Film packaged battery having a cupped portion

Abstract

A battery is fabricated on the basis of at least one of the following four concepts, i.e., lead terminals passing through a package not lower than the uppermost surface of an electrolyte cell, lead terminals projecting from a package in directions opposite to each other, a film package with a crushed portion expandable for accumulating gas and sheets of gas barrier sealant for keeping the boundaries between component parts of a package sealed; the seal is hardly broken so that the battery is durable and highly reliable.

1. A film packaged battery comprising:
 a film package made of an expandable material and having a cup portion defining a space and a deformable portion expandable in a first direction, said deformable portion extending into said space when said space is lower in pressure than an ambience around said battery, and said deformable portion recovering to an initial shape when gas is generated in said package;   an electrolyte cell having electrodes laminated in a second direction different from said first direction, received in said space and sealed in said film package, and   terminals having respective inner portions electrically connected to said electrolyte cell and respective outer portions projecting to the outside of said film package.   
     
     
       2. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said deformable portion outwardly projects from an outer surface of said film package therearound when the pressure in said space is higher than the pressure of said ambience. 
     
     
       3. The film package battery as set forth in  claim 2 , in which said deformable portion was formed after said cup portion wider in bottom area than said electrolyte cell had been formed in said film package, said formed cup portion having said initial shape. 
     
     
       4. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 2 , in which said deformable portion was retracted when vacuum was developed in said space, and the development of said vacuum was carried out after said cup portion was formed in said film package. 
     
     
       5. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 2 , in which said film package is separable into two sheets of film or a sheet of foldable film, and said deformable portion is formed in one of said two sheets or a part of said foldable film. 
     
     
       6. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 4 , in which said film package is separable into two sheets of film or a sheet of foldable film, and said deformable portion is formed in one of said two sheets or a part of said foldable film. 
     
     
       7. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 5 , in which said deformable portion was formed by using a deep drawing. 
     
     
       8. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 6 , in which said cup portion was formed by using a deep drawing. 
     
     
       9. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 5 , in which said two sheets or two parts of said foldable sheet are bonded to each other in said space in such a manner as to be resistive against an expansion of said space in said another direction. 
     
     
       10. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 1 , in which said electrolyte cell has a coil-like shape. 
     
     
       11. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 1 , in which said electrolyte cell includes plural plates adhered to one another. 
     
     
       12. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 1 , in which said electrolyte cell includes plural plates, and a retainer keeps said plural plates held in tight contact with one another. 
     
     
       13. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 12 , in which said retainer is a piece of adhesive tape adhered to said plural plates. 
     
     
       14. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 1 , in which said electrolyte cell includes non-aqueous electrolyte. 
     
     
       15. The film packaged battery as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein said retainer presses said plural plates to one another. 
     
     
       16. A film packaged battery comprising:
 a film package made of an expandable material and having a cup portion defining a space, said cup having walls expandable in a first direction, said walls having an inwardly extending dent or bulge that extends into said space when said space is lower in pressure than an ambience around said battery and outwardly expands when the pressure in said space is higher than the pressure of said ambience;   an electrolyte cell having laminated electrodes received in said space and sealed in said film package; and   terminals having respective inner portions electrically connected to said electrolyte cell and respective outer portions projecting outside of said film package.   
     
     
       17. A film packaged battery, comprising:
 an electrolyte cell having laminated electrodes;   a film package sealing said electrolyte cell;   terminals having respective inner portions electrically connected to said electrolyte cell and respective outer portions projecting to an outside of said film package; and   a pair of presser plates pinching said electrolyte cell via said film package intervening therebetween so as to press said laminated electrodes into their laminated direction,   wherein said film package is made of an expandable material and includes:   a cup portion defining a space, in which said electrolyte cell is received, and   a deformable portion, which is formed in a part of said film package where said film package is not in contact with said electrolyte cell, extending into said space opposite to an initial shape when said space is lower in pressure than an ambient pressure around said battery, and bulging out toward said initial shape when gas is generated in said package.   
     
     
       18. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, wherein portions of said film package in contact with said presser plates do not bulge out when gas is generated in said package. 
     
