Battery Tab Welding Protection Sheet for Precise Robotic Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy storage devices face issues of low alignment efficiency and poor alignment precision between the welding protection sheet and the tab, leading to inefficiencies and reliability concerns such as solder false and solder leakage.

Innovation Solution

The energy storage device incorporates a welding protection sheet with foldable extending portions and notches that allow for precise robotic clamping, reducing contact with the tab and enhancing alignment precision, while also preventing damage to the tab.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the welding protection sheet is designed with a simple structure, then the manufacturing process is easier, but the alignment precision and clamping stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The welding protection sheet is segmented into a body and multiple extending portions (first extending portion, second extending portion, third extending portion) with notches at their ends. This segmentation creates multiple clamping points for robotic arms, enabling precise positioning and stable clamping without complicating the overall manufacturing process. The extending portions can be independently formed through simple bending operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The extending portions are designed to extend in the first direction beyond the body's boundaries, creating a multi-dimensional clamping structure. The notches at the ends of these extending portions provide additional clamping points that enable robotic arms to grasp the sheet from multiple positions, significantly improving alignment precision while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through planar developments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If the welding protection sheet uses a compact design, then the space occupation is reduced, but the robotic clamping capability and alignment efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace occupationVSAvoidalignment efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The welding protection sheet incorporates foldable extending portions that can be dynamically positioned during the welding process. The first extending portion can be folded back to face the body, and the second and third extending portions can be folded to different positions. This dynamic flexibility allows robotic arms to access notches at various positions for clamping, improving alignment efficiency without requiring excessive space occupation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sheet is divided into a compact body and multiple extending portions with notches, creating a segmented structure that maximizes clamping accessibility within a limited space. The notches at the ends of extending portions provide multiple grasp points for robotic arms, enabling efficient alignment operations without increasing the overall volume significantly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If the corners of the welding protection sheet directly contact the tab, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the tab damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidtab damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The notches are pre-formed at the ends of the extending portions before the welding operation. This preliminary action ensures that when the welding protection sheet is clamped and positioned, the corners are already configured to avoid direct contact with the tab, preventing damage before it can occur. The notches create a geometry that naturally directs corners away from the tab surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The welding protection sheet is segmented with notches that create distinct regions, separating the corners from direct contact with the tab. The first extending portion with its notch creates a geometry where the corner is positioned away from the tab, reducing damage risk while maintaining relatively simple structural design through straightforward bending operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If the welding protection sheet lacks notches, then the manufacturing steps are reduced, but the robotic arm clamping stability and placement accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing stepsVSAvoidplacement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The welding protection sheet incorporates notches at the ends of extending portions, creating segmented features that serve as precise clamping points for robotic arms. These notches provide defined grasp locations that enable accurate and stable placement. The notches can be formed through simple punching or bending operations integrated into the existing manufacturing process, adding minimal steps while dramatically improving placement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The notches replace complex mechanical positioning systems by providing inherent geometric features that guide robotic arm clamping. Instead of requiring complex fixtures or alignment mechanisms, the notches themselves serve as the positioning reference, enabling accurate placement through the robotic arm's natural clamping action on the notch features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4471951B1Energy storage device and electric device
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 HITHIUM TECH HK LTD
  • EP4471951B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4471951B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4471951B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an energy storage device and an electric device. The energy storage device includes a connector, a tab, and a welding protection sheet. The tab is connected to the connector. The welding protection sheet abuts against a surface of the tab away from the connector. The welding protection sheet includes a body, a first bent connection portion, and a first extending portion. The first bent connection portion is connected between the first extending portion and the body, and the first extending portion is foldable relative to the body to face towards the body. An end portion of the first extending portion away from the first bent connection portion has a first notch. The first notch has a width less than a width of the first extending portion. A distance between two first corners of the first extending portion is less than a length of the body.