Battery Cell Separator Protection Portion for Tab Corrosion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Lithium-ion batteries face safety hazards due to exposed conductive units piercing packaging bags, leading to corrosion, which existing technologies fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A battery cell design featuring a separator with a protection portion that overlays the conductive unit, combined with insulation tapes, to prevent exposure and corrosion, enhancing safety and structural simplicity while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a tab shaping hold-down bar is used to hold down the tab, then the tab is constrained in position, but the adhesive applicator cannot apply adhesive to part of the tab, causing exposure and safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetab position stabilityVSAvoidbattery safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The separator is divided into a body portion and a protection portion, where the protection portion specifically covers the tab area to provide targeted protection without interfering with the adhesive applicator's working position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protection portion of the separator acts as an intermediary barrier between the tab and the packaging bag, preventing direct contact and potential piercing while allowing the adhesive applicator to access the tab surface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the conductive unit is exposed, then the battery structure is simpler, but the packaging bag is prone to being pierced causing corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery structure complexityVSAvoidpackaging bag piercing and corrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protection portion of the separator is positioned beforehand to cover the conductive unit, providing a cushioning barrier that prevents the conductive unit from piercing the packaging bag under subsequent stress or deformation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The protection portion acts as a flexible thin film barrier that conforms to the conductive unit shape while providing protection, maintaining structural simplicity without rigid additional components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If insulation tape is applied to cover the conductive unit, then piercing is prevented, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging bag integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing process simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protection function is merged into the separator itself by adding the protection portion, combining the separator's ion isolation function with the new protection function into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate insulation tape application steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20230015190A1Battery cell and electronic device

Publication Date: 2023.01.19 NINGDE AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LTD

AI summary

A battery cell includes an electrode assembly and a first conductive unit. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of first electrode plates, a plurality of second electrode plates, and a separator. The plurality of first electrode plates and the plurality of second electrode plates are alternately stacked. The separator includes a first separator and a plurality of second separators. Along a thickness direction of the electrode assembly, the plurality of first electrode plates are located on one side of the first separator. One of the second separators is disposed between each pair of adjacent first electrode plate and second electrode plate. The first separator includes a body portion and a protection portion protruding from an edge of the body portion. The protection portion overlays the first conductive unit.