Bipolar Lead-Acid Battery Venting Structure for Pressure Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bipolar lead-acid batteries face issues with inconsistent internal pressures leading to structural damage, self-discharge, and short circuits during manufacturing and use, affecting service life and performance.

Innovation Solution

The battery design incorporates an air-distributing chamber and common pressure chamber to equalize internal pressures across cells, uses insulating diaphragms and air hole umbrella caps to prevent short circuits and self-discharge, and employs a sealing rubber ring for cell independence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If each compartment is connected to an independent air chamber with a one-way valve, then micro-short circuit and self-discharge are avoided, but internal pressure becomes inconsistent leading to structural damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery performanceVSAvoidinternal pressure consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent air chambers into a single common air chamber that serves all compartments. This allows pressure equalization across all battery cells while maintaining the protective function against micro-short circuits and self-discharge through the retained one-way valve mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common air chamber acts as an intermediary structure between the electrolyte-filled compartments and the external environment. It provides a centralized pressure regulation zone that mediates pressure distribution across all cells, preventing both pressure inconsistency and direct electrolyte exposure to external conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If all inner cavities are completely connected through through holes, then internal pressure is balanced, but internal short circuit occurs during inner formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinternal pressure consistencyVSAvoidmanufacturing success
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the air path into two distinct zones: electrolyte-filled compartments separated by separators, and a separate common air chamber above them. This segmentation allows pressure communication through the air chamber while maintaining electrical isolation during manufacturing, preventing short circuits during inner formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from horizontal connection of inner cavities (which causes short circuits) to vertical connection through a separate air chamber dimension. The through holes are positioned in the bipolar substrate to connect to the air chamber space, not directly between electrolyte-filled cavities, thereby achieving pressure balance without electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the battery structure is simplified with fewer components, then manufacturing cost decreases, but pressure balance and short circuit prevention become difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery structureVSAvoidpressure balance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The common air chamber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it balances internal pressure across all cells, prevents micro-short circuits by maintaining separation, enables self-discharge prevention through controlled venting, and provides a centralized location for the safety valve. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the air chamber function with the pressure balance mechanism into a single integrated structure. Rather than having separate pressure regulation devices for each compartment, the common air chamber unifies these functions, simplifying the overall battery structure while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3748761B1Bipolar lead acid storage battery
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 CHEN SHUANGYING
  • EP3748761B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3748761B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3748761B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a bipolar lead-acid battery relating to the technical filed of battery. The bipolar lead-acid battery includes a housing (1) with a battery cavity (11a) inside and a plurality of single cells (2) provided in the battery cavity (11a), each of the single cells (2) has an inner cavity (21) for electrolyte injection, and the inner cavity (21) of each single cell (2) is independent of one another, and the housing (1) has a plurality of air-distributing chambers (12a) communicating with the inner cavity (21) of the each of the single cells (2) in one-to-one correspondence above the battery cavity (11a), wherein the housing (1) further has a common pressure chamber (14a), the air-distributing chambers (12a) communicate with the common pressure chamber (14a) through vents (13a), respectively. The bipolar lead-acid battery has the advantages that it can be successfully manufactured and can be used normally, and solves the problems of short service life and unsuccessful manufacture of the existing battery.