Electrochemical Cell Connection Potting for Tolerance Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrochemical cells require complex designs and significant production efforts, which can lead to inefficiencies and reliability issues, particularly in battery modules where simplicity and minimal production effort are desired.

Innovation Solution

An electrochemical cell design featuring a housing with a cover element, connection conductors, and compensation elements made from polymer materials with specific structural features to minimize manufacturing tolerances and volume fluctuations, ensuring effective electrical insulation and stability while reducing production complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complex designs are used in electrochemical cells, then reliability may improve, but production effort and manufacturing complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddesign complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components. The cover element integrates sealing, insulation, and structural support functions. The connection conductor assembly merges electrical connection, mechanical fastening, and insulation functions into a single integrated unit, reducing the number of separate components and simplifying assembly while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The connection conductor is designed to serve multiple purposes: it provides electrical connection between terminals, acts as a mechanical fastening element, provides electrical insulation through coating, and serves as a reference for positioning. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall design while maintaining system reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If complex designs are used in electrochemical cells, then reliability may improve, but production effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidproduction effort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection conductor is pre-coated with insulating material and pre-assembled with the housing and terminals before final cell assembly. The cover element is pre-formed with integrated sealing features and mounting structures. These preliminary actions reduce on-site assembly complexity and production time while ensuring consistent quality and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The electrochemical cell is divided into modular components: housing, cover element, connection conductors, and terminals. Each component can be manufactured independently and assembled through standardized interfaces, reducing production effort while maintaining overall system reliability through consistent modular assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If polymer materials with volume compensation are used, then electrical insulation and stability improve, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidvolume variation compensation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses polymer materials whose physical parameters (volume, density) change in response to environmental conditions. The potting material's volume expansion/contraction properties are utilized to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and maintain consistent electrical insulation characteristics across temperature and humidity variations, reducing the impact of manufacturing precision variations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If simpler designs are used in electrochemical cells, then production effort decreases, but reliability and stability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction effortVSAvoidstability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials combining different properties: conductive polymers for connection conductors providing both electrical conductivity and flexibility, insulating polymers for coating and housing providing electrical isolation, and potting materials with tailored mechanical and thermal properties. These composite materials enable simplified designs to achieve the same reliability as complex designs by leveraging material properties rather than complex structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS20240039129A1Electrochemical cell and method for producing an electrochemical cell

Publication Date: 2024.02.01 ELRINGKLINGER AG

AI summary

The aim of the invention is to provide an electrochemical cell which is as simply constructed as possible and which requires as little production effort as possible. This is achieved by an electrochemical cell, in which a first connection conductor is secured to a cover element in a first connection region by means of a first potting element, said first potting element being surrounded and/or accommodated by a first compensation element of the electrochemical cell in the first connection region, and/or in which a second connection conductor is secured to the cover element in a second connection region by means of a second potting element, said second potting element being surrounded and/or accommodated by a second compensation element of the electrochemical cell in the second connection region.