Battery Cell Assembly Using Insulating Particles to Block Heat Spread

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Solution Overview

Problem

Secondary batteries face stability issues due to heat or gas generation, which can accelerate heat propagation and affect adjacent cells, leading to potential safety hazards.

Innovation Solution

A battery assembly design incorporating particle-shaped insulating materials with specific hardness and electrical/thermal properties, distributed within the case to enhance stability, thermal insulation, and electrical insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If battery cells are densely packed to increase energy density, then productivity and space utilization improve, but heat propagation accelerates and stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy densityVSAvoidstability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Particle-shaped insulating materials are introduced as intermediary substances filled in the gaps between battery cells. These particles act as thermal barriers that slow down heat propagation while maintaining compact cell arrangement, thus resolving the contradiction between high energy density and thermal stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The use of particle-shaped insulating materials creates a porous structure between battery cells. This porous arrangement provides thermal insulation pathways that hinder heat transfer while allowing the battery assembly to maintain high cell density, addressing both productivity and reliability requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Strength

If insulating materials with high hardness are used to prevent damage, then strength improves, but the materials may damage battery cell exterior materials

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovehardnessVSAvoiddamage to exterior material
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hardness parameter of insulating materials is optimized to a specific range (Shore A5-A95) that balances protective function and compatibility. This parameter optimization ensures the insulating particles are hard enough to resist vibration damage while soft enough to avoid damaging battery cell exterior materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating particles exhibit local quality adaptation where their hardness is sufficient to provide structural support and vibration resistance in the gaps between cells, yet remains compatible with the softer exterior materials of battery cells. This localized property distribution resolves the contradiction between strength and harm prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If particle-shaped insulating materials are used instead of solid insulation blocks, then ease of manufacture improves, but filling ratio control becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilling processVSAvoidfilling ratio control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The filling ratio of particle-shaped insulating materials is controlled within a specific range (30-70%) to optimize both ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision. This parameter control ensures sufficient insulation while avoiding excessive complexity in the filling process, balancing manufacturability with precision requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 design improves the stability, thermal insulation, and electrical insulation of battery assemblies, preventing heat and gas propagation, thereby enhancing safety and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of particle-shaped insulating materials accommodated in a second inner space of the case

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

a plurality of particle-shaped insulating materials accommodated in a second inner space of the case

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical insulation: Dielectric

Data Source

PatentEP4579886A1Battery assembly
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 SK ON CO LTD
  • EP4579886A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4579886A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4579886A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery assembly which comprises a case (30), a plurality of battery cells (10) accommodated in a first inner space of the case, and a plurality of particle-shaped insulating materials (80) accommodated in a second inner space of the case.