US 12,451,561 B2
Electrode assembly structure, secondary battery, and methods of manufacture
William H. Chandler, Jr., Milpitas, CA (US); Robert S. Busacca, Oakland, CA (US); Bruno A. Valdes, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Kim Han Lee, Pleasanton, CA (US); Anthony Calcaterra, Milpitas, CA (US); Miles A. M. Kool, San Francisco, CA (US); and Robert Kinchen, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to Enovix Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Enovix Corporation, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/235,180.
Application 18/235,180 is a continuation of application No. 17/977,728, filed on Oct. 31, 2022, granted, now 11,777,174.
Application 17/977,728 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2022/022445, filed on Mar. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/168,638, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/293,272, filed on Dec. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/293,391, filed on Dec. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/168,454, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0395935 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 50/403 (2021.01); H01M 50/204 (2021.01); H01M 50/289 (2021.01)
CPC H01M 50/403 (2021.01) [H01M 50/204 (2021.01); H01M 50/289 (2021.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A structure for energy storage, the structure comprising an electrode assembly, a first endplate opposing, and separated from, a second endplate, the electrode assembly comprising:
(a) an electrically insulating material;
(b) a population of unit cells stacked along a stacking direction, unit cells of the population of unit cells being electrically coupled with each other in series, the stacking direction opposing, or in a direction of, a longitudinal direction, the population of unit cells having a first longitudinal end surface opposing to, and separated from, a second longitudinal end surface, the first longitudinal end surface and the second longitudinal end surface being stacked along the stacking direction, the first endplate and the second endplate being stacked along the stacking direction, the first endplate vertically overlapping the first longitudinal end surface, the second endplate vertically overlapping the second longitudinal end surface,
each unit cell of the population of unit cells comprising an electrode structure separated from a counter-electrode structure, and a separator comprising the electrically insulating material disposed between the electrode structure and the counter-electrode structure, the electrode structure, the counter-electrode structure, and the separator, each having a first end surface opposing to, and vertically separated from, a second end surfaces, a vertical direction being orthogonal to the stacking direction, an endplate comprising a vertical thickness along the vertical direction and an inner portion coupled with opposing outer portions separated vertically along the endplate,
the first endplate comprising a first vertical thickness having a first maximum thickness and a first inner portion coupled with opposing first outer portions separated vertically along the first endplate, a vertical thickness of the first inner portion (i) being greater than a vertical thickness of any of the first outer portions and (ii) coinciding with the first maximum thickness, the second endplate comprising a second vertical thickness having a second maximum thickness and a second inner portion coupled with opposing second outer portions separated vertically along the second endplate, a vertical thickness of the second inner portion (iii) being greater than a vertical thickness of any of the second outer portions and (iv) coinciding with the second maximum thickness; and
(c) a porous electrically insulating material at least partially covering the first longitudinal end surface and/or the second longitudinal end surface, the porous electrically insulating material being configured to allow transit of carrier ions therethrough to the first end surface and to the second end surface.