Electric vehicle battery cell with internal series connection stacking

Abstract

A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells connected in series, each battery cell having a cathode, an anode, and a separator separating the cathode and the anode, and a bipolar current collector; a plurality of polymer frames, each having a window to receive part of the one of the plurality of battery cells; two of the plurality of polymer frames defining a compartment; and electrolyte filling the compartment for one of the plurality of battery cells. A method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a battery module comprising: stacking a plurality of battery cell units inside walls of a housing, each battery cell unit including a polymer frame having a window and a battery cell having a cathode, an anode, and a separator separating the cathode and the anode, and a bipolar current collector, the window receiving part of the battery cell; and connecting the polymer frames to the walls of the housing, two of the plurality of polymer frames and the walls of the housing defining an electrolyte compartment.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the connecting includes sealing the polymer frames to the walls of the housing so that the compartment is a sealed compartment.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the polymer frames are stacked using a rod interacting with a feed hole in the polymer frames.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the sealing of the polymer frames to the walls of the housing is performed by gluing, welding heat bonding, lamination or adhesive tape.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the stacking of the plurality of battery cell units includes providing a first battery cell unit inside the walls of the housing, then providing a second battery cell unit inside the walls of the housing on top of the first battery cell unit, the first battery cell unit including a first polymer frame including a first window and a first battery cell including a first cathode, a first anode, a first separator and a first bipolar current collector, the second battery cell unit including a second polymer frame including a second window and a second battery cell including a second cathode, a second anode, a second separator and a second bipolar current collector.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the electrolyte compartment is defined by the walls of the housing, the first polymer frame and the second polymer frame after the second battery cell unit is provided on top of the first battery cell unit.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the providing of the first battery cell unit includes providing the first cathode, the first separator and the first anode on an endplate current collector and an end frame, and providing the first polymer frame and the first bipolar current collector on the first cathode, the first separator and the first anode.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the providing of the first battery cell unit includes providing the first anode or the first cathode in a window of the end frame.

9. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the providing of the second battery cell unit on top of the first battery cell unit includes providing the second cathode, the second separator and the second anode on the first bipolar current collector, and providing the second polymer frame and the second bipolar current collector on the second cathode, the second separator and the second anode.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the second separator and the second anode are provided on the first bipolar current collector.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the second polymer frame and the second bipolar current collector are provided on the second cathode, the second separator and the second anode.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the second polymer frame is attached to the second bipolar current collector prior to being provided on the second cathode, the second separator and the second anode.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the two polymer frames include a first polymer frame and a second polymer frame forming the electrolyte compartment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The following describe several nonlimiting embodiments of the present invention, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a plurality of stacked battery components in a first embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a housing connected to the polymer frames of the battery components to form a battery module;

(4) FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c show a top view of creation of the embodiment of the battery component of the present invention, and FIG. 3d shows an alternate embodiment of the battery component;

(5) FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e and 4f show various frame geometries of the polymer frame according to the present invention, and FIG. 4g shows a frame with a plurality of windows.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a polymer frame according to the present invention with feed holes for easing assembly;

(7) FIG. 6 shows two modules connected in parallel via a middle plate;

(8) FIG. 7 shows schematically two modules connected in series;

(9) FIG. 8 shows three modules connected in a further configuration; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows schematically an electric or hybrid vehicle with an electric battery made of the battery module cells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) FIG. 1 shows a battery cell module 10 with five stackable battery components 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 having electrode components according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(12) Each battery component 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 includes an anode 24, a separator 28, a cathode 26 and a bipolar current collector 22. Each component also includes a polymer frame 20, which on one planar side 124 is attached to the bipolar current collector 22 and on an opposite planar side 128 has the separator 28. Polymer frame 20 in this embodiment is a polymer foil, and the attachment of separator 28 to frame 20 will be described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c.

(13) Separator 28 can be a dielectric material, for example a porous polyethylene or polyethylene-polypropylene foil (typically 8 to 25 m thickness).

