JP6201449B2 - battery - Google Patents

Description

  It relates to the technology of the internal structure of the battery.

  In recent years, the need for low-cost batteries has increased. Therefore, for example, in a battery provided with an electrode group consisting of a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator impregnated with an electrolyte inside the battery case, the electrode group is shortened in the axial direction of the battery case, Batteries have been developed in which filler is enclosed in the remaining space. As a result, the amount of electrodes used is reduced compared to the case where the electrode group is formed over the entire length in the axial direction of the battery, the battery cost is reduced, and the electrode group in the battery case is reduced by the filler. Is suppressed (Patent Document 1).

German patent application DE 200 16 231 U1

  By the way, in the above prior art, the electrode group is shortened in the axial direction of the battery case, and the filler is sealed in the remaining space in the battery case. There is a demand to reduce the amount of material for forming the electrode body.

  In the present specification, it is possible to reduce the amount of the electrode used for the housing space of the case while suppressing the backlash of the electrode group in the case such as the battery case, or to suppress the amount of the material for forming the electrode body. Disclose possible technologies.

  A battery disclosed in the present specification includes a case having a housing space therein, a plurality of electrode plates disposed in the housing space of the case and including a composite material including an active material and a base material, and an electrode having a separator And at least one of the plurality of electrode plates, or the separator has a wide portion and a narrow portion having different widths perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrode body or the separator.

  In the battery described above, it is possible to reduce the amount of the electrode used for the housing space of the case while suppressing the backlash of the electrode body in the case such as a battery case, or to suppress the amount of material for forming the electrode body. It becomes.

The perspective view showing the longitudinal section of the battery of one embodiment Vertical section showing the battery Battery exploded perspective view Plan view of a metal plate coated with an active material Perspective view of metal plate coated with active material Plan view of a metal plate coated with an active material in another embodiment

(Outline of the embodiment)
A battery disclosed in the present specification includes a case having a housing space therein, a plurality of electrode plates disposed in the housing space of the case and including a composite material including an active material and a base material, and an electrode having a separator And at least one of the plurality of electrode plates, or the separator has a wide portion and a narrow portion having different widths perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrode body or the separator.

  According to this battery, compared to a configuration in which the widths of both the electrode plate and the separator are uniform, the amount of use of the electrode with respect to the housing space of the case is reduced while suppressing backlash of the electrode body in the case, or The amount of material for forming the electrode body can be suppressed. And the battery can be reduced in weight by suppressing the quantity of material.

  In the battery, any of the plurality of electrode plates may have the wide portion and the narrow portion having different widths.

  According to this battery, compared to a configuration in which only one of the plurality of electrode plates has a wide part and a narrow part having different widths, the amount of the electrode used can be reduced while holding the electrolyte in the separator. In addition, the strength can be increased by the abutting portion.

  In the battery, the plurality of electrode plates include a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, and the electrode body has the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, and the separator wound around an axis along the longitudinal direction. The central portion of the electrode body that is wound at a position near the axis is the wide portion, and the peripheral portion of the electrode body that is wound around the central portion is The narrow portion may be used.

  According to this battery, the amount of the metal plate used can be suppressed as compared with the configuration in which the central portion is a narrow portion and the peripheral portion is a wide portion.

  In the battery, the separator has the wide portion and the narrow portion, and in the longitudinal direction, the width of the narrow portion of the plurality of electrode plates and the width of the narrow portion of the separator. And at least a part thereof may have the same length.

  According to this battery, the position of the electrode plate and the separator can be adjusted to face each other in the narrow portion, and the electrode plate can be manufactured more easily.

  The battery may have a configuration in which the active material is applied to the narrow portion and the active material is not applied to the wide portion.

  According to this battery, the amount of the electrode used can be further reduced as compared with the configuration in which the active material is applied to both the narrow portion and the wide portion.

  In the battery, of the plurality of electrode plates, one electrode plate uses nickel hydroxide as the active material, and the other electrode plate out of the plurality of electrode plates uses a hydrogen storage alloy as the active material. You may make it.

