초록 ▼

The invention provides an EC bundle having a plurality of cells. In turn, each cell respectively comprises: a pair of sheet-like electrodes; electrolyte interposed between the electrodes; and a sheet like current collecting element. The sheet-like current collecting element, which includes a pair o

The invention provides an EC bundle having a plurality of cells. In turn, each cell respectively comprises: a pair of sheet-like electrodes; electrolyte interposed between the electrodes; and a sheet like current collecting element. The sheet-like current collecting element, which includes a pair of generally opposite main faces, projects from at least one of the sheet-like electrodes and is electrically connected thereto. Moreover, the plurality of cells are arranged into a stack such that their respective sheet-like current collecting elements are in a side-by-side relationship with their main faces generally facing one another. The EC bundle further comprises a current collecting terminal featuring a pair of arms in a spaced apart relationship which define a recess which receives the sheet-like current collecting elements and which establishes an electrical connection with them. The arms of the current collecting terminal overlap at least a portion of a main face of one of the sheet-like current collecting elements.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An electrochemical cell (EC) bundle, comprising: a plurality of cells, each cell comprising: a) a pair of sheet-like electrodes, each sheet-like electrode having a first length in a first direction and a second length in a second direction perpendicular to the first dir

The invention claimed is: 1. An electrochemical cell (EC) bundle, comprising: a plurality of cells, each cell comprising: a) a pair of sheet-like electrodes, each sheet-like electrode having a first length in a first direction and a second length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; b) an electrolyte between said sheet-like electrodes; c) a sheet-like current collecting element projecting from at least one of said sheet-like electrodes in the first direction and electrically connected to said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes, said current collecting element having a pair of generally opposite main faces projecting from said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes in the first direction and extending the entire second length of said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes; said plurality of cells being arranged into a stack such that said sheet-like current collecting elements of the respective cells are side-by-side with the main faces of the respective sheet-like current collecting elements facing one another; a current collecting terminal having a pair of arms in a spaced apart relationship extending along the entire second length of each of said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes; each of said arms overlapping and pressing the main faces of said sheet-like current collecting elements of the stack of cells together thereby electrically connecting the sheet-like current collecting element of each said sheet-like electrode together to said current collecting terminal. 2. An EC bundle as defined in claim 1, wherein said arms diverge from one another. 3. An EC bundle as defined in claim 1, wherein said current collecting terminal is made of ductile metallic material mechanically crimped on said sheet-like collecting elements of the stack of cells. 4. An EC bundle as defined in claim 1, wherein said current collecting terminal is welded to said sheet-like collecting elements. 5. An EC bundle as defined in claim 1, wherein said arms of said current collecting terminal are of unequal length, one of said arms being longer than the other of said arms. 6. An EC bundle as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one sheet-like electrode is either one of an anode or a cathode. 7. An EC bundle as defined in claim 3, wherein said metallic material is selected from the group consisting of copper, brass, gold, silver, aluminum, and alloys thereof. 8. An energy storage device comprising at least two EC bundles, each one of said at least two EC bundles being as defined in claim 5, said EC bundles being arranged side-by-side such that the arm longer than the other of said arms of each EC bundle face one another and are in electrical contact with one another. 9. An EC bundle as defined in claim 1, wherein said pair of sheet-like electrodes include an anode and a cathode, said sheet-like current collecting element projecting from said cathode and being electrically connected to said cathode. 10. An EC bundle as defined in claim 9, wherein said cathode comprises an electrochemically active material selected from the group consisting of: LixVyOz; LiCoO2; LixMnyOz; LiNiO2; LiFePO4; VxOy; MnyOz; Fe(PO4)3 and LixTiyOz. 11. An EC bundle as defined in claim 10, wherein said anode includes a lithium or lithium alloy metallic sheet acting both as a cation source and as a current collecting element. 12. An EC bundle as defined in claim 9, wherein said current collecting element includes aluminum and a protective layer having an electronic conductive element. 13. An EC bundle as defined in claim 12, wherein said electrolyte is solid. 14. A method for fabricating an EC bundle, said method comprising: providing a plurality of cells, each cell comprising: a) a pair of sheet-like electrodes, each sheet-like electrode having a first length in a first direction and a second length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; b) an electrolyte interposed between said sheet-like electrodes; c) a sheet-like current collecting element projecting from at least one of said sheet-like electrodes in the first direction, said current collecting element having a pair of generally opposite main faces projecting from said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes in the first direction and extending the entire second length of said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes; arranging the plurality of cells into a stack such that said sheet-like current collecting elements of the respective cells are side-by-side with the main faces of the respective sheet-like current collecting elements facing one another; applying a current collecting terminal on the sheet-like current collecting elements, said current collecting terminal having a pair of arms in a spaced apart relationship extending along the entire second length of each of said at least one of said sheet-like electrodes; each of said arms overlapping and pressing the main faces of said sheet-like current collecting elements of the stack of cells together thereby electrically connecting the sheet-like current collecting element of each said sheet-like electrode together to said current collecting terminal. 15. A method for fabricating an EC bundle as defined in claim 14, wherein said current collecting terminal is made of ductile metallic material and is mechanically crimped on said sheet-like current collecting elements of the stack of cells. 16. A method for fabricating an EC bundle as defined in claim 15, wherein said current collecting terminal assumes a bent shape. 17. A method for fabricating an EC bundle as defined in claim 15, wherein said metallic material is selected from the group consisting of copper, brass, gold, silver, aluminum, and alloys thereof. 18. A method for fabricating an EC bundle as defined in claim 15, wherein said arms are of unequal length, one of said arms being longer than the other of said arms. 19. An energy storage device as defined in claim 8 wherein the arm longer than the other of said arms of each said current collecting terminal is folded. 20. An energy storage device as defined in claim 19 wherein the folded arm of each said current collecting terminals are arranged side by side and are in electrical contact with an adjacent folded arm of an adjacent current collecting terminal such that a stack of EC bundles is connected in series through the folded arms of said current collecting terminal. 21. An EC bundle as defined in claim 11, wherein said current collecting element of said cathode extends from one side of said EC bundle and said anode extends from an opposite side of said EC bundle. 22. A method for fabricating an EC bundle as defined in claim 15, wherein said current collecting terminal is further welded to said sheet-like collecting elements.