(14) Polymer frame 20 can be made for example of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), acrylnitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA), polylactic acid (PLA), poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), Polyetherimide (PEI), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether sulfone (PES), polybenzimidazole (PBI), nylon and composite foil or multilayer foil made of aluminum foil coated with a polymer for example polypropylene. Most preferably, the polymer frame is a PE/PP mixture.

(15) While typical electrolytes such as liquids or gels advantageously may be used, the present invention also can incorporate solid-state electrolytes like lithium oxide or sulfide glasses or glass ceramics or ceramics as electrolytes. Bipolar current collector 22 can be made of copper or aluminum or nickel-coated aluminum or nickel for example. Anode 24 and cathode 26 can be deposited for example by vapor deposition or other film technology on the bipolar current collector 22 or on the separator 28, respectively.

(16) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a housing 40 connected to the polymer frames 20 of the battery components 11 to 15 to form a battery module cell. Housing 40 has a bottom end frame 41, which can be similar to polymer frames 20. The housing can have for example four walls to cover each side of polymer frames 20, which preferably have a rectangular outer shape.

(17) Housing 40 may be made of the same material as polymer frames 20 for example, or of a different polymer material.

(18) A rod 99 as shown in FIG. 1 can interact with feed holes in the polymer frames 20 as will be described, and can be removed after the stack is created. Excess material of the frames can be trimmed and the housing can be added for sealing. Before removal, rod 99 may rest for example on the bottom end frame 41 of the housing 40.

(19) FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show a top view of creation of the embodiment of the battery component of the present invention, and FIG. 3d shows an alternate battery component with the bipolar current collector 22 first connected to the polymer frame.

(20) FIG. 3a shows a side 128 of a polymer frame 20 with a rectangular window 60.

(21) As shown in FIG. 3b, frame 20 can be placed over separator 28, which can have an anode 24 on one side and cathode 26 on the other side as shown in FIG. 1. Cathode 26 protrudes through window 60, as shown in FIG. 3c. Bipolar current collector 22, which can be a thin metal foil, then can be added over cathode 26 and attached to the frame 20 at its edges. Frame 20 likewise is attached to separator 28 around window 60.

(22) Frame 20 and separator 28, fixedly connected, thus create an easily stackable battery component 98. Bipolar current collector 22, anode 24 and cathode 26 can be connected to this stackable component as discussed above or also can added separately or later during assembly.

(23) The anode and the cathode advantageously can be made of polymer, glass, glass ceramic or ceramic solid-state materials, and the mechanical properties are improved and much of the mechanical stress during the cell assembly process can be retained by the polymer frame, which lowers the requirements on the assembly process. In addition, small imperfections at the solid-state material edges can be tolerated and the amount of defective goods can be decreased.

(24) FIG. 3d shows an alternate embodiment which starts out with the same frame 20 as in FIG. 3a. Bipolar current collector 22, which can be a thin foil of aluminum coated with nickel, is placed nickel side down on the frame to overlap side 128. Gluing or other bonding can be used to attach the nickel coating to a PP/PE frame, which advantageously provides a stable connection compared to a PP/PE aluminum or copper connection. The thin foil of the current collector which is coated single sided with anode 24 or cathode 26 or coated double sided with anode 24 and cathode 26 is well stabilized by the polymer frame and can be combined with the separator separately.

(25) FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e and 4f show various frame geometries of the polymer frames according to the present invention, with FIG. 4a being similar to FIG. 3a, and frames 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 having a window 301 with rounded edges, a circular window 302, a window 303 similar to window 301 but smaller for a same outer sized frame, a perfectly square window 304 and an oval window 305, respectively.

(26) FIG. 4g shows a polymer frame 206 with for example four windows 306, 307, 308, 309.

(27) FIG. 5 shows a polymer frame 203 according to the present invention with feed holes 305 for easing assembly.

(28) Assembly of the FIG. 1 embodiment can occur as follows: endplate anode current collector 92 is provided, and then battery component 11 is added so that frame 20 is slid over rod 99 via a feed hole 305. Polymer frame 20 can be slid over further rods via feed holes 305. Components 12, 13, 14 and 15 then can be stacked over the rod 99 as shown in FIG. 1, and finally cathode top plate 90 added to create the battery module 10. The anode 24 of a battery component 12, 13, 14, 15 thus can rest on the bipolar current collector 22 of the battery component 11, 12, 13, 14, respectively, below.

