Battery and method for producing the same

1. A method for producing a battery comprising:

forming a space by expanding a liquid housing portion, the liquid housing portion being present at one end of an outer package that houses a battery element, through supply of gas from an opening portion formed at the other end of the outer package, wherein the opening portion, the battery element, and the liquid housing portion collectively define a longitudinal axis;

folding the outer package along a folding portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and spaced away from positive and negative electrode leads, thereby sandwiching the positive and negative electrode leads;

injecting an electrolytic solution from the opening portion to store the electrolytic solution in the space of the liquid housing portion;

degassing the outer package through the opening portion in a vacuum state;

sealing the opening portion; and

impregnating the electrolytic solution into the battery element.

2. A method for producing a battery comprising:

forming a space by expanding a liquid housing portion, the liquid housing portion being present at one end of an outer package that houses a battery element, through supply of gas from an opening portion formed at the other end of the outer package, wherein the opening portion, the battery element, and the liquid housing portion collectively define a longitudinal axis;

folding the outer package along a folding portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and spaced away from positive and negative electrode leads, thereby sandwiching the positive and negative electrode leads;

injecting an electrolyte composition from the opening portion to store the electrolyte composition in the space of the liquid housing portion;

degassing the outer package through the opening portion in a vacuum state;

sealing the opening portion;

impregnating the electrolyte composition into the battery element; and

gelatinizing the electrolyte composition impregnated into the battery element.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the opening portion is sealed while the vacuum state is maintained.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolytic solution is impregnated into the battery element using atmospheric pressure.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the electrolyte composition is impregnated into the battery element using atmospheric pressure.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the outer package is an aluminum laminate film.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, after the impregnation of the electrolytic solution into the battery element:

sealing a portion between the liquid housing portion and a housing portion of the battery element; and

removing the liquid housing portion.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the outer package is composed of a soft film and a hard film, the battery element is housed between the soft film and the hard film, and in the formation of the space, the space is formed by expanding the soft film.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolytic solution is impregnated into the battery element by pressurizing the space in which the electrolytic solution is stored.

10. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the electrolyte composition is impregnated into the battery element by pressurizing the space in which the electrolyte composition is stored.

11. A battery comprising:

a battery element containing an electrolytic solution; and

an outer package that seals and houses the battery element, the outer package including a folding portion spaced away from positive and negative electrode leads,

wherein the battery element is obtained by (1) forming a space by expanding a liquid housing portion, the liquid housing portion being present at one end of the outer package, through supply of gas from an opening portion formed at the other end of the outer package, wherein the opening portion, the battery element, and the liquid hosing portion collectively define a longitudinal axis, (2) folding the outer package along the folding portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, thereby sandwiching the positive and negative electrode leads, (3) injecting an electrolytic solution from the opening portion to store the electrolytic solution in the space of the liquid housing portion, (4) degassing the outer package through the opening portion in a vacuum state, (5) sealing the opening portion, and (6) impregnating the electrolytic solution into the battery element.

12. A battery comprising:

a battery element containing a gel electrolyte; and

an outer package that seals and houses the battery element, the outer package including a folding portion spaced away from positive and negative electrode leads,

wherein the battery element is obtained by (1) forming a space by expanding a liquid housing portion, the liquid housing portion being present at one end of the outer package, through supply of gas from an opening portion formed at the other end of the outer package, wherein the opening portion, the battery element, and the liquid housing portion collectively define a longitudinal axis, (2) folding the outer package along the folding portion extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, thereby sandwiching the positive and negative electrode leads, (3) injecting an electrolyte composition from the opening portion to store the electrolyte composition in the space of the liquid housing portion, (4) degassing the outer package through the opening portion in a vacuum state, (5) sealing the opening portion, (6) impregnating the electrolyte composition into the battery element, and (7) gelatinizing the electrolyte composition impregnated into the battery element.