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`THLEGRVENTION
`BUTTON CELLS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME
`perce
`aoovoconceeroecooconnnnccosonaconeonscent
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`i
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`APPLICANTS FOR TIOEOAIS
`{
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`Edaard Pytlik, irgen Lindner, Ulrich Barenthin and Winfried Gaugler
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`LAPPEEEOOOPTPESTPPPPOETIRIELEAANUAAEAASITUSITITLISLALELITTISIIIASELLIOLAEOOLCONLEECLPEDTOAAALAAILAELETEEILEETTTITETTTOTITTTCETLTDTEOLLLLLLLLLLANAASTONSLAIIAAIIIDIIGATNESLIANIMASSPIELESSOSODASISSLLOSSSISIOSAASVSOTUUTTITIIUAAAAAAion18. A second copy of the published interuatiunal apolication under 38 U.S.C. 134idia).
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`TSSSTEPPLDEPLDELBEPEDTTDEEEDETEDELSEEEESEODOEOLIPEDEELLEEALELEETEDYPTSEEEARITSIISSSLLDEDEEOEEPEEOUOEEELETERILETERECOLLIDESEROSSSSSSSSPASSPPSTTTAETIISEDOTIISEIAEASYISEAESISIEEEIIIISSTISISISOSSUSSODIDEELELDAEEABEBADDDADFEEL:
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`onefe&. Xx An Apptication Dats Sheet aader 37 CFR. 1.76.
`SA preliminary amendarent,
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`16.
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`(63, (9) and (21) bulicated Delow,
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`aiy
`2, A capy ottheIntemational Application as Hed (35 USC, 3oe
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`&__ is attached herely (requined-anlyif not camumunicated bythe Intemational Bureau),
`b, x hag been communicated Sy the international Bureau.
`
`&._. is not required, us the application was filed in the Linked States Reeching Office (ROVUS)
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`a. xfs attached Revets.
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`md
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`_. Amendments to the clairis of the Intemational Application ander POT Article 19 35 U.S.0. 37 ah
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`b._ have bece communicated hy the Intemational Bureau.
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`&.___ An English language transiation af the amendments to the claims under PCT Article 19 49 108... 37 eK}.
`9. An oath or declaration of the inventor{s} (35 LSC. FF Hea).
`19.An English language translation ofthe annexes of the Inernational Preliminary Examination Report ander PCT Article 36
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` ne
`§ 20. x Other Honis.or tofeemation PCT/RO/I61 {4 pas}, POTABAGE, WO. 2010/0809 52 Al Qonyst, PCTASAZIO (pest. &Germiin Search Report (4 pest
`
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`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 1
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`TOTAL OF ABOVE CALCULATIONS ==98060
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`Title of Invention
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`BUTTON CELLS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`Application Number
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`Title of Invention
`
`BUTTON CELLS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME
`
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`
`
`Description
`
`Button cells and method for producing same
`
`[0001]
`
`The present invention relates to button cells comprising two mctallic housing half-
`
`parts, which are separated from one another by an electrically insulating seal and which form a
`
`housing with a flat bottom area andaflat top area parallel to it, as well as within the housing, an
`
`electrode-separator assembly comprising at least one positive and at least one negative electrode,
`
`which are in the form of flat layers and are connected to one another by at least one flat
`
`separator, and to a method for producing such buttoncells.
`
`[0002]
`
`Button cells normally have a housing consisting of two housing half-parts, a cell cup
`
`and acell top. By way of example, these may be produced from nickel-plated deep-drawn metal
`
`sheet as stamped and drawn parts. The cell cup normally has positive polarity, and the housing
`
`top negative polarity. The housing may contain widely differing electrochemical systems, for
`
`example zinc/MnO2, primary and secondary lithium systems, or secondary systems such as
`
`nickel/cadmium or nickel/mcetal hydride.
`
`[0003]
`
`By way of example, rechargeable button cells based on nickel/metal hydride or
`
`lithium-ion systems are in widespread use.
`
`In the case of lithium-ion button cells,
`
`the
`
`electrochemically active materials are normally not arranged within the button cell housing in the
`
`form of individual electrodes, in the form of tablets, separated from one another by a separator.
`
`Instead of this, prefabricated electrode-separator assemblies are preferably inserted flat into the
`
`housing.
`
`In this case, a porous plastic film is preferably used as a separator, onto which the
`
`electrodes are laminated or adhesively bonded flat.
