Folded Electrode Laminate Structure for Faster Battery Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for power storage elements, such as batteries, is labor-intensive and time-consuming due to the need for cutting and layering sheet bodies to form electrode members, limiting the production rate.
Innovation Solution
A power storage element design featuring a bending structure with unit electrode layers that extend continuously, eliminating the need for cutting and layering, and a manufacturing method that includes winding and folding electrode laminates to form multiple layers without separate cutting steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple doughnut-shaped electrode sheets are cut and manually laminated, then the battery structure can be formed, but the manufacturing time and labor increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode member is divided into multiple unit electrode layers, each comprising a positive electrode body, negative electrode body, and separator. This segmentation allows continuous production of standardized units that can be efficiently laminated without manual cutting of individual doughnut-shaped sheets, thereby improving both ease of manufacture and production rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The positive electrode bodies, negative electrode bodies, and separators are prepared in advance as complete unit electrode layers before assembly. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for on-site cutting and arrangement of electrode sheets, significantly reducing manufacturing time and increasing production rate while maintaining ease of assembly.
2Device complexity
If multiple separate sheet bodies are cut and arranged in layered structure, then the electrode member can be formed, but the number of components and operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positive electrode body, negative electrode body, and separator are merged into integrated unit electrode layers. This merging reduces the number of separate components that need to be handled and assembled, thereby decreasing device complexity and improving manufacturing efficiency simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Each unit electrode layer serves multiple functions: it provides both positive and negative electrodes along with the separator in a single integrated structure. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall device structure and enhancing manufacturing efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If manual lamination of cut sheet bodies is performed, then the electrode member can be assembled, but considerable labor and time are required
Solution Approach 1:
Unit electrode layers are prepared in advance with electrodes and separators already positioned correctly. This preliminary action eliminates time-consuming manual cutting and arrangement operations during assembly, reducing assembly time while maintaining ease of operation through standardized units.
Solution Approach 2:
The production process continues without interruption by using pre-prepared unit electrode layers that can be continuously laminated. This eliminates the stop-and-go nature of manual cutting and arranging, significantly reducing assembly time while keeping the operation simple and continuous.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a power storage element including: an outer collector including outer opposing walls facing each other with a gap therebetween in an opposition direction, an inner collector including inner opposing walls, and an electrode member disposed in a space defined between the opposing walls. The electrode member includes: an electrode laminate having a sheet-like shape and including a positive electrode body, a negative electrode body, and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrode bodies. The electrode laminate forms a plurality of unit electrode layers laminated in a lamination direction perpendicular to the opposition direction, and adjacent unit electrode layers in the lamination direction are continued in a bending manner at end portions of the unit electrode layers in an extension direction. The positive electrode body and the negative electrode body are in contact with a first collector and a second collector, respectively, to be electrically connected thereto.