Battery Collector Welding Access for Fast, Clean Cell Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing lithium-ion cylindrical batteries face challenges in high-speed production due to complex welding operations through the central hole, leading to metal debris contamination, quality control difficulties, and slow production times.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an access from the outside of the container for welding the electrical collector to the outer body, allowing for a weld to be performed externally without spatial constraints, thereby eliminating metal debris and facilitating high-speed production while maintaining quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welding is performed through the central hole of the electrochemical cell, then the electrical collector can be connected to the outer body, but metal debris contaminates the battery and production speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of welding through the central hole from the inside, the patent inverts the approach by providing access from the outside of the container through a hole in the outer body, allowing the welding tool to approach the electrical collector from the external side rather than through the internal central hole.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the welding operation from the constrained internal space through the central hole and relocates it to the external side through a dedicated hole in the outer body, separating the welding access from the battery's internal structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If welding is performed through the central hole, then connection is established, but metal debris enters the battery causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the welding approach by accessing the electrical collector from the outside through the outer body rather than from the inside through the central hole, preventing molten metal and debris from falling into the battery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of metal debris contamination into a benefit by changing the welding approach, where the outer body's hole serves as a dedicated access point that prevents debris from entering the battery while still allowing welding to proceed.
3Reliability
If welding is performed through the central hole, then electrical connection is made, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the welding access direction from internal through the central hole to external through the outer body, enabling more efficient welding operations without compromising connection quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The hole in the outer body is provided in advance as a pre-prepared access point, allowing the welding operation to proceed directly without the need to navigate through the constrained central hole space, thus reducing execution time.
4Device complexity
If the electrochemical cell is inserted into the container, then assembly is complete, but welding access through the central hole becomes constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the welding access approach from internal through the central hole to external through the outer body, eliminating spatial constraints that arise after the electrochemical cell is inserted into the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer body acts as an intermediary structure that provides a dedicated hole for welding access, mediating between the external welding tool and the electrical collector without being constrained by the internal assembly geometry.
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
Enables high-speed production of lithium-ion batteries with reduced defects and contamination, ensuring a high-quality end product by preventing metal debris from entering the battery and simplifying the welding process.
Implementation Method 1
welding the electrical collector and the outer body to one another at said access to establish an electrical connection
Data Source
AI summary
Method to manufacture an energy storage battery having the steps of: providing an electrochemical cell, which is at least partially complete and is provided with an electrical collector; providing a container having a first wall; placing, on an outer surface of the first wall, an outer body, which constitutes an electrical pole of the battery; and inserting the electrochemical cell into the container placing the electrical collector close to the first wall; providing the electrical collector with an access from the outside of the container in order to permit a weld between the electrical collector and the outer body in order to establish an electrical connection; welding the electrical collector and the outer body together through the aforementioned access in order to establish an electrical connection.