Bi-Metal Pole Post Cold Heading for Low-Waste Cell Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for producing pole posts in batteries, such as friction welding, result in significant waste of raw materials and higher production costs due to the need for precise cutting and forming of metal composite blanks.

Innovation Solution

The use of a cold heading process to form a pole post with a metal base and a metal post of different materials, where the metal post has a first groove that allows material redistribution, reducing material waste and cost while maintaining dimensional accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If friction welding process is used to form metal composite blanks, then the pole post can be formed with two different metals meeting dimensional requirements, but significant waste of raw metal materials occurs and production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional accuracy of pole postVSAvoidwaste of raw metal materials
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the manufacturing process parameters from friction welding with CNC cutting to cold heading process. This parameter change allows the metal post to be formed directly from a metal blank through plastic deformation, eliminating the need for material removal and significantly reducing raw material waste while maintaining dimensional accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the friction welding mechanical system with a cold heading mechanical system. The cold heading process uses dies to plastically deform the metal blank into the desired pole post shape, substituting the welding and cutting operations with a single forming operation that conserves material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If friction welding and CNC cutting process is used, then the pole post can be formed with precise dimensions, but the production efficiency is reduced and production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional accuracy of pole postVSAvoidproduction efficiency of pole post
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate operations (friction welding, CNC cutting, and forming) into a single cold heading process. The metal blank is directly formed into the pole post with precise dimensions in one operation, eliminating the need for separate welding and cutting steps, thereby significantly improving production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Length of moving object

If additional raw materials are used to lengthen the metal post, then the height requirement can be met, but material waste and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheight of metal postVSAvoidraw material consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamic plastic deformation during the cold heading process to redistribute and elongate the metal material. The metal blank undergoes controlled plastic flow under die pressure, dynamically changing its shape and length to meet height requirements without adding more raw material, thus conserving material resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

The cold heading process improves efficiency, reduces material waste, and lowers production costs by allowing the metal post to be lengthened without additional raw materials, enhancing the structural strength and reliability of the pole post.

Implementation Method 1

the cold heading process improves the efficiency of producing the pole post, effectively reduces the waste of materials, and better controls the production cost. Moreover, on the basis of meeting the requirement for dimension, by forming a first groove in a metal post away from the metal base by cold heading, materials originally located at the first groove can move towards other positions of a metal post, thereby increasing the height of the metal post

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4478496A1Pole post, top cap assembly, and cell
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 HUIZHOU EVE POWER CO LTD
  • EP4478496A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4478496A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4478496A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The disclosure provides a pole post (100), a top cap assembly, and a cell. The pole post (100) includes a metal base (110) and a metal post (120); the metal post (120) is disposed on a top of the metal base (110); a material of the metal post (120) is different from a material of the metal base (110); a bottom of the metal post (120) is connected to a top of the metal base (110), and a surface of the metal post (120) away from the metal base (110) is provided with a first groove (1201). The pole post (100) of the disclosure has higher reliability and lower cost.