JP6693364B2 - Water battery - Google Patents

Description

  The content described in this specification relates to an aqueous battery.

  Conventionally, various batteries have been proposed, for example, a secondary battery described in Japanese Patent No. 5369342 describes an aqueous battery using an alkaline aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution. This water-based battery includes a cylindrical outer casing, a laminated body arranged inside the outer casing, and a shaft portion penetrating the laminated body, and the laminated body is arranged between the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. And a separated separator.

Patent No. 5369342

  In the water-based battery configured as described above, external force or vibration may be applied to the water-based battery depending on the usage environment of the water-based battery, and the separator may be displaced. Further, in the process of manufacturing a water-based battery, the separator may be displaced when the positive electrode, the separator and the negative electrode are sequentially laminated. When the separator is displaced in this way, the internal resistance of the water-based battery increases.

  The water-based battery described in the present specification has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to suppress the displacement of the separator and suppress the increase of the internal resistance due to the displacement of the separator. It is to propose a water-based battery.

  The water-based battery described in the present specification includes a positive electrode plate, a separator, and an electrode body in which a negative electrode plate is stacked in a stacking direction, a storage case for storing the electrode body, and a stacking direction while being inserted into the electrode body. And an insulating positioning member extending to the. When the electrode body is viewed from a position away from the stacking direction, the separator is a facing portion that faces both the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, and a non-opposing portion that is adjacent to the facing portion and does not face either the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate. Including parts and. The positioning member is provided so as to pass through a portion that does not face the separator.

  According to the above water-based battery, the positioning member is inserted in the separator, and the separator can be prevented from being displaced. Since the displacement of the separator is suppressed, it is possible to suppress the increase in internal resistance in the electrode body.

  Further, since the displacement of the separator is suppressed, it is possible to suppress the area where the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate face each other without the separator, and to suppress the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate from directly contacting each other. it can. Thereby, a short circuit between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate can be prevented.

  In another water-based battery, the positioning member includes a shaft portion extending in the stacking direction, and a plurality of support portions protruding from the shaft portion and formed at predetermined intervals, and the separator is supported by the support portion. To be done.

  According to the above water-based battery, the separators are arranged at predetermined intervals, and the surface pressure applied to each member of the stacked separator, the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate can be made uniform.

  According to the water-based battery described in the present specification, displacement of the separator can be suppressed, and increase in internal resistance due to displacement of the separator can be suppressed.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the water-based battery 1 according to the first embodiment. It is an exploded perspective view showing electrode body 3. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the electrode body 3 when the electrode body 3 is viewed from a position separated in the stacking direction D1. It is the side view which carried out the cross section of a part which shows electrode body 3A of water system battery 1A. It is sectional drawing in the VV line of FIG. It is a figure when the positioning member 6A is planarly viewed. It is a perspective view showing a positioning member 6A. It is a top view which shows the hole 47A of the separator 43A arrange | positioned at the lowest layer of 3 A of electrode bodies, and the structure of the circumference | surroundings. It is a top view which shows the hole part 47A of separator 41A arrange | positioned above separator 43A, and the structure of the circumference | surroundings. It is a top view which shows the hole 47A of separator 43B arrange | positioned above separator 41A, and the structure of the circumference | surroundings. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a part of the water-based battery 1B according to Embodiment 3 with a cross-section. It is sectional drawing in the XII-XII line of FIG.

  The aqueous battery will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. In addition, in the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12, the same or substantially the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a water-based battery 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the water-based battery 1 includes a case 2, an electrode body 3 housed in the case 2, and a plurality of positioning members 6 inserted in the electrode body 3.

  The case 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the case 2 includes a positive electrode current collector 4 and a negative electrode current collector 5. The positive electrode current collector 4 and the negative electrode current collector 5 are coupled to each other to form the case 2.

  The positive electrode current collector 4 and the negative electrode current collector 5 are made of metallic Ni or a Ni-plated steel plate.

