Battery cell design and methods of its construction
View Patent ↗In some embodiments, a battery cell can include an assembly having an anode sheet and a cathode sheet separated by separator membranes, each sheet having an electroactive layer on a current collector. At least one of the current collectors can be in electrical communication with conducting tabs that extend from at least one of the anode sheet and the cathode sheet, the conducting tabs extends from an end face of the spirally wound assembly. In addition, the cell can include a first tab insulator having concentrically positioned outer and inner members, each of the outer and inner members having at least one slot that allows one or more of the plurality of conducting tabs to pass through. The inner and outer members are adjustable with respect to relative angular orientation of the at least one slot on the outer and inner members of the first tab insulator.
1. An electrochemical cell, comprising:
an assembly comprising an anode sheet and a cathode sheet separated by separator membranes, the cathode sheet comprising a first electroactive layer on a first current collector, and the anode sheet comprising a second electroactive layer on a second current collector, the assembly having a side wall and opposing end faces;
a plurality of conducting tabs that extend from at least one of the anode sheet and the cathode sheet, the plurality of conducting tabs extending from an end face of the assembly and in electrical communication with at least one of the first current collector and the second current collector; and
a first tab insulator having separate outer and inner members, each of the outer and inner members having at least one slot that allows one or more of the plurality of conducting tabs to pass through,
wherein the inner and outer members are adjustable so that an angular position of the at least one slot of the inner member can be moved with respect to the at least one slot of the outer member.
2. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the one or more slots are arc shaped.
3. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more slots have an angular span of about 120-180 degrees.
4. The electrochemical cell of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more slots have an angular span of about 90 degrees.
5. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the outer member has a cylindrical side wall perpendicular to a face of the outer member.
6. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer member and the inner member has a rib shaped protrusion for facilitating bending of at least one of the plurality of conducting tabs.
7. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer member and the inner member has one or more ridges for nesting the inner member with the outer member.
8. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conducting tabs comprise 4 to 12 tabs.
9. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein the first current collector is in electrical communication with a first plurality of conducting tabs that extend from the cathode sheet, and the second current collector is in electrical communication with a second plurality of conducting tabs that extend from the anode sheet, wherein the first plurality of conducting tabs and the second plurality of conducting tabs extend from opposing end faces of the assembly, and wherein the assembly is a spirally wound assembly.
10. The electrochemical cell of claim 9 , further comprising a second tab insulator, the first tab insulator and the second tab insulator disposed on opposing end faces of the spirally wound assembly.
11. The electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner and outer members has at least two slots located on opposite sides with respect to the center of the at least one of the inner and outer members.
12. A tab insulator for use in a battery cell, comprising:
at least one outer member and at least one separate inner member that are nested together, each of the at least one outer member and at least one inner member having at least one slot that is operable to allow one or more conducting tabs of the battery cell to pass through,
wherein the inner and outer members are adjustable so that an angular orientation of the at least one slot of the inner member can be moved with respect to the at least one slot of the outer member.
13. The tab insulator of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the slots has an angular span of about 120-180 degrees.
14. The tab insulator of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the slots has an angular span of about 90 degrees.
15. The tab insulator of claim 12 , wherein the outer member has a cylindrical side wall perpendicular to a face of the outer member.