Separator-Based Battery Lamination for Precise Electrode Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries fail to address the alignment of anode and cathode materials during the lamination process, leading to misalignment issues that can reduce battery lifetime, increase the risk of short circuits, and thermal runaway.
Innovation Solution
The method involves applying active materials directly to both sides of a separator sheet to form stack parts, ensuring precise alignment and uniform anode overhang by laminating these parts onto a current collector, thereby maintaining consistent anode overhang and reducing misalignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If active materials are first applied to current collectors and then laminated onto separators, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but misalignment occurs between electrodes leading to reduced battery lifetime and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is pre-cut with alignment features (such as tabs or notches) before the lamination process. This preliminary preparation ensures that when electrodes are subsequently laminated onto the separator, the anode material automatically aligns correctly with the cathode material, preventing misalignment and ensuring proper anode overhang without requiring complex real-time alignment controls during assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If electrodes are laminated onto separators after formation, then the manufacturing process follows conventional steps, but unintentional misalignment eliminates anode overhang and increases short circuit risk
Solution Approach 1:
The separator serves as an intermediary component that mediates the alignment between the anode and cathode. By incorporating alignment features directly into the separator structure, it acts as a reference framework that guides the positioning of both electrodes during lamination, ensuring correct alignment and maintaining the necessary anode overhang to prevent short circuits and thermal runaway.
3Reliability
If precise anode overhang is maintained through improved lamination alignment, then battery safety improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features are pre-formed on the separator during separator manufacturing, before the electrode lamination process. This preliminary action transfers the alignment function to the separator itself, eliminating the need for complex real-time alignment mechanisms during assembly and reducing manufacturing complexity while ensuring consistent anode overhang and battery safety.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a battery manufacturing method. A first stack part (10) is formed by applying a positive active material on one of two main surfaces of a first separator sheet (2.1) and applying a negative active material on the other one of the two main surfaces of the first separator sheet. A second stack part (20) is formed by applying the positive active material onto one of two main surfaces of a second separator sheet (2.2) and applying the negative active material onto the other one of the two main surfaces of the second separator sheet. The first stack part and the second stack part are stacked upon each other with a current collector plate interposed between the first stack part and the second stack part.