Patent ID: 9620789
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: H01M,Y02E,Y02P,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method of manufacturing a battery cell stack, the method comprising the steps of: providing two or more battery cells connected in series, wherein one or more of the battery cells have different sizes than one or more other of the battery cells, wherein each battery cell is a pouch-shaped battery cell including a cell case in which an electrode assembly including a stack of cathodes, separators, and anodes is received, the cell case is sealed by thermal welding after the electrode assembly is impregnated with an electrolyte, and a cathode terminal and an anode terminal protrude outward from the cell case, wherein the cathode terminal and the anode terminal are formed at a first end of the battery cell and a second end of the battery cell opposite the first end, respectively; and stacking the battery cells in a height direction on the basis of a plane to form one or more stair-like structures each having a width and a height, wherein the two or more battery cells are connected such that a first battery cell is connected through one of its cathode and anode terminals to the cathode or anode terminal of a second battery cell at a first terminal connection, and the first battery cell is connected through the other of its cathode and anode terminals to the cathode or anode terminal of a third battery cell at a second terminal connection, and wherein the step of stacking includes folding the first battery cell at the first terminal connection such that it is stacked on the second battery cell, and folding the third battery cell at the second terminal connection such that it is stacked on the first battery cell, with the resulting stack having a Z shape in cross section.