<One Embodiment>
A battery 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The battery 10 is an alkaline storage battery such as a nickel / hydrogen storage battery. The battery 10 has a capacity of, for example, an AA size (“R6” in IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), “AA” in the United States) or 1800 mAh or less, or an AA type (“R03” in IEC, “ AAA ") has a capacity of 650 mAh or less. In the following description, the front side of the paper in FIG. 1 is the front side (front) of the battery 10, the right side of the paper is the right side (right) of the battery 10, and the upper side of the paper is the upper side (upper) of the battery 10.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the battery 10 includes a battery case 11 and an electrode body 23. The battery case 11 is made of metal and has a shape that is long in one direction. The battery case 11 is an example of a case, and includes a battery case body 12 and a lid portion 15, and has an accommodation space S inside. In addition, one direction is the up-down direction in FIG. 1, is the longitudinal direction of the battery case 11, and is the direction in which the lid portion 15 and a closing portion 14 described later are opposed.

  The surface of the battery case body 12 is nickel-plated, and becomes a negative electrode terminal of the battery 10 by electrically connecting a negative electrode plate 26 described later. The battery case main body 12 has a shape in which one end in the vertical direction is open and the other end is closed, and specifically includes a cylindrical portion 13 and a closed portion 14.

  The cylindrical portion 13 has a cylindrical shape that is long in the vertical direction, and the shape of the inner peripheral surface viewed from the vertical direction is a perfect circle shape in which the inner diameter R passing through the central axis W along the vertical direction is constant. It has become. The inside of the cylindrical portion 13 is an accommodation space S that can accommodate an electrode body 23 described later.

  An opening 12 </ b> A communicating with the inside of the tubular portion 13 is formed at one end in one direction of the tubular portion 13, and at the upper end in FIG. 1. The other end in one direction of the tubular portion 13, that is, the upper end in FIG. The closing portion 14 has a circular plate shape and is formed integrally with the tubular portion 13.

  The lid portion 15 is electrically connected to a positive electrode plate 24 described later via an elastic connection terminal 21 and serves as a positive electrode terminal of the battery 10. The lid portion 15 includes a lid body 16, an elastic body 18, and a terminal plate 19. The lid body 16 is a circular flat plate made of a conductive material such as a nickel-plated iron material, and is electrically connected to the positive electrode plate 24 via a connection terminal 21. A through hole 17 is formed at the center of the lid body 16.

  The elastic body 18 is arranged on the upper surface of the lid body 16, that is, on the surface opposite to the surface facing the closing portion 14 so as to close the through hole 17. The elastic body 18 is made of a material such as rubber and is elastically deformed according to an external force. The terminal board 19 is a conductive board that covers the elastic body 18.

  Specifically, the terminal board 19 is electrically connected to the lid body 16 in a state where the elastic body 18 is pressed downward, that is, against the lid body 16. The terminal plate 19 is provided with a discharge hole 20 for discharging the gas in the battery case 11. For example, when the internal pressure of the battery case 11 rises and the elastic body 18 receives a pressure of a predetermined value or more from the through hole 17, the elastic body 18 is elastically deformed so that the inside of the battery case 11 and the discharge hole 20 communicate with each other. 11 is discharged from the discharge hole 20 to the outside of the battery 10.

  An elastically deformable insulator 22 is sandwiched and sealed between the opening 12A of the battery case body 12 and the lid 15. The battery case body 12 and the lid 15 are insulated by the insulator 22.

  The electrode body 23 is housed in the housing space S of the battery case 11. In the electrode body 23, a positive electrode plate 24, a negative electrode plate 26, and a separator 25 containing an electrolytic solution disposed therebetween are wound in a spiral shape around a winding axis along the vertical direction. The winding axis may or may not coincide with the central axis W described above. However, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the winding axis coincides with the central axis W.