  The positive electrode current collector 4 is connected to the top plate 10 formed in a rectangular shape, the side wall 11 connected to one short side of the top plate 10, and the other short side of the top plate 10. The side wall portion 12 and the gaskets 13 and 14 are included.

  The side wall portions 11 and 12 extend from each short side of the top plate portion 10 toward the negative electrode current collector portion 5, and the side wall portion 11 and the side wall portion 12 are arranged to face each other.

  The side wall portion 11 includes a side edge 21 and a side edge 22, and an end edge 20 that connects the end portions of the side edges 21 and 22. A crimping piece 23 is formed on the side edge 21, and a crimping piece 24 is formed on the side edge 22.

  The side wall portion 12 includes a side edge 26 and a side edge 27, and an edge edge 25 connecting the ends of the side edge 26 and the side edge 27. A crimping piece 28 is formed on the side edge 26, and a crimping piece 29 is formed on the side edge 27.

  The gasket 13 is provided on the edge 20 of the side wall 11, and the gasket 14 is provided on the edge 25 of the side wall 12. The gaskets 13 and 14 are made of an insulating resin material or the like.

  The negative electrode current collector 5 has a rectangular bottom plate 30, a side wall 31 extending from one long side of the bottom plate 30 toward the positive current collector 4, and another long side of the bottom plate 30. A side wall portion 32 extending toward the positive electrode current collector 4 and gaskets 15 and 16 are included.

  The side wall 31 includes a side 33 and a side 34, and an end 35 that connects the end of the side 33 and the end of the side 34. The side wall portion 32 includes side edges 36 and 37, and an end edge 38 that connects the end of the side edge 36 and the end of the side edge 37.

  The gasket 15 is arranged so as to extend over the side edge 33, the end edge 35, and the side edge 34 of the side wall portion 31, and the gasket 16 is also attached to the side edge 36, the edge edge 38, and the side edge 37 of the side wall portion 32. It is formed to extend over. The gaskets 15 and 16 are also made of an insulating material such as resin. Then, when the case 2 is formed by combining the positive electrode current collector 4 and the negative electrode current collector 5, the caulking pieces 23, 24, 28, 29 are caulked together with the side edges 36, 33, 37, 34. Be done. Even when the positive electrode current collector 4 and the negative electrode current collector 5 are integrated in this way, the gaskets 13, 14, 15, 16 ensure insulation between the positive electrode current collector 4 and the negative electrode current collector 5. Has been done.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the electrode body 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the electrode body 3 is formed by sequentially stacking the positive electrode plate 40, the separator 41, the negative electrode plate 42, and the separator 43 in the stacking direction D1. In the present embodiment, the positive electrode plate 40, the separators 41 and 43, and the negative electrode plate 42 are stacked.

  The positive electrode plate 40 is formed of Ni hydroxide or the like, and the negative electrode plate 42 is formed of hydrogen storage alloy or the like. The separator 41 and the separator 43 are formed of a polyolefin-based nonwoven fabric.

  The case 2 contains an electrolytic solution together with the electrode body 3, and an alkaline electrolytic solution is used as the electrolytic solution.

  Here, the water-based battery is a battery in which an aqueous solution is used as the electrolytic solution, and a battery in which an alkaline electrolytic solution is used as the electrolytic solution is also included in the aqueous battery.

  That is, an aqueous system means "protic" and a non-aqueous system means "aprotic". By "protic" solvent is meant a solvent that releases hydrogen ions (protons) by the dissociation of molecules. An "aprotic" solvent is a solvent that does not release protons. For example, alcohols are organic solvents, but are included in "protic" solvents because they release protons.

  It should be noted that the electrolyte solvent of the lithium-ion battery is not a simple organic solvent, but is an “aprotic” solvent because it has no part capable of taking a proton in the molecule. That is, the lithium ion battery is not included in the water-based battery. Further, the water-based battery 1 according to the first embodiment is a rechargeable secondary battery.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the electrode body 3 when the electrode body 3 is viewed from a position separated in the stacking direction D1. As shown in FIG. 3, the positive electrode plate 40 includes protruding portions 50 and 51 protruding outward from the separators 41 and 43, and the protruding portions 50 and 51 include end sides 52 and 53.

