Battery Cell End Cap Alignment Structure for Low-Friction Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery cell assembly processes face challenges with positioning difficulties, misalignment, and reduced sealing performance due to the lack of effective positioning mechanisms between the end cap and housing, leading to increased friction and deformation risks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a protruding portion on the end cap with a corresponding recessed portion to facilitate alignment and stress relief during assembly, reducing friction and deformation risks while enhancing sealing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a protruding portion is added to the end cap to improve positioning, then assembly efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end cap is segmented into a cap body and a separate protruding portion that extends into the housing. This segmentation allows the protruding portion to serve as a dedicated positioning feature that guides assembly, improving assembly efficiency without requiring complex external fixtures or mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding portion acts as an intermediary element between the end cap and the housing. It mediates the assembly process by providing a physical guide that aligns the components during assembly, reducing misalignment and improving positioning accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If the protruding portion extends deeply into the housing to improve positioning accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the risk of deformation and friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
A recessed portion is pre-formed in the end cap at the location where the protruding portion will extend. This recessed portion acts as a cushioning feature that allows the protruding portion to deform elastically during assembly, absorbing assembly errors and reducing friction between the protruding portion and the housing, thereby preventing deformation damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed portion changes the physical parameters of the protruding portion by reducing its effective strength and increasing its elasticity. This parameter change allows the protruding portion to be more compliant during assembly, reducing friction and deformation risk while maintaining positioning accuracy.
3Reliability
If the protruding portion is made with high strength to resist deformation, then reliability is improved, but friction and particle generation increase during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The end cap exhibits local quality variation: the cap body maintains high strength for structural reliability, while the protruding portion has reduced strength due to the recessed portion, making it more elastic. This local quality difference allows the protruding portion to deform elastically during assembly, reducing friction and particle generation, while the cap body remains structurally reliable.
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
Improves assembly efficiency, reduces particle generation, and enhances safety by minimizing deformation and friction between the end cap and housing components.
Implementation Method 1
the recessed portion is recessed from an outer surface of the cap body toward the electrode assembly and configured to release a stress while the protruding portion extends into the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cell may include: a housing, on which an opening is made; an electrode assembly, accommodated in the housing; and an end cap, configured to fit and cover the opening. The end cap may include a cap body and a protruding structure around the cap body, the protruding structure may protrude from an inner surface of the cap body toward the electrode assembly, and at least a part of the protruding portion may be located in the housing and configured to fit with the housing. A recess may be formed on the end cap at a position corresponding to the protruding structure, and the recess may be recessed from an outer surface of the cap body toward the electrode assembly and configured to release a stress while the protruding portion extends into the housing.