  The positive electrode plate 24 (an example of one electrode plate) is obtained by applying a positive electrode active material 24B (an example of an active material) to a positive electrode metal plate 24A (an example of a base material). The positive electrode metal plate 24A is, for example, foamed nickel. The positive electrode active material 24B is a mixture of a positive electrode nickel hydroxide active material and a cobalt compound as a conductive material. The positive electrode plate 24 is obtained by applying a positive electrode active material 24B in the hollow of the positive electrode metal plate 24A.

  When the battery 10 is a nickel-cadmium storage battery, the positive electrode active material 24B is, for example, nickel hydroxide. When the battery 10 is a nickel-hydrogen storage battery, the nickel hydroxide active material is, for example, water added with calcium hydroxide. Nickel oxide.

  The negative electrode plate 26 (an example of another electrode plate) is obtained by applying a negative electrode active material 26B (an example of the other polar active material) to a negative electrode metal plate 26A (an example of a base material). The negative electrode metal plate 26A is a flat perforated steel plate plated with nickel, for example. The negative electrode active material 26B is, for example, cadmium powder or hydrogen storage alloy powder (an example of one polar active material). The negative electrode plate 26 is obtained by applying a negative electrode active material 26B on a negative electrode metal plate 26A.

  In the case of a nickel / cadmium storage battery, the negative electrode active material 26B is, for example, a mixture of cadmium oxide powder and metal cadmium powder. Ni type), AB3.0-3.8 type (rare earth-Mg-Ni type) or AB2 type (Laves phase) hydrogen storage alloy powder.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the central portion CT wound around the central portion CT in the front / rear / right / left direction of the electrode body 23 is surrounded by the peripheral portion AR wound around the central portion CT. In comparison, the length of the electrode body 23 in the vertical direction is long. In addition, the positive electrode active material 24B and the negative electrode active material 26B are not applied to the central portion CT.

  On the other hand, the peripheral portion AR is coated with the positive electrode active material 24B and the negative electrode active material 26B. The region where the negative electrode active material 26B is applied is referred to as a region TF. As will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5, there is a region TS to which the positive electrode active material 24B is applied, facing the region TF.

  Note that the inner diameter R of the cylindrical portion 13 described above is substantially equal to the outer diameter L of the electrode body 23 (an outer diameter dimension obtained by combining the central portion CT and the peripheral portion AR in the left-right direction in FIG. 2). Thereby, the electrode body 23 is in contact with the inner side surface K (an example of the inner wall) of the cylindrical portion 13. The inner surface K of the cylindrical portion 13 is a surface along the vertical direction of the inner surface of the battery case 11. Moreover, the lower part of the up-down direction of center part CT is contacting the inner surface (an example of an inner wall) of the obstruction | occlusion part 14 among the electrode bodies 23. FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a development view in which the electrode body 23 is unrolled. 4 is the same as the vertical direction of FIG. 3, and the horizontal direction of FIG. 4 is the same as the horizontal direction of FIG. That is, FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the electrode body 23 is unrolled in the left-right direction of FIG. 3 and developed. In FIG. 4, the left-right direction of the electrode body 23, that is, the winding direction of the electrode body 23 is an example of the longitudinal direction of the electrode body 23 or the separator 25. The vertical direction of the electrode body 23, that is, the direction perpendicular to the winding direction of the electrode body 23 is an example of the width of the electrode body 23 or the separator 25.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a region NS (an example of a wide portion) that is wider in the vertical direction than the right side is present on the left and right sides of the positive metal plate 24A, that is, on the left side in the winding direction of the positive metal plate 24A. The region NS is not coated with the positive electrode active material 24B and exists over the length D1 in the left-right direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A.

