Battery Cell Shape Retention Member for Sealed Portion Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pouch-shaped battery cells face issues with non-uniform sealed portions due to electrode leads protruding, leading to potential damage, insulation failure, and moisture exposure, especially under repeated charging and discharging, and physical impacts.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a shape retention member between the outer edges of the upper and lower cases of the battery case, thermally fused to provide structural support and uniformity to the sealed portion, with an insulative film and adhesive material ensuring electrical insulation and rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an insulative film is attached to the electrode lead to improve sealing, then electrical insulation is improved, but the sealed portion thickness becomes non-uniform and deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
A shape retention member is introduced as an intermediary component between the electrode lead and the battery case sealed portion. This member has a thickness specifically designed to compensate for the thickness reduction caused by the insulative film, thereby maintaining uniform overall thickness of the sealed portion while preserving electrical insulation properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The shape retention member is positioned specifically at the sealed portion where the electrode lead protrudes, providing localized thickness compensation and structural support only where needed, rather than uniformly across the entire battery case.
2Ease of manufacture
If the sealed portion thickness is non-uniform due to electrode lead formation, then manufacturing is simplified, but the sealed portion becomes vulnerable to cracking and damage from physical impact
Solution Approach 1:
The shape retention member provides localized reinforcement specifically at the sealed portion where the electrode lead protrudes, strengthening this vulnerable area without adding complexity to the overall manufacturing process or requiring changes to the battery case structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shape retention member is pre-installed in the battery case before the electrode lead is inserted and sealed. This beforehand preparation ensures that the sealed portion has adequate thickness and structural support from the outset, preventing future cracking or damage from physical impact during operation.
3Measurement precision
If high pressure is applied during leakage testing to detect defects, then detection accuracy is improved, but the sealed portion becomes further deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The shape retention member is installed beforehand in the battery case to provide structural support to the sealed portion. This pre-reinforcement prevents further deformation when high pressure is applied during leakage testing, allowing accurate defect detection without compromising the sealed portion shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The shape retention member provides localized structural support specifically at the sealed portion, enabling this area to withstand the high pressure applied during leakage testing without deforming, thereby maintaining measurement precision while protecting the sealed portion integrity.
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
The solution enhances the physical strength and uniformity of the sealed portion, preventing damage from impacts and facilitating the integration of a protection circuit module, while maintaining electrical insulation and preventing moisture exposure.
Implementation Method 1
The battery case is sealed by applying heat and pressure to contact regions of an upper case and a lower case constituting the battery case such that the inner resin layers of the upper case and the lower case are attached to each other by thermal fusion. The inner resin layers melt when heat is applied thereto, whereby freedom of mobility is increased, and are then cured when the inner resin layers are cooled, whereby the inner resin layers are adhered to each other.
Implementation Method 2
a shape retention member interposed between the outer edges of the upper case and the lower case, the shape retention member being thermally fused in the state of being interposed between the upper case and the lower case
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a battery cell including an electrode assembly having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed therebetween, a battery case including an upper case and a lower case, corresponding portions of outer edges of the upper case and the lower case being thermally fused to one another in a state in which the electrode assembly is received in a reception unit formed by the upper case and the lower case such that the battery case has a sealed portion extending around the reception unit, an electrode lead electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the electrode lead protruding outwards from the battery case through the sealed portion in the state in which insulative films are attached to opposite surfaces of the electrode lead at the sealed portion, and a shape retention member interposed between the outer edges of the upper case and the lower case.