Leading Plate Alignment in Battery Current Collectors

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for fixing the leading plate to the current collector in energy storage devices lack ease of alignment and workability.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an engaging unit on the leading plate that engages with an engaged unit on the insulating member or current collector, allowing for alignment and fixation by sliding the leading plate onto the current collector, with the engaging unit being a projection and the engaged unit a notch, facilitating simple and precise positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the leading plate is fixed to the current collector using conventional methods, then the electrical connection is established, but the alignment process is complex and workability is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveworkabilityVSAvoidalignment process
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an insulating member as an intermediary component between the current collector and the container. This insulating member includes a through-hole that serves as a positioning guide for the leading plate, enabling simple alignment by passing the leading plate through the through-hole without requiring complex alignment procedures. The insulating member mediates both the electrical insulation function and the mechanical positioning function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the fixing structure into separate functional components: the insulating member with through-hole for positioning, the leading plate with protrusion for insertion, and the current collector. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall assembly process and improving workability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the leading plate is fixed to the current collector without positioning features, then the structure is simple, but the alignment precision is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating member acts as a mediator that provides precise positioning through its through-hole. The through-hole is positioned at a specific location and has a specific diameter that matches the protrusion on the leading plate, ensuring accurate alignment. This mediator approach achieves high manufacturing precision without requiring complex positioning mechanisms on the leading plate or current collector themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating member's through-hole automatically guides the leading plate into the correct position during assembly. The protrusion on the leading plate naturally aligns with and passes through the through-hole, providing self-positioning functionality that ensures precise alignment without requiring additional positioning features or complex assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3480869B1Electricity storage element and method for manufacturing electricity storage element
Publication Date: 2022.05.11 GS YUASA INT LTD
  • EP3480869B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3480869B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3480869B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An energy storage device includes a current collector (negative electrode current collector 150), an insulating member (lower insulating member 130) that abuts on the current collector, an electrode assembly (400), and a leading plate (negative electrode leading plate 155) that connects the electrode assembly (400) and the current collector. The leading plate includes an engaging unit (notch 158) that engages the insulating member or the current collector, and the insulating member or the current collector includes an engaged unit (projection 138) that the engaging unit of the leading plate engages.