Electrode Having Improved Electrode Tab Welding Characteristics and Secondary Battery Comprising the Same

Abstract

An apparatus for welding a secondary battery electrode assembly is disclosed. The electrode assembly may have negative electrodes alternatingly interleaved with positive electrodes. The apparatus may be configured to weld a plurality of non-coated electrode tabs using a sonotrode horn, each of the tabs extending from a respective one of the electrodes having a first same polarity. The sonotrode horn may include a vibration-applying plate and a horn pattern region having a protrusion-type unit pitch pattern disposed on the vibration-applying plate. A radius of curvature of a side surface of the protrusion-type unit pitch pattern disposed at an outer edge of the horn pattern region may be directly proportional to a number of the non-coated electrode tabs. A tip sharpness of the protrusion-type unit pitch pattern disposed at an outer edge of the horn pattern region may be inversely proportional to a number of the non-coated electrode tabs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.