`
`The entire assembly comprising the
`
`separator and the electrodes in this case generally has a maximum thickness of a few hundred
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 8
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 8
`
`
`
`um.
`
`In order to allow button cell housings of normal dimensionsto be filled, a plurality of such
`
`assemblies are therefore frequently placed flat one on top of the other. This allows stacks of any
`
`desired height, in principle, to be produced, in each case matched to the available dimensions of
`
`the button cell housing into which the stack is intended to be installed. This cnsurcs optimum
`
`utilization of the available area within the housing.
`
`[0004]
`
`Byvirtue of the design, however, various problems also occur in the case of button
`
`cells which contain such stacks of electrode-separator assemblies. On the one hand,
`
`it is
`
`necessary, of course, for the electrodes of the same polarity each to be connected to one another
`
`within the stack, and then each to make contact with the corresponding pole of the button cell
`
`housing. The required electrical contacts result in material costs, and the space occupied by
`
`them is, furthermore, no longer available for active material.
`
`In addition, the production of the
`
`electrode stacks is complicated and expensive since faults can easily occur when the assemblies
`
`make contact with one another, increasing the scrap rate. On the other hand, it has been found
`
`that button cells having a stack of electrodes and separators very quickly start to leak.
`
`[0005]
`
`Traditionally, button cells have been closed in a liquid-tight manner by beading the
`
`edge of the cell cup over the edge of the cell top in conjunction with a plastic ring, which is
`
`arranged between the cell cup and the cell top and at the same timeacts as a sealing element and
`
`for electrical insulation of the cell cup and of the cell top. Button cells such as these are
`
`described, for example, in DE 31 13 309.
`
`[0006]
`
`However, alternatively, it is also possible to manufacture button cells in which the
`
`cell cup and the cell top are held together in the axial direction exclusively by a force-fitting
`
`connection, and which do not have a beaded-over cup edge. Button cells such as these and
`
`methods for their production are described in the still unpublished German patent application
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 9
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 9
`
`
`
`with the file reference 10 2009 017 514.8.
`
`Irrespective of the various advantages which button
`
`cells such as these without beading may have, they can, however, not be loaded as heavily in the
`
`axial direction as comparable button cells with a beaded-over cup edge, in particular with respect
`
`to axial mechanical loads which are caused in the interior of the button cell. For example, the
`
`electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion systems are continually subject to volume changes during
`
`charging and discharging processes. The axial forces which occur in this case can, of course,
`
`lead to leaks more readily in the case of button cells without beading than in the case of button
`
`cells with beading.
`
`[0007]
`
`The present invention was based on the object of providing a button cell in which the
`
`problems mentioned above do not occur, or occur only to a greatly reduced extent.
`
`In particular,
`
`the button cell is intended to be more resistant to mechanical loads which occur in the axial
`
`direction than conventional button cells, in particular even when they are manufactured as button
`
`cells without a beaded-over cup edge.
`
`[0008]
`
`This object is achieved by the button cell having the features of claim 1. Preferred
`
`embodiments of the button ccll according to the invention are defined in the dependent claims 2
`
`to 10. The method according to claim 11 also contributes to the solution of the problem
`
`according to the invention. Preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention are
`
`defined in dependent claims 12 to 14. The wording of all the claims is hereby included by
`
`reference to the content of this description.
`
`[0009]—_A button cell according to the invention always comprises two metallic housing half-
`
`parts, which are separated from one another by an electrically insulating seal and form a housing
`
`with a flat bottom area andaflat top area parallel to it. As already mentionedinitially, the two
`
`housing half-parts are generally a so-called housing cup and a housing top.
`
`In particular, parts
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 10
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 10
`
`
`
`composed of nickel-plated steel or metal sheet are preferred as housing half-parts. Furthermore,
`
`trimetals, for example with the sequence of nickel, steel (or stainless steel) and copper (with the
`
`nickel layer preferably forming the outer layer and the copper layer preferably forming the inside
`
`of the button ccll housing) are particularly suitable for use as the metallic material.
`
`[0010]
`
`By way of example, an injection-moldedor film seal can be used as a seal. Thelatter
`
`are described, for example, in DE 196 47 593.
`
`[0011]
`
`Within the housing, a button cell according to the invention comprises an electric-
`
`separator assembly with at least one positive and at least one negative electrode. These are each
`
`in the form of flat electrode layers. The electrodes are connected to one another via a flat
`
`separator. The electrodes are preferably laminated or adhesively bonded onto this separator.
