Battery Cell Venting Structure to Prevent Discharge Channel Blockage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery cells face reliability issues due to the blocking of pressure relief mechanisms during thermal runaway, leading to inefficient discharge of high-temperature and high-pressure substances, which can cause cracking and reduce the battery's performance.

Innovation Solution

A battery cell design featuring a supporting member within an insulating member that restricts deformation of discharge channels, maintaining an unobstructed path for high-temperature and high-pressure substances to reach the pressure relief mechanism, thereby preventing the mechanism from being blocked.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the battery cell uses a conventional design without a supporting member, then the device complexity is reduced, but the discharge channel deforms during thermal runaway blocking the pressure relief mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure relief mechanism reliabilityVSAvoidbattery cell structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting member is pre-installed in the insulating member before thermal runaway occurs. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when thermal runaway happens and high-temperature substances are generated, the discharge channel is already protected against deformation, preventing blockage of the pressure relief mechanism and enabling timely discharge of gases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The supporting member acts as an intermediary element between the insulating member and the discharge channel. It provides mechanical support to the insulating member, preventing it from deforming under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions during thermal runaway, thus maintaining the discharge channel's patency without requiring direct reinforcement of the channel itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the battery cell includes a supporting member in the insulating member, then the discharge channel remains unobstructed during thermal runaway, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge channel patencyVSAvoidsupporting member positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting member is strategically placed only in the critical region where the insulating member may deform during thermal runaway. This localized support structure provides necessary reinforcement to maintain discharge channel patency while minimizing the overall complexity and manufacturing precision requirements compared to a fully reinforced structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the insulating member is made more rigid to prevent deformation, then the discharge channel stability is improved, but the insulating member may crack under thermal stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge channel stabilityVSAvoidinsulating member fracture resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating member is designed with appropriate flexibility rather than excessive rigidity. The supporting member provides localized reinforcement to maintain discharge channel stability, while the insulating member itself retains enough flexibility to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction during thermal runaway, preventing crack formation from thermal stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP4675814A1Battery cell, battery, and electric device
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP4675814A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4675814A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4675814A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Provided are a battery cell (20), a battery, and an electrical device. The reliability of the battery cell (20) can be improved. The battery cell (20) comprises: a shell (21), where the shell (21) has a first wall (211), and the first wall (211) is provided with a pressure relief mechanism (213); an electrode assembly (22), where the electrode assembly (22) is accommodated in the shell (21); an insulating member (23), where the insulating member (23) is arranged between the electrode assembly (22) and the first wall (211), the insulating member (23) has an accommodating cavity (26), and the insulating member (23) has a discharge channel in communication with the pressure relief mechanism (213) and the electrode assembly (22); and a supporting member (24), where the supporting member (24) is accommodated in the accommodating cavity (26) for restricting a deformation of the discharge channel.