Battery End Cap Assembly With Insulated Terminal Post Gap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium ion batteries face safety hazards due to short circuiting and electric corrosion caused by conductive crystals formed when electrolyte solutions permeate gaps between the terminal post and end cap, leading to potential safety risks and reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
An end cap assembly with a terminal post, first and second isolators, and an insulator is designed, where the isolators form a gap opposite the mounting hole and the insulator encloses the terminal post, preventing contact with conductive media and reducing current conduction between the terminal post and end cap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the terminal post is directly inserted into the mounting hole without sufficient insulation, then the electrical connection is simple and device complexity is reduced, but conductive crystals can form in gaps causing short circuiting and electric corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an insulator as an intermediary component between the terminal post and the mounting hole. This insulator fills the gap and prevents conductive crystals from forming conductive paths, thereby resolving the short circuiting issue without requiring complete elimination of the gap
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the insulation function into multiple components: an insulator for gap filling and a coating layer for surface protection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall system reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If a gap is formed between isolators to accommodate terminal post insertion, then ease of manufacture is improved, but conductive crystals can enter the gap causing current conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator acts as a mediator that fills the necessary gap between isolators while preventing conductive crystal entry. This allows the gap to remain for assembly purposes while the insulator ensures insulation reliability by blocking the conductive path
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator is designed as a thin film or shell structure that can conform to the gap geometry and provide effective insulation. This thin film structure maintains insulation reliability while occupying minimal space and not interfering with assembly
3Reliability
If the mounting hole wall is machined precisely to prevent burrs, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator is installed before final assembly to prevent contact between the terminal post and any burrs that may exist on the mounting hole wall. This preliminary action protects against insulation failure without requiring high-precision machining of the hole wall
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator serves as a protective intermediary between the terminal post and the mounting hole wall, preventing direct contact that would occur with burrs present. This mediator approach maintains reliability while accepting lower manufacturing precision requirements
Data Source
AI summary
An end cap assembly may include an end cap, a terminal post, a first isolator, a second isolator, and an insulator. The end cap may be provided with a mounting hole, and the mounting hole may run through the end cap in a thickness direction of the end cap. The terminal post may include a body segment arranged in the mounting hole in a penetrating manner. In the thickness direction of the end cap, the first isolator and the second isolator may be respectively arranged on two sides of the end cap and cooperatively insulate and isolate the end cap from the terminal post. The insulator may enclose the body segment in a circumferential direction of the body segment. In the thickness direction of the end cap, the first isolator and the second isolator may form a gap at a position opposite the mounting hole.