(29) To create the FIG. 2 embodiment the rod 99 can be removed, excess frame material trimmed, and housing 40 sides can be added and attached to the polymer frames. Alternately, the frames can be welded together between the feed holes 305 and the window and the excess frame material trimmed away. An extra housing is thus not necessary, and a extra foil or material can be used for the last compartment. Liquid or solid-state electrolyte 42 can be added to the areas formed by the housing, if present, and two polymer frames if desirable to increase efficiency.

(30) The compartments made by the housing and the polymer frames advantageously can be sealed so that liquid or gel electrolyte 42 is isolated from each compartment to create battery cell components connected in series. One advantageous manufacturing method, for the FIG. 2 embodiment, can occur as follows:

(31) End frame 41 with attached side walls of housing 40, or an already existing housing of similar structure is provided. An electrode, for example anode 24, is fitted into the window of end frame 41, followed by separator 28, and cathode 26. A liquid electrolyte 42 can then be added, and a polymer frame 20 with an already attached current bipolar collector 22 over the window can be placed over cathode 26. Polymer frame 20 can be attached to the housing 40 side walls in a sealed fashion, such as by gluing, welding heat bonding, lamination or adhesive tape. The welding heat bonding can for example advantageously happen from outside the housing.

(32) The next anode 24, separator 28, cathode 26 can be added, more liquid electrolyte 42 added, and then the next polymer frame 20/bipolar current collector 22 component added and the frame 20 sealed to frame 40. When the desired number of cell components is present, the last frame 20 can have an end plate or middle plate attached and the battery cell module is complete.

(33) FIG. 6 shows a battery with two modules, the top module 120 being similar to module 10 but having a plate or tab at the anode side extending in a different lateral direction, this plate being a so-called middle plate 94. The bottom frame of top module 120 can be omitted. The bottom module 130 can simply be the inverse, with an anode extending through a window contacting the middle plate 94 and the frames bonded together with the middle plate or tab 94 extending, preferably on a side opposite the cathode end plates. As an alternative, the end plates can be anode end plates and the cathode can extend in the middle.

(34) Different battery modules with different endplate configurations advantageously can be created, and then connected in series or in parallel to create different battery capacities or voltages. Specifically, a battery module with simply one endplate at an end of the housing, either a cathode or anode endplate, can be created, identified herein as a module EP, the endplate preferably extending laterally past the housing. For parallel connection with such a module EP, a so-called module EMP with one endplate and one middle plate connector, extending laterally from another side of the housing as the endplate, can be created. A module MP with solely one middle plate and no other endplate, and a module TMP with two middle plates can also be created. These modules, EP, EMP, MP and TMP can be combined in series or parallel to create different battery capacities and voltages. The bipolar current collectors can weld together, as can the frames at the connections.

(35) FIG. 6 thus shows a EMP/EP combination.

(36) FIG. 7 for example shows two modules EP in series with the frame bonded at a weld 210, and an extra end plate 190 to create a higher voltage battery.

(37) FIG. 8 shows schematically a further battery configuration with two EP modules and a TMP module in the middle. Other configurations such as EP/MP/EMP or EP/MP/TMP/EP are also possible.

(38) As shown in FIG. 9, in one application, the battery cell module or stack 110 can be created for example with a much larger number of battery cells for providing power as an electric battery to an electric motor 200 for powering an electric vehicle 300.

(39) The resulting polymer frame stacked battery also allows the separation of anode and cathode in extra compartments and allows the usage of different anolytes and catholytes. For example, the one electrode side could have a liquid or gel-polymer type electrolyte and the second electrode side can use a solid-state electrolyte or even no electrolyte at all.

(40) By attaching the separator-polymer frame unit to the housing the separator can no longer move or slide inside the cell. Therefore, this unit is more resilient and can better tolerate vibrations or shocks as they occur when having batteries in cars or any transportable device, because the position of the whole cell stack is fixed inside cell.

(41) Likewise if the bipolar current collector-polymer frame unit embodiment is used, the bipolar current collector is well protected.