     
       19. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, wherein said deformable portion outwardly projects from an outer surface of said film package therearound as said initial shape. 
     
     
       20. The film package battery as set forth in claim 19, wherein said cup portion is wider than an area in contact with said electrolyte cell and said presser plates, and said deformable portion is provided at a part of the wider portion of said cup portion. 
     
     
       21. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 19, wherein said deformable portion is retractable into said space when said space is lower in pressure than the ambient pressure around said battery. 
     
     
       22. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 19, wherein said film package is separable into two sheets of films or a sheet of a foldable film, and
 said deformable portion is formed in one of said two sheets or a part of said foldable film.   
     
     
       23. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 20, wherein said film package is separable into two sheets of films or a sheet of a foldable film, and
 said deformable portion is formed in one of said two sheets or a part of said foldable film where said cup portion is formed.   
     
     
       24. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 19, wherein said film package is formed from a laminate film comprising a metal foil and a resin sealing layer, and said deformable portion is formed from deep drawing said laminate film. 
     
     
       25. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 20, wherein said film package is formed from a laminate film comprising a metal foil and a resin sealing layer, and said cup portion and said deformable portion are formed from deep drawing said laminate film. 
     
     
       26. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, in which said electrolyte cell has a coil shape. 
     
     
       27. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, wherein a plurality of said electrodes in said electrolyte cell are adhered to one another. 
     
     
       28. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, wherein said electrolyte cell further includes a retainer to keep a plurality of said electrodes held in tight contact with one another. 
     
     
       29. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 28, in which said retainer is a piece of adhesive tape adhered to said plurality of said electrodes. 
     
     
       30. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, in which said electrolyte cell includes non-aqueous electrolyte. 
     
     
       31. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, wherein said deformable portion bulges out until recovering said initial shape. 
     
     
       32. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 17, wherein said terminals include respective intermediate portions passing through the boundary between upper and lower parts of said film package and are bent so as to raise the outer and intermediate portions of said terminal over the upper surface of said electrolyte cell, and
 the upper parts of said film package are inwardly warped when said space is lower in pressure than the ambient pressure around said battery, and the portions of said film package on both sides of the upper presser palate bulge out when gas is generated in said package.   
     
     
       33. A film packaged battery comprising:
 a film package made of an expandable material and having a cup portion defining a space, said cup portion having walls expandable in a first direction, said walls having an inwardly extending dent or bulge that extends into said space when said space is lower in pressure than an ambient pressure around said battery and outwardly expands when the pressure in said space is higher than the ambient pressure;   an electrolyte cell having laminated electrodes received in said space and sealed in said film package;   terminals having respective inner portions electrically connected to said electrolyte cell and respective outer portions projecting outside of said film package; and   a pair of presser plates pinching said electrolyte cell via said film package intervening therebetween so as to press said laminated electrodes into their laminated direction.   
     
     
       34. The film packaged battery as set forth in claim 33, wherein portions of said film package in contact with said presser plates do not bulge out when gas is generated in said package. 
     
     
       35. A film packaged battery assembly comprising:
 a film package battery, which comprises:
 an electrolyte cell having laminated electrodes, sealed in a film package, and 
 terminals having respective inner portions electrically connected to said electrolyte cell and respective outer portions projecting to the outside of said film package; and 
 a pack case, which comprises: 
 a pair of presser plates pinching said electrolyte cell via said film package intervening therebetween so as to press said laminated electrodes into their laminated direction a frame constituting an outer of the pack case; and 
 a pole connected between the frame and respective presser plates, 
 wherein said film package is made of an expandable material and includes: 
 a cup portion defining a space, in which said electrolyte cell is received; and 
 a deformable portion, which is formed in a part of said film package where said film package is not in contact with said electrolyte cell and said presser plates, extending into said space opposite to an initial shape when said space is lower in pressure than an ambience around said battery, and 
 there is bulging out toward said initial shape when gas is generated in said package. 
   
     
     
       36. The film packaged battery assembly as set forth in claim 35, wherein portions of said film package in contact with said presser plates do not bulge out when gas is generated in said package.