Battery Tab Blocking Structure to Prevent Casing Short Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current battery designs face safety issues due to redundant tabs protruding from the seam between insulating members and brackets, leading to potential short circuits.

Innovation Solution

The battery incorporates a tab blocked structure within the insulating member, which forms an accommodating space to limit the movable range of the tab free end, preventing contact with the casing and eliminating the need for tab cutting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an insulating member and an insulating bracket are provided between the cover plate and the electrode assembly, then contact between tabs and the inner wall of the casing is prevented, but a butt seam is formed between the insulating member and the insulating bracket, creating a risk that tabs may protrude from the seam and contact the casing

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the insulating member and insulating bracket into a single integrated insulating member that includes both the insulating body and the insulating bracket as unified components. This eliminates the butt seam between separate parts while maintaining the insulating and supporting functions, thereby preventing tab protrusion and contact with the casing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating member is segmented into functional regions: an insulating body portion and an insulating bracket portion, where the bracket portion extends from the body to provide structural support and tab retention. This segmentation within a unified structure allows different regions to perform specific functions while avoiding seams between separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If redundant tabs are trimmed to prevent contact with the casing, then short circuit risk is reduced, but production process complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidproduction process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating member is designed with pre-formed insulating brackets that extend toward the casing to retain tabs in advance. This preliminary structural arrangement prevents tab contact with the casing before assembly is complete, eliminating the need for post-assembly tab trimming operations and simplifying the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating bracket acts as an intermediary structure between the electrode assembly and the casing, providing a physical barrier and retention mechanism that prevents direct contact between tabs and the casing. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for tab trimming while ensuring safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the insulating member and insulating bracket are separate components, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the butt seam creates a hazard that tabs may protrude and contact the casing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidtab protrusion risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the insulating member and insulating bracket into a single integrated component, eliminating the butt seam that created the tab protrusion hazard. The unified structure maintains assembly flexibility while removing the harmful seam interface where tabs could escape and contact the casing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4546518A1Single battery, battery and electrical apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.04.30 AESC JAPAN LTD
  • EP4546518A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4546518A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4546518A1 patent drawingFigure 4~7

AI summary

A single battery (100) includes a casing (110), a first cover plate (150), a first terminal (160), an electrode assembly (120), and a first insulating member (20). The casing (110) includes a first opening (111). The first cover plate (150) seals and is installed on the first opening (111). The first terminal (160) is installed on the first cover plate (150). The electrode assembly (120) is arranged in the casing (110) and has a first tab (121) extending from a side close to the first cover plate (150). The first tab (121) is fixedly connected to the first terminal (160) and is formed with a first tab free end (1211). The first insulating member (20) is installed on a side of the first cover plate (150) close to the electrode assembly (120). The first insulating member (20) is provided with a tab blocked structure (170). A side of the first terminal (160) close to the electrode assembly (120) and the tab blocked structure (170) form a first accommodating space (190).