Secondary Battery Terminal Arc Cutting Block Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries face safety risks due to arc generation and potential fires or explosions from excessive heat and internal pressure increases during overcharging or external short circuits, which existing designs fail to adequately mitigate.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an arc cutting block that moves to the position of a fuse area after it is cut off, blocking the arc generation path and preventing further arcing, thereby enhancing safety by redirecting arc gas through a gas exhaust hole and disrupting the arc path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fuse area is provided in the collector to cut off excessive current, then overcharge protection is improved, but arc generation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating block is introduced as an intermediary component between the fuse area and the surrounding environment. When the fuse area cuts off excessive current, the insulating block moves to cover the fuse area, preventing arc generation while allowing the fuse to perform its protective function. This mediator resolves the contradiction by enabling both overcharge protection and arc prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating block is designed to be movable rather than fixed, transitioning from a retracted position during normal operation to a covering position when the fuse area is activated. This dynamic mechanism allows the system to adapt its protective measures based on the operational state, providing arc prevention only when necessary while maintaining normal electrical connectivity during safe operation.
2Reliability
If the fuse area is made with smaller sectional area to facilitate current cutoff, then overcharge protection effectiveness is improved, but arc concentration and explosion risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating block serves as a protective intermediary that moves to cover the fuse area after current cutoff. This prevents the concentrated arc from causing explosion or fire, while allowing the small sectional area fuse to effectively interrupt excessive current. The mediator enables the fuse to be more aggressive in its protective action without proportionally increasing the risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The arc gas generated during fuse operation is redirected through a gas exhaust hole in the insulating block rather than being allowed to accumulate or cause explosion. This converts the potentially harmful arc byproduct into a controlled exhaust flow, transforming the harmful effect into a manageable discharge process that maintains safety.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an arc cutting block is added to block arc generation path, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arc cutting function is merged with the insulating block that already serves as a structural and electrical insulation component of the terminal unit. By combining multiple functions (insulation, arc blocking, gas exhaust) into a single integrated component, the design adds arc protection capability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating block automatically moves to cover the fuse area when arc gas pressure increases, providing self-activating arc protection without requiring external control systems or additional actuators. This self-service mechanism reduces complexity by eliminating the need for complex control circuits or motorized components while maintaining effective arc prevention.
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
This solution effectively prevents accidents caused by arc generation, improving the safety of secondary batteries by ensuring that arcs are not sustained after a fuse area is cut, thus reducing the risk of fires or explosions.
Implementation Method 1
an arc cutting block adjacent to the fuse area of the first collector, the arc cutting block being movable to a position previously occupied by the fuse area in the event that the fuse area is cut off, and blocking an arc generation path
Implementation Method 2
The insulating block may be movable into the position that was occupied by the fuse area in response to pressure applied to the plate by arc gas generated when the fuse area is damaged
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary battery including an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator; a case accommodating the electrode assembly therein; a cell cover sealing the case; and a first terminal unit having one end that is electrically connected to the first electrode of the electrode assembly and having another end extracted to an outside of the case, wherein the first terminal unit includes a first collector in the case and electrically connected to the first electrode of the electrode assembly, the first collector having a fuse area; and an arc cutting block adjacent to the fuse area of the first collector, the arc cutting block being movable to a position previously occupied by the fuse area in the event that the fuse area is cut off, and cutting an arc generation path.