  On the right side of the positive electrode metal plate 24A in the left-right direction, there is a region TS (an example of a narrow portion) whose width in the vertical direction is narrower than that of the left region NS. The region TS is a mixture formed by applying the positive electrode active material 24B and exists over the length D2 in the left-right direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A. The length D2 is longer than the length D1. Further, the region TS is shorter than the region NS by a length P1 from the upper end in the vertical direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A, and shorter by a length P2 from the lower end in the vertical direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A. The length P1 and the length P2 are the same length.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a region NF (an example of a wide portion) that is wider in the vertical direction than the right side is present on the left and right sides of the negative electrode metal plate 26A, that is, on the left side in the winding direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A. The region NF is not coated with the negative electrode active material 26B and exists over the length F1 in the left-right direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A.

  On the right side in the left-right direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A, there is a region TF (an example of a narrow portion) whose width in the vertical direction is narrower than that of the left region NF. The region TF is a mixture of the negative electrode active material 26B and is present over the length F2 in the left-right direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A. Note that the length F2 is longer than the length F1. Further, the region TF is shorter than the region NF by the length R1 from the upper end in the vertical direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A and shorter by the length R2 from the lower end in the vertical direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A. The length R1 and the length R2 are the same length.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the electrode body 23 is manufactured, the negative electrode active material 26B is applied in the region TS where the positive electrode active material 24B is applied in the positive electrode metal plate 24A, and the negative electrode metal plate 26A. It is wound so as to face the region TF. That is, in the positive electrode metal plate 24A and the negative electrode metal plate 26A, the length D1 and length F1, the length D2 and length F2, the length P1 and length R1, and the length P2 and length R2 are as follows. , Each has the same length.

  Since the region TS to which the positive electrode active material 24B is applied is opposed to the region TF to which the negative electrode active material 26B is applied, an electric current is generated between the region TS and the region TF due to an electrochemical reaction. To do.

  Since the region NS where the positive electrode active material 24B is not applied is the positive electrode metal plate 24A having conductivity, the current generated in the region TS flows through the positive electrode metal plate 24A. Similarly, since the region NF where the negative electrode active material 26B is not applied is the negative electrode metal plate 26A having conductivity, the current generated in the region TF flows through the negative electrode metal plate 26A.

  Therefore, the amount of the electrode used can be suppressed as compared with the configuration in which the active material is applied to the entire metal plate.

  The separator 25 is made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric made of polyolefin. The separator 25 is impregnated with an electrolytic solution mainly composed of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. The separator 25 is not disposed on the surface of the electrode body 23 that faces the inner surface K of the cylindrical portion 13, and the negative electrode plate 26 is disposed on the surface of the cylindrical portion 13 that faces the inner surface K. It is arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a region SH <b> 1 (an example of a wide portion) having a wider width in the vertical direction than the right side exists on the left side of the separator 25 in the left-right direction. The region SH1 exists over the length E1 of the separator 25 in the left-right direction.

  On the right side of the separator 25 in the left-right direction, there is a region SH2 (an example of a narrow portion) whose vertical width is narrower than that of the left region SH1. The region SH2 exists over the length E2 of the separator 25 in the left-right direction. The length E2 is longer than the length E1. The region SH2 is shorter than the region SH1 by a length Q1 from the upper end in the vertical direction of the separator 25 and shorter by a length Q2 from the lower end in the vertical direction of the separator 25. The length Q1 and the length Q2 are the same length.

  The separator 25 is wound around the positive electrode plate 24 and the negative electrode plate 26 in a state where the region SH1 is opposed to the region NS and the region NF described above. The separator 25 is wound around the positive electrode plate 24 and the negative electrode plate 26 in a state where the region SH2 is opposed to the region TS and the region TF described above. Therefore, in the positive electrode metal plate 24A, the negative electrode metal plate 26A, and the separator 25, the above-described length D1, length F1, length E1, length D2, length F2, length E2, length P1, length R1. And length Q1, and length P2, length R2, and length Q2 are equal in length.

(Effect of this embodiment)
According to the present embodiment, the positive electrode metal plate 24A has a region NS where the positive electrode active material 24B is not applied, and a region TS where the positive electrode active material 24B is applied and whose length in the vertical direction is shorter than the region NS. And exist. A region TS in which the positive electrode active material 24B is applied to the positive electrode metal plate 24A becomes the positive electrode plate 24.

