Battery and battery manufacturing method

Abstract

A battery manufacturing method uses a battery manufacturing apparatus, including an electrode layer forming unit, a counter electrode layer forming unit, and a current collector folding unit that folds a first current collector. The battery manufacturing method includes forming (a 11 ) a first electrode layer in contact with the first electroconductive portion by the electrode layer forming unit, forming (a 12 ) a second electrode layer in contact with the second front face region by the electrode layer forming unit, and forming (b 11 ) the first counter electrode layer, which is the counter electrode of the first electrode layer, in contact with the first front face region by the counter electrode layer forming unit. The method also includes folding (c 11 ) the first fold region by the current collector folding unit, and folding (d 11 ) the first insulating portion by the current collector folding unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery manufacturing method using a battery manufacturing apparatus,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes an electrode layer forming unit, a counter electrode layer forming unit, and a current collector folding unit that folds a first current collector,   wherein the first current collector includes a first electroconductive portion, a first insulating portion, and a second electroconductive portion,   wherein the second electroconductive portion includes a first edge region, a first front face region, a first rear face region, a first fold region, a second front face region, a second rear face region, and a second edge region,   wherein the first front face region is a region situated between the first edge region and the first fold region,   wherein the first rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the first front face region,   wherein the second front face region is a region situated between the second edge region and the first fold region,   wherein the second rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the second front face region, and   wherein the first insulating portion links the first electroconductive portion and the first edge region,   the method comprising steps of:   forming (a 11 ) a first electrode layer in contact with the first electroconductive portion by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (a 12 ) a second electrode layer in contact with the second front face region by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 11 ) the first counter electrode layer, which is the counter electrode of the first electrode layer, in contact with the first front face region by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   folding (c 11 ) the first fold region by the current collector folding unit; and   folding (d 11 ) the first insulating portion by the current collector folding unit,   wherein, in the folding step (c 11 ), the first rear face region and second rear face region are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the first fold region by the current collector folding unit, and   wherein, in the folding step (d 11 ), the first electrode layer and first counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the first insulating portion by the current collector folding unit.   
     
     
         2 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the folding step (c 11 ), the first rear face region and second rear face region are in contact with each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the first fold region by the current collector folding unit.   
     
     
         3 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes an adhesion portion forming unit that forms a first adhesion portion that adheres the first rear face region and the second rear face region to each other,   the method further comprising a step of:   forming (e 1 ) the first adhesion portion in contact with at least one of the first rear face region and the second rear face region, by the adhesion portion forming unit.   
     
     
         4 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first current collector includes a second insulating portion and a third electroconductive portion,   wherein the second insulating portion links the second edge region and the third electroconductive portion,   the method further comprising a step of:   forming (b 12 ) a second counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the second electrode layer, in contact with the third electroconductive portion, by the counter electrode layer forming unit; and   folding (d 12 ) the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit,   wherein the second electrode layer and second counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 12 ).   
     
     
         5 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes a solid electrolyte layer forming unit,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (f 11 ) a first solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the first electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit; and   forming (f 12 ) a second solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the second electrode layer and the second counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit,   wherein, either the first solid electrolyte layer is formed on part of the first fold region by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit in the forming step (f 11 ), or the second solid electrolyte layer is formed on part of the first fold region by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit in the forming step (f 12 ).   
     
     
         6 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first current collector includes a third insulating portion and a fourth electroconductive portion,   wherein the third electroconductive portion includes a third edge region, a third front face region, a third rear face region, a second fold region, a fourth front face region, a fourth rear face region, and a fourth edge region,   wherein the third front face region is a region situated between the third edge region and the second fold region,   wherein the third rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the third front face region,   wherein the fourth front face region is a region situated between the fourth edge region and the second fold region,   wherein the fourth rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the fourth front face region,   wherein the second insulating portion links the second edge region and third edge region,   wherein the third insulating portion links the fourth edge region and the fourth electroconductive portion,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (a 13 ) a third electrode layer in contact with the fourth front face region by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 13 ) a third counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the third electrode layer, in contact with the fourth electroconductive portion, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   folding (c 12 ) the second fold region by the current collector folding unit; and   folding (d 13 ) the third insulating portion by the current collector folding unit,   wherein the third rear face region and fourth rear face region are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the second fold region by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (c 12 ), and   wherein the third electrode layer and third counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the third insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 13 ).   
     
     
         7 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes a solid electrolyte layer forming unit,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (f 11 ) a first solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the first electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit;   forming (f 12 ) a second solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the second electrode layer and the second counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit; and   forming (f 13 ) a third solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the third electrode layer and the third counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit.   
     