  The negative electrode plate 42 also includes overhanging portions 54 and 55 that project outward from the separators 41 and 43, and the overhanging portions 54 and 55 include end sides 56 and 57.

  The edge 57 of each negative electrode plate 42 is in contact with the side wall portion 31, and the edge 56 of the negative electrode plate 42 is in contact with the side wall portion 32 of the negative electrode current collector 5. Similarly, the edge 52 of the positive electrode plate 40 is in contact with the sidewall 12 of the positive electrode current collector 4, and the edge 53 is in contact with the sidewall 11 of the positive electrode current collector 4.

  In FIG. 3, the separators 41 and 43 include a facing portion 45 facing both the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42, and a non-facing portion 46 not facing both the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42. A hole 47 is formed in the non-opposing portion 46 of the separators 41 and 43, and the positioning member 6 is inserted into the hole 47. The positioning member 6 is made of an insulating material such as resin.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the facing portion 45 has a substantially rectangular shape, and the non-facing portion 46 is positioned so as to be adjacent to the corner of the facing portion 45. Then, each positioning member 6 is provided so as to penetrate from the upper surface to the lower surface of the electrode body 3.

  In this way, the separators 41 and 43 are positioned by the positioning member 6, and even if external force is applied from the outside of the water-based battery 1 or the water-based battery 1 vibrates, the separators 41 and 43 are It is possible to suppress displacement.

  Each positioning member 6 is provided so as to come into contact with or approach both the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42, and the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42 are prevented from being displaced.

  Specifically, since the end sides 52 and 53 of the positive electrode plate 40 are in contact with the side wall portions 12 and 11, it is difficult for them to be displaced in the X direction, and further, they should be displaced in the Y direction by the plurality of positioning members 6. Is suppressed. Therefore, relative displacement of the positive electrode plate 40 with respect to the separators 41 and 43 is suppressed.

  The end sides 56, 57 of the negative electrode plate 42 are in contact with the side wall portions 32, 31 and are unlikely to be displaced in the Y direction, and further, the plurality of positioning members 6 suppress displacement in the X direction. .. Therefore, the negative electrode plate 42 is prevented from being displaced relative to the separators 41 and 43.

  As a result, the positive electrode plate 40, the negative electrode plate 42, and the separators 41 and 43 are prevented from being displaced from each other, so that an increase in internal resistance due to the displacement can be suppressed.

  If the separators 41 and 43 are largely displaced, the area where the separators 41 and 43 are not arranged becomes large between the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42, and the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42 may be short-circuited.

  On the other hand, according to the electrode body 3 according to the first embodiment, the positional displacement of the separator 41, the separator 43, the positive electrode plate 40, and the negative electrode plate 42 is suppressed, and the separators 41, 43 are not in between, and the positive electrode The area where the plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42 directly face each other is suppressed to be small. Therefore, contact between the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42 is suppressed, and occurrence of a short circuit between the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42 is suppressed.

  The hole 47 into which the positioning member 6 is inserted is formed in the separator 41 and the separator 43, and is not formed in the positive electrode plate 40 and the negative electrode plate 42, so that the number of manufacturing steps of the electrode body 3 can be reduced. ing.

  When manufacturing the electrode body 3 of the water-based battery 1 configured as described above, first, the plurality of positioning members 6 are arranged at predetermined positions. After that, the separator 43 is placed above the positioning member 6, the separator 43 is lowered, and the positioning member 6 is passed through each hole 47 of the separator 43. In this way, the separator 43 is arranged at a predetermined position.

  Then, the positive electrode plate 40 is arranged on the upper surface of the separator 43. Then, the separator 41 is arranged on the upper surface of the positive electrode plate 40 while passing the positioning member 6 through the hole 47 of the separator 41. As a result, the separator 41 is arranged at the predetermined position. Then, the negative electrode plate 42 is arranged on the upper surface of the separator 41. Then, the electrode body 3 can be manufactured by repeating the above steps.

