Bipolar Battery Plate Edge Seals for Leak-Tight Cell Assembly

Solution Overview

Problem

Bipolar battery assemblies face challenges in maintaining a seal around electrochemical cells, particularly during assembly and operation, due to issues with electrolyte leakage and internal pressures, which are not effectively addressed by existing methods that require external membranes or casings.

Innovation Solution

The method involves stacking battery plates with projections that overlap and weld together to form an integrated edge seal, eliminating the need for external casings or membranes, and using heat welding or solvent welding to create a liquid and gas-tight seal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If external membranes or casings are used to seal the battery assembly, then electrolyte leakage is prevented, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is merged with the battery plates themselves through integrated edge seals that are formed as part of the plate structure. The edge seals include sealing surfaces that directly contact adjacent plates to create seals, eliminating the need for separate external membranes or casings while maintaining effective sealing against electrolyte leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing function is extracted from external components (membranes and casings) and integrated directly into the battery plate structure. The edge seals are formed as integral parts of the plates through molding or other formation processes, removing the need for separate sealing components and simplifying the overall assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If external membranes or casings are used to seal the battery assembly, then electrolyte leakage is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is merged with the battery plates themselves through integrated edge seals that are formed as part of the plate structure. The edge seals include sealing surfaces that directly contact adjacent plates to create seals, eliminating the need for separate external membranes or casings while maintaining effective sealing against electrolyte leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing function is extracted from external components (membranes and casings) and integrated directly into the battery plate structure. The edge seals are formed as integral parts of the plates through molding or other formation processes, removing the need for separate sealing components and simplifying the overall assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If battery plates are bonded at adjacent surfaces using separate adhesives, then sealing is achieved, but bond reliability before and during operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing implementationVSAvoidbond reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is merged with the battery plates themselves through integrated edge seals that are formed as part of the plate structure. The edge seals include sealing surfaces that directly contact adjacent plates to create seals, eliminating the need for separate external membranes or casings while maintaining effective sealing against electrolyte leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electrochemical cells themselves act as intermediaries to bond the battery plates together. The cells are compressed between the plates, creating a mechanical bond that is maintained throughout operation, replacing the need for separate adhesives that may fail under operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 simplifies the assembly process, reduces costs, and maintains an effective seal around electrochemical cells, resisting both inward and outward deformation of the battery plates during operation.

Implementation Method 1

welding about peripheral edges of the plurality of battery plates to form one or more integrated edge seal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS11888106B2Battery assembly with integrated edge seal and methods of forming the seal

Publication Date: 2024.01.30 ADVANCED BATTERY CONCEPTS LLC

AI summary

A method for forming a battery assembly including: a) stacking a plurality of battery plates to form a plurality of electrochemical cells, and b) welding about an exterior periphery of the plurality of battery plates to form one or more integrated edge seals such that one or more individual battery plates are bonded to one or more adjacent battery plates. The one or more individual battery plates may include one or more projections extending from the exterior periphery of the individual battery plate toward the adjacent one or more battery plates; and wherein upon stacking, the one or more projections of the one or more individual battery plates overlap about an exterior of the one or more adjacent battery plates. The integrated edge seal may be formed by one or more projections bonding to the one or more adjacent battery plates.