Method and apparatus for vacuum pressing electrochemical cell components

Abstract

Assembling electrochemical cell components using a bonding agent comprising aligning components of the electrochemical cell, applying a bonding agent between the components to bond the components together, placing the components within a container that is essentially a pliable bag, and drawing a vacuum within the bag, wherein the bag conforms to the shape of the components from the pressure outside the bag, thereby holding the components securely in place. The vacuum is passively maintained until the adhesive has cured and the components are securely bonded. The bonding agent used to bond the components of the electrochemical cell may be distributed to the bonding surface from distribution channels in the components. To prevent contamination with bonding agent, some areas may be treated to produce regions of preferred adhesive distribution and protected regions. Treatments may include polishing, etching, coating and providing protective grooves between the bonding surfaces and the protected regions.

1 - 26 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         27 . A subassembly of electrochemical cell components, comprising: 
 a first component having a first bonding surface with one or more open channels, wherein the one or more open channels contain a bonding agent; and    a second component having a second bonding surface aligned with the first bonding surface of the first component.    
     
     
         28 . The subassembly of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of supports disposed within the one or more open channels, wherein the supports prevent the atmospheric or applied external pressure from deform ing the first component or the second component along the one or more open channels.    
     
     
         29 . The subassembly of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of supports extending from the second bonding surface, wherein the supports extend into the one or more open channels when the second bonding surface aligns with the first bonding surface, and wherein the supports prevent the pressure differential from deforming the first component or the second component along the one or more open channels.    
     
     
         30 . The subassembly of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a bonding agent delivery reservoir in fluid communication with the one or more channels; and    a bonding agent disposed in the reservoir.    
     
     
         31 . The subassembly of  claim 30 , wherein the bonding agent reservoir is adapted to expose the bonding agent to externally applied fluid pressure.  
     
     
         32 . The subassembly of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 an overflow reservoir in fluid communication with an opposing end of the one or more channels from the bonding agent reservoir.    
     
     
         33 . The subassembly of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 opposing bonding surfaces on the first and second electrochemical cell components, wherein the bonding surfaces have been treated to enhance flow of the bonding agent; and    opposing non-bonding surfaces on the first and second electrochemical cell components, wherein the non-bonding surfaces have been treated to inhibit flow of the bonding agent.    
     
     
         34 . The subassembly of  claim 33 , wherein the bonding surfaces have been treated by a process selected from applying a wetting agent, polishing, etching and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The subassembly of  claim 33 , wherein the non-bonding surfaces have been treated by a process selected from roughening, chemically modifying, coating, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The subassembly of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the non-bonding surfaces is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or perfluoroalkoxy (PFA).  
     
     
         37 . The subassembly of  claim 27 , further comprising one or more features disposed along an interface between the first and second components to confine adhesive flowing from the bonding surfaces towards a non-bonding surface.  
     
     
         38 . The subassembly of  claim 27 , wherein the bonding surfaces have a plurality of surface features.  
     
     
         39 . The subassembly of  claim 38 , wherein the surface features are micro grooves.  
     
     
         40 . The method of claim  1 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the vacuum within the bag until the bonding agent has cured.    
     
     
         41 - 43 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the bonding agent is a contact adhesive.  
     
     
         45 . A method of assembling electrochemical cell components, comprising: 
 aligning first and second electrochemical cell components;    providing a bonding agent between the first and second electrochemical cell components;    placing the aligned components into a pliable bag, placing the pliable bag within a vacuum chamber; and    drawing a vacuum on the vacuum chamber.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising: 
 sealing the bag to retain the vacuum within the bag; and    removing the sealed bag from the vacuum chamber, wherein the pliable bag molds to a shape of the components.    
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the vacuum inside the sealed bag.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the vacuum until the bonding agent has cured.    
     
     
         49 . A method of assembling electrochemical cell components, comprising: 
 aligning first and second electrochemical cell components that form one or more closed channels therebetween;    adding a bonding agent into the one or more closed channels through one or more fill ports;    placing the aligned components into a container consisting essentially of a pliable bag; and    drawing a vacuum within the pliable bag, wherein the pliable bag molds to a shape of the aligned components.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 applying pressure to the outside of the pliable bag, wherein the pressure is selected from hydrostatic pressure and pneumatic pressure.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 placing the sealed pliable bag containing the components into an oven.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more closed channels contain a plurality of supports, the method further comprises: 
 supporting the one or more closed channels, wherein the first and second components do not deform from pressure exerted by the pliable bag.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the plurality of supports protrude from the first electrochemical cell component, from the second electrochemical cell component, or from combinations thereof.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more fill ports are in fluid communication with the one or more closed channels.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the step of adding a bonding agent further comprises: 
 injecting a bonding agent into the one or more closed channels from a delivery device.    
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the delivery device is selected from a syringe or a pump.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the delivery device comprises a conduit adapted to form a seal with each of the one or more fill ports.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein an overfill reservoir is in fluid communication with the closed channel, the method further comprising: 
 capturing excess bonding agent flowing from the closed channel into the overfill reservoir.    
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more fill ports are open reservoirs in fluid communication with the one or more closed channels, the method further comprising: 
 pushing the bonding agent into the closed channel with the pliable bag as the vacuum causes the pliable bag to mold to the shape of the reservoir.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein at least one of the one or more fill ports contains a spring pushing against the pliable bag, the method further comprises: 
 maintaining pressure with the spring against a portion of the pliable bag molding to the shape of the reservoir, wherein the spring limits a speed at which the bonding agent is forced from the reservoir.    
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein an overfill reservoir is in fluid communication with the one or more closed channel, the method further comprising: 
 capturing excess bonding agent flowing from the one or more closed channels into the overfill reservoir.    
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 maintaining alignment of the cell components by disposing a bonding agent between the components.    
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 treating a bonding surface on the first and second electrochemical cell components to enhance flow of the bonding agent; and    treating a non-bonding surface on the first and second electrochemical cell components to inhibit flow of the bonding agent.    
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the step of treating a bonding surface comprises a process selected from applying a wetting agent, polishing, etching and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein step of treating abonding surface comprises applying a wetting agent selected from detergents, soaps, surfactants, anionic, and cationic surface active compounds.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the step of treating a non-bonding surface comprises a process selected from roughening, chemically modifying, coating, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 providing a feature along an interface between the first and second electrochemical cell components and between a bonding area and a non-bonding area;    retaining and confining excess bonding agent to the region bounded by the features to prevent the bonding agent from reaching the non-bonding area.    
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the pliable bag is made of a material selected from polyethylene and a nylon-polyethylene blend.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the pliable bag has a thickness of between about 2 mils and about 7 mils.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the step of sealing the bag further comprises melting unsealed edges of the bag together.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the step of sealing the bag includes hermetically sealing the bag.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the first and second components are placed in the pliable bag without an alignment frame.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the vacuum inside the sealed bag is maintained without maintaining a connection to a vacuum source.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 sealing the bag to retain the vacuum within the bag; and    maintaining the vacuum within the bag.