Interlocked Cell Case Structure for High-Temperature Joint Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell cases with a metal and resin combination face disassembly issues under high temperature environments due to reduced joining strength when the resin softens or melts, leading to battery cells falling apart.
Innovation Solution
A cell case design featuring a metal plate portion with overlapping portions connected by a resin portion, where the metal plates are secured with hooks and openings formed by press molding to prevent disassembly, and a manufacturing method that includes press molding steps to create these features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple metal plates are connected via a resin portion to increase design freedom, then shape flexibility is improved, but reliability deteriorates because the metal plates may disassemble when the resin softens or melts under high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is segmented into distinct functional elements: hooks formed on metal plates and corresponding openings in adjacent plates. This segmentation allows the mechanical interlocking feature to be independently designed and optimized without being constrained by the resin portion's thermal limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines organic resin material with inorganic metal material in a composite structure. The resin portion provides shape flexibility and bonding, while the metal-to-metal hook opening mechanism provides temperature-resistant mechanical interlocking. This composite approach leverages the complementary strengths of different materials to resolve the contradiction between flexibility and reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If metal plates are placed separated from each other with resin portion to increase design freedom, then ease of manufacture is improved, but strength deteriorates because the joining strength reduces when resin softens under high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The hooks and openings are formed on the metal plates during the press molding process before the resin portion is attached. This preliminary formation of mechanical interlocking features ensures that the strength-critical components are already in place and properly positioned before resin bonding, eliminating the need for post-assembly operations and maintaining manufacturing simplicity while enhancing strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical interlocking function is extracted from the resin portion and implemented as separate metal-to-metal hooks and openings. This extraction removes the thermal vulnerability from the strength-critical connection mechanism, allowing the resin to focus on providing shape flexibility and overall bonding without bearing the primary load at high temperatures.
3Reliability
If hooks and openings are formed on metal plates to prevent disassembly, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional structural features
Solution Approach 1:
The hook formation process is merged with the existing press molding operation for metal plate fabrication. By integrating the hook and opening formation into the standard press molding workflow, the additional structural features are created using existing equipment and processes, minimizing the increase in device complexity while achieving the reliability improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The press molding process is made multi-functional by enabling it to perform both the traditional metal plate forming and the hook/opening formation in a single operation. This universality allows the same manufacturing system to produce the additional anti-disassembly features without requiring separate dedicated equipment, thereby limiting the increase in structural complexity.
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 design effectively prevents metal plate disassembly even under high temperatures, ensuring battery cell integrity and reducing manufacturing steps while maintaining electrical connectivity between plates.
Implementation Method 1
The first overlapped portion includes a hook. The second overlapped portion has an opening. The hook is formed to be caught on the opening to restrict relative displacement between the first metal plate and the second metal plate
Implementation Method 2
a press molding step of forming the hook and the opening
Implementation Method 3
The resin portion is provided between the metal plates such that the resin portion connects the metal plates
Data Source
AI summary
A cell case includes (i) first and second metal plates constituting a first part of the cell case and placed such that the first and second metal plates are separated from each other (ii) a resin portion provided between the metal plates such that the resin portion connects the first and second metal plates. The first metal plate and the second metal plate include a first overlapped portion and a second overlapped portion, respectively, such that the first overlapped portion and the second overlapped portion overlap with each other via the resin portion. The first overlapped portion includes a hook. The second overlapped portion has an opening. The hook is formed to be caught on the opening to restrict relative displacement between the first metal plate and the second metal plate along a direction where the first metal plate and the second metal plate are separated from each other.