the current collector layer a1.

[0105] The first coating apparatus 500 is used to coat an insulating material onto the negative electrode active material a2 to form an insulating layer b. The insulating layer b includes two first insulating portions b1 respectively disposed along the two long sides of the substrate a, and a plurality of second insulating portions b2 disposed at intervals between the two first insulating portions b1.

[0106] The second coating device 600 is used to coat the negative electrode active material a2 exposed to the insulating material and the insulating material with electrolyte material c to form a material to be cut.

[0107] The cutting device is used to cut the material to be cut along the centerline of each second insulating part b2 to form a negative electrode sheet 221 with a support member 223. The support member 223 is made of insulating material; in the negative electrode sheet 221, the negative electrode current collector 2211 is made of current collector layer a1, the negative electrode active material layer 2212 is made of negative electrode active material a2, and the solid electrolyte layer 2213 is made of electrolyte material c.

[0108] As an example, the two first insulating portions b1 are parallel to each other, and the second insulating portion b2 is perpendicular to the first insulating portions b1. In this case, the centerline of the second insulating portion b2 will be parallel to the width direction of the substrate a.

[0109] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, when processing the electrode assembly 22, an insulating material is first coated on the negative electrode active material a2 by a first coating device 500 to form an insulating layer b. Then, an electrolyte material c is coated on the negative electrode active material a2 exposed above the insulating material and the insulating material by a second coating device 600 to form a material to be cut. After the material to be cut is formed, the material to be cut is cut along the center line of each second insulating portion b2 of the insulating layer b by a cutting device to form a negative electrode sheet 221 with a support member 223. The surface of the negative electrode sheet 221 of the electrode assembly 22 processed by the battery processing equipment 2000 can be flatter, and the possibility of bending or breaking of the edge of the negative electrode sheet 221 can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell 20. In addition, before the material to be cut is cut, since the insulating material is wrapped inside the electrolyte material c, it is difficult for the insulating material to come into contact with each other and stick when the material to be cut is rolled up.

[0110] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, please continue to refer to FIG7, the feeding device 400 includes a feeding roller 401, and the substrate a is wound and disposed on the feeding roller 401.

[0111] The feeding device 400 consists of a feeding roller 401 to provide the winding substrate a.

[0112] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, please continue to refer to FIG7 and FIG8, the first coating apparatus 500 includes a coating mechanism 501 and a curing mechanism 502. The coating mechanism 501 is used to coat an insulating material on the negative electrode active material a2, and the curing mechanism 502 is used to cure the insulating material coated on the negative electrode active material a2 to form an insulating layer b.

[0113] When the first coating device 500 coats the insulating material, it can first coat the insulating material on the negative electrode active material a2 through the coating mechanism 501, and then cure and shape the insulating material coated on the negative electrode active material a2 through the curing mechanism 502, so as to avoid the deformation of the insulating layer b when the second coating device 600 coats the electrolyte material c, which would affect the performance of the negative electrode sheet 221.

[0114] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, the coating mechanism 501 is used to coat the insulating material by screen printing or spraying.

[0115] The insulating material can be coated onto the negative electrode active material a2 by screen printing or spraying. When screen printing is used, the coating mechanism 501 is a screen printing mechanism. When spraying is used, the coating mechanism 501 is a spraying mechanism.

[0116] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, referring to FIG9, the first coating device 500 is also used to apply marking points d on the outer side of the centerline of each second insulating portion b2.

[0117] The cutting device is used to cut the material to be cut according to each marked point d.

[0118] When coating with electrolyte material c, the electrolyte material c will cover the second insulating portion b2 of the insulating layer b, making cutting inconvenient. By marking the outer side of the center line of each second insulating portion b2 with marking points d, the position of the center line of each second insulating portion b2 can be marked to facilitate the subsequent cutting work of the cutting device.

[0119] According to some embodiments of this application, please refer to FIG10. This application provides a battery processing method applicable to processing the electrode assembly 22 of the battery cell 20 in any of the above embodiments. The battery processing method includes:

[0120] Step S1: Provide a substrate a. The substrate a includes a current collector layer a1 and a negative electrode active material a2 coated on at least one side surface of the current collector layer a1.

[0121] Step S2: Coat the negative electrode active material a2 with an insulating material to form an insulating layer b. The insulating layer b includes two first insulating portions b1 respectively disposed along the two long sides of the substrate a, and a plurality of second insulating portions b2 disposed at intervals between the two first insulating portions b1.