  As described above, according to the method for manufacturing the electrode body 3 according to the first embodiment, the positive electrode plate 40, the separator 41, the negative electrode plate 42, and the separator 43 are sequentially stacked while the separators 41 and 43 are arranged at predetermined positions. Can be made As a result, in the manufactured electrode body 3, it is possible to suppress an increase in internal resistance due to the displacement of the separators 41 and 43.

(Embodiment 2)
A water-based battery 1A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view in which a part of the electrode body 3A of the water-based battery 1A is cross-sectionally viewed. Further, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the separators 41 and 43 have holes 47A formed in the non-opposing portions 46, and the positioning members 6A are inserted into the holes 47A.

  FIG. 6 is a view of the positioning member 6A when seen in a plan view, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the positioning member 6A. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the positioning member 6A has a shaft portion 60 and a plurality of protrusions 61 to 68 formed on the peripheral surface of the shaft portion 60 at predetermined intervals.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusions 61 to 68 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the peripheral surface of the shaft portion 60, and as shown in FIG. They are provided at equal intervals in the axial direction. Each of the protrusions 61 to 68 is formed so as to protrude outward from the peripheral surface of the shaft portion 60.

  FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a configuration of the hole portion 47A of the separator 43A arranged in the lowermost layer of the electrode body 3A and its surroundings.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the inner peripheral edge portion of the hole portion 47A includes an arc portion 70 that extends in an arc shape and a protrusion portion 71 that protrudes toward the center direction of the hole portion 47.

  The opening edge of the hole 47A of the separator 43A is shaped so as to allow the shaft 60 and the protrusions 62 to 68 located above the protrusion 61 to pass therethrough. The protruding portion 71 of the separator 43A is formed so as to contact the protruding portion 61. Therefore, the separator 43A is supported by the protrusion 61 of the positioning member 6A.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a configuration of the hole portion 47A of the separator 41A arranged above the separator 43A and its surroundings. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the hole 47A of the separator 41A has a shape obtained by rotating the hole 47A of the separator 43A.

  Specifically, the protrusion 71 of the separator 41A is formed so as to contact the protrusion 62, and the separator 41A is supported by the protrusion 62 of the positioning member 6A. The hole 47A of the separator 41A has a shape that allows the protrusions 63 to 68 located above the protrusion 62 to pass therethrough.

  Further, FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the configuration of the hole portion 47A of the separator 43B arranged above the separator 41A and the surroundings thereof. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the hole 47A of the separator 43B has a shape obtained by rotating the hole 47A of the separator 41A.

  The protrusion 71 of the hole 47A of the separator 43B is formed so as to come into contact with the protrusion 63 of the positioning member 6A. Therefore, the separator 43B is supported by the protrusion 63 of the positioning member 6A.

  In this way, the shapes of the holes 47A of the separators 41A, 43A, 41B, 43B, 41C, 43C, 41D, 43D shown in FIG. , 41D, 43D are supported by the protrusions 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

  In the electrode body 3A thus configured, the separators 41, 43 are spaced at a predetermined distance, and the surface pressure applied to each separator 41, 43, the positive electrode plate 40, and the negative electrode plate 42 is made uniform. be able to.

  As a result, the pressure distribution in the electrode body 3A can be made uniform and partial deterioration can be suppressed.

  Further, when manufacturing the electrode body 3A configured as described above, first, with the plurality of positioning members 6A standing up, first the separator 43A is lowered from above the positioning member 6A, and the holes of the separator 43A are removed. The protrusions 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62 are sequentially passed through the portion 47A. Then, the protrusion 71 of the separator 43A hits the protrusion 61, and the separator 43A is supported by the protrusions 61 of the plurality of positioning members 6A.

  Next, the positive electrode plate 40 is arranged on the upper surface of the separator 43A. Next, the separator 41A is placed above the positioning member 6A, and then the separator 41A is lowered. Then, the protrusions 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63 are sequentially passed through the hole 47A of the separator 41A to arrange the separator 41A on the protrusion 62. Next, the negative electrode plate 42 is arranged on the upper surface of the separator 41A.