     
         8 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes a laminating unit that laminates the first current collector and a second current collector,   wherein the second current collector includes a third electroconductive portion, a second insulating portion, and a fourth electroconductive portion,   wherein the third electroconductive portion includes a third edge region, a third front face region, a third rear face region, a second fold region, a fourth front face region, a fourth rear face region, and a fourth edge region,   wherein the third front face region is a region situated between the third edge region and the second fold region,   wherein the third rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the third front face region,   wherein the fourth front face region is a region situated between the fourth edge region and the second fold region,   wherein the fourth rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the fourth front face region,   wherein the second insulating portion links the fourth edge region and the fourth electroconductive portion,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (a 23 ) a third electrode layer in contact with the fourth front face region by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 22 ) a second counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the third electrode layer, in contact with the third front face region, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 23 ) a third counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the third electrode layer, in contact with the fourth electroconductive portion, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   folding (c 22 ) the second fold region by the current collector folding unit;   folding (d 22 ) the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit; and   laminating (s 1 ) the first current collector and the second current collector by the laminating unit with the first electrode layer and second electrode layer facing each other,   wherein the third rear face region and the fourth rear face region are positioned facing each other, due to the second current collector being folded at the second fold region by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (c 22 ), and   wherein the third electrode layer and the third counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the second current collector being folded at the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 22 ).   
     
     
         9 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the folding step (d 11 ) is executed after the laminating step (s 1 ) and the folding step (c 22 ),   wherein the third electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the first insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 11 ),   wherein the folding step (d 22 ) is executed after the folding step (d 11 ),   and wherein the second electrode layer and the third counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the second current collector being folded at the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 22 ).   
     
     
         10 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the laminating step (s 1 ) is executed after the folding step (c 11 ), the folding step (c 22 ), the folding step (d 11 ), and the folding step (d 22 ), and   wherein, in the laminating step (s 1 ), the third electroconductive portion is inserted between the first electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the second electroconductive portion is inserted between the third electroconductive portion and the fourth electroconductive portion, whereby the first current collector and the second current collector are laminated.   
     
     
         11 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the laminating unit laminates the first current collector, the second current collector, and a third current collector,   wherein the third current collector has a fifth electroconductive portion, a third insulating portion, and a sixth electroconductive portion,   wherein the fifth electroconductive portion has a fifth edge region, a fifth front face region, a fifth rear face region, a third fold region, a sixth front face region, a sixth rear face region, and a sixth edge region,   wherein the fifth front face region is a region situated between the fifth edge region and the third fold region,   wherein the fifth rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the fifth front face region,   wherein the sixth front face region is a region situated between the sixth edge region and third fold region,   wherein the sixth rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the sixth front face region,   wherein the third insulating portion links the sixth edge region and the sixth electroconductive portion,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (a 24 ) a fourth electrode layer in contact with the fourth electroconductive portion by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (a 25 ) a fifth electrode layer in contact with the sixth front face region by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 24 ) a fourth counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the fifth electrode layer, in contact with the fifth front face region, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 25 ) a fifth counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the fifth electrode layer, in contact with the sixth electroconductive portion, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   folding (c 23 ) the third fold region by the current collector folding unit;   folding (d 23 ) the third insulating portion by the current collector folding unit; and   laminating (s 2 ) the second current collector and third current collector by the laminating unit with the third electrode layer and fourth counter electrode layer facing each other,   wherein the fifth rear face region and sixth rear face region are positioned facing each other, due to the third current collector being folded at the third fold region by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (c 23 ), and   wherein the fifth electrode layer and the fifth counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the third current collector being folded at the third insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 23 ).   
     
     
         12 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the folding step (d 11 ) is executed after the laminating step (s 1 ), the laminating step (s 2 ), the folding step (c 22 ), and the folding step (c 23 ),   wherein the fifth electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the first insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 11 ),   wherein the folding step (d 22 ) is executed after the folding step (d 11 ),   wherein the second electrode layer and the third counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the second current collector being folded at the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 22 ),   wherein the folding step (d 23 ) is executed after the folding step (d 22 ), and   wherein the fourth electrode layer and the fifth counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the third current collector being folded at the third insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 23 ).   
     
     
         13 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the laminating step (s 1 ) is executed after the folding step (c 11 ), the folding step (c 22 ), the folding step (d 11 ), and the folding step (d 22 ),   wherein, in the laminating step (s 1 ), the third electroconductive portion is inserted between the first electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the second electroconductive portion is inserted between the third electroconductive portion and the fourth electroconductive portion, whereby the first current collector and the second current collector are laminated,   wherein the laminating step (s 2 ) is executed after the laminating step (s 1 ), the folding step (c 23 ), and the folding step (d 23 ), and   wherein, in the laminating step (s 2 ), the fifth electroconductive portion is inserted between the third electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the second electroconductive portion and the fourth electroconductive portion are inserted between the fifth electroconductive portion and the sixth electroconductive portion, whereby second current collector and the third current collector are laminated.   
     