[0122] Step S3: Coat the negative electrode active material a2 exposed on the insulating material and the insulating material with electrolyte material c to form the material to be cut.

[0123] Step S4: Cut the material to be cut along the centerline of each second insulating part b2 to form a negative electrode sheet 221 having a support member 223 made of insulating material and a solid electrolyte layer 2213 made of electrolyte material c.

[0124] Step S5: Prepare positive electrode 222.

[0125] Step S6: Stack the negative electrode 221 and the positive electrode 222 to form an electrode assembly 22.

[0126] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, when processing the electrode assembly 22, an insulating material is first coated on the negative electrode active material a2 to form an insulating layer b. Then, an electrolyte material c is coated on the negative electrode active material a2 exposed above the insulating material and the insulating material to form a material to be cut. After the material to be cut is formed, it is cut along the center line of each second insulating portion b2 of the insulating layer b to form a negative electrode sheet 221 with a support member 223. Then, the negative electrode sheet 221 and the positive electrode sheet 222 are stacked to form the electrode assembly 22. The surface of the negative electrode sheet 221 of the electrode assembly 22 processed by the battery processing equipment 2000 can be flatter, and the possibility of bending or breaking at the edge of the negative electrode sheet 221 can be reduced, thereby improving the reliability of the battery cell 20. In addition, before the material to be cut is cut, since the insulating material is wrapped inside the electrolyte material c, it is difficult for the insulating material to come into contact with each other and stick when the material to be cut is rolled up.

[0127] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, if both sides of the current collector layer a1 are coated with negative electrode active material a2, then in steps S2 and S3, insulating material and electrolyte material c can be coated first on the surface of negative electrode active material a2 on one side of the current collector layer a1. After the coating on one side is completed, the layer is wound up. Then, steps S2 and S3 are repeated to coat the surface of negative electrode active material a2 on the other side of the current collector layer a1 with insulating material and electrolyte material c, until both sides of the negative electrode active material a2 of the current collector layer a1 are coated with insulating material and electrolyte material c. Alternatively, in steps S2 and S3, insulating material and electrolyte material c can be coated simultaneously on the surfaces of negative electrode active material a2 on both sides of the current collector layer a1.

[0128] According to some embodiments of this application, optionally, in the step of coating an insulating material onto the negative electrode active material a2 to form an insulating layer b, the insulating material is coated by screen printing or spraying.

[0129] Therefore, the insulating material can be coated onto the negative electrode active material a2 by screen printing or spraying.

[0130] Optionally, according to some embodiments of this application, please continue to refer to FIG9, when coating the negative electrode active material a2 with insulating material to form insulating layer b, marking points d are applied to the outer side of the centerline of each second insulating part b2.

[0131] When cutting the material to be cut along the centerline of each second insulating part b2, the material to be cut is cut according to each marked point d.

[0132] By marking the outer side of the center line of each second insulating part b2 with a mark d, the position of the center line of each second insulating part b2 can be marked to facilitate the cutting work of the subsequent cutting device.

[0133] According to some embodiments of this application, referring to Figures 2 to 6, this application provides a battery 100, whose casing 10 includes a plurality of battery cells 20 arranged in a row and column. Each battery cell 20 includes a housing 21 and an electrode assembly 22 disposed within the housing 21. The electrode assembly 22 includes a negative electrode 221 and a positive electrode 222, which are stacked along a first direction. The negative electrode 221 includes a negative current collector 2211, negative active material layers 2212 coated on both sides of the negative current collector 2211 along the first direction, and solid electrolyte layers 2213 coated on each negative active material layer 2212.

[0134] Each negative electrode active material layer 2212 has an annular support 223 on the edge facing the side adjacent to the solid electrolyte layer 2213. The support 223 is made of insulating material and is arranged around the edge of the negative electrode active material layer 2212.

[0135] Along the first direction, each support member 223 is located between each negative electrode active material layer 2212 and the adjacent solid electrolyte layer 2213.

[0136] The positive electrode 222 includes a positive current collector 2221 and a positive active material layer 2222 coated on both sides of the positive current collector 2221 along a first direction.

[0137] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery cell, wherein, include: shell; as well as An electrode assembly is disposed within the housing. The electrode assembly includes a negative electrode and a positive electrode, which are stacked along a first direction. The negative electrode includes a negative current collector, a negative active material layer coated on at least one side surface of the negative current collector along the first direction, and a solid electrolyte layer coated on the negative active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer has a support member on the edge facing the solid electrolyte layer, and the support member is made of insulating material; along the first direction, the support member is located between the negative electrode active material layer and the solid electrolyte layer.

2. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein, The solid electrolyte layer includes an edge region and a central region; along the first direction, the central region is adjacent to the negative electrode active material layer, the support is located between the negative electrode active material layer and the edge region, and the side of the edge region facing away from the negative electrode current collector is flush with the side of the central region facing away from the negative electrode current collector.

3. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein, The support is ring-shaped and is arranged around the edge of the negative electrode active material layer.

4. The battery cell according to claim 3, wherein, The outer edges of the negative electrode active material layer, the outer edges of the solid electrolyte layer, and the outer edges of the support are all flush with the outer edges of the negative electrode current collector.

5. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein, The negative electrode current collector has both sides of its surface along the first direction coated with the negative electrode active material layer, and the side of each negative electrode active material layer facing away from the negative electrode current collector is coated with the solid electrolyte layer.

6. The battery cell according to claim 1, wherein, The positive electrode includes a positive current collector and a positive active material layer coated on both sides of the positive current collector along the first direction.

7. The battery cell according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The support component is made of UV insulating adhesive.

8. A battery, wherein, Includes the battery cell as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. An electrical appliance, wherein, It includes the battery cell as described in any one of claims 1-7, or the battery as described in claim 8.

10. A battery processing apparatus, wherein, An electrode assembly suitable for processing battery cells as described in any one of claims 1-7, the battery processing equipment includes a feeding device, a first coating device, a second coating device, and a cutting device, wherein the feeding device is used to provide a substrate, the substrate including a current collector layer and a negative electrode active material coated on at least one side surface of the current collector layer; The first coating device is used to coat the negative electrode active material with an insulating material to form an insulating layer; the insulating layer includes two first insulating portions respectively disposed along the two long sides of the substrate, and a plurality of second insulating portions disposed at intervals between the two first insulating portions; The second coating device is used to coat an electrolyte material onto the negative electrode active material exposed on the insulating material and the insulating material to form a material to be cut; The cutting device is used to cut the material to be cut along the centerline of each of the second insulating portions to form the negative electrode sheet having a support member made of the insulating material and a solid electrolyte layer made of the electrolyte material.

11. The battery processing equipment according to claim 10, wherein, The feeding device includes a feeding roller, and the substrate is wound around the feeding roller.

12. The battery processing equipment according to claim 10, wherein, The first coating device includes a coating mechanism and a curing mechanism. The coating mechanism is used to coat the insulating material onto the negative electrode active material, and the curing mechanism is used to cure the insulating material coated on the negative electrode active material to form the insulating layer.

13. The battery processing equipment according to claim 12, wherein, The coating mechanism is used to coat the insulating material by screen printing or spraying.

14. The battery processing equipment according to claim 10, wherein, The first coating device is also used to apply marking points to the outside of the centerline of each of the second insulating portions; The cutting device is used to cut the material to be cut according to each of the marked points.

15. A battery processing method, wherein, The battery processing method is suitable for processing electrode assemblies of battery cells as described in any one of claims 1-7, and includes: A substrate is provided; wherein the substrate includes a current collector layer and a negative electrode active material coated on at least one surface of the current collector layer; An insulating material is coated onto the negative electrode active material to form an insulating layer; the insulating layer includes two first insulating portions respectively disposed along the two long sides of the substrate, and a plurality of second insulating portions disposed at intervals between the two first insulating portions; An electrolyte material is coated onto the negative electrode active material exposed on the insulating material and the insulating material to form a material to be cut. The material to be cut is cut along the centerline of each of the second insulating portions to form the negative electrode sheet having a support member made of the insulating material and a solid electrolyte layer made of the electrolyte material; Preparation of positive electrode sheet; The negative electrode and the positive electrode are stacked to form an electrode assembly.

16. The battery processing method according to claim 15, wherein, In the step of coating the negative electrode active material with insulating material to form an insulating layer, the insulating material is coated by screen printing or spraying.

17. The battery processing method according to claim 15, wherein, During the step of coating the negative electrode active material with insulating material to form an insulating layer, marking points are applied to the outer side of the centerline of each of the second insulating portions. When cutting the material to be cut along the centerline of each of the second insulating portions, the material to be cut is cut according to each of the marked points.

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