Button Cell Battery Assembly With Spring Center Pin Contacts

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing button-type secondary battery manufacturing process faces issues with reduced production rates, increased product costs due to long positive electrode tabs, and increased thickness due to additional bending during the welding process.

Innovation Solution

A secondary battery design featuring an upper and lower can with parallel circumferential portions, a center pin with elastic springs and wedges to ensure direct contact of electrode tabs with cans without welding, and a gasket for insulation and adhesion, eliminating the need for separate welding and providing additional bonding force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the positive electrode tab and negative electrode tab are welded separately to the upper can and lower can, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but production rate decreases and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidproduction rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the bonding process of the upper can and lower can with the electrical connection process of the electrode tabs. The adhesion layer on the cans provides both mechanical bonding and electrical conductivity, eliminating the need for separate welding operations. This integration resolves the contradiction by achieving reliable electrical connection through the combined adhesion-bonding process while significantly improving production rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If the positive electrode tab is made sufficiently long to reach the upper can for welding, then welding is possible, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewelding feasibilityVSAvoidpositive electrode tab length

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the welding requirement from the manufacturing process by using an adhesion layer that provides both mechanical bonding and electrical connection without requiring welding. This eliminates the need for excessively long positive electrode tabs, reducing material consumption and production costs while maintaining ease of manufacture through the adhesion-based connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the positive electrode tab is bent multiple times to achieve proper positioning, then correct electrical connection is achieved, but battery thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection accuracyVSAvoidbattery thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the multiple bending requirements by using the adhesion layer to provide both mechanical support and electrical connection in a single configuration. The positive electrode tab only needs to be bent once to extend toward the upper can, and the adhesion layer ensures proper electrical connection without requiring additional bends, thereby reducing battery thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Strength

If the welding process is used to bond electrode tabs to cans, then strong electrical connection is achieved, but defect rate increases due to process difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection strengthVSAvoidproduction defect rate

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the welding process (thermal-mechanical system) with an adhesion-based bonding process. The adhesion layer on the cans provides both mechanical bonding strength and electrical conductivity through a simpler, more reliable process that is less prone to defects, thereby maintaining strong electrical connection while reducing the defect rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 design simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces defect rates, prevents leakage and resistance, and prevents explosions by interrupting current flow when internal pressure increases, thereby enhancing safety and reducing production costs.

Implementation Method 1

a center pin in the through-hole, the center pin being configured to apply elastic force in the vertical direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

when the upper can and the lower can are bonded to each other, the compression force may be applied to the one or more springs

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression force: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS12567658B2Secondary battery

Publication Date: 2026.03.03 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having a negative electrode, a positive electrode tab protruding to a first side, a negative electrode tab protruding to a second side, and a through-hole; an upper can having a flat planar portion and a circumferential portion protruding in a vertical direction along an edge of the flat planar portion; a lower can having a flat planar portion and a circumferential portion protruding in the vertical direction along an edge of the flat planar portion; and a center pin configured to apply elastic force in the vertical direction when being inserted into the through-hole. The center pin applies the elastic force to allow the negative electrode tab to be in direct contact with the lower can and allow the positive electrode tab to be in direct contact with the upper can.