US 6,656,232 B1 · Electrode for battery, manufacturing method thereof, and apparatus for it

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing a battery electrode from foamed metal electrode material includes first and second rollers which are parallel to each other at a shaft center, and rotatable in directions opposite to each other, and a guide bar which is between the first and second rollers. A method for manufacturing a battery electrode includes supplying a foamed metal electrode material including voids, and having a filled portion filled with active material and an unfilled portion without the active material, and a boundary line between the filled and unfilled portions. Part of the unfilled portion is folded in parallel to the boundary line passing through the unfilled portion, and at right angle against the unfilled portion. A lead welding portion is formed along the direction of the longer side, by applying, to the unfilled bent portion, a force in the direction perpendicular to the filled portion in a way to crush the voids, and compress the bent portion. Preferably, the height of the unfilled portion is compressed to a thickness no more than about the thickness of the filled portion. The lead welding portion formed this way has high density and high mechanical strength. And a battery electrode includes a foamed metal including voids and partly filled with an active material and having a plane surface, and a lead welding portion.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing an electrode for a battery comprising the steps of:

a) supplying a foamed metal electrode material including voids, said foamed metal electrode material having a filled portion filled with active material, an unfilled portion not filled with said active material, and a boundary line between said filled portion and said unfilled portion,
said foamed metal having a plane surface,
said electrode material having a rectangular shape or a band shape,
said unfilled portion being formed along a longer side of said electrode material, and
said boundary line is extending as a substantially straight line parallel to said longer side,
b) bending a part of said unfilled portion at a right angle to said filled portion in parallel to said boundary line, thereby forming a bent portion having a free edge and
c) applying a force onto the free edge of said bent portion in a direction to crush said voids and compress a height of said bent portion, thereby forming a lead welding portion along the direction of said longer side.

4 more elements

An apparatus for forming an electrode for a battery from foamed metal electrode material having a rectangular shape or a band shape,

said electrode material having a filled portion of an active material having voids and an unfilled portion not filled with said active material, and
said electrode material having a bent portion formed by a part of said unfilled portion bent at right angle to said filled portion, extending in parallel to the side of said electrode material, and a free edge,
said apparatus comprising:
a first roller and second roller, installed in parallel with each other at a shaft center and may be turned in directions opposite to each other,
a distance between an outer circumference of said first roller and an outer circumference of said second roller being equal to a thickness of said filled portion, and
a guide bar installed between said first roller and said second roller,
wherein said filled portion of said electrode material is supplied between an outer circumferential face of said first roller and an outer circumferential face of said second roller,
said bent portion passes through the narrowest area between the outer circumference of said first roller and the outer circumference of said second roller, said bent portion being compressed from the said free edge of said bent portion to a bent line in the direction perpendicular to said filled portion, said voids in said foamed metal in said bent portion are crushed, thereby forming a lead welding portion along the direction of said longer side.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrode for battery, manufacturing method thereof, and apparatus for it

Life of this patent

Electrode for battery, manufacturing method thereof, and apparatus for it

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21