Electrochemical battery and method for making same

Abstract

The invention provides a current collecting terminal for use in an electrochemical battery formed from a plurality of Electrochemical (EC) bundles. The current collecting terminal has a first end and a second end, and comprises a first conductive component and a second conductive component for electrically connecting a pair of EC bundles together. At the first end of the current collecting terminal, the first conductive component and the second conductive component each overlap a main face of respective sheet-like current collecting elements of a first EC bundle. At the second end, the first conductive component and the second conductive component each overlap a main face of respective sheet-like current collecting elements of a second EC bundle. The first conductive component and the second conductive component are both in electrical communication with the first EC bundle and the second EC bundle.

1 . A battery comprising: 
 a plurality of Electrochemical Cell (EC) bundles, each EC bundle comprising: 
 i) a plurality of Electrochemical Cells (ECs), each Electrochemical Cell comprising: 
 a) a sheet-like positive electrode having a projection extending from a first end of said Electrochemical Cell;  
 b) a sheet-like negative electrode having a projection extending from a second end of said Electrochemical Cell;  
 c) an electrolyte between said electrodes;  
 
   at least one current collecting terminal having a first end and a second end, said current collecting terminal further having a first conductive component and a second conductive component that both extend from said first end to said second end, wherein said at least one current collecting terminal mechanically and electrically connects the projections of the sheet-like electrodes extending from one end of the plurality of Electrochemical Cells of a first EC bundle together and mechanically and electrically connects the projections of the sheet-like electrodes extending from one end of the plurality of Electrochemical Cells of a second EC bundle together, the second EC bundle being adjacent to said first EC bundle, such that said at least one current collecting terminal electrically connects said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle together.    
     
     
         2 . A battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at said first end, said sheet-like electrodes projecting from one end of said first EC bundle are received between said first conductive component and said second conductive component, and wherein at said second end said sheet-like electrodes projecting from one end of said second EC bundle are received between said first conductive component and said second conductive component.  
     
     
         3 . A battery as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component are mechanically crimped about said sheet-like electrodes of said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle.  
     
     
         4 . A battery as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said current collecting terminal is welded to said sheet-like electrodes of said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle.  
     
     
         5 . A battery as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said at least one current collecting terminal is folded such that said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle are positioned in a side by side relationship.  
     
     
         6 . A battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component are separate components.  
     
     
         7 . A battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component are connected.  
     
     
         8 . A battery as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component are of unequal lengths, said first conductive component being longer than said second conductive component.  
     
     
         9 . A method for fabricating a battery, said method comprising: 
 providing a plurality of Electrochemical Cell (EC) bundles, each EC bundle comprising: 
 i) a plurality of Electrochemical Cells (ECs), each Electrochemical Cell comprising: 
 a) a sheet-like positive electrode having a projection extending from a first end of said Electrochemical Cell;  
 b) a sheet-like negative electrode having a projection extending from a second end of said Electrochemical Cell;  
 a) an electrolyte between said electrodes;  
 
   providing a current collecting terminal having a first end and a second end;    electrically connecting the projections of the sheet like electrodes extending from one end of the plurality of Electrochemical Cells of a first EC bundle together via said first end of said current collecting terminal;    electrically connecting the projections of the sheet like electrodes extending from one end of the plurality of Electrochemical Cells of a second EC bundle together via the second end of said current collecting terminal such that said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle are electrically connected together;    bending said current collecting terminal such that said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle are positioned in a side by side relationship.    
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of EC bundles are assembled and electrically connected together in a spaced apart relationship and thereafter the EC bundles are folded into a side by side relationship.  
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of EC bundles are electrically connected together in series.  
     
     
         12 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of EC bundles are electrically connected together in parallel.  
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the current collecting terminal comprises a first conductive component and a second conductive component.  
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising mechanically crimping said first conductive component and said second conductive component about said sheet-like electrodes of said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle.  
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising welding said current collecting terminal to said sheet-like electrodes of said first EC bundle and said second EC bundle.  
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component of said current collecting terminal are separate components.  
     
     
         17 . A current collecting terminal suitable for use in a battery comprising a plurality of electrochemical (EC) bundles, each EC bundle comprising a plurality of cells, wherein each cell comprises a pair of sheet-like electrodes, electrolyte between the electrodes and a sheet-like current collecting element in electrical communication with, and projecting from, at least one of the sheet-like electrodes, the current collecting element having a pair of generally opposite main faces, said current collecting terminal comprising: 
 a first end and a second end; and    a first conductive component and a second conductive component, wherein: 
 i) at said first end, said first conductive component and said second conductive component each overlap a main face of a respective sheet-like current collecting element of a first EC bundle from the plurality of EC bundles, said first conductive component and said second conductive component being in electrical communication with the first EC bundle; and  
 ii) at said second end, said first conductive component and said second conductive component each overlap a main face of a respective sheet-like current collecting element of a second EC bundle from the plurality of EC bundles, said first conductive component and said second conductive component being in electrical communication with the second EC bundle.  
   
     
     
         18 . A current collecting terminal as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the sheet-like current collecting elements of the first EC bundle are received between said first conductive component and said second conductive component at said first end of said current collecting terminal, and wherein the sheet-like current collecting elements of the second EC bundle are received between said first conductive component and said second conductive component at said second end of said current collecting terminal.  
     
     
         19 . A current collecting terminal as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component are mechanically crimped about the sheet-like collecting elements of the first EC bundle and the second EC bundle.  
     
     
         20 . A current collecting terminal as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said current collecting terminal is operative for being folded such that the first EC bundle and the second EC bundle are positioned in a side by side relationship.  
     
     
         21 . A current collecting terminal as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said first conductive component and said second conductive component are separate components.  
     
     
         22 . A battery comprising: 
 a plurality of electrochemical (EC) bundles, each EC bundle comprising: 
 i) a plurality of cells, each comprising: 
 a) a pair of sheet-like electrodes;  
 b) electrolyte between said electrodes;  
 c) a sheet-like current collecting element in electrical communication with, and projecting from, at least one of said sheet-like electrodes, said current collecting element having a pair of generally opposite main faces;  
 
   at least one current collecting terminal electrically connecting a pair of EC bundles from said plurality of EC bundles, said at least one current collecting terminal having a first end and a second end, and comprising a first conductive component and a second conductive component, wherein: 
 i) at said first end, said first conductive component and said second conductive component each overlap a main face of a respective sheet-like current collecting element of a first EC bundle from said plurality of EC bundles, said first conductive component and said second conductive component being in electrical communication with said first EC bundle; and  
 ii) at said second end, said first conductive component and said second conductive component each overlap a main face of a respective sheet-like current collecting element of a second EC bundle from said plurality of EC bundles, said first conductive component and said second conductive component being in electrical communication with said second EC bundle.