Rechargeable Battery Short-Circuit Protrusion Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-capacity rechargeable batteries face challenges in safely disabling charging and discharging operations when internal pressure increases due to abnormal reactions, requiring a reliable method to induce and maintain a short circuit for stable discharge of charged current.
Innovation Solution
A rechargeable battery design featuring a short-circuit protrusion and deformable membrane that contacts the electrodes when pressure exceeds a threshold, reducing resistance and maintaining a stable short circuit state for safe discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a membrane is used to short-circuit electrodes when pressure increases, then charging and discharging operations are disabled, but the short circuit state may be unstable and resistance may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The short-circuit protrusion is pre-positioned to contact the membrane at a location away from the center of the short-circuit hole, ensuring that when the membrane deforms under pressure, the contact point is established in advance. This preliminary positioning ensures stable electrical contact and reduces resistance fluctuations during the short-circuit event.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion creates a localized contact point with the membrane, concentrating the electrical contact at a specific region. This local quality enhancement ensures low and stable resistance at the contact interface, preventing heat generation while maintaining reliable short-circuit connectivity.
2Reliability
If the short-circuit protrusion is positioned at the center of the short-circuit hole, then contact with the membrane is maximized, but the connection terminal insertion space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The short-circuit protrusion is deliberately positioned asymmetrically, offset from the center of the short-circuit hole toward one side. This asymmetric placement optimizes the balance between membrane contact reliability and connection terminal accessibility, allowing both functions to coexist without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion extends in a direction that utilizes the radial dimension of the short-circuit hole rather than occupying the central axial space. This dimensional strategy allows the connection terminal to be inserted through the center while the protrusion contacts the membrane at an off-center location, resolving the spatial conflict.
3Reliability
If the membrane is made highly deformable to ensure short-circuit activation, then the short circuit activates at lower pressure, but the resistance increases and stable discharge is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The position parameter of the contact point is changed from the center to an off-center location. This parameter change modifies the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the contact, reducing resistance and heat generation while maintaining reliable short-circuit activation when the membrane deforms to contact the protrusion.
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 battery effectively reduces heat generation and maintains a stable short circuit state, ensuring safe and efficient discharge of charged current even under abnormal conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane fixed to the cap plate and arranged in the short-circuit hole, the membrane being deformable to short-circuit the first electrode and the second electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a first terminal electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a second terminal electrically coupled to the second electrode; a cap plate combined to the case and having a short-circuit hole formed therein; a membrane fixed to the cap plate and arranged in the short-circuit hole, the membrane being deformable to short-circuit the first electrode and the second electrode; and a short-circuit protrusion electrically coupled to the second electrode and arranged above the membrane to protrude theretoward, the short-circuit protrusion being arranged toward a side from a center of the short-circuit hole.