Secondary Battery Terminal Welding with Collector Protrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries face challenges in achieving reliable weldability between terminals and collector plates, which affects the stability and performance of high-capacity batteries, especially in electric vehicles, where high energy density and output are critical.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a first collector with a protrusion that is welded to a terminal through-hole, forming a planar surface, allowing for direct visual inspection of the welding area and improved weldability, and the use of a clad sheet between the collector and terminal for enhanced electrical connection, regardless of metal type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protrusion structure is added to the collector plate to improve weldability and enable visual inspection of the welding area, then the welding quality and reliability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The collector plate is segmented into a flat portion and a protrusion portion, creating distinct functional zones. The protrusion portion specifically serves as the welding interface, while the flat portion maintains the overall structural integrity. This segmentation allows the welding area to be isolated and visually inspected without complicating the entire collector plate design.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion acts as an intermediary structure between the collector plate and the terminal. It provides a dedicated welding surface that facilitates reliable electrical connection while enabling visual inspection of the welding quality. The protrusion mediates between the need for simple structure and the need for reliable, inspectable welding.
2Reliability
If the terminal through-hole is designed to accommodate the protrusion with a planar surface for welding inspection, then the welding area becomes visible for quality control, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion is pre-formed on the collector plate during the stamping or forming process, creating a ready-to-weld surface before the actual welding operation. The terminal through-hole is also pre-drilled or punched to accommodate the protrusion. This preliminary preparation ensures that the welding surfaces are already positioned correctly, reducing the precision demands on the welding process itself while still enabling visual inspection.
3Reliability
If a clad sheet is introduced between the collector and terminal for enhanced electrical connection, then the electrical conductivity and weldability are improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clad sheet is a composite material structure consisting of two or more metal layers with different properties. Typically, one layer provides excellent electrical conductivity while the other layer provides superior weldability or corrosion resistance. This composite structure enhances the electrical connection between collector and terminal without requiring separate intermediate components, as the clad sheet itself serves as the bonding interface.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the protrusion and terminal through-hole are designed to form a planar welding surface, then visual inspection of welding quality becomes possible, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion structure enables self-inspection of the welding quality through visual examination. The planar welding surface created by the protrusion and terminal through-hole arrangement allows workers to directly observe the welding bead formation and quality without requiring additional inspection equipment or complex measurement tools. The structure itself provides the inspection capability.
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 configuration enhances weldability, allowing for easy visual inspection of the welding quality and reduces the need for non-destructive testing, thereby improving the stability and performance of secondary batteries by ensuring strong electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
An upper end surface of the protrusion and an upper end surface of the terminal through-hole may be welded and may form a planar surface
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly including a first electrode tab and a second electrode tab, the first electrode tab and the second electrode tab being exposed at opposite sides of the electrode assembly; a first collector electrically coupled to the first electrode tab; a case having two open sides and accommodating the electrode assembly and the first collector therein; a first cap plate sealing one of the open sides of the case; and a first terminal mechanically and electrically coupled to the first collector and exposed to the outside of the first cap plate. The first collector includes a protrusion protruding outwardly and coupled to the first terminal, and the first terminal has a terminal through-hole in which the protrusion is accommodated.