`
`The electrodes and the separator generally each have thicknesses only in the wm range.
`
`In
`
`general, a porous plastic film is used as the separator.
`
`[0012]
`
`In contrast to the button cells mentioned initially, the button cell according to the
`
`invention is distinguished in particular by the electrode layers having a very particular
`
`orientation, specifically being aligned essentially at right angles to the flat bottom andtop arcas.
`
`While button cells known from the prior art with stacked electrode-separator assemblies always
`
`contain these assemblies inserted flat, such that the electrode layers are aligned essentially
`
`parallel to the flat bottom and top areas, the situation in a button cell according to the invention is
`
`the opposite ofthis.
`
`[0013]
`
`The right-angled alignment of the electrode layers has an unexpectedly considerable
`
`advantage, specifically because it has been found that this alignment results in a considerable
`
`improvementin the sealing characteristics of a button cell according to the invention, particularly
`
`for button cells based on lithium-ion systems. The electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 11
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 11
`
`
`
`systems are continually subject to volume changes during charging and discharging processes.
`
`Volume changes such as these also occur, of course, in the electrodes of a button cell according
`
`to the invention. However,
`
`the mechanical forces which are created during this process no
`
`longer act primarily axially, as in the case of a stack of clectrode-scparator assemblics which are
`
`inserted flat. Because of the right-angled alignment of the electrodes, they in fact act radially.
`
`Radial forces can be absorbed very much better than axial forces by the housing of a buttoncell.
`
`The improved sealing characteristics are presumably a result ofthis.
`
`[0014]
`
`Particularly preferably, the electrodes and the flat separator of a button cell according
`
`to the invention are each in the form ofstrips or ribbons. By way of example, the production of a
`
`button cell according to the invention can be based on a separator material in the form of an
`
`endless ribbon, onto which the electrodes are applied, in particular laminated, once again in
`
`particular in the form ofstrips or at least rectangles.
`
`[0015]
`
`In the housing of a button cell according to the invention, this assemblyis particularly
`
`preferably in the form of a winding, in particular in the form of a spiral winding. Windings such
`
`as these can be produced very casily using known methods (see for example DE 36 38 793), by
`
`applying the electrodesflat, in particular in the form ofstrips, to a separator whichis in the form
`
`of an endless ribbon, in particular by laminating them on.
`
`In this case, the assembly comprising
`
`electrodes and separators is generally wound onto a so-called winding mandrel. Once the
`
`winding has been removed from the winding mandrel an axial cavity remainsin the center of the
`
`winding. This allows the winding to expand into this cavity, if necessary. However, in some
`
`circumstances, this can lead to problems in making electrical contact between the electrodes and
`
`the metallic housing half-parts, and this will be described in more detail in the followingtext.
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 12
`
`JLab/Cambridge, Exh. 1002, p. 12
`
`
`
`[0016]
`
`The electrode winding is preferably arranged within a button cell according to the
`
`invention (in order that the electrode layers of the winding are aligned at right angles to the flat
`
`bottom area and top area of the housing), such that the end faces of the winding face in the
`
`direction of the flat bottom arca and ofthe flat top arca.
`
`[0017]
`
`According to the present
`
`invention, preferred embodiments of the button cell
`
`according to the invention have a fixed winding core in the center of the winding, whichat least
`
`partially fills the axial cavity in the center of the winding. A winding core such asthis fixes the
`
`electrode winding in the radial direction and prevents possible implosion of the winding into the
`
`axial cavity. When the winding expands in this way, this also results in the reduction in the
`
`pressure which the end faces of the winding exert in the axial direction, and therefore in the
`
`direction of output conductors which may be arranged there (this is described in more detail
`
`further below).
`
`If this is prevented, then there are generally also no problems with making
`
`electrical contact between the electrodes and the metallic housing half-parts.
`
`[0018]
`
`In addition, a winding core such as this also makes the button cell according to the
`
`invention more robust against external mechanical influences. In general, it is no longer possible
`
`for the electrode winding in the button cell to be damaged by external mechanical pressure in the
`
`axial direction.
`
`[0019]
`
`According to the preferred embodimentof the electrode winding as a spiral electrode
`
`winding, the axial cavity which has been mentioned in the center of the winding is preferably
`
`essentially cylindrical (in particular circular-cylindrical). On the casing side,