1. Field
The described technology relates generally to a rechargeable battery and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the described technology relates generally to a rechargeable battery and a method of manufacturing the same that improves productivity by simplifying a manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate in which an active material is coated on a current collector, a separator that separates the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, an electrolyte that delivers ions through the separator, a can (or case) that houses the positive electrode plate, the separator, and the negative electrode plate, a lead tab that is connected to the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate to be drawn out to the outside of the can (or case), and a safety device. An electrode assembly of a rechargeable battery may include the positive and negative electrode plates with the separator therebetween, and may be classified into an electrode assembly of a winding method (jelly roll shape) and an electrode assembly of a stacking method according to a forming method of the positive electrode plate, the separator, and the negative electrode plate.
When the electrode assembly is manufactured by a winding method, as the size of the positive electrode plate, the negative electrode plate, and the separator increases, e.g., due to erroneous alignment of the electrode plates and the separator, a failure may occur. Also, when a length of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate increases with a capacity increase, a manufacturing time of the electrode assembly may increase. Further, when the can of the rechargeable battery is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, upon spiral-winding of the electrode plates and separator, due to a tension deviation between a bent portion and a linear portion, the active material may be peeled at the bent portions of the electrode plates and the electrode assembly may be twisted. As such, when the can is used for a long time, battery characteristics may deteriorate.
In the stacking method, an adhesive may be coated on both surfaces of the separator, and a plurality of positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates cut to a predetermined size may be alternately stacked with the separator therebetween. However, when the electrode assembly is manufactured via the stacking method, an additional process of attaching the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates to the separator, after previously cutting the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates, may be necessary, thereby increasing manufacturing time. Thus, manufacturing of the electrode assembly in a stacking method may have low productivity.
The above information disclosed in this Description of the Related Art section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.