  The negative electrode metal plate 26A includes a region NF where the negative electrode active material 26B is not applied and a region TF where the negative electrode active material 26B is applied and whose length in the vertical direction is shorter than the region NF. . A region TF in which the negative electrode active material 26 </ b> B is applied to the negative electrode metal plate 26 </ b> A becomes the negative electrode plate 26.

  The electrode body 23 is wound with the region TS coated with the positive electrode active material 24B in the positive electrode metal plate 24A and the region TF coated with the negative electrode active material 26B in the negative electrode metal plate 26A facing each other. Is done. For this reason, compared with the structure without area | region TS and area | region TF, the usage-amount of an electrode can be suppressed or the quantity of the material for forming an electrode body can be suppressed.

  In addition, the positive electrode metal plate 24A has a region NS that is longer in the vertical direction than the region TS, and the negative electrode metal plate 26A has a region NF that is longer in the vertical direction than the region TF. And the area | region NS and the area | region NF are the structures wound by facing. Therefore, the backlash of the electrode body 23 in the battery case 11 can be suppressed compared to the configuration in which the length in the vertical direction is shortened over the entire length of the positive electrode metal plate 24A and the negative electrode metal plate 26A. it can.

  Furthermore, the positive electrode metal plate 24A has a region NS and a region TS, and the negative electrode metal plate 26A has a region NF and a region TF. Then, the electrode body 23 is wound with the region NS and the region NF facing each other and wound with the region TS and the region TF facing each other. That is, the central portion CT and the peripheral portion AR described above are formed by the same single metal plate. Thereby, compared with the structure in which the center portion CT and the surrounding portion AR are separate, the center portion CT and the surrounding portion AR can be prevented from relatively rattling.

<Other embodiments>
The technology disclosed in the present specification is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings, and includes, for example, the following various aspects.

  In the above embodiment, the electrode body 23 has an example in which the positive electrode plate 24, the negative electrode plate 26, and the separator 25 are formed in a cylindrical shape wound around the central axis W counterclockwise. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the electrode body 23 may be formed into a square shape as a whole by, for example, the positive electrode plate 24, the negative electrode plate 26, and the separator 25 having a flat shape overlapping each other.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the electrode body 23 may have a configuration in which the separator 25 does not have the region SH2. Further, the area TF of the negative electrode metal plate 26A may be wider than the area TS of the positive electrode metal plate 24A both vertically and vertically. Further, the region TS of the positive electrode metal plate 24A may be wider than the region TF of the negative electrode metal plate 26A both vertically and vertically.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the electrode body 23 may be configured such that the positive electrode active material 24B applied only to the region TS of the positive electrode metal plate 24A is also applied to the region NS. Specifically, the positive electrode active material 24B is not applied to the region from the upper end in the vertical direction of the region NS to the length P1 and the region from the lower end in the vertical direction of the region NS to the length P2, and the region NS A configuration in which the positive electrode active material 24B is applied to the region NS by the same length Z as the region TS in the vertical direction may be employed.

  Further, the electrode body 23 may be configured such that the negative electrode active material 26B applied only to the region TF of the negative electrode metal plate 26A is also applied to the region NF. Specifically, the negative electrode active material 26B is not applied to the region from the upper end in the vertical direction of the region NF to the length P1 and the region from the lower end in the vertical direction of the region NF to the length P2, and the region NF The negative electrode active material 26B may be applied to the region NF by the same length Z as the region TF in the vertical direction.

  In the said embodiment, the cylindrical part 13 gave the example which is cylindrical shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cylindrical portion 13 may be rectangular.

