Stacked Battery Cell Layout for Higher Capacity in Thin Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing the energy density of low-profile batteries without increasing their profile is challenging, particularly in small battery-powered devices like smart watches.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring multiple stacked and aligned cells with notches in the anode and cathode layers, allowing electrodes to extend through these notches to connect with a battery case, forming positive and negative terminals, thereby enhancing energy storage capacity within the same form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple stacked cells are used to increase energy density, then battery capacity (mAh) increases, but device profile thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into multiple individual cells stacked together, with each cell containing separate anode and cathode layers. This segmentation allows the battery to achieve higher total capacity through multiple smaller units rather than a single large cell, enabling better space utilization and reduced overall profile thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The anode and cathode layers are nested alternately in a stacked configuration, with each layer containing the other in a compact alternating pattern. This nesting arrangement maximizes the use of available space within the battery envelope, allowing multiple electrochemical cells to be packed into a minimal volume without increasing profile thickness.
2Reliability
If notches are added to anode and cathode layers to allow electrode passage, then cell connectivity and electrical performance improve, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The notches are pre-formed in the anode and cathode layers during the manufacturing process before final assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the electrodes can pass through the notches without requiring additional post-processing steps, maintaining manufacturing efficiency while achieving the necessary electrical connectivity between stacked cells.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery includes multiple aligned and stacked cells. Each cell includes a cathode layer having a cathode notch formed on a perimeter of the cathode layer and a cathode electrode extending from the perimeter of the cathode layer. Each cell also includes an anode layer having an anode notch formed on a perimeter of the anode layer and an anode electrode extending from the perimeter of the anode layer. The respective cathode and anode electrodes extend through the respective anode and cathode notches in the stacked cells to contact a battery case to form positive and negative contacts of the battery.