Stacked Battery Separator Raised Edge Overlap Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stacked nonaqueous electrolyte batteries face issues with electrode misalignment during manufacturing, leading to short-circuits and reduced battery quality due to the need for expensive sealing and positioning equipment, as well as potential foreign matter entry and reduced capacity from welding margins.

Innovation Solution

A stacked nonaqueous electrolyte battery design featuring alternately stacked anodes and cathodes with raised edge portions on separators that overlap, using a specialized stacking apparatus with vacuum mechanisms to maintain precise positioning and prevent electrode deviation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If bag-shaped separators with welded edges are used to prevent electrode deviation, then electrode positioning is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to expensive sealing apparatus

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode positioning accuracyVSAvoidsealing apparatus complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses simple adhesive tapes instead of expensive bag-shaped separators with welded edges. The adhesive tapes are inexpensive, easy to apply, and achieve the same electrode positioning function without requiring complex sealing apparatus, thus resolving the contradiction between positioning accuracy and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential function of electrode positioning from the complex bag-shaped separator system and implements it through simple adhesive tapes. This separates the positioning function from the separator structure itself, allowing the use of much simpler and cheaper positioning components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If welding margins are reduced to improve positioning accuracy, then electrode alignment is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to high-precision sealing equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode alignment precisionVSAvoidsealing equipment precision requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces precision welding operations with simple adhesive tape application. Adhesive tapes can be applied with standard positioning equipment rather than high-precision sealing apparatus, achieving good alignment precision without the need for expensive, complex welding equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical welding process with an adhesive bonding process. This replacement eliminates the need for precision control in the sealing apparatus while achieving comparable or superior positioning accuracy through the flexibility and ease of application of adhesive tapes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of manufacture

If electrodes are stacked with clearances to allow for deviation, then manufacturing ease is improved, but battery quality deteriorates due to potential short-circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestacking process flexibilityVSAvoidbattery safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies adhesive tapes to the separators in advance before stacking the electrodes. This preliminary positioning action ensures that electrodes are correctly positioned during the stacking process, maintaining both manufacturing ease and battery safety by preventing short-circuits while allowing flexible stacking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces adhesive tapes as an intermediary between the separators and electrodes. This intermediary component provides both the flexibility needed for easy manufacturing and the precise positioning needed to prevent short-circuits, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and battery reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances battery quality and performance by preventing electrode misalignment, reducing the risk of short-circuits, and minimizing the need for expensive equipment, while allowing for increased capacity and improved manufacturing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a sucking apparatus including a first vacuuming mechanism for sucking at least a peripheral portion of the anodes or cathodes by the first vacuuming mechanism, a separator sucking member, provided with a second vacuuming mechanism, for sucking a peripheral portion of the separators by the second vacuuming mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum suction: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS8765307B2Stacked nonaqueous electrolyte battery, manufacturing method thereof and stacking apparatus therefor

Publication Date: 2014.07.01 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A stacked nonaqueous electrolyte battery, a method of manufacturing the battery, and a stacking apparatus for the battery are provided. The stacked nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a plurality of electrode bodies alternately stacked, each of the electrode bodies including an anode and a cathode laminated through a separator. The separator has a raised edge portion leading along an edge portion of one of the anode and the cathode, and the raised edge portions of the plurality of the separators overlap one another.