Button Battery Housing Layout With Laser-Welded Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current button battery housings suffer from poor sealing reliability due to inaccurate R-angle measurements and a multilayer structure that inefficiently utilizes radial space, leading to suboptimal sealing and production challenges.

Innovation Solution

A button battery design featuring a metal housing with a cover plate of the same polarity, integrated by laser welding, a cap with an insulating member, and a safety vent system that includes a film and air layer for enhanced sealing and pressure relief, allowing for improved radial space utilization and simplified automated production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a multilayer structure with seal body is used between cathode housing and anode housing, then sealing function is achieved, but radial space utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing functionVSAvoidradial space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cathode housing and anode housing into a single integrated metal housing structure, eliminating the need for a separate seal body between them. This integration maintains sealing reliability while significantly reducing radial space occupation by removing the intermediate seal layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the seal body from the battery structure, transitioning from a multilayer design to a single-layer metal housing design. This extraction eliminates the radial space consumed by the seal body while maintaining the essential sealing function through the integrated housing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If R-corner sealing technology is performed with interference fit, then sealing capability is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing capabilityVSAvoidR-angle measurement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical R-corner sealing technology with laser welding technology. This substitution eliminates the need for precise R-angle measurements and interference fit calculations, as laser welding provides reliable sealing through precise thermal fusion of the metal housing edges, thereby improving measurement accuracy while maintaining sealing capability.

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

3Device complexity

If cover plate and cap are directly connected, then device complexity is reduced, but electrical insulation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidelectrical insulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the connection between the cover plate and cap by introducing an insulating member as an intermediate component. This segmentation maintains electrical insulation while keeping the overall structure simple and suitable for automated production, as the insulating member can be easily integrated into the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution provides a more reliable sealing mechanism, optimizing radial space utilization, enhancing production efficiency, and ensuring better yield and safety through a single-layer metal housing and integrated components.

Implementation Method 1

The film is located on the outer surface of the cover plate for sealing the injection hole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Implementation Method 2

When a volume of a gas inside the metal housing is excessively expanded, the gas breaks through the film and the metal housing is communicated with the air layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas expansion absorption:

Implementation Method 3

The cover plate and the metal housing have a same polarity and are integrated by laser welding to realize a more reliable sealing of the battery housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser welding: Laser Beam Welding

Data Source

PatentEP3813171B1Button battery for improving utilization rate of radial space
Publication Date: 2024.02.28 CHONGQING VDL ELECTRONICS
  • EP3813171B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3813171B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3813171B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present disclosure includes a metal housing (1), a cell (2) arranged in the metal housing (1), and a cover plate (3) arranged on the metal housing (1). The cell (2) includes a cathode (21) and an anode (22). The cover plate (3) and the metal housing (1) have a same polarity and are integrated by laser welding to realize a more reliable sealing of the battery housing (1). A cap (4) is arranged at and protruded from an outer side of the cover plate (3). An insulating member (5) is arranged between the cover plate (3) and the cap (4) to prevent a short between the cover plate (3) and the cap (4). One of the cathode (21) and the anode (22) is electrically connected to the metal housing (1), and another of the cathode (21) and the anode (22) is electrically connected to the cap (4).