Rechargeable Battery Valve Flap Injection Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rechargeable batteries face challenges in efficiently injecting and retaining electrolyte solutions, leading to potential short circuits and misalignment issues during assembly, which can result in reduced performance and safety concerns, especially under stress conditions like crushing.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an insulating case with a pillar and valve flaps around the electrolyte injection opening, which facilitates smooth electrolyte injection and prevents backflow, ensuring proper alignment and electrical insulation of the electrode assembly within the battery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple electrolyte injection opening is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but electrolyte backflow occurs causing short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
A valve flap is introduced as an intermediary component between the electrolyte injection opening and the battery interior. This valve flap selectively opens to allow electrolyte injection and closes to prevent backflow, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple structure and reliable electrolyte retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve flap is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically respond to pressure changes during electrolyte injection and subsequent operation. The flap automatically opens under injection pressure and closes under normal operating conditions, providing adaptive control without complex mechanisms.
2Ease of manufacture
If the electrolyte injection opening is positioned directly, then alignment is simple, but misalignment causes injection failures
Solution Approach 1:
The valve flap is pre-installed in the injection opening before final assembly, and its position is designed to self-align with the injection nozzle. This preliminary positioning action ensures that even with minor alignment variations, the valve flap will correctly guide the electrolyte injection, reducing the precision requirements for the opening itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve flap design incorporates dimensional tolerances and geometric parameters that compensate for alignment variations. By carefully selecting the flap's size, shape, and mounting parameters, the system maintains functional alignment across a range of manufacturing variations, effectively decoupling alignment precision from manufacturing simplicity.
3Reliability
If the insulating case is added around the electrode assembly, then electrical insulation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating case is merged with the battery housing structure, integrating the insulation function into an existing structural component rather than adding a separate element. This combination maintains electrical insulation while avoiding unnecessary complexity by consolidating functions into a single integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating case serves multiple functions: it provides electrical insulation for the electrode assembly, structural support for the internal components, and a mounting framework for the valve flap mechanism. By designing this component to fulfill multiple roles, the patent reduces overall device complexity despite the added insulation requirement.
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 ensures efficient electrolyte injection and retention, preventing short circuits and enhancing the battery's performance and safety by maintaining electrical insulation and mechanical integrity, even under stress conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a valve flap that rotates via a hinge, induces injection of the electrolyte solution, and prevents backflow of the electrolyte solution
Implementation Method 2
an electrolyte solution accommodating line may connect the pillar and the valve flaps to accommodate the injected electrolyte solution
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery according to an exemplary embodiment may include: an electrode assembly including an electrode provided with a coated region and an uncoated region tab at opposite sides of a separator and configured to be spirally wound; an insulating case to accommodate and electrically insulate the electrode assembly; a case to accommodate the insulating case; and a cap plate including an electrolyte injection opening for injecting an electrolyte solution and combined with an opening of the case, wherein the insulating case may include: an internal electrolyte injection opening corresponding to the electrolyte injection opening; a pillar around the internal electrolyte injection opening protruding toward an inner side of the cap plate; and a valve flap that rotates via a hinge, induces injection of the electrolyte solution, and prevents backflow of the electrolyte solution.