     
         14 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the laminating unit laminates the first current collector, the second current collector, the third current collector, and a fourth current collector,   wherein the fourth current collector includes a seventh electroconductive portion, a fourth insulating portion, and an eighth electroconductive portion,   wherein the seventh electroconductive portion includes a seventh edge region, a seventh front face region, a seventh rear face region, a fourth fold region, an eighth front face region, an eighth rear face region, and an eighth edge region,   wherein the seventh front face region is a region situated between the seventh edge region and the fourth fold region,   wherein the seventh rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the seventh front face region,   wherein the eighth front face region is a region situated between the eighth edge region and fourth fold region,   wherein the eighth rear face region is a region situated on the rear face of the eighth front face region,   wherein the fourth insulating portion links the eighth edge region and the eighth electroconductive portion,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (a 26 ) a sixth electrode layer in contact with the sixth electroconductive portion by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (a 27 ) a seventh electrode layer in contact with the eighth front face region by the electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 26 ) a sixth counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the seventh electrode layer, in contact with the seventh front face region, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   forming (b 27 ) a seventh counter electrode layer, which is a counter electrode of the seventh electrode layer, in contact with the eighth electroconductive portion, by the counter electrode layer forming unit;   folding (c 24 ) the fourth fold region by the current collector folding unit;   folding (d 24 ) the fourth insulating portion by the current collector folding unit; and   laminating (s 3 ) the third current collector and the fourth current collector by the laminating unit with the fifth electrode layer and the sixth counter electrode layer facing each other,   wherein the seventh rear face region and the eighth rear face region are positioned facing each other, due to the fourth current collector being folded at the fourth fold region by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (c 24 ), and   wherein the seventh electrode layer and the seventh counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the fourth current collector being folded at the fourth insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 24 ).   
     
     
         15 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the folding step (d 11 ) is executed after the laminating step (s 1 ), the laminating step (s 2 ), the laminating step (s 3 ), the folding step (c 22 ), the folding step (c 23 ), and the folding step (c 24 ),   wherein the seventh electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the first current collector being folded at the first insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 11 ),   wherein the folding step (d 22 ) is executed after the folding step (d 11 ),   wherein the second electrode layer and the third counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the second current collector being folded at the second insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 22 ),   wherein the folding step (d 23 ) is executed after the folding step (d 22 ),   wherein the fourth electrode layer and the fifth counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the third current collector being folded at the third insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 23 ),   wherein the folding step (d 24 ) is executed after the folding step (d 23 ), and   wherein the sixth electrode layer and the seventh counter electrode layer are positioned facing each other, due to the fourth current collector being folded at the fourth insulating portion by the current collector folding unit in the folding step (d 24 ).   
     
     
         16 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the laminating step (s 1 ) is executed after the folding step (c 11 ), the folding step (c 22 ), the folding step (d 11 ), and the folding step (d 22 ),   wherein, in the laminating step (s 1 ), the third electroconductive portion is inserted between the first electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the second electroconductive portion is inserted between the third electroconductive portion and the fourth electroconductive portion, whereby the first current collector and the second current collector are laminated,   wherein the laminating step (s 2 ) is executed after the laminating step (s 1 ), the folding step (c 23 ), and the folding step (d 23 ),   wherein, in the laminating step (s 2 ), the fifth electroconductive portion is inserted between the third electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the second electroconductive portion and the fourth electroconductive portion are inserted between the fifth electroconductive portion and the sixth electroconductive portion, whereby second current collector and the third current collector are laminated,   wherein the laminating step (s 3 ) is executed after the laminating step (s 2 ), the folding step (c 24 ), and the folding step (d 24 ), and   wherein, in the laminating step (s 3 ), the seventh electroconductive portion is inserted between the fifth electroconductive portion and the second electroconductive portion, and the second electroconductive portion, the fourth electroconductive portion, and the sixth electroconductive portion are inserted between the seventh electroconductive portion and the eighth electroconductive portion, whereby the third current collector and the fourth current collector are laminated.   
     
     
         17 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes a solid electrolyte layer forming unit,   the method further comprising steps of:   forming (f 21 ) a first solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the first electrode layer and the second counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit;   forming (f 22 ) a second solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the third electrode layer and the fourth counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit;   forming (f 23 ) a third solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the second electrode layer and the third counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit;   forming (f 24 ) a fourth solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the fifth electrode layer and the sixth counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit;   forming (f 25 ) a fifth solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the fourth electrode layer and the fifth counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit;   forming (f 26 ) a sixth solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the seventh electrode layer and the first counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit; and   forming (f 27 ) a seventh solid electrolyte layer on at least one of the sixth electrode layer and the seventh counter electrode layer by the solid electrolyte layer forming unit.   
     
     
         18 . The battery manufacturing method according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the battery manufacturing apparatus includes an insulating portion working unit,   the method further comprising steps of:   shrinking (g 1 ) the first insulating portion by the insulating portion working unit, after the folding step (d 11 );   shrinking (g 2 ) the second insulating portion by the insulating portion working unit, after the folding step (d 22 );   shrinking (g 3 ) the third insulating portion by the insulating portion working unit, after the folding step (d 23 ); and   shrinking (g 4 ) the fourth insulating portion by the insulating portion working unit, after the folding step (d 24 ).