Battery Cell Electrode Welding with Viable Weld Site Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity and size of battery cell arrays pose challenges in maintaining consistent and robust electrical connections, leading to potential failures such as deficient power transfer, short circuits, and reduced energy capacity, especially in high-power applications like electric vehicles, due to misalignment and variability in connection points.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a detector to scan electrode contact areas for viable weld sites, determining alignment and viability for laser welding, allowing for the selection and welding of primary and alternative sites to ensure robust electrical bonding, and re-alignment or discarding the array if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of battery cells is increased to meet high power demand, then energy capacity and power output are improved, but alignment consistency and connection reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of electrode contact areas and identification of viable weld sites before the actual welding process. This advance preparation allows the system to plan welding paths and select optimal connection points, ensuring alignment consistency even in large-scale battery arrays with numerous cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates real-time detection and assessment of weld quality, using feedback from the welding process to adjust and maintain connection reliability. This feedback mechanism ensures that alignment variations in large battery arrays do not compromise connection consistency.
2Productivity
If laser welding is used to achieve high throughput and low cost, then productivity is improved, but sensitivity to misalignment increases leading to weld failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of electrode contact areas and identification of viable weld sites before the actual welding process. This advance preparation allows the system to plan welding paths and select optimal connection points, ensuring alignment consistency even in large-scale battery arrays with numerous cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts welding parameters based on detected alignment conditions and identified viable weld sites. By modifying welding parameters according to actual alignment status, the system maintains weld quality and reliability while preserving the high throughput benefits of laser welding.
3Adaptability or versatility
If resistance spot welding or friction wire bonding is used to connect misaligned contact points, then adaptability to misalignment is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical welding systems (resistance spot welding, friction wire bonding) with a simplified laser welding system. By using laser welding combined with preliminary detection and viable weld site identification, the system achieves comparable adaptability to misalignment without the mechanical complexity and high costs of traditional welding methods.
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 approach enhances the reliability and efficiency of assembling large battery cell arrays by ensuring consistent and robust connections, reducing the risk of failures and maintaining high energy capacity and power transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
receive light reflected from different portions of the contact area
Implementation Method 2
welding laser to generate heat at a contact area of a battery cell
Implementation Method 3
weld light emissions generated during the weld
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for welding contacts of a plurality of battery cells are provided. A method includes using a detector to perform a scan of the cell electrode contact area for each of the plurality of battery cells. Based upon the scan of each cell electrode contact area, a determination is made of whether one or more possible weld sites for each electrode contact area are viable for welding. In response to determining that one or more weld sites are viable, one or more of the viable weld sites are selected and a welder is used to weld at least one of the selected weld sites.