Secondary Battery Electrode Assembly via Unit Cell Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secondary battery manufacturing processes for forming electrode assemblies are complex and prone to defects, especially when using unit cells in prismatic or pouch type batteries, leading to high facility investment costs and increased defect rates due to stress concentration and expansion phenomena during charge and discharge cycles.
Innovation Solution
A secondary battery manufacturing system that includes a unit cell forming device for laminating unit cells with alternating layers of separators and electrodes, an inverting device for creating inverted unit cells, and a stacking device for alternately stacking unit cells and inverted cells, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing defects through guided assembly and robotic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a stack type electrode assembly is used to easily obtain a prismatic shape, then the battery shape control is improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases and short circuit risk occurs under impact
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode assembly is segmented into multiple unit cells (full cells and half cells) that are separately manufactured and then stacked. Each unit cell contains a separator, electrode, and protective casing, allowing independent manufacturing and quality control. This segmentation simplifies the overall manufacturing process while maintaining the prismatic shape of the final battery assembly.
2Device complexity
If a jelly-roll type electrode assembly is used for cylindrical batteries, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but electrode active material peeling occurs due to local stress concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural configurations to different parts of the electrode assembly. Unit cells are arranged in specific patterns (e.g., alternating full and half cells) to distribute stress evenly across the electrode material. The separator design and electrode folding patterns are optimized locally to prevent stress concentration and material peeling while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a stack and folding type electrode assembly is used to combine advantages, then structural flexibility is improved, but facility investment cost increases due to complex manufacturing equipment
Solution Approach 1:
Unit cells are pre-assembled with separators and electrodes in a standardized format before final stacking. The alternating pattern of full and half cells is predetermined in the design, allowing for automated assembly lines that reduce the need for complex real-time decision-making equipment. This preliminary structuring enables structural flexibility while keeping manufacturing facilities relatively simple.
4Quantity of substance
If the number of unit cells is increased to improve battery capacity, then energy storage is improved, but defect rate increases due to difficulty in rolling and arranging unit cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complexity of unit cell arrangement by using standardized, modular unit cells that can be independently manufactured and then systematically stacked. The alternating full and half cell configuration creates a regular pattern that is easier to manage and assemble than random or complex arrangements. This modular extraction approach maintains manufacturing precision even as the number of unit cells increases for higher capacity batteries.
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 system simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces defect rates by enabling easy assembly and precise positioning of unit cells, lowering the complexity and cost of facility investment while maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode assembly.
Implementation Method 1
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Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a secondary battery manufacturing system for forming an electrode assembly using unit cells manufactured by laminating, and the secondary battery manufacturing system includes: a unit cell forming device for forming unit cells, in which a separator, an anode cell, a separator, a cathode cell, and a separator are stacked in order, from a separator roll, an anode cell roll, and a cathode cell roll, which are rolled; an inverting device for forming inverted unit cells, in which a separator, a cathode cell, a separator, an anode cell, and a separator are stacked in order, by inverting some of two or more unit cells formed by the unit cell forming device; and a stacking device for stacking a unit cell, an anode cell, an inverted unit cell, and a cathode cell in order, in which the process of manufacturing an electrode assembly is simplified, and the defect rate of the manufactured electrode assembly is lowered.