Battery Cell Venting Layout to Prevent Busbar Short Circuits

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lithium-ion batteries face challenges in ensuring safety performance, particularly in preventing emissions from causing short circuits and ensuring safe discharge of pressure and temperature during thermal runaway.

Innovation Solution

The battery design incorporates a pressure relief mechanism in at least one battery cell, configured to release internal pressure when a threshold is reached, and a bus component for electrical connection, with the pressure relief mechanism and bus component arranged on different sides of the battery cell to direct emissions away from the bus component. Additionally, a thermal management component is included, capable of being damaged during pressure relief to allow emissions to pass through, enhancing temperature control and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the pressure relief mechanism and bus component are arranged on the same side of the battery cell, then the structure is simpler, but emissions may cause short circuits between bus components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidshort circuit risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cell is divided into different functional zones: one side for electrical connection (bus component) and the opposite side for pressure relief (pressure relief mechanism). This spatial segmentation prevents emissions from the pressure relief mechanism from contacting the bus component, thereby eliminating the short circuit risk while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the pressure relief mechanism is positioned to discharge emissions away from the bus component, then short circuit risk is reduced, but the directional control of emissions requires precise positioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshort circuit preventionVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of controlling emissions direction within the same plane, the solution moves the pressure relief mechanism to the opposite side of the battery cell from the bus component. This dimensional repositioning creates inherent spatial separation that directs emissions away from the bus component without requiring complex positioning control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If the thermal management component is designed to be damageable during pressure relief, then emissions can pass through effectively, but the component structure must be weakened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemissions discharge efficiencyVSAvoidcomponent strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The thermal management component is pre-designed with specific weak points or damageable structures that will fail in a controlled manner during thermal runaway. This preliminary design ensures that when extreme pressure and temperature occur, the component can be damaged to create passage for emissions, preventing more severe failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The potential harm of component damage is converted into a beneficial safety feature. By designing the thermal management component to be damageable, the system transforms what would normally be a failure mode into a controlled pressure relief mechanism that allows emissions to escape, protecting the overall battery system from more catastrophic failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 design significantly improves the safety performance of the battery by preventing emissions from causing short circuits and ensuring safe discharge of pressure and temperature, thereby reducing the risk of accidents in applications such as electric vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure relief mechanism in at least one battery cell, configured to release internal pressure when a threshold is reached

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure relief: Depressurisation

Implementation Method 2

a thermal management component, the thermal management component being configured to accommodate a fluid to adjust temperatures of the plurality of battery cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12212015B2Battery, and related device, preparation method and preparation apparatus thereof

Publication Date: 2025.01.28 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED

AI summary

The present application discloses a battery and a related device, preparation method, and preparation apparatus thereof. The battery includes: a plurality of battery cells, at least one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells including a pressure relief mechanism, and the pressure relief mechanism being configured, when an internal pressure of the at least one battery cell reaches a threshold, to be actuated to release the internal pressure; and a bus component configured to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells, wherein the pressure relief mechanism and the bus component are respectively arranged on different sides of the at least one battery cell, such that emissions from the at least one battery cell are discharged in a direction away from the bus component when the pressure relief mechanism is actuated.