Battery Cell Housing Weak Region Structure for Fatigue-Resistant Venting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The service life of battery cells is compromised due to fatigue failure of weak regions during normal use and delayed pressure relief during thermal runaway, leading to potential explosions.

Innovation Solution

A housing component with a groove portion and protrusion design that strengthens weak regions while allowing timely pressure relief, optimized by specific ratios and configurations to balance fatigue strength and pressure relief efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a weak region is formed in the housing component to enable pressure relief during thermal runaway, then the reliability of the battery cell is improved, but the fatigue strength of the weak region deteriorates, leading to damage during normal use and reduced service life

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure relief functionVSAvoidfatigue strength of weak region

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a weak region with specifically reduced thickness (through groove portions) at designated locations in the housing component. This allows the housing to have different mechanical properties in different locations: the weak region enables pressure relief during thermal runaway, while other regions maintain full strength for normal structural support. The groove portions create localized thickness reduction without compromising the overall structural integrity of the housing component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If the weak region is made thinner to facilitate timely pressure relief, then the pressure relief speed is improved, but the service life of the battery cell deteriorates due to increased risk of damage during normal use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure relief speedVSAvoidservice life of battery cell

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The housing component features localized groove portions that create weak regions with reduced thickness only at specific locations where pressure relief is needed. This allows the thin weak region to enable fast pressure relief during thermal runaway while the rest of the housing maintains full thickness and strength for long-term durability during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The groove portions are pre-formed during manufacturing to create weak regions with reduced thickness before the battery enters service. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when thermal runaway occurs, the pressure relief can happen immediately through the pre-thinned weak region, while the overall housing structure remains robust enough to prevent damage during normal use throughout the battery's service life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250226522A1Housing component, battery cell, battery, and electric device

Publication Date: 2025.07.10 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED

AI summary

A housing component includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are oppositely arranged along a first direction. The housing component is provided with a first groove portion recessed from the first surface in a direction proximate to the second surface. The housing component forms a weak region at the bottom of the first groove portion, and the weak region is configured to be damaged when the battery cell releases internal pressure. Along the first direction, a protrusion protruding from the second surface is arranged on a side of the weak region away from the first groove portion.