Lg Chem, Ltd

Youngjoon Shin

Ji Heon Ryu

Min Su Kim

Jeong Hee Choi

Jaepil Lee

Eun Ju Lee

Jung Eun Hyun

Kwangho Yoo

Seung-Jin Yang

Junill Yoon

Jin Woong Ha

Jaeseong Yeo

Suk Myung Roh

Jim Kim

Sunjung Hwang

Minchul Jang

Jeeho Kim

Hanho Lee

Seung Yeob Park

Jong Hwan Park

Disclosed herein is a stacking or stacking/folding type electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the electrode assembly is constructed in a structure in which tabs (electrode tabs), having no active material applied thereto, protrude from electrode plates constituting the electrode assembly, the electrode tabs are electrically connected to an electrode lead, and the pluralities of electrode tabs are joined to the top and the bottom of the electrode lead at an electrode lead-electrode tabs joint portion such that the resistance difference between electrodes at the electrode lead-electrode tabs joint portion is minimized. Also disclosed is an electrochemical cell including the electrode assembly.

Electrode assembly having tab-lead joint portion of minimized resistance difference between electrodes and electrochemical cell containing the same

Disclosed herein is a secondary battery constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly having a cathode/separator/anode arrangement is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, electrode tabs of the electrode assembly are coupled to corresponding electrode leads, and the electrode assembly is sealed in the battery case while electrode leads are exposed to the outside of the battery case, wherein a protective film is attached to coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads for sealing the coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads. The secondary battery according to the present invention is constructed in a structure in which the coupling regions are sealed by the protective film, unlike a conventional secondary battery constructed in a structure in which the coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads are exposed in the battery case. As a result, the electrode leads are protected from external impacts, such as falling of the battery. Consequently, no internal short circuit occurs, and therefore, the safety of the battery is increased.

Secondary battery with advanced safety

Disclosed herein is a battery module using battery cells each having an electrode assembly mounted in a battery case including a resin layer and a metal layer as unit cells, wherein each battery cell has a thin upper end, including a sealing part, which is formed at a region where electrode terminals are placed, and an impact-absorbing member is mounted at the upper end of each battery cell. The battery module according to the present invention prevents the weak upper parts of battery cells, such as electrode terminals and sealing parts, from the breakage of the battery module or the occurrence of a short circuit in the battery module due to the movement of the battery cells caused by dropping of the battery module or application of external impacts to the battery module.

Middle or large-sized battery module employing impact-absorbing member

Disclosed herein is a secondary battery having a mechanical connection sensor, as a safety device, fixed to the outer surface of a prismatic or pouch-shaped battery cell while the mechanical connection sensor is set to OFF. The mechanical connection sensor is connected in series with a resistor having a predetermined resistance value and with a cathode and an anode of the battery cell. When the battery cell swells to a critical value or more due to the abnormal operation of the battery cell, the mechanical connection sensor is turned ON, and therefore, the mechanical connection sensor conducts with the result that the electrical energy of the battery cell is consumed at the resistor. In the secondary battery having the safety device according to the present invention, when the battery swells due to the abnormal response of the battery, energy accumulated in the battery is forcibly consumed, unlike a conventional battery that merely intercepts the current. As a result, the continuous occurrence of the abnormal response is fundamentally prevented, and therefore, more rapid process is possible with excellent pressure sensitivity. Consequently, the safety of the battery is improved.

Secondary battery employing safety device

Provided is a non-aqueous electrolyte-based, high-power lithium secondary battery having a long service life and superior safety at both room temperature and high temperature, even after repeated high-current charging and discharging. The battery comprises a mixture of a lithium/manganese spinel oxide having a substitution of a manganese (Mn) site with a certain metal ion and a lithium/nickel/cobalt/manganese composite oxide, as a cathode active material.

Cathode active material and lithium secondary battery containing them

Provided is a non-aqueous electrolyte-based, high-power lithium secondary battery having a long service life and superior safety at both room temperature and high temperature, even after repeated high-current charging and discharging. The battery comprises a cathode active material composed of a mixture of lithium/manganese spinel oxide and lithium/nickel/cobalt/manganese composite oxide wherein the cathode active material exhibits the life characteristics that the capacity at 300 cycles is more than 70% relative to the initial capacity, in the provision of satisfying the condition (i) regarding the particle size and the condition (ii) regarding the mixing ratio.

Cathode active material and lithium secondary battery containing the same

Disclosed herein is a stacking or stacking/folding type electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the electrode assembly is constructed in a structure in which tabs (electrode tabs), having no active material applied thereto, protrude from electrode plates constituting the electrode assembly, electrode leads are located at one-side ends of the stacked electrode tabs such that the electrode leads are electrically connected to the electrode tabs, and protruding lengths of the electrode tabs are gradually increased according to the distances between the electrode leads and the electrode tabs, whereby the lengths of the electrode tabs at joint portions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads are the same. Also disclosed is an electrochemical cell including the electrode assembly.

Electrode assembly having electrode tabs of the same size in joint portion thereof and electrochemical cell containing the same

Disclosed herein is an electrochemical cell constructed in a structure in which a plurality of full cells or bicells, as unit cells, are folded by a separation film formed in the shape of a long sheet, and separators of the unit cells are secured to the separation film by thermal welding. The electrochemical cell according to the present invention has the effect of preventing the electrodes of the stacked electrodes from being separated from the separation film or from being twisted due to external impacts and vibrations, thereby restraining the electrochemical cell from generating heat or catching fire. Furthermore, the structural stability of the electrochemical cell is maintained even when the temperature of the electrochemical cell is increased, or the volume of the electrochemical cell is increased due to the generation of gas.

Multi-layered type electrochemistry cell of improved safety

Disclosed herein is a stacking or stacking/folding type electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the electrode assembly is constructed in a structure in which tabs (electrode tabs), having no active material applied thereto, protrude from electrode plates constituting the electrode assembly, electrode leads are located at one-side ends of the stacked electrode tabs such that the electrode leads are electrically connected to the electrode tabs, and the electrode leads, joined to the electrode tabs, have rounded ends. An electrochemical cell including the electrode assembly is also disclosed.

Electrode assembly having stable lead-tap joint and electrochemical cell containing them

Disclosed herein is a safety switch including a tube that is capable of shrinking when exposed to temperatures in excess of a predetermined temperature level ('heat shrinkage tube'), wherein the length of the heat shrinkage tube is changeable to control current conduction, one end of the heat shrinkage tube is fixed, and the other end of the heat shrinkage tube is connected to an electric wire connection part, such that current conduction or current interruption is accomplished by the change in length of the heat shrinkage tube when the heat shrinkage tube is varied due to heat. When a battery or a battery pack is exposed to an abnormal environment, with the result that the temperature of the battery or the battery pack exceeds a predetermined temperature level, the heat shrinkage tube of the safety switch shrinks to directly interrupt external charge current, thereby preventing the further charge of the battery or the battery pack. Furthermore, internal energy accumulated in the battery cell is forcibly consumed, thereby fundamentally preventing the progress of the abnormal operation of the battery or the battery pack. Consequently, the safety of the battery is secured.

Growing community of inventors

Daejeon, South Korea

Youngjoon Shin