Battery including bipolar cells that have an edge insulating device supported by a support frame

A battery comprising a stacked arrangement of electrochemical cells in which each cell is centered on a stack axis that is aligned with the stacking direction of the cells, and each cell comprises

• a bipolar plate that includes a substrate, a first active material layer disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second active material layer disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being opposed to the first surface, the first active material layer having a first active material layer peripheral edge that is spaced apart from, and disposed closer to a center of the substrate than, a substrate peripheral edge, the second active material layer being a material that is different than the material of the first active material layer, the second active material layer having a second active material layer peripheral edge that is spaced apart from the substrate peripheral edge,
• a solid electrolyte layer that is disposed on the second surface so as to encapsulate the second active material layer including the second active material layer peripheral edge, and
• an edge insulating device that includes a sheet of electrically insulating material, the edge insulating device including an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, the edge insulating device being disposed between peripheral edges of the substrates of a pair of adjacent cells in such a way that
• the outer peripheral edge is disposed further from the centers of the substrates than the substrate peripheral edges, and
• the edge insulating device physically contacts and is directly secured to the first surface of one cell of the pair of adjacent cells and is moveable relative to the other cell of the pair of adjacent cells, or the edge insulating device physically contacts and is directly secured to the solid electrolyte layer of the other cell of the pair of adjacent cells, and is moveable relative to the one cell of the pair of adjacent cells,
• the battery comprising a support frame that surrounds the stacked arrangement of cells such that a gap exists between the support frame and the substrate peripheral edges, the support frame configured to receive and support the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of each cell, and maintain a spaced apart relationship between the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of one cell and the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of an adjacent cell,
• wherein
• the support flame is air and moisture impermeable, and encloses all sides of cell stack in such a way that the cells are sealed apart from the environment of the battery.

A battery comprising a stacked arrangement of electrochemical cells in which each cell is centered on a stack axis that is aligned with the stacking direction of the cells, and each cell comprises

• a bipolar plate that includes a substrate, a first active material layer disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second active material layer disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being opposed to the first surface, the first active material layer having a first active material layer peripheral edge that is spaced apart from, and disposed closer to a center of the substrate than, a substrate peripheral edge, the second active material layer being a material that is different than the material of the first active material layer, the second active material layer having a second active material layer peripheral edge that is spaced apart from the substrate peripheral edge,
• a solid electrolyte layer that is disposed on the second surface so as to encapsulate the second active material layer including the second active material layer peripheral edge, and
• an edge insulating device that includes a sheet of electrically insulating material, the edge insulating device including an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, the edge insulating device being disposed between peripheral edges of the substrates of a pair of adjacent cells in such a way that
• the outer peripheral edge is disposed further from the centers of the substrates than the substrate peripheral edges, and
• the edge insulating device physically contacts and is directly secured to the first surface of one cell of the pair of adjacent cells and is moveable relative to the other cell of the pair of adjacent cells, or the edge insulating device physically contacts and is directly secured to the solid electrolyte layer of the other cell of the pair of adjacent cells, and is moveable relative to the one cell of the pair of adjacent cells,
• the battery comprising a support frame that surrounds the stacked arrangement of cells such that a gap exists between the support frame and the substrate peripheral edges, the support frame configured to receive and support the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of each cell, and maintain a spaced apart relationship between the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of one cell and the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of an adjacent cell,
• wherein
• the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of each cell is fixed to the support frame, and a length of the edge insulating device is set so that the support frame and the edge insulating device cooperate to maintain a desired spacing between the inner peripheral edge of the edge insulating device and the first active material layer peripheral edge, where a length of the edge insulating device corresponds to a distance between the inner peripheral edge and the outer peripheral edge.