Folded Substrate Battery for Layer-Plane Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flat batteries with stacked electrodes face challenges in reliable and cost-effective connection to circuit components due to separate current conductor layers, requiring additional measures like vias or contact elements, and often have high internal resistance and large footprint.

Innovation Solution

A battery design with a layered structure featuring an electrode-separator stack and electrically non-conductive substrate folded over the edge, allowing current collectors and connection contacts to be in the same layer plane, eliminating the need for additional contact elements and reducing footprint.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional contact elements or vias are introduced to enable contacting in one layer level, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidbattery structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dimensionality change by folding the substrate to bring connection contacts from different layers into the same layer plane. The substrate is folded along a fold line such that connection contacts of electrode layers, which were originally at different vertical positions, are now accessible at the same horizontal level, eliminating the need for additional contact elements or vias while maintaining connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate is designed as a flexible, foldable structure rather than a rigid plane. This dynamic configuration allows the substrate to be folded along a fold line to reposition connection contacts into the same layer level, enabling simplified external contacting without adding structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If electrodes are arranged side by side on a substrate, then connection contacts can be in the same layer plane, but internal resistance increases and load capacity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontacting easeVSAvoidbattery performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the advantages of both arrangements by using a folded substrate to bring side-by-side electrode connection contacts into the same layer plane while maintaining the vertical stacking of electrodes for optimal performance. The folding occurs in the horizontal plane, not affecting the vertical electrode arrangement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate is divided into multiple regions or layers that can be folded independently. This segmentation allows different parts of the substrate to serve different functions: some areas maintain vertical electrode stacking for performance, while folded areas bring connection contacts to the same level for ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If electrodes are arranged side by side, then connection contacts are in one layer level, but the battery requires significantly larger area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontacting easeVSAvoidbattery footprint
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is folded along a fold line to reposition connection contacts into the same layer level without expanding the battery's horizontal footprint. The folding utilizes the vertical dimension and substrate flexibility rather than spreading components out horizontally, maintaining a compact form factor

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Enables reliable and cost-effective connection to circuit components without additional measures, reducing internal resistance and surface area requirements, while maintaining a compact and flexible battery form.

Implementation Method 1

an ion-conductive separator layer in between

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentEP2577781B1Battery, method for producing a battery and circuit comprising a battery
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 VARTA MICROBATTERY GMBH
  • EP2577781B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a battery (100) having a layer structure, comprising an electrode-separator stack (101) having an electrode layer made of positive electrode material (102), an electrode layer made of negative electrode material (103) and an ion-conducting separator layer (104) interposed between the two electrode layers, a bleed (105, 106) for each of the electrode layers (102, 103), each bleed having a current collector (107, 108), which is in direct contact with the electrode materials of the electrode layers (102, 103), and a connecting contact (109, 110), wherein the bleeds (105, 106) are designed as separate bleed layers on a side of the electrode layers (102, 103) which is remote from the separator layer (104) and/or form a common electrode-bleed layer together with the electrode layers (102, 103), and to an electrically non-conductive substrate (111), which is folded around an edge of the electrode-separator stack (101) such that it covers the electrode layers (102, 103) at least partially. The battery is characterized in particular in that the electrically non-conductive substrate (111) is used as a carrier for the bleeds (105, 106) and said bleeds are disposed on the substrate (111) such that the connecting contacts (109, 110) can be tapped in the same bleed layer or the same electrode-bleed layer. The invention also relates to a method for producing same and to a circuit comprising such a battery.