  In the above embodiment, the length P1 from the upper end in the vertical direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A and the length P2 from the lower end in the vertical direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A are taken as an example of a configuration in which the length in the vertical direction is the same. Listed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the length P1 and the length P2 may be different in length in the vertical direction. The length Q1 from the upper end of the separator 25 in the vertical direction, the length Q2 from the lower end in the vertical direction of the separator 25, the length R1 from the upper end in the vertical direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A, and the vertical direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A. The length in the up-down direction may also be different for the length R2 from the lower end.

  In the above embodiment, the length D2 in the left-right direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A in which the region NS exists is longer than the length D1 in the left-right direction of the positive electrode metal plate 24A in which the region TS exists. The configuration is given as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the length D1 and the length D2 may be the same in the left-right direction. The left-right length E1 of the separator 25 where the region SH1 exists, the left-right length E2 of the separator 25 where the region SH2 exists, and the left-right length of the negative electrode metal plate 26A where the region NF exists. The length in the left-right direction may be the same for F1 and the length F2 in the left-right direction of the negative electrode metal plate 26A where the region TS exists.

  In the embodiment described above, the central portion CT wound around the central portion CT in the front / rear / right / left direction of the electrode body 23 is more electrodeless than the peripheral portion AR wound around the central portion CT. An example in which the length of the body 23 in the vertical direction is long has been given. However, the configuration is not limited thereto, and the central portion CT may be configured such that the length of the electrode body 23 in the vertical direction is shorter than that of the surrounding portion AR. However, since the peripheral portion AR is longer than the central portion CT in the diameter when the electrode body 23 is wound, that is, the length from the central axis W in the front-rear and left-right directions of the electrode body 23 is increased. The length in the circumferential direction is increased. For this reason, compared with the structure of the said embodiment, the usage-amount of the positive electrode metal plate 24A and the negative electrode metal plate 26A increases. Therefore, the configuration of the above embodiment is more effective.

  In the embodiment described above, the center portion CT has been exemplified by the positive electrode plate 24, the separator 25, and the negative electrode plate 26. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the central portion CT may be composed of only the separator 25. As a result, the amount of the metal plate and the active material is further reduced, so that the amount of the electrode used can be further reduced as compared with the configuration of the above embodiment. In this case, the separator 25 of the central portion CT is integrally welded with the separator 25 of the peripheral portion AR.

  In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the length in the vertical direction of the region TS, the region TF, and the region SH2 is the same length Z in the left-right direction is taken as an example. However, the length is not limited to this, and the lengths of the region TS, the region TF, and the region SH2 in the vertical direction may be different in the left-right direction. Moreover, a part may be the same length.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Battery 11: Battery case 12: Battery case main body 12A: Opening part 13: Cylindrical part 23: Electrode body 24: Positive electrode plate 25: Separator 26: Negative electrode plate S: Storage space

Claims (4)

A case having an accommodating space inside,
A plurality of electrode plates that are disposed in the housing space of the case and include a composite material and a base material containing an active material, and an electrode body having a separator;
At least one of the plurality of electrode plates, or the separator, has a wide portion and a narrow portion having different widths perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrode body or the separator,
The plurality of electrode plates are composed of a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate,
The electrode body has a configuration in which the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, and the separator are wound around an axis along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,
Of the electrode body, a central portion wound at a position near the axis is the wide portion,
Of the electrode body, a peripheral portion wound around the central portion is the narrow portion,
The narrow portion is shorter than the upper end in the vertical direction of the electrode plate and shorter from the lower end in the vertical direction of the electrode plate than the wide portion,
A battery in which the active material is applied to the narrow portion and the active material is not applied to the wide portion.   2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electrode plates has the wide portion and the narrow portion having different widths. The separator has the wide portion and the narrow portion;
3. The at least part of the width of the narrow portion of the plurality of electrode plates and the width of the narrow portion of the separator are the same length in the longitudinal direction. Battery. Of the plurality of electrode plates, one of the electrode plates uses nickel hydroxide as the active material,
4. The battery according to claim 1, wherein, among the plurality of electrode plates, the other electrode plate uses a hydrogen storage alloy as the active material. 5.

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