Cylindrical Battery Sealing Structure Without an Annular Groove
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Solution Overview
Problem
High energy density batteries without an annular groove face challenges in temporarily securing the sealing body, reducing productivity and limiting energy density due to the increased distance between the sealing and electrode bodies.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring a cylindrical can with a sealing body that includes a sealing plate and a gasket with protruding portions to restrict insertion, allowing temporary securing without an annular groove, thereby reducing the distance between the sealing and electrode bodies and enhancing energy density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an annular groove is formed in the battery can to temporarily secure the sealing body, then the sealing body can be positioned during assembly, but the distance between the sealing body and electrode body increases, limiting energy density
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the positioning function from the annular groove structure and transfers it to the gasket's protruding portion. By removing the annular groove entirely and placing the positioning feature on the gasket instead, the design eliminates the space-consuming groove while maintaining the temporary securing function during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning function is moved from a radial dimension (annular groove in the can wall) to a vertical dimension (protruding portion of the gasket). This dimensional shift allows the sealing body to be positioned closer to the electrode body while still providing effective temporary securing during the assembly process.
2Ease of operation
If an annular groove is formed close to the upper end surface of the electrode body, then the sealing body can be secured, but an electrically insulating plate becomes necessary to prevent internal short circuit, further increasing the distance
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing, temporary positioning during assembly, and electrical insulation. By integrating these functions into a single component rather than requiring separate annular groove structure and insulating plate, the design reduces overall component complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning function previously requiring a separate annular groove structure and insulating plate is merged into the gasket's protruding portion. This consolidation eliminates the need for additional components while maintaining all necessary functions for securing the sealing body and preventing short circuits.
3Reliability
If the annular groove thickness is more than twice the wall thickness of the battery can, then the sealing body can be securely positioned, but the shortest distance between the sealing body and electrode body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning mechanism changes from relying on a thick annular groove (parameter: groove thickness > 2× wall thickness) to relying on the protruding portion of the gasket (parameter: protrusion height). This parameter change allows achieving reliable positioning with a much smaller dimensional footprint, thereby reducing the distance to the electrode body.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery including: a battery can having a cylindrical portion, a bottom wall closing one end of the cylindrical portion, and an open rim continuous with the other end of the cylindrical portion; an electrode body housed in the cylindrical portion; and a sealing body fixed to the open rim so as to seal an opening defined by the open rim. The sealing body includes a sealing plate and a gasket disposed at a peripheral portion of the sealing plate. The gasket has at least one protruding portion configured to restrict insertion of the sealing body into the open rim.