Battery Spacer Rib Structure for Electrolyte Injection Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deformation of spacers in nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary batteries occurs during the liquid injection step due to the weight of the electrode body, particularly when the spacer is positioned downward in the gravity direction.
Innovation Solution
The secondary battery design includes a spacer with a second wall part having a lower load-bearing capacity than the first wall part, featuring a rib to bridge the second wall parts, which controls and reinforces the deformation pattern, preventing deformation during the liquid injection step.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spacer is arranged at the downward position to support the electrode body during liquid injection, then the electrode body is supported and movement is restricted, but the spacer deforms under the weight of the electrode body
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with non-uniform wall thickness where the first wall parts have greater thickness and higher load-bearing capacity, while the second wall parts have lesser thickness and lower load-bearing capacity. This local quality differentiation allows the spacer to concentrate deformation in specific regions (second wall parts) while maintaining structural integrity and support function through the stronger first wall parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is segmented into multiple wall parts (first wall parts and second wall parts) with distinct functional roles. The first wall parts are positioned to bear the primary load, while the second wall parts are designed to deform in a controlled manner. This segmentation allows different regions of the spacer to perform different functions simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between support and deformation.
2Strength
If the spacer structure is reinforced to prevent deformation, then structural integrity is improved, but the deformation control capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire spacer, the invention applies local quality by creating regions of high strength (first wall parts with greater thickness) and regions of controlled flexibility (second wall parts with lesser thickness). This allows the spacer to exhibit both strength and adaptability - the strong regions prevent catastrophic failure while the flexible regions allow controlled deformation.
3Shape
If the second wall part has lower load bearing capacity to control deformation pattern, then deformation control is improved, but overall structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention resolves this contradiction by creating local quality differences in the spacer structure. The second wall parts have lower load-bearing capacity to control deformation patterns, while the first wall parts compensate with higher load-bearing capacity through greater thickness. The overall structural strength is maintained by the strong first wall parts even though the second wall parts are deliberately weakened for deformation control.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer design employs asymmetry by positioning the first wall parts (with greater thickness) and second wall parts (with lesser thickness) at different locations. This asymmetric distribution of structural properties allows the spacer to have both weak regions for deformation control and strong regions for overall structural support, resolving the apparent contradiction between localized deformation control and global structural strength.
Data Source
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AI summary
A herein disclosed secondary battery 1 includes a case main body 10, a second sealing plate 20B, and an electrode body 30. Then, a second spacer 40B supporting the electrode body 30 from a downward position at an injection time of an electrolytic solution is arranged between the second sealing plate 20B and the electrode body 30. The second spacer 40B includes a pair of first wall parts 41 and a pair of second wall parts 42. Then, the second spacer 40B is configured to make a load bearing capacity of the second wall part 42 be lower than a load bearing capacity of the first wall part 41. Then, this second spacer 40B includes a rib configured to bridge the pair of second wall parts 42. By doing this, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the second spacer 40B.