Lithium-Ion Battery Edge Sealing for Uniform Thickness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lithium-ion battery heat-sealing methods lead to thermal deformation and shape distortion due to repeated heat-sealing of corners, causing variations in thickness and shape, and pressing the entire surface can adversely affect the electrode portion.
Innovation Solution
A lithium-ion battery manufacturing device with a frame-shaped heater that uniformly heat-seals the outer edges, including a holder to sandwich the battery and a radiator for uniform heat dissipation, preventing excessive heat-sealing of corners and maintaining battery shape and thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sequential heat-sealing of each side is performed, then the sealing process is simple and easy to implement, but the corners are heat-sealed repeatedly causing thermal deformation and shape distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple heat-sealing operations into a single simultaneous operation by using a U-shaped heater that can heat-seal all four sides of the battery at the same time. This merging of sequential operations into a parallel process eliminates repeated heating of corners while maintaining sealing effectiveness, thereby resolving the contradiction between process simplicity and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by using a U-shaped heater configuration that extends across multiple sides of the battery. This spatial arrangement allows the heater to contact and seal all four sides simultaneously from a unified positioning, changing the traditional sequential one-side-at-a-time approach into a multi-dimensional simultaneous operation that prevents corner overheating.
2Manufacturing precision
If the entire surface of the lithium-ion battery is pressed during heat-sealing, then uniform sealing can be achieved, but the electrode portion may be adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the heat-sealing action only at the outer edge portion of the battery where the frame member is located, rather than applying pressure or heat to the entire surface. The U-shaped heater is positioned to contact only the edge region, providing uniform sealing exactly where needed without exposing the sensitive electrode portions to harmful pressure or thermal stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame member serves as an intermediary element between the heater and the battery structure. The U-shaped heater heats the frame member at the outer edge, which in turn seals the battery edges. This intermediary approach allows uniform sealing to be achieved through the frame member without directly applying pressure or excessive heat to the electrode portions, thus avoiding electrode damage while maintaining sealing uniformity.
3Manufacturing precision
If a frame-shaped heater is used to heat-seal all four sides simultaneously, then corner overheating is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is segmented into a U-shaped configuration that can be divided into multiple heating sections along its length. This segmentation allows the heater to conform to and contact all four sides of the rectangular battery simultaneously, with each section independently contributing to the sealing of a specific side. The segmented U-shaped design achieves uniform multi-side sealing without requiring a complex multi-component system, as the segmentation is integrated into a single cohesive heater structure.
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 suppresses variations in thickness and shape distortion by ensuring uniform heat-sealing and heat dissipation across the lithium-ion battery's outer edges, enhancing manufacturing precision and battery performance.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing device that has a frame-shaped heater, which heat-seals an outer edge of the lithium-ion battery by heating the frame member placed at said outer edge of the lithium-ion battery
Implementation Method 2
a holder that sandwiches the lithium-ion battery from both sides of the stacking direction
Data Source
AI summary
A lithium-ion battery manufacturing device and a lithium-ion battery manufacturing method can suppress variation in thickness and shape distortion of a lithium-ion battery. The lithium-ion battery includes a cathode current collector, a cathode active material layer, a separator, an anode active material layer, and an anode current collector that are stacked. The lithium-ion battery has a circular frame member that fixes an outer edge of the separator, which is placed between the cathode current collector and the anode current collector, and that seals the cathode active material layer, the separator, and the anode active material layer. The lithium-ion battery manufacturing device includes: a holder that sandwiches the lithium-ion battery from both sides of the stacking direction; and a sealing device that has a frame-shaped heater, which heat-seals an outer edge of the lithium-ion battery by heating the frame member placed at the outer edge.