S-Shaped Battery Cell Conductor With Integrated Overcurrent Fuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cells lack effective over-current protection mechanisms, particularly in tabless designs, which can lead to potential damage and safety hazards due to excessive current flow.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a formable conductor with a narrowed portion configured to interrupt current flow above a predetermined value, forming an S-shape with fold regions and fuses integrated within the conductor to provide over-current protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a tabless battery cell design is used to simplify structure and improve manufacturing, then ease of manufacture and device complexity are improved, but over-current protection capability deteriorates due to lack of integrated protection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the current collector and over-current protection functions into a single integrated component. The current collector is designed with a narrowed portion that acts as a fuse, combining electrical connection and over-current protection in one element, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while adding reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the electrical conductor connecting the electrode assembly to the terminal and as the over-current protection device through its narrowed portion. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by adding protection capability without requiring separate components.
2Reliability
If over-current protection mechanisms are added to battery cells to improve safety, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protection mechanism is merged with the existing current collector structure rather than being added as a separate component. The narrowed portion is formed as an integral part of the current collector, reducing device complexity while providing over-current protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collector's narrowed portion automatically provides over-current protection through its own structural design without requiring external control systems or additional components. The narrowed portion melts or breaks under excessive current, providing self-service protection that simplifies the overall device.
3Reliability
If a narrowed portion is created in the current collector to provide over-current protection, then over-current protection capability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to the need for precise narrowing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cross-sectional parameter (width/thickness) of the current collector at a specific location to create the narrowed portion. This parameter change creates a controlled weak point that provides over-current protection while using standard manufacturing processes, balancing protection capability with manufacturing precision requirements.
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 effectively protects the battery cell from over-current events by automatically interrupting current flow, preventing damage and ensuring safety.
Implementation Method 1
a narrowed portion configured to interrupt a current flow between the rubbing portion and the first terminal in response to the current flow exceeding a predetermined value
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cell includes a housing (14), a terminal (30) coupled to the housing (14), an electrode assembly (18) positioned within the housing (14), a conductor (38) including a first portion (74) coupled to the electrode assembly (18) and a second portion (78) coupled to the terminal (30), and one or more fuses coupled to the conductor (38) and situated at least partially between the first and second portions. The first and second portions of the conductor (38) are folded in opposite directions to form the conductor into an S-shape, and the one or more fuses are rated for interrupting current flow between the terminal (30) and the electrode assembly (18) in response to an overcurrent event.