Secondary Battery Collector With Localized Thin Fuse Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional secondary batteries face issues with the degradation of collector strength due to the large cut-out required for fuses, which can lead to sectioning and rendering the battery unusable when vibrations are transmitted to the collector.
Innovation Solution
A secondary battery design featuring a collector with a first and second conductive member, where one member includes a through hole with a thin peripheral edge that is thermally cut to disconnect the electric current when an overcurrent flows, maintaining the strength of the collector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a through hole is provided midway of a collector and the member is largely cut out at the fuse portion, then the fuse can effectively actuate to cut off overcurrent, but the strength of the collector is decreased greatly making it susceptible to sectioning under vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The collector is designed with a thin portion only at the specific location where the through hole is formed, while other portions maintain their original thickness. This localized thinning allows the fuse to function effectively at the through hole while preserving the overall strength of the collector. The thin portion has a thickness smaller than other portions, creating a controlled weak point for fuse actuation without compromising structural integrity.
2Strength
If the collector strength is maintained without large cut-outs, then vibration resistance is improved, but the fuse cannot effectively actuate to protect against overcurrent
Solution Approach 1:
The collector structure maintains full thickness in most areas to preserve strength and vibration resistance, while having a localized thin portion only where the through hole is formed. This thin portion serves as the fuse actuation point, ensuring that overcurrent protection functionality is achieved without compromising the overall structural integrity of the collector.
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 enhances the reliability of the secondary battery by preventing degradation of the collector strength and ensuring the battery remains functional even under overcurrent conditions.
Implementation Method 1
when an overcurrent flows from the tab to the terminal, the thin portion becomes thermally cut and cuts off an electric current
Data Source
AI summary
A tab derived from an electrode body and a terminal of a battery are electrically connected to each other using a collector. The collector includes a first conductive member connected to a tab-side conductive member, and a second conductive member connected to a terminal-side conductive member. The collector opposes a sealing plate with an insulating member in between. A through hole and a thin portion provided at a peripheral edge of the through hole are provided in either one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member. The through hole and the other one of the conductive members are overlapped to join the peripheral edge of the through hole and the other one of the conductive members to each other so that the thin portion becomes a fuse. An insulating material is provided between the first conductive member and the second conductive member.