Cap Plate Inversion Plate Sealing for Battery Dew Condensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries are prone to deterioration and capacity reduction due to short-circuiting and corrosion caused by dew condensation, which affects their performance and longevity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a sealing member with a thermoplastic elastomer sealing ring, a rib, and a protrusion part to prevent dew condensation from entering the battery, along with a cap plate and insulation plate configuration that includes a short-circuit hole and an air hole to manage internal pressure and moisture, thereby preventing short-circuiting and corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery uses a conventional sealing structure, then the manufacturing is simpler, but dew condensation penetrates into the battery causing short-circuiting and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into multiple functional components: a cap plate with short-circuit hole and air hole, an insulation plate with corresponding holes, and a sealing member with sealing ring, rib, and protrusion part. Each segment performs a specific function (sealing, insulation, pressure equalization) to collectively prevent dew condensation penetration while maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member acts as an intermediary element between the cap plate and insulation plate. It includes a sealing ring that directly contacts both plates to create a seal, preventing dew condensation from penetrating through the short-circuit hole and air hole interfaces while allowing controlled pressure equalization.
2Reliability
If the battery uses a sealed structure to prevent dew condensation, then reliability improves, but internal pressure management becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is designed with preliminary pressure relief mechanisms: the air hole provides a predetermined path for pressure equalization, and the protrusion part with channel is positioned to prevent direct contact between the inversion plate and terminal plate before short-circuiting occurs, thereby preventing harmful pressure buildup while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The air hole is designed to allow air to pass through before dew condensation can cause short-circuiting. This preliminary action of pressure equalization prevents the inversion plate from contacting the terminal plate, thereby preventing short-circuiting before it occurs.
3Reliability
If the battery uses an inversion plate structure, then short-circuit prevention is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member concentrates sealing functionality at specific locations: the sealing ring surrounds the short-circuit hole, the rib extends to surround the air hole, and the protrusion part with channel is positioned at a specific height. This localized quality approach ensures reliable sealing and short-circuit prevention at critical interfaces without requiring high precision across the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structure uses a protrusion part that extends beyond the minimum required height to ensure reliable sealing contact. This excessive action provides manufacturing tolerance compensation, ensuring that even with normal manufacturing variations, the sealing contact is sufficient to prevent dew condensation penetration.
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a cap plate sealing the case and having an inversion plate; and an insulation plate having a short-circuit hole generally corresponding to the inversion plate and an air opening spaced from the short-circuit hole and fluidly connected to a top surface of the cap plate; a terminal plate coupled to a top surface of the insulation plate and electrically connected to the electrode assembly; and a terminal assembly including a sealing member coupled to a bottom surface of the insulation plate and formed to encompass the short-circuit hole and the air opening.