1. A method of fabricating an anti-fatigue mat comprising:
providing first and second frame members, the second frame member including an aperture for receiving liquid gel therein;
positioning the second frame member in an open position that is spaced apart with respect to the first frame member so that the first frame member and second frame member may receive a first flexible sheet therebetween;
positioning the first flexible sheet on the first frame member while the first and second frame members are in the open position;
moving the second frame member to a closed position such that the first flexible sheet is captured between the second frame member and the first frame member, the aperture of the second frame member exposing a portion of the first flexible sheet;
dispensing the liquid gel into the aperture in the second frame member so that the liquid gel covers the portion of the first flexible sheet exposed by the aperture; and
positioning a second flexible sheet covering the gel.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid gel is formed by heating semi-solid gel to become liquid gel prior to the dispensing step.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving the second frame member step comprises rotating the second frame member with respect to the first frame member.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning the second flexible sheet step comprises:
capturing, by a head of a vacuum press, the second flexible sheet;
moving the head of the vacuum press to bring the second flexible sheet in contact with the liquid gel;
depositing, by the vacuum press, the second flexible sheet on the liquid gel.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second flexible sheet is substantially aligned with respect to the first flexible sheet.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second flexible sheet includes first and second opposed ends and a lengthwise dimension therebetween, the step of positioning the second flexible sheet further comprising:
positioning the first end of the second flexible sheet on the liquid gel and then proceeding along the lengthwise dimension of the second flexible sheet to position the second flexible sheet on the liquid gel until the second end of the second flexible sheet is fully positioned on the liquid gel.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the first frame member, the second frame member, the first flexible sheet, the second flexible sheet and the liquid gel to solidify the liquid gel.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling step comprises convectively cooling the liquid gel by supplying air to at least one air channel formed between the first frame member and a third frame member that is spaced apart from the first frame member.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling step comprises liquid cooling the liquid gel by supplying a liquid coolant to at least one coolant channel formed between the first frame member and a third frame member spaced apart from the first frame member.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling step comprises applying a cold plate to the second flexible sheet to cool the second flexible sheet, the liquid gel and the first flexible sheet.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the applying a cold plate step is performed by pressing the cold plate toward the second flexible sheet.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge of the first flexible sheet and an outer edge of the second flexible sheet.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the attaching step comprises one of RF welding the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge thereof, adhesively attaching the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge thereof, and sewing the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge thereof.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising cutting the first and second flexible sheets adjacent the outer edges of the first and second flexible sheets.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second frame members, the first and second flexible sheets, and the aperture in the second frame member exhibit one of rectangular, square, circular or elliptical geometries.
16. A method of fabricating an anti-fatigue mat comprising:
providing first and second frame members, the second frame member including an aperture for receiving liquid gel therein;
positioning the second frame member in an open position that is spaced apart with respect to the first frame member so that the first frame member and second frame member may receive a first flexible sheet therebetween;
positioning the first flexible sheet on the first frame member while the first and second frame members are in the open position;
moving the second frame member to a closed position such that the first flexible sheet is captured between the second frame member and the first frame member, the aperture of the second frame member exposing a portion of the first flexible sheet;
dispensing the liquid gel into the aperture in the second frame member to form a gel layer that the gel covers the portion of the first flexible sheet exposed by the aperture;
positioning a flexible buffer sheet covering the gel layer in the aperture and
positioning a second flexible sheet covering the flexible buffer sheet.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the liquid gel is formed by heating semi-solid gel to become liquid gel prior to the dispensing step.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the moving the second frame member step comprises rotating the second frame member with respect to the first frame member.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second flexible sheet is substantially aligned with respect to the first flexible sheet.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the flexible buffer sheet adheres to the gel layer and performs at least one of preventing liquid migration from the gel layer to the second flexible sheet and allowing the gel layer to move within the mat such that the gel layer and flexible buffer sheet may move with respect to the second flexible sheet.
21. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge of the first flexible sheet and an outer edge of the second flexible sheet.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein the attaching step comprises one of RF welding the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge thereof, adhesively attaching the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge thereof, and sewing the first flexible sheet to the second flexible sheet adjacent an outer edge thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrode assembly comprising:
a positive electrode comprising a positive current collector and a positive active material on the positive current collector;
a negative electrode comprising a negative current collector and a negative active material on the negative current collector;
an outer electrode comprising an outer current collector and an outer active material on the outer current collector, one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode being between the outer electrode and the other of the positive electrode or the negative electrode;
an inner separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and
an outer separator between the outer electrode and the one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode,
wherein the outer current collector comprises an outer surface facing away from the outer separator and an inner surface facing toward the outer separator, and the outer active material is on both the outer surface and the inner surface,
wherein a thickness of the outer active material that is a total thickness of the outer active material on both the outer surface and the inner surface is less than each of a thickness of the positive active material that is a total thickness of the positive active material on both of opposite surfaces of the positive current collector and a thickness of the negative active material that is a total thickness of the negative active material on both of opposite surfaces of the negative current collector, and
wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are stacked with the inner separator and the outer separator at an inner side of the outer electrode, and the one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode is stacked between the outer separator and the inner separator.
2. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the outer active material is one half of at least one of the thickness of the positive active material or the thickness of the negative active material.
3. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer current collector comprises a sheet having a plurality of openings.
4. The electrode assembly of claim 3, wherein the sheet is a mesh-type sheet.
5. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector comprises a sheet having a plurality of openings.
6. The electrode assembly of claim 5, wherein the outer current collector comprises a sheet having a plurality of openings larger than the openings of the at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector.
7. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector comprises a sheet that does not have openings.
8. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer electrode is a first outer electrode, and the electrode assembly further comprises a second outer electrode, the positive electrode and the negative electrode being between the first and second outer electrodes.
9. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the outer active material on the outer surface is different than a thickness of the outer active material on the inner surface.
10. The electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the outer active material on one of the outer surface or the inner surface is between about 1 to about 10 times of the thickness of the outer active material on the other of the outer surface or the inner surface.
11. The electrode assembly of claim 10, wherein the thickness of the outer active material on the one of the outer surface or the inner surface is between about 1 to about 3 times of the thickness of the outer active material on the other of the outer surface or the inner surface.
12. A rechargeable battery comprising:
an electrode assembly comprising:
a positive electrode comprising a positive current collector and a positive active material on the positive current collector;
a negative electrode comprising a negative current collector and a negative active material on the negative current collector;
an outer electrode comprising an outer current collector and an outer active material on the outer current collector, one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode being between the outer electrode and the other of the positive electrode or the negative electrode;
an inner separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and
an outer separator between the outer electrode and the one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode,
wherein the outer current collector comprises an outer surface facing away from the outer separator and an inner surface facing toward the outer separator, and the outer active material is on both the outer surface and the inner surface,
wherein a thickness of the outer active material that is a total thickness of the outer active material on both the outer surface and the inner surface is less than each of a thickness of the positive active material that is a total thickness of the positive active material on both of opposite surfaces of the positive current collector and a thickness of the negative active material that is a total thickness of the negative active material on both of opposite surfaces of the negative current collector, and
wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are stacked with the inner separator and the outer separator at an inner side of the outer electrode, and the one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode is stacked between the outer separator and the inner separator; and
a case containing the electrode assembly therein.
13. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the outer active material is one half of at least one of the thickness of the positive active material or the thickness of the negative active material.
14. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein the outer current collector comprises a sheet having a plurality of openings.
15. The rechargeable battery of claim 14, wherein the sheet is a mesh-type sheet.
16. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector comprises a sheet having a plurality of openings.
17. The rechargeable battery of claim 16, wherein the outer current collector comprises a sheet having a plurality of openings larger than the openings of the at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector.
18. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein at least one of the positive current collector or the negative current collector comprises a sheet that does not have openings.
19. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein the outer electrode is a first outer electrode, and the electrode assembly further comprises a second outer electrode, the positive electrode and the negative electrode being between the first and second outer electrodes.
20. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein a thickness of the outer active material on the outer surface is different than a thickness of the outer active material on the inner surface.
21. The rechargeable battery of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the outer active material on one of the outer surface or the inner surface is between about 1 to about 10 times of the thickness of the outer active material on the other of the outer surface or the inner surface.
22. The rechargeable battery of claim 21, wherein the thickness of the outer active material on the one of the outer surface or the inner surface is between about 1 to about 3 times of the thickness of the outer active material on the other of the outer surface or the inner surface.