Battery Lid Welding Plasma Shield Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery manufacturing techniques face issues where the insulating component on the lid member is exposed to and damaged by welding heat and plasma during the welding process, leading to insulating and sealing failures due to the proximity of the insulating component to the welding area.
Innovation Solution
A battery design with a flattened case body and lid member, where external terminal members penetrate through the lid and are insulated by members on the lid's surface, using different energy levels for welding to create a wide-width weld mark zone that directs plasma outward, preventing damage to the insulating components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding is performed to fix the lid member to the case body, then bonding strength is improved, but the insulating member is damaged by welding heat and plasma
Solution Approach 1:
A shield member is introduced as an intermediary component between the welding area and the insulating member. The shield member intercepts and redirects the plasma and heat generated during welding, preventing direct exposure of the insulating member to harmful thermal and plasma effects while maintaining effective welding bonding strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield member is positioned in advance before welding occurs, creating a protective barrier that redirects plasma and heat away from the insulating member. This preliminary positioning ensures that when welding is performed, the insulating member is already protected from harmful effects.
2Device complexity
If the insulating member is placed close to the welding area for compact design, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision is compromised due to insulating member damage
Solution Approach 1:
The shield member serves as a mediator that enables the insulating member to be positioned closer to the welding area without compromising its integrity. By redirecting plasma and heat, the shield member allows for compact design while maintaining manufacturing precision of the insulating member.
3Strength
If welding energy is increased to improve bonding strength, then strength is improved, but the insulating member is more severely damaged by increased plasma and heat
Solution Approach 1:
The shield member acts as a necessary intermediary that decouples the relationship between welding energy and insulating member exposure. It allows high welding energy to be used for strong bonding while the shield redirects the resulting plasma and heat away from the insulating member, preventing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield member converts the harmful plasma and heat that are byproducts of high-energy welding into a controlled directional flow that bypasses the insulating member. The harmful thermal and plasma energy is redirected to achieve the desired bonding strength without damaging the insulating component.
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 solution effectively prevents the insulating members from being burned during welding, ensuring hermetic sealing and improved bonding strength between the lid and case body.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating component corresponding to the gasket 33 is provided projecting outward from the outer surface of a lid member corresponding to the sealing plate 31. In such a case, particularly, the insulating component may be exposed to and burned by a plume (metal vapor or plasma) rising from the welding area during welding.
Implementation Method 2
This welding is made by irradiation of a 'laser beam 50' from above to such areas to be welded (welding areas).
Data Source
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AI summary
The battery case (110) of this square battery (100) comprises a lid member (113) welded to an opening (111h) in a main body member (111). The opening R section (111r) of the opening (111h) has, in the circumferential direction (SH), a support projection (111e) which projects inwards across the entire opening R section (111r) and which supports the lid member (113). Meanwhile, in the circumferential direction (SH) across the entire opening short side (111b), the opening short side (111b) has a low projecting section (111d) which projects inwards at a position lower than the support projection (111e) in the depth direction (FH) of the main body member (111).