Asymmetric Electrode Lead Orientation for Burr-Free Ultrasonic Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrode leads in secondary batteries have symmetrical shapes with fine burrs that are difficult to visually distinguish, leading to potential welding defects and disconnections during the ultrasonic welding process.
Innovation Solution
The electrode lead is designed with an asymmetric shape, such as a chamfered or uneven edge, to allow for easy visual differentiation between surfaces with and without burrs, and is accommodated in a lead input pallet with a direction restriction feature to ensure correct orientation during welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the electrode lead is produced by press-cutting a metal plate into a rectangular shape, then the manufacturing process is simple and efficient, but uneven burrs are formed along the edge that cause welding defects and disconnections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the electrode lead with a non-symmetrical outline shape where the first side and second side have different configurations. This asymmetry allows the burrs formed during press-cutting to be consistently located on one specific side, enabling the welding process to always approach from the burr-free side. The asymmetric design includes features such as one long side, one short side, and two angled sides with specific orientation, ensuring that burrs do not interfere with the welding interface.
2Ease of manufacture
If the electrode lead has a symmetrical shape, then the design is simple and manufacturing is easy, but it is difficult to visually distinguish the surface with burrs from the surface without burrs, leading to potential welding errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetry to create a visually distinguishable outline shape that indicates the correct orientation for welding. The non-symmetrical configuration with specific side length relationships and angular features provides clear visual cues about which side should face the welding process, eliminating the need for complex inspection procedures to locate burrs.
Solution Approach 2:
While the primary solution is geometric asymmetry, the patent also contemplates using visual differentiation methods to make the burr-free surface easily identifiable. This could include surface treatment, coating, or geometric features that create visible differences between the two sides of the electrode lead, allowing operators to quickly identify the correct welding surface without close inspection.
3Ease of manufacture
If burrs are formed during press-cutting, then the manufacturing process is straightforward, but the burrs cause welding defects and may lead to disconnection between electrode tab and electrode lead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by deliberately separating the burr formation zone from the welding zone through asymmetric design. The asymmetric outline ensures that burrs are extracted or isolated to specific non-critical areas of the electrode lead, away from the welding interface. This allows the press-cutting process to remain simple while the resulting burrs do not compromise welding quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design prevents welding defects and disconnections by ensuring the correct surface is welded, improving bonding performance and reducing errors in the welding process.
Implementation Method 1
Ultrasonic welding is mainly used for the welding
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode lead having an asymmetric shape to geometrically distinguish a direction is provided. A lead input pallet with a direction restriction portion corresponding to an asymmetric shape of an electrode lead is provided. The electrode lead may have burrs generated due to a metal plate being cut and processed by a press forming. The asymmetric shape of the electrode lead and corresponding asymmetric shape of the lead input pallet provides that an electrode lead may be arranged in the pallet in a known direction with respect to any burrs formed on the lead.