Bipolar Cell Stack Edge Insulation With Support Frame Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery designs with series-connected electrochemical cells require insulating housings to prevent short circuits, increasing complexity, cost, and reducing efficiency due to the need for additional space and materials for housing and insulation.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring stacked electrochemical cells with bipolar plates, solid electrolyte layers, and edge insulating devices that allow direct series connections without intervening housings, using a support frame to maintain spacing and prevent short circuits while allowing for cell expansion and contraction during charging and discharging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual cell housings with insulating structures are used to prevent short circuits in series-connected cells, then electrical insulation is ensured, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of electrical insulation and structural support into a single integrated component. The insulating device is disposed between adjacent cells to prevent short circuits while the support frame provides mechanical stability, eliminating the need for separate insulating structures on each cell housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The support frame serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the stacked cells, maintains spacing between adjacent cells, and works with the insulating devices to prevent electrical short circuits. This multi-functional design reduces overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If individual cell housings are used to enclose each electrochemical cell, then cell protection and insulation are achieved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple protective functions into shared components. The support frame and insulating devices provide both mechanical protection and electrical insulation for multiple cells simultaneously, reducing the number of manufacturing steps and components compared to individual housings for each cell.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is segmented into stacked cells with insulating devices positioned between them, allowing for modular assembly. The insulating devices are disposed between peripheral edges of adjacent cells, enabling standardized manufacturing and assembly processes.
3Reliability
If cell housings and insulating structures are used in series-connected batteries, then short circuit prevention is ensured, but battery efficiency decreases due to space and material usage
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating devices are implemented as thin sheets or films disposed between adjacent cells, minimizing the space required for insulation while maintaining electrical isolation. This approach reduces the volume occupied by non-active materials compared to bulky traditional housings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential insulation function from bulky housing structures and implements it through minimal insulating devices positioned only where needed between cells. This removes unnecessary materials and space while maintaining short circuit prevention.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A battery includes a stacked arrangement of electrochemical cells. Each electrochemical cell is free of a cell housing and includes a bipolar plate having a substrate, a first active material layer formed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second active material layer formed on a second surface of the substrate. Each cell includes a solid electrolyte layer that encapsulates at least one of the active material layers, and an edge insulating device that is disposed between the peripheral edges of the substrates of each pair of adjacent cells. A support frame surrounds the cell stack and is configured to receive and support the outer peripheral edge of the edge insulating device of each cell.