  Then, the plurality of separators 41, 43, the positive electrode plate 40, and the negative electrode plate 42 are sequentially laminated in sequence to form the electrode body 3A. As described above, according to the method of manufacturing the electrode body 3A according to the second embodiment, it is possible to arrange the separators 41 and 43 at equal intervals. Also in the manufacturing process of the electrode body 3A, the separators 41 and 43 are positioned by the positioning member 6, so that the separators 41 and 43 can be prevented from being displaced from the predetermined positions in the manufacturing process.

(Embodiment 3)
Aqueous battery 1B according to Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a part of the water-based battery 1B according to Embodiment 3 as viewed in cross section. As shown in FIG. 11, a safety valve 75 and an injection portion 76 are formed on the upper surface of the case 2 of the water-based battery 1B. The safety valve 75 opens when the internal pressure in the case 2 exceeds a predetermined pressure, and exhausts the gas in the case 2 to the outside. The injection part 76 is used when injecting an electrolytic solution in the manufacturing process.

  12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, the positive electrode plate 40 is disposed closer to the side edge 33 than the side wall portion 31, and the negative electrode plate 42 is disposed closer to the side wall portion 12 than the side wall portion 11. There is. The separator 41 and the separator 43 are arranged at positions closer to the corners of the side wall part 31 and the side wall 33 than the corners of the side wall part 31 and the side wall part 11.

  For this reason, in the case 2, a space 77 in which the separators 41 and 43, the positive electrode plate 40, and the negative electrode plate 42 are not arranged is formed near the corners of the side wall portion 31 and the side wall portion 11.

  Further, the safety valve 75 and the injection portion 76 are arranged above the space 77, and the arrangement space for the safety valve 75 and the injection portion 76 can be secured.

  Even in the water-based battery 1B according to the third embodiment, the plurality of positioning members 6 are provided on the electrode body 3B, and even if external force is applied to the water-based battery 1B or vibration occurs, the positive electrode plate 40, The separators 41, 43 and the negative electrode plate 42 are prevented from being displaced, and the internal resistance of the electrode body 3B is prevented from increasing.

  Although the first to third embodiments have been described above, the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplifications in all respects and are not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is shown by the claims, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

  The water-based battery described in this specification can be applied to, for example, vehicles and various devices.

  1, 1A, 1B Aqueous battery, 2 case, 3, 3A, 3B electrode body, 4 positive electrode current collecting part, 5 negative electrode current collecting part, 6, 6A positioning member, 10 top plate part, 11, 12, 31, 32 side wall Part, 13, 14, 15, 16 Gasket, 20, 25, 35, 38, 52, 53, 56, 57 Edges 21, 22, 26, 27, 33, 34, 36, 37 Sides, 23, 24 , 28, 29 crimping pieces, 30 bottom plate portion, 40 positive electrode plate, 41, 41A, 41B, 41C, 41D, 43, 43A, 43B, 43C, 43D separator, 42 negative electrode plate, 45 facing portion, 46 non-facing portion, 47, 47A Hole, 50, 51, 54, 55 Overhanging portion, 60 Shaft, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 Projection, 70 Arc, 71 Projection, 75 Safety valve, 76 Inlet, 7 7 Space, D1 Stacking direction.

Claims (1)

A positive electrode plate, a separator, and an electrode body in which a negative electrode plate is stacked in the stacking direction,
A storage case for storing the electrode body,
An insulating positioning member that is inserted into the electrode body and extends in the stacking direction,
Equipped with
When viewing the electrode body from a position away from the stacking direction, the separator is a facing portion that faces both the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, and is adjacent to the facing portion and the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. Including a non-facing portion that does not face any of,
The positioning member is provided so as to pass through the separator and the non-opposing portion,
The positioning member includes a shaft portion extending in the stacking direction, and a plurality of support portions protruding from the shaft portion and formed at predetermined intervals,
The separator is an aqueous battery supported by the supporting portion .

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